Chapter 74: Poar (10)

A small party was held to commemorate Jack’s apology and the wicked guild leader’s end.

Wine and delicious food. Meat and vegetables brought from each ranch were cooking over the fire pit, and both Lorena and I were busy because of the impromptu party. Jack, his face streaked with tears, thanked everyone several times and apologized to them again.

“I’m truly sorry. I was blinded by money and spent it even though I knew perfectly well it wasn’t mine.”

In truth, Jack wasn’t entirely blameless. After all, he had committed a very unsettling crime of arbitrarily spending money that had suddenly appeared by his bedside. However, since the villagers had received compensation, they seemed to have decided not to make an issue of it, and Hanson, stroking his thick beard, burst into a hearty laugh and said this.

“It’s alright. We received full compensation, and if I suddenly got money, I probably would have spent it secretly too. More importantly, let’s have a drink. Just one last drink today, and then we’ll put it all behind us.”

Hanson offered Jack a glass of wine. Lorena, who was setting down the roasted meat, I, who was secretly grabbing food while leaning against her side, and Alice, who was stroking her chin while looking out the window, all looked at Jack. A brief silence passed like an arrow, and Jack, who had lowered his head and was swallowing nervously, shook his head firmly and said.

“Ah, no. A-alcohol… I’m not going to drink anymore! I-I think I’ll head up first, so…”

Saying that, Jack hastily left the gathering. Hanson’s eyes widened as he looked at me and Lorena, and Lorena approached Hanson and said.

“He decided to quit drinking.”

“Hoho, looks like he’s really trying to change. In that case, Lorena, you drink this wine. You should accept it on your father’s behalf.”

“Oh, uh, should I?”

I watched Lorena accept the wine. She seemed not entirely unable to drink, as she skillfully took the glass and drank. It was wine made from pretty good grapes, so a sweet grape aroma wafted just by standing next to it.

“This is really delicious.”

After taking a sip, Lorena said that with a bright smile, and Hanson remarked.

“Right? This is top-quality stuff. It’s a shame he chose to quit drinking precisely today. Such a pity.”

Even as he said that, Hanson didn’t offer more wine to Jack, who had gone upstairs. I also had no desire to call Jack back down. The party atmosphere was lively even without Jack, and most importantly, Lorena was drinking.

I sat next to Lorena and offered her another glass of wine. Lorena seemed very happy that her father had decided to quit drinking and start anew. She smiled and accepted every glass I offered, and though she sipped it little by little, she showed signs of intoxication. Her flushed face and her eyes blinking as they gazed into the distance indicated she was quite drunk.

“How are you feeling right now?”

“Huh? Ah, well…! I’m okay. No, I think I’m feeling pretty good.”

Lorena said that while looking around. People were enjoying the feast in their own ways, drinking alcohol or sharing food. Boisterous singing could be heard, and some people were complaining about how unlucky the guild leader had been. It felt strange how people who were singing or laughing merrily would fall silent like mourners at a funeral, nodding their heads, as soon as they joined that particular group. Lorena looked at each person’s face one by one and said.

“Honestly, it was a bit tough.”

“Huh?”

Lorena said that with moist eyes. Her expression, which seemed on the verge of tears, regained a smile.

“When I heard I couldn’t become a knight, I really wanted to cry. Dad just kept drinking, going off to gamble…”

Lorena looked at me again.

“Evan. If you and Alice hadn’t come, I… I might have really hated Dad.”

I responded to her with a smile. As I smiled faintly and fiddled with her hand, Lorena also spread her hand like a spider and tried to hold mine. Like children playing, we intertwined our fingers, then turned our heads away again.

Alice stood leaning against the windowsill. Her figure bathed in moonlight was beautiful, but it didn’t quite fit the party’s atmosphere. Even when Lorena beckoned her over to our table, Alice shook her head and then turned her head away as if surprised by something just between us. Thinking, ‘As expected, my daughter is perceptive,’ I nudged Lorena’s shoulder.

“Leave her be. She probably needs a moment to think.”

“Is that so? I wanted to thank her.”

“You can thank her anytime. Right now, we should enjoy the mood. Look, doesn’t everyone seem to be having fun?”

The ranch people, who had seemed to be enjoying themselves for a moment, were now all nodding or pointing towards the distant mountains while engaged in serious conversation. It seemed the gathering was not only to forgive Jack and accept him back into the village community but also to hold a village meeting concurrently. Since the guild leader was gone, they needed to elect a new one. The villagers’ faces held complex emotions that didn’t quite match the party’s festive mood. And Charlie, who had tagged along because it was called a party, was leaning his head over our table with a very bored expression. I considered flicking Charlie on the forehead then and there, but instead, I ruffled his messy, bird’s-nest-like hair and asked.

“What’s up? Why did you come over here?”

“Don’t touch me.”

Charlie acted like a stray dog that had lived a life of beatings. I obediently removed my hand, and Lorena looked at Charlie and smiled.

“Charlie. What brings you here?”

Wanting to be close to someone you like is a man’s instinct. However, Charlie wasn’t mature enough to honestly talk about such things. Kids his age often have very delicate and fucked-up emotional complexities, wanting you to guess their true feelings while hiding the truth. Like other kids his age, Charlie looked at Lorena’s wine glass and said.

“What is this?”

“It’s wine. Want to try some?”

“Yuck, it tastes bad.”

As expected of a bratty kid, he seemed to have already dabbled in drinking. As soon as Lorena offered him a taste, Charlie stuck out his tongue, shook his head vehemently, and stepped away from the table. Then, with a look of regret, he tried to come back to the table, but

“Charlie.”

Hanson’s stern voice pulled Charlie back like a leash.

“You shouldn’t interrupt when adults are talking.”

When Hanson said that, Charlie pouted.

“I’m not interrupting. I’m playing too.”

“Sit here. Dad has something important to discuss. Be patient for a little while. You need to hear what comes out of this conversation if you’re going to manage the ranch later.”

“Tch…”

Charlie pouted like a duck but couldn’t disobey Hanson. I kept giving Lorena more wine, waiting for her to get completely drunk, and Lorena, her face flushed crimson, said to me.

“Hehehe…! Evan, I’m so… glad we’re friends…”

“Me too, Lorena. You’re truly a good kid.”

“R-really…? Hehehe…”

Lorena chuckled, scratching her head. I stroked her cheek and glanced at Charlie. Charlie, who had been listening to the boring talk, was nodding off.

Deep night had arrived. The remnants of the party filled the small tables.

Lorena, stumbling, saw the guests off. The residents who weren’t drunk were leaving with the food and dishes they had brought. Hanson, who had been drinking glass after glass, tried to go outside but stumbled and collapsed onto the floor. Since Hanson almost dropped Charlie, whom he was holding, I pulled Charlie towards me to save him.

“Oof, oof… Am I too drunk?”

“Please stay the night here. You seem quite drunk, and there’s an empty room on the second floor.”

Lorena said this while leaning against the wall.

“Oh dear, I feel like I’m imposing too much.”

Hanson seemed to decline, but then turned and headed for the second floor. Alice picked up Charlie and followed Hanson up the stairs. After a moment, there was a sound like something dragging on the floor, and Alice came back down the stairs alone.

“He collapsed as soon as he saw the bed. I didn’t know where to lay Charlie, so I just put him down next to him. It’ll be okay, right?”

“Thanks, Alice. Hehehe…”

Lorena chuckled foolishly and shook her head. Seeing her adorable state, Alice seemed unsure what to do and stroked Lorena’s cheek. I naturally linked arms with Lorena and said.

“Alice. Well, I’m going to put Lorena to bed. What about you?”

Lorena was dozing off, leaning against me. Alice played with Lorena’s cheeks for a bit before backing away. Her face was also full of fatigue.

“I’m going home to sleep. I have to work again starting tomorrow.”

She waved her hand, swaying her hips slightly. After saying goodbye to her once more, I laid Lorena down on the sofa.

A narrow sofa.

It was too narrow for two people to lie side-by-side, but it was the perfect place to lie entwined. She was so drunk that she seemed oblivious as I placed my hand on her chest, only breathing evenly. I massaged her breasts, checking for a reaction.

“Nnngh…! Hhng…!”

Lorena grimaced, feeling pleasure even through her drunkenness. As my hand moved slowly down from her chest, lingering around her lower body, Lorena’s mouth opened, and she let out a moan.

“Ah…!”

“Ha…! Fuck, I can’t stop now.”

I wrapped myself in a blanket and then began to take off Lorena’s pants. The moonlight from the window next to the sofa illuminated her body beautifully.