Chapter 71
“Ugh…”
Johan rubbed his throbbing head. His memory before falling asleep was hazy. He hadn’t really drunk too much. He hadn’t drunk enough to get drunk.
However, the fatigue accumulated from clearing the dungeon had turned off Johan’s consciousness like a switch.
‘I may have overdone it.’
It was understandable. Since there were no safe zones in this dungeon, he had to fight while staying awake for days.
So he should take some rest without any schedules for a few days…
A sudden feeling of unease struck Johan, making him tense.
‘Something’s strange.’
He felt a warm, soft sensation, unlike his usual bedding.
He tried to sit up, but something was in the way.
As Johan tried to push it away roughly, a soft scent of skin wafted to his nose.
“……”
Could it be that the maid had sneaked a woman into his bedroom?
His suddenly widened eyes grew even rounder. What came into Johan’s view was none other than Sena.
Memories of the previous night came rushing back. Drinking together, collapsing onto Sena—the last thing he remembered clearly.
After that, well, Sena must have tried to push Johan away but failed. That part made sense. However….
‘Is she…hugging me?’
He had no idea how they had ended up in this situation.
Unlike his last memory, they weren’t on the sofa but on the floor.
Sena had one arm wrapped around Johan’s waist, and for some reason, her other arm was tucked under his back.
He didn’t want to free himself from her slender arm. The fact that Sena was clinging to him somehow made him happy, not bothered.
Still, he had to wake her up. Her arm must be uncomfortable.
“Sena.”
“…..”
“Sena.”
He repeatedly called her name, but she was deeply asleep.
With their bodies pressed together, he could feel Sena even by just staying still. She came into his vision, her hand caressed his waist like a sleep habit, and her soft breathing reached his ears.
Her pink hair gave off a scent reminiscent of spring, a rare fragrance in the North, even in an artificial greenhouse environment.
A strange thrill ran through his body every time he sensed the various sensations from her.
“……”
In Johan’s opinion, Sena was an extremely vulnerable person.
If she were a beast, he would cut her down in one swing.
If she were a mage, he would bring her down in an instant.
‘But……’
He wasn’t sure if he should do that to this woman.
She was so transparently honest that it made things harder.
Sena’s very existence stimulated some emotion Johan had never felt in his life.
🫧
“Sena.”
“…..”
“Sena.”
Someone kept calling my name.
When I didn’t wake up, the person poked and shook my body.
“Shut up. Go away……”
“Huh?”
For a brief moment, the movement trying to wake me up stopped.
To fall back asleep, I snuggled into the warm sensation.
But why did the plush toy I usually slept with feel so large today? It was soft, but today it felt firmer.
‘Whatever.’
As my mind grew hazy, the voice calling me grew louder.
“Lee Sena.”
“Ugh, what is it….”
“You should wake up now, or it’ll be a problem.”
What now?
Annoyed, I forced my heavy eyelids open.
‘This better be worth it.’
When I opened my eyes and saw the scene before me, my sleepiness vanished completely.
A smooth forehead and well-shaped eyebrows.
Deep blue eyes like the ocean in a firm, handsome face.
A sharp nose bridge and perfectly placed lips.
That good-looking face was far too close.
“Huh! Johan? Um, so…why are you still here?”
If he had woken up, he should have gone to his own room to avoid awkwardness. How was I supposed to face him!
As I sat up, Johan got up from the floor. I hurriedly distanced myself from him after finally freeing the arm that had been pinned under his back.
“I was planning to do that, but.”
“But?”
“You were holding me tight and wouldn’t let go, Sena.”
“……”
So the reason it felt bigger and firmer than usual was because it wasn’t a doll but Johan?
‘I can’t believe I slept hugging Johan like a doll.’
His previously neat clothes were now disheveled due to my rough movements.
My own appearance must have been even worse.
I barely suppressed an internal scream and broke out in a cold sweat.
“Is your arm okay?”
“It’s a bit…numb, maybe.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize, Johan…”
“I put you in an awkward position by insisting on having one more drink.”
Yes, that one more drink was the problem.
“F-From now on, let’s drink in moderation, both of us.”
As I hurriedly ran back to my bedroom, I heard the sound of a door closing. Johan must have returned to his room as well.
“Wow, that was crazy…..”
I trudged to the bed and flopped down on it.
As the events from last night replayed in my mind, I squirmed silently in embarrassment.
“And in the midst of it all, why did the system bombard me with so many notification windows?”
<Notice> It is now 8:00 AM.
<Notice> It is now 8:05 AM.
<Notice> It is now 8:40 AM.
Why did it keep popping up every five minutes? How unnecessary. Does it think it’s an alarm clock or something?
‘Instead of messing around, it’s probably telling me to quickly clear the quest. What a persistent thing.’
After dismissing all the notification windows obstructing my view, I hurried to get ready to leave.
“……”
I thought I had already forgotten about the earlier incident, but as I entered the living room where Johan and I had slept together, my face flushed again.
“I really need to drink in moderation. Ugh, and now my arm hurts in the middle of all this…”
I stepped outside, massaging my aching arm.
🫧
After a quick meal at the inn, we went to find the tower where Rapunzel was imprisoned. Since she was quite famous, finding her location was easier than expected.
‘For even the innkeeper to know about it.’
He warned us repeatedly not to go there, as the witch was frequently seen around the tower.
I appreciated his kind advice, but felt a bit upset that he treated Sylvie like some monster.
Seeing how even such a kind person hurled insults at her made me imagine Sylvie’s difficult situation.
Anyway, we rented a carriage to get close to the tower, but the coachman, terrified, abandoned us, leaving us to walk a fair distance.
“…...Phew. We’ve finally arrived.”
“It’s incredibly tall.”
Johan commented, looking up at the tower. He was right. I had to crane my neck to the point it might break to see the top.
“To meet the person trapped up there, we have to climb that towering spire…”
“Huh? No, there’s a door here.”
Sylvie insisted the door would be open. In fact, Rapunzel had already visited the lounge beforehand on her own.
No response came from knocking, so we wandered around the tower when a familiar face appeared at the only window at the top.
“Oh? Bartender Unnie! What brings you here?”
It was Rapunzel.
“Would it be alright for a moment? I’d like to talk.”
“Great timing. I was getting bored anyway! I’ll be down in a flash. Seriously, just a moment!”
How long did we wait? Just as we were growing weary, the door opened.
“It’s been a while since we had guests! Follow me!”
Rapunzel waved us in enthusiastically and then dashed back up the stairs. Despite just having come down from that height, she showed no signs of fatigue.
‘The tower was incredibly tall. How did she climb back up so quickly?’
This must be one of Sylvie’s mistakes….
As I pondered this and stepped onto the stairs, they started moving on their own.
“Oh, this is an escalator, isn’t it?”
“Sena!”
Delighted that I didn’t have to walk, Johan suddenly grabbed my shoulder with a serious expression.
“It seems like a suspicious device.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. It just carries you up without walking.”
“That’s right! If you wait, it’ll smoothly take you all the way up!”
Only after Rapunzel chimed in did Johan finally seem reassured, though he stayed right beside me as if still wary.
Before long, we reached the top floor.
Even with the door open, the height of the tower had worried me, but this was almost like imprisonment fit for an emperor!
🥂
Thank you for reading! ♡
