Ch25 - [Right back down to the freezing point.] Good thing he was quick-witted!

Sirius took a sip of wine: “The most interesting part of the hunting game is the reward for the victors.”

Nalun: “That’s not necessarily true. If you lost…… no one would dare to play any tricks on the Imperial Admiral. Even if it’s only a little game reward.”

The people were split into two teams, the hunter and the prey. The winning side can pick someone from the losing side and make a request. The person selected must complete the request on the spot.

This was actually the real delight of the game.

Nalun has heard that once, in a previous game, after a person won, they picked their friend and asked the other to dress up as a woman and dance with him…..

The next day, this person was chased wildly down the street and beaten the entire way.

Although this kind of nefarious request was rare, it wasn’t nonexistent.

Of the previous list of participants, the only one Nalun knew really well was Alida. But he didn’t have any interest in playing tricks on Alida. No, he should say: even without this game, he had methods to bring Alida misfortunes.

Therefore, when Sirius asked him whether he’d participate this year or not, actually, Nalun wasn’t very certain himself– This completely depended on if the list of participants had anyone that he was interested in.

Sirius’s deep profound gaze turned towards him: “Sometimes, being tricked is also a pretty good experience.”

–Standing at the top of the Empire, the Admiral-daren who was completely deprived of the joys of the game, carried a tone of wisdom.

Nalun replied with a polite sneer and thought to himself: If I won, I would definitely make you run around the Imperial Capital in a dress and give you a brand new, shocking experience.

Sirius’s eyes lowered his eyes. Almost like he thought of something sad, his mood suddenly became downcasted.

He said abruptly: “I really want to see him.”

Nalun: “Who?”

Sirius gave him a ‘you should understand’ expression.

Nalun instantly realized–No, I don’t understand.

Sirius asked: “How do you think he feels about this?”

Nalun: “I don’t know.”

Sirius, helplessly: “I only want to chat with him a bit. I’d respect his wishes completely and not do anything that would complicate things for him.”

Nalun raised his wine glass and took a sip: “But it’s useless to say all of this to me.”

Sirius sighed: “That’s true.”

Just as Nalun thought this topic would stop ahead of time due to his resistance and noncompliance, Sirius suddenly stood up from his seat.

Nalun raised his head, somewhat confused.

Sirius circled around the table, walked next to him, and sat back down again by his side.

Suddenly feeling the distance close, Nalun’s entire person stiffened as he asked: “What are you doing?”

Sirius patted him on the shoulder and pulled him over in the passing, saying quietly: “To be honest, I’m quite baffled. I find it quite hard to talk about this with Andrew, Diya and the rest. But in front of you, I always feel…… without any burden.”

Nalun stretched his neck, putting some distance between them: “Perhaps, perhaps some private matters are hard to talk about in front of your closest people.”

Sirius didn’t reply and continued to maintain the position of an arm overlaying Nalun’s shoulder, almost as if he didn’t feel there was anything inappropriate here at all.

On the contrary, he moved even closer: “Are you saying we’re not close enough?”

After this question was released, a brief moment of silence fell between them.

Nalun expressionlessly reached out a hand, grabbed the grubby paw on his shoulder, and attempted to move it away.

“Although we can be counted as reconciled now because of the matter previously with Ilia……” But ultimately, they still haven’t developed any personal friendship.

He didn’t manage to finish these vicious latter half of his words, Sirius already grabbed his wrist instead and pressed Nalun’s hand down on the edge of the table. At the same time, Sirius picked up a wine cup with his left hand and forcibly stuffed it into Nalun’s captured hand.

“For harmony.” He raised another wine cup and drank the liquor inside it under Nalun’s gaze. Then, he looked over calmly.

Nalun: “……” No, he didn’t want to drink– Before his wish of ‘making Sirius run around in a dress’ came true, there won’t be peace at all.

Eyes gradually growing colder, Nalun put down the cup, not planning to follow Sirius’s will.

The liquor slowly swayed inside the cup, shining under the warm light of the room.

Sirius smiled briefly, no change in his expression. With a voice that only the two of them could hear, he said: “No matter how much cologne there is, it can’t cover up the smell of AiJia Grass.”

Nalun looked towards him in shock. Countless thoughts appeared in his head in a split second, the main one being ‘Sirius figured it out’.

“What AiJia Grass?” He asked back, mouth parched.

Sirius leaned over again. This time, he was even more outrageous, almost practically putting his entire head into the crook of Nalun’s neck.

“Are you not aware of the smell on yourself?”

Nalun couldn’t help but raise his hand and take a whiff. In hindsight, he felt a bit stupid. Very quickly, he recovered his composure and said: “Of course I remember what cologne I sprayed on before leaving the house. Do I have to explain to you the process from start to finish?”

Sirius: “There’s no need for that.”

Nalun: “I don’t know what grass you are talking about.”

Sirius relaxed his body and leaned back on the soft seat.

Nalun clenched his teeth: ” I. am. waiting. for. your. explanation.”

Sirius: “Oh, the onsen clubhouse that you didn’t go to before, really likes to place AiJia Grass in their bath powder.”

Nalun scoffed: “You’re talking about Ilia right? She does indeed have a strange smell on her. Perhaps when you see her, the smell will spread to you as well. Because I’m very certain she would jump into your arms and leave her scent on you like a little kitten leaving its scent on the person that it likes.”

Sirius: “……”

Nalun: “She misses you very much and is always trying to sneak out everyday. Perhaps I’m too strict with her. When I have time, I should bring her to the Monte estate for a visit.”

Sirius rubbed his forehead.

Nalun continued to say: “Her wish is to marry you after she grows up. If she weren’t too young, I’d be delighted to make it happen.”

Sirius: “…….”

Nalun stood up, expression extremely cold: “Many thanks for your hospitality. I’ll be leaving first.”

Seeing the Honored Prince Charvey leaving without a backwards glance, with only a cool and detached back view, a certain Admiral, who was nested in the chair, finally realized that he seemed to have dragged their ice-cold relationship, which had finally melted and alleviated after much difficulties, right back down to the freezing point.

Sirius sighed, but there wasn’t the slightest disappointment in his eyes. He pulled out his personal comp. and clicked into the chat display of someone noted as ‘Mist Bug’. A few seconds later, he sent over a message.

[Don’t spread the smell of AiJia Grass to other men.]

He sat in Nalun’s chair. After drinking a bit of liquor, he finally got a reply.

[Polite smile.jpg]

[Laughing until my stomach is hurting.jpg, Hahahahaha.jpg……]

[What are you trying to do?]

[This kind of smile, is a real, genuine smile]

[Polite smile.jpg]

[……]

Nalun threw away the communication device and returned home with a grave face. As soon as he entered the bedroom, he immediately started pacing around.

God damn! He was scared to death!

Good thing he was quick-witted!

However……

[Don’t spread the smell of AiJia Grass to other men.]

What did Sirius mean by this?