After paying the price for recklessly matching Aslin pace without knowing better—by fainting, no less.

Compared to what I had feared, which was suffering for half a day before recovering, luckily, the time it took for me to regain consciousness wasn’t as long as expected.

This was all thanks to Aslin, who shook me awake almost the moment I collapsed.

“…I’m sorry…”

The first thing I saw upon regaining consciousness was Aslin, apologizing to me.

“…It’s my fault for recklessly pushing myself without taking care of my tired body. There’s no need for you to apologize.”

There wasn’t even a flicker of thought to blame her, so I accepted her apology calmly and stood up.

‘…I suppose I can skip tonight’s sparring session.’

Whether I should be glad that my still-sore legs meant I’d have to miss today’s sparring session with Aslin, which had become a daily ordeal lately…

“…You look like you’re struggling. Do you need help… to somewhere you can rest?”

…or be uneasy about her noticing my discomfort immediately and offering to support me so closely—it left me conflicted.

I hope no one accuses me of pretending to struggle in such an enviable situation.

Because Aslin’s bright presence, drawing near to me without hesitation or awareness of personal space, is making my heart race to a point where it might not hold out.

…Of course, despite my inner turmoil about this paradoxical situation,

“It’s a relief… that you regained your senses… so quickly.”

I couldn’t deny the sweetness in Aslin’s voice as she expressed relief, supporting me as we walked.

Thanks to collapsing before lunchtime from overexertion? I managed to avoid doing anything physical until the end of the day.

“I saw you keeping up with my training pace so effortlessly, and I couldn’t help but wonder how far you could go. I think I pushed the pace too hard… I’m truly sorry.”

Even though she hadn’t done much wrong, Aslin kept apologizing while anxiously gauging my reaction.

As a result, I didn’t have to endure any physically demanding activities, including the evening sparring session.

Thanks to that, my sore legs naturally healed over time, and for the first time since coming here, I experienced an unusually idle day.

Of course, when your body and mind are at ease and you have nothing to do, time seems to crawl by— and today felt extraordinarily long compared to other days.

But once the long day passed, and I lay down on my bed and closed my eyes, it would simply become another uneventful day. No problem, right?

“Aslin,” I called hesitantly.

“…W-why do you ask?” she responded, startled.

“What’s that you’re holding in your hand?”

“……”

“No matter what, drinking alcohol late at night is…”

“It’s… it’s not… alcohol!”

……Never mind.

I’m starting to feel genuine resentment toward Her Majesty the Emperor for introducing alcohol to the sole inheritor of this empire’s duchy.

Let’s Turn Back Time a Little

We need to understand the cause of how this situation started.

After completing my training, where I simultaneously practiced mana control and core recovery through breathing techniques and meditation—

Despite my body feeling stiff—

I washed up after the day’s training, then took another shower before bed to clean my slightly sweaty body.

As soon as I entered the bedroom…

“And… Endy… you’ve… arrived. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Gone was Aslin’s usual calm and composed demeanor; instead, she greeted me in a flustered voice, quickly hiding something behind her back.

‘…The smell of alcohol.’

The sharp scent wafted into my nose the moment I stepped inside.

It was clear that Aslin had indulged in alcohol before I arrived, trying to satisfy her craving.

‘I only asked her to hold off for a bit… She must’ve been desperate for a drink.’

Though I’m not much of a drinker and don’t fully understand the psychology of those who are,

I do understand how strong the desire can be when you’re deprived of something you enjoy.

So, I initially intended to ignore her small indulgence.

But the sharp smell of the alcohol at the tip of my nose eliminated any possibility of feigning ignorance.

It was strong liquor.

Just from the aroma, I could tell it was far stronger than the high-proof spirit Aslin had downed a few nights ago.

Yet, despite its potency, the scent was surprisingly pleasant, evoking the taste of a fine, rare vintage.

The key was this—it wasn’t just strong; it was also exquisite.

‘There’s no way she could stop herself after holding back for so long and getting her hands on such good liquor.’

Scenes of what might happen if I left her to her devices began to unfold in my mind.

Aslin, who had drunk her fill and lost all self-control, staggering over to my bed reeking of alcohol after I’d fallen asleep.

This is the same Aslin who, even when sober, has a habit of sleepily wrapping me in her arms while sleeping— how much further would that go with alcohol clouding her judgment?

‘No, this can’t happen. Absolutely not.’

I shook my head vigorously, resolving to stop her from drinking at all costs.

“…Endy?”

Aslin’s voice was filled with curiosity as she watched me standing frozen in place after entering the room.

Without answering her, I focused on observing her, noting how she had hidden the bottle behind her back.

Fortunately, it seemed my timely arrival had prevented her from drinking yet.

Just recalling the events from a few nights ago, when Aslin had indulged in alcohol, was enough to remind me.

Back then, even though she hadn’t gone completely wild, her flushed cheeks were undeniable proof of her drinking.

Tonight, however, there was no such redness on her face, strongly suggesting she hadn’t had a drink—yet.

I let out a sigh of relief that I wouldn’t be facing a more overwhelming situation tonight, but that relief was short-lived.

If I dawdled, Aslin would surely ignore my words and start drinking anyway.

‘How can I stop her from drinking?’

I started brainstorming ways to prevent her from opening the bottle.

As always, I felt thankful for how physical time seems to slow down when the willpower within me speeds up.

Option 1: Take the Bottle

Not impossible, but not ideal either.

Even if I succeeded in taking the bottle after a struggle, what could I do with it? I wasn’t in a position to order a servant to dispose of it.

Breaking the bottle immediately seemed like the only way to prevent her from drinking it—

‘But that’s insane.’

Even I wouldn’t be able to deal with the aftermath of doing something so reckless.

Option 2: Persuade Her

I would have to convince her to stop drinking through sheer persuasion.

‘…How, though?’

The mere thought of it gave me a headache.

“And… Endy? You must be tired today. Shouldn’t you lie down and rest? Just watching you stand there makes me feel even more guilty for exhausting you earlier….”

Aslin, uncharacteristically timid and trailing off at the end of her words, glanced at me nervously.

Her unusual behavior did ease some of my mental fatigue, but watching her lips twitch as if suppressing a smile while continuing to speak—

‘If I just leave her alone and go to bed, she’s definitely going to binge-drink.’

I didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if Aslin, finally free to drink, indulged herself excessively and then approached me in that state.

‘…I have to try something.’

With newfound resolve, I prepared myself to face Aslin head-on in this battle of wits.

First, I needed to identify the “non-alcoholic” item she claimed to be hiding behind her back.

Recalling the faint scent that tickled my nose upon entering the room, I had a rough idea of what it might be.

Even without drinking, the sharp and smoky aroma lingering at the back of my throat was unmistakable.

It was likely a high-grade whiskey from the Karl Distillery, renowned for producing premium spirits aged for over five years, using malt sourced from the western barley fields of the Empire.

The flavor and scent of those spirits were unforgettable, even for someone like me, who wasn’t a heavy drinker.

Still, openly confronting Aslin with what I knew would only lead her to deny it.

“About going to bed,” I said, softening my tone more than usual,

“would you mind telling me what you’re hiding behind your back first? If it’s not alcohol, there’s no reason not to show me, right?”

“…Ah… a glass bottle of iced tea. I find it refreshing to drink instead of alcohol….”

Her blatant lie, accompanied by her guilty expression, was almost endearing.

Aslin Blath Caladbolg —a woman I’ve come to know as capable and extraordinary— had one notable flaw: she was terrible at lying.

Unable to maintain eye contact, she glanced away while nervously fidgeting with the bottle behind her back.

“Hmm? Iced tea with an alcoholic aroma? That’s a first for me.

From the scent alone, I thought it was a premium whiskey aged over ten years at the Whittaker Distillery in your territory, using barley from the northern fields.”

I dangled the bait with a false guess, luring her into a reaction.

“No, it’s not! It’s not that!”

Aslin vehemently denied my suggestion, her mouth moving quickly as she rushed to refute me.

And then, in her excitement, she began to explain:

“Whittaker Distillery burned down during the last war, so I couldn’t possibly have spirits from there! And this scent—how could you not recognize it? This is from Karl Distillery, made with barley from the western Empire and meticulously aged for 15 years! It’s this year’s limited edition—only 50 bottles were released—oh!”

Gotcha.

Caught up in her enthusiasm, Aslin revealed the bottle, holding it up proudly as she bragged about it—

right in front of me.

Victory.

Even with the windows shut tight, I felt as if the chilling sound of winter’s wind brushed past my ears.

Contrary to that fleeting sensation, however…

“Th-th-this… th-this is…!!”

Aslin, her face flushed crimson as if it might burst into flames, stammered incoherently.

“I’m sorry… I’ve never gone four days without a drink since I started drinking. I held back and held back, but in the end….”

Bowing her head deeply, she apologized with genuine remorse.

It wasn’t as if the verbal promise we made carried any real weight.

“I even made a promise with you, yet here I am, committing such a rude act. I’m truly sorry….”

Her heartfelt apology and mention of our promise made it clear how much value Aslin placed on even the lightest of verbal commitments.

Come to think of it, I was the one who first suggested we have a drink together someday.

If Aslin were to break her abstinence, it should’ve been with me explicitly inviting her to drink, giving her a reason to loosen up.

But instead, I had told her not to drink so suddenly, without considering that she’d been handling her physical training and endless tasks flawlessly. That, in hindsight, was my mistake.

‘Hmm….’

Maybe today, it’s time to let go of my stubbornness.

“Let’s drink together.”

“Sh-should I call the servants to remove the alcohol immediately or—eh?”

“Looks like my core recovery is just about complete, and you seem fully healed as well. It feels a bit silly for me to dictate whether you can drink or not. So, in the spirit of keeping the promise we made, let’s share a drink.”

I decided to spend a little more time bonding with Aslin.

“….”

At my words, Aslin’s expression instantly went blank, as if she’d frozen in place.

But the overwhelming joy in her eyes, one that words couldn’t quite describe, made me feel an unexpected sense of accomplishment.

Perhaps, this was the right decision after all.