Chapter 68 …
In the end, the only one who would be hurt by that kindness… would be Eugenie alone.
‘So.’
Eugenie took a step back and offered a polite bow.
“Then I shall prepare the cocktail. Please wait just a moment.”
With that, she hurried off toward the kitchen.
Watching her retreating figure, Cedric unconsciously knit his brows.
‘That maid of Sayers just now….’
Eugenie’s conduct had not strayed from proper etiquette in the slightest.
And yet.
If it felt as though she were trying to avoid the situation—
‘Am I being oversensitive?’
From the Eugenie just now, he had sensed—however faintly—a wall.
And Cedric… found it unbearably irritating.
* * *
Eugenie entered the kitchen at a brisk pace.
“Phew.”
Letting out a long sigh, she tried to calm her racing heart.
‘Really, what is wrong with me….’
She bit down on her lower lip.
‘Is this also an emotion from the original story?’
In the original novel, Eugenie had harbored an unrequited love for His Majesty the Emperor and ultimately met her death because of it.
But that didn’t quite explain it either. At first, she hadn’t felt even the slightest romantic emotion toward Cedric.
And yet, somehow—
That early summer when Noah had run away from home.
The sound of rain from that time kept pounding against her heart.
Before she knew it, she was drenched all over in that downpour…
‘Enough. Stop thinking about it.’
Shaking her head as if to scatter the thoughts, Eugenie began placing the cocktail ingredients neatly on the counter.
Today’s cocktail: Virgin Mary.
Originally called a Bloody Mary, it was a hangover remedy cocktail made with tomato juice and vodka as its base.
However, as the word “Virgin” suggested, Eugenie intended to leave out the vodka.
‘He’s already had too much to drink. There’s no need to add more alcohol.’
She took out a tall glass first.
Measuring one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce with a bar spoon, she poured it in, then added a few drops of Tabasco sauce.
A light sprinkle of salt followed.
She picked up the pepper grinder.
Grk, grrk—
The crisp sound of pepper being ground rang pleasantly.
Using the bar spoon, Eugenie crushed and stirred the ingredients together until well mixed.
Then she filled the glass generously with ice.
‘Normally, this is where I’d measure and add the vodka, but….’
Skipping that step, she poured tomato juice until the glass was full.
She stirred once more so everything blended well, then placed a slice of lemon on the rim as garnish.
Bloody Marys were often garnished with celery, but personally, Eugenie didn’t prefer celery…
‘All right.’
She set the finished Virgin Mary onto a tray.
Thankfully, as they said, time healed most things. While moving busily, her heart had calmed considerably.
She felt she could now face His Majesty with a perfectly composed expression.
* * *
By the time Eugenie stood before Cedric again, she had her expression completely under control.
“Thank you for waiting, Your Majesty.”
Feigning calmness, she approached and set the Virgin Mary on the table.
“Today’s cocktail is a Virgin Mary.”
“A Virgin Mary?”
Cedric regarded the cocktail before him with curious eyes.
“Yes. It’s made with tomato juice as the base, so it’s good for relieving hangovers.”
Inside the tall glass filled with ice, the red liquid shimmered attractively. A slice of lemon decorated the rim, lending it a refreshing appearance.
Cedric glanced up at Eugenie.
“Since it’s called ‘Virgin,’ I take it you’ve left out the alcohol again?”
“Yes, that’s right. The original name is Bloody Mary, and it’s made with vodka…”
She nodded.
“You’ve already had quite a bit to drink, so I thought it unnecessary to add vodka as well.”
“I see. Then…”
Lifting the glass, Cedric smiled with his eyes.
“Next time, instead of ‘Virgin,’ you’ll make the version with vodka in it?”
Ah.
Her heart dropped for a split second.
Please, heart.
Read the room!
Eugenie masked her fluster with a bright smile.
“Of course. If Your Majesty commands it, I shall naturally prepare it.”
“….”
There it was again.
Eugenie blinked in confusion.
Cedric was looking at her with a strangely dissatisfied expression once more.
‘Did I say something wrong?’
She hurriedly replayed their conversation in her mind, but she couldn’t figure out where his mood had soured.
“…If I command it, you say.”
Cedric murmured quietly, giving a wry smile.
Emperor and maid.
It was only natural to think within the bounds of that relationship.
Therefore, the disappointment Cedric felt was clearly irrational.
Even knowing that—
“So, this is truly that effective for hangovers?”
To mask his lowered mood, Cedric took a sip of the Virgin Mary.
An unusual flavor immediately struck his tongue.
“…This is.”
He muttered with an ambiguous expression.
As expected of a cocktail made with tomato juice, the dominant taste was tomato.
Then came the slightly tangy and salty notes of Worcestershire sauce, and after swallowing, the lingering spiciness of Tabasco remained on the tip of his tongue.
There was also the sharp, spicy aroma of pepper.
All in all, it was…
“Cold tomato soup?”
Cedric stared at the glass with a peculiar look.
For some reason, he resembled a child who had just been forced to swallow a bite of something unappetizing.
‘Goodness, His Majesty can make expressions like that?’
Eugenie felt an inexplicable sense of delight.
As if she alone had glimpsed a side of Cedric others did not know.
A secret sort of satisfaction…
“It does taste a bit like that, doesn’t it?”
She asked teasingly without meaning to.
“But it’s very effective for sobering up. Medicine that’s good for you tends to taste bitter.”
Cedric stared at her intently.
Then, in a single stroke, he struck her where it hurt most.
“Speaking from experience?”
“….”
Ouch. That hurts.
Even if you’re my boss, is it really necessary to hit me with such blunt facts?
Her rose-colored eyes trembled as if shaken by an earthquake.
And then—
“Yes… you could say that….”
Eugenie admitted gloomily.
A K-office worker could never escape company dinners.
And one had to pour down the soju the department manager insisted on filling.
The next morning, she would wake groggily in her tiny apartment, clutch her throbbing head, and mix herself a Bloody Mary.
‘Well, I was young back then.’
Her expression turned oddly nostalgic.
‘Hair of the dog? Absolutely not now.’
Was she trying to destroy her stomach?
Having already lived once as a Korean office worker, Eugenie had learned an absolute truth:
Health is precious, and it must be protected while one is still young and healthy.
Meanwhile, Cedric, who had been watching her thoughtfully—
“Pfft.”
Suddenly let out a short laugh.
“Drinking isn’t a crime. There’s no need to look so troubled about it.”
“….”
At that moment, something fluttered in Eugenie’s chest.
‘When His Majesty drinks… his expressions become far more varied.’
How many people had ever seen him like this?
Even as she thought it childish to feel pleased about such things, the corners of her lips kept lifting.
“Anyway, I understand well enough that the Sayers maid has a fondness for alcohol.”
After observing the cocktail again, Cedric glanced at her.
“Come to think of it, about your cocktails.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“The names, and the way you combine the drinks…”
He shrugged lightly, examining the half-empty glass.
“They’re quite refreshing. Since when did you begin making beverages like this?”
The question struck Eugenie as somewhat unexpected.
Because—
‘Has His Majesty ever asked me a personal question before?’
This might be the first time.
Somehow, it felt as though Cedric was showing her a far more human kind of interest than before…
