CH 8

Gabe frowned slightly.

“….Oh man, you didn’t understand a thing I said. Or are you just stubborn?”

When the cook came with a bottle of liquor, Gabe waved his hand with a displeased face.

“That’s enough, bring me what I say. Let’s make a bomb shot. You need to drink this much to socialize, don’t you think so?”

“Gabe, take it easy. Are you planning to kill her?”

“Kill? Who? As she said, I’m just congratulating her on joining the patrol in advance.”

When Gabe answered with a smirk.

“I’m fine. Please bring it.”

Gabe furrowed one eyebrow and smiled.

“Are you confident? You’re not as strong as you seem, are you?”

Asha did not answer. 

Gabe twisted the corners of his lips and started pouring all the liquor into a bowl. 

People, who were watching, anxiously muttered ‘oh, that’s strong…….‘

Then Gabe poured the liquor into two wide wooden mugs and handed one to her.

“If you drink this and survive, I’ll acknowledge your mental strength. If you pass out I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.”

He looked proud, but Asha looked into his eyes and answered.

“All right.”

Then the two of them began to drink at the same time, staring at each other. 

She was startled for a moment by the terrible burning sensation in her throat, but Asha showed no expression.

This drink was so strong that it could not be compared with any other drink she had ever drunk at the Imperial Palace. 

It seemed that tears would come out of her nose and throat mercilessly, but she closed her eyes and drank it in one gulp with a face that looked as comfortable as possible.

In her past life, Asha was forced to drink because Karaf loved to drink.

She was able to endure this much with what she called ‘mental power’.

Everyone looked at her and admired her. 

That bomb drink was so strong that even men who enjoyed drinking would lose their minds if they drank it.

Gabe glanced over Asha’s mug and said.

“Impressive, my lady.”

Suddenly, she went from ‘princess‘ to ‘lady’. 

He also pretended to be relaxed, but anyone could see from his face that he was not okay. 

But then, just in time, Jackal returned with Sosa. 

The members were startled by their appearance, and looked at each other, not knowing what to do. 

They were speechless when they saw Asha and Gabe in the center of the commotion. 

Jackal walked over to her and glanced down at the bowl of liquor. 

He knew what kind of alcohol it was just by the strong smell, without even having to drink it.

“….. Gabe, did you give this to this woman?”

His voice was calm, but there seemed to be a strong wind inside.

But Gabe replied with a smile on his face, half out of his mind.

“Yes, boss. This woman was so rude without knowing anything, so I tried to scold her…….”

“…..Rude?”

Jackal grabbed him by the neck. Sosa and all the members surrounding him, trying to stop him. 

Jackal looked at him with eyes burning with blue flames and said angrily.

“Say it again. What did you say?”

Gabe’s face became gloomy, and he started mouthing random words.

“Why are you so angry all of a sudden? Do you care so much about that woman that you can’t tolerate even a little gossip? You must have grown fond of her in that short period.”

“….watch your mouth. This is the last warning.”

The atmosphere became irreversibly harsh. 

But Gabe didn’t back down and yelled.

“If Captain really cares about this organization, take her as your wife or kick her out, one of two things….!”

At those words, Jackal’s body stiffened, and his hands relaxed slightly. 

Sosa quickly separated them, stood in the middle, and told Jackal.

“Captain, I think that everyone is overly excited today. Let’s talk when they’re in their right mind..”

Jackal reluctantly quit the fight as he saw his men staring at him with concerned faces. 

He said, looking back at Asha.

“I’m drunk, so let’s go back.”

“All right.”

Asha tried to follow him confidently, slightly drunk, then turned back and looked at Gabe. 

The next moment, the members opened their mouths. 

Asha walked up to him and pointed at his face as he had before.

“You’ll see. I’m not as weak as you think, and I’m a much more useful woman!”

Asha turned and left the fortress before Jackal. 

It was the first time they had seen her angry, and they all looked at her with slightly dazed expressions on their faces. 

Jackal left Gabe and Sosa alone and followed her. 

As soon as the door closed, Asha staggered and collapsed into the snow. 

But before her knees hit the ground, Jackal grabbed her.

He asked, slightly dumbfounded.

“Are you crazy? Do you know what kind of drink it was?”

Asha answered drunk and with a red nose.

“…..He was congratulating me.”

“Congratulations? And you believed that?”

“That’s what Gabe said. I just believed him.”

Her voice was a little hoarse. 

Jackal bit his lips, then asked again with a serious face.

“What did he said with while I was gone?”

Asha was silent for a moment, then spoke calmly.

“No, nothing happened.”

“…..”

Jackal noticed that she was trying to cover Gabe and stayed silent.

Perhaps she didn’t want to cause a rift between his men. 

Asha walked as if nothing had happened, but with every step she took, she lurched forward. 

It was hard for her to be well because she drank a lot of liquor. 

Suddenly, he grabbed her and carried her like a princess.

Asha’s eyes widened in embarrassment, but she rested her head on his chest.

“Put….put me down. I’m fine!”

“What do you mean you’re fine? As soon as we get home, wash your feet and go to bed.”

Asha was speechless. 

Jackal walked, looking forward, but inside, he felt a little sorry.

She pretended to be fine, but her insides were burning. 

He said quietly.

“You didn’t expect to be welcomed by everyone from the beginning. It’s a given, so there’s nothing to be disappointed about.”

“Yes. I know….”

Although it sounded cold, Asha knew he was trying to comfort her. 

Jackal kept carrying her until they reached the cabin.

But as soon as she hit the ground, she entered the cabin very determinedly.

Jackal’s eyes widened as he suddenly saw what Asha was doing.

As soon as Asha closed the door, she suddenly took off her coat. 

Jackal turned around.

“What are you doing now…..”

Confused, he stuttered.

“…… No way, is this what you wanted to show me earlier…….?”

He asked quietly, but his face turned red in embarrassment. 

Without knowing what was going through his mind, Asha, who wore only sleeveless underwear, said seriously.

“Yes. Please look at me.”

His heart began to beat uncontrollably.

He did not know how to react because this was the first time that a woman had seduced him in such an active way.

Ordinary women would be terrified of him, and wouldn’t even try to get close to him, much less talk. 

They get instinctively afraid and wary of the wild horse aura emanating from him.

Humans unconsciously rejected beings other than themselves. 

However, Aisha did not avoid him from the first time she saw him and looked at him confidently. 

And the moment she boldly confessed to him that she was in love with him at first sight, he felt that she would be the only woman in this world who would not avoid him. 

He had never paid any attention to a woman until now, thinking that no woman would like a man who could transform into a horse, but Asha was the first woman to break down his wall.

This opportunity may never come again.

When he thought of it, his face suddenly flared up.

His heart was telling him not to let her go, and his head was telling him to put his people first.

Jackal then wiped his face with his large hand, before regaining his composure.

“….. If you’re trying to seduce me, stop. Your beauty doesn’t work on me.”

“Beauty…..?”

Asha blinked.

His stout back looked as if he was somehow having some inner conflict.

“Pfft.”

Asha’s laughter made him flinch.

“…..How can you laugh in this situation?”

“You seem to have misunderstood something, but that is not what I am going to show you.”

“If it’s not that, then what is it? You took off your clothes to show me.”

“I’m just trying to show you the benefits of accepting me into the organization.”

“….benefit? What benefits?”

He clicked his tongue.

“So, if it’s your body, it won’t work……”

“Sigh…….”

Asha sighed, thinking that the conversation would not continue. 

When she found out that he was surprisingly shy in front of the opposite sex, she felt a little fresh. 

Earlier, he climbed on top of her body without hesitation and seemed to have acted on purpose to warn her.

He chose such a radical method to let people know that he is a dangerous man and that this is not a place for women to live.

She thought that maybe he could be a man who finds dealing with women more difficult than anything else. 

Asha walked behind him with a slightly mischievous face and patted him on the back.

“Please look at my chest.”

He was visibly startled when she said ‘chest’.

“….How careless you are, how can you say that to a man casually……!”

He looked back, slightly angry, and couldn’t speak because his eyes grew bigger.

He quickly turned his head again, but he saw a tattoo-like pattern near Asha’s chest. 

It was a golden ‘butterfly‘. 

Asha calmly spoke, and she turned to see him frozen with his eyes enlarged.

“Now you know. I’m… I’m the Butterfly of the Empire.”

He was so flustered that he couldn’t say anything. 

He stood there like a statue. 

His eyes trembled as he looked at Asha.