The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 59: Adorably Drunk (1)

‘What do you mean you’re good with alcohol? You’re just… no, forget it. I was a fool to believe you.’

“Excuse me, but I was the one who stayed up until the very end last night, thank you very much.”

‘What nonsense is that?!’

This morning, Astrid had woken up in bed—perfectly intact and alone. 

Everyone else had passed out on the floor, still in their clothes, looking like a battlefield aftermath.

It was Saturday morning, the weekend, yet Astrid felt bright and energetic. 

According to the “real” Astrid’s account, everyone else had been drunk out of their minds and collapsed, leaving her to gracefully retreat to bed.

‘Does that even make sense?!’

“But it’s the truth.”

‘No, it isn’t! You got drunk after one drink, bawled your eyes out, and caused a scene.’

“Lies. I would never act like that.”

Astrid decided to drop the argument.

Even she couldn’t recall everything from last night. Her memory was fragmented, and those fragments included moments of the “real” Astrid wailing like a baby. But was it a true memory? Or just a dream? She couldn’t be sure.

That doubt left Astrid unable to fully refute the other Astrid’s version of events. While she vaguely remembered switching with her after drinking, everything that followed was hazy. 

She could recall crying and ranting at Leopold, but the details of what she’d said were lost in a fog.

Meanwhile, the “real” Astrid’s claim that she’d stayed until the end conveniently ignored the discarded uniforms strewn across the floor that morning.

‘Let’s just avoid alcohol from now on.’

“Why? I told you, I can hold my liquor. You can just switch with me if you’re worried about it.”

‘No, that’s even riskier.’

Astrid at least managed some restraint when drunk—her past drinking experience with Leopold had proven that. But the “real” Astrid? Her actions were unpredictable and potentially dangerous. That was far more concerning.

‘Who knows what you’d do to Leopold if you were drunk?’

“Hmm… I wouldn’t want my first time to happen while I’m drunk. Especially since I might overdo it by accident.”

That, at least, was indisputable.

Astrid resolved that under no circumstances would the “real” Astrid ever be allowed to drink alone with Leopold.

More pressing, however, was the mystery of what she had said or done to him last night.

“Let’s go get breakfast.”

‘Good idea. I’m starving.’

***

Breakfast on weekends was self-serve. Students were required to eat, but as long as they came within the designated time, they could eat whenever they liked.

Astrid rubbed her still-throbbing temples and opened the door. Eranya, who had been in the room earlier, was nowhere to be seen. Not wanting to risk being marked absent, Astrid decided to head to breakfast alone.

“Ah.”

Unfortunately, as soon as she stepped outside, she ran into someone she wasn’t ready to face.

Fresh from the shower, Leopold’s hair glistened, damp strands catching the light. His skin was dewey from washing, adding to his polished appearance. He looked straight at Astrid, his eyes calm and devoid of their usual guardedness.

Astrid, however, failed to notice this subtle change in his demeanor.

“Good mor—”

“I’ll go on ahead!” she blurted, cutting him off before fleeing down the hallway at top speed.

Leopold blinked, momentarily stunned, before watching her retreating figure. He considered calling after her but stopped himself, instead chuckling quietly.

How cute.

***

By the time Astrid arrived at the dining hall, breakfast service was winding down, leaving the room mostly empty. She grabbed a tray and approached the serving station.

The morning menu consisted of cream soup, white bread with butter, and an egg salad—a simple but satisfying combination. 

Astrid loaded her bowl generously with soup, hoping it would help with the lingering effects of last night.

She found an empty table and had just taken a seat, spoon in hand, when someone sat across from her.

“Hey, you’re looking pretty lively, Cadet Astrid.”

“…Cadet Violet?”

Astrid’s brow furrowed. Violet was one of the last people she wanted to see right now.

“Isn’t it rude to glare at someone first thing in the morning? Where are your manners?” Violet asked with a cheeky smile.

Despite her friendly demeanor, Astrid couldn’t shake her irritation.

“Why is this countryside woman here?!”

‘Exactly. What she said.’

Lately, Astrid found herself agreeing with the “real” Astrid more often than she would have liked. 

Whether this was good or bad remained unclear, but it certainly didn’t feel like a promising sign.

“Attending another squad’s gathering uninvited and then lecturing about manners—it seems a bit rich, don’t you think?”

Astrid’s tone was calm but biting. Violet, however, didn’t seem the least bit fazed. She tore a piece of bread, dunked it into her soup, and took a large bite.

“Don’t be like that. Thanks to you, I got demerits and had to run laps at the training field. And not just me—everyone but you got punished. Honestly, I feel like I deserve an apology from you.”

“What is she talking about?”

‘How should I know?!’

“What are you talking about?” Astrid asked aloud, her tone sharper now.

“Forget it. Don’t worry about it.”

Violet spoke casually, her mouth still half-full of bread. Then, to Astrid’s mild horror, she picked up her tray and tilted it to drink directly from the soup compartment, producing an unladylike slurp. Wiping her mouth with her tongue, Violet set her tray back down with a grin.

“Well, it worked out. I was wondering how to explain things to you, and now here we are.”

“Explain what?”

“I just wanted to let you know—I’m on your side.”

The abrupt declaration left Astrid momentarily stunned. On her side? What could Violet possibly mean by that? The statement was too vague to make sense. Astrid stared at her expectantly, waiting for more detail.

“Well, I can’t go into everything right now. Let’s have lunch together during the break. I have something to tell you.”

“I don’t see any reason why I should,” Astrid replied coldly, her words laced with thorns.

Predictably, Violet just smiled as if she had expected the response.

“You’ll want to. What I have to say will only benefit you. I promise it won’t be a waste of your time.”

“…”

“We’ve got a pre-orientation session later. Apparently, it’s to introduce some stuff before we officially start as first-years. After that, it’ll be lunch. I’ll find you then.”

“Might as well hear her out. If she’s offering to be on our side, it’s probably worth knowing what she has to say.”

‘I guess… Still, there’s something about her that just rubs me the wrong way.’

“Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not lose in battle.”

That sounded familiar.

Acknowledging the “real” Astrid’s logic, Astrid nodded slightly and resumed eating her soup. The taste was comforting, if nothing else.

***

The auditorium was packed with cadets.

Of the original 250, ten had already dropped out, leaving 240 trainees. Despite the size of the group, their orderly rows and disciplined posture suggested they had become accustomed to military life. The instructors looked on, visibly pleased with the cadets’ progress.

“Congratulations on successfully completing your trainee course,” announced an instructor as he surveyed the room from the podium.

“Come Monday, you will officially become first-year cadets. No longer mere trainees, but proud members of the Imperial Military Academy of Einthafen. Everything you’ve learned so far has been foundational. From now on, you will embark on the regular curriculum.”

With that, a large curtain unfurled from the stage, revealing a detailed chart. It listed the changes in status, new courses, and daily schedules that would define their lives moving forward.

The instructor went through the chart step by step. The first-year curriculum was focused on common foundational subjects, including tactics, operations, strategy, weapons training, military history, administration, law, and more.

Unlike the ambiguous training thus far, the subjects clearly aimed to prepare cadets for leadership roles within the Empire’s military.

Additional announcements followed, covering dormitory assignments and various rules.

“This concludes the pre-orientation session. Enjoy your weekend. Dismissed!”

And with that, the cadets were free.

Violet scanned the crowd, her height making it easy to spot the unmistakable glint of Astrid’s silver hair. 

Seeing her was like spotting a deer in a field—though this particular deer looked flustered as she tried to avoid eye contact with Leopold.

How unusual.

The Astrid Violet had come to know was sharp-tongued, irritable, and unflinchingly direct. This softer, almost bashful side of her was something entirely new.

How cute.

With a quiet chuckle, Violet made her way toward Astrid. As promised, they were going to have lunch together.