CHAPTER 81………………………………………….
“…It really has no effect at all?”
“Ah, sorry! Now that I think about it, Sir Richard isn’t good with hot drinks.”
Mary flustered, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket.
Richard took it naturally, wiping his lips while shaking his head.
“…No, it’s just that this tea was unusually hot.”
“Now that you mention it, that does seem to be the case.”
I watched this unfold in disbelief.
‘Hot? It was the perfect drinking temperature.’
I had used the same tea I’d been drinking; it could only have cooled slightly since then.
‘Love really does make people… ruin themselves.’
I looked at Mary bitterly.
She looked like she’d believe Richard could make a sword out of bread if he tried.
Their short conversation continued after that.
Mostly Mary asking questions and Richard nodding—but if you could even call that a conversation.
Even so, considering how they used to be, just seeing them interact like that was a major step forward.
‘But really… is there no effect at all?’
Maybe it wasn’t the kind of potion with an immediate effect.
‘Or maybe the dose was too small.’
…If only Blake had given proper instructions, I wouldn’t have had to worry!
I was lost in thought when—
Clink!
The sharp sound of a cup shattering snapped me out of my reverie.
“Sir?!”
The cup Richard had been holding had fallen to the floor and shattered into pieces.
Mary, panicked, checked on him immediately.
Richard’s hands trembled as if he had a severe case of the shakes, and he was breathing heavily.
…He doesn’t look okay.
“Sir, are you alright?”
Richard barely nodded.
But despite the gesture, he looked seriously unwell.
My worry grew as I realized things might be getting out of hand.
‘W-What should I do? Should I go out too?’
“I-I’m fine… you don’t have to follow me, Shion…”
“Eh? Sir!”
Richard took off down the hallway as if fleeing.
In an instant, the corridor felt empty.
“Madam…!”
Mary’s head, frozen for a moment, turned toward the wall where I was hiding.
“Me-Mary…”
I scratched the back of my neck and stepped out from behind the wall.
Mary hurried over to me.
“Madam, that really was a love potion, right…?”
“Well…”
I couldn’t bring myself to tell the sobbing Mary, “I don’t really know how this potion works either, sorry.”
“Ah, maybe Sir Richard was just flustered!”
“…Flustered?”
“Yes! Someone he’d never seen as a romantic suddenly appeared as one—he must have been so surprised!”
It was a half-hearted excuse, but it sounded believable once I said it.
Mary seemed to think the same, nodding eagerly.
“So… he…?”
She murmured, staring down the empty hallway where Richard had vanished.
“Oh, I just realized I left something in the room…! Mary, if you find him, tell me what happened!”
“Understood!”
Her eyes gleamed with determination as she strode down the hall.
…It should be fine, right?
I returned to the room, leaving Mary behind.
It still wasn’t my room, but I was surprised at how familiar it now felt.
‘This is why they say human adaptability is scary.’
But this potion… does it really do nothing?
I flopped onto the sofa, staring again at the potion Blake had given me.
The translucent pink liquid looked pretty…
‘Should I try it?’
A sudden thought came to me.
‘But Sir Richard…’
What had happened to him?
His face had gone red, and his hands were trembling.
‘If that was just a minor effect, it wouldn’t be strange.’
The instructions were a mess; I had to test it myself to know how it worked.
…A small dose shouldn’t hurt, right?
I glanced around like someone about to do something naughty.
Good, no one’s here.
I opened the bottle, dipped a bit on the cap, and touched it to my tongue.
A sweet flavor coated my taste buds.
‘Strawberry scent?’
It was actually quite tasty.
I sat quietly, waiting for the potion’s effect.
But despite its grand name, “love potion”, there seemed to be no immediate effect.
Gradually, my thoughts started drifting.
‘This must be quack medicine.’
Or maybe I just took too little.
‘Should I try a bit more?’
I dabbed a bit more on my tongue.
“Madam, what are you doing there?”
Gasp.
Startled by his sudden voice, I almost dropped the bottle.
I quickly closed the lid, trying to act calm.
“What are you doing here at this hour?”
“I think I left some documents I needed today… Ah, here they are.”
I heard the rustle of papers behind me.
“But why are you doing that?”
Cidheron asked, approaching.
I’d long noticed how endlessly curious he was.
I hurriedly hid the bottle under my clothes as he drew near.
Thankfully, it was small.
Relieved, I turned to him naturally.
“Nothing, just…”
“Just?”
And then…
‘What’s happening?’
A strange sensation started in my body.
How to describe it…
Cidheron’s face suddenly began to look like an irresistibly adorable black cat.
I blinked.
But nothing seemed to change.
“Uh…”
Have I finally… felt it?
The longer I looked, the more heat rose to my face.
No! Stop!
It was my body, yet I felt like it was beyond my control,
The heat spreading from my face to my entire body.
I’d experienced something similar in a past life.
Similar to being drunk.
But this felt… stranger.
“Lilia?”
His normally calm voice sounded unusually ticklish today.
Why? The reason was obvious.
‘The love potion…!’
Now I understood why Richard had bolted.
“That’s strange… are you hiding something from me?”
‘This sneaky little devil.’
I kept averting my gaze, but Cidheron crouched right in front of me.
Looking up at him, I couldn’t avoid his eyes.
The bigger problem was…
‘Even if I try not to look, my gaze keeps drifting there.’
I tightly shut my eyes, shaking my head frantically.
Seeing my reaction, Cidheron asked, a little concerned,
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Ah, yes! I’ll say I’m hurt.
I opened my eyes.
“I am.”
“…Where?”
I shouldn’t have.
“Because of you, here.”
My hand went to my chest instinctively, words spilling out.
…Huh?
Wh-what did I just say…?
I hoped it was a dream, but seeing Cidheron’s startled face shattered that hope.
“…You’re saying it’s because of me?”
“Ah, no! That just… you were too handsome…!”
I bit my lip to stop myself.
My last shred of reason told me the situation would only stop if I closed my mouth.
But my reason didn’t clean up the aftermath.
Cidheron’s eyes gleamed like a predator spotting prey.
“Handsome… what happens next?”
Normally, I’d just think that.
But now, every word he said was seductively tempting.
I wanted to speak, but I couldn’t trust my mouth anymore.
All I could do was nod or shake my head.
I shook my head with all my strength.
Meaning: absolutely nothing can be said.
“Ah… I was wondering where you’d been looking…”
Cidheron brushed his lips and tapped them lightly.
“You were looking here?”
My body jumped.
I wanted to deny it, but honestly, he was right.
Even unintentionally, my gaze had drifted.
‘…Since when were Cidheron’s lips this beautiful?’
I closed my eyes again.
Yet, my imagination ran wild—his lips appeared vividly even in the dark.
This was maddening.
But opening my eyes could unleash my body beyond control.
With my eyes shut, every temptation ran through my mind.
Damn it, Blake! What did you give me?!
I felt guilty for giving this dangerous potion to Sir Richard. My karma, no doubt.
Why did Cidheron have to look so temptingly…
Just as I thought I was losing my mind…
“Strange day today. Should I bring Lisa?”
That was a welcome suggestion.
If it was Lisa, the chief physician of the Duke’s residence, she would surely have an antidote of some kind.
“Please!”
Feeling reassured, I momentarily opened my tightly shut eyes.
But his figure, moving away, appeared in my sight, making me restless.
I reached out, grabbing his arm to pull him back.
After some time, when the potion’s effect had subsided,
I found myself pressing my lips against Cidheron’s cheek.
