CH 28.1

The outdoor arena, where the Coming-of-Age Ceremony was held, was an unusual place reminiscent of the black Colosseum.

There were bloodstains everywhere, so she could predict how intense their training was.

A huge stepped platform was placed in the middle of the spacious interior.

More than thirty Balkan men were already seated, drinking and talking.

When Cade and Cherryl appeared, they jumped out of their seats in attention.

“Welcome!”

“Good morning, Lady Milose!”

The men bowed so low that she could see the top of their heads.

The sudden loudness hitting her ears surprised her, but she responded respectfully without mentioning it.

“Nice to meet you. It’s an honor to meet all of  you here.”

After accepting her greeting, they sat down and observed Cherryl with interest.

They all appeared like ethnic barbarians, who had long been the subject of royal conquest, but they didn’t feel unpleasant.

She thought about Lecter and Axel, whom she had met before, and they weren’t different.

Nevertheless, Cherryl didn’t want to appear discriminating.

Most of the aristocrats had some prejudice against them.

As she sat with Cade in the front row, the men shouted Cole’s name as if they couldn’t wait for him to appear.

Soon, the call caused the determined man to emerge slowly.

Unlike his rough appearance, he was a man of poor memory and vague recollection.

“He has to drink this all to start his Coming-of-Age Ceremony.”

Cade winked at something on the table under the podium.

Upon looking closely, it was a barrel bigger than a human head.

“Oh, my! Will Cole be able to drink it all?”

“He has to drink it. If he doesn’t start his Coming-of-Age ceremony, it would have to be postponed for another year, and Axel’s turn may come first before him.”

Even though Axel liked to make fun of people but was younger, she could already see what he might become if he first finished the ‘Coming-Of-Age Ceremony’.

He would use all of his energy to drink it.

Cole stood below the platform grimly.

“I’ve been looking forward to my Coming-of-Age Ceremony.”

He put his right hand to his chest as he looked at Cade and Cherryl sitting side by side.

“It’s an honor to stand here in front of my master, Cade Blkanov, and his bride, Cherryl Mil… Milose.”

Chuckling, Axel, who sat next to Cherryl, whispered. “Lector told him not to make a mistake, so he practiced memorizing that for a week.”

“That entire line?”

“No. The word ‘Milose.’”

That’s why he didn’t get it wrong.

Cherryl nodded, convinced.

“I’ll flatten the noses of my six brothers. Viper. Hawk. Roy. Schiff. Axel and Lecter. I paid for my ‘Coming-Of-Age Ceremony’, you bastards! I heard you were betting I couldn’t afford it.”

Cole declared solemnly, but in the end, he gave up on honorifics and gritted his teeth as he stared at the front row.

Cherryl wondered if the aforementioned names had something touching to say to Cole, but it was the opposite.

A thunderous cheer erupted at Cole’s annoyed greeting to start his ‘Coming-of-Age Ceremony’.

Cole lifted the heavy barrel and began to pour it into his mouth without hesitation.

The men shouted intermittently, the excitement rising and fluctuating in the atmosphere as if someone had brought drums.

Cherryl covered her mouth in shock as Cole imbibed the strong alcohol.

“Wow! I had never drunk like that!”

Cade, who had been fiddling with her fingers, scolded her. “Are you kidding me? You shouldn’t drink like that!”

Cherryl took her eyes off Cole, who kept drinking like a stunt.

“What about you, Your Grace? Did you also have a Coming-of-Age ceremony?”

“Do you think I would have done it?”

“Well, since you’re their commander,  I guess you don’t have to do it.”

The event felt like an initiation, and there’s no way a boss like him would do that.

Cherryl returned her gaze to Cole, who was still drinking.

When he slowly tilted his neck back, the men shouted and cheered.

A low voice rang in her ear in the midst of the loud noise and confusion.

“Have you ever wondered?”

“What?”

“The dirty rumors circulating around the Empire.”

At the attention-grabbing subject, Cherryl made eye contact with Cade.

He tilted his shoulders toward her,still keeping his gaze on Cole.

“In the case of the Blkanov’s extermination, the adopted son, who took his title, should have been culprit. He also lives in a messy paradise, considering that he hangs out with the barbarians subject to public eradication. Everyone thinks like this. What about you, Lady Cherryl?”

Before she knew it, Cole, who emptied a whole barrel of alcohol, stumbled with half-lidded eyes.

Everyone around her laughed when Axel sarcastically asked them to quickly fall down on their knees for Cole’s money but it didn’t really catch her ears.

“Why are you asking this question all of a sudden?’

Cherryl blinked at him with wide eyes.

When Cade glanced down at her in embarrassment, she burst out laughing.

“Is it that hard to respond to? I’m just asking, My Lady.”

“Why do you ask such a question?”

“I’m just curious if you’re afraid of me. Had the rumors caused some discomfort? If you married a scandalous man like me, that would be a stain on your reputation. Are you alright with that?”

“!”

Twisting the corner of his mouth, Cade stretched out an arm and wrapped it around Cherryl’s shoulders.

Then, he pulled her towards his chest in a little hug.

He patted her light hair with the hand on her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek.

“The reason why you pushed me away that night was that you weren’t sure of me. Was that it?”

He must be referring to their intimate contact at his office.