Chapter 3
“Take your eyes off me.”
The one glaring at me was the Duke of Brillion.
Well, I couldn’t exactly blame him. Some crazy woman had suddenly tried to hug him, and now she was standing on the second-floor balcony…
“Do you think I’m a joke?”
…making every drunken scene imaginable.
“Oh my, isn’t that Lady Aios?”
“She really has gone mad. What on earth is she doing?!”
I don’t know why I’m acting like this either.
One hand held a wine bottle while the other gripped the railing as I shouted like a lunatic.
“Get down.”
The duke’s terrifying gaze was fixed on me from the first floor.
Seriously… this isn’t something I can control!
If only I could stop my drunken body.
But unlike what I was desperately thinking, my mouth spoke on its own.
“No.”
“…Stop fooling around and come down.”
“No. Nope. I’m not coming down.”
“…Drag that woman down. I won’t be lenient a second time.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
I saw the knights rushing up the stairs.
One… two… there had to be at least five of them.
I have no idea why I made that decision at that moment.
It’s like asking a drunk person why they did something—they can never give a proper answer.
I couldn’t explain it either.
“Catch me if you can!”
I stuck my tongue out at the knights.
“Aaaah!”
“Oh my goodness!”
Then, as I tried to run away…
I missed my footing.
If only I had just fallen onto the floor.
Instead, my body sailed through the air.
Straight toward where the duke was standing.
If I had hit the ground, I probably would’ve cracked my tailbone.
No…
I might have died.
“…”
Maybe that would’ve been better.
“…What…”
“…”
“…Exactly are you doing?”
The duke spoke each word while barely holding back his anger.
Judging by his expression, breaking a leg would’ve been preferable to catching me.
“…We meet again?”
Still completely drunk, I smiled brightly and greeted him.
His crimson eyes burned with fury.
Up close, they were even more intimidating.
He’s still ridiculously handsome.
If he looks like this, why was the novel practically silent about his appearance?
Even while drunk, I was thinking nonsense.
The duke, who had ended up carrying me in a princess carry, stared down at me coldly.
“I asked what you were doing.”
“I tripped while trying to run away.”
My mouth answered cheerfully.
Please stop talking, mouth!
I could only think it.
I couldn’t actually make it stop.
I hadn’t been trying to provoke him.
It was all my drunken self’s fault.
“The gaps between the railings are pretty wide.”
“…”
His silence spoke volumes.
Apparently, there were a great many things he wanted to say.
“If I’d fallen all the way, I would’ve died, right? Thank you for saving me. But you know what? I’ve already got a date set for my death. Ah, don’t worry. There’s still some time left—”
“Who said I was worried about someone like you?”
Thud!
“Oww…!”
With those words, the duke unceremoniously dropped me onto the ground.
Calling it “putting me down” was generous.
He’d practically thrown me.
“I overlooked it the first time because I assumed it was an accident. There won’t be a second.”
“Ow… that hurts…”
“Take her out.”
The duke’s tone left no room for argument.
At his command, the knights rushed over, grabbed both my arms, and dragged me out of the ballroom.
“Aah! Let go! You’re hurting me!”
Even as they hauled me away helplessly, my mouth wouldn’t stay shut.
When I turned to look back, the duke pulled off the glove that had touched me and casually tossed it onto the floor, as though holding me had disgusted him.
Showing off that pretty face of his, huh? What a jerk.
Did he think I was carrying some kind of disease?
Just like that, I was dragged outside and stuffed into the count family’s carriage.
“My lady! Are you alright?!”
Jenny looked at me in alarm.
“Urgh…”
Before I could answer that I was fine…
Something else came up first.
“M-My lady?”
“Bleeegh!”
Ah…
This was the price of getting carried away and drinking far too much.
* * *
Ugh…
My head.
Holding my throbbing skull, I slowly opened my eyes.
It had been a very long time since I’d experienced a hangover.
…Is this really just a hangover?
My whole body ached.
Rather than a hangover, my forehead stung as if I’d actually been injured.
Only then did I finally look around.
“…Where am I?”
This wasn’t the count’s mansion where I woke up every morning.
There was no soft bed.
No fragrant scented candles.
No familiar ceiling.
What…?
The house looked as though it had been hastily built from rough logs.
The scent of grass filled the air.
A blanket covered in strange patterns.
It felt as though I’d been transported into another world.
When I pulled back the blanket, I saw my dress was torn in several places.
“Huh? What happened to this?”
And why was I covered in so many injuries?
I tried to remember what had happened last night.
Nothing came to mind.
What happened yesterday? I remember going to the duke’s party…
Maybe I’d drunk so much that my memories had become a blur.
Thinking I should leave this place first, I started to get up.
“Meow.”
A white cat walked into the log cabin.
Its eyes were as blue as the sea, and its snow-white fur looked so spotless that it made the cat even more beautiful.
“…Hello? How did you get in here? You’re so cute.”
This is crazy.
I never thought I’d meet a cat in a place like this.
Back in my previous life, owning a cat had been my dream.
I spent so much time watching cat videos online that I’d practically become a virtual cat owner.
I wanted to squeal over how adorable it was, but I held myself back so I wouldn’t scare it away.
Instead, I quietly reached out my hand.
“Meeeow.”
The cat gracefully walked over and rubbed its face against the back of my hand.
Its soft fur and warm body filled me with overwhelming happiness.
After rubbing against me for a while, it suddenly bounded away.
Then it returned carrying a small box in its mouth.
“What’s this?”
“Meeow!”
As if urging me to hurry, it repeatedly smacked the back of my hand with its fluffy paw.
It doesn’t hurt… but somehow I still feel bullied.
Still…
It was too cute to be angry at.
Unable to resist its insistence, I opened the box.
Inside were piles of herbs that looked medicinal.
“Meow! Meow!”
The cat tried grabbing the herbs with its round, mochi-like paws.
When that didn’t work, it angrily smacked the herbs instead.
…So you’re a grumpy cat.
Though, then again…
What cat isn’t?
“You’re telling me to use these on my wounds, aren’t you? Don’t be mad.”
I picked the herbs off its paw and placed them over my injuries.
Apparently pleased, the cat placed its own paw on top and rubbed the herbs into the wounds.
“Oh, this is amazing. It really doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“Meow.”
The cat answered as if it understood every word I said.
“I need to get home… But where exactly is this place?”
The moment I said that, the cat stretched lazily before standing up.
“Meeooow.”
“Hm? Are you telling me to follow you?”
The cat walked out of the cabin.
Every few steps, it looked back at me, making sure I was following.
It really feels like I’m having a conversation with a person.
Well…
Who cares?
Such an adorable little guide was offering to show me the way.
I’d be grateful.
Gathering up my torn dress, I followed the cat outside.
The moment I stepped out…
An unfamiliar landscape spread before me.
“…Where is this?”
Towering trees surrounded me on every side.
Flowers.
Grass.
Nature everywhere.
It was the complete opposite of the magnificent mansion I’d seen yesterday.
“A forest…?”
Don’t tell me I’ve transmigrated somewhere else again.
If that were the case, this situation would actually make perfect sense.
While I looked around in confusion, the cat kept glancing back at me as if urging me onward.
Where is it taking me?
I had no idea why someone who’d gone to a party had woken up here.
But for now…
I’d follow it.
The only thing I could trust at the moment was the tiny cat walking ahead of me.
After walking for quite some time through endless rows of nearly identical trees…
The Imperial Palace finally came into view in the distance.
That meant the capital was nearby.
“Wow… you really were guiding me!”
“Meeow!”
When I praised it, the cat proudly puffed out its chest and flicked its tail with obvious satisfaction.
So cute.
Its tail stood straight up.
It was clearly delighted to be complimented.
A little farther ahead, I heard voices.
“My lady! My lady!”
“Lady Aios!”
Huh?
They’re calling for me.
The cat stopped walking and sat down.
It wrapped its fluffy tail neatly around its front paws.
“So you were helping me. Thank you so much.”
“Meow.”
The cat proudly lifted its chin.
…Is it asking me to pet it?
I crouched down and gently scratched beneath its chin.
The cat closed its eyes, purring happily.
“So adorable. Want to come with me?”
“Meeow.”
It lightly batted my hand away with one paw.
Apparently it had no intention of coming.
I wanted to take it with me.
But that was probably just wishful thinking.
It clearly had other plans.
“Then… I guess I’ll go.”
“Meow!”
“Take care, kitty. And thank you for helping me.”
I gently kissed the white cat on its forehead.
Its round eyes widened in surprise.
Its tiny triangular mouth fell slightly open.
“My lady!”
I saw Jenny running toward me from afar.
“Meow.”
The cat stared at me for a moment.
Then, the instant it sensed other people approaching…
It disappeared.
That’s a shame.
It was unbelievably cute.
Jenny came running over, out of breath, and threw her arms around me.
“My lady! Are you alright?!”
“Uh… yeah? I’m fine.”
“Do you have any idea how worried I was?”
“What happened yesterday?”
“My lady!”
I was honestly asking because I didn’t know.
Jenny looked at me with tearful, reproachful eyes.
She was covered head to toe in dirt, as though she’d searched all through the forest.
“Don’t tell me… you really don’t remember?”
“Unfortunately… I don’t.”
Just as Jenny was about to explain…
A group of knights came rushing toward us.
“Lady Aios, are you unharmed?”
Huh?
Wait a second.
Whose knights are these?
I don’t believe we’ve met before.
