Chapter 74 - SHE IS DRUNK
The temperature around the camp was decreasing more and more. As a result, the air felt quite chilly. She folded her arms for a bit to find some warmth. However, she decided that drinking was the best solution for her to get warm.
After taking the second sip, Veronica's heart was telling her to stop drinking. However, she was too mad because of Arthur's laid-back attitude to stop drinking.
'I thought he saw me as his friend,' she thought with a gloomy expression. 'But it was all talk. He had no interest in being my friend. He was feeling bored and so he stayed by my side. If he really thought of me as his friend, he would have stopped me from drinking. It's all an act. He is just pretending to be my partner and yet, he won't trust me. So hateful.'
The more she thought about it, the more she got angry. Due to her anger, at one point, she gulped down a mouthful of beer. And right after that, she felt something hit her head. Her head began to spin for no reason.
She opened her mouth wide and began to look around. She could see the lights were sparkling. The people were turning double and triple. It was kind of funny. But her head spun again. She lowered her head and took some deep breaths. She was confused why she was feeling like that. She tried to think about it but her head was betraying her.
'It's all his fault.' When she couldn't come up with a conclusion, she blamed everything on Arthur. He must pay.
"Burp!"
Veronica's eyelids had become heavy. Her pale face was completely flushed. Even her ears and neck were red. She stayed quiet like a dozing off yellow chick for a while as she grabbed the mug full of beer with her both hands.
She looked like she could fall over and die at any moment but still, she would not let go of the mug. She would keep the beer mug safe even if her life was on the line.
"Is she drunk?" someone from the side asked. It was Remus. After they brought him here, they didn't let him go. He was forced to stay with them.
"Already? She just took two sips, right?" another healer said.
"Nope. She took three small sips," Major General Orion corrected the healer. He was keeping a close eye on her. He didn't imagine her to be so lightweight. It was common for most people who lived in a military camp to be able to hold their liquor, even if they were not soldiers.
"Burp!"
Veronica wiped her wet mouth with the back of her hand and then glared daggers at Arthur. The fuse was lit and now the bomb was ready to explode. She wanted to unleash all her anger.
"You! Arthur! You are a big fat liar! Meanie Butt! Bad pervert! Skirt chaser! You are a disgrace of all man!" Veronica pointed her index finger at him and reprimanded him with all her might.
".."
Everyone was stunned by her sudden outburst. They were more astonished after hearing her words. They had never imagined that those curses could come out of her mouth. Her curses were so unique that they had to process in their heads that those were curses.
".."
Arthur paused his drinking and calmly looked at her. The girls around him froze on the spot as well.
Seeing women swarming about him, she became even angrier. She continued to rebuke him, "How dare you sit around women and play with their hearts? You don't actually care about them, do you? If you did, you wouldn't have played with their hearts."
Arthur placed his left elbow on the table and put his face on his palm. "Is that so?" he asked her quietly.
Veronica placed her arms on her waist and chided him, "What's with your reaction? Can't you be more honest? If I'm right, say that I'm right!"
"Should I be honest?" Arthur asked in slow motion.
"Yes!" Veronica sharply answered.
"It's not me who is chasing skirts. Women are attracted to me. I can't let these beautiful ladies get hurt or feel lonely because of me. Seeing them sad makes my heart bleed." Afterward, he grabbed a woman's hand who was sitting next to him and kissed on the back of her palm.
The girl flushed instantly, covering her face with her other hand. Other girls screamed as if they would die at any moment.
Veronica opened her mouth wide. She could hardly imagine that he just flirted with a girl right in front of everyone. She took more deep breaths through her open mouth. Then she chastised him, "You.. you are worse than skirt chasers! You are a big fat pervert. Underwear thief! Heartless man!" She was spouting whatever she read in the romance books that Arthur lent to her.
Arthur regretted giving her a romance book that had a violent female lead. That female lead would often spout curses. Veronica was a quick learner. He wasn't surprised at all that she learned those curses so well.
However, he didn't seem pleased by her accusations. He calmly defended himself, "I understand being heartless but what's with me being an underwear thief? Have I ever stolen your underwear?"
Veronica's face became tinted with several shades of red. "You.. you shameless skirt chaser!"
Arthur commented, "Now you are defaming me. Don't you think?"
".."
Everyone was quiet up until now. For some reason it made them feel like they were hearing lovers' quarrel. Those who were unromantic thought it was a fight between ice and fire.
"Veronica, you must be tired. Why don't I help you to get in your tent?" Major General Orion suggested as he stood up.
Veronica raised her arm and showed her tiny muscle. After that, she proudly said, "I'm not tired. I feel more energetic than I was ever! See? I've even gained muscles like you."
'Did she learn it from the soldiers?' Arthur wondered.
Many soldiers showed the ladies their naked upper bodies and sometimes showed off how strong they were. Some soldiers must have shown off in front of Veronica. That could be the explanation of her copying that.
"Cough!" Major General Orion almost choked as he tried to control his laughter.
What muscle could a skinny girl possibly have? She never exercised or trained in martial arts. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't gain any arm muscle.
Major General Orion told her, "Yes, yes, you are very strong and have muscle. But we are leaving tomorrow at dawn. Don't you need to take a good night's sleep before a long journey?"
"No, I'm not going. Arthur is a bad person. I have to punish him NOW." Veronica started to roll up her sleeves.
historical
Major General Orion tried to stop her by grabbing her hand, "Wait, Veronica.."
"How are you going to punish me?" Arthur interrupted him as he leaned on his right side and looked at her who was sitting across her. "Are you going to beat me?"
"Yeah, you bet. I'll beat the crap out of you!" she said.
'And, she learned this sentence from Adam. They are all bad influences,' Arthur thought. Looking at Major General Orion's hand holding her slender arm made his expression grim. He stood up and strode toward Veronica.
"Wh-what are you doing?" Veronica stepped backward, feeling cautious of him. As she moved, her body bumped into Major General Orion.
Arthur's facial expression darkened even more. He came closer and grasped her other arm. "Major General, will you let her go?"
Before Major General Orion could speak, Veronica asked, "Why would he let me go? What do you want?"
Arthur's eyebrow's twitched. "Didn't you want to punish me? I'll let you do that. Come with me." And then, he drew her toward him. Surprising everyone, he threw her on his broad shoulder like a ragdoll.
Everyone gasped. They never expected such a bold move from Arthur in front of everyone.
"Ahh! What are you doing? Let me go!" Vernonia began to shout. She kicked and hit him with all her might.
Arthur wasn't fazed by her action or screaming. "Now, excuse us." Without waiting for others to reply to him, he turned around and left with her.
"I didn't think he wanted to be punished that badly." Adam was astounded.
Violet rebuked him, "You idiot! He didn't want to be punished. Rather it seemed like he wanted to punish Veronica."
"What do you mean?" another soldier asked.
"You soldiers are downright idiots. Can't you see that Arthur is angry? He was mad at Veronica because she scolded him harshly in front of everyone." That was Violet's conclusion.
In the corner, Ivona was strangely quiet and seemed not bothered at all. However, the way her fingers paled due to the excessive force with which she was clenching her mug and her eyes were burning with mixed emotions, said otherwise.
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"Wait! Stop! Let go of me! Skirt chaser!" Veronica reprimanded him. She did her best to get away from him by hitting him on his back.
Arthur held her tight with one arm and warned her, "If you move too much, then I'll kiss you."
"Ki-ki-kiss.." Veronica was embarrassed. But she became quiet after that.
"Good girl." Arthur took her to his tent and let her down.
The chilly weather cleared Veronica's head a little and she soon realized it wasn't her tent and she asked him, "Why.. why are we here?"
"For punishment," Arthur answered, his words sounded cold.