Nightfall descended, the sky gradually transitioning from a bright blue to a mysterious deepness, as stars began to twinkle in the heavens.
A gentle breeze swept past, carrying the chill of the night.
And due to its proximity to the sea, the wind seemed to mingle with the scent of seawater.
Inside the Witch's Manor, Luo Chen and Ailika were enjoying a candlelit dinner, savoring Italian cuisine. It wasn't the thick-crust Neapolitan style as rumored, but a crispy, thin-crust Roman variety.
The sound of crickets from afar, the rustling of leaves against the wind nearby, these sounds intertwined, composing a beautiful night-time symphony.
As it was quite late, and finding lodging in the town wasn't easy, the three decided to spend the night at the Witch's Manor.
Of course, Lukurachia was more than happy to have them, albeit under the condition of them buying groceries and cooking.
Despite being the owner of the house, while they were merely visitors, she ended up lounging on the sofa, unapologetically enjoying the maid's service.
Incidentally, Marianna's culinary skills were truly something to behold, as disastrous as her driving.
Thus, this dinner was prepared by Luo Chen and Ailika.
To be precise, Luo Chen was the chef and main cook, while Ailika and the maid assisted as sous chefs.
While his cooking skills were merely average, they were undoubtedly better than the duo's. However, the maid and her mistress prepared several Italian dishes to entertain him.
“….So! Don't just stand there, pour me some wine!”
“You've had enough.”
“Huh?! Just a little bit, are you underestimating my capacity? I tell you, I can drink a thousand cups and still be sober!”
“Yes, yes.”
“Ugh～You don't believe me?”
“No, I believe you.”
“Hmph! I know you don't, if you don't, I'll drink to show you!”
“……”
Girl, I suspect you're trying to "retaliate" by emptying Lukurachia's wine collection.
Although I was silently criticizing her, since even the witch, the house owner, didn't mind, I, a mere guest, wouldn't say anything.
At that moment, Luo Chen was surprised that the blonde girl's tolerance was indeed quite high.
But, she wouldn't stop guzzling down the drinks!
Looking at the several empty bottles on the table, and the many more scattered beneath, one could only imagine how much the blonde had consumed.
All those were Ailika's achievements, while he, on the other hand, still had half a glass of wine left in front of him.
It was red wine, with a rich flavor, but Luo Chen was not like the two drunkard girls present.
Indeed, not only Ailika, but even the maid, Ailianna, was drunk, sitting at the foot of the stairs, giggling foolishly while holding a wine bottle.
Ailika's tolerance was stronger, at least she could still sit opposite him and chatter, albeit in a drunken stupor.
Then, perhaps feeling that Luo Chen didn't believe her, the girl puffed out her cheeks, protested, and put down her wine glass, then directly picked up the bottle and gulped down the wine with a “glug-glug-glug”, showcasing her bold side, only to -
“Bang～”
“Wuu～I can't eat anymore～Ailianna! Help me back to my room～Hurry up!”
“……”
As expected, after guzzling down a few more drinks, the drunk girl started to act out.
After casually throwing away the bottle, she lost her usual ladylike demeanor, swaying as she shouted at her maid.
Unfortunately, the maid was even worse than her, already passed out and unresponsive.
But drunken Ailika didn't care about that.
She ordered while standing up, then, in her daze, mistook whoever she saw for her maid. Anyway, when Luo Chen rose to his feet, amused and helpless, she pounced on him.
“Ailianna～I'm sleepy, take me back to my room!”
“Don't be silly.”
“Hurry up～”
“Alright, alright, don't move around.”
“Hu～Ailianna, when did your hands become so big? So ticklish～That's a no-no～”
Once bitten, twice shy, to prevent the drunk girl from moving around and causing trouble, Luo Chen had no choice but to embrace her around the waist and lift her up.
It has to be said, Ailika's figure was undoubtedly top-notch among her peers.
Even when drunk, her clear, heavenly voice had become slightly more intoxicating.
And her blurry eyes, under the candlelight, stared at him intently, like a love-struck gaze, captivating his heart.
For a moment, Luo Chen wondered if she was truly drunk or feigning it?
Or, was she not as drunk as she appeared?
No idea, but after lifting her up, the girl immediately quieted down, blushing as she wrapped her arms around him, letting Luo Chen carry her upstairs.
Although it was a new place, the Witch's Manor wasn't big.
Besides Lukurachia's bedroom on the second floor, there were only two guest rooms, so there was no chance of getting lost.
“Meow?”
When they reached the upstairs, a black cat meowed behind them.
Needless to say, it must be the witch controlling her familiar, "peeking" at them, so Luo Chen simply ignored it.
“Click～”
The guest room wasn't large, but it was cozy and comfortable.
And the flickering candlelight added a touch of dreaminess and haziness to the room.
However, it wasn't the time to appreciate these details, Luo Chen, carrying Ailika, quickly reached the resting place and gently placed her on it.
Tug!
Just as he was about to turn around and leave, his sleeve was pulled by a fair hand.
Eyes met, Luo Chen turned his head and saw Ailika, her cheeks flushed red, looking at him.
“Don't leave……”