Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: A Peaceful Week
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A week.
That was the length of the vacation I'd been granted.
They said it was to console me, mentally and physically drained from the battle with the traitor and the loss of a comrade.
I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes slightly. Honestly, not a single word of that rang true.
1. The battle with the traitor.
I hadn't fought in any such thing.
When Yoon Na-rin and Betty were battling it out, and when Han showed up to slice off Elise and Flo's throats, I'd just kept my head glued to the floor without moving a muscle.
2. Mentally and physically drained from losing a comrade.
Sure, I was worn out mentally and physically, but not from losing any comrade. No, to begin with, I'd been the one to send one of those comrades packing.
"......Hmm."
A faint prick of guilt tugged at what little conscience I had left.
Of course, that didn't mean I turned down the vacation. If I'd insisted I hadn't done anything and politely declined, the Association would've been put in an awkward spot.
They do say excessive humility isn't polite, after all. I was someone who knew how to mind my manners.
By the way, Yoon Na-rin had gotten the same week off as me. Though in her case, it wasn't a vacation—it was disciplinary action for leaving her assigned area without permission.
Of course, it was disciplinary action in name only. It was essentially the same as mine: a consolation meant to let her recover mentally and physically.
I considered heading back to the dorms for the vacation, but I didn't really see the point, so I decided to just stay at the office. Yoon Na-rin followed suit and chose to spend the week here with me.
The building was small and cozy, but it had everything we needed. Plenty of space for two people.
A peace so profound it bordered on boredom.
My body felt at ease, and with Yoon Na-rin always nearby, my mind was at ease too.
Had I ever relaxed like this since arriving in this world?
Peace brings stability. And once a person achieves peace, they finally start looking around, yearning for their ideals and romances.
Yes, that romance etched deep into my soul. Time to seek it out.
——The match has ended! Arsenal defeats Chelsea 2-0 and claims their first win since the season opener!!
The excited voices of the commentator and caster spilled from the small 20-inch TV in the corner of the office.
"Phew."
I closed my eyes. It had been a beautiful 90 minutes.
"Is this fun?"
Yoon Na-rin's voice from beside me snapped me out of my reverie. Her tone carried a nuance of utter incomprehension as to why I'd watch such a thing.
Oh dear.
I shook my head slightly and looked at Yoon Na-rin. She had a sullen expression, clearly displeased with something.
Was it because she was still young? This girl hadn't yet discovered the true romance of life.
Sigh, no helping it. As a seasoned veteran who'd been through it all, it was my duty to be patient and understanding in times like these.
That's what being an adult is all about.
I rested my chin on my hand and handed Yoon Na-rin, who was slouched in front of the TV, a glass filled with a drink.
"Have a glass."
"...I don't really like chocolate milk."
"......"
I pulled my hand back. Then I tilted the glass and took a sip of the chocolate milk.
"But Anis, you're not a kid anymore. How long are you gonna keep drinking that stuff?"
"........."
Yoon Na-rin pouted and asked me. I paused for a moment, then mumbled in response.
"...Liking chocolate milk doesn't make you a kid."
"But kids like chocolate milk."
I couldn't agree at all. Hasty generalization fallacy.
Yoon Na-rin, you've just insulted every adult in the world who loves chocolate milk.
Think you can handle the consequences? I fixed her with a resolute gaze and opened my mouth.
"I... am an adult."
To begin with, my tastes had changed after coming to this world. Back then, I hadn't been big on sweets anyway.
I preferred savory, clean flavors without the umami, or bitter tastes. A thoroughly classic adult palate, if I do say so myself.
Yet here she was, calling a guy like me a snot-nosed brat who chugs chocolate milk. Outrageous.
"Oh, really?"
At my defiant attitude, Yoon Na-rin grinned, stood up, and headed to the fridge. She came back with two white cans.
"What, is that beer?"
"Yeah. Found it in the fridge. If you're an adult, something like beer should be no big deal, right?"
Yoon Na-rin said that and looked at me.
"Ha."
I snorted. As if she'd provoke me with something as tame as beer, and not even soju.
"Why didn't you grab it sooner? We could've had it with the soccer."
I took the beer from her and cracked open the can right away. A crisp fizz echoed from inside.
Hearing that sound lifted my spirits. How long had it been since my last drink? I clinked cans with Yoon Na-rin and toasted.
But Yoon Na-rin's expression looked a bit off. Just moments ago, when she'd grabbed the beer from the fridge, her face had been brimming with curiosity. Now it was slightly tense.
She looked tense, maybe even resolute.
...Ah.
I intuited it immediately.
I could smell it.
The smell of a scaredy-cat newbie.
With a smirk, I asked Yoon Na-rin,
"Na-rin, first time drinking?"
"N-No, it's not."
What a cute reaction. I started teasing her with a chuckle.
"Don't be so nervous~ Just think of it as soda~"
"...Looks like you've had a lot of experience, Anis."
"Enough to turn a parched desert into a grassland."
"...Isn't that a bit too exaggerated?"
Yoon Na-rin eyed me suspiciously. But what could she do? It was the truth. I looked down at her pityingly and urged her on.
"Drink up! Don't tell me you're scared of beer, of all things, Yoon Na-rin?"
"Kuh...!"
She grimaced in frustration for a moment, then closed her eyes and took a sip.
"...Not as bad as I thought. It's different from what I expected. Tasteless too."
She stuck out her tongue and wrinkled her nose. What kind of illusions had she harbored about booze anyway? I clicked my tongue and gave her some advice.
"Tsk tsk. Tasteless? That's because you don't know the true flavor of alcohol yet."
Alcohol holds the depth of life itself. The inexperienced and lowly can't truly enjoy it. The so-called adult beverage.
I'd give her credit for trying at a young age, but it was still too soon for her.
"Watch closely. This is how you drink beer."
I tilted the can back and chugged. My throat bobbed as I swallowed the crisp, bubbly liquid. Yoon Na-rin watched me gulp it down boldly, her eyes widening.
Hmm, beer after so long was...
"......Urk. What the hell. Why's it so bitter."
"Anis?"
Wait, that's not right. I quickly rinsed my mouth with chocolate milk. Yoon Na-rin gave me a strange look.
...Damn. Come to think of it, this body had trouble with bitter stuff.
But chasing it with chocolate milk? If the old me, who used to blow nose flutes with soju bottles, saw this, he'd chew me out for sure.
Yoon Na-rin smirked and said,
"Hehe. So you were a first-timer too, huh, Anis."
"N-No!"
"I didn't hate it enough to rinse my mouth, though. Guess you did~"
"K-Kuh!"
The buzz was hitting me. I hadn't even had that much, but everything was spinning already. Was this body weak to alcohol too?
Heat rose to my face, the world started to whirl, and my stomach churned. My body was signaling that more would be dangerous.
To lose it after just this much? My pride was wounded.
"Puhaha! Your face is already red!"
Yoon Na-rin burst out laughing.
"Hm. Feels kinda okay if I keep going?"
Yoon Na-rin sipped little by little and soon emptied her can. I stared at her in a daze. My can was still over two-thirds full.
"Anis, not drinking?"
Her face flushed, Yoon Na-rin asked me. She didn't seem super tolerant either; she looked a bit tipsy.
"......Uh, I... hic."
I trailed off. I was too embarrassed to admit more would make me puke.
"What're you doing? Drink!"
"W-Wait, hold on!"
The excited Yoon Na-rin grabbed my face and poured the beer down my throat. I flailed to escape, but the booze had sapped my control.
"Gaaah-!"
My agonized cry and Yoon Na-rin's cackling laughter echoed through the office for a moment—
Thud!
I faceplanted onto the desk.
"A-Anis?"
My vision darkened...
I opened my eyes. The ceiling of the office on-duty room came into view.
"Ugh... water..."
My head throbbed.
My throat burned with thirst.
Why did my head hurt so much? What the hell happened last night?
I tried to recall yesterday, but the pounding headache blocked me.
I got out of bed. My throat was so parched I needed water.
I opened the door to the on-duty room and stepped out. As I opened the fridge and chugged water, a sound came from somewhere.
Rustle—the sound of turning book pages.
...What?
I cocked my head. The only ones in this office right now should be me and Yoon Na-rin. And Yoon Na-rin hated reading.
The only one who'd read books in the office was Flo. But Flo was dead.
Rustle—rustle—
The page-turning didn't stop.
It was weird. No matter how I thought about it, the only person who fit was Flo.
......
I closed my eyes and tried to remember yesterday again, but it was like thick fog—nothing came.
Suddenly, a novel I'd read before flashed in my mind.
One where you infinitely regress to a set point every time you die.
No way, me too?
What if I'd died last night for some reason and regressed to the point where Flo was alive?
Sure, it might sound ridiculous, but it wasn't impossible.
I'd possessed a game character and fallen into an unknown novel. Death regression? Why not?
Rustle—rustle—
Gripping my still-throbbing head, I headed toward the sound to investigate.
Deep in thought about what to do next if it really was death regression.
I passed the short hallway, rounded the corner, and there...
"Hm. Quite stimulating."
...was an old man sitting on the sofa, reading a thick book.
Fergus Dee. The academy principal.
"...What."
I blurted out something dumb, and the old man's gaze shifted from the book to me.
"It's been a while, Miss Anis."
Fergus said to my dazed face.
"Looks like you're suffering from a nasty hangover. A student drinking at your age... Normally I'd scold you, but I'll let it slide this time."
Fergus chuckled heartily.
"Ah. Yeah."
...What. So I just blacked out from booze.
With Yoon Na-rin, I guess?
But I'm pretty good with alcohol, so how much did I drink to black out?
...At least three bottles of soju, right?
Yeah, that could do it.
"Hmm. A masterpiece."
Rustle—Fergus kept turning the pages.