"Mm... as long as you like it."
Hearing this, Eden smiled and nodded, refilling her glass. The dark red wine, somewhat similar in color to Eden's red dress, settled steadily at the rim, lightly moistening its golden embellishments.
"Originally, I intended to wait until you arrived before inviting you to taste this bottle with me. But I truly couldn't wait any longer, so I opened it early. I hope you'll forgive me."
As she spoke, Eden raised her brimming glass toward Gwen in a gesture of apology, then tipped her head back and drank it down.
Perhaps because this drink was meant as an apology, Eden's movements held less of her usual elegance and composure, replaced by a wild, unrestrained boldness rarely seen from her.
As Eden moved, the graceful curve of her swan-like neck was displayed vividly before Gwen.
A thread of dark red wine slowly slid down that lovely curve, leaving a crystalline trail across her fair, delicate skin. It lingered for a moment at her exquisite collarbone before spiraling into the gap concealed by her clothing and vanishing from sight...
"Then I ought to punish myself with three drinks instead."
Before Eden set down her glass, Gwen pulled his gaze away from that wine trail and raised his own.
"If I hadn't been so wary, I wouldn't have made you wait so long, Sister Eden."
With that, Gwen tipped back his head and drained the fine wine in his glass.
"Then does that mean we're even?"
Eden gently wiped the trace of wine from the corner of her lips and asked with a smile.
"Ha...
Of course."
Gwen smiled.
"After drinking Sister Eden's wine, naturally I'll listen to you."
"Ha..."
At his words, Eden's smile deepened. She gently set down the wineglass, painstakingly crafted by a master