Count Lazuran treated us to tea.
We explained to Count Lazuran what we had experienced at Andre's mansion.
How Andre fed me the orange sapphire and then fondled my body as he pleased, how I came to my senses and beat Andre to a pulp before getting a confession, etc.
Especially when I talked about what I saw in the basement, his face began to contort like a goblin.
"That bastard!!!"
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Count Lazuran pounded on the armrest of the sofa.
He trembled so much that his cheeks quivered.
"It's not much consolation, but I did beat the crap out of that guy. Calm down, -hasoseo."
I beat him until his face was completely smashed, so I felt quite relieved.
"Hoo... Well, you're also a victim of Andre, so it's amazing that you can be so calm."
Count Lazuran sighed deeply and gulped down the slightly cooled tea.
"By the way, show me that drug, the orange sapphire or whatever it is."
At the Count's words, Aramis took out a pouch containing the orange sapphire from his bosom. He took out glasses from his bosom, put them on his face, and received the pouch.
"The person who takes this drug unconditionally obeys the other person's orders..."
He frowned and took the drug out of the pouch, examining it carefully.
He smelled it from a distance and looked at the crystal shape with a magnifying glass.
"How strange... It's completely different from the drugs I knew. It doesn't seem to be a crystal shape, drug effect, or technology imported from the Saracen..."
The Count put the grains back into the pouch.
"So, the Cardinal-nim ordered you to investigate because it seems like this drug is circulating?"
"I didn't specify it as orange sapphire, but I think I found it easily enough to say I was lucky. I started investigating in Conquista yesterday, you see."
The Count glanced at the grandfather clock.
The clock hands pointed to 3 a.m.
"To find this drug in less than a day, you have good skills."
The Count narrowed his eyes and looked at me.
"Well, looking at you, I guess it's understandable."
"Yes?"
"Are you pretending not to know? I mean, it might have been easy because you have a face that's easy for annoying flies to stick to."
"Ahahaha..."
Realizing that he was indirectly complimenting me on being pretty, I smiled awkwardly.
"If a bastard like Andre has orange sapphire, there's a very high probability that it's already spread throughout Paris. I'll bring this up as an agenda item at the meeting."
The Count put the pouch containing the orange sapphire into his bosom.
"Then I'll be on my way."
"Cough! Cough! Ah, I'm sorry... Cough!"
We got up from our seats.
When I got up from my seat, Laurent, regretting the tea, hurriedly drank it and choked.
"Since you have a priest-nim with you, please take a look at my daughter's condition before you leave."
The Count said, pointing to Aramis.
"I understand."
"You guide them."
We followed the butler to her bedroom to check on the condition of Count Lazuran's Young Lady.
When I entered the room, Count Lazuran's Young Lady was lying in bed, covered up to her head with a blanket.
Seeing her wriggling and twitching under the blanket, she looked very suspicious.
"Heu... Eut...!"
"Is she perhaps...?"
I wondered if she was doing what we were thinking under the blanket.
"Is the drug still working?"
"Leave it to me."
Aramis took out a thick Bible from the bookshelf.
"Priest-nim? What are you going to do with that?"
"This seems appropriate."
Aramis closed his eyes and rubbed the smooth spine of the Bible. The butler stared at him with wide eyes.
Aramis slowly approached the Young Lady's head.
She was so engrossed in her suspicious behavior that she didn't even know Aramis was at her head.
He raised the Bible high and...
"Uh-oh...!"
"Satan, be gone!!!"
Ppaak!
With Aramis's shout, the Young Lady, who had been hit on the head with the Bible, was able to stop her suspicious behavior and sleep comfortably.
"Are you crazy?! What the hell are you doing!"
The butler protested to Aramis, pointing his finger.
"Heal."
Aramis put his hand on the head of the Young Lady, who was sleeping soundly, and used healing magic.
White light flashed from his hand.
"Isn't this enough?"
"..."
"I acted quickly because it was awkward to keep watching, so please understand."
The butler seemed to have a lot to say, but Aramis didn't care.
There was a brief commotion as the Young Lady's strange behavior stopped, but we left the Count's mansion with Count Lazuran's farewell.
#
"Yes, I heard. You went to Conquista and found a drug called orange sapphire, right?"
Armand asked us, reading an ancient book with a magnifying glass.
"Yes, that's right."
"And you drank alcohol and took drugs in the meantime?"
"..."
"Why are you silent?"
"Yes, that's right."
I covered my flushed face with my palm. Doesn't that mean I went to investigate and played around drinking in the middle?
Moreover, I took drugs, collapsed, and was molested, so I had nothing to say even if I had ten mouths.
Laurent patted me on the shoulder as if to cheer me up.
"Well, I've grasped the situation by looking at your reports and the agenda item about the orange sapphire that Count Lazuran brought a few days ago."
"Whether you eat the drug as is or mix it with food, once you eat it, it's a drug that makes you obey the other person's orders. It seems like there are more victims than the people you saw."
"What's the reason for spreading this drug?"
"Well... I have to start investigating that from now on. But I won't ask you to investigate that, so rest assured."
"Hoo..."
Lotos sighed in relief at Armand's words.
"But Marie. Are you okay?"
"Yes? Why are you suddenly saying that?"
Aren't I standing here right now because I'm fine?
"Most of the orange sapphire victims complained of aftereffects, but you seem to be fine because you have a blessed body."
"Aftereffects, you say?"
"For example, a throbbing pain in the lower abdomen, or the body becoming hot, or something like that."
At Armand's words, I thought carefully.
I didn't have a throbbing pain in my lower abdomen or a hot body.
Indeed, God's blessing wasn't just for show.
How great is it that others complain of aftereffects like that, but I'm fine even after eating so much.
"Then now..."
Armand closed the book and got up from his seat.
Gulps
Our eyes were focused on the pouch that Armand was taking out of the safe.
"You must have been very strapped for cash."
Armand held the pouch and approached us.
"Everyone, hold out your hands."
At his words, we simultaneously held out our right hands.
Jjallang! Jjallang!
Armand gave us two gold coins each.
"I'll call you again soon."
Armand left meaningful words and issued an eviction order.
We left the cathedral and ran straight to the bar with the gold coins.
"Wait!"
I suddenly called everyone to a halt.
"What's wrong? I want to drink now."
Lotos was fidgeting as if he was in a hurry.
"I suddenly became curious, who would win if Laurent fought you two?"
I remembered Laurent subduing that old butler at Andre's mansion.
"I'd win."
Lotos said as if it was obvious at my words.
"You never know. Maybe I could win?"
"Oh, please."
Aramis chuckled at Laurent's words.
"Then... how about we compete once?"
"Then... shall we compete once?"
We all headed to the plaza.
#
Chaeng!
When we arrived at the plaza, the three of them, except for me, drew their swords.
"It's not a duel... we're just seeing who handles the sword better, okay?"
"I understand."
"I know."
The three nodded.
First, Lotos and Laurent competed.
As we engaged in a sword fight, people began to gather one by one.
Before long, people gathered around us.
I stood next to Laurent and Lotos to judge.
"Okay... ready."
At my words, the two raised their swords at each other.
"Start!"
Kwang!
When the two swords collided, wind blew with an explosion.
"Waaaa!!"
People cheered at the shockwave caused by the clash of the two.
Chaeng! Chaejaeng! Kaang!!!
A sharp metallic sound rang out each time the two swords collided.
Kwang!
"Laurent! You're quite good!"
"Not yet!"
The two began a tug-of-war with their swords touching each other.
"Iyaaap!"
"Heuaaaap!!!"
The two pulled up Aura on their bodies and pushed each other's swords away.
Kiiiing!
While tugging at each other, Laurent slightly twisted his sword to the side, causing Lotos's sword to flow to the side.
"Huh?!"
Hwiing!
Laurent did not miss the gap where Lotos slipped and held his sword out towards his neck.
Kaang!
But Lotos swung his sword and knocked away Laurent's blade.
"Laurent, you're skilled."
"Thank you for the compliment."
The two took a step back and engaged in a war of nerves.
And soon they began to clash again.
Kagaang!!! Chaeng!
Sparks flew brilliantly as swords collided between them.
The fierce back-and-forth continued, and soon the match was over.
"Heoeo... I lost."
Laurent's sword tip was pointed at Lotos's heart.
Lotos lowered his sword.
"Waaaa!!!"
People jumped up and down and shouted.
"It's my turn this time."
Aramis slapped Lotos's bald head with the palm of his hand and came forward.
"Well... I'll be different from Lotos!"
"Come at me anytime!"
The result of Aramis, who stepped forward ambitiously, was no different from Lotos.
"Oh, please..."
"Lotos... let's train a little more."
After the match, the two sat on the fountain with dazed expressions.
"Ahahaha!!!"
I looked at the two and laughed, clutching my stomach.
"Um... shall we all go for a drink?"
Seeing the two who were discouraged, Laurent tentatively suggested that they go for a drink.
"Good!"
Lotos shouted, jumping up.
#
"Booze! Boooooooze!!!"
Lotos pushed through the swing doors and rushed into the bar.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
As soon as he sat in front of the bar, he desperately punched the bar with his fist, looking for alcohol.
"Oh my! Here it is!"
The bar owner hurriedly grabbed any alcohol he could get his hands on and handed it to Lotos.
"Booze!"
His eyes went wild when he saw the alcohol, like a beggar who hadn't eaten for days seeing food.
Lotos tore off the bottle cap with his teeth and began to drink straight from the bottle.
"That guy's got a quick temper!"
Aramis sat next to Lotos.
"I'll drink wine this time."
"Um... who's going to pay for the alcohol..."
"Here."
When the bar owner cautiously asked, Aramis placed a gold coin on the table.
"Heok! G-gold coin! Eup!"
The bar owner, seeing the glittering gold coin, was surprised and covered his mouth with both hands.
"I'll pay for the alcohol I owed so far and what I'll drink today."
"Keu... how cool."
Lotos, who had already emptied one bottle and picked up another, gave Aramis a thumbs up.
"If I didn't do it, you would have done it anyway."
"I think Marie would have done it."
"What? There's no such thing as paying for alcohol in my dictionary."
I lightly hit the back of Lotos's head and sat next to him.
Laurent naturally sat next to me.
"I'll have wine too."
"What will you have, sir?"
"Uh... um... I'll have wine too."
At the bar owner's question, Laurent also ordered wine in a daze.
"I've received money, so I'll bring out my secret weapon."
The bar owner went to the basement with a determined expression.
"You could have just taken out what's behind you..."
I grumbled and went over the bar, grabbing three bottles of wine as I could.
"Drink whatever you want."
I took the biggest wine bottle first, and Aramis and Laurent each took the wine closest to them.
"Cheers!"
We cheered with the bottles and drank the alcohol.
"Keueu... I feel like I'm alive when I drink alcohol."
I drank alcohol mindlessly and wiped the corners of my mouth with the back of my hand.
A few days ago, I ate orange sapphire and worried about when the side effects would appear for many nights, but when there were no abnormalities, I just decided to let it go.
Indeed, nothing happened.
"Oh my! How can you drink alcohol like this without saying anything!"
The bar owner, who came with a pile of alcohol from the basement, shouted in surprise.
"Then you should have brought it quickly."
"Euhaha!"
We all burst into laughter at Lotos's retort.
"Anyway, try this once. It's important, so I was keeping it in the underground wine cellar..."
He took out four wine glasses and poured wine into each.
"Um... it's fragrant."
Just pouring the alcohol into the glass brought a smile to my face with the sweet scent of wine spreading around me.
"Well, let's have a drink."
"Then... I won't refuse."
Lotos grabbed the wine glass first and drank it all at once.
"Um... um! Um!"
Lotos filled his mouth with wine, swirled it around, tasted it, and nodded before swallowing.
"Hwiyu! What is this?! It's amazing? Pour me another glass quickly."
Lotos held out his wine glass and urged.
"Ah... I understand."
The bar owner poured wine back into the glass that Lotos held out.
"Euhheuh..."
Lotos smiled happily and drank the wine.
"I should try it too."
I also grabbed a wine glass and drank the wine.
The scent of grapes spreading in my mouth and the spicy alcohol combined exquisitely, making it very delicious.
"This kind of wine... is a first. It tastes like something you can only drink in the royal palace."
Aramis also praised the wine with a smile on his face.
"Ooh..."
Laurent, who was next to me, also exclaimed as soon as he drank the wine.
"It's delicious, right?"
"Yes, it's very delicious."
When I asked with a bashful smile, Laurent blushed and answered.
"Well, we have a lot of money and a lot of time, so let's run with this alcohol today!"
When I raised my wine glass high, the three of them raised their glasses up in the same way.
"Cheers!"
"""Cheers!"""
That day, we drank until we were drunk.