"Deputy Commander..."

Even in her sleep, Christine kept murmuring Maxim's title. The man himself, however, was sipping his drink, feeling more than a little resentful toward his comrades who, when he needed them the most, seemed content to simply ignore the situation. Paola and Roberto, instead of offering help, just sat there with mischievous grins, giving him thumbs up from across the room.

"Don’t pinch me..."

What on earth is she dreaming about?

Maxim glanced at Christine, who was twitching and flailing her left arm in her sleep. He couldn’t just leave her there like that until the end of the drinking session, so he downed his drink in frustration, hoping it would ease his nerves. Gradually, the alcohol began to dull his senses.

"Paola, sir."

Maxim called out to Paola, his tone laced with desperation, but Paola acted like he didn’t hear a thing.

"Roberto."

Roberto was no better, pretending to cover his ears.

Damn it, if she gets even clingier, I’m screwed.

Christine, half-awake, was now looking at Maxim with sleepy, glazed-over eyes. Her head was already tilted upward as if she were struggling to stay conscious.

"Are you awake?"

Christine's cheeks were flushed red, and her eyes, though unfocused, swirled with an intense green, clearly showing she wasn’t in her right mind. Maxim gently patted her shoulder.

"Christine."

"What, Deputy Commander?"

Her words were slurred, her hair disheveled, her eyes unfocused, and she was grinning foolishly. Maxim called over a braided server, asking for some cold water. The server, after glancing at the dazed Christine, gave a stiff smile and quickly ran off to the kitchen.

"You’re being a nuisance, Christine."

"A nuisance?"

Though she was now somewhat awake, Maxim thought it might have been better if she had just stayed asleep. Christine, still out of it, clutched her mug of ale tightly and giggled to herself.

"Don’t drink that."

Maxim forcibly took the mug from her. Christine blinked as if trying to comprehend why her drink had vanished, then noticed Maxim holding it.

"Hey, that’s mine..."

"Who do you think you are, talking back to your senior?"

"Give it back..."

She reached out for the mug, but Maxim deftly moved it out of her grasp. Christine pouted, her hands flailing as she tried to grab the elusive mug.

"I can’t reach it..."

With a sudden lunge, Christine managed to throw herself forward, grabbing onto Maxim.

"Ugh."

"Got it..."

Christine ended up clinging entirely to Maxim, her arms barely reaching the mug he held. Ale dribbled down, wetting both their hands.

"Get off me..."

"No."

Just as Maxim seriously contemplated knocking Christine out to move her, the server reappeared, holding a water jug and a glass.

"Uh..."

"It’s not what it looks like..."

"I’m sorry."

Thud.

The server set the jug and glass on the table, clearly unimpressed by the scene, before quickly retreating. Maxim sighed, pulling Christine upright.

"You’re being too much."

"Yeah, yeah."

Maxim poured some cold water and handed it to Christine. She clutched the glass weakly, her head drooping. Maxim held onto her hand to steady her.

"Drink some water."

"Water..."

Christine, half-heartedly following his instructions, brought the glass to her lips, spilling as much as she drank. Water trickled down her chin, and Maxim quickly wiped the spill from her collar with his sleeve.

"It’s cold."

"Of course, it’s cold. Now, pull yourself together."

Christine, with a dazed expression, sat back in her chair. Seeing that things were calming down, Maxim leaned back in his own chair, letting out a long sigh.

"You’ve had a rough time, haven’t you, Maxim?"

Paola, now sporting a slightly drunken grin, approached. His face was flushed, a clear sign that he, too, had had more than a few drinks.

"It’s easy for you to say that now, after leaving me to deal with this alone."

Maxim retorted, to which Paola chuckled, wagging his finger.

"Come on, you should be thanking me for not interfering."

"Thanks a lot."

Roberto was standing a bit farther away, observing the situation from a distance, which somehow made Maxim even more annoyed with him than with Paola.

"This girl needs to get back to her quarters."

Paola said, looking at the still-dazed Christine.

"Looks like you’ll have to help her out."

"I was planning to, but if I do that now, it’ll just draw too much attention. I’m already not the most popular person around here; I don’t need to give them more reasons to dislike me."

Paola shrugged.

"Well, there’s one way to do it."

He pointed toward a narrow corridor beside the kitchen.

"There’s a back door over there."

Paola winked at Maxim, though the gesture seemed out of place on his rough face. Maxim gave him a bewildered look, but Paola seemed dead serious about the suggestion.

"..."

"Hurry up and take her out. If you don’t do it now while everyone’s still drunk, it’ll be hard to get her out unnoticed."

We could just help her out together, you know.

Maxim thought, but before he could voice his objections, Paola grabbed his mug and loudly announced his intention to join the other knights, walking away with exaggerated enthusiasm. Christine, who had been slumping forward, lifted her head to look at Maxim. Her green eyes were still unfocused and sleepy.

"Deputy Commander... I’m sleepy..."

Maxim, seeing her begin to nod off again, carefully lifted her to her feet. Christine swayed but didn’t resist as Maxim supported her.

"Yeah, yeah, let’s get you to bed."

Maxim half-carried Christine as he discreetly exited through the back door. Paola glanced back at him, smirking as he did. One day, I’ll get you back for this, Maxim thought as he pushed the door open.

"Achoo."

The moment the door swung open, a bitterly cold wind hit both Maxim and Christine. Maybe it was the alcohol, but the night felt much colder than usual. As they walked through the dark streets, Christine shivered in his arms. The cold couldn’t seem to sober her up.

"Deputy Commander, I’m cold..."

Maxim sighed and took off his coat, draping it over Christine. She flinched as the fabric brushed against her, but then relaxed into the warmth it provided.

After a while, Christine’s steps began to falter. She couldn’t keep walking, so Maxim looked at her, realizing they wouldn’t make it back without help.

"Are you sleepy?"

Christine nodded drowsily.

I guess there’s no helping it.

Maxim gave a wry smile and lifted Christine into his arms. The streets were almost deserted, and the only sound was the faint noise of the tavern far behind them. Christine, truly drunk, didn’t resist as he carried her.

"Deputy Commander..."

"Yes?"

Christine’s voice was faint, breaking off with sleepiness. Maxim knew she was too out of it to have a real conversation, but he responded gently anyway.

"I’m sorry."

"For what?"

"For... everything."

Christine curled up in his arms.

"For that time, and now, and even when we first met... even before that..."

Maxim frowned slightly, listening to her words.

"I’ve always... been sorry."

A tear formed in the corner of Christine’s eye. Maxim’s steps slowed as he paused. The tear rolled down her pink cheek, and Maxim watched with a complex expression. Her face was pale, with a slight flush from the alcohol.

With those words, Christine finally fell asleep completely. She began breathing softly in his arms, clearly comfortable.

"What are you even saying?"

Maxim whispered, knowing she couldn’t hear him, and continued walking.

He eventually reached the quarters where the Raven Knight Order was staying and struggled to open the door while holding Christine. Pushing it shut with his foot, he stepped into the dimly lit corridor.

"Third floor, right?"

Maxim recalled Christine’s room and trudged up to the third floor. Moonlight filtered faintly through the hallway windows. Once at her door, he carefully opened it and stepped inside.

Christine’s room was spotless, with few personal belongings in sight except for a stack of magic-related books on her desk. The only thing out of place was the rumpled bedding. Maxim gently laid her on the bed.

"Do I really have to do all this?"

He playfully complained, though Christine was already fast asleep and couldn’t hear him.

Maxim lifted her legs, loosening the laces on her boots before carefully removing them. After placing her feet neatly on the bed, he pulled the covers up to her chest. When he tried to retrieve his coat, Christine clutched it tightly, refusing to let go.

"...Sigh."

Maxim let out a half-laugh, half-sigh, and released the coat.

"Why do you follow me around so much?"

Maxim gave her a bittersweet smile as he looked at her peaceful, sleeping face. She follows me around. It was the closest he could come to expressing any affection or care.

After watching her sleep for a while, Maxim stood up. He needed to return to the tavern.

The effects of the alcohol were still lingering. He had hoped the cold air would clear his head, but the ale was stronger than he expected, and the buzz wouldn’t go away. He slipped back into the tavern through the back door.

"Damn."

It seemed Christine was the least drunk among them. Most of the knights were sprawled across the tables, fast asleep. Maxim regretted coming back.

The only person still awake enough to recognize him was Paola, who was sitting with a red face, waving at him.

"Sir, what happened while I was gone?"

"What do you think? They all drank themselves silly."

Paola seemed to be holding himself together better than most, though his speech was slurred. Maxim glanced around, looking for Roberto, but didn’t see him.

"Roberto..."

"He wasn’t feeling well, so he went outside earlier and hasn’t come back. He’s probably busy throwing up by now."

He must be in bad shape.

Maxim grimaced.

"You got the Deputy Commander back safely?"

"She’s sleeping soundly."

Paola nodded approvingly at Maxim’s response. Maxim, feeling slightly tipsy, decided to return to his secluded spot to finish his drink in peace.

"Aren’t you going to drink here?"

"I’m still sober enough to know that I’d rather not."

"Fair enough."

Paola laughed and waved him off. Maxim took a seat and quietly sipped his drink, nibbling at the remaining food.

He wondered if Christine was sleeping well, took another sip. Then he thought about where Theodora might be, and took another sip. Finally, he thought about the royal family, his situation, and the state of the frontier, and took another sip.

As he continued to drink, he noticed the tavern was starting to clear out. His vision was growing a bit hazy.

"Maxim."

Someone nudged his shoulder. Paola was standing there, Roberto slung over one shoulder. Maxim sighed, realizing he should probably stop drinking.

"I’ll help."

Maxim staggered slightly as he tried to support Roberto’s other side.

"No need, just take care of the remaining few. There aren’t many left, so just wake them up and send them on their way. None of them are as drunk as this one."

Paola gestured to Roberto with his free shoulder.

"I’ll be off, then."

"Are you sure you’re not too drunk to get back?"

"Well, maybe."

Paola chuckled, then pushed open the tavern door and stepped out.

"Anyway, take care of the rest."

"Yeah, yeah."

The tavern door shut behind them. Maxim, with the help of the tavern owner, managed to rouse the remaining knights and send them on their way.

"Now... who’s left..."

It was almost comical, like something out of a cheesy drama.

Maxim found himself facing Theodora, who was sitting at the far end of the tavern, glaring at him.

"Maxim..."

Theodora rose unsteadily to her feet, her steps stumbling as she approached. She stopped just a hand’s breadth away from him, weakly pressing her fist against his chest. Maxim let out a long sigh. He was already tipsy, and this was the last thing he needed.

"You’re drunk, Theodora."

"I don’t care."

Her eyes were tinged with red. Maxim supported her as they left the tavern. No one else was around. Theodora tried to avoid leaning on him but eventually gave in, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Let go..."

"Sorry, but I’m not holding you."

She was so drunk that Maxim doubted she even understood him. They walked in silence until they reached the quarters of the Raven Knight Order. Maxim opened the door to her room and helped her sit on the bed.

"Get some rest. Let’s just pretend tonight never happened..."

Maxim turned to leave, but Theodora’s voice stopped him.

"Why did you do it...?"

Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"You have a fiancée... so why did you... why did you do that to Christine?"

Crash.

Theodora stood up, knocking over a chair by the bed.

"I saw it all. You and Christine... sitting together, and then you both left together."

"Theodora, you’re drunk."

"Why... why did it have to be this way?"

Tears began to well up in her eyes as she slowly approached him.

"Why did you leave me in the worst way... and now we meet again... like this?"

Theodora was close. He could smell the faint scent of alcohol on her breath, mixed with the familiar fragrance of her hair. Maxim found himself backing away as Theodora closed the distance. The combined effects of the alcohol and her proximity were making him dizzy.

"Maxim, tell me... why did it have to be this way?"

Theodora’s blurred eyes met his. In the dimly lit room, her gray eyes seemed to shimmer with a mix of emotions.

"Theo, just go to sleep for now."

Maxim tried to push her away, but Theodora suddenly pinned him against the wall.

"No."

Her arms slid around the back of his neck.

"It used to be just us."

"I’m telling you, you’re dru—"

Theodora stood on her tiptoes.

Her lips met Maxim’s in a deep, intoxicating kiss. The scent of alcohol mixed with her familiar fragrance overwhelmed him. Her tongue entwined with his, and everything blurred, though he didn’t close his eyes.

It wasn’t a conscious kiss; it was raw, instinctive, driven by desire.

Theodora’s breath brushed against his neck and cheek. Maxim struggled to pull away, but the alcohol clouded his judgment. His vision swam between sharp clarity and hazy confusion as Theodora’s lips sought his again and again.

"Theo, come to your senses."

This isn’t right.

He knew he shouldn’t let this happen, but the alcohol—or maybe something deeper—was preventing him from resisting.

"Maxim..."

Theodora pulled him closer again, her hand still gripping the door handle. Maxim couldn’t resist as she drew him in, and...

The door shut behind him with a heavy thud.