Senior, I've Come to Visit - Side Story 1

Late afternoon, in the Magic Tower’s lab.

After finishing my work for the day, I took off my white lab coat and hung it on the rack.

“I’ll head out now.”

“Good work today.”

“Enjoy your day off, Eloise!”

“Yes.”

After saying goodbye to Mireille and Lupina, I left the lab with a light step.

“Eloise.”

As expected, Nardi was waiting for me out front again today. He opened his arms wide, smiling brightly, as if telling me to come hug him. After checking that no one else was around, I quickly ran into his arms.

He wrapped his strong arms around my back, and I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my cheek against his chest. I nuzzled my cheek lightly against the jacket of his Safety Department uniform, taking in his scent and warmth. His endlessly broad, warm embrace instantly made me feel safe.

“I missed you.”

“…We saw each other at lunchtime.”

“We were apart for half a day.”

Quite a long separation, apparently.

“Good job today.”

His hand slipped down and patted my butt. He did it so often these days that it no longer made me feel anything strange like before. I’d simply gotten used to it.

“You worked hard too.”

Creak- When I heard a door opening somewhere, I quickly stepped out of his arms.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

It was the time when other wizards were getting off work one by one.

Avoiding anything too affectionate, we headed toward the carriage stop. As we left the research building, the sun was sinking in a red glow. With the longer summer days, the sky always turned beautifully crimson at this hour. The breeze was pleasant too, neither hot nor cold.

Earlier this year, Nardi had been transferred from the Research Department to the Safety Department. He wasn’t on our team anymore, and he’d become part of the First Wizard Division of the Safety Department, but since we’d expected this beforehand, it wasn’t disappointing.

Honestly, the fact that the heir of House Gracian had stayed in the Research Department for an entire year had been unusual enough. Even if we were on different teams, he was still a wizard of the Magic Tower. We still commuted together, ate lunch together at the Tower’s cafeteria, and Nardi frequently dropped by our team’s floor whenever he felt like it.

I couldn’t see him in a white lab coat anymore, which was a bit of a shame, but the Safety Department uniform suited him incredibly well. The first time I saw him in the black uniform, my heart actually fluttered. A tall, strikingly handsome man wearing a rigid, restrained uniform created an odd yet impressive contrast that suited him perfectly.

“Ah, I got a bottle of really good alcohol. How about tonight?”

He pulled a fancy bottle from his bag.

“Where’d you get that?”

“A colleague went to a distillery and brought it back for me. And since we have tomorrow off, the timing’s perfect.”

“Didn’t you say you know I don’t like drinking?”

“That’s only with other people. It’s fine when it’s just the two of us.”

Nardi looked like he was genuinely looking forward to it.

At the end of last year, during our team dinner, we’d drunk together for the first time.

Our team had successfully completed our research project, the potion that blocked demonic beasts from approaching. After many trials and errors, we’d managed to make it suitable for large-scale production at a reasonable cost. To celebrate and to send off Nardi, who would soon move to the Safety Department, we held a dinner. I ended up getting quite drunk.

Whether I was inherently weak to alcohol or simply had no tolerance because I almost never drank, I didn’t know, but I got drunk after barely drinking anything. I didn’t make any major mistakes or anything, but I became unusually cheerful and giggly.

That night in bed, without even realizing it, I became much more forward.

“When I’m out on subjugation missions, you’re absolutely not allowed to drink, Eloise.”

He’d said it half-pleased, half-serious as he warned me again and again.

Since I didn’t enjoy alcohol anyway, I hadn’t drunk at all afterward, but today I thought maybe I’d have a glass.

“I’m not going to drink a lot.”

Really, I didn’t dislike alcohol, but I didn’t particularly like it either.

“Of course, no overdrinking.”

“Yeah.”

“What do you want for dinner?”

“Hmm… something simple. What about you?”

“I want to eat Eloise.”

“….”

Worried someone might’ve heard, I quickly checked our surroundings. Fortunately, no one was nearby, but still, honestly.

I gave Nardi a long stare and quietly lifted my hand. Slipping it between the edges of his jacket, I grabbed his side and squeezed. It was meant to be payback, but he slowly closed his eyes and opened them again with a savoring expression. I was so dumbfounded I let out a short laugh.

“Ha… don’t tempt me outside. Save it for the bed later, pleas-“

I slapped my hand over his mouth before he could finish. Nardi, who kept chuckling as if it were all hilarious, was incredibly annoying. Why was he so tall? My arm was practically trembling just to cover his mouth. I shushed him firmly, then lowered my arm and faced forward. A cheerful laugh rang beside me.

He really was something else….

I needed to punish him properly in the carriage. With that thought, I quickened my pace.

***

“You said you weren’t going to drink much, my love.”

“I didn’t drink that much.”

“That’s exactly what heavy drinkers always say.”

“I’m not. Who drinks less than me?”

I barely drank once or twice a year.

But I was starting to understand why people enjoyed alcohol. I thought maybe I’d drink a bit more often now.

The deep ruby-colored red wine was tart and bitter, so the flavor itself wasn’t something I particularly liked, but drinking it slowly, glass by glass, feeling the warmth rise through my body felt good. My body loosened pleasantly, and I felt strangely excited. I lifted the glass and looked at the shimmering red liquid before taking another small sip. I felt the strong drink slide down my throat.

“Have some fruit too. Your pale face is turning red like a strawberry.”

He placed a few grapes against my lips, and I accepted them obediently. While eating what he fed me, I accidentally bit his fingers.

“Ow, don’t eat my fingers.”

“Ahahaha.”

When I burst into laughter, Nardi let out an exasperated little laugh.

“Sorry.”

“Ow, it hurts.”

He pretended to be hurt, though I hadn’t bitten hard at all. I took his hand and blew cool air on his fingers. Hugging his arm like a doll, I felt giddy and pressed a grape to his handsome face.

“Ah.”

He opened his red lips, and I popped the grape inside. Our eyes met, and for no reason at all, laughter bubbled up.

“Ahaha.”

“Hahaha.”

We laughed for no reason, loudly enough to clap my hands. Nardi cupped my cheek with one hand. I’d already felt the heat burning across my face, but when his familiar, warm palm touched me, it felt even hotter. I rubbed my cheek against his cool hand.

“You’re drunk, Eloise. That’s enough.”

“No, I’m perfectly fine.”

I was enjoying myself so much, I couldn’t understand why he’d say such a thing. When I reached for my glass to finish drinking, he smoothly took it from my hand and emptied the rest in one go.

“….”

That’s mine….

I pouted, but when I noticed his glass was still full, I quickly reached out.

“I’m drinking yours.”

And I chugged the whole thing in one go.

“Haha.”

Nardi didn’t stop me from stealing his drink. He just kept laughing like he couldn’t help it.