A Fake Marriage? Sure! …Wait, Is It Actually Fake? Something’s Not Right Here! - Chapter 40

It was nearly midnight by the time the two finally returned to their rented embassy residence after the Winged Lion Knights’ Order celebration had ended.

Since they’d informed the embassy they’d be returning late, the gatekeeper greeted them with “Welcome back,” and the maids had thoughtfully turned on the lights in the house, timing it perfectly.

Thanks to that, they avoided the worst-case scenario of Alex—unsteady on his feet from drinking, tripping in the dark.

“Really, we must properly thank the embassy tomorrow. Should we include some chocolates too?”

Lidoria placed the enormous bouquets and flower arrangements she couldn’t possibly carry all at once on the table and stretched her shoulders with a sigh.

“That should be fine.”

A voice that sounded less dismissive and more utterly exhausted came from the sofa. When she turned, she saw Alex sprawled out with his uniform disheveled and his legs stretched out.

Lidoria gave a wry smile at the sight of the kiss marks covering his face.

Those weren’t from her. They were the result of the celebration’s entertainment.

Near the end of the party.

Alex’s juniors had burst in dressed as women. Dozens of them. None of them suited cross-dressing in the slightest, and the venue erupted in laughter.

“This is thanks for raising us!” “Be happy, Vice Commander!” they said, each planting a kiss on his face.

If he hadn’t been drunk, he probably would have resisted, but the alcohol had pushed him past his limit, leaving him virtually defenseless. Lidoria, standing nearby, remembered how it looked like a pack of young hounds swarming a weakened beast, and it was a little frightening.

“Wait just a moment.”

Lidoria selected only the cut flowers, took them in hand, and placed them in a vase. She’d arrange them properly tomorrow. For now, she moved to the kitchen area, poured water from the pitcher into a glass, and added a few slices of honey-preserved lemon she’d prepared earlier.

She wet a towel with water, wrung it out firmly, and returned to where Alex lay on the sofa like a corpse.

“Can you drink?”

When she called out to him, he opened his eyes slightly and looked at the glass in Lidoria’s hand. He nodded silently and slowly sat up.

“I want the towel first.”

Lidoria laughed and handed it to him.

“Do you want to check your face in the mirror?”

“No, it’s fine. Those bastards, I’ll remember this.”

He ground his teeth but scrubbed his face vigorously with the damp towel. Lidoria exchanged the towel for the glass, then took the towel away to toss in the laundry basket. She grabbed the pitcher and returned to the sofa.

Just as expected, Alex was holding the empty glass with a dissatisfied look.

“You drank quite a lot, after all.”

Lidoria laughed as she refilled his glass.

As she set the significantly lighter pitcher on the table, Alex muttered under his breath.

“I didn’t know you could drink that much.”

She blinked and looked at him. He was sipping from his glass with a sullen expression.

“Ah. So, you were looking out for me, is that it?”

She finally realized.

When Order members came to pour drinks at the head table, they naturally poured for Lidoria too.

Alex must have been signaling them to pour more for him instead, worried that Lidoria would get completely drunk.

As a result, he was thoroughly intoxicated.

“The specialty of County Zoe is wine. We have a harvest festival in the autumn.”

Sitting beside Alex, Lidoria explained.

“The monasteries and wineries in the territory all release their new wines at once for a tasting competition. I’m the head judge until Finley comes of age. So, I drink frequently.”

“No wonder.”

“Don’t look at me like I’m some kind of monster.”

“I’m just amazed that much liquor or rather, liquid fit into your stomach.”

“Wine isn’t liquid. It’s alcohol, so it evaporates over time. I can handle more than you think.”

“Sophistry.”

“It’s chemistry.”

“I never thought I’d lose to you in drinking.”

“You’ve still got a ways to go, Vice Commander.”

When Lidoria gave him a mischievous smile, Alex snorted dismissively.

“Alex is really popular with your juniors, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

Alex reached out to place his empty glass on the table, sighed with a strong smell of alcohol, and turned his gaze to Lidoria.

“For them to celebrate you like that.”

“They’re just having fun at my expense.”

“Before attending, I thought it would be a hassle.”

“I still think so.”

“But if they’re going to congratulate us that much, maybe we should have stayed a bit longer.”

“I wanted to leave immediately.”

“Did you?”

When she looked at him quizzically, Alex stared intently at Lidoria.

“Because you dressed up so much.”

“Well, it was a celebration after all.”

“It would piss me off if someone else tried to hit on you again.”

Alex said with a sullen, displeased expression. Lidoria smiled wryly, wondering if he meant Prince Morris. Then Alex spoke in a gloomy voice.

“And we still have the crown prince’s reception too.”

“Ah, but that one will be fine. It’s a Fairy Queen theme. It’s more about costumes than dressing up.”

“I’m not fine with it. I’m the Fairy King.”

Seeing Alex slump over, Lidoria burst out laughing, holding her stomach. Alex glared at her but gradually started laughing too, until they were both roaring with laughter.

After laughing together for a while, they leaned back against the sofa backrest in unison.

Suddenly.

They looked at each other at the same time.

Their eyes met.

In the blink of an eye.

In the time it took Lidoria to blink once.

Alex’s arm reached out and touched Lidoria’s cheek.

Once more.

In the time it took her to blink, his lips met hers.

He squeezed her hand tightly.

He gently nibbled her lips. A soft “mm” escaped.

Strong alcohol.

A faint lemon scent.

And the sweet taste of honey.

In that kiss.

She felt like she might get drunk.

But suddenly Alex pulled his lips away and embraced her.

“That’s enough for today.”

As if convincing himself, Alex whispered near her ear.

“Alex?”

“If I went further now, you’d probably think it was because of the alcohol.”

Still holding her, Alex spoke.

Lidoria listened with a puzzled expression.

Then she let out a small chuckle.

“I wouldn’t think that, not really. Or are you so drunk you’re losing your self-control?”

“Shut up.”

“You’ve still got a ways to go, Vice Commander.”

“You’re the one who’s a heavy drinker.”

“Am I, really?”

“More importantly, I want you to praise my iron self-control.”

“Good job, good job.”

“I’ll attack you.”

“I can fight you off.”

Immediately, the two burst out laughing while still embracing each other.

This.

Is the story of those two?

The day before they were joined as husband and wife, as lovers.