Chapter 66
It was when the festival was drawing to a close.
“Hera, I’m leaving now…?”
Franz, having emptied his last cup, abruptly stood up.
Hera, startled, grabbed his wrist.
“You seem quite drunk. How about staying the night? We have a spare bed at my house, so you might as well sleep there.”
Franz was, quite literally, completely drunk. He could barely keep himself upright, and his cheeks were flushed. Anyone could see he was far from sober.
If he were to go back in this state and something happened, it would be a disaster, so Hera couldn't bring herself to send him away.
But Franz didn't understand her concern.
“…It’s fine. Sleep? What sleep…? One Teleport and I’ll be at the Magic Tower…”
“What if you make a mistake while teleporting? I know you’re amazing, but you’re very drunk, so there’s no telling what might happen.”
If he were to accidentally miscalculate the Teleport coordinates and end up in the middle of a large lake or at the edge of a cliff, something truly terrible would happen.
Of course, considering his magical skill, one might say there's no chance of that, but that's only assuming he's in his normal state, isn't it? Completely drunk as he was now, no one could predict what might happen.
*‘I should have given him less.’*
Hera regretted pouring him so much alcohol. He kept saying it was delicious and drank whatever she gave him, so she kept pouring without even thinking about him getting drunk.
Strictly speaking, the drinker should moderate himself or herself, but Hera's brain, already having become a Slave, didn't even consider it Franz's fault.
“Hera, thanks for today.”
Franz reached out and lightly tapped Hera’s head.
Hera, finding his touch incredibly pleasant, felt her expression quickly melt, almost becoming limp.
However,
“This isn’t the time for that, is it? Franz, I’m sorry, but I absolutely cannot send you back tonight.”
The Master's safety came before the joy of being a Slave. She was, truly, a top-tier Slave candidate.
As Hera and Franz bickered, an Elf came running.
“Chieftain…! Here…!”
“Thank you.”
The Elf handed her a small cup, and Hera took it.
The cup was filled with a clear liquid. It wasn't ordinary water, but an herbal decoction to help detoxify alcohol.
“Here, Franz, drink this down in one go.”
“Huh…? What’s this…?”
“It’s a hangover cure. Drink it if you don’t want your head to be splitting tomorrow morning.”
“Ah, right…. That’s true…”
Franz took the cup Hera offered and immediately drank it down. Then he returned the empty cup to her and said,
“Alright? I’m leaving now…?”
It seemed he was determined to return to the Magic Tower somehow. Did he perhaps hide honey in the Magic Tower? Otherwise, it made no sense.
However, Hera had somewhat anticipated this. If he could have been persuaded with words, things wouldn't have come to this.
Honestly, she hadn't intended to say something like this, but there was no other choice.
“Alright, fine. Go back. But take me with you. If I send you off like this, I’ll be too worried to sleep.”
No matter what, he wouldn't be able to take a woman home, so he would probably back down at this point. It was truly a desperate measure only a woman could employ. She didn't like resorting to such a cowardly tactic, but for his sake, she had no choice.
However, the drunk Franz was a person far beyond Hera's imagination.
“Oh? Come here.”
Franz grabbed Hera’s wrist and pulled her.
“Ehh?!”
Hera, pulled along by him in a daze, widened her eyes and let out a bewildered sound. Moreover, as she was now pressed completely against him, her heart seemed to pound loudly, *thump-thump*.
“Fr-Franz…?!”
Hera, belatedly regaining her senses, tried to say something to Franz, but
*Snap*—.
Franz was faster, snapping his fingers.
A Magic Circle appeared beneath their feet, and soon, light flickered, and their figures vanished from the Great Forest.
The World Tree, watching their departure, clapped its 'hands' with a *squeal*—.
Thus, the brief flashback ended, and the narrative returned to the present.
“Oh, I’m fine. I just… want to lie down.”
Hera was supporting Franz, who couldn't properly control his body. Whether he had gotten even drunker in the meantime, or it was a side effect of the Teleport, his condition was even worse than when they were in the Great Forest.
“Alright, I’ll help you.”
Hera said so and began searching for a bed with her eyes. But no matter how much she looked, there was no bed in the Magic Tower Lord's Office.
“Franz, where is the bed?”
“Over there, in that room…”
Franz pointed with his finger, and there was a door.
“Then let’s just get you there first.”
Hera, supporting Franz, began walking towards the door. Fortunately, he wasn't completely out of it, as he wasn't stumbling too badly.
However, there was one very big problem: Hera was supporting his arm from below, as if linking arms.
“H-huh.”
Franz’s limp hand kept brushing against Hera’s 'hills'.
Naturally, Hera was embarrassed and ashamed, but she couldn't say anything, because it was something done in a drunken stupor. He wouldn't even remember it anyway, and if she said anything, she'd only embarrass herself further.
And honestly…
*‘A S-Slave, after all…’*
Hera also knew what kind of things slaves endured. She naturally knew that sexual acts were included in that. So, as a slave, she truly had nothing to say even if such things happened to her.
Hera, suppressing the flush on her face, moved forward and soon arrived at Franz’s Room.
There was no light, so she couldn't see very well, but she somehow found the bed and laid him on it.
“Really, he’s my Master, but is it alright for him to be such a handful?”
“Who’s… your Master…?”
“Then who else is my Master besides you?”
“Sorry for causing you trouble…”
Franz apologized in a half-slurred voice.
Hera, for some reason, found his appearance cute. He couldn't do anything without her, like a newborn baby. There was a strange sense of satisfaction.
At the end of such thoughts, she even had a truly terrible idea: that it might be alright to get him drunk sometimes—. Since she would be by his side anyway, there wouldn't be any real problem.
“Franz, are you going to sleep now?”
“Yeah, sleepy…”
“Alright, then close your eyes and sleep.”
Hera covered him with a blanket. It would be better to sleep cleanly, undressed, but that seemed difficult in his current state. So, it was probably better to just let him sleep as he was.
Soon, as if Franz had fallen asleep, a steady, soft breathing sound began to fill the air.
*‘So, what do I do now…?’*
First, she was sure where this was. It was the Magic Tower where Franz worked. She had been here once before, so she knew.
And from here to the Great Forest, it would take at least three days on foot. Rather than walking that distance, it would be better to ask Franz to take her back when he wakes up tomorrow. She didn't even have a robe to cover her face, so she was needlessly worried.
*‘But what on earth was he thinking…?’*
Honestly, she was a little flustered. She hadn't expected him to say 'come with me' so unhesitatingly. She wondered if there was some difference between Elves and Humans. Or perhaps… he had feelings for her…?
*‘No, that can’t be it.’*
Why would Franz, with nothing to lack, date an Elf? Surely, Human women would be lining up to meet him.
Besides, she was, after all, his Slave. She had heard of Masters who cherished their Slaves, but never of a Master who considered a Slave a romantic partner.
But what if, just what if, he had feelings for her and brought her here because of them…?
Hera's gaze lingered on Franz's face. His eyelashes were long, his skin smooth, and his features distinct. He was incredibly handsome, regardless of whether he was Human or Elf.
*‘Were there ever cases of Elves and Humans marrying in the past…? Can they even have children…?’*
*Yawn*—.
Hera, lost in thought, yawned. She had been moving all day preparing for the festival, so it was natural to be tired.
*‘First, where should I sleep?’*
After all, she could only ask Franz to take her back once he woke up. There was no need to stay awake. Her previous thoughts had long since been swept away by drowsiness.
Hera, who had begun searching for a place to sleep, suddenly remembered the large sofa in the Magic Tower Lord's Office. Even if it wasn't as comfortable as a bed, it would be good enough to sleep on.
“Good night, Master.”
Hera, whispering softly into Franz’s ear, left Franz’s Room. And then she casually lay down on the sofa and tried to sleep. Perhaps because it was an expensive sofa, she seemed to sleep even better than on her own bed in the Great Forest.
Time passed, and the next day arrived.
“Magic Tower Master… Sir…”
Arian saw it again, an unknown woman in the Magic Tower Lord's Office. And this time, she wasn't even a Human, but an Elf.