◆ Chloe Sagrid is Dangerous When She’s Drunk (Julius)
WHEN the strength left Chloe’s body, I supported her thin waist. She’d told me she was afraid of men, but she didn’t look frightened or tremble when I touched her. She had likely accepted me.
I understood that. I also knew that she had special feelings for me that made me different from others. However, despite her age, her reactions were a touch juvenile. She was once engaged to Cyril Astria, but that man quickly had his heart stolen away by a woman called Aliza. Chloe was apparently desperate to make a living as an alchemist ever since she was tossed aside in the royal capital. In other words, she was lacking experience in the romance department.
In truth, there may have been numerous men, Roge included, who harbored feelings for her, but Chloe refused all these advances. And because she had, she was unacquainted with the romantic feelings that people had for her. She rejected men to such a shocking degree. She had every right to feel that way. When I think about the traumatizing experience she went through, it makes me want to behead every man who had attempted to assault her—even if they hadn’t succeeded.
It seems I’m rather special to Chloe despite those experiences. That’s not bad at all. In fact, it makes me feel very good. Still, that didn’t mean that I wanted something more; I didn’t think that satisfying my greedy desires would advance our relationship further. I didn’t mind if things stayed as they were. I truly thought so, but these were probably all excuses I told myself.
The wars hadn’t ended. When I saw Chloe’s face and heard her voice, I was reminded that I was no longer fighting on the front lines. But my long battle wasn’t over—it had never ended. When I saw Oswald Dystiana’s face, heard his voice, and mulled over his words, I understood that it was all connected.
So, I didn’t mind if I stayed as Chloe’s slave for now. I wasn’t planning on dying by myself and leaving her alone, but as long as that possibility still persisted, I couldn’t get swept up by my emotions and claim her for mine. This world was far too fragile and delicate for that.
“Chloe. Hey, you there?” I asked.
I’d let my feelings get the better of me and teased her in the bath, but she quickly became dizzy from the heat. When she came to, I pretended that I’d gotten drunk and touched her as I greedily desired, but for some reason, she now became limp in my arms. I didn’t think I’d done much, but it was clear that Chloe was far more inexperienced and sheltered than I thought when it came to romance.
I peered down at her face as she clung to me more than usual. A messy smile danced on her lips as she looked up at me in a daze. Her cheeks had turned pink, and her eyes were a little misty. She’s…
“I feel so lightheaded,” Chloe said happily, slightly slurring her words.
I had no doubt that she was drunk. I was almost amazed by how quickly she could get intoxicated. She hadn’t ingested a single drop. I was aware that some people got drunk over the atmosphere or mood of a room, but I wasn’t at all inebriated. The story I told her about being resistant to poison was true, and it was the reason that I never got drunk. My father was an odd man.
“Julius, you should always consider the possibility that poison might be mixed in with your food,” my father had said while training me and helping me build resistance to toxins.
“Oh, it must be my fault…” I muttered.
I licked my lips and found they tasted strongly of alcohol. I wasn’t sure if a person could get drunk from saliva being transferred by one’s tongue. As Chloe went completely limp in my arms, I scooped her up and returned to the room. I decided that it was best if she got some rest and decided to just throw her into a bed, but she weakly gripped my arm.
“Mr. Julius! Mr. Julius!” Chloe chirped.
“…What?” I asked.
“I feel like I’m floating. This is fun!”
“Just go to sleep already.”
“But I’m having so much fun! I don’t wanna sleep!”
She let out a carefree giggle as her hands moved from my arms to coil around my neck. Chloe rarely hugged me of her own accord, and I knitted my brows with concern. I had no intention of doing anything to a drunk woman, but I felt like I’d only complicate matters if I tried to peel her away.
“Mr. Julius, you’re as handsome as ever today, too!” she said with a beaming smile. She seemed to be devouring me with her eyes.
Left with no other choice, I sat on the edge of the bed with her still cradled in my arms. If I talked with her for a bit, I wondered if she’d fall asleep. I wasn’t against knocking her out, but I didn’t mind if she stayed awake for a bit longer so that I could see this humorous side of her unfold.
Chloe never reached for a drink of her accord, and this was a rare sight. I needed to see how she’d act when she was drunk for future reference.
“Today was fun, wasn’t it?” she chattered. “We were able to wear unusual clothes, go shopping, and eat delicious food. It was so much fun!”
“I see. That’s good to hear,” I replied.
“I guess we can call this hanging out, right? Were we? No, maybe it’s a date. I think it was a date! You said that you liked me, so we went out on a date!”
“Guess so.”
“This is the first time I went out on a date with someone I love! It feels nice, like we’re a couple.”
“…Yeah.”
She spoke with elation as she laughed and smiled happily. I would’ve liked to hear her say those words when she was sober, but I knew that she was only able to speak her true thoughts precisely because she was drunk.
“You always come to save me, and you’re always by my side, and you’re so cool, and strong. I love you so much,” she said.
“…I see.”
I started to grow frustrated and impatient in all sorts of ways. I thought it was better if I hit her on the back of her neck and knocked her out. As she sat on my lap, facing me, she started to complain about how hot it was.
“It’s sweltering!” she said, trying to take off her clothes.
It seemed she not only liked to cling to others and talk, but she also liked to take off her clothes when drunk. These were horrible habits to have.
“Your chest is so broad,” she said. “You probably have bigger boobs than I do… I’m sure of it. Look at those muscles! Amazing!”
She stripped herself down to her chest as she started to compare our bodies. Her palms glided over my body without a care. And then, as though she realized something, she started poking my chest and neck.
“You’ve got a scar here, and here. And over here, too. You’re covered in wounds, aren’t you? I’d love to heal them for you, Mr. Julius, but I think a body covered with scars looks very cool. You look very handsome. It’s only the common sense of the world, you know.”
“Your tastes shouldn’t represent the whole of humanity.”
“Ah, so you found me out. I guess you know what I like.”
“You’ve got odd tastes.”
“So it seems.”
“Chloe…”
For a moment, I’d lost all sense of reason and was tempted to sleep with her. I knew that I’d gone crazy. Just as I was about to lose myself, she let out a loud gasp, snapping me back to my senses.
“Ah!” she cried. “Speaking of, you bit my neck earlier, didn’t you? And you said that this was how dragons express their affection towards each other. I don’t think it’s fair that only you get to do it. I can too, can’t I?”
“Do what?” I asked.
“Express my affection!”
Without hesitation, she gently bit my neck. Her soft lips and small teeth touched my skin, but I didn’t feel any pain. Her pale skin looked flushed, likely from the alcohol.
“You…” I said, my voice so low that I surprised even myself. My throat spasmed.
“Heh heh!” Chloe giggled. “I left a mark on you, too!”