As the rush of kissing had subsided slightly, I gasped and asked.

"You, why are you so good?"

"I'm usually good at anything. Especially if I use my body."

Sadly, there was nothing to say.

I muttered, trying to somehow catch the lost reason.

"Kissing someone who isn't even my lover..."

This was what people like me did.

Ian asked, whispering against my lips.

"Does that bother you?"

"As long as I won't get caught."

I answered honestly.

"It's fine. But you..."

I felt like I had done something very bad.

Was it because I brought up the kiss story first, or was it because I kissed him first?

Apparently it was me.

It was as if a villain girl had seduced an innocent schoolboy.

"Something does bother me."

Ian's fingers parted through my hair. The gesture that brushed it behind my ear made me heat up once more.

"The fact that you are drunk..."

I answered it with ease.

"It's okay. My consciousness is there. What?"

"..."

Ian hesitated for a moment, then smiled.

"Now you can't say that I am a gentleman."

Then, once again, his lips swallowed mine. I grabbed his collar tightly and accepted him once again.

'No more role model student...'

Ian has always been a neat and ascetic man who lived a good life.

So I thought it would be over soon after kissing him for a while, but I never knew he'd push me like this.

"You have to close your eyes."

Ian spoke like an adult.

"It's embarrassing."

It was clear that he was in control of the situation, but his voice was very quiet.

I too was barely standing in the heat I felt for the first time in my life.

Closing my eyes for once seemed like good advice.

It was because I thought that if I kept looking at his hot face that rushed to me, I would do even worse.

'I'm drunk and a little impulsive, but... Still, I'm sane.'

I trusted myself and slowly closed my eyes.

Because Ian was a man who was overflowing with trust and the person who was more dangerous now was me.

'I'm not going to cross a bigger line. Even though I drank some alcohol, I am still conscious.'

After thinking about it for a while, it was time to open my eyes.

I was startled to see the face of Ian nearby.

His face was so hot that he couldn't control his gasping breath. He had a distorted face as if his soul had been completely engulfed by desire.

"Ian?"

I asked out of curiosity.

"Why did you come here?"

Ian looked at me silently and touched my forehead.

"... can't remember. Because you've been speaking well for a long time."

"Huh?"

There were many things I wanted to ask, but the one I was most curious about.

"Are you forgetting something?"

"I am very confused too."

It was the most insane face I'd seen since I met him when I was 14.

The moonlight cast dark shadows on his face.

"No matter how crazy you are to make such a mistake..."

Ian sighed and spoke slowly.

"... Again, that's right."

"Well, you're an idiot who forgets well, not a nerd."

"Hm."

He smiled and straightened my messy hair for some reason.

"You're right again."

"Well, you're suddenly self-deprecating, so let's not say that in front of other people."

I didn't know why, but anyway, I gave my heartfelt advice.

"For the reputation of the Empire and Duke Wade who are looking forward to peace."

If they heard the news that Ian was actually a nutcase, there would not be just one or two people to yell at.

He grinned at my serious advice and said something else altogether.

"How about leaning on me for a while?"

"Hm?"

"You look very drunk, so close your eyes."

It was a bit silly to say I was drunk, but it was true that I was a little sleepy.

"Well then, for a minute."

I leaned against the railing and laid my head lightly on his shoulder. His broad and strong shoulders were reassuring, and the body temperature carefully wrapped around me was warm.

"I was originally here to do this..."

Ian sighed and muttered.

I fell asleep without knowing when I lost consciousness.

~*~

(3rd person pov)

Ian closed his eyes and quietly went out with Annabelle, who had fallen asleep.

He then called a passerby and told him to briefly tell Robert the situation.

He added that her body was in very good shape, so he shouldn't worry at all.

Ian sighed as he looked at Annabelle sleeping in the carriage.

On his second night in Caronda, he was very drunk.

Then the next morning he remembered what it was like to fall in love with Annabelle at first sight.

He thought Annabelle would tease him and say 'Hey, you said you fell in love with me at first sight?'. But she was quiet.

She looked like she wanted to bury the word altogether. He had the feeling that she didn't want to bring the topic up in the first place.

So, after all, he thought that it was not the time to confess yet, so he was going to approach her slowly.

Obviously, he vowed not to interfere with Annabelle's planned path.

But he couldn't help but be worried, so he took a step back and offered to help her.

But he couldn't stand it because Annabelle, who was dancing with other men and fighting swords with other men, looked so far away.

His stomach turned like crazy, and it was painful to even keep his eyes on her.

However, he still couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Wasn't that the identity of his feelings that he had for her?

As Nick said, it was okay to be a fool.

The few words she uttered, her relentless swing of her sword towards her goal.

With such things, he fell in love once more like an innocent 14-year-old boy.

It didn't matter what happened in the meantime.

The whole time, he repressed his urge to cling to her right away.

He even wore the medal of the swordsmanship competition to catch her eyes even a little bit.

It was also a message that she was the most important person in his life.

That was the only exemplary way he was going to take this banquet.

"...But in the end..."

Ian muttered, unable to take his eyes off Annabelle's lips.

From the moment he heard the word 'kiss' from her, he seemed out of his mind.

No, maybe it was from the moment she said she would meet another ordinary man, fall in love and get married.

A grumpy heart fluttered in his chest, and so much desire rushed in.

It was a kiss she had suggested, but he loved it so much he couldn't stop to the extent that he didn't regret that she kissed him drunkenly without even confessing to him.

"You mean you can't date but you can kiss?"

Ian muttered as he ruffled his messy hair.

There was nothing he could do about it when it happened. He thought he should bear it, but when it came to her, he seemed to have run out of patience.

"I can't, let's discuss that tomorrow."

Annabelle was still asleep.

"It's good that we don't have to make separate appointments because we live together."

So, Duke Wade's carriage returned much faster than expected.

~*~

The day after Robert's birthday banquet, the capital became noisy again.

This was because the commoners' assembly had issued an emergency newsletter and placed it all over the streets.

There were three main things.

It was the first time that the Empress' nobility worked together to shame Annabelle Rainfield.

"It's not funny. No matter how much Annabelle Rainfield lived like a gangster in the past, she helped Ian and took the lead in eradicating black magic."

"Even though she has achieved that level of achievement, she used a mean move just because she was a commoner."

"In other words, Annabelle Rainfield, a commoner, is more needed in the Empire than the well-known Empress?"

And, nevertheless, it was the second time that Annabelle Rainfield won against a foreign swordsman gracefully in a duel and restored the honor of the Empire.

It was true that she had been criticized before for being an idiot, but Annabelle did not actually do any harm to anyone other than Ian.

So Annabelle's reputation rose rapidly.

They said, "Ian also forgave and acknowledged her as his colleague, so we don't have to discuss the past."

Also, for all these merits, the third news was that the Emperor himself gave her alcohol.

That was a really great fact.

It was because it was to remain a name as a commoner who made a mark in this era.

"His Majesty doesn't seem to have the same thoughts as the Empress."

"Is it all like the royal family? Even Prince Robert himself invited her as a partner."

"Anyway, it was a banquet for Annabelle Rainfield! Wasn't there a lot more to it than that?"

There was a person who calculated all the reactions of these commoners and quickly planned the newsletter.

It was Maiena Plymon, a middle-aged woman who was the president of the commoners' council.

"Next."

She sensed the mood of the commoners uplifted by Annabelle Rainfield, and immediately issued the next order.

"Prince Robert and Annabelle Reinfield are once again spreading the dating rumors."

"Yes? But the royal family and commoners..."

"The atmosphere is perfect for the public opinion contest right now."

Maiena went out as she spoke

"I'm not telling you to say something that's not true. Spread only the facts that exist. Unless you're stupid, don't you all know that they're interested in each other?"

Unlike Carlon, Robert was famous for his clean relationship with women.

From dining at a restaurant, partner at an opera, and invitation to a birthday banquet.

She smiled and said happily.

"I want to give this gift to Miss Annabelle, who gave dreams and hopes to the common people. There is also a cheer that says not to give up love because of her status as a commoner."