He just invited me?
Eula stared in disbelief. That invitation—the one hundreds of thousands dream of—had actually fallen into her lap?
It felt so surreal that she wondered if she was dreaming.
She slowly raised her hand and pinched her own cheek.
"Nope… doesn't hurt. Am I really dreaming? Haha, that must be it. There's no way something this good would happen to me. Impossible…"
"Hey, Eula, you're way too drunk. No matter how hard you pull your hair, it won't hurt."
"Huh? Really?"
Eula blinked, stunned for a moment, only to realize she wasn't pinching her face at all—she was tugging at the ends of her hair. Of course that wasn't going to hurt.
"Let this helpful prince assist you."
"And what exactly do you think you're doing?"
"Helping you check whether you're dreaming."
Leon smiled, eyes narrowing with amusement as he raised his hands to cup Eula's cheeks, gently squeezing them as if admiring a delicate masterpiece.
Even in her tipsy state, Eula's face flushed bright red again. She quickly pushed him away, covering her cheeks with both hands.
"How is it? You can feel your heartbeat clearly, right? People can't feel their heartbeat when they're dreaming."
"…Well, it… does seem I'm not dreaming. But I'll remember this, Your Highness. A girl's face isn't your toy."
"I don't see it as a toy, and don't worry. I'm always careful with things that are beautiful and precious—I'd never break one."
Leon shrugged.
"Now then, what do you think of my proposal?"
"I don't understand… why would you choose me?"
Eula asked, genuinely confused.
This opportunity had fallen from the heavens with such force that it nearly knocked her out. Something countless people longed for was suddenly within reach, but she had no idea why Leon had chosen her.
"Huh? Isn't it obvious? Because you're exceptional. I'm always recruiting outstanding talent for my grand ambitions."
"Even if you say that, I still don't get it, but… whatever. It's not like things can get any worse for me. As long as Your Highness doesn't mind, then I'll accept. Haha… I never thought something like this would happen to me. Good things… really do happen sometimes."
"…You truly are drunk. That sounded incredibly misleading."
Leon glanced at Eula's empty glass.
She had drunk nearly a third of that bottle on her own, and yet she could still hold a mostly coherent conversation. Her tolerance was impressive—but she had definitely reached her limit.
Even sitting down, her body wobbled slightly, as if she might topple at any second. Her vision looked hazy, unfocused, and she let out small giggles from time to time.
Her usual cold, noble demeanor had completely vanished.
If the citizens of Mondstadt—who saw Eula as aloof and unapproachable—could see her now, they'd never believe she could look this adorably helpless.
From the perspective of a gentleman, Leon should have quietly swapped the wine bottle for water to stop her from getting any drunker.
After all, in this state, she probably wouldn't even notice the difference between sake and water.
But…
"Oh? What's wrong with your cup? It's empty."
"Oh, thank you so much, Your Highness."
Without a hint of suspicion, Eula handed him her wine glass. Leon filled it again with more alcohol without hesitation.
He just wanted to see her completely drunk. It would be entertaining.
"Mm, delicious."
"If you like it, drink as much as you want. I'll take you home tonight."
"Thank you very much, Your Highness."
"You're welcome."
Despite the cool and cautious façade she usually maintained, Leon realized she was, in truth, incredibly easy to fool. In this state, he could probably sell her and she'd help count the money.
"Prince Leon, if I become your knight… will I really be able to restore the original glory of the Lawrence family?"
Eula asked with eyes full of longing.
"Of course. That'll be easy. Honestly, you should aim higher."
Leon nodded, encouraging her to broaden her horizons.
"I… I don't dare think that far…"
Eula smiled bitterly and shook her head.
Restoring the Lawrence family's honor was her goal, but deep down, her true wish was far simpler: she just wanted to get along with others.
To have a few close friends.
To not be discriminated against wherever she went.
But even such a modest dream was out of reach because of her surname.
"Serve me well, Eula. As long as you contribute enough… I'll give you anything you want."
Leon's words were laced with temptation.
"Really? You mean it?"
Drunk and blurry-eyed, Eula gazed at him dreamily.
"Of course. Status, reputation, wealth, power—you can earn all of it. If you want to erase your family's crimes and restore their former glory, then make contributions greater than their sins."
"And… how much do I need to do?"
"That depends on your performance. But don't worry. If you follow me, you'll never lack opportunities."
Leon placed a hand on her head. In that moment, the icy beauty was as gentle as a kitten, leaning softly against his shoulder to steady her drunken, uncoordinated body.
Thinking of Leon's many achievements, Eula's expression softened.
Yes, opportunities would be plentiful.
Leon was someone aiming for greatness, even if she didn't fully understand what his goals were.
But from everything he had done so far, it was clear his ambitions extended far beyond what she could imagine.
And that was good.
Because only then would she have the chance to serve him—and gain everything she desired.
"Oh right, the most coveted position right now is that of my first wife. Want to enter the competition?"
"First wife? Someone like me? Could I really… qualify?"
"Your birth doesn't matter. What matters is your ability to deliver results. I don't want my future queen to be just a pretty vase."
Leon waved dismissively. He didn't need decoration—he wanted a queen who could stand beside him on the battlefield and conquer the world.
Eula blinked, then shook her head with a bitter smile.
"Forget it. I'm not interested in becoming a first wife or anything like that, and I won't make it my goal."
"Really? What a shame."
"Eh?"
"As long as you become my wife, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you'd be the happiest woman in the world," Leon said with complete confidence.
Eula's eyes widened as she felt her heart pound wildly.
(End of chapter)