Chapter 197 - Conspiracy (13)

The sky over the Eternia campus was clear without a single cloud, and the stars were twinkling.

Despite the late hour, she readily responded to my call.

A small starlight sparkled in front of a bench in Eternia's student garden.

Acrid smoke, invisible in the darkness, spread on the wind.

Cecil paced alone in a place without any light. Occasionally, she inhaled her tobacco nervously.

She hadn't seemed to sense my presence yet.

As I approached, she hid her nervousness and stopped abruptly.

Keeping her back to me, she said, "You came."

"Did you wait long?"

"No."

Her gestures seemed somewhat uncomfortable and unnatural.

"Is there a problem?"

"It's fine. So, why did you call me at this hour?"

Cecil's tone was uncharacteristically cold. She put the tobacco to her lips again.

And she still refused to look at me.

I didn't beat around the bush.

"...I called because I need a ball partner."

Cecil, holding the smoke, exhaled a long breath.

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what it means to be a partner?"

I answered honestly, "No."

Cecil sighed heavily again and muttered, "...Right. I like that blunt side of you too... so I'll deal with you."

"You agree?"

"...Yes. But this is just a preliminary agreement. If I suddenly change my mind, I might refuse at the ball."

She didn't seem to dislike it, but her attitude was still cold. 

Is there another problem?

"Cecil."

"..."

"I'd like to talk while looking at your face."

"You're covering your face too. This seems fair, so why?"

I approached her and grabbed one of her shoulders.

"Oh my!"

Cecil was startled and shook me off, taking a few steps back.

"...?"

Then she pressed her chest with both hands as if trying to calm her startled heart and hunched her shoulders. I was still talking to her back.

"D-don't suddenly touch my body."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I said I'm fine."

"Then will you look at me? I feel like I'm talking to a wall."

"...Wait."

Cecil took a deep breath and turned around. Her flushed face was illuminated by the moonlight. She was dressed beautifully. Unlike usual, she had even put jeweled pins in her hair. From her expression, I could sense that she was as nervous as I was.

"Did you not bring alcohol today?"

"Shut up! Do you think I'm a woman who drinks every day?"

"..."

"Is that all? Are we just making a verbal promise and ending it? Don't you have... something... more?"

"What?"

"More... something, you know, that kind of thing."

"You said it yourself. That you might change your mind at the ball."

"That's why. Candy, you have no choice but me. There's only one person with a heart as big and beautiful as mine... So why... why don't you seem more desperate?"

"Big and beautiful...?"

"Ahem, I mean, I'm the only kind woman who would play with an ugly guy like you!"

I could somewhat understand why Cecil was puzzled by my attitude.

Cecil might have... expected the freshness and excitement that other students showed when forming partnerships.

I planned to do my best at the ball, but I didn't have high expectations for the event itself. To be honest, sometimes dancing felt embarrassing and useless to me.

I was trying to gain experience because knowing how to show a mature and sophisticated image in social circles helped with social life, but I had no intention of seeking entertainment and pleasure beyond that.

This pragmatic attitude might be showing in my tone... maybe Cecil was a bit confused by it.

"Is there anything else you want?"

Cecil came close to me and looked up at my mask, saying, "Being partners doesn't end with just dancing together. You have to escort me from beginning to end, have dinner, and spend the whole day together."

"Most of that is possible."

"It doesn't end there. You owe me a lot of debts. So at that time, I'm going to play with you. I'll monopolize you and use you a lot for my entertainment. Like a slave."

"Okay. But only until the first part."

"What? What are you doing for the second part?"

"I have something to do."

"What is it?"

Since I couldn't answer honestly, it was best to leave it as a blank space, pretending to have a secret.

Annoyance flashed across Cecil's brow for a moment. But she soon regained her composure.

"Whatever. But, playing with me is the top priority. Remember that clearly."

I nodded and took out a potion bottle from my waist, handing it to Cecil.

"I promise. This is... a gift to commemorate our partnership. I bought it in Rigved thinking of you."

"Thinking of... me? What is it?"

"Want to try drinking it?"

She glared at me suspiciously.

"It's not something weird, is it? If I drink this, will my body get hot and..."

"It'll make you feel good."

"T-this is strange. You drink it first, Candy."

I opened the cork first and drank the contents. Then I handed it to Cecil.

Cecil held it and hesitated for a moment. She seemed to be conflicted between suspicion and curiosity.

She slowly took a sip while watching my reaction. Then she shouted as if dumbfounded, "It's alcohol!"

***

I took off my mask and tidied my clothes. And I kept drinking water in case there was any lingering alcohol smell.

Was it because the alcohol effects were still lingering? Actually, I hadn't thought much about it, but now that the time had come, I felt more nervous for some reason.

I didn't really understand my own feelings. I thought the ball wasn't a big deal, but now that I thought about it, dancing with two people definitely didn't seem normal.

Luna had such sharp hearing that she might already know my whole situation. 

How should I explain all this?

I was waiting for Luna in the Guardian Tree clearing, which was completely deserted. When the appointed time came, a figure started walking out from one direction. Golden hair reaching down to the thighs. It was definitely Luna.

She waved shyly as she walked towards me. I waved back in the same way to greet Luna.

Luna stood demurely in front of me and opened her mouth.

"What's the matter... at this time of night?"

"It's nothing much... You haven't found a ball partner yet, right?"

Luna's eyes widened for a moment.

"...No."

I cleared my throat and spoke, "Then... will you be my ball partner?"

"..."

Luna suddenly bowed her head deeply. I didn't expect an immediate answer, but seeing her hesitate a bit made my mouth go dry.

"...Ah."

"Yes?"

She mumbled softly, but her voice was drowned out by the wind.

As I moved a little closer, she spoke a little louder, "...Okay."

"..."

"Who is... Candy's partner?"

I was momentarily at a loss for words. She was asking as if my double-dealing was a matter of course.

It stung. Trying to deceive her forcefully here would only leave a scar. It was better to answer honestly.

"Cecil. We agreed to be together for the first part."

Luna nodded silently. Seeing her understand my situation and silently agree made me feel even more sorry.

"...I'm the real Damian, so it's okay."

"Yes, it'll surely be fun."

"Yes... Damian... you smell like grapes."

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling embarrassed. It seemed I couldn't erase the grape wine smell no matter what I did. I still had some spare grape wine at my waist, too.

I took out a bottle and shook it.

"This is because of certain circumstances..."

Suddenly, Luna held out both hands.

"Me... too."

"...Hmm?"

Luna silently overlapped her hands with mine and firmly grasped the wine bottle. She tugged at it.

Without knowing what was happening, the wine bottle smoothly passed into Luna's hands.

"Luna, that's not juice, what are you trying to..."

She took a step back and removed the cork.

Then she closed her eyes tightly and drank the grape wine solemnly as if drinking poison.

It happened in an instant before I could stop her.

"Luna!"

I immediately rushed to take the alcohol away, but I couldn't pull it out because she was holding the small bottle tightly with both hands.

Her slender neck quivered slightly as it received the grape wine.

I was just shocked and could only wipe the grape wine flowing from her mouth with my sleeve.

Luna emptied the bottle in one go and handed the empty bottle to me.

"..."

"..."

We were silent for a moment.

"Luna, are you really okay?"

Luna spoke as if nonchalant, "I... like alcohol too. T-this much is... nothing."

"..."

I can't believe that Luna likes alcohol.

"I'll head back to the dormitory now..."

Luna turned around abruptly and started walking as if to show off how fine she was.

Although her gait seemed steady and she looked fine on the surface, Luna was walking in the exact opposite direction of the dormitory.

***

After carrying the drunken Luna on my back and taking her to the dormitory, I returned to the Thorn Garden dormitory.

For some reason, Trisha was sleeping quietly in her own room.

Taking advantage of this quiet moment, I checked the letter that had been soaked in water infused with shade grass and dye.

It was said to take about a day for the drug to permeate, so it needed half a day more, but there was no problem in looking at it now.

I brought the drug container to my room and carefully spread the dripping wet letter on a tray.

Looking again, faint letters had appeared on the gray paper.

As Sion had guessed, there was a hidden message from the Sword Master written on it.

And I froze for a moment when I saw the incomplete sentence.

It wasn't a request or recommendation, but a unilateral warning.

[...Magic sword… targeting the ball.]

My blood ran cold immediately.

The drowsy intoxication and the sweet tension all flew away with that one sentence.