My Only Person
“Your Grace!”
Riena hurriedly rose and moved to the far side of the bed.
Herman, unable even to point out that her address had grown stiff again, stared at her with a rare, dazed expression.
“What did you just say……?”
“Pardon?”
Distracted by the spilled wine, Riena looked up at him.
In that instant their gazes met—his clear, transparent golden eyes locking with hers.
Herman lost himself for a moment before hastily dropping his head.
“A hot night? What on earth do you mean by that……!”
“W-wait. You’re soaked!”
She had been staring straight at him; only belatedly did she come to her senses. The spilled wine had thoroughly drenched his trousers, the thin silk fabric clinging to the solid lines of his thighs.
Flustered and at a loss, Riena reached out on pure reflex.
The moment her fingertips brushed his thigh—
“Riena!”
A startled Herman called her name in a rush.
Of all places, it had to be his trousers; the resulting scene looked strangely compromising.
Sensing where her gaze had fixed, Herman’s face flushed crimson in an instant.
In his entire life he had never shown anyone such an embarrassing sight.
Yet somehow, whenever he stood before her, he kept making ridiculous mistakes.
“G-go change. Quickly.”
Herman shot to his feet and hurried away. Riena watched blankly as he vanished into the dressing room; moments later her own face burned.
She had just realized exactly where she had been looking—and what she had nearly touched.
“I-I’m……”
I’ve lost my mind. Seriously!
“Ahem. Ahem.”
Having hastily changed into fresh trousers, Herman finally managed to calm his pounding heart enough to return to his seat.
In the meantime the maids must have come and gone; the table and floor were spotless, without a single wine stain left behind.
“A-are you all right?”
Riena, who had been tipping back a few more glasses, glanced sidelong at her husband as he approached the table.
She had thought she’d managed to forget, yet the moment she saw his face the earlier incident flashed before her eyes.
Unconsciously averting her gaze, she fled into her glass. After draining it once more, her vision swayed.
“Careful……!”
Herman, who happened to be passing beside her, swiftly caught her listing body. Riena rubbed her head against his solid frame and blinked heavy eyelids.
Recognizing her condition at once, Herman gave a soft chuckle.
“You’re drunk.”
“……I’m not drunk.”
The sleep-thickened voice was hardly convincing.
Had she truly been sober she would have straightened up at once, yet she remained leaning against him, blinking slowly.
The sight was unexpectedly endearing; Herman simply watched her for a moment.
Ordinarily she never leaned on him like this.
Just having her nestled quietly against him felt strangely new.
He wanted to pull her into his arms right then……
But that would startle her.
Besides, he had no desire to do anything impure to someone who was intoxicated.
He wanted it when she wanted it—when she was clear-headed.
“Mmm……”
“……!”
Still leaning against him, Riena rubbed her head against his flat abdomen. The soft whimper slipped out naturally as the alcohol loosened her limbs.
……Can’t I just hold her once?
The resolve he had made only moments ago—not to act like a scoundrel—wavered sharply.
What man, after all, could endure the person he loved rubbing against him like this without giving in?
Herman held back the urge to embrace her that very second with tears of blood, and sighed.
Hearing the lamenting sound, Riena tilted her chin up. Meeting those clear golden eyes, Herman swallowed dryly without thinking.
She was the only one who had been drinking, yet somehow he felt thoroughly intoxicated himself.
Sensing an untimely crisis, Herman called his wife’s name gently.
Far from looking away, Riena only rubbed her small head against him more freely, showing affection without the slightest hesitation. Growing even more tormented, Herman swallowed hard as he regarded the woman clinging to him like a cicada stuck to an old tree.
S-surely not.
Was this drunken clinginess?
Attaching herself to someone else?
Having stumbled upon a new fact, Herman blinked stupidly.
Until now she must have regulated herself so carefully that it never showed.
Come to think of it, he had never seen her this drunk even during their previous marriage……
……Wait a moment.
Then.
Has she ever been this drunk before?
Herman’s face went pale in an instant.
What if someone else had seen her like this before him?
Anyone who had would surely have found her adorable.
The thought alone made the blood in his veins run cold.
“Riena.”
“Yes?”
She answered readily enough, yet sleep and drink thickened her voice.
Herman carefully stroked the green hair that had been rubbing against his clothes.
Somehow he felt that, right now, she would answer anything.
“Have you…… ever gotten drunk before?”
“I’m not drunk……”
She seemed to take his question as asking whether she was drunk at present; the reflexive denial tumbled out.
Herman, gently carding his calloused fingers through her soft hair, huffed a quiet laugh.
“I know. You’re not drunk right now.”
“Mm. That’s right. I’m not.”
Anyone could see she was thoroughly tipsy, but Herman, wanting the answer, pretended not to notice.
“I’ve never gotten drunk in my life.”
The hand stroking her hair froze in midair.
“I really don’t drink much……”
Her voice was soft enough that only someone extremely close could hear it.
And right now Herman was the person closest to her.
This is the first time she’s ever been drunk?
Then the only person who has seen her like this……
……is still just me?
The moment the thought reached that far, his mood soared as if on a trampoline.
“Why are you laughing?”
Hearing the delighted sound, Riena blinked slowly. Herman suppressed the sudden urge to kiss those eyelids and murmured,
“Because you’re pretty.”
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
At that, Riena furrowed her brow.
A look that suggested she had something to say lingered. After staring at him intently she parted her lips.
“You’re prettier than I am.”
“Hm?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected compliment, Herman’s eyes widened.
Riena scrutinized his handsome face thoroughly, then swallowed with a soft tsk.
“You’re prettier. Everyone else must think so too……”
“Me?”
Riena nodded without hesitation.
Was there anyone in high society who shone as brightly as this man?
If she herself had been able to spare attention for anything beyond rebuilding her house and making money, she might have fallen for him the way the other young ladies had.
His appearance, of course—but his character and disposition were upright through and through.
Honestly, she still could hardly believe she was this man’s wife……
“……?!”
Startled, Riena hastily turned her head away.
Herman had scooped her up in one smooth motion and, instead of explaining, simply curved his lips.
His long strides carried them straight to the soft bed.
Laying his wife gently atop the plush covers, Herman sat on the edge beside her. Riena parted her full lips and mumbled,
“Why aren’t you drinking more……”
“I’m starting to feel tired.”
“Ah……”
Well, that made sense.
Even while drunk she understood his situation and nodded once more. Yet the man who claimed to be tired did not lie down; for a while he simply kept gazing at her.
“What is it?”
Feeling her eyes begin to close, Riena asked. Entrusting her body to the soft bedding made sleep crash over her with terrifying force.
“I suddenly got curious.”
“About what……?”
“How you think of me.”
Because she had just called him pretty, Herman added briefly.
Before sleep claimed her completely, Riena turned the thought over one last time.
How did she think of this man—Herman Bertis?
“Just……”
“……”
“My last person……”
The only one she could trust right now.
“You’re my only person……”
Yaaawn—
The moment the words left her she yawned and closed her eyes.
She had reached her limit.
She had tried somehow to stay awake, but the alcohol and fatigue had crashed over her all at once; there was nothing to be done.
At last Riena slipped into sleep, breathing softly. Herman, who had stayed by her side, drew the blanket up over her.
“My only person, huh.”
The reason was a little bitter, but……
“Not bad.”
It meant she held him that dear.
Hearing that answer tonight was enough.