72.

Dante smiled charmingly with his eyes.

His black hair was damp, suggesting he had already showered.

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

‘Really, I have to give it to him for his stamina.’

Despite drinking so much, he was up at the crack of dawn, showering.

He must have washed off most of his hangover while showering.

He seems to be sober enough.

As I remained silent, Dante, looking embarrassed, apologized.

“Uh… I’m sorry about yesterday.”
“….”

I felt an odd sensation.

Come to think of it, it’s rare to see him make that kind of face.

Dante continued in an awkward tone.

“I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Of course.

Dante fiercely hates showing weakness to others.

The fact that he clung to me like that was unexpected.

He must have drunk a lot last night.

“It’s okay. More importantly, how’s your hangover?”

I sighed deeply and asked calmly.

Dante’s eyes softened as he replied.

“What, are you worried about me?”

“….”

I squinted my eyes and glared at him.

Dante quickly backed down, looking apologetic.

“…Sorry.”

He gets it.

Then, as if to excuse himself, he explained his condition.

“My head hurts a bit and my stomach feels queasy… but it’s bearable.”

“Well, most people would call that a hangover.”

I retorted, narrowing my eyebrows.

Dante quickly tried to brush it off.

“I’m fine, really. A cigarette will fix me up in no time.”

To prove his point, Dante pulled a cigarette from his case and bit it crookedly.

I couldn’t help but be disgusted.

“No way. After all that drinking, you still want a cigarette?”

“You don’t get it. Smoking is the best cure for a hangover.”

“….”

I was simply speechless.

But something felt off.

Just as Dante was about to light the cigarette, he hesitated. He glanced at me, then slowly removed the cigarette from his mouth.

With a disappointed look, he placed the cigarette in the ashtray.

I asked sarcastically.

“Weren’t you going to cure your hangover?”

“Never mind.”

Dante shook his head.

“Darling, you don’t like cigarette smoke, do you?”

“….”

I felt a bit surprised.

He used to smoke regardless of whether I liked it or not.

No, to be more precise…

‘He didn’t care at all if I hated the cigarette smoke.’

I stared at Dante for a moment before speaking up.

“You can smoke if you want.”

Dante groaned.

“Ah, don’t say that. It’ll make me really want to smoke.”

But seeing him deliberately avoid looking at the cigarette case, it seemed he wasn’t planning to smoke after all.

Feeling a bit strange, I took out a jar of candy from the drawer.

I usually kept it to help me focus during paperwork.

I shove one into my mouth.

“Then, would you like some candy instead?”

“Candy?”

“Yes. People who quit smoking often eat candies or snacks.”

“…I’m not really thinking about quitting smoking. I just want to smoke less in front of you.”

Dante grumbled, but opened his mouth obediently.

“Ah.”

“….”

What now?

I looked at Dante, conveying that thought with my gaze, and he shamelessly demanded,

“Feed me.”

“….”

I was simply speechless.

“Ah, hurry up.”

Dante started pestering me like a child.

Unable to bear it any longer, I reluctantly placed a candy in his mouth, signaling for him to be quiet.

With his cheek bulging from the candy, he looked somewhat…

‘Cute.’

As I thought that absentmindedly, I was shocked.

‘What am I thinking?’

Of all people, thinking Dante, who is heartless, was cute.

Maybe after being intimate with him last night, the alcohol had affected me too.

‘Otherwise…’

I clicked my tongue inwardly and glanced at Dante out of the corner of my eye.

‘Still, Dante has changed quite a bit.’

Dante used to be a heavy smoker.

I remember the time at the Diorlance Club when he boldly blew smoke in the face of the second prince.

He was even known for not extinguishing his cigarette in front of his grandfather, the emperor.

At that moment,

‘Ah.’

Our eyes met.

As Dante rolled the candy in his mouth, he frowned slightly and muttered.

“I, uh, didn’t think of you.”

“Sorry?”

“At the Diorlance Club before…”

After a brief hesitation, Dante spoke seriously.

“I’ve wanted to apologize for a long time. For smoking so much next to you.”

“…”

I was a bit surprised.

‘That was over a year ago.’

I didn’t expect him to still remember it.

“It’s okay.”

“What’s okay about it?”

Dante said sternly.

“Don’t just say everything’s okay. If something bothers you, speak up immediately. Got it?”

Hmm, in that case.

I stared at Dante and casually said.

“I didn’t like that you drank too much last night.”

“…”

At that moment, I witnessed a rare sight.

Dante flinched and started watching my reactions nervously.

‘If Liam heard about this, he’d faint.’

Or he’d ask me if I was dreaming.

As I had these silly thoughts, I continued speaking clearly.

“Drinking too much only leads to suffering from a hangover.”

“Well, darling?”

“Do you really need to drink so excessively, harming your health like that?”

And… didn’t Dante have nightmares last night?

Remembering Dante’s pained expression, I bit my lip gently.

‘Does he often suffer from such nightmares?’

Of course, I didn’t plan to pry into his nightmares.

But it was clear that drinking wasn’t helping him escape those nightmares.

“I’m not trying to make excuses, but.”

Dante hesitantly began, glancing at me.

“I had to drink because of the auction yesterday. As you know, I usually don’t drink that much…”

My eyes widened slightly.

“Auction?”

“Yeah.”

Dante’s voice brightened a little, happy that I changed the subject.

“Our organization is planning to hold an auction soon. We’re even putting up some of Baron Albertton’s collection.”

Baron Albertton.

He was a renowned collector with an impressive collection in the empire.

I quickly recalled the information from the original story.

‘Come to think of it, the auction where the ‘Heart of Winter’ was sold…’

Despite being held in the underworld, it had garnered a lot of attention.

The reason was that a large portion of Baron Albertton’s collection was being auctioned.

‘This will be the first and last time Baron Albertton’s collection is up for auction.’

In the original story, Dante’s skill was highlighted by the inclusion of Albertton’s collection.

Our male lead’s exceptional capability increased the scale of the auction!

…something like that?.

But my focus was on a different part.

<Though Baron Albertton’s collection drew the crowd, the highest bid was for a sapphire ring.

The name of the sapphire ring was ‘Heart of Winter.’

It was once the heirloom of the missing Duke of Kalleid…>

Thump.

My heart pounded heavily.

‘If I can get that heirloom… I can finally awaken Lucian.’

I tried hard to hide my excitement, keeping my mouth firmly set.

Seeing my expression, Dante hastily continued his explanation, misinterpreting it.

“Anyway, I never intended to make you uncomfortable on purpose…”

“Got it.”

I nodded obediently.

Hearing the information about the ‘Heart of Winter’ had significantly lifted my mood..

“…”

Then, Dante looked at me for a moment, and then slowly leaned closer.

He looked like a black cat cautiously gauging its owner’s reaction after breaking a vase.

The refreshing scent of bath salts wafted from his dark hair, tickling my shoulder.

“There was a valid reason. So, stop being mad, okay?”

…What else could I say at this point?

For the sake of my safety.

And to show gratitude for the information about the ‘Heart of Winter.’

In the end, I surrendered.

“Alright.”