/
“Congratulatory liquor?”
Hearing the unexpected answer, Khalid opened the door with a puzzled face. Then, Count Horam immediately came in with a tray with a liquor bottle, glasses, and simple snacks. Seeing Renato sitting on the bed, he politely bowed his head.
“I sincerely apologize for visiting late at night. Did I interrupt your rest?”
“No. You are here under Her Majesty’s order, right? Did you say that she sent a congratulatory liquor?”
“Yes, it is a traditional liquor that we always drink on the wedding’s first night in our kingdom. It is made of fruits, flowers and herbs from the mountains and has a rose-red color.”
Count Horam explained the significance of the congratulatory liquor sent by Maryam and poured the alcohol into the prepared glasses. Just like his explanation, a rose red-colored liquid filled the transparent glasses.
“Just like sharing holy water at the engagement ceremony, couples drink together on the marriage’s first night to signify a long-lasting relationship. It is customary for the oldest adult in the family to prepare the congratulatory liquor.”
At present, the Hakan royal family didn’t have anyone that could be called an elder. It was because many royals had died during the battle for the throne between Maryam and Duke Abadan.
“Her Majesty said that as an elder of the royal family, she sent you a congratulatory liquor to celebrate your engagement and express regret since you won’t hold the wedding ceremony in the kingdom.”
“I see. I will directly thank her tomorrow, but tell Her Majesty first that I appreciate her concern.”
“I will do so. Then I hope you will have a good time.”
Count Horam had a gentle smile and quietly stepped back while suppressing his footsteps as much as possible.
“Noonim

”
Khalid looked down at the glasses filled with congratulatory liquor with a slightly perplexed face. He understood without difficulty the real meaning behind Maryam’s congratulatory liquor.
So he was even more surprised. Just a few hours ago, Maryam was suspicious about Khalid and Renato’s marriage.
‘You and the Prince are closer than I thought. Is there anything I don’t know regarding your marriage?’
Maryam called Khalid in the banquet hall and asked in a low voice. It seemed like a question, but in reality, it was closer to an interrogation.
Khalid replied that he didn’t hide anything from her. But Maryam didn’t easily dispel her doubts. Seeing that, Khalid felt disappointed with her again.
Of course, Maryam’s reaction wasn’t incomprehensible. In truth, Khalid didn’t specify to Maryam how many years his marriage to Renato was, and what permanent rights he would receive after their divorce.
Khalid only explained that Renato proposed a political marriage first, promised lower tariffs on the Khan Kingdom’s merchant guilds and free access to the territory’s port, and agreed to pay a considerable amount of alimony when they divorced by mutual agreement.
It was because Renato wanted to keep the contract a secret from Maryam, but also because Khalid couldn’t trust her completely anymore. So he gave just enough reasons to get Maryam’s permission.
As Renato expected and as Khalid calculated, Maryam welcomed the two’s marriage. However, it seemed that she had become restless again after seeing the two in person this time.
‘It seems to me that you have quite good feelings for the Prince

’
‘In any case, he is someone that will become my companion now. Is that a problem?’
‘It’s not a problem, I’m just wondering if the Prince feels the same way as you do.’
‘Well, I don’t know how His Imperial Highness feels. I’m unfamiliar with that aspect, after all. I don’t know what you think, noonim, but I’m just trying to be faithful to this marriage.’
During their conversation, Khalid realized that Maryam suspected the two’s relationship was based on affection rather than business deals. However, he couldn’t understand why that would be a problem.
In the meantime, Renato caused friction with Marquis Ishbart. And after seeing it, Maryam’s attitude changed.
Just what is she thinking?
Khalid’s face darkened as he looked at the congratulatory liquor with the same color as his eyes. Maryam probably didn’t intend to send them a congratulatory liquor today. But what happened at the banquet hall seemed to have somehow changed her thoughts. It weighed on Khalid’s mind.
“Her Majesty must have found me to her liking. Sending congratulatory liquor means that she is actively supporting our marriage, right?”
“Pardon? Ah, well

 That’s right.”
Renato’s voice freed Khalid from his heavy thoughts. Like him, Renato seemed to have vaguely noticed the message from the congratulatory liquor. Drinking the alcohol meant celebrating the engagement, but it was also Maryam’s message that their marriage should never be broken.
“Have you ever drunk alcohol?”
Khalid struggled to calm his complicated mind and walked closer to Renato. After all, that problem couldn’t be immediately solved no matter how much he thought about it now. In that case, he should be faithful to the present rather than think about complex matters.
“Several times. In the Empire, we can drink alcohol when we turn 18.”
“Uhm, then, may I ask how much you can drink?”
“I don’t know about that

 I never drank enough to get drunk.”
“What kind of alcohol did you drink before? Beer? Wine? Or other kinds of fruit wine?”
“Wine and fruit wine. Was it raspberry and pomegranate

”
“Hmm.”
Hearing Renato’s answer, Khalid lightly murmured. All the alcohol in the Khan Kingdom was strong, so people with low alcohol tolerance could get drunk with just one glass.
“All of the alcohol in our kingdom is high in alcohol degree and quite strong. People who are not used to alcohol may find it difficult to drink.”
“I heard that it’s the case in cold regions. Drinking alcohol warms up the body, so they increase the alcohol degree

”
“That’s right. So there is no need to force yourself to drink.”
“Still, Her Majesty bestowed it on us, so shouldn’t I drink a glass out of courtesy?”
When Khalid said he shouldn’t drink, Renato timidly expressed his opinion. He didn’t enjoy drinking and his alcohol capacity was weak, but after listening to Count Horam’s explanation, he somehow felt obligated to drink.
“

Please wait a bit.”
Khalid felt a little troubled when Renato expressed his intention to drink. Then, he took one of the two prepared glasses and brought it to his mouth without hesitation. Surprised by the man’s sudden action, Renato let out an exclamation.
“What are you doing

”
“It will be a bit better if it’s diluted with water.”
Having drunk half the glass, Khalid poured water into it. Then, the alcohol in the glass was mixed with water, changing from red to pink. He shook the glass a few times to blend the alcohol and water, then held it out to Renato.
“I don’t think you need to do that.”
He treats me like a child again. Receiving the glass from Khalid, Renato pouted his lower lip with dissatisfaction. Sometimes the man seemed to forget that he was a legally mature adult.
“This much can still be difficult to drink. Please take a sip first, and just put it down if you don’t want to drink.”
Khalid sat down next to Renato with the other glass. Then he lightly clinked the glass in his hand against Renato’s glass.
“We can drink after crossing each other’s arms like this.”
Khalid leaned his upper body toward Renato and intertwined his arm carrying the glass with Renato’s arm. Then, he took the glass to his mouth. Renato also followed Khalid, parting his lips and taking a small sip from the glass.


It’s bitter.
Renato’s brows furrowed as soon as the fragrant pink liquid flowed into his mouth. Khalid’s warning was not empty words at all. This celebratory liquor was the bitterest and strongest alcohol Renato had ever drunk. If it was this much even after dilution, he couldn’t even guess how it would be before diluting.
Unlike Renato who was bewildered by the alcohol much stronger than expected, Khalid had a nonchalant face. Seeing Renato’s face frown, he sent a gaze saying that Renato didn’t have to force himself to drink.
Somehow feeling competitive when seeing that gaze, Renato tilted his glass a little more. Then gulped the alcohol down. As his mouth was filled with bitter liquor, the roof of his mouth became hot, and his tongue tingled as if on fire. The feeling of the liquid running down his throat was also vivid.
Renato tried to ignore the burning sensation in his mouth and forced the alcohol down. After finally succeeding in swallowing it, he put the glass away and coughed like a suffocated person. His eyes and his nose were stinging.
“Cough, cough!”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m o

 Cough!”
“Oh dear.”
Khalid patted Renato, who kept coughing, on the back, and took the glass from his hand. Then he put a glass of water to his mouth. Renato immediately drank the water Khalid gave him. His throat was burning hot, and his stomach was boiling to the point where he thought his intestines were melting.
“Huu

”
Renato emptied the glass of water at once and took a deep breath. When the alcohol kicked in, his skin felt hot in a different way than before.
“I told you not to force yourself to drink.”
“I didn’t force myself

 Ugh.”
Frustrated by Khalid’s complaint, Renato opened his mouth and quietly groaned. He just slightly lifted his head and didn’t raise his body, but immediately, the world around him spun.
“Are you okay?”
When Renato clutched his dizzy head and curled his upper body, Khalid grabbed his arm in surprise. Then, he pulled Renato into his arms to let Renato lean against him.
“Are you very dizzy? Should I give you more water?”
Renato rested his head on Khalid’s shoulder and blankly blinked his eyes. The man’s voice seemed strangely distant. He felt nauseous just like having motion sickness.
“Ugh

”
Unable to overcome the alcohol effects, Renato groaned and squirmed his body. Then, he paused when a scent reached his nose. The scent similar to wood and dry earth was Khalid’s body odor that he had become quite used to. When he smelled it, he recalled what Trudy had told him.
‘I keep smelling his highness’ pheromone from hyung-nim

’
‘His highness’ pheromone has been lingering on you since you two shared a room, and the scent is getting stronger as the days go by, hyung-nim.’
What kind of scent does Khalid’s pheromone have? He suddenly felt curious about the man’s body scent. Normally, he would have only wondered in his mind or cautiously asked Khalid, but the tipsiness climbing to the top of his head made Renato directly take action. Digging deep into Khalid’s embrace, Renato buried his face in the nape of the neck in front of him.