Chapter 141
Brillie hurriedly found an inn and entered a guest room.
All the other upscale inns had finished check-in, so she had no choice but to find one a tier below.
Even though she had to pay an extra fee to get a decent room, its shortcomings became even more apparent in many ways.
'The room is too small. The furniture is old-fashioned, and it's not well decorated at all. How did things turn out like this...?'
Brillie shook her head and sat on a chair.
If she had been using the inn alone, she would have just put up with such inconvenience.
But she was here with Alter, and it was their first night together as companions.
With conditions like this, it seemed impossible to attempt anything at all.
'Should I just call it bad luck? No, in a way, maybe it was actually good...'
Though feeling hollow, Brillie was nonetheless rather relieved.
If they had checked in a little earlier at the luxury inn they'd reserved, they would've been caught in the fire.
In effect, by forfeiting their romantic wedding night ambience, she and Alter had ensured their safety.
'Couldn't we have had better luck in another way? It hasn't even been a day since we got married!'
With a sigh, Brillie furtively glanced at Alter.
He was constantly glancing around without uttering a single word.
She figured he must have been quite shaken by the sudden situation.
'Was the wedding date a bad choice? Should I have picked a different inn? Did we really need this honeymoon?'
Brillie kept questioning herself, mouthing silent words.
The reality before her seemed too pitiful to simply accept.
They'd been well-prepared—so why did they have to go through such an incident?
'I'll just go to sleep today. Alter must be pretty tired too.'
Half in resignation, Brillie took off her suit jacket.
She didn't want to pressure Alter—she'd simply spend a quiet night.
In that case, wouldn't it be enough to lie down after a light conversation with Alter?
'There's always a next time, so I don't need to be so nervous...'
"Brillie. Shouldn't we at least try drinking tonight?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I mean, I plan to do my duty as your husband."
"...?"
Alter brought over a bottle of liquor and two cups, setting them on the table.
He naturally popped the cork and poured drinks into each glass.
Brillie, quite surprised, could do nothing but watch.
"Perhaps I hesitated back then because we weren't yet married. But now, you are my wife. So wouldn't it be all right to spend the night together?"
"Alter, does it really have to be right now? Shouldn't we talk a little more first?"
"What should we talk about? Do married couples need a special reason to spend their first night together?"
"That's..."
Brillie couldn't continue and met Alter's gaze.
In those indigo eyes, unusually, burned a powerful resolve.
Perhaps he was still carrying the sting of that previous failure in his heart.
"Are you worried about something?"
"Um... I suppose I am? It's our first night, yet the inn is in such poor condition. I don't even know if we'll get through it nicely... and I'm not sure it's the right time to have a child."
"I do understand those feelings. I've had similar thoughts myself."
Alter handed her a glass and sat across from her.
Brillie looked down at the drink, unable to bring herself to touch it.
If she truly intended to be involved with Alter, shouldn't she be more prudent?
"I've decided not to think about the inn. It was a sudden accident—there was no way to prevent it. Just because the location changed, my feelings will not."
"I suppose that's true. Maybe I'm just being too sensitive."
"That's not sensitivity, but a perfectly normal reaction. I'm not entirely certain either, but shouldn't we at least try?"
Murmuring calmly, Alter downed his drink.
He wasn't one to particularly enjoy alcohol, and had never really gotten drunk before.
If he borrowed a bit of liquid courage, maybe he could make it through this wedding night.
"You don't have to go this far. I was prepared too."
"But I can't just keep waiting. This time, I must make the first move."
Feeling his heart pounding, Alter spoke with difficulty.
He couldn't back down just because he was vaguely afraid.
Here, he had to steel his resolution and embrace Brillie.
"Would it be all right if we had a child now? I honestly don't know."
"On that matter, I want to follow your wishes, Brillie. If you don't want to have a child, I'll step back."
"..."
Brillie couldn't give a definite answer to that.
Alter, striving not to repeat his past mistake, was trying to act on his own initiative.
Perhaps now was the time to look only at her one and only companion, rather than being swayed by trivial circumstances.
"If you don't answer... I'll have to take that as your acceptance."
"..."
"It's not that late yet. You can think about it a bit longer."
Lost in thought, Alter continued to sip his drink.
He knew his approach might be flawed, but he didn't want to completely deny it.
However, if Brillie was truly against it, he knew he had to respect that.
'Now isn't the time to have a child—there are still unresolved matters.'
Logically, this wasn't the time to be discussing heirs.
Lailnetia the Devouring and the Knight of True Flame were powerful and unpredictable adversaries.
If she were pregnant, even the briefest skirmish could put her at risk.
'Yet... I can't make excuses. We're already married.'
Though their marriage had been arranged, that didn't absolve him of responsibility.
Even if Brillie did not love him, he must not forget they were companions.
She too understood this, humbly accepting his presence in her life.
'Do I really love Brillie? Or have I only ever held trust in her...?'
Alter had long doubted his own feelings.
They trusted one another, but if there was no affection, their marriage would be a sham.
Yet if it began with affection but devolved into distrust, wouldn't that bring a miserable ending as well?
'I wonder what Brillie thinks of me...'
"I understand how you feel, Alter. So I should accept it too, shouldn't I?"
After much hesitation, Brillie lifted her glass.
Alter was doing his best to shoulder his role as a husband.
It was, in a way, a show of pure pride—she couldn't thoughtlessly break it.
"I don't want to force you. There's no need for us to have a child right away."
"But can we keep putting it off? Maybe it would be better to settle things now."
Brillie pushed away her heavy heart and smiled.
He was drinking in order to spend the night with her.
Maybe he intended to rely on drink to erase his vague anxiety.
"I... Brillie..."
Alter paused for a moment, letting his shoulders slump.
Strangely, his body felt heavy, and drowsiness swept over him.
Could it be that he had drunk too much and gotten more drunk than he realized?
"Alter, what's wrong? Are you all right?"
"Yes. I'm... fine..."
"..."
Brillie immediately put down her glass and approached Alter.
His eyes were glazed and his head drooped slowly.
After briefly checking him over, Brillie gave a wry chuckle.
"You should have drunk in moderation. Didn't you say you don't usually drink?"
"But... it's our first night..."
"I don't think you're up for it in this state."
"No, I can..."
Closing his eyes, Alter instantly fell asleep.
Brillie gazed quietly at him, then gently cradled him in her arms.
She laid him down on the bed and carefully pulled the blanket over him.
"It's commendable how hard you tried. Perhaps you tried so hard that this is the result?"
Brillie leisurely watched as she stroked Alter's hair.
When he first raised the glass, it had caught her off guard.
Of course his intent wasn't bad, but in the end, it had ended in failure.
"My husband is too cute to tease. What should I do?"
Smiling, Brillie tidied his hair and slowly withdrew.
If Alter had remained awake, they would surely have spent the night in some way.
But since he couldn't handle the drink and passed out, she figured it best to just leave him be.
"Guess he had a lot on his mind? He could have taken it slow."
Brillie felt relief along with a faint sense of regret.
Even if it didn't happen tonight, there would always be another chance.
From now on, they could always share a room together.
"How should I tell him, so he doesn't get too embarrassed...?"
She extinguished the lamp and lay down next to Alter.
Though she still didn't like the inn, thanks to Alter, her mood had considerably brightened.
Perhaps this was the first real memory they had made on their honeymoon.
"Maybe I'll call today lucky. You don't get to see him like this often."
* * *
Alter awoke with a throbbing headache.
He remembered drinking with Brillie.
But afterward, nothing came to mind at all.
'What happened?'
He slowly sat up and looked to his side.
Brillie was wrapped in the same blanket, still asleep.
However, she hadn't changed her clothes, and there were no other noticeable signs.
'Did we just sleep? Why?'
With disbelief, Alter frowned.
He distinctly remembered drinking to see things through.
Brillie had agreed as well, so why was there no sign of anything else?
'Could I really have just gotten drunk and fallen asleep?'
Only then did Alter realize his mistake, stiffening in embarrassment.
He thought he'd only drunk a little, but in fact, he must have taken in quite a lot.
Perhaps he'd been so tense that he hadn't even realized it before passing out.
'To make such a blunder... I was definitely ready, and yet...'
"Are you awake? How do you feel?"
Brillie, now awake, looked at him.
Unlike her, Alter could only remain silent, his anxious eyes betraying his agitation.
"Is it about last night? Don't worry—it's no big deal."
"..."
"It's all right. Anyone can get drunk."
"But... this... why now, of all times..."
Sinking into self-doubt, Alter couldn't bring himself to continue speaking.
He'd been the one to offer Brillie a drink, and had even gotten permission to sleep together.
And yet, he had been the first to collapse, ending up looking so foolish.
"Let's just let it go, shall we? I really don't mind."
"Still... it shouldn't have been like this..."
"Come here. Are you that disappointed?"
Lightly hugging him, Brillie caressed his cheek.
Alter seemed so downcast from his despondency that she could only pity him.
How could she comfort her husband, even a little?
'I shouldn't think this, but... he's too cute. Why take it so seriously?'