“No, I’m not.”
Sig responded curtly to Britia’s question, and she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head sideways.
“You don’t look too happy.”
“…I’m just upset.”
“Why are you upset? Sig, tell me.”
Sig, who looked sulky, glanced at Britia.
“If she was in front of me, she said she wanted to kiss me, but I saw that she didn’t do that to me… …”
Sig paused and took a deep breath.
“I’m upset because I feel like I have to be jealous even of my past.”
Britia looked at Sig’s pouting lips and opened her mouth wide before bursting into laughter.
“It’s serious for me, but it’s just amusing for you, isn’t it? I’m even more upset now.”
“I’m sorry for laughing.”
Britia apologized, covering her mouth with her hand. But her eyes were already smiling.
“It’s not funny. It’s just that laughter burst out…”
“…”
“You’re cute, Sig. It’s not my fault.”
“…”
“Okay, I understand. I was wrong. As an apology, I’ll give you a kiss. Look this way.”
Sig, who had been avoiding Britia’s gaze, finally turned his head.
“You’re cute.”
Seeing Britia’s easily understandable action, she stifled her laughter and lifted her chin. Sig kept his lips tightly closed, but his tail was already swaying with anticipation.
“…Did you say you wanted to do it persistently?”
Britia raised her head and asked if Sig had said that.
“…I’m still upset.”
“Think about it if Sig honestly answers my question.”
Britia released an ultimatum, saying she wouldn’t do it otherwise.
“You always say as if you’ve never been tempted by anyone, but in fact, there have been many, haven’t there?”
Sig blinked at Britia’s words. Someone had pretended to know Harty earlier, but her face was vague, and he couldn’t remember. Since he hadn’t properly seen her face in the first place, it was natural that he didn’t remember.
“I haven’t been tempted.”
Even though she had sent such an obvious glance. Seeing Sig’s pure reaction, claiming that he had never had such an experience, Britia lost her words.
“Then will you say that you’ve never been tempted by me?”
Britia asked bluntly, saying that she had tempted him many times, asking him to hug her or kiss her, but had he forgotten all of that?
“What I did was foolish. I understand.”
“It means that you’ve never been tempted by any woman other than me.”
“Fine.”
Britia turned around as if she were angry and walked away briskly. However, not long after, her legs lifted off the ground, and she wobbled in mid-air. Sig had lifted her up from behind.
“Sig, what are you doing?”
“I realized that by doing this, I can hold you and prevent you from touching my tail at the same time.”
Britia wriggled her arms, attempting to grab Sig’s tail in that position. Unfortunately, her arms didn’t reach. His hair only tickled her neck.
“Were you contemplating this the whole time?”
Britia narrowed her eyes and looked at Sig with a sidelong glance, feigning anger.
“It’s a precaution in case you get angry and try to bite my tail and run away.”
“I wasn’t planning on biting it now. Besides, there hasn’t been a time when I bit it and ran away!”
Though there were times when she grabbed it tightly and ran away. Britia muttered to herself. Sig’s happy laughter tickled her ears.
“Are you laughing at me now? Because I can’t grab your tail?”
“I’m just glad that my precaution has an effect.”
Britia glanced at Sig with a sidelong glance. His proud expression was somewhat amusing.
“There was a man who always said he would give me his tail whenever I wanted it, but Sig goes so far as to hold me like this because he’s afraid I might touch it. Isn’t that cute?”
Surprised by Britia’s complaint, Sig opened his eyes wide. He immediately put Britia down and went in front of her.
“Don’t you find me cute anymore?”
Britia felt like she was about to burst into laughter at Sig’s innocent expression. But she maintained a solemn face and narrowed her eyes. Then Sig embraced her.
“You can touch it if you want. You can stroke it, hug it, whatever you want.”
It’s a bit difficult to touch it right now, though. Sig held Britia’s hand and pulled his waist back to allow her to touch his tail.
“So, please find me cute.”
Britia tightly bit her lower lip and suppressed her laughter, not letting her lips curl upward.
“Hmm.”
When Britia touched his tail, a small sound came from Sig’s lips. As she wriggled her fingers inside his fluffy tail, Sig leaned against the wall and exhaled.
“If it hurts too much, you don’t have to endure it.”
“No, it’s not painful. It just feels a bit… hmm, good.”
Sig looked at Britia with a thoughtful expression.
“Can I kiss you?”
Britia noticed him swallowing his saliva.
“I’m currently focusing on your tail, so it might be a bit difficult.”
“You can touch my tail while I have my hand on it.”
That’s right. Sig gently bumped his forehead against Britia’s and closed his eyes. Britia playfully tightened her grip on his tail, pretending to contemplate.
“Hmm.”
“You’re enduring it well.”
“I’ve also been training, you know.”
Sig trapped Britia between the wall and his arm and exhaled.
“But not now.”
“Britia.”
At his resentful voice, Britia mischievously smiled with her eyes.
“When you safely take me home later, then I’ll do it.”
Britia removed her hand from his tail and lightly pressed her lips together. Then she lifted the hand she had pressed her lips with and tapped it on Sig’s lips.
“Since we’re already at the party, let’s enjoy ourselves now.”
Ignoring Sig’s deeply burning gaze, Britia took his hand and pulled him along.
“Aren’t you thirsty? I want to have a drink.”
As they returned to the party venue, Britia spotted a waiter carrying a tray. One of the waiters noticed her and approached. Britia handed one glass to Sig and took one for herself.
As Britia took a sip, her throat burned from the strong alcohol. Nevertheless, she couldn’t spit it out, so she swallowed it slowly, feeling the heat in her throat.
“Doesn’t it suit your taste?”
Seeing Sig furrow his eyebrows, Britia took another sip. She savored the taste and drank more.
“The alcohol is stronger than I thought. I might get drunk quickly.”
Britia puckered her lips but realized she couldn’t continue drinking. She looked down at her glass with a troubled expression.
“If it’s difficult for you to drink, I’ll have it for you.”
Sig took her glass and drank both his and hers.
“I heard from Crave, but it seems Duke-nim has a strong tolerance for alcohol. It’s not too strong for you, is it?”
“I’m fine.”
“I think I’m already a bit drunk.”
Perhaps it was because she was relaxed. It was surprising to be affected by just a few sips.
Britia’s cheeks felt warm.
“I promised not to get drunk outside, but now I’m in trouble.”
Sig reached out with his large hand and touched her cheek.
“You think you’re not drunk? Your hands are warm.”
“My hands are naturally a bit warm.”
“Now that you mention it, I think so too.”
Britia leaned slightly against Sig’s palm, enjoying the warmth.
“I feel embarrassed being the only one drunk. How am I going to get home?”
“I’ll take you. There are things you need to receive before you go to sleep.”
“Things to receive… Oh!”
Britia raised her head as if something had come to mind. She had kept forgetting about it and scolded herself before firmly grabbing Sig’s hand.
“Sig, is there anything you want as a gift from me?”
“…mmm.”
“An object, I mean.”
Britia covered Sig’s mouth with the back of her hand.
“To be honest, I’ve been wanting to give you something in return for a long time. Since the handkerchief! You’ve been giving me things ever since. I feel sorry for just receiving, so I want to give you something too.”
It can’t be too expensive, but if I think of it as a wedding gift, I’ll muster up the courage. Britia nodded repeatedly.
“Is it okay if it’s something that has your touch? I mean, the handkerchief you made, or…”
After hesitating for a moment, Sig spoke up. Then, as if he had a good idea, his face brightened and he took Britia’s hand.
“I hope you made an eye patch.”
“Uh, um.”
“Is that not possible?”
“Sig, the truth is, I’m really bad at sewing, so it might be really shabby.”
“I’ll be happy with any form as long as you make it.”
Britia couldn’t say no to Sig’s sparkling eyes. Maybe it didn’t seem so difficult to make an eye mask, especially after a few drinks. She thought she could manage.
“Okay. Then… I’ll make the cutest eye patch in the world that suits Sig.”
Britia laughed lightly and touched Sig’s eye mask.
“I’m sorry for interrupting your good time, but it seems like the party is about to end.”
The vice commander, who had put a picture on the carriage and hadn’t returned for a long time, appeared and said. Britia felt somehow disappointed. Although Sig would take her home, she still wanted to spend a little more time together.
At that moment, there was a shadow approaching them urgently.
“Britia, help me!”
Startled by the urgent voice, Britia turned to him.
Harty, whose face was pale, came running. Behind him, Brian wagged his tail happily, with an expression that seemed like he didn’t know why he was excited.
“What did you do to the Count?”
Britia’s eyes widened and she asked Brian in an astonished voice.
“I’ll kill him even if I have to die. No, I won’t kill him even if I have to die? That’s what he said!”
“I just asked him to show me his collection.”
Brian raised both hands, feeling unfairly treated.
“He said he’ll ride the carriage with me to our house!”
Knowing that Harty was afraid of riding the carriage, Britia whispered in a small voice.
“Weren’t you supposed to overcome your fear? By the way, you were asleep at that time.”
When Harty suggested that he would be more comfortable if he fainted this time too, he shook his head vigorously.
“I understand. Then there’s nothing we can do.”
Britia took Sig’s hand and stood up, staggering a little.
“By the way, is it okay for us to go see the collection together?”
Although she felt sorry for Harty, who desperately asked for help, thanks to him, Britia felt happier because she had more time to spend with Sig.
Today, she felt sad at the thought of parting with him. She wanted to continue being with him like this.
“Our date will be very long today.”
Sig followed Britia without a word.
“I’ll just have one drink and join you right away. My body hurts because I haven’t had a single drop of alcohol.”
Before the vice commander could stop her, she hurried her steps.
The waiter who had served them strong liquor saw them leaving the party and placed a silver tray on a secluded table. Then, he looked around cautiously and quickly entered the warehouse.
Relying on the faint moonlight coming through a small window, he felt his way through the corner of the warehouse and found a box. Just then, a weasel appeared. The waiter tried to put the folded note from his pocket into the fixed tube of the weasel.
Suddenly, a man’s arm appeared next to his face.
“Uh, ugh!”
“Hush.”
As the waiter struggled, the vice commander grabbed his neck with his arm, cutting off his breath. Eventually, the waiter lost consciousness and fell to the ground, and the vice commander picked up the fallen note with a triumphant smile.
Sig is the cutest cinnamon roll ever 🥹🫶