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Chapter 46
Gasp.
When she opened her eyes, she saw a familiar ceiling.
“Ah… I really am hopeless trash.”
She clearly remembered drinking and partying with abandon, and now, when she woke up, the sunlight was warm, and birds were chirping.
As she struggled to lift her tired body, she saw Florean sitting at the table beside the bed, elegantly sipping tea.
Aelin felt an involuntary sense of solemnity.
“So… um…”
She tried to find an excuse, but honestly, no matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t come up with one.
“I’m sorry, Florean…”
Thanks to the Crown Prince’s investment, she could start her business. There was no stronger backing than that.
Moreover, the Crown Prince was a long-time friend of her husband—what a double blessing that was.
Perhaps that was why she had gotten so excited without realizing it.
It wasn’t that she didn’t remember. She remembered all her words and actions from last night, which made her even more anxious.
Why did her mouth not only speak the truth but also spew nonsense?
Her drunkenness was no longer a “truthful mouth”—it was just a mouth.
Aelin, thinking this self-deprecatingly, cautiously glanced at Florean.
‘No, Florean drank a lot too last night. How is he so fine?’
She absentmindedly stared at his elegant hand raising the teacup with a gentle smile, and their eyes met.
In a panic, Aelin lowered her gaze.
Pride or anything else aside, it was natural to look down first when apologizing.
“Lady Aelin Helios, Duchess.”
“Yes.”
Florean usually called her “Madam—” affectionately. Even when saying her name, he sometimes made it so sweet that she had to warn herself daily not to be deceived by his sly charm.
But this time, Florean said her name in a low, serious tone.
That must mean he was very angry.
As soon as her name was spoken, she quickly lifted herself properly on the bed and knelt.
“You must be fed up. Completely fed up. Not once, but twice, I acted out like that. I’m the worst wife. When drinking, I can’t control myself, and making bomb cocktails in front of others isn’t something to be proud of. Anyway, I’m really sorry, Florean. I must have disappointed you.”
As the saying goes, “strike first to win,” she launched a preemptive apology.
Of course, whether it would be accepted depended on Florean.
She just blurted it out, fearing that delaying would make it sound like an excuse.
“I think I might have broken your trust. I’ll make sure this never happens again, so even if you’re disappointed in me—”
Some might think she was being overly humble over something so minor, but these little things could accumulate and become a major incident.
She would be acting as the perfect showpiece couple and attending countless banquets and social events to promote the southern regions…
But a duchess who got completely drunk and only made bomb cocktails? That would be… no, that is terrible.
“Aelin.”
“Yes.”
Aelin bit her lip, about to speak.
Ah, right. Maybe even this would sound like an excuse.
“—Do not drink in front of other men.”
“Of course, naturally. I’ll abstain from alcohol. Still, I’ll need to taste wine for the business, so… huh?”
“I said don’t drink in front of other men. Anything with alcohol.”
“…Then in front of other women?”
“You can mix bombs or dance mysterious shoulder dances there—it doesn’t matter.”
“….”
“I can even act as your Black Knight.”
“…Uh, um…”
“Just don’t do it in front of men.”
“….”
“Answer me.”
“…Yes.”
Only then did Florean seem satisfied and smiled like usual.
“Was I really that awful yesterday, Florean?”
Yes. She could have been.
Though a few slurred words didn’t ruin her beauty, she still could have looked terrible.
A husband might dislike seeing his wife look ugly in front of other men.
Florean looked at her with an understanding expression.
Seeing her innocent, clueless look, he let out a low sigh.
This woman clearly knew nothing.
‘Did I swell up too much?’
Aelin touched her face subtly, checking.
After drinking, her face would puff slightly but her skin actually looked great. Her sharp, beautiful features even softened a little, giving her a fresh charm.
She had been somewhat pleased with this post-drinking glow.
But had it all been an illusion?!
“You weren’t ugly… you were too cute.”
“…Huh?”
“Cute. I can’t bear to see you like that in front of other men.”
“…?”
“Even yesterday, no matter how sociable you are, how could you drink so intimately with a strange man? I know what kind of man he is and what kind of hidden intentions he might have.”
“…It’s not that—”
“It’s not that it’s not, Aelin. Enough excuses.”
“…Yes.”
She was slightly confused.
She had expected to be scolded, and she should have been, but something felt slightly off.
Did she hear that right?
“Too cute”?
Because she’s cute, she shouldn’t drink in front of other men?
What… what does that mean?
It was as if Florean was jealous. No, he was one hundred percent jealous.
‘But why would he be jealous?!’
Jealousy usually comes from affection, right?
Aelin was more confused than ever.
‘He obviously thinks I’m cute. That’s why he’s jealous.’
He even promised to act as her Black Knight in front of women.
Wasn’t a Black Knight supposed to help only if there were feelings involved?
Why would he drink someone else’s glass with no feelings?
Aelin thought it over carefully.
No matter how she looked at it, Florean clearly found her cute.
“Florean, do you find me cute?”
“….”
“Is that why you told me not to drink in front of other men? Because you’re afraid they’ll think I’m cute?”
“….”
“You said it’s fine to mix bombs or dance in front of women, even act as Black Knight.”
“….”
“Do you… perhaps like me—”
Before Aelin could finish, Florean stood abruptly.
At the same time, she turned her head, staring off at a distant horizon.
Florean, looking equally awkward, said stiffly to Aelin, who was nervously fiddling with the soft blanket.
“An urgent matter has come up. I’ll go ahead.”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Only after he awkwardly swung his long arms and legs and left did Aelin bury her face in the blanket.
Crazy… is he still tipsy? Why does he act however he wants?
Aelin lightly slapped her own cheeks, trying to wake herself up.
He must have a “hatchet disease.”
Though, admittedly, his looks might allow for such behavior, still, she told herself it was just her imagination.
“Yes. He’s just worried that if I get lost in drink and neglect the southern revival, it might affect trips abroad. That’s all.”
Yes. That’s all.
So don’t get excited over this.
“It’s just a southern habit of flirting. Silly me.”
Even as she said that, her face heated up, and she couldn’t stop fanning herself.
