Oh, I''m going crazy!


    The day after I had a drink with Christo.


    My head throbbed and ached when I got up out of bed.


    This nostalgic-like symptom that arose when I woke up in the morning.


    I may have had quite a bit to drink, but I remember that in my past life I could drink a little more.


    Maybe in my past life, I got used to it, and that''s why I had to drink more to get to the hangover.


    That amount was a bit too much........


    ''''Are you okay?　Eric.


    My roommate, Elena, is concerned and looks into my face.


    ''Yes, it''s probably okay I''m used to it.''


    Isn''t this your first time drinking?


    I''m somewhat used to the hangover, so I''ll be fine. I''m not going to die.


    ''Yes, water. ''Water is the first thing you need for a hangover.''


    Thank you.


    He drank the cup that was handed to him.


    ''A hangover is caused by a lack of water.


    Is that so?


    Yeah, they say when you drink, you pee a lot and you get dehydrated.


    Well, if you think about it, I might have done quite a bit last night or something.


    I don''t even think I got too drunk, but after all, that''s what happens the next day when you drink that much.


    "Morning training, are you going to be okay?


    ''Yes, okay. Let''s go.


    We both left the room and headed to the dining room.


    Last night.


    Me and Christo went back from the front of the royal palace after we finished our drinks.


    I had told the old man, so there wasn''t that much of a commotion yet, but if I had left a little later, the knights might have been looking for Christo.


    Well, they were usually pissed off.


    His Majesty Leo wasn''t angry. ''''Two guys going out for a drink together, that''s adolescent! He laughed at me.


    Yele-san wasn''t particularly angry either, but my pay cut was handed down.


    Well, it didn''t hurt at all because I just lost my pay for the guards, but it wasn''t that big of a pay cut.


    The people who were angry were the maid and Christo''s mother, or the queen.


    This was the first time I had ever met her and I could tell that Christo was just like his mother.


    Her long golden hair flowed very nicely, and her face was well-defined and beautiful. She was probably in her late thirties, but I wouldn''t doubt that she was in her early twenties, but she was so beautiful.


    His face looked exactly like Christo''s.


    We were sitting upright with Christo in a room at the palace, where I had been shown in twice and this was the third time, right in front of the queen who was sitting on a sofa.


    Around us were His Majesty Leo and Jere, as well as the maid.


    ''Christo, why have you returned so late?''


    I went out for a drink with one of my first friends.


    No, no, no. Wait a minute. Are you blaming me for all this?


    In fact, it''s right past that and I don''t have anything to say about it.


    Also, don''t be so insanely happy to hear that you''re ''the first friend I''ve ever made'', because you''re pissed off and your cheeks are loose.


    ''Oh, so it wasn''t your intention, then?''


    ''''No, I went with you, so it was my decision.


    ''Then what did you just say?　To me, it sounded like you were abandoning your first friend.


    ........super scary.


    It''s scary when you don''t even yell at them to question them, to make sure they only state the facts, the right arguments, in a matter-of-fact way.


    ... "It was just meant to be a bit of a prank.


    Really? Eric, was it?


    ''Oh, yes!　Yes!


    I''m freaked out when he suddenly talks to me. And in reaction, my legs, which were sitting on their own, go numb as if electricity shot through them.


    Because I''m not used to sitting on my knees, the numbness goes very fast, and it hurts...!


    ''Christo says this, but do you forgive that one?''


    ''Well, it''s more of a mild prank kind of thing to set up on your friends, so I''m not even mad at you for forgiving or not forgiving.


    When I said that, the queen looked a little surprised, though she had no expression on her face.


    ''''I see. If you say so, Eric-kun, I won''t say anything from me. ........Christo.


    Yes, what can I do for you?


    You''ve made a good friend.


    The queen, who had been expressionless all this time, smiled for the first time when she said that.


    It was a very beautiful, motherly smile, filled with the tenderness of a mother.


    ''Yes, I strongly believe so.


    Christo smiled and nodded strongly.


    It''s kind of a very nice atmosphere, but I wish you hadn''t done it in front of me. It''s so embarrassing........!


    ''Eric, my ungrateful son, but I look forward to working with you in the future.


    Oh, no, it''s nice to meet you too.


    It''s kind of like a wedding greeting, isn''t it?　You''re using it wrong, Your Majesty.


    But I haven''t forgiven you for coming home late. Eric, it is you who asked Christo to come here, isn''t it?


    Yes, sir.


    Christo must become the prince of this Begonia Kingdom, the king who will carry the country from now on. And yet--


    After this, Christo and I were subjected to the Queen''s sermon for about twenty minutes at length.


    By the time we finished, my legs were already so numb that I couldn''t feel them. The last part didn''t even hurt anymore.


    Also, I was a little lightheaded from the booze I''d consumed.


    Christo is used to drinking and sitting upright, and he quickly gets up and tries to go back to his room.


    However, standing in front of him is that maid.


    She is staring at Christo with cold eyes.


    ''''Welcome home, Christopher-sama.


    Yeah, I''m home, Alisa. Grab the cape.


    I heard that maid''s name was Alisa. Well, I heard it when I was drinking.


    She has blue hair, about shoulder length. She''s pretty in a maid''s outfit, but she has a beautiful face.


    Her age is about the same age as Tina, or maybe a little older?　It seems to be somehow superior to me and Christo, but it''s better than me and Christo.


    ''Is there anything you''d like to tell me?''


    ''Oh?　Not particularly.


    Christo is treating him differently than usual, like he''s being uncomplicated.


    That''s something, like a boy who can''t be honest with the person he loves.


    You.........are you a puberty!


    I''d said so much about Alisa when I was drinking that she was cute and kind.


    I''m starting to think Christo is kind of cute.


    ''I see. Now let''s go back to our room, Mr. Christopher.


    Yeah, I get it.


    And with that, the two of them walked out of this room.


    I managed to get up as well, as my legs were no longer numb by now.


    ''Alright, let''s go then.''


    Yes, that''s right, dear.


    His Majesty Leo and the Queen are about to leave the room.


    ''You''re coming too.


    Yes, I understand.


    His Majesty Leo tells me to follow him, and me and Yele-san follow.


    I walk with a limp.


    I mean, where are we going?


    I can''t wait to get to bed....


    After walking for a while, His Majesty Leo turned around and


    Don''t make any noise from here on out.


    Then he creeps forward.


    Why?


    I don''t know about you, but I''m used to killing footsteps, and I can do it even with alcohol in my system. Well, it''s made difficult by the slightly numb feet.


    And so the four of us crept along and found ourselves at the door of a single room.


    His Majesty Leo opens that door without making any noise at all, gently.


    When I open it just barely enough to peek inside, His Majesty, the Queen, and Yele-san are also peeking in.


    I don''t know what they''re doing, but I''m curious too, so I take a peek.


    From the bottom, His Majesty, the Queen, Jere and I are like a dumpling, peeking in.


    Inside were Christo, the maid, and Alisa.


    And they were hugging each other.


    I managed to stifle the fact that I was about to scream.


    No, if you look closely, they''re not hugging each other, but Arisa-san is hugging Christo so that she can dive into his chest, and Christo''s right hand is rubbing Arisa-san''s back.


    Are you calling that state of affairs an embrace?　If Christo had his hands behind Alisa''s back, I can assure you they would be hugging each other.


    ''I was so worried, Christo I''ve never been home this late before...''


    I''m sorry, Alisa. I was just excited to make my first friend.


    Alisa''s voice was a change from the dignified voice she had earlier, and she was hugging Christo with a quivering voice that sounded like she was crying.


    ''''Please don''t let this happen again. It''s bad for my heart, and even if Christo is safe, I''m not going to be able to handle it.


    All right, I''ll tell Alisa next time.


    Christo says that while gently rubbing his back.


    Who the hell was that?


    I don''t know Christo like that.


    I wanted to look at him some more, but His Majesty Leo taps me on the shoulder and I back away.


    And then His Majesty Leo closes the door again without making a sound at all. Yeah, I''m used to it. I''ve definitely done this a lot of times.


    He closes the door and leaves the front of that room without being found out.


    After walking for a while, His Majesty Leo and the Queen start talking a bit excitedly.


    ''''Oh no, I saw something good!


    ''Yes. Eric, you''ve done a great job.


    ''What?　No, I''m not.


    ''You took Christo without telling me, so I could see that scene.


    No, you were just yelling at us about it. You move fast.


    "Why don''t you just put your hands behind your back and hug me and pat me on the head? That guy''s a wimp!


    It''s true. I wonder who he looks like, dear.


    Whoever it is, I don''t know.


    With that, they walked away.


    ''So, shall we go back too?''


    Yes, I know.


    ''Eric, what you just saw was...''


    Of course I won''t tell anyone.


    Good. Now, shall we go?


    But I decided in my mind that I would tease Christo next time.


    He pranked me today when I was angry, so getting back at him was a friend.