Chapter 11.1

‘Why did he react like that?’

Could it be that Edith also had a bad relationship with Valérez just as she had with Curtis?

“Are you talking about Edith of the Marquis of Abina?”

I shook my head at Valérez’s question.

“No,” I denied, “I’m nothing but a commoner, so I don’t have a surname.”

Only then did Valérez’s expression lighten up. I exhaled the breath I withheld at the sight of his face, which looked friendly like a sunny greenery.

‘I became careless because he looked nice, but he really scared me with his straight face.’

I thought it’d be less scary if Curtis had glared at me with his cold eyes. The moment Valérez looked at me with his expressionless face, my spine went cold.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, “You just had the same name as the woman I hate. It’s not a common name.”

He believed the lie I told, being a commoner, and put a glass of champagne in my hand.

He waved to a man and said, “Bring me a bottle of Brignac. I have offended this lady.”

Brignac was a very expensive type of champagne. It was so expensive I wouldn’t even dare to look at it in reality, so it must be worth quite a bit in this world.

“Brignac? There’s only one bottle left in the house, but another customer has already reserved it…” the man said.

“So what?”

Valérez searched his arms, then took out a pocket full of gold coins and threw it on the table. Chess pieces fell rolling on the floor with the gold coins.

“If you don’t have it, scour the entire imperial capital, or steal that bastard’s drink and bring it right away.”

Contrary to his smiling face, the way he spoke to the manager was quite fierce. The manager, realizing that Valérez was in a bad mood, bent in a hurry.

“Yes, sir!”

Only after the manager moved away did Valérez look back at me, putting his arm on the back of the sofa. I felt my eyes gravitate towards him as he stretched out his arms and legs coolly, but somehow, I couldn’t enjoy his beauty comfortably.

“So, what’s your business?” he asked with a smile, “You don’t talk to me when I drink alone with no purpose in mind. It’s an unwritten rule of Red House not to touch me at times like this.”

I didn’t know that.

If I had known, I never would have talked to him.

I tried to hide my trembling fingers with the tip of my sleeve, blaming myself for rushing into him.

“I’m sorry. I really didn’t know.”

“Yes, well.”

Valérez nodded as if he was listening to my apology. The manager arrived with the bottle of champagne, and he grabbed it in one hand. Then, he brought the bottle towards his mouth and opened it with his teeth.

PONG!

Soon, a fragrant liquid soaked his body.

‘No! That’s such an expensive liquor that a single drop already costs a few silver coins… Is he crazy?’

I wasn’t particularly a huge drinker, but I still knew the value of the champagne he just wasted, and I could only sit agape with pity.

The thin champagne-soaked shirt clung to Valérez’s firm chest, creating such a great scene, but it was still a waste.

“My mood was already dull, but I didn’t want to blame the lady,” he said, “Still, I’ll listen to the lady’s business and decide afterwards whether to let you go or not.”

After the unexpected shower, Valérez poured the rest of his drink into a glass and held it out to me, bubbles rising as he pushed it in front of me.

“Oh, well… Can I have a drink first and answer?”

“Yes.”

With his permission, I poured the champagne down my throat. I couldn’t savor it because I was in a hurry, but it left an unusual scent sticking at the tip of my tongue. Perhaps that was because it was a luxurious liquor.

‘Wow, it’s quite good. It would taste great with frozen green grapes.’

“Oh, my…”

I drank to relieve my tensions, and Valérez laughed at me, stomping his feet as if amazed at my reaction to drinking the delicious Brignac.

“Is it good?” he asked.

“Yes, it’s very delicious.”

“Drink more. If you finish, I’ll buy you another bottle.”

“Oh, it’s fine. There’s probably no more available in the house either,” I declined as politely as I could, “Anyway, you did ask me why I spoke to you, right?”

“Yes.”

Valérez nodded slightly to my question. After gathering my hands as if to pray, I exhaled a sigh and answered him calmly, “The young lord’s face is my type.”

“What?”

He turned his head toward me as if embarrassed. It wasn’t like he didn’t understand. I emphasized one more time.

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