Ch.359Chapter 359 Epilogue – Evening (3)

Hmm, what should I do? I need to hear about the invitation from Alcor.

“Hehehe…”

Seeing Shizu’s state as she giggled and stretched her arms out to embrace me, I realized this wasn’t the right moment for a serious conversation.

Since the invitation wasn’t sent without reason, I had intended to hear about it right away, but that seemed difficult now. I was about to give a wry smile when—

“We’ll talk in the morning. Taking care of your girlfriend comes first, wouldn’t you agree?”

Thanks to Alcor’s consideration, waving his hand and smiling as if he understood the situation perfectly, I didn’t need to feel anxious.

Whatever the reason, he had helped me avoid being forced to make a choice in an awkward situation.

“I apologize for the abrupt end to our conversation. Well then.”

After bowing my head respectfully,

“Let’s go to our room.”

I rose to my feet while comforting Shizu, who showed no signs of letting go of me.

Even though she was clearly drunk and would have trouble controlling her body—

“Okay. Okay!!”

She responded cheerfully to my suggestion and tried to stand up with me, which was rather impressive in many ways.

Thump-!!

“Ah…”

“Your legs gave out. Take my hand.”

“Okay…”

As soon as she stood up, her legs gave way and she slumped down. It was pitiful to see that despite her desire to walk with me, her body wouldn’t cooperate.

But what did it matter? This was a perfect opportunity to carry her openly in front of others, so I might as well embrace her shamelessly.

Though it was nice, next time I should only give her alcohol when we’re truly alone.

Before my regression, I think she could handle alcohol better than this.

The current Shizu seems like she’d pass out just from smelling alcohol, to exaggerate a bit.

Is it because she hasn’t had many hardships that would drive her to drink?

It’s actually nice to think that she hasn’t needed alcohol to drown her sorrows, but…

In the end, I came to the same conclusion as last night.

The disheveled appearance of the person I love…

I’ll be the only one to see it!!

After finishing our satisfying dinner, I ended up carrying Shizu back just like yesterday.

I don’t know why, but it was like this yesterday, today, and probably will be tomorrow and the day after—me entering our room with Shizu in my arms.

This thought came naturally as I took a few steps while carrying her.

‘Actually, I like it this way.’

With that settled in my mind, I headed toward our room.

“Hmm… strange. I feel like I’m floating in the air…”

You are floating, because I’m carrying you.

Her drunken voice was overflowing with aegyo, which wasn’t unusual for her when intoxicated.

But it truly felt adorable.

I was also happy that her body scent was even more pronounced than when I carried her yesterday.

The scent of osmanthus flowers, suitable for spring, tickled my nose with its subtle spiciness.

#

After watching Kal bow respectfully and leave with Lilian Shizu in his arms,

“They make a good match.”

Alcor expressed his casual appreciation while emptying his glass of kvass with gusto.

Gulp, gulp-

Despite the glass containing an amount that could hardly be called small,

The kvass disappeared at a speed that made one think even water couldn’t be drunk so quickly.

Thud-

After placing the empty glass on the table with the same vigor with which he had drunk,

“Khu…”

Alcor finally showed signs of intoxication after drinking what must have been countless bottles.

Murmur, murmur-

The murmuring of guests who filled the empty seats in the restaurant reached his ears.

The voices of people delighted by the local food they were enjoying at this tourist spot,

The voices of people expressing amazement and admiration at Alcor’s drinking, which commanded attention whether one wanted to give it or not,

And among those voices, the occasional admiring comments about his appearance.

The mixture of various sounds pleasantly tickled his ears.

While he might have found the reactions of people watching him drink annoying,

“It’s nice…”

Alcor remained composed in the face of such attention, showing no signs of displeasure.

Perhaps this was because he was accustomed to such attention, having received it to the point of saturation.

With his noble appearance that was difficult to describe even as aristocratic, he inevitably received excessive attention whenever he went out.

Compared to that, receiving attention for his drinking was truly nothing by his standards.

Except for one thing:

“Would you… like some more?”

He needed to respond to the server who asked about additional orders in a deliberately calm voice while clearing the empty kvass bottles from the table.

Looking around, he gauged how much he had drunk.

The kvass he had shared with Kal had already easily exceeded twenty bottles by visual estimation.

No matter how low the alcohol content, alcohol was still alcohol.

It was a natural principle that in this relatively warm climate, the effects of alcohol would circulate faster than in colder places.

Yet Alcor, who was only now beginning to feel slightly tipsy, sensed that he still needed more.

As soon as he realized this, his reaction was swift:

“Bring three more bottles. I’ll finish with those.”

He took out a gold coin from his pocket and handed it to the server as he placed his additional order.

To the server who accepted the gold coin with a reverent attitude:

“Keep the change as a tip.”

He didn’t forget to display his generosity.

“I’ll bring them right away.”

Despite showing slight concern earlier, the server moved to fetch the bottles of kvass without hesitation after confirming that Alcor’s voice was still clear and steady.

“I like that.”

Perhaps he was satisfied with the server’s attentiveness in checking whether a customer was still capable of drinking properly before serving more alcohol, rather than blindly taking orders for money.

“This world feels generous.”

Alcor’s expression softened as he expressed his satisfaction with this world he had set foot in for the first time today.

Murmur, murmur-

“Ah, my.”

The softening of his expression, which hadn’t been apparent while he was drinking heavily, caught people’s attention and increased the murmuring around him.

This damned appearance. It would be fine if only those who liked him appreciated it, but it attracts too much attention from others.

After finishing his quiet complaint that no one could hear,

“Sir.”

The same server who had received his gold coin approached with a courteous voice.

“Here are the three bottles of kvass you ordered.”

“Ah, thank you.”

The server placed the bottles of kvass before him and left.

Hastily pouring kvass into his glass,

Gulp, gulp-

After downing it in one go,

“Haha…!! Good.”

As he expressed his appreciation for the taste that improved with each sip,

The attention and murmuring directed at him gradually subsided.

Noticing the decrease in attention, Alcor filled his glass more leisurely than before, feeling relieved.

“This old man’s face. What’s so good about it that they keep staring?”

Tsk, tsk-

Alcor’s self-deprecating chuckle combined with the rising effects of alcohol, causing his face to turn slightly red.

But despite this self-deprecation and the reddening from alcohol, his brilliant appearance showed no signs of diminishing.

If a man were to hear his current soliloquy, he would express anger at what he’d consider an absurd deception, while a woman would think the same but would blush and try to examine his face more closely.

“A face one could live off comfortably for a lifetime even after tearing it apart.”

There seemed to be no more appropriate expression to describe Alcor’s appearance.

Murmur, murmur-

That’s why Alcor didn’t particularly enjoy being in places with many people’s gazes.

In the days when he couldn’t hold anything in his heart, he didn’t venture out due to despair at a reality that evoked no emotions when seen.

Now that he had regained his heart and everything else, he avoided such attention because he felt it was excessive.

Though he distinguished between public and private matters and knew this was the best way to understand the atmosphere of the world he had stepped into, he still found it trying.

Whether drinking, eating, or walking—

He knew that his appearance had the magical power to steal people’s attention no matter what he did.

Earlier, he had been able to avoid attracting attention thanks to the presence of his drinking companion.

But sensing that he could no longer avoid monopolizing attention now that his companion had left with his lover:

“Hmm… I should finish quickly and leave.”

Alcor picked up his glass filled with the last of the kvass he had been slowly pouring.

“Khu… good.”

Only the strange harmony of the salty and sweet kvass, which even nullified the burden of the envious and favorable gazes pouring down on him, kept Alcor in his seat.

Well, there were barely three bottles left anyway.

“By the way…”

After placing his empty glass on the table, Alcor stroked his chin as if recalling something.

“Hm…”

He smiled lightly and raised his hand to stroke his chin again.

It was a habitual gesture he always made when deeply contemplating something.

What was he thinking about that made him smile and increase the volume of murmuring around him?

“I thought she was just an innocent and cute young lady, but she has quite a foxy side.”

It was a thought about the blonde woman who had been quietly sipping coffee liqueur with a hint of drunkenness while sitting with Kal, with whom he had been sharing drinks until just now.

By this world’s standards it was a thousand years ago, though by the standards of an incomparably higher place, it was relatively recent.

She possessed the dignity and valor befitting a hero who had saved the world after being chosen by a holy sword forged from primordial metal infused with their divinity.

But more noticeable than that was her untainted purity.

The way she tried to get the attention of the person she loved appeared adorable to Alcor.

If nothing else, Alcor prided himself on his ability to observe and discern someone’s movements, a skill he believed was second to none among those in a similar position to his own.

That young lady wasn’t actually drunk. She was merely pretending to be intoxicated.

Her flailing arms and sluggish movements were all just cute tantrums to get attention from her precious lover.

Though he had been right beside her, he wasn’t sure why the man hadn’t noticed.

Recalling the freshness in the man’s appearance as he anxiously took care of the woman made Alcor’s lips naturally soften into a smile.

It had enhanced the taste of his drink to the point where no side dishes were necessary.

And as he recalled Lilian Shizu’s behavior, someone naturally came to Alcor’s mind.

The one who had reached out to him when he had become a forgotten existence, left alone in a world where everything had withered, died, and lost its original color.

That incomparably precious existence.

And as he recalled her, the refreshing scent of lilies that didn’t actually exist stimulated his sense of smell.

She was someone who brought a smile to his face just by thinking of her, but also—

“…She probably wouldn’t like it if she knew I was drinking.”

She was also someone who worried about him, perhaps excessively.

He really liked the kvass he had drunk here and was thinking of buying some to take with him.

He’d have to be careful smuggling it in to avoid inevitable confiscation if caught.

After formulating a perfect smuggling plan in his head, Alcor poured the last remaining amount from one bottle of kvass into his glass.

“Regina, I’m sorry. Please overlook my drinking, if nothing else.”

He quietly expressed a slight apology to his wife as he emptied his glass.

The harmony of saltiness and sweetness, suitable for the appropriately chilly early spring night, satisfied his palate.