Leon, Tris, and Johanne were busy preparing all sorts of things.
Just from looking at them, it was pretty obvious what they were planning. There were bottles being brought out, glasses being arranged, and enough preparation happening that anyone could tell tonight was probably going to end with everyone getting at least a little drunk.
Personally, I wasn’t particularly eager to get drunk tonight.
It wasn’t that I disliked drinking. Far from it, actually. I enjoyed a good drink every now and then. I just hadn’t been in the mood for it recently.
Still, it wasn’t like I had any reason to refuse their invitation.
If they were going through all this effort and wanted to join them, then there wasn’t much point in turning them down. Besides, it had been quite a while since I’d had genuinely good wine.
Thinking about it that way, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.
While everyone continued preparing things around the room, I found my attention drifting elsewhere.
More specifically, toward Leon.
I wasn’t even trying to stare.
At least, that’s what I wanted to tell myself.
But sohow my eyes kept finding their way back to him.
For so reason, I still found it difficult to believe that he was actually here.
Charlotte had told before that Leon was incredibly busy these days. From what she’d said, he had all sorts of responsibilities piled onto his shoulders. Even now, he was apparently helping Myrcella with various matters involving the kingdom while also helping stabilize her position on the throne.
The more I thought about it, the stranger it seed.
Honestly, if soone were to describe the situation from the outside, it almost sounded like Leon was the one running everything while Myrcella was the one carrying out the decisions.
Maybe that wasn’t entirely fair.
But it was hard not to think it.
At first, I’d definitely found him suspicious.
Anyone would have.
A man that influential, that capable, and sohow involved in so many important matters naturally raised questions.
But the more I learned about him, the harder it beca to believe he had so hidden agenda lurking behind everything.
At least not the kind I had initially imagined.
The way he interacted with the won around him never seed fake.
Whenever I saw him with them, he genuinely looked like he cared.
Not the way soone would pretend to care.
Not the way soone would act if they were only trying to gain sothing.
It looked real.
That was probably why I eventually stopped worrying about it.
Did he gain things from those relationships?
Maybe.
Realistically, probably.
But I never got the impression that he was simply using people for his own benefit.
There was a difference.
At least, that’s what I felt.
While I was lost in thought, a voice suddenly interrupted .
"You’ve been looking at Leon quite a lot, haven’t you?"
I imdiately turned toward Tris.
She was grinning.
Actually, calling it a grin was putting it lightly.
The woman looked entirely too pleased with herself.
The smile stretched from ear to ear as if she’d just caught committing so terrible cri.
And judging from how amused she looked, she was clearly enjoying every second of my discomfort.
"He might not be looking at you right now," she continued casually, "but he’s definitely noticed."
My face imdiately grew warr.
"And honestly," she added, sounding way too entertained, "he can probably hear this conversation too. He’s just pretending not to."
Well.
That was a horrifying thought.
The worst part was that it was probably true.
Leon had a tendency to notice things.
A lot of things.
Far more things than most people should reasonably notice.
"I’m not looking at him, you know."
The mont the words left my mouth, Tris gave a look.
It was the kind of look that instantly communicated she didn’t believe a single word I’d just said.
"You don’t have to pretend."
"I’m not pretending."
"Mhm."
"I an it."
"Mhm."
I frowned.
"You don’t believe ."
"Not even a little."
This woman was impossible.
"I’m seeing everything, you know?" she said.
If she was seeing everything, then maybe she could have chosen not to comnt on it.
That would’ve been nice.
Very nice, actually.
Unfortunately, Tris seed completely opposed to the idea of allowing any dignity.
"And besides," she said, leaning slightly closer, "you’re wearing so pretty sexy lingerie underneath those clothes, aren’t you?"
I nearly choked.
"H-How did you even notice that?"
Seriously.
How?
I had gone out of my way to make sure it wasn’t obvious.
Or at least I thought I had.
Tris looked entirely too proud of herself.
"You’re wearing sothing sleeveless," she said matter-of-factly.
"So?"
"So all I had to do was look near your arm."
"..."
"I caught a glimpse of a very nice bra."
I imdiately looked away.
My face sohow felt even hotter than before.
"And if you’re wearing that," she continued, "then I’m assuming you’re probably wearing sothing equally nice underneath too."
"T-That doesn’t an anything."
"Of course it ans sothing."
"It doesn’t."
"Mhm."
"It really doesn’t."
"Mhm."
I wanted to throw sothing at her.
Not hard.
Just enough to annoy her.
Unfortunately, she’d probably enjoy that too.
"So considering all of that," Tris continued, completely ignoring my suffering, "I’d say you prepared yourself just in case you ended up having sex with Leon."
"Y-You’re saying that way too loudly!"
I imdiately glanced toward Leon.
To my relief, he wasn’t looking in our direction.
Unfortunately, that didn’t make feel any better.
"I wasn’t even being loud," Tris said.
Technically, she wasn’t.
That was the problem.
If she had been shouting, I could’ve at least blad the volu.
Instead, she was speaking normally.
Which ant there was a very real chance Leon could hear every word.
Or maybe he couldn’t.
Or maybe he could.
Honestly, I didn’t know.
And I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
The important thing was that I didn’t want Leon getting the impression that I was so kind of pervert.
"M-More importantly, that’s not why."
"Oh?"
"I just wore this for the occasion."
"The occasion."
"Yes."
"The occasion."
"Stop repeating it like that."
"I’m just making sure I understand."
I groaned.
"It doesn’t an I was thinking about anything."
"Of course."
"I wasn’t."
"Naturally."
"You’re impossible."
"And yet you’re still talking to ."
She wasn’t wrong.
Unfortunately.
The grin on her face only widened.
It was becoming increasingly obvious that she had absolutely no intention of letting this go.
Not now.
Possibly not ever.
Then, after letting suffer for another few seconds, she suddenly leaned closer and lowered her voice.
"Don’t worry."
Her tone imdiately caught my attention.
"We’re planning to let you join in."
I blinked.
For a mont, I just stared at her.
"J-Join in on what?"
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