I Was Reincarnated as the Villain Who Confines the Heroine in an Eroge World, But for Some Reason I'm the One Getting Confined by the Heroine Instead

Chapter 6: I Want to Drink Alcohol and Escape Reality

The Hartz duchy is a cool-climate region.

When people think of cold places, they usually assume farming is tough there, but for growing grapes, it’s actually a big advantage more often than not.

What makes me happiest personally is that this area is perfect for growing Pinot Noir.

“This is so good. Yeah, it’s definitely this acidity that does it.”

—Noon break.

Even though I was drinking grape juice made from Pinot Noir in the cafeteria, I was turning my back on reality by daydreaming about wine.

“Acidity? You mean it’s sour?”

A woman’s voice came from beside me, but right now I had escaped into a vineyard.
I could only hear the words of the grapes.

“Pinot Noir is a delicate yet early-ripening grape variety, so it’s hard to grow unless the climate is just right.”

“They grow pretty much everywhere, don’t they?”

“That’s the strength of this region—Pinot Noir can be cultivated almost anywhere here. On the flip side, we have less Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. In that sense, it’s kind of like Burgundy in France, right?”

“Burgundy?”

“Maybe I really should run away to another country. If I went abroad, I could enjoy wines made from different grape varieties.”

“I don’t really get it, but alcohol comes after your birthday.”

“I can’t wait to turn fifteen…”

“Once you’re fifteen you can get married, after all.”

“…………”

“Hehe…”

Sigh…

I let out a quiet inner sigh and looked at the duke’s daughter sitting across from me, cheeks stuffed with pasta.

Even during lunch break she naturally took the seat beside me, and before I knew it I had been forcibly made to share the table.

The cafeteria at Hartz Academy is top-class since nobles attend too. Today’s menu was pasta covered generously with tomato sauce and grated cheese.

Students who attend the academy can eat it for free.
The dormitories are free as well, and warm meals are provided morning and night. No matter how you look at it, that’s way too good to be true.

Up until I came to this world, my staple food had literally been pasta with nothing but olive oil and salt.

So going from that life to being able to eat proper tomato sauce pasta—if anything, it’d be weird if I wasn’t excited.

And on top of that, I even get to drink luxury grape juice made from Pinot Noir. To put it mildly, it was the best.

Except for the stinging stares from everyone around us because I was sitting with the duke’s daughter—everything else was genuinely perfect.

In short, the situation made me terribly uncomfortable, yet the girl in front of me kept giving off an atmosphere like she was eating with her boyfriend and smiled sweetly every time our eyes met.

“Food tastes better when you eat with someone.”

“Y-yeah, sure.”

“Food eaten with Ask is the best.”

“R-right…?”

Every single time, my stomach hurt. I wonder why that is. It was strange.

—Yep, times like this call for alcohol, no question.

With that thought, I glanced up at the menu board in the cafeteria.

It seemed the cafeteria also served wine; several kinds of red and white were apparently always available.

Pinot Noir is nice, but something a bit heavier like Merlot would be good too. If I’m drinking for the first time in a while, I want a full-bodied wine with rich, plump flavor.

The moment I thought that, I found myself standing up. Then, as if possessed by something, I staggered toward the order counter, pointed at the menu, and was just about to ask for wine—

“Excus—”

A pale hand smoothly reached in from the side and pressed down on my finger. After being half-forcibly dragged back to my seat,

“Alcohol after your birthday.”

Safira smiled sweetly.

That smile was soft, yet carried an overwhelming force that allowed no argument.
But my love for wine wasn’t shallow enough to be scared off by something like that.

“Just a little wouldn’t hurt, right?”

“No.”

“I’m definitely turning fifteen this year.”

“If the law says no, then it’s no.”

She wasn’t wrong at all, but…

“Sure, a ducal house probably has to follow every rule to the letter, but I’m just a commoner. And I’m the villain. Drinking kind of comes with the villain package, doesn’t it?”

You know, like in anime and manga all the time.
The final boss looking down over the city while holding a wine glass.

I’ve always wanted to try that at least once. It looks insanely cool. I seriously admire it.

Personally, I’ve always been dying to know what grape variety those wines are, but I’ll figure that out slowly later…

Since I reincarnated as a villain, it’d be a waste not to do it. In other words, I want to drink. I want to drink wine.

I begged desperately with all those feelings poured in, but…

“No.”

“Come on, please!”

“Even if it’s you, Ask-kun, some things are still no.”

No matter how much I tried to persuade her, she wouldn’t budge.
Maybe she’s surprisingly serious deep down.

But for someone serious, her remarks are a little too extreme. Extreme, or rather… heavy.

Well, she is the duke’s daughter, after all. Within these lands, the words of the duke’s daughter naturally carry weight.

—Her words are heavier than life itself.