Your Eternal Lies - Chapter 78

After Epilogue: Once Again, Walpurgis Night (2)

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“The snacks are delicious. Did the housekeeper make them?”

“I did.”

“…You know how to cook?”

“I don’t know if I’m good at it, but I know how.”

Emily took another bite of the sandwich on her plate and frowned. Ian thought it wasn’t delicious, so he asked if he should serve something else. Emily shook her head and ate all the sandwiches.

“Why do you do it yourself when you can use a housekeeper?”

“Because I like to watch Rosen eat. I like to do everything myself.”

Emily bit her lip. Her face had turned red before she knew it. It was understandable. The wine was strong. She was not a big drinker, but she had a few drinks, and Ian was starting to get dizzy, too.

“Do you smoke?”

“I quit smoking.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t have to.”

Emily bit her lip, sighed a few times, and then asked sharply, as if to deliver her devastating blow.

“How much do you think you know about Rosen?”

Ian realized that was the question Emily really wanted to ask him. He pondered what to say. He might not be able to understand Rosen as well as Emily, even if he devoted his life to her.

But he had an excuse. He didn’t like to make excuses, but now he wanted to. He didn’t want to bow down obediently.

“…You really know her.”

“…”

“But I know more than you think.”

Emily stared with slightly weary eyes at the books and articles about Rosen that he had adorning his shelves. Emily sighed and rested her chin on her hand.

“Well, you could live like this right now. But what if you fall apart and Rosen never comes back? Rosen can leave at any time. Walpurgis Island is our paradise, and you can never enter Walpurgis.”

Actually, he had thought so too. What if Rosen wanted to leave him?

While he would never be able to go to Walpurgis Island, Rosen would soon be able to come and go between Primrose and Walpurgis freely. He was always in a situation where he had to wait for Rosen.

But that fact didn’t make him regret his choice.

Waiting was one of the things he did best. Actually, he didn’t mind waiting. A life with someone you adore is better than a life without. Even if she wasn’t around, she was in spirit.

“I can wait. Forever.”

“…”

“I am good at waiting. I like it, too.”

Emily grimaced at his words and threw the bottle irritably on the table. Then she started calling out Rosen’s name. Rosen, who was playing outside with his dog, came running. Emily embraced Rosen and began to act like a child.

Rosen was embarrassed because Emily was normally extremely quiet. It seemed to be a drinking habit.

“I’m annoyed! I’m so annoyed, Rosen! Why on earth did you bring such a guy!”

Rosen looked between Ian and Emily with a troubled expression.

Ian noticed that he was getting a little tipsy. Thoughts began to pop out of his mouth. If he were sober, he would have held it back.

“…What do you not like about me?”

“What’s the use of saying it?”

“If you tell me, I’ll fix it.”

“At least your face is a little ugly! I don’t like it when it’s unnecessarily even and perfect! You look worthy of your face.”

“…”

“That doesn’t mean that ugly is good, Rosen! If you’re going to meet someone, they should be handsome!”

Emily pointed her finger at him. Ian stayed still, not knowing whether to take it as a compliment or an insult.

“Emily, let’s go. You need to sleep.”

Rosen, who had soothingly dragged Emily into the bedroom, approached him. Rosen freaked out at the amount of alcohol they drank.

“Ian, are you drunk? Why did you drink so much in such a short time?”

“I was drunk, but now I’m a little sober.”

Ian replied. He had never been drunk in his life. He didn’t want to drink and didn’t have to. But today was different. Emily suggested it, so he had to drink. Even until he collapsed.

She must have wanted to check his drinking habits. In fact, he was also anxious because he did not know his drinking habits. Perhaps a dog’s nature was sleeping inside him.

Fortunately, he fell asleep on the table silently, then woke up again a few minutes later in a hazy mood.

Then Ian continued to drink the alcohol Emily gave him. According to Henry, falling asleep was one of the most docile drinking habits.

He asked, fiddling with Rosen’s hair, which tickled his face.

“Will you go back to Walpurgis before sunrise tomorrow morning?”

“Should I?”

“Emily doesn’t look very well.”

“Emily is a drunk, pretending not to be. But she’ll be fine in a few hours, so it’s okay.”

“I don’t think she’s going to be okay.”

He remarked casually.

Ian grabbed Rosen by the sleeve and pulled her close. Rosen was taken helplessly by him, and fell into his arms. He hugged Rosen and wouldn’t let go.

“So don’t go today.”

“What?”

“Stay another day and then go.”

“Then I’ll get in trouble with my seniors.”

“…Play some pranks on Emily.”

“Are you really drunk?”

Rosen looked up at him with a stunned face and crossed arms. Ian just laughed quietly. Perhaps because of the alcohol, the laughter came out naturally without being awkward. He laughed like a child and buried his face in Rosen’s arms.

“What are you going to do with me tonight?”

He foresaw that obscenities would pour out of Rosen’s lips. Normally, he would have avoided or turned away from her, but strangely, he didn’t want to do that today. Thoughts came out of his mouth without going through his head.

He remembered his most recent dream of Rosen. He wanted to feel her vivid warmth as if it were real and the heat that captivated him in an instant. And if Rosen was around, he thought he could have a good dream today after a long time. He hugged Rosen again to the point of suffocation.

“I won’t do anything, so just sleep next to me. Today I want to dream of you.”

His head was fuzzy and his eyesight faltered.

Soon, Rosen’s lips came close. Ian thought he might already be dreaming.

So he took Rosen in his arms and went to bed, as he always did in his dreams, and kissed her deeper.

It was a warm and cozy winter night.

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