THJDM 65

The beer sliding down her throat was icy cold, yet somehow the heat spreading through her body only burned hotter.

Regardless, Rubiana downed another glass in one go.

By now, her cheeks were flushed red after finishing three glasses of beer.

Everyone around — including Elion — stared in disbelief as Rubiana emptied her glasses one after another.

Then, Vice Captain Roy came over, holding another glass of beer for her.

“Rookie, beer always tastes better when you drink it with your senior,” he said.

“Wow, thank you, Vice Captain!”

Rubiana eagerly reached for the new glass.

But before she could grab it, Chad intercepted it midway.

“W–wait a second, Vice Captain! I think Ruby’s already a little drunk — how about I be her Black Knight instead?”

“Black Knight? Hey!”

Cheers erupted all around. Someone even started drumming on the table like a war drum.

People began to crowd around Chad.

“Whoa, Chad! What a man!”
“So it’s true they’ve been close since childhood! The rookie’s lucky to have a friend like that!”
“All right, all right! Quiet! We should ask Rubiana what she wants first.”

Everyone’s attention turned to her.

Elion’s eyes were on her too, his brow furrowed in clear displeasure.

Oblivious to his disapproving look, Rubiana smiled brightly at Roy and Chad and nodded eagerly.

“I like it too! Black Knights are the best!”

Her cheerful voice rang out, fueled by alcohol.

Elion’s expression contorted even more.

As soon as Rubiana gave permission, Chad snatched the beer glass from Roy.

But then—

“Wait!”

Stephanie’s sharp voice cut through the noise.

All eyes turned toward her as she shot Elion a sly grin.

“Why should Chad be Rubiana’s Black Knight when my dear brother-in-law is right here?”

“My… brother-in-law? Oh, right! Brother-in-law! That’s true!”

Roy, quick to agree, took back the beer he’d handed Chad and turned to Elion.

Now every gaze — not just Roy’s — fixed on the Commander himself.

It was a rare sight to see the Supreme Commander attending a squad’s drinking party.

Naturally, the soldiers wanted to make this moment something to remember.

“The Knight of Love!”
“Drink! Drink!”

Caught off guard, Elion accepted the beer while Chad awkwardly lowered his empty hands. A faint smirk curled on Elion’s lips.

He lifted the glass and drank deeply, gulp after gulp. The soldiers erupted in cheers.

“Truly, the power of love!”
“I can’t believe the Commander’s even here, let alone drinking a second glass!”
“Yeah! He usually stops after one!”
“So it really is the power of love!”

When Elion placed the empty glass back on the table with a sharp clack, applause and whistles filled the room.

Wiping his lips with the back of his hand, he smiled faintly at Rubiana.

“No need to thank me for something this small.”

“……”

He sat down again, not forgetting to flash Chad a smug grin.

Chad, who had volunteered first only to be outshined, sulked visibly — a sight that thoroughly pleased Elion.

Not bad, he thought.

Their eyes met — a sharp, silent clash of wills.

The soldiers, oblivious to the tension between the two men, gathered even closer.

At the front stood a red-haired knight, smiling brightly as she handed Rubiana a glass.

“Rubiana, it’s great to meet you! Let’s get along well, okay?”

“Yes, please take care of me,” Rubiana replied politely.

But before she could take a sip, Elion reached out and snatched the glass from her hand.

“Huh? You’re drinking again?” Her crimson eyes widened.

“This time I can drink it myself. You shouldn’t push yourself too hard,” she said.

“Push myself? You think this is too much for me?”

Elion shot Chad a confident smirk before tipping the glass back once more.

The onlookers grew more excited by the minute.

It was rare — almost unbelievable — to see the normally composed and cold Commander showing such passion in front of his fiancée-to-be.

Rubiana, however, was starting to worry.

Elion wasn’t one to drink often; he probably didn’t even know his own limit.

If he kept drinking like that, something bad was bound to happen.

She looked toward Stephanie for help.

Big sis! Stop him! This atmosphere’s getting weird!

What? This is perfect! A party’s not a party without excitement!

No, that’s not what I—

My future brother-in-law’s so cool! You’re amazing, Ruby!

…

Unlike with Elion, Rubiana’s telepathic-like eye contact didn’t work on her sister at all.

Giving up on Stephanie, she turned to Fred instead.

But Fred wasn’t any help either — he seemed completely dazed, enthralled by this rare, lively version of Elion.

While Rubiana fretted, the night’s energy built and built until it turned into a full-blown challenge between Elion and Chad.

“Well, having two Black Knights isn’t so bad!”

“A duel between the fiancé and the childhood friend!”

“Who will the Goddess of Victory smile upon?! Dun dun dun!”

And just like that, both Elion and Chad became Rubiana’s competing “Black Knights,” locked in a ridiculous drinking contest.

Oh no… What is happening right now? Why are they all acting like this? This is the Imperial Knights, for heaven’s sake! Why is Elion suddenly so fired up? And why is Chad even joining in?

Rubiana shook her head helplessly, staring at the rowdy, laughing crowd.

Then she gave up thinking altogether.

Forget it. Whatever happens, happens. I’ll just drink too.

***

“I’m on duty tonight,” Stephanie said later, “so I’ll need to head back to the office.”

“On duty? Then what about the drinks?”

“What do you mean? How could I drink when I’m on duty? Of course I didn’t touch a drop.”

“Wow…”

Rubiana’s mouth fell open in awe.

Her sister — so devious, so calculating — had raised the party’s energy to the max and gotten everyone else drunk, all while pretending to drink herself.

And nobody had even noticed.

Meanwhile, Stephanie was just as surprised — by Elion.

“For someone who usually doesn’t drink, my brother-in-law sure has an impressive tolerance! Remarkable!”

Normally, anyone unused to alcohol would be passed out cold after chugging that much.

But Elion, who’d been drinking beer for two hours straight, looked perfectly fine.

On the other hand, Fred — who’d only sipped lightly while watching Elion and Chad’s contest — was so drunk he could barely stand.

“I’ll make sure Fred gets home safely,” Stephanie said. “Your Highness, please take care of my dear Ruby.”

Amid the warm farewells of Stephanie and the other knights, Rubiana boarded the carriage with Elion.

Now that there was no need to sit side by side, they sat facing each other.

A heavy, awkward silence filled the space.

The carriage began to roll slowly. Neither of them spoke; they just stared blankly out the window.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but drowsiness quickly overtook Rubiana.

Elion couldn’t pretend not to notice her head bobbing as she nodded off.

When she started bumping her head softly against the window frame, he sighed and shifted closer.

Then he gently guided her head to rest against his shoulder.

Huh…? What’s this?

Suddenly, he felt a cool, refreshing sensation through his arm.

His mana — his magical energy — was flowing into Rubiana.

Strange.

Rubiana had recovered completely. The gap that once existed between her body and soul had supposedly healed.

Her body shouldn’t be leaking mana, nor should she be lacking any.

So why was his power still seeping into her?

Did that quack Omar make another mistake? Or… is there something he didn’t tell me?

Elion’s distrust of Omar had never truly gone away.

No matter how effective the mana stabilizer that Omar and Hailey developed was, once mistrust had taken root, it never disappeared easily.