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Chapter 16
I unfolded the menu handed to me by the waiter.
The offerings were rather ordinary—the kind of selection one would expect at any bar. The only notable difference was the prices; befitting a bar reserved for first-class passengers, they were anything but modest.
Not that it mattered. I couldn’t drink alcohol anyway…
“I’ll allow you just one glass of wine,” Sophie said suddenly.
“Really? I can drink?”
I spun toward her the moment the words left her mouth.
“It’s a special night. I’d like you to be happy during this journey,” she replied with a shrug.
“And honestly, there’s no real reason alcohol would interfere with your magic, my lady.”
“Sophie…”
“But we’ll keep this a secret from the Duke and Duchess. If they find out I let you drink, I’ll be in trouble,” she added quickly.
“Of course! I won’t breathe a word.”
How touching was that?
On a night like this, I had secretly wanted to enjoy a glass of wine, and Sophie’s thoughtfulness made it possible.
With a flutter of excitement, I selected a glass of wine from the menu, and Sophie, planning to join me, ordered one as well.
As we waited for our drinks, the soft notes of jazz being played from a corner of the bar filled the air.
This is perfect…
The music alone was enough to melt the tension from my body, leaving me warm and languid.
The atmosphere, the moment, the soothing temperature—everything was simply wonderful.
I sat there listening quietly when, all at once—
“…Huh?”
I spotted a familiar figure seated at a table some distance away.
“…Eric?”
Even from afar, his tall, imposing frame was unmistakable. Men who possessed such a striking face, thick black hair, and a physique like that were rare indeed.
Our third male lead—Eric. He was here.
“Eric, what are you doing here?”
“Oh. Lady Hartmann.”
At my approach, Eric, who had appeared lost in thought, looked up and greeted me with a warm smile, rising from his seat.
He was dressed not in the armor I had seen earlier but in a simple shirt.
Wait a second…
Hadn’t he left?
I had assumed his earlier encounter with Albert on the Stairs of Trial had been a coincidence, and that he, like everyone else, had gone his separate way once the train departed.
But now… he was here. And moreover—
Knights don’t usually drink…
Yet before him sat a glass of whiskey.
Whiskey, of all things. It was strong, and yet his complexion was utterly unchanged. Evidently, he could hold his liquor.
“Wasn’t your meeting with His Highness a coincidence earlier? Why are you here now?”
“Well, it was a coincidence at first,” he admitted. “But I’ve decided to join the journey as well.”
…Why.
Why are you joining the trip too?
The news that the third male lead had officially joined the journey made my head throb.
This was a nightmare.
Now three out of the four male leads were on this train.
“It’s not exactly the sort of trip you can join easily—the reservations are nearly impossible to secure,” I pointed out.
“True. The tickets were completely sold out. So I decided to… attach myself to Albert’s cabin,” Eric replied with a sly grin.
“…”
I did like Eric a great deal, but sometimes he was just a little…
Unpredictable? Or should I say, slightly unhinged…
“I see. So where is His Highness now, if you’re here drinking alone?”
“He wasn’t in the mood for alcohol, so I came out by myself,” Eric answered.
“…”
A pang of guilt pricked at me.
Surely Albert wasn’t harboring some kind of grudge because I had ditched him after dinner, was he? He wouldn’t suddenly decide to execute me for abandoning him, right…?
I was so focused on escaping that I didn’t consider how Albert might interpret my actions…
Just then, the wine arrived, and I naturally joined Eric at his table, sipping the drink cautiously.
Sophie and Deon moved to a nearby table, giving us space to converse freely.
“Then… shall we toast to our journey?”
Clink.
Our glasses touched lightly, and I raised the wine to my lips. It was my first time tasting alcohol in this world, and I savored the moment.
“Lady Hartmann, what do you think of Albert?”
“…!”
I nearly choked on my drink, coughing violently as Eric handed me a napkin.
“My apologies if I startled you. I was merely curious about your feelings toward Albert,” he said evenly.
“…Albert is…”
Why was he asking me this all of a sudden?
Once I managed to stop coughing, I continued, “Albert is simply someone I was once informally betrothed to. That’s all there is to it.”
The truth was, I didn’t view my relationship with Albert as anything special.
It was Irene’s soul—not mine—that had ever considered Albert important.
To me, Yoon Se-hee, Albert was merely the man who would one day kill me. I wanted to avoid him at all costs—or, failing that, ensure he thought favorably of me.
“What if Albert’s feelings are not as simple as you think?”
“…Are you suggesting that His Highness views me as someone special?”
I laughed lightly, as though the idea was absurd.
“That’s impossible. His Highness doesn’t like me very much.”
“I’m not so sure. From what I’ve seen, that’s not the case.”
“…”
“They say the perspective of a third party is the most accurate when it comes to relationships,” Eric said, taking another sip of his whiskey and setting the glass down with a soft thud.
I didn’t know how to respond, and as I hesitated, my gaze was drawn to someone walking past.
A man cloaked in a robe brushed by me, moving through the room.
And just like Eric seated before me, he stood out starkly against the background, as though he didn’t belong.
“…Huh?”
“My lady?”
“…Excuse me for a moment.”
I rose from my seat, almost as if in a trance.
“Pardon me. I just need to visit the restroom,” I said quickly before following the man in the robe.
In the corridor, I caught sight of him again.
He looked around warily before slipping quietly into the men’s restroom situated between train cars.
A glimpse of his face revealed a large scar etched across his cheek.
But I couldn’t place him.
He didn’t seem to be a major character—at least, I didn’t recall any scarred figure being described in the novel.
Which means he’s probably a minor character at best…
I approached the restroom cautiously, and faint voices drifted through the door.
“Yes. I’ve joined the first-class section. I’ve already scouted the cars, but I haven’t seen him yet.”
I had forgotten amid the distractions of travel, but I was a mage—
And one with such immense power that it threatened to spiral out of control at any moment.
I could easily sense the presence of even a small amount of magic, and I felt it now.
There’s definitely magic coming from inside.
It was likely he was communicating with someone through a magical device.
But who, and about what…?
“Tomorrow morning, we’ll carry out the plan in the dining car. After that, we’ll hide immediately and escape the moment the train reaches its destination.”
Oh no.
My eyes widened.
A past episode from the novel resurfaced vividly in my mind.
This must be…
An assassination attempt on Albert.
And it was going to happen tomorrow morning.
It’s certain. Albert was once attacked by assassins while traveling, wasn’t he?
He wouldn’t die, but he would be injured badly enough to require treatment—unless I intervened.
“…Good grief.”
I sighed deeply.
Ever since I had awakened in this world, incidents just kept piling up.
I guess there’s no such thing as a peaceful trip for me.
I would need to prepare for what was coming in the morning.
