The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 85

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 85

“….”

“Coincidentally, it’s a place we can’t investigate from our position. And even more coincidentally, the Kraken appeared at the boating location, giving Duke Adickl, whom we had barely driven away, another chance to enter the capital. Quite interesting facts, don’t you think?”

“How fascinating indeed.”

Rita let out a hollow laugh, then suddenly came up with an idea.

“You know, Gid. About investigating Adickl Duchy. I just thought of something.”

“Why do I have an ominous feeling?”

“How about I approach Adikel? Since he proposed to me, I could use that as an excuse.”

“…You’re going to pretend to accept that bastard’s proposal? Now?”

“Well, I did embarrass him a bit during the boating event… but Raskail isn’t part of the Crown Prince’s faction yet. So approaching him should be possible, right? With the goal of getting invited to Adickl Duchy.”

Gideon closed his mouth. A strange silence fell over the lounge. Rita wondered if there was an error in her judgment and retraced her thoughts before asking curiously.

“Isn’t it worth trying as a strategy? I heard it’s natural for nobles who’ve debuted in society to mingle with their suitors. Ah, is it difficult to salvage since I practically rejected him already? Does the Duke’s son hate me now?”

“What? If he has eyes, it’s impossible for him to hate you. The salvage would be complete if you just went and smiled at him once, cough.”

Olivia elbowed Lucas in the ribs as he reflexively responded.

Just as Rita was about to turn toward them, Gid pulled up the corners of his mouth in a smile and answered.

“Yes, it’s certainly a strategy worth trying. If you’re in the position of receiving a proposal, you won’t be greatly suspected, and if you can get invited to Adickl Duchy, it would be great progress for the investigation.”

“Right?”

Pleased that she had found a decent mission, Rita added with delight.

“While mingling with the Duke’s son and observing his surroundings, clues about Pascal might emerge. I’ll try to approach him well.”

“But Rita.”

“Yeah?”

“Didn’t you used to hate this kind of strategy? You used to say you were sick of dealing with city high-ranking officials and command, and that you’d rather stay on the battlefield.”

“Well, I don’t particularly like it, but if it’s necessary, I have to do it. It’s not that difficult or hard anyway.”

Rita, who had been answering calmly, suddenly furrowed her brow.

“Ah, but then I’ll have to pretend to reject your recruitment offer for a while. If Raskail supports the Crown Prince, the Duke’s son will be wary of me.”

“….”

“I was originally going to ask you to meet with our family members and persuade them. Everyone seems hesitant to support you because they don’t know you well. But with this situation, I’ll have to postpone that for a while too.”

“….”

“First, I should salvage the embarrassment I caused the Duke’s son, right? Everyone will attend the upcoming Frontier Festival, so I could apologize to him there and show interest?”

Gideon, who had been watching her deliberate, silently leaned against the table and put both hands in his pockets. Then Olivia suddenly jumped up from her seat.

“Now, now, enough work talk! How long has it been since all of Beacon gathered together, and we’re just going to keep having serious conversations?”

“Oli, everyone? Everyone when Sera isn’t here? Should I tell her?”

“Shut up, Ethan. Figure it out appropriately.”

Olivia glared at the teasing Ethan, then said “Wait a moment!” and quickly entered her guest room. When she came out, she was holding a wine bottle in an ornate box.

Olivia showed it to Rita with a proud face.

“1751 Lunatic Velvet. A wine the same age as us. I’ve been carefully saving it to open in celebration of your return.”

“That’s right, Oli can finally drink that wine. We’ll need some snacks, won’t we?”

Isaiah smiled and stood up, then gestured to Lucas.

“Junior Lucas, help me out.”

“Yes, senior!”

They disappeared through the magic circle and reappeared not long after, carrying trays full of various snacks in both hands. A drinking table was quickly set up on the low table in the middle of the lounge sofas.

“I’ve really been waiting for this day.”

Olivia’s eyes sparkled as she stuck the wine opener into the cork. Rita, watching from the side, said playfully.

“Oli, honestly, you waited more for the day to drink this alcohol than for me, didn’t you?”

“I thought I could drink it in a year or two, but I aged it for four years, so wouldn’t I have been waiting?”

Oli, who uncorked it with a “hmph,” made an ecstatic expression at the rising aroma, then solemnly lifted the bottle.

“This isn’t the vodka or whiskey we used to drink while going crazy in the ruins. Everyone should elegantly enjoy the flavor.”

After pouring wine into everyone’s glasses, she raised her glass first.

“To celebrate the safe return of our damn Rita.”

Rita smiled and raised her glass as well.

“To celebrate Beacon’s miraculous reunion.”

Gid, Is, and Luca followed by raising their glasses. Clink, the wine glasses clinked together, filled with red wine.

The lounge soon became a boisterous drinking party. It was impossible for the Pascals, who had been drinking among soldiers on battlefields since their early teens, to have an elegant drinking session.

Olivia, who had told them to enjoy the flavor, was the first to start gulping down alcohol recklessly. The precious wine was gone in an instant, and several bottles of other liquor that Isaiah had brought along with the snacks, anticipating this situation, were emptied.

Lucas, who was weakest with alcohol, turned red and started repeating what he had said, and Olivia’s voice, who was a heavy drinker but whose alcohol wasn’t that strong, grew louder and louder.

Ethan, who could control his intoxication thanks to being raised as an assassin, continued to deal with both of them, and Isaiah, who was naturally strong with alcohol, naturally mixed water into Lucas and Oli’s glasses with a smiling face.

Rita stopped after a few drinks, feeling the intoxication rising.

‘This body is weaker to alcohol than my previous body.’

Still, since Oli was so excited, maybe she should drink a little more with her, but at that moment Gid reached out and snatched Rita’s glass that Olivia had poured.

“You look like you’re going to get drunk? Stop drinking.”

“How did you know?”

“You spin your glass around when you’re wondering whether to drink more or not.”

“I do that?”

When Rita blinked and asked back, Gid chuckled.

“Your appearance has completely changed, but your habits are the same as before, Rita Pascal.”

“Does that make it less unfamiliar?”

“Yes.”

He answered lightly, then leaned toward her and asked quietly.

“Does it bother you?”

“What?”

“That your appearance has changed.”

“That would bother you guys more than me.”

“You’re the only one who changed so much. You keep worrying about whether you look unfamiliar.”

Rita couldn’t answer immediately. Did it show? She tried not to let it show.

“Don’t worry. What you do is Rita Pascal itself, so everyone adapted right away.”

Gid continued as he placed a water glass in her empty hand.

“Still, it will take some time to get used to it.”

“You adapted right away but need time to get used to it? Doesn’t that contradict itself?”

“When you’re moving and talking, I can recognize you right away, but when you’re quietly still without saying anything, you’re definitely unfamiliar.”

“…You feel that way too?”

“Mm, I can’t say not at all.”

She quietly looked down at the water glass in her hand, took a sip, then opened her mouth.

“Was my previous appearance better?”

“In what sense?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve become too pretty, it’s troublesome.”

“Why, do you suddenly see me as a woman?”

Rita threw out the mischievous comment, then came to her senses when Gid’s expression became strange.

‘I asked a question that would make things awkward for no reason. Am I a bit drunk?’

Perhaps because she had seen the history of him marrying Lavinia, she kept becoming conscious of facts she had never been aware of before.

Like how his hand holding the same glass was much larger than hers, which suddenly caught her eye.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, she put down her glass and stood up.

“Oli can’t control herself. We should start cleaning up.”

Rita checked on the completely drunk Oli and Lucas, left Lucas to Isaiah, and supported Oli.

They left the tower and loaded the two into the Winterfield and Blen family carriages respectively, which had been waiting in the garden, then sent Ethan along to make sure Oli got home safely.

Isaiah went in first, saying he would clean up the drinking party and the Garden Salon, and when the remaining Lillieta headed toward Raskail’s carriage, Gideon followed.

“Why are you following me?”

“Because I like you.”

“Don’t joke around.”

“Haha… I need to see you get inside safely.”

“Why? I’m not drunk.”

Rita shook her head and added.

“And if I’m going to associate with the Grand Duke, it would be better not to be seen with you anymore. Being escorted by His Highness the Crown Prince—rumors will spread in an instant.”

“…There’s no one around here anyway.”

The garden, with only occasional streetlights standing here and there, was indeed devoid of any signs of people. Since it was late, most of the salon guests seemed to have gone home as well.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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