Ch.114114. Siblings’ Drinking Session

Deia took me to one of the street stalls in the area. With open surroundings and just a simple table standing alone, it reminded me of Korean street food carts.

Being in a corner, there weren’t many people around, and the elderly owner was leisurely receiving customers.

It felt like he had opened the stall to enjoy the festival rather than to make money.

“Mister, I’m back. The usual, please.”

“Miss, I was expecting you. Young master, it’s been a while. You’ve become quite handsome.”

The owner’s smile created impressive wrinkles around his eyes. Thinking they must know each other, I simply raised my hand in greeting and sat down.

Deia, sitting across from me, glanced around cautiously and whispered while covering her mouth with her hand.

“He’s the former head chef of our mansion. He’s retired now and resting in Norsweden, but he’s participating in this festival.”

“I see.”

“Well, you don’t need to worry about it. Deus was such a mess before, so you hardly ever spoke with him anyway.”

Deia shrugged while badmouthing the previous Deus. I naturally moved on and asked.

“So why did you send that letter?”

In that letter, which conveyed irritation rather than hostility, I felt more curiosity than displeasure.

I was curious why Deia had sent me such a letter, but she glanced at me, sighed deeply, and called the owner.

“Bring us some beer here.”

With an acknowledgment, the owner immediately brought a beer bottle. He poured the drink into glass cups, placing one in front of me and one in front of herself.

Then she slightly raised her glass toward me.

Though I wasn’t in the mood for drinking.

“Let’s toast.”

At Deia’s urging, I sighed and clinked glasses. She immediately gulped down the beer as if she’d been waiting for this moment.

The beer in Norsweden, a cold region, had quite a high alcohol content as it needed to warm the body. It was actually too strong to be called beer, but since they called it beer here, I just went along with it.

After taking a sip myself, I looked at Deia, who exhaled with a “phew” and asked.

“Have you told anyone else that you’re not Deus?”

“……”

The question was so unexpected that I unconsciously kept my mouth shut and delayed my answer.

But Deia seemed to take that as an answer and pressed her forehead with her hand.

“Haa, are you really okay? Even so, is it alright to reveal that so easily?”

Deia poured more beer down her throat. I was about to say something to her when the owner’s food arrived quite quickly.

“I’ve prepared what you both liked since you were children. Please enjoy.”

The elderly owner smiled kindly as he set down the food, which was simple yet clearly prepared with care.

A simple combination of grilled meat, stew, and salad. Though not typical bar food, the owner’s expertise and sauces added a special touch to the ordinary dishes.

I kept quiet while the owner was present, but during that time, Deia was gulping down beer straight from the bottle.

“……”

[Is this okay?]

The Dark Spiritmaster, who had been by my side all along, finally spoke up. I sighed and gestured to her.

“Go enjoy the festival for a while.”

[You don’t want me to see your sister’s unsightly state, is that it? Understood.]

The Dark Spiritmaster flew away with a whoosh.

Though it wouldn’t matter if she heard our conversation since she already knew I was Shinwoo Kim, not Deus.

As the Dark Spiritmaster said, Deia was my sister, and I didn’t want others to see her in such a state.

“What exactly is the problem?”

After the Dark Spiritmaster left, I asked Deia, who had already ordered another bottle of beer.

Her eyes, which had been filled with irritation until just now, were now unfocused, her face was flushed red, and her body was swaying slightly.

Yet her pronunciation remained relatively clear.

“Princess and Aria came to visit…”

“I saw Aria.”

I hadn’t expected Princess Elenoa to visit as well. Given the late hour, I thought she might be sleeping.

“But both of them knew you were Shinwoo Kim?”

“……”

My eyes suddenly tensed. Fortunately, Deia was getting too drunk to notice my emotional reaction.

“I… thought you told me because I’m family. I thought you told me because you trusted me.”

The fact that I was Shinwoo Kim seemed quite important to her.

Was she shocked and upset that I had carelessly shared this truth with others?

“But seeing that a student I barely know and the princess know about it, it makes me feel… something. Is this wrong of me?”

“……”

I looked down at my beer glass for a moment. Had I been lost in thought for that long?

The food had already gone cold, and Deia was on her third bottle.

This kind of concern was new to me, so it took longer than expected, but anyway.

I came up with my own answer.

“We are special to each other.”

I’m not sure if Deia, with her face flushed from alcohol and her body swaying, would remember my words.

But she nodded, indicating she was at least listening.

“I want you to know me as Deus, not Shinwoo Kim.”

“……”

“And just as you thought, I also consider you and Darius very special.”

I hadn’t been able to tell Darius that I was originally someone else because the timing hadn’t worked out. But I definitely intended to tell him.

“It’s true that Aria and Elenoa know I’m Shinwoo Kim. But that was revealed unintentionally.”

Aria already knew the information from the previous cycle, and Elenoa found out when I entered her dream.

As for the Dark Spiritmaster, she naturally discovered it while accompanying me.

In other words.

“You’re the only one I’ve intentionally revealed it to so far.”

Thud.

Deia collapsed right there. Her head hit the table, and her hair spilled down, covering her face.

The rhythmic breathing sound indicated she had fallen asleep.

Looking at her, I sighed at the barely touched food.

“Owner, I’m sorry, but could you pack the food for us?”

“Of course. Certainly.”

The owner, as if he had been waiting, brought out an antique lunchbox and packed the food.

I said I would return the lunchbox later, but the owner refused, saying he was glad to have seen something nice.

“Since the festival started, the young lady has often come to my shop to drink.”

“Did she always like alcohol?”

“No, not particularly. She just seemed somewhat lonely.”

At this unexpected comment, I looked down at her for a moment. Though she had an adult body, she gave the impression of a child.

The owner smiled warmly and, like me, gazed at Deia.

“Honestly, I was surprised. The young lady often talked about the young master. In the past, she didn’t even want to mention you.”

“…It’s the karma I built up. Understandable.”

At my words, the owner flinched in surprise before displaying a kind smile again.

“The young master has changed a lot. I can see why the young lady calls for you whenever she gets drunk.”

“……”

“After all, one lost sheep that returns is more precious than nine sheep that never left the fold.”

I quite agreed with that statement.

Though there were many additional factors beyond the simple sheep comparison, it made sense that she would be pleased that her second brother, who had been as good as nonexistent, had come to his senses.

And it was also understandable that she might be disappointed that I had shared a family secret with others.

“I’ll enjoy the lunchbox.”

“Oh my, I hope it suits your taste.”

Taking the lunchbox, I looked at Deia for a moment and gathered my strength.

With a body weakened by drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, I couldn’t properly support Deia without wrapping mana around my body.

But once I did envelop myself with mana, I found I could do more than just support her.

Since carrying her wouldn’t be difficult, I naturally put her on my back.

Dawn was ending.

Moonlight still shone on Norsweden, but the night market was already busy with cleanup.

So, amid the commotion quite different from a drinking party, I headed toward the mansion with Deia on my back.

“Really.”

I briefly stopped at the faint sound of Deia’s voice, but she just buried her head deeper and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“What did you say?”

Pretending not to hear her voice that resonated softly against my back.

I adjusted my posture and continued walking with her.

A little, slowly.

* * *

It was deliberate.

Drinking so much was just an act to pretend I wasn’t in my right mind because I thought I had said something unnecessary.

Though the alcohol made me dizzy, I wasn’t so intoxicated that I couldn’t maintain my senses, nor was I about to collapse messily at the shop.

Unlike my damn brothers, at least I didn’t mistreat my body like that.

But.

“You’re the only one I’ve intentionally revealed it to so far.”

When I heard that line, I had no choice but to pretend to be asleep, burying my head on the table and hiding my face with my hair.

I didn’t want to show my face, which was probably as red as a radish, or my expression with wide eyes and an open mouth.

Why that statement made me feel so embarrassed yet strangely happy.

When the owner started saying unnecessary things, I considered pretending to wake up.

But ultimately, Deus ended up carrying me on his back toward the mansion.

It was a strange feeling.

I barely remembered being carried like this when I was very young.

As time passed, just as my body had developed into an adult’s, Deus’s back was no longer as narrow as a child’s.

At least it was wide enough for my body to fit comfortably.

“Really.”

Perhaps that’s why.

I unconsciously blurted out a word. Deus momentarily paused at the sound.

Pretending it was just drunk talk, I buried my face in his back and wrapped my arms around him, and Deus continued walking as if it was nothing.

Did he not notice?

Yet his subtle scent tickled my nose. A smell I used to hate with a passion.

Now, strangely, it made me feel calm.

And at the same time.

– I want you to know me as Deus, not Shinwoo Kim.

Remembering what he said at the drinking spot made me feel oddly upset.

Of course he is Deus.

Yes, he’s not Shinwoo Kim but Deus.

My damn second brother.

Who used to have a trashy personality but has now reformed.

Who contributes to the family under the name of Spiritmaster.

Just that much.

“What did you say?”

His voice flowed out like a murmur.

Did he not hear me?

Or did he think it was just drunk rambling?

I don’t know.

Having never felt sibling affection before, I wondered if this was what it felt like.

Does Deus feel the same way?

What if he doesn’t?

A feeling more like fear than worry suddenly hit me, sobering up my tipsy mind.

But his footsteps became very slightly, slowly, more deliberate.

It wasn’t because his legs were giving out or he was tired. He was simply intentionally slowing his pace.

He deliberately extended this time heading to the mansion.

Realizing this, a relieved smile formed on my lips.

Right now, we were sharing the same emotion.