Chapter 66

Adolf, who had been muttering to himself, smoothed his stern expression as if it had never been there and personally escorted Ramona to her room.

“Let’s make it a rule not to cook when other people visit from now on. It was entirely my fault that Sevio intruded halfway through.”

“Then what should I do if another of your friends visits, Duke?”

“I’ll block them from coming, so don’t worry about it. Even if they force their way into this house, just ignore them. Their personalities are quite foul. Ahem.”

Adolf, who had spent a good while badmouthing whoever this “friend” was, turned away with a look of slight relief. In the now quiet room, Toto perked up his ears and came hopping over to leap into Ramona’s arms.

“You didn’t go to the fields and eat your fill of the vegetables Kai and Mia grew again, did you?”

Twitch, twitch—

Toto’s whiskers trembled at Ramona’s scolding tone. She had wondered why he hadn’t shown up at the dining hall; it seemed he had returned after feasting on fresh greens instead of hay.

“I told you so many times not to go in there… I suppose I’ve been too easy on you lately. Our Toto, maybe you need to be locked in a cage for a bit to start listening.”

Hearing Ramona’s monologue, Toto nuzzled into her chest and rubbed his face against her. After rubbing until his pink fur clung to her clothes, Toto jumped down and suddenly started wiggling his bottom. Watching Toto perform a literal “butt dance” while hopping around, she couldn’t bring herself to keep scolding him.

“You’ve only gotten craftier. Someone might think you’re a human in disguise.”

As she sat on the sofa watching Toto dance, a knock sounded at the door.

“Yes, please come in.”

She didn’t care who it was. Right now, in front of Ramona, was the strongest rabbit—the master of the “butt-kick”—wiggling his hips and staring at the door. Look at that reliable back and that blunt tail. Was he not adorable? Toto, who possessed enough cuteness to conquer the world, stepped back politely when he saw who appeared through the crack in the door.

“Raon’s dad? What brings you here?”

The Sevio that Adrian had been dragging away was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Adrian looked at Ramona with eyes that were wider than usual.

“Raon’s mom—no, Ms. Ramona, what exactly is your ideal type?”

“Someone handsome with a great physique, kind only to me, dainty yet wealthy.”

Hearing her words, Adrian unconsciously stroked his chin while looking at the mirror in her room.

“If the man of your dreams appeared, what would you do?”

“I’d probably beg him to marry me on the spot… or maybe not. A man that successful and cool being single would surely mean he has some sort of ‘defect,’ which is why it would finally be my turn.”

Ramona’s gaze slowly drifted from his head down to his waist, lingering right at the center. Recalling “that part” which could never be called dainty even as a white lie, Ramona shook her head.

Adrian, seeing this, looked a bit dejected.

“Could it be that he has no defects, but people just don’t recognize his worth, leading to misunderstandings?”

“Hmm, hearing that, I suppose there’s a very slim chance of that. But it’s not like I can just openly ‘taste’ him to evaluate him, can I?”

“If it were me, I’d let myself be evaluated anytime… Ahem!”

Blushing, Adrian let out a dry cough.

“You’re a very kind man, Raon’s dad. To offer yourself for other women to taste.”

“N-no! Absolutely not for other women. What I said is strictly limited to Raon’s mom.”

Seeing Adrian turn red all the way to his ears, Ramona wore a faint smile. He looked a little “dainty” to her, being so flustered while still managing to say everything he wanted to say. But knowing he could never be hers—a thought she hadn’t even entertained—she shook her head.

“I appreciate the words, but I know my place. By the way, aren’t you tired? You should head back to your room and rest.”

“I really… truly…”

Adrian, who looked like he would unbutton his shirt without a word if she asked him to strip right now, hung his head at the clear dismissal. No matter how much his image had changed since they first met, he was still the heir of the Cassius family.

Originally, he was a man of such high status that she shouldn’t even be able to look him in the eye. Having such a person drop subtle hints made her feel good about her own worth, but she didn’t dare covet him.

His dejected look, like a puppy caught in the rain, was a bit pitiful, but that was as far as it went. After sending Adrian away, she settled her heart by patting the backside of Toto, who had hopped back into her lap.

“My mind feels a bit restless; maybe I should soothe it with a midnight snack.”

Realizing it had been quite a while since she’d had a midnight snack while struggling to raise a child, Ramona headed straight for the kitchen. She took out the chicken she had pre-marinated just in case before cooking earlier, battered it, and fried it in hot oil.

After tossing the double-fried, crispy chicken in a special sauce, she asked the kitchen staff on duty for some beer. Since the Cassius estate didn’t stock beer, she saw the bottles she had previously asked them to buy from the village.

Gulp—

Unconsciously swallowing hard, Ramona was heading back to her room with the chicken and beer when she thought of Adrian. Realizing they had shared many meals but never a single drink, she redirected her steps toward Adrian’s room.

The guards outside simply opened the door for her without a word. Despite having a history of seeing him bathe, she walked in confidently.

“Y-you’re here. Ms. Ramona, is there something else you wanted to say to me?”

Adrian, who had returned to his room after her earlier dismissal, had just finished cooling his body down with a cold bath. Seeing her the moment he stepped out, he tightly pulled his loose robe shut.

“I’ve walked in just as you finished bathing; I’m afraid I’ve been rude. I just came because I wanted to have a drink with you, Adrian.”

The savory aroma of chicken filled the room. Though he had eaten dinner earlier, Adrian suddenly felt a wave of hunger and swallowed hard, sitting obediently across from her.

“I usually don’t drink due to a trauma, but since you’re the one offering, I’ll have a little.”

Because of the trauma caused by Raon’s biological mother, he hadn’t touched alcohol since. But he couldn’t bring himself to refuse Ramona. He didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere.

As he tasted the freshly made, hot seasoned chicken, his eyes went wide. Of all the food she had made so far, this was undeniably the best.

“I-it’s delicious. Truly.”

“That’s a relief. Chicken always goes with beer. Try a glass while you eat.”

Adrian looked a bit nervous at the beer she offered, but he picked up the glass and took a sip.

“Phew. W-what is this? My goodness. It’s amazing. I never knew such a combination existed.”

The crisp beer washed away the slight greasiness of the chicken. Adrian unconsciously shivered at the stinging, cool sensation traveling down his throat.

“Chicken and beer is the ‘national rule.’ So, take your time.”

Encouraged by her, Adrian—who usually avoided late-night snacks and alcohol—wore a look of pure bliss.

“How did you know about this combination?”

“I wonder. It just sort of… ‘popped’ into my head. I suddenly wanted chicken, and then the beer followed.”

Ramona likely would have been a minor before she lost her memory. The fact that this combination came to her suggested she had frequently seen a family member eating it. It was highly likely her brother, who had died at sea without his body being recovered, but instead of speaking, she just downed her beer.

One sip, two sips… as the amount she drank increased, her gloom vanished and she began to feel increasingly good.

“It’s suddenly getting hot.”

As the alcohol took effect, Ramona began to fan herself with her hand.

“I feel the same way. Whew.”

His tightly closed robe began to slide open slightly, but Adrian, unaware, just shook his head, feeling lightheaded. Both of them, drinking for the first time in a while, were getting tipsy fast.

“Mmm, I’m suddenly sleepy.”

Giving a soft yawn, Ramona was the first to let go of her glass and stand up. Adrian, who rushed to support the swaying Ramona, was in a similar state.

“You should sleep in my bed. I can sleep anywhere, so it’s fine.”

Adrian’s breath, touching the crown of Ramona’s head, was heavy and hot. As they stumbled together toward the bed while supporting each other, Ramona suddenly grabbed Adrian’s robe.

“If you can sleep anywhere, don’t be picky and sleep here.”

She was definitely drunk, but Ramona’s strength was enough to pull Adrian down onto the bed. Taken by surprise, he grabbed the front of Ramona’s dress as he fell.

As it happened, Ramona ended up on top of Adrian, and both blinked in surprise. Feeling something decidedly not dainty pressed firmly against her thigh, Ramona wore a meaningful smile.

In the midst of it, as a slightly more lucid Adrian began to fluster, Ramona grabbed his wrists and pinned them down. Leaning down slightly, she exhaled a breath heated by the alcohol and whispered into his ear.

“Since it’s come to this, sleep with me.”

“Pardon?”

“Sleep. With me. I’m confident I can sleep without even holding hands. So… mmm, you trust me, right?”