Chapter 132: Today, the Drinks Are on Me.
Chapter 132: Today, the Drinks Are on Me.
Jo Chun-bae, the owner of Pungryu Tavern, welcomed me back with open arms. He looked so genuinely delighted—as if a dead ancestor had suddenly returned to life—that I almost felt a pang of guilt.
"You’ve truly returned! You have no idea how much I’ve missed you, Pavilion Master."
"Owner, have you made a lot of money in my absence?"
"I’ve made plenty. Thanks to you, business is thriving."
The Ma Clan Village had been significantly purified thanks to the Huangquan Pavilion branch office. Many had expected the office to be a temporary fixture, but its presence had changed everything. In particular, the martial artists who used to cause drunken commotions or skip out on their bills had nearly vanished, making the tavern much easier to run.
"You’d better prepare plenty of alcohol for today."
"Well, it is a long-awaited reunion, after all."
"That’s not the only reason. A new drunkard is coming today."
"A drunkard?"
"You’ll see when he gets here."
I headed up to the second floor.
Only Seo Dae-ryong and Jang Ho were there. Jang Ho stood up abruptly and bowed deeply to me.
"It has been a long time, Pavilion Master."
"Have you been well?"
I gave his thick hand a firm squeeze.
"The Demon Army has settled in now, so the work is easier than before. If there is anything you need me to do, please say the word at any time."
The look in Jang Ho’s eyes remained unchanged.
Even if I had returned after a year, or even ten, that gaze likely would have stayed the same. He was the kind of man who repaid a single favor with ten, and even after doing so, still felt he hadn't paid enough. That was Jang Ho.
That was why I intended to protect this noble loyalty. I wanted to grow him into a towering tree and rest in its lush shade. I had no intention of sitting on a lonely stump, reminiscing about the past.
After I finished greeting Jang Ho, Seo Dae-ryong spoke up.
"I informed the Demon Lord and the martial artist who would be arriving later. That martial artist said she had urgent business and left a moment ago."
He didn't have to say it for me to know why she had excused herself. Even though nothing would happen while I was there, she was likely worried about even the slightest possibility of conflict. Her consideration for me was still greater than her desire to enjoy herself. She was probably sweating it out at the training ground right about now.
"Also, I informed Commander Jang about what happened this afternoon."
I could still feel the heat radiating from Seo Dae-ryong. It was even hotter than before. Unresolved emotions have a way of festering and growing in the heart.
"I told you to drink and act out, didn't I? You should vent all those emotions today."
"And if I die doing that?"
"Then Commander Jang here will become the second-in-command."
Jang Ho gave a faint smile and filled Seo Dae-ryong’s cup to the brim. I knew that this silent support was a great source of strength for Seo Dae-ryong. The reason Seo Dae-ryong looked up to Jang Ho as a role model was likely because he found this side of the man so incredibly charismatic.
After we all drained a cup in reunion, I offered Seo Dae-ryong a necessary word of advice.
"It’s only natural to be afraid. If you’re scared, then be scared. Instincts only sharpen when you fear what is truly fearsome. You need to know exactly what you’re afraid of, when and how you react, and where your limits lie."
As we were chatting, two people entered the tavern. It was the Drunken Demon and Yeo-bin.
Recognizing the guests, Jo Chun-bae was genuinely shocked. He looked more delighted than he had for any other Demon Lord's visit. For a man in the liquor business, welcoming the Drunken Demon as a customer was a joy that transcended mere profit.
"It is an honor to have you, Great Drunken Demon!" He bowed deeply.
When the other patrons realized the newcomer was the Drunken Demon, the room went silent. The Drunken Demon scanned the room and spoke.
"You lot are my favorite people in the world. Drink to your heart's content! Today, the drinks are on me."
At his words, the drunkards erupted in cheers. Watching from the second floor, I shouted down.
"So handsome! You're the most handsome of all the Demon Lords!"
The Drunken Demon looked up at me and laughed.
"Give that table double the drinks and snacks!"
At that, shouts of "Handsome!" poured out from all directions.
"Over there, too! And that table! Give it to everyone!"
Applause broke out and the drunkards cheered. In an instant, the Drunken Demon closed the distance between a Demon Lord and the common drunkards of Pungryu Tavern—a distance that usually felt as vast as a ten-thousand-foot cliff.
The Drunken Demon even stopped at a table on his way to the second floor to pour someone a drink. The man’s hands trembled as he received the liquor, but it was a moment he would brag about for the rest of his life. Gasps of envy and cheers followed him.
Seeing him blend in and mingle with the drunkards so effortlessly, I thought to myself: He really is the Drunken Demon.
After sweeping through the first floor, the Drunken Demon climbed up to the second.
"Second Young Master, I’ve arrived."
"Welcome."
The Drunken Demon had brought Yeo-bin along as his escort.
"This is my subordinate, Yeo-bin, one of the Three Great Drunkards of the Great Drunken Forest."
Seo Dae-ryong and Jang Ho greeted the Drunken Demon and Yeo-bin. After the introductions, we all sat down together.
"I heard the Second Young Master’s guard had grown beautiful, but I don't see her today. What a shame. I should have shown her this handsome face of mine!"
The Drunken Demon knew a lot about me. I suspected he might know quite a bit about Seo Dae-ryong and Jang Ho as well.
"It seems you really are the embodiment of a prejudice, Drunken Demon."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Don't people usually assume that someone who loves alcohol wouldn't be well-informed?"
"Since I spend so much time intoxicated, I have to be even more well-informed!"
"You have a point, but most drunkards don't live that way."
It occurred to me that if I peeled back his layers of prejudice one by one, I might finally see the man known as the Drunken Demon for who he truly was.
"Do you drink well, Miss Yeo?"
"Yes, I enjoy it," she answered briefly.
She seemed a bit more stiff than when she had greeted me at the Great Drunken Forest. She was likely being cautious since she was in the presence of her lord.
I glanced at Seo Dae-ryong. He was tense, stealing glances at the Drunken Demon and Yeo-bin. I sent him a message via Voice Transmission.
— When are you going to step up?
— Do you want me to ruin the mood right at the start of the party?
— If you're going to do it, do it now. If you try it once you're drunk, you might actually die.
— Please don't pour alcohol on my grave. Just plant the flowers I've been growing.
I didn't know if Seo Dae-ryong would hold back or if he would let it slip under the influence of alcohol. Whether he held it in or spoke out, I believed it would be a helpful experience for him.
Just then, Jo Chun-bae came up with the alcohol. It was a bottle I hadn't seen before.
"I’ve been saving this specifically for the day the Drunken Demon visited our tavern."
The Drunken Demon took a sniff and his eyes widened.
"Phoenix Dongjiu?"
"Oh! You recognize it just by the scent! Truly impressive."
"How could I not know a legendary liquor brewed with over two hundred types of medicinal herbs? How did you get your hands on such a precious brew?"
"I once worked at a brewery in Guizhou. My master, who taught me back then, gave it to me as a parting gift."
"Are you sure you want to give such a rare drink to me?"
"I’m a man running a tavern in the front yard of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Who else would I give this to? I’ve been waiting for this day."
"Thank you."
I looked at Jo Chun-bae and shouted, pretending to be offended.
"Owner! I’ve been here so often, and you never gave it to me!"
Jo Chun-bae laughed and replied, "This is a drink for someone who truly understands alcohol."
It seemed he had saved this specific bottle for the Drunken Demon, believing their paths would cross eventually. He then expressed his gratitude to me.
"Thanks to you, Pavilion Master, I’ve fulfilled a lifelong wish. Thank you."
The Drunken Demon opened the Phoenix Dongjiu and poured a glass for each of us. He even poured one for Jo Chun-bae, despite his protests.
"Take the rest downstairs and share a little with everyone."
In that moment, I was inwardly moved by the Drunken Demon. I didn't know what kind of man he truly was, but the heart that could so readily share such a precious drink with common drunkards was certainly impressive.
"Thank you. Everyone will be delighted."
Sure enough, a moment later, cheers erupted from the floor below.
"Now, let us have a drink!"
The Drunken Demon raised his glass, and everyone in the tavern joined in the toast. Whether it was the quality of the liquor or the atmosphere, the taste was exquisite.
"I’ve had a wonderful drink thanks to you."
"Thanks to me? No, it’s thanks to the Second Young Master."
"What do you mean?"
"If it weren't for you, I would have had no reason to come to this tavern. So, in the end, it’s thanks to you."
He was a man who knew how to make people feel good. The reason I didn't often use my Flattery Divine Art on him was that he usually made me feel good first.
When the Drunken Demon had finished his third consecutive glass, I spoke up.
"Please, have some snacks."
As soon as I finished speaking, the chopsticks placed in front of him floated slightly into the air. I had lifted them using Telekinesis.
Then, the chopsticks were pushed back down. This time, the Drunken Demon had used his own Telekinesis to lower them. The chopsticks went up and down as our battle of internal energy began.
Seo Dae-ryong, Jang Ho, and Yeo-bin watched the situation with tense faces.
The Drunken Demon’s internal energy was more powerful than I had expected. Of course, I could have overpowered him, but I chose to yield and back off at a certain point. The chopsticks settled on the table.
"Second Young Master, your internal energy is impressive."
"Didn't you say you get thirty percent stronger when you drink?"
I drank the liquor in front of me and then lifted the chopsticks again. This time, the Drunken Demon did not block it with his energy. He picked up the chopsticks as if conceding and ate some snacks.
"Are you satisfied now?"
"I am."
"It was the same last time. Why is a grown man so obsessed with snacks?"
"It’s not a matter of being a man or a woman. Nor is it a matter of being a great man or a petty one. It’s simply for the sake of your health."
"Eating snacks makes me drink less."
"That’s exactly why I’m telling you to eat them. At the very least, have one bite of food for every three glasses of alcohol."
In that moment, I saw it. Yeo-bin bowed her head slightly toward me. It was a gesture of gratitude. From that, I could feel that she truly cared for the Drunken Demon.
The Drunken Demon asked me, "Why do you care so much about my health?"
After a brief pause, I answered him.
"Because I don't know what kind of relationship we’ll have yet. What if we end up on good terms, but you die from a liver ailment?"
"What? Me? Die from drink?"
He laughed louder than he ever had since we met, but I didn't join him.
"You are a truly strange person."
"In what way?"
"In all my life, you’re the only one who has ever worried that I might get sick from drinking. No one I meet in the future will ever have such a concern."
"There are probably others around you. They just find you too intimidating to say anything."
"Fine, let’s say that’s true. But what if we become enemies? Wouldn't it be better for me to die early from drink?"
"I don't want to hear that excuse. If you die, it should be by my blade. We’re enemies, aren't we?"
The atmosphere froze for a second at my somewhat aggressive words, but the Drunken Demon wasn't offended at all. Instead, he laughed and took another drink. Then, he pointedly ate a snack. Happy now? Yes!
The mood of the party improved even further. As we shared a few more drinks, Seo Dae-ryong sent me a Voice Transmission.
— I’ll admit it if you call me a coward from now on. Add 'coward' to my introduction.
He had decided to hold back. It wouldn't have been easy to step forward and throw cold water on the jovial atmosphere the Drunken Demon was leading.
— I keep thinking of reasons why I shouldn't be brave. The guy who died deserved to die anyway, so I wonder if this is really worth making a scene over. And Miss Yeo was just following orders. If I want to blame someone, I should blame the Drunken Demon, but I feel like I'd die if I did that.
— Hey, coward.
Seo Dae-ryong, who had been staring down at his glass, looked up at me. I held out my cup. What words were needed at a time like this? You grow by going through this and that.
Seo Dae-ryong gave a faint smile and clinked his glass against mine. Watching this, the Drunken Demon spoke to Seo Dae-ryong.
"You’re the disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, aren't you?"
"Yes, that is correct."
The Drunken Demon was not on good terms with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. I wondered how he would react. He might have mocked the Blood Heaven Blade Demon or ridiculed Seo Dae-ryong.
However, the words that came out defied expectations.
"I like your vibe."
"Pardon?"
"Your vibe as a martial artist is good. Keep up the good work."
"Ah... yes. Thank you."
Seo Dae-ryong, who had been bracing himself for an insult, was flustered. He hadn't expected such a compliment from the Drunken Demon. Still, receiving praise seemed to please him, as his expression brightened. As he drank with a goofy grin, he caught my eye and sent an embarrassed Voice Transmission.
— Fine, I’m that kind of guy! From now on, the Drunken Demon is my favorite Demon Lord after my Master. That’s just who I am! What can I do if I like him?
— I didn't say anything.
We continued to drink. As expected, drinking with the Drunken Demon made one's heart relax. Not only Seo Dae-ryong, but even Jang Ho was enjoying himself, chatting with Yeo-bin.
But I couldn't forget. The Drunken Demon was a man who could change the entire atmosphere of a room with a single joke or a gesture, and we were currently in his world. I had to remember that he was a man who had built his own history through alcohol.
When the laughter was loudest and the mood was at its peak, the Drunken Demon asked me.
"Well, what do you say? Shall we become sworn brothers now?"
At his words, the eyes of the other three at the table turned toward us. A proposal from a Demon Lord to become sworn brothers with the Heavenly Demon’s kin was not something seen every day.
Drunken Demon, what is your intention in doing this? Is this the fleeting sincerity of a drunkard that will vanish once you sober up? Or is it a meticulously calculated plan?
Just then, the boisterous tavern fell silent. Looking down, I saw someone entering the establishment.
It was someone even I hadn't expected to show up here. Exuding a cold aura and carrying a massive blade, the man who walked in was none other than the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
Walking slowly up to the second floor, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon sat down between me and the Drunken Demon and spoke.
"Give me a drink, too."