MTM 104

Late at night, the dining room of the Grenhardt mansion was filled with laughter and noise.

“I was really surprised! He suddenly opened his eyes wide and started asking questions like, ‘What’s your affiliation?’ and ‘How old are you?’ For a moment, I thought he was possessed by a ghost!”

“Do you think that’s all? If he hadn’t judged us as ‘comrades,’ he would have beheaded us on the spot.”

“That’s right! If I had moved even slightly, I would have died! Hahaha!”

At Leon’s words, Allen burst into laughter. The beer foam overflowed from the glass in his hand and dripped onto the table, but no one seemed to mind. In fact, everyone was delighted.

“Allen, my friend! You’re so witty and funny! And your taste in alcohol perfectly matches mine. Beer is the best! Here, have another drink!”

Robert, already in the middle of the drinking party, was chatting happily with Allen, shoulder to shoulder. Until dinnertime, Robert had been polite and formal, but now he was friendly, joking around with Harto and his group. Allen and Robert’s personalities and tastes were particularly similar, making them a perfect match.

Just looking at them brought a smile to Harto’s face. It was partly due to the beer he’d been drinking. It was his first time trying alcohol, but seeing his friends after a long time had lifted his spirits, and he drank glass after glass.

But since Harto wasn’t used to alcohol, his vision quickly blurred.

“Harto, are you alright?”

“Mmm….”

Zed noticed this and looked at Harto, whose eyelids were half-closed.

“Do you want some green grapes?”

“Huh? Yes…. Zed, you eat some too.”

Harto accepted each piece of fruit Zed put in his mouth, then fed Zed some himself. He chewed on a large green grape, its juice bursting out, and its sweet and sour flavor spreading through his mouth. The two shared the taste and smiled at each other.

Clink.

“Why, I don’t know why it doesn’t work….”

Harto turned his head at the sound of dishes clinking, and saw Ser struggling to slice a blueberry pie with a knife.

“Let me cut it for you.”

“Yes? It’s fine, ah….”

Zed immediately stood up, took the plate of blueberry pie, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and handed it back to him. Harto placed a few green grapes on the plate.

“Ser, this is so sweet! It’s delicious!”

When Harto offered it with a giggle, Ser smiled.

“Yes, thanks. …Thank you.”

Ser thanked Zed politely and then chewed on a blueberry pie and green grapes.

‘Is Ser… uncomfortable… ?’

Harto blinked as he thought. Looking back, Ser had barely said anything throughout the meal. He only occasionally checked on Reina, who was sitting next to him, and only continued the conversation when Harto spoke to him.

‘Then what about Reina…?’

Harto turned his gaze to Reina. At first, Reina seemed a bit awkward, but soon, sitting next to the friendly Allen, she found herself enjoying herself at her usual pace.

“Oh my….”

At that moment, Leon, sitting next to Harto, drank a glass of water and whispered with a weary face. He hadn’t even had a drink, but judging by his flushed face, he seemed honestly tired.

“With two Allens here… I’m losing energy. I’ll go for a quick walk.”

“Really? Should we go together?”

“Thank you, but I’d like to decline. For someone like me, I really need some alone time.”

He asked him just in case, but Leon flatly declined and stood up. As he left the dining room, the butler waiting at the door handed him a coat.

“What? That guy is already going to bed?”

Allen, who was pouring Robert a drink, narrowed his eyes as he spoke. His cheeks were flushed, perhaps due to the alcohol.

“He’s just going for a short walk.”

“Hmm.”

When Zed explained it on his behalf, Allen snorted and poured a drink for Reina.

“Is it because the atmosphere is good? The alcohol tastes great.”

“With such a beautiful lady, wouldn’t the wine be fragrant?”

Allen chuckled in response to Reina’s words. He had been glancing at Reina from time to time, grinning happily.

“Hmm, is that so?”

Reina responded, briefly looking in the direction Leon had left, then continued talking to Allen.

‘Reina is… fine with it?’

Harto studied Reina with drunken, drowsy eyes. Reina and Leon were careful not to acknowledge each other. It looked as though they’d forgotten everything that had happened in the feast district, but seeing as they were making an effort to avoid eye contact, it seemed otherwise.

When Leon’s seat became empty, Harto’s eyes met Ser’s, who had been sitting beside it.

Tap tap.

Harto, feeling this was his chance, tapped Leon’s empty chair with his hand. Ser blinked for a moment, pondering the situation, then smiled helplessly and moved to the seat next to him.

“Harto, are you drunk?”

“Huh? No…? I don’t know what alcohol tastes like. Well, wine is kind of… tasty…”

Ser chuckled at the rumbling tone. He gently swirled the wine in his glass as he spoke.

“I also like wine. The grapes from the north are especially exquisite. If you get the chance, go to the Arcadium Empire and try it.”

“Really? Arcadium grapes… Do you think I could try them?”

Harto turned his head toward Zed, not Ser, and asked, as if to say, “Let’s go together.” Zed nodded quietly. Harto chuckled and then yawned. Embarrassed, he covered his mouth with his hand and muttered.

“What should I do…. Zed, I’m… so, sleepy….”

“Shall we go to the room?”

“No… I want to stay a little longer….”

Harto, feeling it was a shame to waste this time sleeping, tried to wake up by gulping down cold water several times, but eventually fell asleep leaning against Zed’s shoulder.

In the meantime, time passed and Reina returned to the annex first, saying she was tired, while Allen and Robert went out to the terrace, smoked cigarettes, and chatted nonstop.

“…Are you from Arcadium?”

Only Ser, Harto, and Zed remained in the dining room. Zed asked Ser quietly.

“If you consider the place of birth, then yes.”

Ser answered with a bitter expression, fiddling with his wine glass, then raised his head towards Zed.

“I’m sorry, but… you seem to know what happened between me and Harto. Is that correct?”

Ser was quick-witted. He could quickly sense the subtle emotions of others, whether they liked him or disliked him.

“You’re right.”

As Zed quietly replied, Harto’s body tilted back. Zed grabbed his waist and pulled him into his lap to make him more comfortable. He was holding him like a child, but Zed paid no mind.

Ser chuckled at the sight. Then he placed the wine glass in his hand down on the table.

“Now that you’ve admitted, I feel so relieved. I was wondering if I was being hated without even knowing why.”

Ser shrugged and switched to casual speech.

“I apologized for what happened back then, and Harto accepted it. So I was just hoping you wouldn’t look at me like you’re about to eat me alive.”

“…….”

Zed didn’t intend to refute that either. But the hostility he harbored toward Ser seemed to have unknowingly shown on his face. Honestly, Harto had already forgiven him, so he had no reason to step in. But…

“…Was it that obvious?”

Frankly, he was quite surprised. It’s true that since arriving here, he’s been a bit prickly with everyone except Harto, but it wasn’t specifically directed at Ser. Realizing that this might just be his own perception made him feel awkward.

He had been more sensitive than he’d thought about matters related to Harto. The realization brought a mixture of embarrassment and bewilderment.

“Hmm….”

At Zed’s unexpected reaction, Ser rubbed his chin and looked at him with great interest.

“Actually, while I was here with Harto, I taught him a few things, like taking care of a younger brother….”

“……?”

“No, I mean even though Harto is an adult, he doesn’t know much.”

“What does that….”

“That’s why I taught him.”

Zed raised his eyebrows as the conversation suddenly took an unexpected turn, wondering what on earth he wanted to talk about. It also meant that if he had something to say, he should directly say it, without beating around the bush.

Then Ser raised the corners of his lips and said.

“Sex education.”

Ser’s eyes sparkled, like he had found an amusing target to tease.