51 – The Devil’s Perfect Plan
Ezran Baslet. The biological father of the body I possessed. A conversation with him is bound to be awkward.
“I heard that today is Shael’s birthday.”
“Yes, so I was preparing a present.”
Duke Ezran nodded. Even when he told me about Shael’s birthday, he seemed calm.
To the extent that no emotion can be found in his expression.
In reality, only one aunt was a family member.
In the novel, there is only one father in the family. It’s really sad.
Someday, I’ll have to get rid of the awkward atmosphere with Duke Ezran. But before that, it was first to rehabilitate the wicked woman.
* * *
Shael is looking at me. She wasn’t staring as usual. The villainess was looking at me as if she wanted something from her.
Today is the villainess’s birthday. And she knew what the wicked woman would want.
It was dessert.
“Today is my birthday.”
“Is that so?”
I replied as if I didn’t know. It wasn’t like that for no reason.
I also had a birthday a few months ago. Of course, the wicked woman passed this without any congratulations.
Actually, Sael then and Sael now have slightly different personalities, but…
Still, I can’t help but feel sad. But it’s okay. Because the revenge for this has now begun.
“⋯⋯I’m sure you got a word from me last week.”
“Ah. I guess I didn’t hear it because I was distracted.”
Shael looked at me gloomily. Even though she wasn’t opening her mouth, I could hear her talking.
Then what about my dessert?
Looks like you’re about to say that. Before Sael’s grim expression turned to anger, she pulled out a box.
Shael raised the corner of her mouth.
The reason was simple. Because that box was the one I usually put dessert in.
“⋯⋯Ah.”
Shael quickly took her box and opened it. Then the corner of her mouth, which had been raised, went down before she knew it.
Why? There was nothing in the box that Shael was expecting dessert from.
Actually, I did prepare a present. It’s just that I can’t easily give a gift to Shael, who passed without anything on my birthday.
No, the villainess haunted me even on her birthday. So jokes like this are fine.
Just like how the villainess bullied me on my birthday, I also need to pay my bills.
Shael looked into the box for a moment before opening his mouth.
“⋯Where did my dessert⋯⋯⋯?”
Unsurprisingly, Shael didn’t bruise me. As soon as she saw that the box was empty, she thought she’d glar at me.
This is enough. A good child may receive a present.
I handed the box again to Shael, who still looked depressed and intimidated.
No, it showed.
“This box contains desserts.”
But it’s not free.
If you receive a gift, it is only natural to express your gratitude.
“Please say thank you.”
Actually, it’s a little hard to force yourself to express your gratitude, but…
The villainess needs to be taught even this.
“⋯Thank you⋯⋯?”
Sael said. I couldn’t help but be surprised. Considering the character of the villainess who doesn’t give thanks, it was very fast.
Dessert was such a big reward?
“⋯⋯.”
A way of speaking that feels forced more than sincerity. I was embarrassed, but I had no choice but to hand the box to Shael.
That alone was satisfying. If it was the bad girl from a few months ago, she would have punished me by glaring at me for something like dessert.
“Here you are.”
Shael happily opened the box. There were as many desserts as she wanted.
But it wasn’t the dessert that caught Shael’s attention.
“⋯Is this⋯⋯?”
“That is also a gift.”
What Shael took out of her box was a necklace. The blue jewel was chosen because it suited Shael.
“It’s a gem that can be enchanted, so I’ll give you some enchantments that might help later.”
After that, he looked at Shael. As she waits for her mouth to open.
“⋯⋯I am sorry.”
I am very satisfied. The silent threat to take away the dessert worked, but…
Still, considering the bad girl’s dirty personality, it was a huge improvement.
Turn-up
Shael closed her box. She didn’t eat any dessert.
“⋯⋯?”
“Sorry, but I’ll eat it later.”
Eating later? I can’t believe it. Shael, who loves dessert so much, puts up with it.
“⋯?”
As I was expressing my doubts, Shael stood up from her seat.
Shael carefully placed the box of desserts on the table and took out the box next to her.
Shael opened the box. It contained numerous wine bottles.
“⋯Did you like alcohol?”
“⋯⋯No.”
As Sael said, I’ve never seen him drink her wine. Even if she saw it, she only took a sip once in a while.
So I have a question. She would have a corresponding reason if she suddenly put off dessert, and then she brought out the wine.
“Why are you suddenly drinking wine?”
“⋯⋯ Just.”
She was able to figure out that there must be a reason for that. It was because Shael’s eyes didn’t meet me and fluctuated.
It won’t matter much. If it’s necessary, it’s enough to use magic to get rid of the alcohol.
However, what Shael brought out was very strong wine, impossible even for that.
I can’t deny that. Today is Shael’s birthday. I didn’t want to reject Shael’s offer.
“Drink.”
Shael tipped her wine bottle and poured it into my glass. The color of the wine, which looked poisonous even at a glance, came into my eyes.
“⋯⋯ Don’t you drink?”
“⋯.”
“I have doubts for some reason.”
A reasonable doubt. There were no wine glasses placed in front of Sael.
As I said, Sael brought a wine glass as if he couldn’t help it. This time I poured wine into her glass.
There was silence. Because no one tried to touch the wine glass.
“Why aren’t you drinking?”
“That is what I want to say.”
Shael, who hardened her face, suggested that something was not working out for her.
“⋯⋯ Then drink at the same time.”
“Yes, that’s good.”
As you said, I raised my wine glass at the same time. I even waited in my mouth. But the amount of wine was not reduced.
“What is it?”
“⋯This time, drink for real.”
Shael really started drinking wine. I also started drinking wine along with Shael.
My cup is empty before I know it. It was the sound of Shael filling it up again. I also tipped the wine bottle into Sael’s glass, which was showing the floor.
That’s how the wine bottles piled up.
One bottle, two bottles, and finally a third bottle.
Shael asked.
“Did you do it?”
“⋯I am not drunk. And that’s what I want to ask.”
Shael looked drunk. But it was natural. Because she drank just as much strong wine.
I, who enjoys drinking, also got a little drunk.
“⋯⋯Ah, I saw it in a book.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, a drunk person, she doesn’t admit she’s drunk.”
That’s right. It’s because drunken people, rather, deny this.
“So, you said you weren’t drunk, so you’re drunk too.”
“⋯Are you drunk?”
“No, yo. I’m not drunk. Never.”
It seems right to be drunk. The saying that drunk people don’t admit that fact. Certainly, Shael was right.
“Then now, the next… plan…”
“Did you say it was a plan?”
Shael answered without hesitation.
“⋯⋯Yes, the plan. It was too obvious to put in alcohol, so ⋯I was going to take it out when I was drunk.”
What bullshit?
At the same time, Shael rummaged through her pockets. What Shael took out was a small bottle filled with a strange liquid.
“Did you say you were drunk?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“⋯⋯It’s okay to be drunk with rum, so drink this.”
Of course I don’t like drinking. The smell is nasty. It also made me not want to drink it.
Reminds me of the advice Ruel gave in her book, but ⋯⋯.
I don’t think you need to drink this juice. Even looking at it, it was clear that the juice was brought to torment me with a bitter taste.
Shael opened her mouth. What I heard was a somewhat out of context with the situation.
“If I drink alcohol, I think I will forget the memory of her eating dessert ⋯⋯.”
“⋯?”
“⋯⋯I forcibly endured dessert and drank alcohol⋯⋯.”
Is that why you put off your dessert binge? Are you afraid you will forget the memories of enjoying dessert?
Then that’s a really absurd reason.
“⋯So, drink quickly.”
“⋯.”
She received an unknown bottle from Shael. Is it juice? So what juice is it?
I don’t know. There is no poison, but… To be honest, I don’t want to drink.
“⋯⋯Drink.”
“⋯.”
I handed the bottle to Shael with a smile on my face.
“If you drink first, then I will too.”
“⋯.”
I meant to say that I would not drink. However, Shael nodded her head.
It meant that Sael accepted my offer. On top of that, Shael added without forgetting.
“⋯⋯I am sorry.”
“⋯ Yes?”
The bottle in my hand was in Shael’s hand before I knew it. Shael opened her bottle and she drank all the juice. It was before I even dried it.