Chapter 07
“Wait, why is the world spinning… Oh, I’m the one spinning…?”
It didn’t take long before Aileen ended up completely drunk.
She was carried back to her room by five maids of the Southern Grand Duke’s castle, each holding one of her limbs — arms, legs, and even her neck — lifting her up like cargo.
If she had just slept soundly until the next morning, it would have been fine.
But doesn’t something always go wrong when you’re drunk?
Aileen had simply woken up with a dry throat, jumped out of bed, and lost her way, mistaking the castle for her own mansion.
“Wait, was my house always this big? Ugh, I’m drunk. So drunk. But wow, that wine was amazing…”
While staggering down a corridor, she spotted a man standing under the moonlight in the central courtyard.
“Uh…”
Narrowing her eyes and tilting her head, she finally recognized the man.
“Oh, that… assistant.”
At the sound of her voice, the man turned around and looked at her.
Aileen, for some reason, wobbled barefoot toward him.
“…This is my house, so what are you doing here? Don’t tell me you got kicked out already?”
The smell of wine wafted heavily from her as she came closer.
The man frowned and took a step back.
But Aileen ignored him and moved even closer.
“You got kicked out? Huh? Then why are you still here? No, that won’t do. I said I can’t get involved with handsome men. Totally off-limits.”
Clearly, this woman was too drunk to think straight.
He looked at Aileen — barely able to stand — with an exasperated expression and asked,
“You seem very intoxicated.”
“I am drunk. Of course I am. I didn’t know southern wine could be this good. It was the best wine of my life. Why haven’t I had anything like this in the capital? All those overpriced wines nobles show off at banquets are worthless…”
Aileen rubbed her forehead with unfocused eyes.
“Come to think of it, what’s the Southern Grand Duke even doing? Huh? Answer me, you’re his assistant, right? Or were you a knight? Wait, is it even legal for a mere knight to be this handsome? I’m asking you—!”
She grabbed onto his clothes and started pulling on him.
What is the Southern Grand Duke doing, really? Not branding this wine as a luxury product?
The meat, seafood, fruit — everything tasted so much better here than in the capital!
As she clung to him, Floan let out a helpless chuckle.
He’d had women pretend to lean on him while drunk before, but this was the first time someone had tried to grab him by the collar.
And she hadn’t stopped talking since she started, like a waterfall. That was kind of impressive too.
It was as if pressing a button would make the truth spill out.
And Floan was right.
Her drunken state in both her past and current life was consistent: she became a fountain of truth.
Even without being asked, she’d blurt out what was on her mind, but if someone did ask, the truth would flow freely — hence the nickname “Mouth of Truth.”
Not knowing this, Floan smiled softly and stepped toward her.
Seeing his dangerously handsome face come closer, Aileen was momentarily dazed.
Under the moonlight, his black hair shimmered like the night sky.
His golden eyes didn’t lose their brilliance even in the backlight. He looked like a forest spirit, or maybe a moon god — if such a being were male, this would be it.
He wasn’t just handsome — he was beautiful.
And more than beautiful — almost divine.
‘Is it the wine, or does he just look better at night than during the day?’
Staring blankly at him, Aileen tried to snap herself out of it by rubbing her eyes.
But her hand was gently stopped by his much larger one.
His enchanting gaze locked with hers.
“Lady Aileen. Why did you refuse the Northern Grand Duke’s proposal and come to the South?”
His low, smooth voice rang softly through the courtyard.
That quiet, deep tone made Aileen’s heart pound wildly.
This is really dangerous.
Really dangerous.
Her internal handsome-man alarm was flashing red. Beeep! Beeep! Sirens blared in her mind.
Run! Get out of there now!
A tiny sliver of her reason screamed.
Aileen tried to pull away from his hand and turn her head.
Until his hand gently turned her chin back toward him.
‘Holy… he’s insanely handsome…’
Ah, whatever. He asked the question, so now it was time for the Mouth of Truth to open.
“Well, I really hate that Northern Grand Duke. If I marry that guy, I’ll die young. I don’t want a possessive man… I want to live a long, healthy life— I mean, just thinking about getting caught up in his whole birth-secret drama makes me nauseous, ugh…”
Floan’s long brows twitched ever so slightly, and a glint appeared in his eyes.
This woman — does she know something about Hilias?
Is that why she came to me instead?
He pressed further.
“That’s all? You don’t even really like the Southern Province. Go ahead and tell me, Aileen. It’s okay.”
“…It’s not that I don’t like the South. I just don’t like the Grand Duke. That man — why is he so laid-back and lazy? There’s all this good stuff lying around, and he doesn’t even try to use it…! But whatever. The best kind of husband is one who’s rich, rarely home, and doesn’t care about me. Puhuhuhu…”
She whispered it like a secret, and the man let out a soft laugh.
Then, supporting the swaying Aileen, he asked,
“Do you even know who I am?”
At that, Aileen looked up with hazy eyes and stared into his face.
Jet-black hair shining under the moonlight, golden eyes gleaming beneath long lashes.
Full lips, a sharp jawline that was firm but not harsh—
“—You’re that… what was it, the Southern Grand Duke’s knight? Or assistant? Whatever… Right, right, there’s no way I’d forget a face like that… Puhuhuhu… Handsome men are dangerous, I hate them, they know they’re hot and use it, I swear…”
“You’re unexpectedly odd.”
“Not odd— it’s wisdom from living two lives, okay…?”
“So then, what exactly do you hope to gain by becoming the Southern Grand Duchess?”
“…I don’t really want anything. Just peace and safety… freedom…? Oh, and power, if I can get it, as the Grand Duchess. Hehe.”
Aileen let out a sly laugh.
“Once I become Grand Duchess, I’m going to completely remake this backwater place to my taste! I’ll lead a full-on renaissance! That dumb, docile Duke can just sit back and watch me revive the South! This land is mine!”
“Quite an ambition.”
“Of course! You! Better stay on your toes… Once I’m Grand Duchess— Wait! Why are you standing all tilted…? Do you have a problem with me, huh?”
“…You’re the one who’s leaning.”
“No, I’m not… I’m not… wait, maybe I am…?”
She started swaying again and then promptly collapsed forward. Floan caught her.
He picked up the now-unconscious Aileen in his arms and carried her to the bedroom she was staying in.
“Snore… snore… I’ll take over… all of it…”
Even in her sleep, her fingers twitched and she muttered her grand ambitions.
Looking down at her, Floan’s eyes curved like crescent moons.
He hadn’t really been planning on marrying this woman.
He just wanted to figure out the reason behind her sudden proposal after rejecting that Northern Grand Duke’s offer.
He hadn’t expected this to be the reason.
More eccentric than he thought. And honest.
“Does the Southern Grand Duke really do nothing while his people live in such poverty?”
She was… a warm-hearted woman.
