CHAPTER 31: PUSH DOWN

At the moment when Tania gradually acted without any restraint, Julian looked into the wine glass. At the bottom of the liquid, there was an almost imperceptible sediment.

Just now, he had already suspected that Enie might have tampered with the drink. After accepting the glass handed to him by Tania, he immediately noticed it.

As the wine entered his stomach, a chilling sensation spread, then slowly turned into heat.

Such a reaction instantly made Julian alert. He had a rough idea of what the other side had Tania do.

Setting the wine glass aside, Julian closed his left eye and showed a look of discomfort.

Not long after, Julian’s body also began to feel a bit unnatural. He frowned and leaned against the table to steady himself, one hand rubbing his temple.

Tania’s eyes lit up with delight, and she stepped forward lightly.

Although she couldn’t yet lick the cake clean, taking a little taste was still possible.

A smooth, soft sensation touched the back of his hand, gently stroking it, while a fragrant breeze came to Julian’s side.

"Are you not feeling well?" she asked with concern.

"Mm... suddenly feeling a bit dizzy..." Julian said vaguely.

Tania assumed this was the effect of the drug taking hold. In reality, Julian was simply drunk.

His constitution had always been like that—he didn’t drink, and even a bit more than usual would turn him into the same mess as during that night banquet.

But this hadn’t been in Julian’s expectations...

He originally thought he could rely on the Holy Seal to resist the influence, but hadn’t accounted for the fact that his own magic was insufficient. While the poison’s effect had been suppressed, the alcohol’s force had taken full hold.

This feeling of hovering at the edge of losing control made him uneasy. Julian tried to pull away the hand Tania was holding, struggling in a way that—at least in her eyes—looked more like coy resistance than rejection.

With Losiya not by his side, for the first time since coming to this world, Julian felt the sense of safety disappear. Becoming more alert, he stepped back, almost collapsing against the table.

A perfect opportunity!

Tania stepped forward immediately, saying "Careful" while her hand went straight to Julian’s waist, pulling him into her embrace.

That waist—soft and supple, no bones could be felt. Touching it gave a deeply satisfying sensation. As she leaned closer, she caught a faint, intoxicating scent from Julian’s body that tugged at her very core. Unable to resist, she brought her face to his forehead, brushing against it softly.

This temptation made her suddenly change her plan. Now, she had grown unusually bold.

Glancing around, aside from the occasional passing maid, no one was paying attention here.

As for Losiya, she was likely still brooding over Tania’s earlier words—she wouldn’t be interfering anytime soon.

Licking her lips, Tania held Julian by the waist and began guiding him toward an empty room nearby.

Slowly closing the door, she gently laid Julian on the bed.

"You..." Julian finally started to panic, trying to push himself up with both arms, but before he could rise, Tania pressed him back down.

She was practically straddling him, her long hair cascading down beside Julian’s face.

"You’re drunk. Just rest a little, alright?" Tania said with a soft smile.

Julian couldn’t believe it—how bold could this woman be to do something like this right inside Losiya’s home without the slightest restraint?

"Get out," Julian could only say coldly, eyes closed.

Tania’s lips curled in contempt.

About to devour the cake in front of her, she saw no sign of awareness in Julian’s eyes.

"Don’t be so tense. I just want to help you sober up," Tania said, lowering her body. Her beautiful face inched closer and closer to Julian’s.

Julian shut his eyes tightly and turned his head away.

Tania paused, frowning in annoyance.

As she grabbed Julian’s face, intending to threaten him, a sudden chill from behind made her freeze.

Her entire body stiffened as she immediately turned her head.

Standing silently behind her, wearing a black-and-white maid outfit with lace trim, was Alice, her cold gaze shifting between Tania and Julian beneath her.

"Tania, don’t you think your behavior is far too improper?" Alice asked.

Tania had initially felt a little intimidated, but after being scolded by a maid, her arrogance flared up again.

"What, do I need your permission to play with a little man? Who do you think you are?!"

Hearing such blatant disrespect, Julian felt disgusted, but in this world, there was no reasoning to be had. Alice hesitated for a few seconds.

As mentioned before, in this world, men had no rights to speak of. When a female noble came to visit, it was an unspoken courtesy to share the "goods" within the territory, and those "goods" didn’t just include objects—they included men as well.

Not only nameless males—even husbands of other noblewomen were treated as tradeable. Each noblewoman’s "husband" often served many others.

Almost no one thought this was shameful or degrading. To put it another way: which pet owner would care if someone else stroked their pet?

"I don’t care," Alice finally said, "but the Lord will. Are you trying to test her bottom line?"

Only then did Tania reveal a troubled look. She fixed her hair and slowly got off Julian.

"I’ll wait for her to say yes herself." As she passed by Alice, Tania stopped and whispered triumphantly in her ear.

Once Tania had left, Alice let out a long breath and came over to help Julian up.

"Julian, are you alright?" Alice asked with concern.

He had thought Losiya wouldn’t arrive in time, but it was Alice who had shown up first to stop Tania.

Thinking about how close Tania’s lips had come, Julian felt a wave of nausea and covered his mouth, retching.

After dry heaving a few times, that powerless sensation finally began to fade. Lifting his head, Julian looked at Alice with gratitude. "Thank you, I’m fine."

"She didn’t do anything to you, did she?"

"Not yet," Julian shook his head.

Only then did Alice slowly show a hint of blame in her eyes. Looking at him, she said, "From now on, you must never interact with her again."

Julian shook his head. Though the encounter had been dangerous, he had also gained something from it.

Tania had no idea he held certain information. So today, he had intentionally tested the waters—using the Holy Seal to help himself drink the wine she had prepared.

Now he only needed to wait silently. If she acted first and exposed a weakness, he could seize the upper hand.

Julian closed his eyes, and Alice leaned in to whisper in his ear: "Today, during her transaction with the Lord, Tania mentioned you."

"What about it?" Julian’s heartbeat quickened.

"She said Lady Catherine’s condition... she can cure it."

"So?"

"But she has... a particular condition."

Julian’s eyes snapped open. He didn’t need to guess—he already knew exactly what that condition was.

And what about Losiya? How would she respond?

The calm Julian had gradually regained now began to falter again.