Chapter 83

After the wedding, which was enveloped in happiness, a celebratory dinner was held at the Earl Einhardt's mansion in the capital, just for Noah and me, along with our family. The dinner was lively and the food was delicious.

Noah, surrounded by his brothers, had a different aura than usual, and I'm sure I did too.

Everyone congratulated us on our marriage, saying "Congratulations" many times. Such a joyful time made me drink more than I usually do – when I got off the carriage on the way back, my feet felt a bit wobbly.

Then, now.

With the help of a maid, I changed out of my formal attire and took a bath, which seemed to calm my drunkenness a bit. While my hair was being dried as I drank water with lemon, I let myself be pampered today, as I was too nervous and couldn't calm down.

I put on a thin nightgown and a robe, and headed to the marital bedroom with the maid. The maid who opened the door smiled gently and left after bowing once I entered the bedroom. The door closed quietly behind me.

"Are you sober now?"

At Noah's smile-laden voice, I tilted my head, wondering if I had been that drunk.

Noah, who was sitting on the sofa, had just come out of the bath, his black hair still slightly damp and glossy.

"I don't think I was that drunk. I felt like I was acting normally."

"Your footing was a bit wobbly, though."

"That's okay. Even if I stumbled, I knew you would catch me."

"I didn't intend to let you drink so much when you were alone."

I sat next to Noah and traced the pattern on the sofa. I was glad we chose this sofa. It was very comfortable, and I liked its shell-like shape and deep blue color.

"Since you're sober now, would you like some wine?"

"I would. Who gave it to you?"

Noah picked up the wine, which had been chilled in a ceramic wine cooler. He skillfully pulled the cork with a sommelier knife, and a light floral scent filled the air. The wine poured into the prepared glass was amber in color.

"It's from my brother, to have before bed. Besides that, so many people gave us wine that our cellar is more than half full now."

"Hehe. Everyone knows we like wine."

We wanted to fill our home with our favorite wine. It was also nice to be filled with everyone's congratulations. I need to check and write thank-you letters later.

We raised our glasses in a toast. The wine was light and easy to drink, with a hint of acidity in the aftertaste.

"It's delicious."

"It's easy to drink."

I glanced at Noah, who had his hair down but no glasses. His purple eyes, visible through his bangs, were gently narrowed.

"Are you tired?"

"A little, but I was more happy and full of joy. I'm so glad that everyone celebrated for us... and that I got to marry you, Noah."

I took another sip of wine. Maybe the lemon water wasn't enough, as my throat still felt dry. Perhaps it was because I was still a bit nervous.

"Yeah, I'm happy too. I'm glad to see you smiling next to me like that."

At his soft voice, I blinked and touched my cheek, checking if I had been that relaxed.

Noah chuckled, looking at me.

"You're so cute."

"...Stop teasing me."

"I always think you're cute, though?"

His voice was so sweet that my heart started beating wildly. My face felt hot, but the wine wasn't strong enough to cause that.

"Hehe, you're blushing. ...You're really cute."

I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. I could only breathe shallowly, not knowing what to do.

Noah took a sip of wine and then pulled me closer with his other hand. I sighed deeply, feeling his warmth, and also brought the glass to my lips.

"...You're the one who's sweet."

"You'll get used to it. I can't help it."

"I don't think I can ever get used to it. I'll probably always... be nervous."

Every time, every time I fall in love.

Every time I see a side of Noah I didn't know, I can hear the sound of falling in love.

Noah took the glass from my hand and placed it on the table with his own. I was about to protest that I was still drinking, but I couldn't say anything when my robe slipped off my shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'll let you drink as much as you want later."

"I wasn't worried about that..."

I was lifted into Noah's arms mid-sentence. His hands on my back and under my knees felt hot, making my heart race again. I didn't need to worry about falling, but I wrapped my arms around his neck – because I wanted to touch him too.

Noah's pace was definitely faster than usual.

When I was gently laid on the bed, his eyes seemed to deepen like the evening star.

"Alicia, I love you."

When he whispered those words, so sweet and full of emotion, my chest felt tight. It was painful, and my love overflowed, making my breath hot.

"I do too. I love you, Noah."

The words I spoke were surprisingly colored with love.

Noah's smile, which seemed even happier than usual, made me want to cry.

When Noah placed his elbows on either side of my face, it felt like I was enveloped in him, and my heart couldn't settle.

His gentle lips touched my forehead, then slid down to my cheek. When I exhaled in response to the tickling sensation, his lips met mine as if to swallow it.

Our hearts connected. The night was still young.

Heat seemed to be etched in every place he touched. It was so dear and made me feel so happy.

"I love you."

Noah smiled at the repeated words of love.

Drowning in the deeply shining evening star, I smiled too.

This concludes the second part. Thank you for following along!

I plan to write some side stories, so I won't mark it as complete yet. I would be happy if you could read them when they are posted, even though they will be irregular.

Thank you so much for your reviews and for pointing out typos. They were a daily encouragement for me.

I will continue to work hard, so I would appreciate your support.