KFBRV Ch 74

Hey, Viktor, you lunatic. Am I some kind of object?

Blood rushed to her head as she was carried along at a staggering speed.

She wondered if he had any idea just how many profanities she was hurling at him in her mind.

Only when she felt a wave of nausea from the combination of wine and motion sickness did she finally plead with him.

[Odette] "Please, let me down! Colonel."

To her surprise, he complied and set her down gently.

It was only after she pulled at the collar of her gown to catch her breath that she could finally breathe properly.

She glared at him, her eyes burning with resentment over the motion sickness and the suffocating pain he had caused.

[Viktor] "Why are you looking up at me so seductively, sweetheart? Being soaked makes you look twice as alluring."

His comment only made her mood twice as foul.

She gave up on trying to have a rational conversation with the madman and surveyed her surroundings. It looked like the heart of a dense forest.

We're still inside the Imperial Palace, so a forest this thick...... must be the Imperial Hunting Grounds.

It felt like only a few minutes had passed.

Had he really run all this way?

She marveled inwardly at his speed as she unraveled the ceremonial jacket he had draped around her.

Because of his massive frame, the jacket—to exaggerate only slightly—nearly reached her knees.

[Odette] "Here you go."

She held the garment out to him.

[Viktor] "Keep it on."

[Odette] "No. I need to dry my dress, and I think I'll be too hot in this."

She was the type whose intoxication set in after a long delay. Moreover, that timing tended to speed up whenever she felt warm.

The amount of wine I swallowed in that fountain was far beyond my usual limit.

Once the alcohol hit, she would certainly be drunk. She figured it would be better to stay a bit cold to delay the onset of the intoxication as much as possible.

However, instead of taking the jacket, he crouched down and began doing something on the ground.

[Odette] "......Colonel König, what exactly are you doing?"

[Viktor] "Gathering kindling."

As he spoke, he pulled out a match and struck it. A small campfire began to crackle to life.

He's a Transcendent with fire abilities, yet he uses matches?

The useless thought crossed her mind for a moment, but she didn't bother asking.

She needed to dry her dress completely before returning to the mansion, and for that, she needed heat.

[Viktor] "Why don't you just wear my uniform? You look incredibly suggestive right now."

[Odette] "I'm fine. There's no one here but you and me, Colonel."

[Viktor] "......That sounds incredibly scandalous when you put it that way."

He gave a sly smirk, his eyebrows dancing playfully as if he were flirting.

They say he was a notorious womanizer before his awakening, and clearly, old habits die hard.

However, having seen his character in the game, she knew all too well that this flirting held no deeper meaning.

Ignoring his refusal, she pressed the khaki jacket back into his hands and offered her thanks.

[Odette] "Thank you for saving me from that difficult situation."

He stared at her intently before finally accepting the jacket.

[Viktor] "So, I was actually helpful?"

[Odette] "Of course."

He let out a short, airy chuckle. When his wide grin revealed the deep corners of his mouth, he looked even more handsome.

[Odette] "I'll just dry my clothes and head straight back to the banquet hall. It's almost time to meet my maid again."

Of course, she hadn't made that promise to the maid directly, but rather to Damian, but the timing remained the same.

Viktor nodded.

Fortunately, the commotion from earlier likely hadn't reached the ears of the Countess or Paula. The Countess would be wasting her time in the hallway of the Empress' drawing room, and Paula was likely too preoccupied with men to notice a stir at the banquet.

Sending them to the rear garden was the right move.

Since the garden where she had fallen into the fountain was on the complete opposite side of the grounds from the rear garden, no matter how loud the noise was, it wouldn't have carried that far.

[Odette] "......."

Still, it was strange. The longer she sat by the fire, the more her thoughts seemed to...... stretch out in an odd way.

[Viktor] "You really are quite unconventional every time we meet. Being alone with me in a dark, secluded place dressed like that...... aren't you afraid?"

His voice, which sounded amused and full of chuckles, seemed to be coming from somewhere very far away.

[Viktor] "It was like that the first time, too. You always show me a new, unexpected side. It's entertaining, and it's funny."

Her head was also starting to throb a little. The alcohol in that fountain must have been much stronger than she had anticipated.

[Odette] "Excuse...... me, I know this is shameless, but is there any way to dry my clothes faster?"

She was anxious that the intoxication was rising faster than expected.

[Viktor] "Should I make the fire bigger?"

[Odette] "No. You're a Transcendent with fire abilities, so if you use your power on me—"

[Viktor] "If I used my power to dry a person, I'd burn them down to the bone. Unless you want to return to being a handful of ash, just sit here and let them dry."

Ah. That was right. It was obvious, so why hadn't she thought of it?

Following his answer, she had no choice but to sit back down in front of the fire.

I'm in a hurry...... but I'm definitely getting drunk. I need to get back to the mansion quickly.

To do that, more than anything, she had to dry her dress fast...... It had to be bone-dry.

[Viktor] "If you're really desperate, there is one other way. Why don't you try leaning into me?"

As he spoke, he spread his arms wide, dressed only in his white shirt.

Ah. Come to think of it, his body temperature was much higher than an average human's because he uses fire abilities.

[Viktor] "But you probably can't do it because you're a modest and noble lady, right? Then just stay quiet and let the campfire—"

[Odette] "Then, please excuse me for a moment."

She leaned into his embrace. He was colossally large.

This is better than just sitting by the campfire.

Since there was more surface area in contact, the clothes would surely dry faster. It felt less like a human's body heat and more like being hugged by a dry sauna, which was definitely more efficient.

[Viktor] "......You really are unconventional."

He fell silent for a moment before suddenly wrapping his arms around her back. As he did, the back of her dress began to dry even faster.

As they both lapsed into silence, the sounds of the night in the hunting grounds and the crackling of the campfire became more pronounced. Those, and the steady, rhythmic thumping of his heart.

Oh! Come to think of it!

[Odette] "Does the hunting ground not make you uncomfortable? You didn't come to this scary place because of me, did you?"

[Viktor] "The hunting ground...... Ah, you're right. I didn't even notice."

His voice sounded slightly surprised.

[Viktor] "Why...... didn't I realize? Is it because I'm with you?"

Was it a case of trauma being masked by loathing, or something like that? Then again, it was possible to overcome fear with anger.

[Odette] "That's it. It's because you're with me."

She was doing the same with her father. She was using her rage toward him to conquer her fear.

Hmm. Now I'm curious about something else.

Usually, she would hold back even if she were curious, but for some reason, her tongue was becoming difficult to control.

[Odette] "Colonel, you don't usually attend events like balls, do you? I heard you don't like them."

It certainly wasn't because she was drunk. Right now, she was a bit dizzy, but she was only feeling slightly tipsy.

[Odette] "You even hate these khaki uniforms, calling them ridiculous."

[Viktor] "Did you study my tastes or something? My sweetheart knows all sorts of things."

His wearing of the ceremonial uniform was something that had never happened, even in the game. That was why she was curious. She had thought, There's no way this bastard would show up here.

Usually, she would hold back even if she were curious, but for some reason, her tongue was becoming difficult to control. It certainly wasn't because she was drunk.

I'm dizzy, but I'm just a little tipsy, definitely not drunk.......

Huh, why do I have déjà vu? I feel like I just thought this a moment ago.

[Viktor] "I came because I was curious. I wanted to see how you aristocrats play."

[Odette] "I see. The uniform suits you quite well."

[Viktor] "......Is that so? By the way, can you stop with that silly grinning?"

The heartbeat coming from his chest grew a bit more intense. Including that, the whole situation felt funny to her, so she let out a giggle.

Prev

TOC

Next

---

To support the original author and publisher, please consider rating the official release on Kakaopage.