Chapter 16: CH 16

‘It’s soft.’

Louis made a strange expression. Her pink cheeks were soft and bouncy.

He poked her cheek with his index finger and then pressed it. It felt weird.

“What are you doing!”

He then heard the woman’s voice. Juliana stared at him so he stopped.

Juliana glared at him while rubbing the area where he had pulled her cheek. Louis looked bewildered and seemed to be unaware of the staring contest.

“…That…”

Louis looked like he had no idea, but she herself wanted to know what she was doing. She felt childish and gently squeezed the cushion in her hand. The feeling of Louis’ touch on her cheek was still there.

Still.

‘I could have won if Louis didn’t cheat…’

Juliana aimed the cushion at the smirking man and tossed it. The cushion that she threw on impulse hit Louis in the face and landed on the floor.

Silence passed.

“It hurts.”

Louis stroked his cheek and his eyebrows gently drooped.

“I’m in pain.”

“……”

“Julie, what you did just hurt…”

He lowered her eyes and rubbed his cheeks.

‘Is it really painful…? A soft cushion?’

Juliana’s golden eyes fluttered. Louis dragged his slippers and approached her. The corners of his drooped eyes seemed innocent.

“Juliana.”

Louis asked, tugging at Juliana’s hem with his big hand.

“Are you mad? Why?”

Juliana couldn’t respond to his questions. It was because Louis’ breath touched her neck when he lowered his head.

“What are you doing……”

The hot breath gave Juliana goosebumps. She tried to push him away.

“I’ll reflect on myself, Juliana.”

Louis hugged Juliana tightly, and a small sound escaped. His wide arms wrapped around her back.

“Huh, huh…?”

Louis leaned against her body in that position.

‘We’re going to fall…!’

Juliana’s pupils dilated. They fell backwards as he hugged her.

She felt the soft mattress on her back. Juliana blinked.

She was now lying on the bed while being hugged by Louis.

In the quiet room, only the sound of each other’s shallow breaths echoed.

“Please don’t be angry.”

Louis rubbed his face against Juliana’s collarbone like a child.

“Okay, Louis. Let go of me first!”

His eyes were red up close.

Juliana raised her voice slightly and tried to calm her heart that was racing. Louis slowly blinked then lifted his body.

‘This is crazy, so crazy!’

Juliana pulled away from him and calmed her startled heart. As she glared at him, Louis winced and fell to his knees.

‘I haven’t forgiven you yet. It’s a truce!’

***

A few days have passed since then. Juliana let out a long sigh of relief and was lost in her thoughts.

‘How long do we have to stay here?’

She couldn’t go outside because of the magic orb tied to one of her hands. It was slowly becoming frustrating.

“Juliana.”

At that moment, Louis carefully approached her, staring. He had just returned from following the butler two hours ago.

“…Oh, Louis is here-“

Juliana, who was about to welcome him, stopped talking. She quickly turned her head to the other side.

‘Oh, I’m still embarrassed when I see Louis’ face.’

After the ‘monster’ incident, Juliana had been avoiding Louis. She ignored him and did not respond when he spoke to her. Then, in the last few days, Louis appeared to be trying to lighten Juliana’s mood.

[…Is the food to your taste?]

[Juliana, I’ll read you a book, it’s called [Analyzing Madness].]

[I brought you a pretty cushion…. Here’s a bouquet of flowers…]

To be honest, she wasn’t going to be upset for that long. Louis was also making an effort so her anger was relieved.

But she also didn’t want to forgive him easily. She deliberately pretended to sulk because she was worried that Louis would play more mischievous pranks.

…But it was weird that she hadn’t heard him for a while now. Juliana turned her head and glanced at Louis. Has it been a minute or so?

Louis was looking down at the floor with a sullen expression.

“Come…!”

The corners of Juliana’s lips rose slightly. Louis didn’t notice Juliana’s faint smile, and then he glanced at her.

Those pouty duck lips!

Poor Louie.

In Juliana’s mind, she called that expression, ‘Poor Louie’. She knew she shouldn’t think of it like that but, those pouting lips, they’re so cute!

‘Still, I’m really glad that Louis is here.’

Juliana took some comfort in the fact that she had someone to interact with. It was thanks to Louis that she was able to survive this frustrating situation.

‘So, stop teasing me… You should act mature.’

She wanted to find out what was going on inside his head. She recently just met him, but she also didn’t want to part ways with him on bad terms. The only person she could talk to was Louis, so what else would she do if she continued to be angry?

‘It’s too bad.’

She was saddened by the thought that she would not be able to see those duck lips anymore and decided to stop pretending to be angry.

‘Huh? But what is that?’

Juliana’s eyes turned to the front and stopped at the item in Louis’ right hand. He was holding a purple bottle with a luxurious label. Juliana, who noticed it, stared at the bottle and asked.

“What is that?”

He was clearly empty-handed when he left.

That brand, color, and design!

She had a rough idea of ​​what it was, but she wanted to be sure.

“I got the finest wine.

Louis slowly raised the corners of his lips. He shuffled his slippers and walked towards the kitchen with a sluggish gait.

Step Step Step.

Juliana followed him with bright eyes. Louis set the bottle down on the table and took two glasses of wine from the shelf. Juliana admired his skillful housekeeping. Also, how did he know the location so well…?

“Would you like a drink?”

“Yes, I want a drink!”

She answered as soon as Louis asked.

How long has it been since she last drank wine?

Juliana’s face lit up.

“I secretly got this.”

The man added and seemed to be waiting for a compliment. Juliana gave him a refreshing smile.

“Good job, Louis.”

She even clapped her hands. Louis rubbed his nose proudly.

‘Yes, this is how we make up and clear the atmosphere.’

Juliana wore a bright smile.

‘Wait, did he steal the wine?’

Suspicious thoughts belatedly came to her mind.

“Louis, did you secretly… take the wine?”

Can you even secretly take something from the lunatic’s mansion?

Juliana looked at Louis with a sharp gaze due to her questioning thoughts. He answered calmly.

“Ah, I got this, so it’s okay to drink it.”

“…You got it, from whom?”

“Well. Who do you think?”

Juliana was speechless at Louis’ languid response.

Him, the lunatic. It must be.

“The alcohol content is not very high so you can rest assured.”

Louis changed the subject, swirled the round glass in his hand for a bit and then handed it to her. Juliana accepted it.

‘Can I really drink this?’

Juliana had a bad feeling. She had thought Louis’ relationship with the lunatic was suspicious before, but it even felt much stranger today.

“The wine is very good. It also has a low alcohol content.”

Louis said, taking a sip of the wine. Juliana came to her senses and looked down at the glass.

‘Looking at the color, it looks like it has been aged for a long time, but it’s strange…’

Juliana nodded her head and followed suit, taking a careful sip. She could smell a subtle vanilla scent.

“…It’s delicious.”

The taste that spread in her mouth was somewhat like whiskey.

It had a subtle but sweet fruity taste…

***

Drinking wine was the perfect way to end the day.

“Wine is really my favorite.”

Juliana’s eyes lit up, clearly pleased. It tasted amazing enough that it made her forget her previous doubts.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, I’ve never tasted this before.”

It was the first time she had tasted the wine Louis brought. As the princess of a Duke family, she was able to try several brands, but this was definitely the first time she tasted this wine. She wondered which estate the wine was produced in, but there was no information.

Louis did not know where it came from, because as he said, he sneakily brought it in.

‘But, how did you bring this?’

Juliana paused.

It was strange, no matter how much she thought about it.

While she and Louis talked about a lot of things, this question suddenly popped up. Juliana felt uncomfortable as she talked to Louis.

It would be impossible to sneak wine in the first place…

He may have been given wine by the Empire’s Lunatic, but that didn’t even make sense. Why would he give a bottle of wine to a prisoner?

[T/N: Yes yes. Our girl is finally asking the right questions.]

‘Whenever I think about it, I don’t feel good.’

Juliana’s mood, oddly enough, subsided, as her mind pictured the lunatic gifting Louis wine.

A strange feeling, like a twist in her stomach, slowly rose.

…As if she was jealous.

[T/N: OML this woman. *shakes Juliana vigorously]