HPL 21

chapter 21

When Roy sneered coldly, William, completely agitated, swung his left arm wildly.

“What did you just say? You bastard, do you want to die?”

Drunk and out of control, William threw his punch with full strength. But Roy merely tilted his head, easily dodging the attack.

Seeing Roy evade so effortlessly only enraged William further.

“You bastard! I’ll really kill you!”

When William swung again, Roy simply shifted his upper body slightly and avoided it once more. Then he looked coldly at the staggering man.

“I don’t think I’d die to someone like you.”

In the next instant, Roy grabbed William’s right wrist and twisted it sharply.

“Aaagh!”

As William screamed, Roy muttered quietly,

“So noisy.”

Roy looked down at him as though he were some insignificant object, and William trembled with humiliation.

Still drunk and unable to think straight, William lunged at Roy again, snorting and growling like a beast that had lost its mind.

But Roy remained calm and composed as ever.

Just as William closed in, a silver gleam cut through the darkness. The moonlight glinted off the blade as it moved like a predator striking its prey, grazing across William’s abdomen and chest.

“Ugh.”

William didn’t even manage a proper scream before collapsing to the floor.

When he fell face-first and didn’t move, I nudged him lightly with my foot.

He’s not dead, right? Should I heal him with divine power?

“Don’t worry,” Roy said as he sheathed his sword. “I hit him with the flat of the blade. No need to attract that woman’s attention.”

If it was the flat side, then he should be fine.

I turned my attention away from William and looked at Roy.

“Why are you here?”

“Wayne told me, Tom, and Jack to infiltrate quietly. He said he didn’t know how that woman might react. I accepted since it was a good chance to inspect the mansion unnoticed. Didn’t expect to run into an idiot like this one.”

Roy frowned as he looked down at William, who was still face-down on the floor.

So Wayne sent Roy, Tom, and Jack into the mansion undercover. He could’ve told me when we were dancing earlier!

And Roy—couldn’t he have given me at least a hint about where he’d be tonight instead of just saying he had ‘business’?

But my thoughts didn’t last long.

“Ugh, my head…”

A moment ago, it had felt like someone was hitting my skull with a hammer; now it felt like something was tightening around both sides of my temples.

When I pressed a hand to my forehead and groaned, Roy looked closely at my face.

“You’ve been drinking?”

“Everyone else seemed to enjoy it, so I thought it would taste good. Didn’t know it was such a self-destructive substance.”

Roy blinked, seemingly puzzled by my definition of alcohol. But when I winced again, he quickly pointed toward the opposite side of the building.

“Wayne told me there’s a gazebo where none of the mansion staff go. Tom and Jack are there. It’s safer to rest there in case another idiot shows up.”

That sounds better.

I closed my eyes and nodded. I even tried using divine power just in case, but since it wasn’t illness or injury, it had no effect.

The blessing that restores the body to its optimal state… doesn’t seem to work right now.

If it were just a headache, I could bear it, but this nausea—ugh.

Tommy said no one ever dies from drinking, but honestly, I feel like I might. I felt more danger from this than when the dagger was flying at me.

Suddenly, a warm and gentle sensation came over my shoulders. When I opened my eyes, Roy’s arm was around me.

Roy… and “supporting” me?

What an odd combination.

When I stared at him, startled, Roy simply shrugged.

“You don’t look like you can walk on your own.”

He’s not wrong.

I decided to lean on him a bit.

Even with Roy supporting one of my shoulders, my body wouldn’t cooperate. I thought I was walking straight, but I kept tilting left, stepping on Roy’s foot multiple times.

This wasn’t going to work. I stopped walking, and Roy stopped too.

“What’s wrong?”

His voice sounded as calm as usual, but there was a faint trace of worry in it—something surprisingly rare for Roy.

I stretched out my left foot and said,

“Step on my foot as hard as you can.”

“…What?”

“If you stomp hard, the pain might help me sober up. Otherwise, I’ll keep stepping on yours.”

I nodded insistently, urging him to do it. Roy glanced between my face and my foot, then loosened the arm around my shoulders. Good. Hurry up and do it.

But the moment I focused on bracing for the pain—my body suddenly lifted off the ground.

At first, I thought it was just the dizziness from being drunk. But then I felt firm, careful hands around my waist and legs and realized—

Roy was carrying me in his arms.

“Roy?”

When I looked up at him, he looked down at me. The shift in height made everything feel different—as if Roy were a completely different person.

“This way, neither of us hurts our feet, and we’ll reach the gazebo faster.”

With that, Roy started walking briskly. Even while carrying me, he didn’t seem strained at all.

Suddenly, I remembered when I collapsed after staying awake for several days. Roy had stayed instead of running away, thinking I’d fallen sick. Cold as he was, he had a soft side after all.

“You’re surprisingly kind.”

I repeated what I’d once said before. Roy, apparently remembering too, gave a small shrug.

“You’re the only one who’s ever said that.”

That’s because you’re always freezing cold to everyone else.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but my heart started beating faster again, my chilled body warming.

From this angle, I could see both the moon above the dark sky and Roy’s face. Half-hidden by his mask, his features glowed faintly under the moonlight, making him look almost ethereal.

A hazy, drowsy feeling washed over me. I’d never dreamed before, but if I did, I imagined it would feel like this.

But soon, something dragged me out of that dreamy state.

“Ugh…”

As I groaned, Roy asked quickly,

“What’s wrong?”

“Something’s sloshing in my chest… and it’s coming up. Oh no—it’s in my throat now…”

Before I could finish, I clutched my neck with one hand. If I said another word, I’d probably vomit. I ended up choking myself with both hands.

Roy looked completely baffled.

“You don’t have to strangle yourself, you know.”

{Right now, Lady Naida stands on the threshold of becoming the first god to ever get drunk and throw up. She’s battling herself—do not interfere.}

Both of you shut up. I need to focus.

I tightened my grip around my throat even harder.

By the time the party was nearly over, the alcohol had mostly worn off.

The baron and his wife—and Ariel—didn’t even realize I’d disappeared midway. All their attention had been on the powerful nobles they’d met at the party.

{They’re idiots, but at least that makes things easier. Anyway, are you feeling better now?}

Tommy asked, and I nodded. But in truth, even back at the baron’s estate, I didn’t feel fully normal. My head still throbbed, like tiny dwarves were stomping around inside it.

After Tommy vanished, I lay down on my bed, waiting to fall asleep. But my head hurt too much to rest.

I don’t know how much time passed before goosebumps suddenly ran up my arms.

I sat up abruptly and walked toward the dressing room. My head pounded from moving too fast, but I ignored it and grabbed the doorknob.

When I pushed the door open, I saw Roy lying on a blanket spread across the floor. Normally, Roy would’ve sensed me before I even opened the door—but not tonight.

His long eyelashes still shadowed his closed eyes, yet his breathing was rough—too rough for someone truly asleep.

A dark, ominous aura stirred in the room. Countess McCurlin, you really have some stamina—still working your dark magic even after the party?

I strode forward and lay down beside Roy. Only when my body brushed against his did he flinch and open his eyes.

“Dyna?”

Roy tried to speak calmly, but his voice was hoarse and thick. I summoned divine power and expelled the dark energy tormenting him.

“You should call me when this happens.”

“I thought you were asleep.”

“I was trying to purge the last traces of alcohol. Figured I might as well drive out something else while I was at it.”

His gaze pierced through the darkness toward me. It wasn’t the cold, hostile look from our first meeting—but it carried a similar question.

“Why… do you help me?”

Roy’s voice was low and heavy. To be asking this even now—it must’ve been a question that had been gnawing at him for a while.

Well, my “professional ethics” aren’t exactly something most people would understand.

If I only mentioned that again, he’d stay confused, so I added another reason.

“As I said before, I do have basic professional ethics. But also—I’m just returning the favor.”

“What did I…?”

Roy cut himself off mid-sentence, flinching as another wave of dark energy pierced through him like a spear.

As he bit his lip and endured, I quickly called forth divine power again. Countess McCurlin, seriously—go to sleep already!

Once the curse from the slave-binding artifact faded, Roy’s body relaxed.

As the pain left him, I continued speaking.

“You tried to protect me when the evil spirit attacked. You shielded me from Tom and Jack’s food stunt. And tonight, you carried me here.”

“What I’ve done is nothing compared to what you’ve done.”

“Even small things aren’t easy to do.”

At first, I helped Roy because of my “professional ethics.” Then, despite his personality, he stayed beside me when I collapsed.

When I lent him my disguise tool, he protected me from the evil spirit. And now, he helped me again while I was drunk.

I used to think gods were beings who only helped humans one-sidedly. I didn’t expect it could become a mutual relationship—but it’s… not so bad.

Even after that, the slave-binding curse kept attacking him intermittently. Each time, I drove it away with divine power. Countess McCurlin—please, just sleep!

Thankfully, by dawn, the attacks became rare. By the time night gave way to morning, the black aura vanished completely.

With no more reason to stay alert, my consciousness began to fade.

Is it okay to sleep now? Or… am I already asleep?

I wasn’t sure—my mind drifted somewhere between waking and dreaming.

Through my half-sleep, I sensed movement.

Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the subtle shadow of Roy’s hand reaching toward my face. But it hovered there for a while before retreating.

“Why? Is there something on my face?”

I turned slightly and blinked my eyes open. Roy’s face was closer than I’d expected.

“It’s nothing.”

His face flushed red as he quickly turned away.

You didn’t do anything wrong—why so flustered? Honestly, it’s kind of cute seeing Roy act unlike himself.

But I couldn’t think much longer. My consciousness slowly sank into darkness I couldn’t name.