APML 07

Chapter 07

Like Evelyn, Cain picked up a fork and began eating in a relaxed, rather unaristocratic manner.
“It’s quite edible today.”
“…I see.”

Jade, having caught on, also resumed his meal comfortably, unlike earlier, just like Cain.
Evelyn looked back and forth between the two with wide eyes. She was grateful for how naturally they were accommodating her.

Feeling oddly touched, she glanced down at her plate for a moment. Then, as if reassured, she picked up her fork and took a bite.
“Wow, it’s really good.”
“Eat plenty.”
“For someone who made such a fuss earlier, you don’t seem to be eating much.”
“Ugh. I’m just getting started. I’m really hungry, you know? I’ve been through so much that my body and mind are exhausted.”

Answering primly, Evelyn bravely shoveled food into her mouth. Somehow, it tasted even better than before.

After dinner, Evelyn returned to her room carrying the leftover wine. Perhaps because so much had happened that day, the tension that had kept her body taut finally melted away once she was alone, leaving her pleasantly languid.

She set the wine on the table and flopped onto the bed. The bedding was unbelievably soft and fragrant—nothing like the room she’d had back in her old village.
“This is nice.”

Feeling as though she might fall asleep at any moment, Evelyn forced her eyes open.
“Is this… not so bad after all?”

She had gambled with her life, but she had successfully made contact with Cain, one of the key figures, and secured a chance to go to the capital. Earning money had been a secondary goal, but now she had an opportunity for a proper salaried position, paid regularly. And if it truly came with top-tier待遇, it would be nothing compared to a rural village librarian’s wages.

“Shall I toast to achieving my first objective, then?”

Stretching with a satisfied expression, Evelyn got up from the bed and picked up the wine on the table. She had subtly asked Jade for it after dinner.
“This was really delicious. If Cain drinks it, it must be ridiculously expensive, right?”

Smiling happily, she opened the bottle.

Bang, bang, bang.

The loud knocking startled Evelyn awake.
“Ow, my head…”

Having emptied the entire bottle of wine before falling asleep, Evelyn clutched her throbbing head the moment she woke up. Bright sunlight was already pouring in through the window.

Bang, bang, bang.

Irritated by the pounding that made her aching head ring even more, Evelyn sprang up and stomped toward the door.
“Seriously, who is it so early in the morning?”

She flung the door open—then immediately slammed it shut when she saw Cain and Jade standing outside.

Frozen in place with her hand still on the doorknob, Evelyn muttered,
“This is a dream, right? Please tell me it’s a dream.”

She fervently wished it were so.
She must look terrible right now. She had fallen asleep with her hair tied up high for casual drinking, leaving it a complete mess—like a disheveled bandit. Her face was probably swollen from all the drinking. And on top of that—

Evelyn glanced down at herself.
She was wearing only a thin negligee, without a robe. And not just any negligee, but one thoroughly rumpled from rolling around on the soft bedding the night before.

Heartlessly, the knocking resumed outside the door.
“Evelyn.”

At Jade’s voice, Evelyn shouted back,
“J-just a moment!”

Flustered and mortified, she rushed toward the bed, only to trip after colliding with the table.

Crash. Thud.

The loud impact and the sound of the table falling echoed through the room. Moments later, Evelyn groaned on the floor, clutching her aching waist.

“What was that? What happened in there?”
Startled by the noise, Cain urgently grabbed the doorknob.

“Cain.”
“What?”

Jade silently shook his head at Cain, signaling don’t. Having a younger sister himself—though not exactly a normal one—Jade knew how much women hated being seen in a disastrous state first thing in the morning.

“You saw the state she was in earlier. It would be… inconvenient to open the door right now.”
“Is that so?”

Waiting quietly, Cain shot Jade a sideways glance.
“By the way, since when did you start calling her by name?”
“Since the beginning. Names are meant to be used, aren’t they?”

Just as Cain was about to retort, another loud crash and a scream came from inside the room.
“That sounded serious. Are you sure we shouldn’t go in?”
“Well…”

This time even Jade hesitated, rubbing his chin as he stared at the door.

Before either of them could decide, the door flew open.
Evelyn stood there, hair neatly tied back and a robe draped over her shoulders, asking as if nothing had happened,
“What brings you both here so early in the morning?”

“So early?”
It was nearly noon.

Cain stared at her with a dumbfounded expression. He hadn’t gotten a good look earlier due to the door slamming shut, but now Evelyn’s face was a sight to behold—puffy and tousled, the very picture of someone the morning after a drinking binge.

I thought it was suspicious when she took a whole bottle of wine with her.

With a displeased look, Cain asked bluntly,
“Do you have any idea what time it is?”
“Huh?”

At his exasperated tone, Evelyn turned her head toward the room.
“Gasp—oh, no. How did it get this late?”

Seeing the clock nearing twelve, she panicked. Between the alcohol and the exhausting day she’d had, she must have completely passed out.

“Didn’t you say you were going home? To get your things?”
“Oh—yes. I’ll go get them myself in a bit.”

As she said that and hurriedly tried to close the door, Cain quickly grabbed it and flashed a grin.
“You’re not trying to run away using that as an excuse, are you?”
“Run away? What are you talking about?”
“You remember what I said yesterday, right?”
“…?”

He’d said so many things yesterday. Evelyn frowned and tilted her head.
“That if what you said turns out not to be true, I’ll kill you.”
“Oh, that.”

He really did throw around the word kill easily. Evelyn replied slowly, grumbling inwardly.

“So I was wondering if you were planning to bolt before getting found out.”
“Ah. I see.”

You really are suspicious of everything.
Still, she understood. A strange woman had suddenly appeared and cheerfully warned him he might die—it was only natural to feel uneasy.

With a dissatisfied look, Evelyn clamped her mouth shut, and Cain pressed her again.
“So come with me. If not now, I won’t have the time.”
“Then couldn’t you at least assign me one subordinate?”

For someone so busy, why insist on going together? she muttered timidly.
“One subordinate? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I meant anyone would do.”
“…I need to see it myself.”
“Yes, yes.”

Of course. Only seeing it himself would put his mind at ease. Muttering internally, Evelyn stepped back into the room to get ready, trying to close the door again.

Cain chuckled softly behind her and added,
“Wash your face before you come out, at least.”
“Gah!”

Evelyn slammed the door shut and dashed back inside. More crashing, rolling, and screams followed.
In the end, Cain couldn’t help but laugh.
“Aren’t you teasing her a bit too much?”
“It’s fun.”
“…Well, yes.”

Jade finally gave in and laughed as well.

Inside the carriage, Evelyn stared out the window with a sulky expression. Every time she stole a glance at Cain, he was smiling at her, which only irritated her more. It was clearly a teasing smile.

She would have preferred it if he said something outright so she could snap back, but today he was unusually quiet, which made it even worse.

I got drunk and fell into this world, and then I drank again. Seriously, I need to get it together.

Just as the silence became unbearable, the carriage finally came to a stop. Soon after, the coachman spoke cautiously.
“The alley is too narrow for the carriage to go all the way in.”
“Is that so?”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to walk from here.”
“Very well.”

Unlike the fidgeting coachman, Cain stepped down from the carriage without concern. Evelyn followed, entering the alley ahead of him.

It was an alley she used several times a day. She had only not passed through it for a single day—nothing should have changed in that time. Yet perhaps because she’d nearly died, it felt strangely comforting.

In high spirits, she headed home with a light step and stopped in front of a green front door.
“This is it.”
“Run-down.”

Her buoyant mood instantly deflated at Cain’s assessment.
“I don’t know what you were expecting, but all the houses in this neighborhood are like this.”

Evelyn shot him a displeased look. Ignoring her, Cain gazed up at the small two-story building. He shouldn’t have recognized a place like this, yet it felt oddly familiar.

What is this? Have I just been roaming the backstreets too much lately?

After frowning at the exterior for a moment, Cain watched as Evelyn retrieved the key hidden under the mat, inserted it into the lock, and turned it.
“It’s shabby, but come in.”

With a prim invitation, Evelyn stepped inside first.

The moment she took one step in, something suddenly came flying toward her face, and she screamed before she could stop herself.