“Ugh—ugh… so disgusting…”
Early in the morning, Vivian was tossing and turning in her bed.
She kept feeling waves of nausea and stomach pain.
“Human world alcohol is terrifying… ugh—”
“Expecting good stuff from a roadside tavern’s booze? It’s no wonder your stomach can’t handle it after drinking so much the first time!”
Eze sat wearily on the edge of the bed, placing a bottle of potion and a steaming bowl on the nightstand.
“This is the Hangover Medicine I just bought. Drink it now. This bowl is freshly made Milk Porridge, it protects your stomach. When you feel less nauseous, eat a bit, or your stomach won’t hold up!”
“Okay, th-thank… you… ugh—”
Vivian’s once snow-white skin had turned an iron blue, and her once-proud purple hair was now a tangled mess, sticking to her face from sweat.
Her slender body trembled incessantly as she painfully shifted on the bed and finally lay down across Eze’s lap.
“Ugh… I’m going to die…”
“Hold on a bit longer. In half a day, this will feel much better. Hurry and drink the potion.”
Eze helped Vivian sit up, then brought the potion bottle over and forced her to drink.
The pale-faced witch lady wore an expression full of despair, as if wanting to cry but unable to.
“So bitter… I’m going to vomit again…”
“Are you a child!? Drink it, now!”
Wait, thinking carefully, maybe that’s exactly what she was.
Vivian’s physical age was around twenty, but according to her story, she’d only experienced about five years of real life, all spent as a tool.
Her usually strong and unfathomable personality was somewhat shaped by circumstances; maybe beneath that outer shell, this was her true nature?
Unbearable.
Swallowing the potion through the pain, Vivian collapsed again onto Eze’s lap, struggling.
This time, Eze said nothing, just sighed and smoothed her hair.
Then—
“Master, Mistress, there’s a guest.”
A magical automaton maid knocked and entered the room, bowing lightly before reporting:
“The visitor specifically requested to see Master.”
Eze frowned:
“To see me? Who is it?”
“A short red-haired woman claiming to be your friend.”
No need to think twice—it was Heidi.
He had already clearly rejected her at the previous evening’s banquet; whatever reason she had to show up now—
Eze could think of several, none of them good.
Glancing at Vivian, whose face looked terribly pale lying on him, he waved his hand decisively.
“Don’t see her. Send her away.”
Normally he might have dealt with it, but right now Vivian was more important.
Not to mention the drinking incident—he was partly responsible, so he couldn’t leave her side.
“N-no… you should go…”
Vivian suddenly grabbed Eze’s clothes, speaking in a weak voice:
“That person is still a princess… if something big happens, missing it wouldn’t be good…”
For Vivian, standing up to that woman herself to get back at Eze was one thing.
For Eze to alienate that woman because of Vivian was another.
Vivian knew Eze had his own reasons for everything and didn’t want to disrupt his rhythm for her sake.
“But you—”
“It’s fine. Go, go—”
She gave a faint smile.
“Why does it feel like saying goodbye to a terminally ill wife? It’s nothing, go.”
Eze sighed, weighed his options, then nodded and stood.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Soon, Eze met Heidi in the reception room. She was looking around the room as if inspecting it.
Seeing Ezeenter, she immediately stood and lunged forward to hug him.
“Good morning, Eze, I’ve missed you so much since yesterday~”
The act was convincing enough, but it didn’t fit her usual persona and was a bit over the top—too forceful, a big no-no, Heidi.
Eze thought this silently as he pushed her away.
“Good morning. Are you still in Tafia? I thought you’d have gone back to the Anlin Plains after the banquet two days ago.”
“There wasn’t much going on there. Lia and Rosalyn can handle things. I was worried about you, so I wanted to stay a few more days.”
As she spoke, Heidi sniffed deeply at Eze, frowning.
Because she knew Eze didn’t drink.
But she said nothing more, and they both sat down.
Heidi was the first to speak:
“So this is… that woman’s, Vivian’s residence?”
“Yeah, it’s a branch estate of her family. We temporarily moved here due to some circumstances.”
“I see. Have you gotten used to living here?”
“Not bad. It’s definitely more comfortable than the Military Camp.”
“Hmm, good.”
Heidi smiled, but inside she was full of disdain.
An unknown minor noble family’s estate in the empire, and just a branch at that—no wonder it was so shabby and old-fashioned.
Though the Airt Family had declined, their royal palaces were still dazzling and magnificent.
And this? Just this?
Such an obvious difference, yet Eze was choosing the worse option—what was wrong with his brain?
No wonder he was born a commoner; no manners or understanding, couldn’t even understand how to beg properly when coming from another world to the kingdom.
Heidi thought this, but still put on a friendly face and asked:
“What are your plans after this? Not going back to your squad and staying here all the time? Staying by Vivian’s side?”
“For now, I’ll stay a while longer. I’m still thinking about what to do afterward.”
Heidi nodded, filing that away.
At least he wasn’t planning to immediately throw in with another faction, so she still had time…
No, forget that, there was no peace of mind here. That woman’s threat was no less than any noble’s.
Thinking of this, Heidi grew curious.
She came directly to find Eze, expecting that woman to follow—but now she was nowhere to be seen.
“Is Vivian not home?”
“She is, but… it’s inconvenient for her to see anyone right now.”
Heidi grew more puzzled.
“Inconvenient? What kind of inconvenience?”
Could it be… she was scared off by my last words yesterday and dared not come out?
Yes, that must be it; no other possibilities.
So arrogant at the banquet, full of mockery and threats—it was all just a bluff. Turns out she’s such a coward?
What a useless person.
Too bad it’s too late; why didn’t she act earlier?
Had she been nicer to me before, Heidi could have magnanimously overlooked it. But now… heh, she might as well be a stepping stone for me to win Eze back.
In a great mood, Heidi smiled unconsciously and pressed her advantage:
“By the way, your injury finally healed—let’s go out for a meal to celebrate?”
“No.”
Eze refused without hesitation.
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