Ch.70Chapter 70: Company Dinner (1)

#

That’s how I arrived at “Ze Adler” with a mix of anticipation and anxiety.

As I mentioned earlier, this place is famous as a restaurant and club that provides food and drinks typically found only in the imperial capital at reasonable prices for the garrison soldiers, officers, and knights stationed at the fortress.

How reasonable, you ask?

Before discussing reasonable prices…

First, let me explain the economic situation of the soldiers here to help you understand better.

There’s one day each month when the pockets of the ordinary soldiers serving here become quite heavy.

You can probably guess what it is.

It’s payday.

For nearly a thousand years, the empire has enjoyed semi-permanent peace without any major wars, and this northern territory bordering the magical realm is considered the most dangerous place within it.

Just for serving here, the hazard pay alone is comparable to the salary of soldiers in the imperial palace guard.

Some might wonder why one wouldn’t prefer to serve in the less dangerous imperial palace instead.

But working at the imperial palace, even as an ordinary soldier, comes with the disadvantage of enduring a different kind of pressure than those stationed at ordinary dangerous outposts or defensive strongholds.

The pressure is so intense that it naturally justifies receiving a salary comparable to hazard pay without actually getting hazard pay.

Not only do even ordinary palace soldiers have to wear formal uniforms similar in design to those worn by knights to match the palace’s strict working environment, but they’re also steeped in the palace’s unique rigidity.

And unlike the palace guards who have many restrictions on their dignity even outside working hours and can’t even drink freely when off duty…

The soldiers stationed in this harsh northern territory are given much more freedom in their off-duty behavior as long as they don’t violate military discipline.

In the evening, off-duty comrades gather in small groups, visit decent taverns, and enjoy drinking just enough not to interfere with the next day’s duties—all without any restrictions.

Of course, if they get into an argument while drinking and a fight breaks out, they’ll immediately face a summary court-martial and be sentenced to the stockade, flogging, or a fine.

“…I got into a lot of fights.”

As I speak, memories from before my regression suddenly come to mind.

After arriving here as a mercenary, I sometimes picked fights with soldiers who provoked me about the mask I wore to hide the scars on my face.

Other times, I started arguments myself out of insecurity when I heard people whispering while looking at me as I drank quietly alone.

“Fortunately, the mask was a special artifact that couldn’t be removed unless I willed it, so my identity wasn’t revealed.”

That thought reminds me of the mask that’s no longer in my possession.

I bought it at an auction with money I had saved bit by bit while working as a mercenary.

“I should try to find it again when I have time.”

Ah… I was trying to explain how the economy works here but got sidetracked.

The stories about my life before regression and about the mask aren’t relevant right now, so I’ll save them for later.

Let’s get back on topic.

Even when payday has passed and their pockets become relatively lighter…

The soldiers here don’t go without alcohol.

They just drink cheaper, blander liquor compared to what they usually have.

For them, alcohol is…

A gift they give themselves to celebrate surviving another day in this harsh northern region.

So what do you think these soldiers with such potential purchasing power do when payday arrives?

They flock to high-end restaurant districts like Ze Adler instead of the cheap taverns they usually frequent, intent on spending a splendid day.

After sending part of their salary to their families through the bank…

When they gather with close comrades and set aside a decent sum to enjoy themselves…

Ze Adler is a place where two or three soldiers pooling their money together can…

Open one or two bottles of premium distilled spirits they couldn’t even dream of tasting in their hometowns…

And enjoy them with several plates of appropriate side dishes.

The fact that even ordinary soldiers—who are easily replaceable, unlike the knights and officers who are the main defenders of the fortress—can drink good liquor here demonstrates just how soldier-friendly the cost of living is in this fortress.

And if my memory of the previous timeline is correct…

Today is that very payday that the soldiers stationed at the fortress eagerly await.

It’s the busiest day for civil servants dispatched to the fortress…

And also the day when this place, “Ze Adler,” is most crowded with customers.

“I can hear people’s voices quite loudly even though we haven’t gone in yet.”

As Dan, walking behind me with Rufus, pointed out, today is the day when this place’s sales peak each month.

Even though we hadn’t opened the entrance door yet, the boisterous sounds of people could be heard through the walls.

Though I was familiar with this noise from experiencing it often in the previous timeline…

“…It’s loud enough to be slightly uncomfortable.”

My enhanced hearing, recently improved due to my developed physical abilities, was contributing to making the noise beyond the wall—which in the previous timeline I would have merely perceived as a moderate buzz—seem much louder and more disruptive.

Yes, to the point where I found myself thinking that this unremarkable noise was making my ears ring.

Moreover, it wasn’t just my ears that were affected.

Zzzzt

“Mmm…”

I unconsciously let out a light groan as a migraine hit me.

It wasn’t severe enough to impair my movement, but it was a discomfort I hadn’t felt since awakening my ultra-regeneration ability.

“What’s going on?”

It was strange enough to make me wonder why this was happening.

The expanded senses that had grown to match my developed capacity through recent training weren’t adapting well to the vibrant noise I was hearing after so long.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

It must have been bad enough for Excel, who had been thinking only about sitting across from my sister during our short journey here, to ask me with concern.

I must have frowned intensely the moment I felt the migraine.

“I haven’t seen you frown in a really long time, and I think it’s better if you don’t do it if possible.”

Judging by what just came out of his mouth, I guess it’s confirmed?

Well, I know my expression isn’t great when I frown, but it feels a bit depressing to have a friend point out this fact.

[I agree. I agree.]

….

I seem to remember there was a large furnace around here.

I should really visit it sometime.

As I listened to Excel and Pafnir’s comments and calmly organized my thoughts, I felt the headache that had been troubling me begin to subside.

I tried to control these unaccustomed sensations by reducing the activation of my ki sense to lower the burden on my sensory organs, but…

[No. Instead, raise your ki sense more and expand your senses. Remember that you shouldn’t feel a headache from something like this.]

Following Pafnir’s advice, which had stopped my action, I tried raising my ki sense instead.

The migraine wasn’t severe enough to impair my actions anyway.

‘Nothing to lose by trying.’

It was the first time Pafnir had offered me any kind of advice, so I thought I should follow his suggestion at least once.

[Slowly. Unlike circulating fighting energy rapidly in an emergency, do it very slowly.]

Following his words, I circulated my fighting energy very slowly and activated my ki sense in sync with the circulation cycle.

“Whew…”

With a light sigh, I could feel my sensory balance, which had been suddenly thrown off by the environmental change, adjusting steadily, albeit slowly.

As my expression returned to normal with the restored sensory balance…

“Phew. That ugly face has returned to a somewhat presentable one.”

Excel’s voice expressed relief, and…

[You really shouldn’t go around frowning.]

Pafnir’s voice, even more sarcastic than Excel’s, echoed in my head.

Their concern was clearly evident, but…

Why do I feel slightly offended whenever I talk with these two?

…It’s not even that unreasonable what they’re saying.

But if I kept trying to unravel the nature of this paradoxical emotion, I felt I might end up watching the sun rise while standing in this spot.

“Hey. Let’s go in anyway.”

I pushed aside the doubts in my mind, flung open the entrance door to Ze Adler, and stepped inside first, fulfilling my role as guide.

#

Creeeeak-!!

The first thing that greeted us as we entered Ze Adler was the squeaking sound of hinges.

Because so many people come and go…

The hinges frequently break down despite being repaired whenever possible.

‘This hasn’t changed either.’

Compared to before my regression, we arrived here earlier, so the squeaking of the hinges was somewhat less pronounced?

Anyway, as I stepped inside while listening to the squeaking hinges…

As expected, what greeted us were the various voices of people who had come here to relieve the fatigue accumulated from enduring the harsh northern day, chattering boisterously.

I turned my head toward the source of the loudest noise.

-Come on, man. Do you call drinking just one beer in this cold place drinking? Are you going to ride a horse or something?

-Ah, cut me some slack. I drank too much yesterday because it went down so smoothly, and now my head is spinning when I wake up.

-Hahaha. Look at this guy. You’ll soon have to return to your hometown instead of staying in the north. I drank about the same as you that night, but I’m still fresh as can be.

-Don’t be too happy about having a high alcohol tolerance. You never know when you might suddenly collapse. We’re not superhumans like the knight lords who serve with us here; we need to take care of our bodies.

-Well, I think I’m still fine for now, but I’ll keep that in mind. Anyway, let’s toast to completing another safe day!

-Cheers!

Clink-!!

The boisterousness of soldiers drinking high-proof ale with hearty toasts that seemed like they might break their pewter cups, along with the fruity aroma characteristic of ale, was stimulating my hearing and smell.

This was a very typical evening scene of Night Haven soldiers celebrating payday.

Of course, my sister and Shizu weren’t among the soldiers there.

‘Surely they haven’t already lost themselves in revelry?’

Normally, with the most exceptional ki sense among those in this fortress, she would have noticed our entry immediately and called out to us.

‘…Or perhaps the noise is making it difficult to extend her ki sense?’

Anyway, since the dinner would only start once we joined my sister…

I looked to the opposite side to locate my sister and Shizu.

As a stronger alcoholic aroma with a much more intense flavor than the fruity scent of ale brushed past my nose…

I could hear voices that were more subdued in tone than the soldiers’ boisterousness, yet tinged with a certain melancholy.

At the source of that sound, even at a glance, I could see knights with impressive careers gathered in small groups, engaged in quiet conversation.

The drink placed on their table was Everlack 10-Year Single Malt Whisky, made exclusively from malted barley grown in Everlack, the empire’s southern granary region.

‘That’s a famous liquor.’

In the old days, it would not have been an exaggeration to call it a premium distilled spirit presented only to the imperial household.

By “old days,” I mean a few years before I was born.

The Everlack Distillery that produced the whisky on that table is a mega-brand famous not only throughout the empire but also on other continents.

Due to its fame, the whisky produced by this distillery not only sold out as soon as it was released…

The distillery’s annual production couldn’t keep up with the global demand for their whisky, so it commanded an enormous premium as soon as it was released.

Moreover, it wasn’t something you could buy just because you had money.

It was recognized as such a precious liquor that only the imperial household or the royal families and ruling classes of other continents could taste it.

Because of this, among the empire’s ordinary citizens, Everlack was likened to a mirage of an oasis seen while wandering in the desert.

It was a brand with similarities to such a mirage—something you couldn’t obtain no matter how hard you tried to drink it.

But there was one thing that made whisky enthusiasts who had been eagerly waiting for this famous liquor happy.

Thanks to innovative technological developments, an opportunity opened up to encounter this whisky, which embodies the essence of the distillery, at a fairly reasonable price.

With the development of agricultural technology, the production of malt, which is the base ingredient of whisky, increased dramatically.

And with the development of magical engineering, a new method was developed that maintained the taste while significantly shortening the aging period, causing the Everlack Distillery’s annual production to increase explosively.

As a result, while the flagship products that still held high value remained nearly impossible to obtain, like reaching for stars in the sky…

The 10-year aged product had come down to a price level where knights with decent economic means could drink it, making it a famous liquor that was relatively easy to obtain.

Of course, no matter how thick the soldiers’ wallets might be on payday, it’s not something they could easily afford unless they were determined to save up specifically for it.

It’s at a level where knights with their salary can occasionally enjoy it without disrupting their livelihood.

Although the economic treatment of soldiers here is quite excellent…

The fact that the personnel in charge of the fortress’s core defense, including knights, receive even better treatment was proven by the single bottle on the table.

I carefully observed the knights’ table.

The glasses in front of all the knights were small, transparent glass tumblers.

Not for drinking styles like on-the-rocks or highballs.

Not even for hot toddy style, which would suit the cold climate here well.

They were glasses designed for straight drinking, to savor every bit of the liquor’s flavor without missing anything.

Good liquor. And those gathered to drink it were knights whose careers were visibly impressive at a glance.

But the conversation among these knights with good liquor before them lacked the energy shown by the soldiers.

-You look troubled from your expression. Do you have something worrying you?

-Sigh. I haven’t made any progress with my sword lately.

-What? Hahaha. How can you say that when just a few days ago you were flawlessly executing the imperial sword technique, embodying the delicate boundary between illusion and reality inherent in the technique?

-Ah, I didn’t mean to offend, and if you took it that way, I apologize. Actually…

-Let me explain for him. This fellow went with the vice-commander earlier today to recover a behemoth’s magic stone, and there was a small clash with magical beasts. He’s like this because he was intimidated by the vice-commander’s aura when she blew the magical beasts apart with her fighting energy before he could even draw his sword.

-Sigh… That’s right. Just as I thought about drawing my sword and charging after spotting the magical beasts, I felt an enormous flow of fighting energy from the vice-commander’s direction, and the magical beasts simply vanished without a trace. Not even blood stains, let alone corpses.

-Well, isn’t it good that the situation ended instantly without blood on your sword?

-Siiigh… That’s true, but…

-Consider yourself fortunate to have only seen that much. If you had seen the vice-commander swing her sword even once, you’d realize how trivial a feeling like jealousy is.

-From the way you speak, it seems you’ve seen it?

-…Huff. Let’s drink.

-Ah…

….

It was a rare sight of someone trying to comfort a depressed comrade only to become depressed himself.

But I could understand the feelings of that knight who became depressed while trying to comfort his friend.

My sister, who not only completed the imperfectly inherited Radiant Sword Technique with her own hands but even created an entirely new sword technique…

She was called the reincarnation of our ancestor, Lumen Ranos, for her brilliant genius.

For someone walking the same path of the sword, just maintaining one’s will after seeing that…

I could assert that they were not lacking as a first-class swordsman.

Why can I assert this so easily?

[It seems you’ve also been completely discouraged after seeing her.]

Damn. He’s saying what I was about to say.

‘That’s right.’

Yes, it’s true.

In my childhood, when I dreamed of becoming a hero like our ancestor from epics and stories, my sister was the biggest barrier I felt.

Even my father, who is busy these days with family affairs, didn’t give me as much shock as she did—my sister was on a completely different level from others in terms of sword talent.

Only Shizu could be a good comparison with my sister.

The rest were mere satellites that shone brightly only by receiving light from the star named “my sister.”

Although in the previous timeline, recalling this would have weighed heavily on my mind as the source of my inferiority complex…

Now, even directly recalling those times left me feeling only lightness.

My sister is my sister. I am me.

Shizu is Shizu. I am me.

It was such a simple truth, yet I only realized it when I was about to die once—how foolish I was.

[It’s interesting that you feel guilt rather than inferiority while saying words that should make you feel inferior.]

I don’t know how Pafnir, while residing in the sword, can so easily understand the flow of my emotions.

[Young one. It’s all revealed in your expression.]

….

Ah, so that was the problem.

I’ve learned something new.

My expression management, which was already inadequate by my own recognition…

From now on, I’ll have to pay more attention to it.

As I made that resolution and tried to continue various thoughts about emotional flow while recalling the knights’ conversation…

“You came early? Over here, over here.”

My sister’s voice reaching my ears didn’t give me time to continue my thoughts.

There she is.

Much deeper than where the ordinary soldiers and knights were…

My sister and Shizu were in the VIP section of Ze Adler, an area typically frequented only by high-ranking personnel.

“See? Let’s go over…”

Swoosh

Before I could finish speaking, Excel rushed past me like lightning toward where my sister was, making me feel like the migraine that had just subsided might return, but I managed to suppress it.