Aftermath – 2

Ten minutes before 6 o’clock, I arrived at the school gate, our meeting place, right on time as usual. It’s one of the few good traits I’ve had since my Earth days—keeping appointments precisely. Some might think that’s just the bare minimum and not really a virtue, but there are too many people in the world who don’t even manage that basic courtesy. Fortunately, none of us four were like that.

“You’re here?”

Sure enough, Seol-ah and Hestia had already arrived before me and were waiting. Both were dressed in light, comfortable clothes. Seol-ah, who was chatting amicably with Hestia, waved at me when she noticed me. I waved back lightly. Hestia was still a bit upset, it seemed, and was ignoring me.

“Hestia, you acted like you didn’t want to come, but why did you arrive so early?”

“I still don’t want to be here.”

Hestia glared at me. Still, her eyes had lost some of their intensity compared to earlier. Before, she had looked like she might shoot lasers from her eyes, as if she felt betrayed.

“Are you sulking?”

“Who’s sulking?!”

Hestia shouted angrily. People who are sulking always get angry when asked if they’re sulking. People who are genuinely sulking never admit it themselves. It’s just like being drunk. People who are drunk never admit they’re drunk. If someone is sober enough to say they’re drunk, they’re not that drunk yet.

Seol-ah smiled and tried to pacify Hestia.

“Miss Hestia, now that we’re here, don’t be too angry and let’s just have fun. Okay?”

“Ah, no. I’m not angry… sigh… I’m sorry. I was being too self-centered. Alright, since we’re already here, I’ll try not to make a scene anymore.”

“That’s right. Getting flushed will just ruin the taste of alcohol anyway.”

Hestia nodded, seemingly persuaded by Seol-ah’s argument that continuing to be angry and complaining about a decision already made wouldn’t do any good. Hestia returned to her usual calm demeanor, as if nothing had happened.

“No flushing? Are you sure, Hestia?”

“Sure about what?”

“I didn’t know you were so confident about your alcohol tolerance. Hestia, your skin is already so fair, it’ll show right away if you drink even a little.”

I imagined Hestia with a flushed face, tipsy and swaying. Looking forward to it. I should drink moderately to see that scene with a clear mind. Time to show off my drinking skills honed through college gatherings and club dinners.

“I told you, I’m hardly going to drink at all.”

Hestia waved her hands dismissively at my words. I’ve never seen someone who says they won’t drink at a drinking party actually keep their word. Besides, won’t Cordelia enthusiastically make everyone drink without me having to do anything?

“Miss Hestia doesn’t seem to like alcohol much.”

“That’s right. Is there a reason you dislike it?”

In response to Seol-ah’s and my questions, Hestia mumbled in a barely audible voice.

“… you know.”

“What did you say?”

“It tastes awful. It’s just bitter, and people say it has a good aroma, but all I smell is a strange alcoholic odor.”

She lowered her head, seemingly embarrassed about her reason for disliking alcohol.

“Why are you so embarrassed about that?”

“It sounds childish… Everyone else likes it and drinks well, but I’m the only one…”

I don’t think it’s childish at all to not be able to drink. Perhaps it’s an extension of how children think drinking coffee or alcohol makes them seem grown-up. Hestia often shows childish tendencies in unexpected ways. That’s also one of her cute aspects.

“Not at all. Drinking isn’t something to brag about, so you don’t need to think that way.”

See? Seol-ah is looking at Hestia as if she’s an elementary school niece insisting on drinking black coffee. A gaze that says she finds her adorable. I’ve thought this before, but whenever she shows this side, she really gives off an adult vibe. Though if I were to tell her this directly, she would hate it immensely.

“Does Mikhail think so too?”

“Of course. Being able to drink or not has nothing to do with being an adult. There are so many childish people among drinkers.”

Hestia, seemingly encouraged by Seol-ah’s words, asked me with a brighter face than before. I readily agreed. While I don’t dislike alcohol, I don’t want to make outdated comments like someone is childish for not being able to drink, or that they’re missing out on half of life. If anything, her attitude is probably more desirable and healthier.

Hestia smiled broadly, evidently pleased with my answer. Seeing this side of her makes me think she’s quite pure, which explains why she gets along so well with Cordelia. Speaking of the devil, as soon as I thought of her, Cordelia approached us with light steps. Wait, isn’t she technically nobility as a ducal daughter? Cordelia, seeing all three of us gathered, started running hurriedly.

“Sorry! Am I late?”

“No, there’s still five minutes left.”

Hestia pointed to the clock tower in the center of the campus. Cordelia brushed her chest in relief.

“Whew, I thought I was late. Why did everyone come out so early?”

“Nothing special, I just had nothing to prepare so I came right out.”

At Hestia’s words, Cordelia started sniffing around Hestia.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing, but now that I look closely, you’ve put on makeup and perfume too? What do you mean you had nothing to prepare?”

I thought she’d been looking especially beautiful lately, and now I know the secret behind it. Hestia flustered around as if a big secret had been exposed.

“I always do this much!”

“Well, if you say so, then that must be it.”

Cordelia smiled slyly.

“Hestia is pretty even without all that.”

“Shut up!”

Despite her earlier promise not to get flushed, Hestia’s face turned red with embarrassment in just five minutes.

Watching Hestia and me, Cordelia clicked her tongue once and then asked as if nothing had happened.

Wait, she clicked her tongue? But Cordelia’s expression showed no sign of displeasure; in fact, she wore a happy smile. Maybe it was my imagination.

“So, where should we go?”

“I thought you had a place in mind.”

“Nope?”

Cordelia answered promptly in a refreshing voice. When she was excitedly suggesting we go drinking earlier, I naturally assumed she had a good place in mind. It seems I overestimated her.

“Then I guess we need to decide where to go first.”

Just walking into any decent-looking place we happen to pass might be a youthful and spontaneous approach, but the members of our group are a bit too notable for that. Except for Seol-ah, the three of us are outsiders, whether by choice or circumstance. We don’t have many friends. But that doesn’t mean we’re protected from public attention.

Given our appearances and family backgrounds, we’re bound to attract attention one way or another. Even Seol-ah, having been at the center of a scandal with the Crown Prince, isn’t free from others’ gazes. Actually, it’s rather surprising that there haven’t been any rumors about her so far.

First, the place shouldn’t be too crowded, and since price isn’t an issue, the food and drinks should be good.

“Can’t we just go to any place?”

“I don’t mind, but let’s ask the others for their opinions.”

“What do you think?”

Cordelia, who seemed quite hungry, whined about just entering any place. When I suggested asking others, Cordelia immediately grabbed Hestia and Seol-ah and asked.

“Any place?”

“Like that one over there.”

At Hestia’s words, I immediately pointed to a shabby tavern visible from the main gate. It’s a place mainly frequented by the Academy’s laborers, other shopkeepers from the area, or students with tight budgets, and it’s been there since the Academy was first established. Honestly, if we were desperate for a drink, it wouldn’t be off-limits, but as a venue for a fun celebration? It makes me tilt my head in doubt. It’s the complete opposite of my earlier criteria: not too crowded, with good food and drinks, regardless of price.

Hestia’s gaze followed my finger to that shop. Just as I finished speaking, a plump rat crawled out from the entrance of the establishment. The rat, having apparently feasted on who knows how much food, was so big—exaggerating a bit, it was almost as thick as an arm—that it was clearly visible even from quite a distance.

“Ugh. I’d rather not…”

“Yeah, I’m not really up for that place either.”

Hestia’s expression contorted, seemingly nauseated at the sight of the rat. Cordelia also expressed reluctance. Look at that—she said any place would do, but when I actually pick any place, she doesn’t like it.

“That’s why I said we should decide on a place first. Baroness Adamas, do you have any recommendations?”

“Why are you only asking Lily and not me and Hestia?”

Cordelia complained in a dissatisfied voice. I asked in disbelief:

“Then Cordelia, please recommend a place.”

“Um… well… anywhere?”

She just hummed and hawed, and eventually said the same thing as before—anywhere would be fine. Makes me want to flick her forehead. How can she recommend a bar when she doesn’t even drink normally? I asked Seol-ah because of her previous restaurant recommendation and the potential “original work buff,” but those two wouldn’t know any decent bars near the Academy. Hestia is a given, and Cordelia has never gone out drinking either, perhaps knowing Hestia’s concern about her drinking habits.

I looked at Cordelia with an “I told you so” expression. She trembled slightly in frustration, but what could she do? She finally gave up and took a step back.

“Well, I know a good place.”

Seol-ah spoke up after some consideration.

“It’s not too crowded, and the food is delicious. But it has that kind of atmosphere—would that be okay?”

“What kind of atmosphere?”

“It’s not crowded, but it’s lively and open, and the food and drinks are cheap.”

She gestured toward the old tavern I had pointed to earlier. Cordelia, probably recalling the rat we had seen, shuddered and asked:

“Does that place have rats too?”

“No. I mean the atmosphere is like that, but the place is clean.”

“Then I’m fine with it! I’ve always wanted to try a place like that.”

Cordelia readily accepted.

“I’ve always wanted to go to a tavern, drink beer, eavesdrop on rumors, and stuff like that. And if someone at the next table picks a fight, I could teach them a lesson.”

“I don’t think the kind of thing Cordelia is expecting will happen, though.”

Seol-ah laughed at Cordelia’s fantasy. Whether it’s an inn or a tavern, hearing rumors and dealing with troublemakers from the next table seems to be a universal rule for drinking establishments.

“What about Miss Hestia?”

“Well, as long as it’s clean… I’m okay with it too.”

“Then it’s decided?”

“Mikhail! D’you know that when shomeone shays that, they really don’t mean it? D’you know?”

“Hestia, you’re extremely drunk right now. Don’t think about regretting it tomorrow morning, let’s just stop drinking now, okay?”

“I’m not drunk!”

I actually expected something like this to happen. I just didn’t expect it to be Hestia rather than Cordelia behaving this way.

“Every drunk person claims they’re not drunk. Hestia, snap out of it. We need to get you back to the dormitory.”

“Hehe. Mikhail…”

After scolding me, she suddenly did a complete 180 and clung to me with a silly laugh. The beer in front of her is still half full. Good heavens, losing it over half a glass of beer? At this rate, she’d probably get drunk just from smelling the air inside a brewery.

“Instead of just laughing, please do something about Hestia.”

“Why? It’s enjoyable to watch.”

“Mikhaaaaaail…”

Seol-ah laughed. Meanwhile, Hestia was still rubbing her cheek against my chest. The drinking behavior I had expected from her wasn’t this complete transformation, but rather becoming a bit more affectionate or honest. Honestly, it’s cute, but that’s beside the point—I can’t just leave her like this, which is troublesome.

“The only sober people here are me and the Baroness.”

Cordelia isn’t as far gone as Hestia, but her eyes are half-lidded, and she’ll likely pass out soon. Mikhail’s body seems to have an iron liver, as I’m hardly drunk at all, but even less drunk than me is Seol-ah. Her liver must be made of steel or something—she’s had the same amount of alcohol as me but doesn’t even smell of liquor.

“Evil schemes and alcohol are inseparable companions. Even in the original work, there was never a scene where Lily got drunk.”

“Is it okay to speak so openly?”

“They won’t remember anything that happened by tomorrow morning anyway.”

Seol-ah smiled. She downed the fruit wine in front of her. Wow, she’s really tough, seriously tough.

“Me too, alcohol!”

At that moment, Cordelia grabbed the glass in front of her and poured all the remaining alcohol down her throat.

“Damn.”

I felt cold sweat running down the back of my neck and spine. Seol-ah also seemed to feel uneasy and quietly cursed. I firmly grabbed Seol-ah’s wrist as she was about to stand up.

“Don’t even think about escaping.”

“Would you let go of this?”

“It’s the role of the sober people to take care of the drunk ones, right?”

I swallowed hard and watched Cordelia’s condition. The best-case scenario would be if she just passed out and fell asleep. I really hope she doesn’t start crying.

Cordelia’s eyes were much more unfocused than before, shining brightly but unable to focus on anything. After wiping away the beer dripping from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, she opened her mouth.

“Mikhaaaail. You, after all I shaid, you just run away and all.”

Oh, please.