"Yes, yes, yes! Sister-in-law is right!"
Amidst Leon's skeptical gaze, lanie, who was secretly relieved, couldn't help but nod repeatedly, seriously agreeing,
"That's exactly the kind of genius I am! So, I didn't betray my brother at all. The reason I accepted sister-in-law's offers was purely for my brother's family harmony. There's absolutely no personal motive... or if there is, it's not much!"
"..."
If you hadn't added that last sentence, I might have actually believed you...
Watching lanie's eyes darting around, probably scheming sothing again, Leon shook his head helplessly and asked,
"Where's Anna? Why isn't she at ho?"
Escaped!
Seeing Leon change the topic, knowing she was off the hook, lanie couldn't help but feel a wave of joy and promptly answered,
"Anna went to work! She started working at the Charitable Asylum as soon as it opened, getting a paycheck. Whenever William and I are at school, she goes over there to help out.
She wasn't supposed to work today, but sohow, a lot of elderly people with gray hair ca in all at once, even filling the hallways. They were really short on staff, so Anna had to go help out."
"Then I ca over."
After lanie had finished, Veronica gently added,
"William hasn't been feeling too well these days, so Anna asked my lady to arrange soone to help look after him. Since I had ti today, I sent so people to the Charitable Asylum to assist and ca over with the doctor for a check-up."
"William isn't feeling well?"
"Don't worry, it's just a slight fever."
Seeing the slight worry on Leon's face, Veronica softly explained,
"Children have weaker constitutions, probably caught a chill at night. After taking two small doses of alchemy potions, he's already recovered from the fever. He just fell into a deep sleep in the other room."
"I see..."
It seems William just has a common cold, or else Anna would never have felt at ease and would definitely have co back to take care of him herself.
Using the black sheep's soul vision to sneak a look in the room, ensuring William's soul was fine, rely in a deep sleep, Leon finally felt relieved.
As he turned to lanie, about to ask what had happened around ho these days, Veronica's eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she leaned in close to sniff him.
"What's up?"
He lifted his arm to sll himself, confirming there was nothing odd and asked curiously,
"Do I sll strange?"
"Not strange, more like pleasant..."
After sniffing again, Veronica frowned and said,
"Leon? Did you drink before coming back?"
"..."
I didn't actually drink... but I did swallow one of the God of Wine's pearls...
"Sort of had a bit."
Nodding ambiguously, as he recalled fighting with the director over the Soaking Wine Pearl and ending up swallowing it, Leon blew into his hand and slled it, then said helplessly,
"I stopped by the office before coming ho and accidentally gulped down a mouthful... Is the sll strong?"
"Not really... but it's a bit strong..."
She couldn't help but sniff again, and Veronica's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as she blinked in confusion,
"I only took a sniff, yet I feel like I downed half a bottle of spirits... um... lanie? lanie?"
"Huh?"
After being called twice, lanie finally reacted, tilting her flushed little face, barely keeping her eyes open,
"Big brother... I'm feeling a bit dizzy..."
"..."
Alcohol? Dizzy? Could it be...
Seeing the two before him, one large, one small, both wobbly, realization dawned on Leon and he quickly touched his tongue to the back of his hand. Imdiately, a wave of rich, spicy alcohol flavor surged from his taste buds to his forehead.
Uh-oh, it seems that pearl has soaked!
Standing up and stepping back a bit to give so space, he felt a bit at a loss as he watched the drunken-looking lanie. Eventually, he scooped her up and took her to his room to sleep it off.
As Leon left the room, a sowhat tipsy Veronica started instructing her two female attendants to help look after the sleeping children.
Once the female attendants left the living room, attending to the kids in other rooms, Queen Veronica, her neck lightly flushed, rose and took his hand, looking lovingly up at him.
"Leon~"
"Hold it!"
Sensing the atmosphere was turning strange, Leon quickly pulled back and warned,
"Sothing's off with ; keep a bit of distance, will you?"
"Okay, I'll listen to whatever you say~"
After blinking her bright eyes, Veronica stepped back, then wrinkled her nose at the room's suddenly potent alcohol scent. Smiling, she suggested,
"Leon, maybe we should move sowhere else. The alcohol scent on you is getting stronger. If you stay here, I'm afraid they'll pass out even with a door in between."
"..."
"Let's go; I'm really about to get tipsy."
With her hand pressed to her hot cheek, her eyes becoming more liquid, Veronica said,
"It's been months since I saw you. I have so much to tell you and I don't want to just pass out... Leon, take sowhere airy so I can sober up a bit... How about my balcony?"
"Alright..."
After checking the souls of the two troublemakers at ho and the two attendants, ensuring everything was fine, Leon agreed to Veronica's proposal. Concerned about his alcohol aura, he led the way to the mirror world via a polished doorknob, heading towards the palace.
"Hmm... that feels much better."
Placed by Leon into a wicker chair on the balcony, Veronica's face grew redder as she teased,
"No wonder you're my chosen one. A re hug and I'm nearly drunk."
"..."
You're almost drunk, while I am really drunk...
He brought his hand close to his nose, taking in the overwhelming alcohol scent like crashing waves, grumbled to himself about the bad luck, and sighed as he explained his situation.
"So it was mistaken consumption of the God of Wine's pearl that made you constantly exude alcohol scent."
After listening intently to Leon's explanation, Veronica nodded, smiling as she mused,
"If you put it that way, it seems I've mistakenly consud a pearl too... Leon~ can you detect the scent I'm giving off?"
"Huh? What scent?"
"The scent of missing you."
"..."
...
Hmm? What's that scent...
Just as Leon was internally cringing from the cheesy line that sent shivers down his spine, Anna, worried about William's fever, hurriedly ca ho, opening the door to be hit by the overwhelming alcohol scent.
Perplexed, she opened Leon's partially ajar bedroom door and saw lanie, sprawled out on the bed, sleeping deeply with flushed cheeks. Anna's face instantly darkened.
"lanie!!!"
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