Chapter 310 – Dogs and Cats (5)

Top-quality wines are meticulously arranged on the table.
Seven bottles in total. An excessive amount to consume in one night.

Though I’m curious about the taste of this rare libation, I can’t help but feel unexcited.

“Smoked cheese, tuna canapés, almonds… Are you going to have strawberries?”

Marronnier, donning a blue apron, inquires.

“Fruit is good.”

Blanche personally prepared the dishes that complement the wine.
The focus is on finger foods, easily picked up and eaten, rather than complex dishes.

“Shall I prepare the fruit?”
“Yes.”

I retrieve several pieces of fruit from the refrigerator and bring them to my nose. The aroma is undeniably luxurious. The strawberries are fist-sized, seemingly too large for a single bite.
I wash and trim the strawberries and grapes, then arrange bite-sized banana pieces onto a plate, and place it on the table.

The hastily prepared seating area soon filled with a warm atmosphere.

If only this ambiance could alleviate the terribly entangled awkwardness.

*Pop!*

The first wine bottle was uncorked.
The concentrated aroma within the bottle burst forth, mingling with the air. My nasal passages were stimulated, and saliva pooled in my mouth. Even Marronnier, the national tree, widened its eyes upon first tasting the wine.

It was likely a caliber of liquor that even the wealthy couldn’t easily indulge in.

“Is it alright for me to drink?”

Worried about being misunderstood, I asked Cornus as tenderly as possible. Was she in a condition to drink? Issues could arise, causing headaches. Lately, the frequency of complaints about pain had diminished, but consuming alcohol was still not good for her body. Moreover, it was a body that hadn’t received healing for several days.

Upon seeing me, Cornus hesitated before answering.

“Perhaps.”

One knows their body best.
In Cornus’s case, however, that saying didn’t hold true. Her senses were dull, so she often remained unaware of her own pain.

“Really?”

Even after asking for reconsideration once more, Sansuyu did not change her words. Instead, she cautiously inquired, slightly lowering her gaze as if she was probing me.

“What if I, the Sieon, am not here?”

No, that’s not how it’s meant to be understood. Blanche closed her mouth in surprise, and I felt my heart tighten.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just worried. You can be here without drinking, and there’s no rule that you must drink alcohol. Should I make you some tteokbokki?”

“…You try to feed me tteokbokki every time we meet, Sieon.”

“No, that’s not it.”

Since she loves tteokbokki so much, the words just slipped out. Still, it seemed that her misunderstanding had been cleared as Sansuyu held out her wine glass with a relieved expression.

“Alright, just one drink then.”

“Okay. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“You’re worrying too much.”

Perhaps just one drink would be fine. After all, it had been quite some time since Sansuyu had undergone Cornus’ experiment.

I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being overly cautious, but Sansuyu truly detests any interference with her health. Despite her reluctance, she filled her glass with slightly less alcohol than her usual amount.

‘Hopefully, there’s nothing like a drug mixed into the wine.’

Though the image of the sage had become adorable due to the teddy bear panties, the cunning nature inside remained unchanged. After pouring wine for Marronnier as well, she sipped the drink faster than anyone else.

A delectable aroma lingered on her tongue, thick and bittersweet. Despite her hesitation, there were no adverse reactions in her body. It felt like drinking a truly delicious wine.

‘Maybe it was just a baseless worry.’

If Sansuyu had tampered with the drink, there would be serious consequences. However, at this level, it should be fine to indulge in at least one glass.

“It’s delicious, isn’t it?”

Following my reaction, the other two brought their lips to their respective glasses. Soon enough, their responses burst forth.

“It’s sweet.”
“It feels like I’m trying it for the first time.”

It was of such quality that one could easily gulp it down without needing to savor the flavor.

Indeed, if one drinks like that, they’ll be hooked. It goes down the throat so smoothly and tastes delightful. Wine usually doesn’t suit my taste, but this one flows in effortlessly.

We sipped our drinks without engaging in conversation. Even Cornus, who claimed that luxurious food had no taste, seemed to enjoy this wine, drinking it readily.

A glass for the refreshing green grapes.
A glass for the savory almonds.

As we savored our drinks in silence, I suddenly looked around, wondering if this was right. The two of us seemed to be feeling something similar, so we began to subtly take notice of each other with gentle smiles.

Thinking back, how did we end up drifting so far apart? Cornus knows, but Marronnier doesn’t understand the reason. Did the subordination unravel as I had anticipated? If so, does she not resent me?

Before I could even broach the subject, Blanche spoke first.

“…You know.”

Marronnier, who nonchalantly sets down her wine glass, gazes at us.

“Did you two have a fight?”

I had hoped not to bring it up, but asking directly seemed better than trying to force a change in the mood. The question revealed Marronnier’s thoughts.

“Uh, it’s nothing serious.”
“Anyone can see it’s serious. What’s going on? You two were close.”

I continued to fill the glass with alcohol.

“It’s a bit complicated. It’s an issue directly related to the Sansuyu family. It’s not something to share with others.”

Sansuyu nodded her head. The severity of the matter was too great to inform Marronnier.

“…Then, at least, both of you should stop looking so uneasy.”

Blanche’s lips pouted.

The return of the awkwardness was inevitable. It’s natural for this situation to feel uncomfortable. Usually, time resolves such issues, but this gathering was forced by the sage.

We had a few more drinks.

Just when I was pleasantly tipsy, Marronnier, her face slightly flushed, brought up the story she had been holding onto.

“You said the two of you naturally grew close.”
“Yes.”
“But it’s a human and a wooden person. Is that possible?”

It was possible because Cornus was unique. Although there are more wooden people around me than humans, Cornus’s family is originally a noble lineage that is difficult for humans to even associate with.

Somehow, she took an interest in me, and thanks to Cornus’s lack of prejudice, we were able to become close. Even back then, my appearance was such that even the kindest person would find it off-putting.

“It’s like a story from a fairy tale.”

Such occurrences are rare. Marronnier likened it to a fairy tale, indicating that our relationship was quite uncommon.

“She was kind-hearted.”

Though she may have been emotionless, her character was certainly praiseworthy. I grinned and looked back at Cornus. Now that I have some alcohol in me, my heart feels lighter.

Now, I might be able to have a heartfelt conversation with Suyu. At that moment, Sansuyu’s head wobbled.

– Wobble!

I caught Sansuyu, who was about to fall, with my arm. The alcohol must have been too strong for her; her face was flushed, and she couldn’t speak.

“Hey, that was a close call. What did I tell you?”
“Sieon… I’m sorry.”

It was wrong to give alcohol to someone who was unwell in the first place. I thought it would be fine if she enjoyed it, but it seems she got drunk quickly.

“I’ll lay you down for a moment and come back.”
“Okay.”

I helped Sansuyu up, led her out of the kitchen, and placed her on the bed. Her clothes were slightly disheveled, but I ignored it and covered her with a blanket.

I wiped the beads of sweat from her face, and after confirming that she had fallen asleep, I used the healing power just lightly enough to go unnoticed.

– Hum!

The green energy from my hand seeped into her body, and Sansuyu’s face brightened even more. Is this enough? It seems I don’t need to be worried anymore.

I pinched Sansuyu’s cheek once and returned to the kitchen.

“Are you alright, Sansuyu?”
“Yeah, I knew I was weak with alcohol. It’s worse because it hurts. I can’t finish it all today.”
“How could you even finish all this, *cuckoo*.”

The side dishes are quite abundant for two people to share.

“It’s fine.”

Perched on a chair, I filled my wine glass to the brim. Today, I’m determined to get thoroughly drunk. I plan to drink until my head spins and my stomach churns. Having lost all the magical energy in my body, I’m now defenseless against alcohol.

*Gulp*.

Filling my mouth, I swallowed twice without savoring the taste.

“Isn’t that… drinking too fast?”
“Sometimes it’s okay.”

Marronnier gives me an ambiguous glance.

“How are the side dishes?”
“Delicious.”

A smile graces her lips at the unreserved praise. Suddenly, a wine glass is extended in front of me.

“Cheers… Want to?”

The sound of glass clinking together rang out instantly.
*Clink-*
The ripples created by the collision of the glasses we held gradually spread. We sipped our wine and nearly simultaneously swallowed it down.

The sweetness that filled our mouths didn’t linger too long, leaving a clean taste. It seemed as though we could drink endlessly. As our senses began to fade like in a dream, Marronnier, soaked in the haze of alcohol, murmured.

“When this trial is over, I’ll return to being a national tree.”
“Right. I’ll be going back to the academy… As for Cornus, I don’t know. No need to discuss it now.”
“To be honest… I envy you two.”
“Envy?”
“Yes.”

It was something she always said.

“Because we don’t have freedom. Of course, it’s not like you two don’t have your own hardships… I might say this because I don’t know.”
“I understand.”

Fidgeting, Marronnier rubbed her hands. Just like with Cornus, I couldn’t interact with Marronnier as I normally would.

“The national tree… can’t express herself.”

Marronnier’s face flushed red, intoxicated by the alcohol.

“Everyone lives like that, not just the national tree. Not as much as you, but all the people I know do.”
“No, it’s not like that.”

She shook her head and tightened her grip. Was there something she could only say now, relying on her drunkenness?

Her deep, captivating eyes gazed at me.

Not long after, words leaped from Marronnier’s open mouth, and I nearly dropped the glass I was holding.

“…You can’t even say you like me right now, can you?”

The atmosphere around us grew quiet.

“Did I hear that wrong?”
“Do you wish you had said it wrong?”
“Well, that’s not it.”
“Sorry… I tried to keep my distance as much as possible.”

Had that been the reason for her recent coldness? I sipped wine to maintain my composure.

Blanche stared at me for a while, then asked me in halting Korean.

“…What do you think of me?”

Hearing it in Korean, I could tell just how beautiful her voice truly was. That tender, sweet tone held enough affection to make the majority of Koreans fall in love, simply by singing lullabies with it.

The restraint hadn’t yet been lifted. I couldn’t pinpoint why, but I felt a slight sense of relief. Regardless, I needed to speak up.

“Now you—”

“I know. I’ve heard it so many times. Whenever I try to get even a little closer to you, you always say it’s not my feelings that make me like you.”

“…Yes.”

I found myself at a loss for words. The Korean flowing from her lips seemed as though she had diligently studied for this very moment.

“Would you still say the same if I truly cherished this emotion?”

Alcohol is truly astounding, emboldening even the timid Marronnier.

“It’s my first love.”

Her eyes were filled with anxiety, yet she stared directly at me. I set my drink down.

Three bottles down in no time. We’re both sufficiently intoxicated.
It’s enough drunkenness to make memories vanish in a haze.

Marronnier sipped the wine, as though trying to erase her emotions.

“Blanche.”

She reacted to my voice. She abruptly stood up and took one step, two steps, staggering towards me.

It seemed as if she was daring me to say it. Even as she stumbled, her determination was unwavering. I know you have feelings for me. That much was clear when we were entwined on the bed. There’s a reason for this submission, and it’s an inescapable emotion.

However, my mind can’t bear to accept these restrained feelings. That’s why I told her before—if her feelings remained the same even after the brainwashing had been lifted, I would accept them. I thought it might be a temporary solution, but it seems Marronnier didn’t see it that way.

She must have anticipated this too. She’s asking me because she’s worried whether her emotions will remain the same if everything returns to normal.

“No.”

I refuse, resolutely.

In that instant, Marronnier lunged forward.

In the brief span of a few seconds, their lips fiercely collided, and the barriers between them broke open. It was as if a dam had shattered, wine seeping through the crevices. Her tongue, infiltrating the potent aroma of the wine that had entered her mouth, coiled around me and swirled within.

Tongues entwined, teeth scraped. Marronnier’s eyes, gripping my cheeks, were squeezed shut as if she had committed a transgression, and her ears flushed red.

Five minutes. Ten minutes. Or was it six? As if my mind was engulfed in flames, my consciousness grew faint and my perception of time became uncertain.

-Huff.

Marronnier, parting her lips, gazed at me with a tearful expression.

“I knew you’d say that.”

Tears cascaded down.

“Can’t I?”

-Thud.

“Because it’s a national treasure?”

Her shoulders trembled, and the emotions she had been holding back erupted. I felt a sliver of attachment slipping away from Marronnier’s countenance.

She shed a layer of her servitude and released her final emotions.

“I like you.”

It was the moment when the subjugation that had been tenaciously entwining her slipped away. As for her mental fortitude, I couldn’t help but admire it.