Chapter 42: After a Toast, I was Forced to Retch

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“Azure Nightingale! What’s happening here?” As Nora turned to the direction of the voice, there stood His Majesty the King. His black hair and vermillion eyes were the same, but in his formal attire as the king, he looked like an entirely different person from the “Thor” she had met at the restaurant.

Behind Thorvard was the throne. Before Nora knew it, he had already moved towards her, pushing the other young ladies that had surrounded her away. She thanked him, and the gallant king nodded in acknowledgment.

“Where’s Elias?”

“I don’t know, Your Majesty.” He frowned, but she couldn’t very well tell him that Elias was actually in his secret lover’s room.

“No matter what, you shouldn’t leave his side.” He whispered to her before walking away.

She had done no such thing and it was Elias who had left. To another woman’s place.

Nora felt at a loss.

“You must be the Azure Nightingale?”

“Pardon? Oh, yes, that’s right.”

A gorgeous lady with navy blue hair and safflower-colored eyes called out to Nora. She didn’t know who she was, but based on her dress and graceful demeanor, Nora figured she was an upper-class nobility and offered her greetings.

“I believe it’s our first time to meet. I’m Martina Lindell, one of the candidates for the queen. What’s your name?”

Is she the sister of Duke Lindell who was said to be a queen candidate?

She truly was befitting of being a queen candidate, a beautiful woman with a lustrous air.

“My name is Nora Kranz.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Nora. It appears that there were awful rumors about the Azure Nightingale recently, but don’t mind them. I’m looking forward to your performance today.”

“Thank you.”

The rumor had even reached the queen candidate. And judging from the way she spoke, it must be that rumor of her being “dirty.”

Just when will it disappear?

“So, I heard you were the lady who had captured the heart of the handsome son of the marquis. Is it true?” Martina asked with a grin.

Really, there is no such thing as good rumors.

“We’re just friends.” Since she had seen his secret lover, she couldn’t say they were actually temporary lovers. Heck, even their friendship was about to end.

Martina gleefully clapped her hands. “That’s wonderful! I often saw him and Andrea getting along well. It would be quite a shame if you were his lover.”

Was Andrea the name of his secret lover? Even the queen candidate knew of her. Perhaps it wasn’t a secret after all. Elias was surprisingly not very discreet.

“If you weren’t, then that’s better. But I suppose that’s just as well. We’re talking about the son of the prestigious marquis. You’re just a singer. False hopes mark the beginning of misery.”

What a scathing remark. Was it intentional?

The truth was easily distorted. Therefore, it was easy for people to lie to their advantage.

“Will you be performing later? You musn’t be nervous and fail. Just enjoy the ball until then.”

Martina gestured for the waiter to open the bottle of wine. She handed Nora one of the glasses, which seemed expensive, to say the least.

“I’ve heard so much about you, so how about a toast to commemorate our meeting?” Martina smiled and lifted the glass to her mouth. She was only drinking wine but she looked strangely stunning and Nora couldn’t tear her eyes away from her.

Elias had countlessly reminded her to be careful of her food and drink intake, but considering it came from the same bottle of wine that had just been opened in front of her, she figured it was fine because Martina had also drunk first.

Besides, she was the duke’s sister, and she couldn’t afford to decline the invitation of the queen candidate.

If she only took a small sip, she should be fine. As the wine entered her mouth, the mixed scent of grapes and alcohol wafted to her nose.

I don’t really like alcohol, after all.

“I look forward to your performance, Nora.” Martina smiled at her and left. Once she was gone. Nora felt oddly weary.

Perhaps it was because she was hungry and even had alcohol on an empty stomach. Or maybe it was because she was mentally tired, but she somewhat felt sleepy.

She dropped the glass down on a nearby table and sat on a chair. She couldn’t move nor did she want to, as though roots magically grew from her feet.

“I want to go home early.”

She was scheduled to perform at the latter half of the evening so she still had to stay. She let out a sigh as she thought of how she had to eventually confront Elias in a non-amusing way.

“Nora!” She saw Elias run up to her in a hurry. Allan and Flora followed shortly after.

“I’ve been looking for you! Where have you been?”

She felt a little irked to see Elias looking anxiously at her. How could he ask her where she had been when it was he who went to another woman?

She didn’t know if he was keeping an act or it was merely to kill time, but it was selfish of him nonetheless.

As she tried to get up from her chair, her vision spun around. Elias frowned as he looked at Nora, who had grabbed the chair to support herself.

“Did anyone talk to you while I was away?”

“The queen candidate gave me a toast. A beautiful woman. I feel like the higher the status, the more beautiful a person is.”

“Queen candidate? Was it Martina Lindell?” Nora nodded. Elias and Allan looked at each other.

Nora felt that they looked oddly stiff, but she was sleepy and couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Was it such a strong liquor?

“What did she say?”

“Where’s the bottle of wine?” Urged by Elias, Nora pointed vaguely at the glass she had placed on the table.

Even lifting her arm was a struggle. She was probably a little drunk. She just had to get herself sick before her scheduled performance.

Elias picked up the glass, shook the wine inside and smelled it.

What are you doing? If you want to drink, you should get a new one.

Then he took a sip of the wine. What did it mean if he drank Nora’s leftover? Could it still be considered an indirect kiss?

No, thinking about it, we’ve already been kissing. Absolutely not indirectly.

She somewhat felt lightheaded and her train of thought was in disarray. It seemed like she was really drunk. As she looked back to Elias, she saw his expression changed quickly.

“Allan, go and report it.” As soon as he said it, he picked up Nora.

“What are you doing?”

Elias dashed through the hallway regardless of Nora’s complaints. They entered a room and he instructed a woman who seemed to be a maid to prepare water. While she was still confused by what was happening, Nora was given a glass of water.

“Hurry up and drink it.” Elias promptly commanded and she drank the water without a thought.

Meanwhile, a bucket came from nowhere and she was forced to hold it for some reason.

“Pardon me, Nora.” As soon as he said it, Elias put his finger inside Nora’s mouth. The unpleasant stimulus at the back of her throat caused her to vomit out of reflex. After vomiting, she was asked to drink water again.

What’s happening?

No matter how she thought of it, she looked positively hideous. On top of her embarrassment, she felt sad. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she wasn’t sure if it was out of pain or sadness.

She could hear him repeatedly say, “Take the medicine.” But she was so overcome with fatigue that she couldn’t even open her eyes anymore.

A soft touch brushed against Nora’s lips, which had lost its ability to speak. As she felt something cold pass through her throat, Nora’s consciousness slipped away.

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