“What do you think about meeting new people in unfamiliar places, Lord Redford?”

Logan’s face should normally be colored with contempt. But once again, her expectation was off the mark.

He just silently looked down at her. He even seemed delighted, as if he had discovered a treasure.

Sidney chuckled and muttered to herself, “Am I really drunk?”

As if to tell her she was drunk, the sound of the two men whispering faded into the distance.

Sidney came to her senses when Ernest lightly tapped the table.

“Um, for now… I’ll take my cousin.”

Sidney blinked and let out an “Ah.” Then she tried to sort out the situation in her mind.

So Ernest was taking his drunk and sleeping cousin home. Because Victoria was his cousin? Ernest Holden?

Sidney recalled the numerous letters she had exchanged with Victoria. There was no mention of Ernest Holden anywhere…

“How can I believe that you’re really Victoria’s cousin?”

Ernest and Logan exchanged glances with troubled expressions. After pondering for a moment, Ernest handed Sidney a business card.

“This is my business card. If you still don’t believe me… I’ll wake Victoria up to prove it.”

“…How?”

“Then please excuse the noise for a moment.”

Sidney rested her chin on her hand and watched Ernest shake Victoria awake.

“Victoria Owello. Hey, wake up.”

“Huh? Who is this. My deaaaar… Ernest oraa… brother.”

Ernest lifted the struggling Victoria into his arms and said triumphantly.

“Miss Marien, that proves I’m her brother, right?”

“Yes, please take good care of Victoria.”

Sidney waved her hand lightly at Ernest with a smile. As soon as he turned around after nodding goodbye, he grumbled.

“Phew, just how much did she drink?”

“Nooo. I’m, not drunk.”

“Victoria, please let’s go quietly.”

Ding.

The bell rang as Ernest and Victoria left.

Sidney held her empty glass and swirled it lightly, her chin still resting on her hand. As she was just staring blankly into the glass, a bottle of alcohol came into view.

When she looked up, Logan met her eyes as he filled her glass.

“Why.”

She wanted to ask Logan why he sat in Victoria’s seat. But for some reason, the words wouldn’t come out.

Logan’s lips twitched as he gazed steadily at her.

“Because your glass was empty.”

Something was off. The Logan she knew wasn’t the type to do this for an unfamiliar woman.

Maybe it would be better to just ask directly. Sidney straightened her posture and asked bluntly.

“You don’t seem like someone who would trust a stranger… Yet you’re sitting there and even filling my glass. Why?”

The smile disappeared from Logan’s face. Then he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. This was the Logan that Sidney knew well.

He always did that when something displeased him or he had something on his mind.

“Why, maybe Miss Marien isn’t a stranger.”

“…”

Did he figure it out after all? Sidney pretended to brush her hair behind her ear while checking the shape of her earrings. They were still in ring form, so the artifact seemed to be working normally.

[This is the timeline separator]

Whether it was due to being drunk or nervous, the woman’s fingertips trembled slightly as she fidgeted with her earrings.

The slightly downcast cool blue eyes, the curt manner of speaking, and even the low, husky voice… Everything was too familiar.

‘Lovers’ Night’. Of all days, she resembled that guy who went to meet a woman today…

Though her face and hair color were completely different, her tall and slender build, indifferent speech and expression, and the strange atmosphere that drove him crazy reminded him of that damned fellow.

Someone whose mere existence irritated his nerves, yet he felt like he’d go mad if he didn’t see them. That Sidney Warden who even made Logan Redford question his sexual identity…

“…To escape.”

Logan Redford continued speaking as he filled the puzzled woman’s glass.

“The ‘new connection met in an unfamiliar place’ that Miss Marien mentioned – I want to find out what it means. Let’s say that’s why.”

“‘Let’s say’… Does that mean you have other intentions?”

Logan Redford’s eyebrow twitched at the woman’s sharp observation catching his words.

The white, oval face, voluminous golden hair swept up, and strangely different features couldn’t possibly be that fellow. Moreover, she was a woman Logan could freely like.

His perfect life. If he could go back to being the impeccable Logan, heir to the Redford viscounty…

“Isn’t it the same reason a butterfly seeks flowers?”

“Nectar… Are you trying to eat me?”

How could a person eat another person? The woman burst out laughing, seemingly finding her own words ridiculous.

Normally, Logan would have been disgusted by a drunk woman like this and her nonsensical flirting, refusing to even engage. But her mistake was cute, and he wanted to hear more of that low laughter…

“I hadn’t thought that far… Is it not allowed?”

He decided to willingly play the fool. To be with this bold woman who had boldly placed her hotel room key on the table.

[This is the timeline separator]

Did she hear that wrong?

Sidney stared at him blankly, her face still holding traces of laughter.

Was it because he was wearing a blue cravat and dark gray suit instead of his uniform, or because his neatly combed platinum blonde hair was slightly disheveled…?

His thick eyebrows, high straight nose bridge, pleasantly full lips, and sharp jawline were all the same, and yet…

A wild, feral charisma emanated from the current Logan Redford, like a predator waiting for its prey.

Was it because of that gaze?

Those blue eyes burning as if they would devour her.

It was very similar to the look in Logan’s eyes whenever he could barely contain his anger.

No, it was even more dangerous and burdensome than that.

“That’s quite a harsh joke.”

The heavy silence was broken by the sound of Sidney setting her glass down on the table with a thud. Even that sound seemed distant… Sidney realized she was more drunk than she had thought.

She reached for her handbag beside her and opened her mouth to speak.

“I’m too drunk. I should go…”

“Now that you say that… I’m curious about one more thing.”

Her “I should go” was drowned out by Logan’s voice.

“Late at night, drinking alone at a hotel bar… What was your intention in placing the key so conspicuously?”

He was pointing at the penthouse key placed on the table. Sidney instinctively grasped it while her lips parted.

“Ah, this is…”

Sidney’s mouth snapped shut as she was about to explain casually. She could sufficiently guess what his question meant and what misunderstanding he was having.

In reality, that had been Victoria’s intention in booking the penthouse. And Logan had merely asked a question.

Nevertheless, Sidney found this situation utterly humiliating and irritating.

Sidney picked up the bottle of alcohol with the hand that had been reaching for her handbag. She took the glass in front of Logan and filled it with alcohol.

Logan Redford disliked alcohol. The reason was that he had an extremely low tolerance for it.

Moreover, while not severe, Logan was excessively fastidious. Would such a person use a glass that Victoria had been drinking from?

Absolutely, never, such a thing would not happen.

“This is the glass my friend was drinking from… but that’s okay, right?”

Sidney placed the glass in front of him with a sweet smile. As expected, Logan’s face contorted with displeasure. Then, with a very troubled expression, he politely declined.

“I have a low alcohol tolerance.”

Having elicited the desired response from Logan, a smile spread across Sidney’s face.

She pointed at the glass with a provocative look in her eyes.

“If you want to hear my answer, drink.”

Forcing someone with low alcohol tolerance to drink is truly rude behavior.

But she wanted to let him know that his question had been equally inconsiderate of the other person.

Of course, he probably wouldn’t catch on to this intention, but at least Sidney would feel much better.

“What if I get drunk?”

Sidney showed interest in the glass he was holding. Then, resting her chin on the table, she whispered in a teasing tone.

“…If you want that answer too, you’ll have to drink two glasses.”

“Miss Marien, you’re a dangerous woman.”

Logan let out a long sigh as if he couldn’t bear it, then downed the glass of alcohol in one go. Then he refilled the glass himself.

“You don’t have to push yourself.”

Logan gazed at Sidney, who was trying to stop him, as he tilted the second glass.

His narrowed eyes and bobbing Adam’s apple. Sidney unconsciously licked her lips.

Logan set the glass down on the table with a smirk.

“Now, answer both questions.”

Logan’s eyes and voice seemed languid.

Getting drunk on just two glasses. Sidney felt a bit dumbfounded but also apologetic. So she held up the key and explained sincerely.

“This is the key to the penthouse Victoria reserved. And if you get drunk… I thought I’d feel less embarrassed. I felt like I was getting drunk alone and making a scene.”

“That’s disappointing.”

“What’s disappointing?”

Logan pointed at her glass, just as she had done. It meant that if she wanted to hear his answer, she should drink too.

“That’s unfair… I have a low alcohol tolerance too.”

“You don’t look like it.”

“That’s what’s frustrating. Even when I’m drunk, I don’t get any consideration.”

She added in a small voice, ‘Because it doesn’t show.’ Then she downed the glass of alcohol like Logan had done.

When she made an “Ugh” sound and shuddered, Logan covered his mouth with his hand. It was an attempt to hold back his laughter, but he couldn’t hide the sound of his chuckle.

“Stop laughing and just answer.”

“Hmm, I thought Miss Marien was trying to seduce me to take me to her room. I was disappointed that wasn’t the case.”

Why would Logan, the heir to the Redford viscounty, be disappointed and want to be seduced by a commoner like Marien who didn’t even have a title?

Besides, it’s not like that would work even if she tried to seduce him.

“Are you saying… you want me to seduce you like that?”

Logan filled her glass with a meaningful smile. It meant she should drink if she wanted an answer.

This man, really. Sidney pushed the glass away slightly with a snort.

“I’m not particularly curious, so I won’t drink.”

“I see.”

Logan lowered his eyes and chuckled. That seemed to provoke her more, and Sidney snorted again and sneered.

“Are you drunk? Your words are getting shorter and you keep laughing.”

“I have to be drunk. Drunk enough not to be embarrassed while Miss Marien is talking.”

Was he always this glib? Every time Sidney saw a new side of Logan, she felt inexplicably frustrated and upset.

Three years on the battlefield, and one year on the investigation team.

For a full four years, Logan Redford would frown or get angry whenever he saw her. When he wasn’t doing that, he would ignore her and treat her like she wasn’t even human.

But to ‘Marien’, whom he met for the first time today… When her thoughts reached that point, Sidney raised her hand and waved it in the air. As if it was all pointless.

“You seem to want to hear my story, or rather, this Marien’s story.”

“Would it be alright if my question is rude?”

It seems he’s properly drunk now.

Right now, Sidney was dissatisfied with everything. She disliked it whether Logan Redford was curious about Marien or not.

“Right now I’m drunk, so.”

“That’s fortunate. I’m drunk too.”

Logan put the glass to his lips and tilted his head back.

With a thud, Logan set down the glass and growled with a pained expression.

“I’m insanely curious. Especially about what the purpose of that penthouse was.”