I Became the Master of the Villain

Kian’s eyes widened slightly.
“Alcohol?”

“Yeah. There’s a nice bar nearby. Unless… you don’t like drinking?”
“It’s not that. It’s just…”
His neatly shaped brows lowered slightly as he gazed at me.

His lips parted as if parched.
“When I drink… I tend to lose a bit of my self-control. I’m worried I might cause you trouble.”
Hmm… Did that mean he had a bad drinking habit?

It was hard to imagine Kian being disorderly, even drunk.
Still, after a brief moment of hesitation, he said,
“Then… let’s just have a little.”

“Alright.”
And so, we headed to a high-end bar nearby.
I’d heard about the newly opened place, but this was my first time visiting.

The moment we stepped inside, the gentle melody of a piano flowed through the air.
The lounge, filled with antique furniture, was dotted with patrons sipping drinks and chatting quietly.
We found a comfortable seat, and a staff member brought us the menu.

I skimmed down the list, wondering what to try first.
Something sweet sounded like a good place to start.
Oh, this one looks good.

It was described as a cocktail with a fresh, fruity flavor.
I was just about to order it—when I noticed something I’d overlooked.
It’s… strong. Really strong…!
Not in terms of alcohol content—its name was strong.

“Passion on the Beach.”
Just the name alone made me want to crawl into a hole.
While I was trying to recover from that secondhand embarrassment, Kian commented,

“These drinks have rather unique names.”
“No kidding…”
That wasn’t the only one with a suggestive label.

There were quite a few drinks on the menu with provocative, borderline-explicit names that would earn a mature rating anywhere else.
Just then, the bartender asked politely,
“What can I get for you?”

I chose the fruity cocktail—but made sure it had a normal name.
And thus ended my perilous battle with the menu.
Soon after, our drinks arrived.

Under the warm, dim lighting, Kian and I raised our glasses and looked into each other’s eyes.
We clinked them together and took a sip.
A bright, sweet flavor bloomed across my tongue.

It was my first time tasting something like it, but it went down smooth, without the slightest bite.
This bartender’s really good.
Maybe that’s why—I emptied my glass faster than expected.

For the second round, I ordered something stronger. The alcohol hit a little harder, warming my stomach as I drank.
I glanced at Kian. He looked the same as before—not even slightly flushed.
Suddenly, I found myself wondering what he was like when he did get drunk.

You know, the kind of quiet people who turn into complete chaos after a few drinks.
Swirling the liquid in my glass, I asked,
“Kian, do you have any drinking habits?”

“I get a bit happier than usual, but… I wouldn’t say I have any particular habits.”
Then what was that earlier comment about losing self-control? I’d assumed he meant a bad drinking habit.
While I was trying to make sense of that, Kian asked,

“What about you, Lady Olivia? Any drinking habits?”
I hesitated before answering.
“Well… I kind of have a bad one. That’s why my father always warned me never to drink outside.”

“Then you shouldn’t drink too much tonight.”
“Yeah, I’ll keep it light.”
That had been my original plan—but as I kept sipping, I found myself wanting more.

This place is good…
Every cocktail I tried was exactly my taste.
So I was about to order another when Kian stopped me.

“You said you’d only have a little.”
“I know, but… nights like this don’t come often.”
There had been a time, long ago, when I’d gotten completely wasted and made a huge scene. Since then, I’d kept myself in check.

Maybe that’s why the drinks tasted even better tonight.
“Just one more, please? Pretty please?”
I looked up at Kian with pleading eyes.

His blue eyes wavered for a moment.
I kept the desperate gaze going, like I was casting a spell on him.
His eyes rippled like a stormy sea.

Finally, he surrendered.
“…Just one more.”
“I promise.”

Grinning, I waved the bartender over.
By the time I finished my fourth glass, the alcohol was definitely kicking in.
My thoughts slowed down.

But I felt amazing.
All my worries and stress had floated away, replaced by warm happiness.
I kept giggling for no reason, and Kian looked at me with a hint of concern.

“I think you’re drunk.”
“Nope, I’m fiiiiine~”
I waved my hand lazily and smiled like a fool.

But just then—my hand bumped into my glass.
It ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) tipped.
The entire drink spilled over the table—and straight into Kian’s lap.

Panicked, I scrambled for a handkerchief.
“I’m sorry, Kian!”
I leaned forward and reached for his pants in a hurry.

The moment I touched him, Kian flinched.
He spoke in a strained voice.
“Lady Olivia—please. That’s… not…”

…Oops.
I must’ve touched the wrong place.
The lighting was dim, and his pants were black, so it was impossible to see where he was actually wet.

“How about here?”
“Ugh…”
He groaned softly as my hand brushed across another spot.

Oh no. That’s not it either…
The alcohol made my vision spin. I wanted to fix my mistake, but my hands wouldn’t cooperate.
Finally, Kian grabbed my wrist and said,

“I’ll… take care of it.”
I pouted and withdrew my hand.
“Okay…”

He dried his pants with magic, then quickly rose from his seat.
“I’ll step outside for some air.”
“Mm…”

After leaving me in Sir Philip’s care, Kian hurried out.
I should’ve just stayed still…
My thoughts were too hazy to think clearly, but I could tell I’d seriously embarrassed him.

“Stupid alcohol…”
I muttered as I tried to sober up.
But the more I tried, the heavier my eyelids grew.

My vision blurred, and my head kept nodding forward.
I hadn’t planned to drink this much…
Should’ve listened to him when he said to stop…

But it was too late now.
Ugh… I can’t hold on any longer…
Sir Philip’s panicked voice rang out beside me—

“My lady, please—you mustn’t fall asleep here…!”
But I couldn’t hold on anymore.
I slumped forward and collapsed onto the bar table.

***
That was close.
Outside, Kian exhaled and raked a hand through his hair.

His lower body still felt hot where Olivia had touched him.
Of course, he knew she hadn’t done it on purpose.
She was clearly drunk and out of it.

Kian looked down.
“…”
If only I could take a cold shower…

But instead, he cooled off under the night air.
After about ten minutes, he returned to the bar.
What greeted him was Olivia, fast asleep with her head on the table.

Sir Philip stood anxiously by her side, looking like he was on the verge of tears.
“Sir Kian! What should we do about this?”
“…I’ll take care of it.”

He’d made the mistake of giving in to her plea for one more drink.
Now he had to deal with the consequences.
Kian approached and gently tried to wake her.

“Lady Olivia. It’s time to go home.”
After several attempts, she finally lifted her head.
She looked at him with dazed eyes.

“Home?”
“Yes. It’s getting late. I’ll escort you, so let’s—”
“Nooo, dun wanna go hooome…”

“…!”
The slurred speech caught him off guard.
She’d always been so composed… he’d never seen her like this.

Resting one cheek on the table, she stared up at him and whined,
“If you take me home, I’ll hate you…”
A sharp pain struck Kian’s chest.

…She’s adorable.
To anyone else, she might’ve just looked like a drunken mess.
But to Kian, she was impossibly cute.

He looked down at her affectionately.
“Why don’t you want to go home?”
He asked gently, like coaxing a child.

She mumbled with a sullen pout,
“If I go home like this, Daddy’ll scold me…”
Hearing that, Sir Philip quickly added,

“There was an incident in the past where she came home drunk and the Duke scolded her harshly. I think that’s what she’s remembering now.”
So that’s why Duke Ashford told her not to drink outside.
Either way, he couldn’t leave her like this.

“Pardon me.”
With that, Kian carefully lifted her into his arms.
She nestled against him without resistance, as if sensing instinctively that she was safe.

Blinking her green eyes, she asked,
“Where we goin’?”
“Of course, I’m taking you home.”

The moment he said “home,” she started squirming.
“Nooo, don’t wanna! If we’re goin’ home, lemme down!”
Olivia buried her face in his chest and shook her head.

That—was too stimulating.
Flustered, Kian quickly reassured her.
“Alright. We won’t go home.”

She looked up at him as if to ask, Then where?
After a long moment of thought, Kian made a decision.