Chapter 44
A Poison One Drinks Willingly
“Mr. Christopher Mode, would you like to go somewhere fun with me?”
It was an impulsive suggestion. The urge to make the pessimistic, melancholic man smile came from her natural kindness.
Lily’s kindness was like a spring. Even as she looked at his cold retreating figure, she had more than enough energy and patience to offer it to him willingly.
Still, when Christopher didn’t immediately move, Lily gently pushed his back.
Not far from Highbrom was Brown Market.
His well-tailored clothes clearly stood out from everyone else there. The people around them were all dressed in worn, shabby clothing.
Being taller than most and dressed impeccably, he drew glances from women as he passed.
“Drink this first.”
At the entrance of the market, Lily handed him a cup of mulled wine. Steam rose from the wine, which had been boiled with fruits and spices. Christopher frowned slightly as he accepted it, though he didn’t bother mentioning that he only drank distilled spirits.
“You’ve never had this before, have you?”
Lily said, bringing the cup close to her nose.
“In fact…”
The sweet scent of fruit tickled his nose. Watching her sparkling eyes, Christopher forced himself to take a sip. Lily’s face lit up.
“It’s good, right?”
“…This is an insult to alcohol.”
He spoke sharply—but didn’t put the cup down.
“It’s a pure, sweet world, different from your ‘grown-up’ taste.”
Smiling, Lily led him to the next place. The crowd was thick and bustling, so she naturally grabbed his hand.
Pushing through the people, she brought him food he had never tried before.
Looking at the dish—fluffy hot potatoes topped with thin slices of raclette cheese—he stared at it suspiciously.
“What is this?”
As if dropped into an incomprehensible world, he poked at it awkwardly with a wooden fork.
To suggest having a snack when hungry, and then serve potatoes without even peeling them, drenched in cheese—something that could hardly even be called food—sitting at a crude street table without even napkins…
“Try it.”
His gaze drifted instead to a nearby stall selling pheasants, ducks, and turkeys, some still half-feathered and hanging. Seeing exposed pink flesh openly displayed made him hesitate.
“You eat things like this… in a place like this?”
Lily casually scooped up a potato and took a big bite.
“It’s good.”
“Is this place only for eating?”
The crowd surged around them, bumping into his shoulders, shouting loudly nearby.
“You can drink tea here too.”
“You come here often? Drink tea in a place like this?”
“I come out on weekends.”
“…Who do you come with?”
“Um…”
Lily almost mentioned Timothy—but stopped herself.
Timothy wouldn’t be coming here anymore, sharing sandwiches of wine-soaked cheese or cured meat. He was going to settle near the university after marrying that lady.
“My friends. The ones I work with at the hotel.”
“Like that?”
He gestured toward a group of maids openly walking around with their boyfriends. Christopher knew she wasn’t good at lying.
“No.”
When Lily waved her hands in denial, he simply took a bite of the potato.
“It’s good, right?”
Her eyes sparkled so brightly that he couldn’t help but laugh.
Her face shone with pride, as if she were introducing the best thing in the world.
Seeing her anxiously waiting for his answer, he deliberately paused.
Just as a shadow crossed her face, he added—
“It’s excellent.”
“I knew it!”
Relieved, Lily smiled brightly and took another bite.
As the shadow lifted from his handsome face, he looked even more striking. At the hotel, he always seemed weighed down—tired and cold—but today, he looked different.
“You look better when you smile.”
“Did I smile?”
“Yes, just now.”
At her words, he pressed lightly near his brow, as if troubled.
“Whenever you do that…”
He half-closed one eye and looked at her intently. His gaze was sharp, as if it could pierce through her thoughts.
“It makes it hard for me to smile—even if I want to.”
“Why?”
“Only clowns smile on command.”
“Then why do you tell me to smile?”
“Because you’re pretty when you smile.”
Lily froze mid-motion, fork raised to her mouth.
He said it so casually, as if it meant nothing.
“Liar.”
She stabbed at the potato with her fork.
“It’s true. Actually, you’re pretty even when you don’t smile.”
Resting his chin on his hand, he looked at her as if admiring her.
His tone held no hint of teasing.
Flustered, Lily lowered her head and quietly ate. The cheese stretched and snapped.
Before she knew it, she had finished the potatoes. The atmosphere felt awkward, so she kept sipping the warmed wine.
“You barely touched it earlier. Are you a drinker?”
Seeing she had already emptied more than five cups, he finally took the glass from her.
“It’s too cold… this warms me up.”
Seeing her flushed face, Christopher drank the rest of her wine.
“That’s unfair.”
At her complaint, he raised an eyebrow. Her usually sharp gaze was unfocused, her lips curved in a loose smile. He let out a disbelieving sigh.
“Watch your tone.”
“What’s wrong with speaking casually?”
At her words, he nearly choked on the wine, trying not to spit it out.
“…What?”
“Come on.”
“What do you mean, ‘come on’?”
“Were you always this serious and intense since birth, Mr. Mode?”
“Call me by my name.”
Resting her chin on interlaced fingers, Lily stared at his face openly.
It was a boldness only possible because she was drunk.
When he smirked, she pointed at him.
“You really don’t have a lover?”
“I can’t just be with anyone.”
“What are you, some kind of kept man? A pied piper with women trailing after you? I’m not falling for it.”
“Where did you learn to talk like that? You’re drunk.”
He quickly took her glass and drank from it.
“Give it back—that’s mine!”
Lily suddenly flared up and stood. As the tilted table caused the cup to fall, she bent down to pick it up—only for the world to spin.
She collapsed to the ground.
“Ugh—my head…”
Startled by the loud noise, Christopher rushed over and checked her face.
“Let’s go, you little drunk.”
To lift the stubbornly unmoving Lily, he slid his arms under hers and pulled her up. She ended up being dragged along like a limp monkey.
“Let go—let go!”
“No.”
As she struggled weakly, he simply hoisted her onto his back.
“Carrying you, piggyback… what comes next?”
He muttered to himself.
“Can’t you… breathe quietly?”
“I’m tired…”
At her whine, he opened the back door of the car parked inside the park. The driver hurried to assist, but Christopher stopped him.
“It’s cold.”
With that, Lily flopped straight onto the back seat.
Her long skirt rode up slightly, revealing her knees. Christopher immediately pulled it down. Then he raised the partition so the driver couldn’t see the back.
At the sound, Lily’s eyes snapped open.
Their gazes met at close distance.
She reached out and grabbed his head with both hands.
“Christopher.”
“Yes, Elizabeth.”
Ignoring the grip on his hair, he met her gaze steadily.
“Why do you keep appearing around me?”
“Do I really have to say it out loud?”
Before he even finished, Lily pulled him closer.
Their lips collided lightly.
Her face flushed red like a tomato.
Suddenly, he cupped her cheek and pressed his lips firmly against hers, his tongue slipping in without warning.
“Mm—”
He brushed insistently against her tightly closed teeth before gently biting her lower lip.
Startled, her lips parted—and his tongue slipped inside.
Her eyes widened, then slowly closed.
He traced the inside of her mouth, pulling at her tongue as if to draw her in, making her feel his breath, his presence.
Barely able to breathe, Lily clung to him, unconsciously taking in the breath he gave her.
Christopher lifted her body. Though she felt heavy like cotton, he easily pulled her onto his lap and continued kissing her.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“They say a pretty face is poison for a maid’s life.”
“It’s a poison every man would willingly drink.”
