<Episode 44>

“Let’s start with this dark rum.”

Elkais nodded as Eveline opened the bottle.

“Before that, I’ll go make some appetizers.”

“What if we get too full before dinner?”

“We can control how much we eat.”

With that, Elkais grabbed a knife.

“I’ll be back in five minutes.”

“Alright.”

Eveline looked outside. Curiously, there wasn’t even a hint of rain clouds in the sky.

The sun was setting slowly, and it had been a long time since she had watched a sunset so leisurely.

“Hurry back. The sunset is beautiful.”

“Will do.”

Elkais stepped outside.

Eveline enjoyed watching the sunset, feeling a strange sense of peace. She took a sip of the rum, feeling the sharp sensation as it went down her throat and cleared her head.

The sunset seemed even more vibrant.

A clear sky with a sunset.

Perhaps the alcohol made her feel a bit more buoyant.

The red sunlight cast long shadows, making the nearby trees look beautifully crimson.

Then she realized her hair was even redder than the sunset and went back inside the cabin.

* * *

Outside, Elkais initially intended to catch a bird.

Birds were easy to catch and prepare, and it seemed wrong to drink without any meat.

As he walked a bit further, a white note appeared in his hand.

[With rum, chocolate is perfect!]

Elkais looked at the note, puzzled. It was an unexpected suggestion, but it made sense. Chocolate could complement the rum well. He decided to search for some cacao pods or a source of chocolate nearby.

Continuing his search, he thought about the peace Eveline seemed to find in the sunset. He felt a strange mixture of protectiveness and longing, wanting to ensure her safety and happiness despite the dangerous situation they were in.

As he moved deeper into the woods, he stayed alert for any signs of prey or unexpected dangers, his thoughts lingering on Eveline’s bright smile and the brief moment of tranquility they had shared.

“Ha.”

Elkais chuckled at the absurdity of the note’s suggestion.

Rum and chocolate?

But then he thought Eveline might actually like chocolate.

Suddenly, a basket of chocolates appeared above the hand holding the note.

He debated whether to go hunting or just return with the chocolates. Since he wasn’t far from the cabin, he decided to see Eveline’s reaction first.

Besides, it was dangerous to go too far. It always rained in the evening.

So, he headed back to the cabin.

When he returned, Eveline had already drunk a few sips, as the bottle’s contents had decreased.

“I happened to find this.”

“Wow.”

Eveline was delighted, as expected.

The basket contained various types of chocolates, all beautifully wrapped.

“How did you find this?”

“I don’t know. It just appeared.”

She wondered if the red-haired man had given it to them. He had said he wouldn’t be able to help for a week, but maybe he could help in this way.

“Does it matter where it came from? The important thing is that it’s chocolate.”

She smiled happily and took the basket of chocolates, sitting by the fireplace.

Seeing her joy, Elkais smiled faintly and sat nearby.

“Why aren’t the others coming back?”

“I don’t know.”

Eveline then remembered that while she and Elkais were an Omega and Alpha pair, Abellard had become an Alpha, and Rubellite Croppers was an Omega.

Plus, Rubellite seemed interested in Abellard, though Abellard was quite horrified by it.

“Maybe the two of them…”

“Could end up Imprinting while fighting.”

Elkais said this casually and easily opened the rum bottle, taking a sip.

“Instead of just drinking like this, how about a game?”

“What kind of game?”

“I found something like this.”

Eveline showed him pieces of wood, smiling.

She had no idea why such things appeared, but it was a relief not to be bored.

“What is this?”

“This is Jenga. You take turns pulling out one piece from the stack and placing it on top.”

“Simple.”

They set up the Jenga tower. Eveline was confident in her Jenga skills. She quickly built the tower, making sure each layer was stable.

“Who goes first?”

“I’ll go first. And let’s take a drink each time we pull a piece.”

“Alright.”

“And the person who makes it fall… What should the penalty be?”

Eveline noticed that Elkais’s red eyes looked almost gray today. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the alcohol, but she felt oddly unafraid. She must be mistaken.

“The loser should take off one piece of clothing.”

“Are you already drunk?”

“No. Since I’m just wearing this big shirt, you should also wear something light to make it fair.”

Eveline pointed out that she was only wearing his large shirt. Despite the situation, she didn’t feel too tense around Elkais.

After all, Abellard and Rubellite would return soon. And if Elkais had any ill intentions, he wouldn’t have let her go during the sunshower earlier.

“But Eveline, if you take off that shirt, you’ll be in your underwear.”

“Just a moment.”

She grabbed a dress from a pile of clothes and put it on over her shirt.

“Is this fair?”

“Do we really need this kind of penalty?”

Eveline laughed, feeling the playful tension in the air. They both knew the game was just a way to pass the time, but it also brought a sense of camaraderie and a brief escape from their dire circumstances.

“Are you saying that because you think you’ll lose?”

“…Fine, let’s bet.”

“Alright.”

Eveline found it amusing how easily Elkais took the bait.

“Come on then.”

“Alright.”

Eveline sat down in front of the Jenga tower, pulled out a piece, and took a sip of rum.

She grimaced instinctively and picked up a piece of chocolate.

The chocolate tasted incredibly sweet, making her feel a strange sense of pleasure. The rum seemed to numb her rational thoughts.

“This is good. You should try it, Elkais.”

“Alright.”

Elkais easily pulled out a piece, stacked it on top, and drank the rum. Then he accepted the chocolate she offered and ate it.

“This seems a bit off. Maybe we shouldn’t eat it.”

“It’s just chocolate. What’s wrong with it?”

Eveline asked innocently, leaving Elkais unsure of what to say. He couldn’t pinpoint what felt wrong.

While he was contemplating, Eveline pulled out another piece and stacked it vertically.

“Are you allowed to stack it like that?”

“There’s no rule against it.”

She said, taking another sip of rum and eating more chocolate.

Elkais felt something was off, but Eveline seemed convinced there was nothing wrong with the chocolate. And it tasted just fine to her.

Maybe it was just the alcohol, but she felt a bit warm.

Eveline focused on the game, realizing Elkais was more skillful than she had anticipated.

As they played on, pulling pieces until there were hardly any left to pull, both Eveline and Elkais became tipsy and cheerful.

It was Elkais’s turn. He pulled out a piece with ease but had trouble stacking it.

“Oops…”

Eveline spilled some rum as she drank, and it trickled down her neck and onto her chest.

Crash.

Distracted, Elkais knocked over the Jenga tower.

“You lost, Elkais.”

“…It seems so.”

Avoiding her gaze, he took off his shirt, feeling a bit strange with his bare skin exposed to the air.

“Let’s play again.”

“Alright.”

Eveline eagerly reset the Jenga tower and started the game with confidence.

Crash.

“It can fall in one turn?”

“Haha, I must be drunk.”

She took off the wedding dress and placed it on the pile of clothes, then set up the Jenga tower again.

“Let’s play again.”

“Sure.”

“This time, instead of taking off clothes, let’s grant wishes.”

“What wish do you want to ask for?”

“You’ll have to lose to find out.”

He smiled, taking another sip of rum.

Both had already emptied their bottles and opened new ones.

“Aren’t you curious about my wish?”

“Nope.”

“Cold-hearted.”

Elkais knew she was deliberately saying that, making him feel happier, like playing a game after a long time.

“Alright, let’s play.”

“Okay.”

Eveline set up the Jenga tower again and quickly pulled out a piece, stacking it on top.

Elkais, focused, pulled out a piece and stacked it while Eveline took another sip of rum.

“Eat some chocolate. Your stomach must be hurting.”

“You should stop eating so much chocolate. You’ve eaten half of it.”

“Haha, if you eat slowly, I’ll eat it all.”

She handed him a few pieces of chocolate, and he ate them while she pulled out and stacked another piece quickly.

As they emptied another bottle of rum and finished the chocolate, the Jenga tower grew taller.

“If you lose this time, you have to sleep next to me.”

“I always do.”

“Every night from now on.”

Eveline hesitated, thinking she might leave soon.

But the mix of chocolate and rum made her too dazed to think clearly.

Neither of them knew the chocolate contained the same heat and rut cycle enhancers as the rain. It was highly concentrated.

“If I win, you sleep naked.”

Elkais smiled and knocked over the tall Jenga tower with his hand.

Crash.

All the pieces fell to the floor except the one in his hand.

“Do I need to start undressing now?”

He smiled, tossing the piece aside and reaching for his pants.

TL/N: YES, YES, YES!!!!