Chapter 176
Chapter 176
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Surprisingly Similar to My Ideal Type
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Baek-do downed her drink, using the last piece of pork ribs as a side dish.
-Gulp, gulp.
A single stream of beer trailed down below her sleek jawline of pale white skin.
I also knocked back a shot of soju while watching her face.
She really was pretty no matter when I looked at her. At least in terms of looks.
Of course, no lustful thoughts stirred. Her personality was just too rotten for that.
Her slender fingers looked like they'd fit perfectly with a small-sized ring. And her breasts were disproportionately large, enough to captivate the hearts of many hunters.
'Well, no intentions there.'
Last time was just an accident of circumstances. I wasn't sure about compatibility anyway. Probably no more of that in the future.
Baek-do was Baek-do. She hated me, which was exactly why she was Baek-do. The idea of her liking me didn't even compute.
It wouldn't happen in the first place.
Unless I got drunk and acted impulsively like last time.
'I'm controlling myself well enough not to get wasted now.'
I sipped my soju while gazing at Baek-do's face.
She was exactly that type of woman.
Pretty enough that drinking with her made the booze go down smooth.
So we drank alone together just fine, bickered playfully, but neither had any intention of dating. The vibe of a female friend like that.
Simply put, a pretty drinking buddy.
One drink, two drinks. As we kept going, Baek-do seemed to notice my gaze, furrowing her brow.
"Why do you keep staring?"
"Just looking makes the drinks go down easy."
"......Annoying."
"Pardon?"
"Thinking you're looking at me annoys me."
What kind of nonsense was that?
With alcohol in her, Baek-do's face softened a bit as she puffed out her cheeks with air.
Dolphin shorts and daddy-long-legs position on the chair. She was strong, but her frame wasn't huge, so she could pull it off.
Baek-do sipped her drink while looking at my face.
What was she thinking?
Her slightly relaxed eyes swept over me from head to toe, then she pulled her light pink lips away from the beer can.
"...Hoo. I think I get the feeling."
Probably feeling something similar to me.
I went to the kitchen, grabbed a beer mug, and mixed it with soju.
I offered it to her, urging her on, and she hesitated before slowly extending her beer can.
"Drinking makes things feel lighter somehow."
"...Yeah."
"Would've been great if it'd been like this from the start. What's with that peach hatred anyway?"
"...I hate peaches."
"Why?"
-Clink.
Not the crisp sound of glasses, but the clean clack of aluminum and glass meeting.
Baek-do emptied the beer can into her mouth, then exhaled.
Her lips curved up slightly, in a good mood.
"...Back in the day, I fell into a river trying to pick a peach."
"Oh, old story? From when you were a kid?"
"Yeah."
So her weird peach phobia had a reason after all.
I sipped my drink steadily, listening to Baek-do's tale.
Hearing unknown pasts from people I knew was always fun.
"Fell in the river? What happened?"
Baek-do, her face flushed with buzz, handed me another beer.
I cracked it open and placed it in her hand.
"...That's it."
"That's it?"
"The peach I was trying to pick was a water peach. So I hate them."
"......"
"There! And water peaches don't even taste good!"
Under my pitiful gaze, Baek-do yelled, embarrassed herself.
She looked cute covering her mouth with both hands gripping beer cans.
Her small face half-hidden by the can over nose and mouth was intriguing too.
"Just curious... How'd you end up liking yellow peaches?"
"They're tasty."
"Kuhuhu. So like you, Master Baek-do."
-Slurp.
Sip of booze. A piece of sweet-salty bulgogi.
Before I knew it, Baek-do was staring fixedly at my face while sipping her drink.
"Drink okay?"
I teased lightly, and embarrassed, she raised her voice dramatically.
"A-hem. Th-third disciple's face is quite the item... G-goes down smooth."
"Of course. With this face, I'd... Wait, no. It's my original face now, so not really thanks to the status window."
"...Weird talk. I remember your ugly days vividly. What do you mean original face?"
"Eh~ It's a thing."
-Sip.
One exchange ended, we both sipped, then quietly went "Ahh."
Our motions so similar, others might find it funny.
"Here. Quick."
Baek-do pulled out another beer for me.
"Drinking a lot today, aren't you?"
"...So what. It's the last time."
"Mm. Fair enough."
Pop- I opened it, and she downed three big gulps refreshingly.
Then slammed it on the table heartily. Alcohol rising, a cute burp slipped out.
"Burp..."
Unintentional, she blushed and covered her mouth with her hand.
The back of her hand scarred badly.
Come to think of it, that wound I couldn't heal back then due to depleted power.
"How'd you get that scar?"
"Told you, you don't need to know."
"Mind if I guess?"
She might not remember me, but her past itself was mostly unchanged.
Baek-do snorted and popped some squid jerky in her mouth. Chewy, one of my favorites too.
"Go ahead. Your guess'll be lame anyway~"
I raised my index finger seriously.
"Protecting Lady Hwang-do and got slashed?"
"......!"
Baek-do's eyes went wide. So shocked her chewing jaw dropped, revealing red squid inside.
"And it was from invaders. At Do-won?"
"......"
"Hey, close your mouth. That gross chewed stuff's gonna fall out."
"Hmph, gross what!"
She shut her mouth quick, swallowed, then filled it with beer.
Not liking my guess, she glared subtly.
"How's that? Nailed it?"
"...Wrong."
So prideful.
I shrugged with open palms. Annoyed, she set down her can and wrinkled her nose bridge.
"Y-yeah, sure."
"Wh-what do you know to assume!"
I knew quite a bit, surprisingly.
She was the one who rubbed her eyes on my clothes crying there. The one who scolded me worrying about Cheon-do inheriting the Heavenly Demon seat.
Of course, I didn't bring it up randomly.
I held out my right hand to her.
"Lemme see your hand."
"...Why."
"Come on, just give it."
"No. Don't wanna hold hands with a retard. Gonna sexually harass like last time? Think I'm dumb? Idiot."
"You little... Just give it."
"...Said no!"
Grab.
Yelling Baek-do went limp powerlessly once grabbed.
If she was gonna give in, do it from the start.
Lucky the booze dropped her disgust for me by three levels.
I slowly drew power to my finger. Soon, green vital energy flowed from my index.
"......"
I pressed it to her palm.
Erasing scars was impossible with my old power, but after enduring Heavenly Demon's torment hundreds of times, now I could.
"...Wh-what. Magic? Useless. That was cursed back then."
"Got it. Still, lemme try."
"......For real."
I brushed off her words, her lips quivered.
She chewed her lower lip, muttering tiny under breath.
"...Why's he doing this."
I gently rubbed the scar with my finger, she let out a soft nasal hum.
Stroked the long tear's end. Infiltrated power, regenerating base tissue anew.
The scar without peach fuzz was discolored, a blemish on her jade-like pretty hand.
"Th-that's enough. Don't want it, so let go quick."
"Hehe. Sigh. Don't trust me?"
"How can I trust your dick!"
-Smooth.
The scar slowly healed.
Healed, or overlaid believably clean as skin discoloration faded.
"......Huh?"
Baek-do gasped.
The ugly spot on her hand vanished, soon turning snow-white skin with fuzz.
Much softer and prettier now.
I stroked her plump fingers, back, and side, chuckling.
"Works."
Honestly, regretting not healing it then nagged me a bit.
Gamble half-expecting failure, but healing power grew nicely.
"S-stop touching!"
She yanked her hand away high-pitched, staring blankly at it.
Stroked with her other hand. Brought it close unbelievingly multiple times.
"...Ah."
"Fucking awesome, right."
"...Fucking awesome. Lifelong scar."
Repeating shock, she still fondled her hand, lowering both under the table.
"Even retards got their uses."
Harsh words.
But I got it. That's Baek-do.
Saying it touched her might make me the weirdo.
I raised my glass again.
"So? My guess wrong earlier?"
"...Dunno."
Baek-do pursed lips. Oddly pure.
She glared a few times, sighed, raised her beer.
Cheers straight.
Foam dripped to table, even that felt soft in the mood.
"......"
-Gulp, gulp.
Buzz filling late night. I felt excited for the first time in ages.
Adapting to living present over past maybe.
"Weird."
"Hm?"
Baek-do alternated beer and me, tilting head.
"......I don't usually drink."
"Really? You drink every time with me."
"That's why it's weird, retard."
"......"
A bit drunker now.
Speech loosening to old Baek-do, more casual.
More honest maybe...?
"...Except getting smashed when Leader and Dad died, drinking always pissed me off so I didn't."
"Ah, old tale. Leader who... Nah, skip sensitive stuff."
"Yeah."
"Then why drink with me?"
"Told you I dunno. Didn't hear me say weird?"
I did. That's why it's weird.
She flushed her already red cheeks more.
"...Weirdly goes down easy with you."
"......Is that so?"
"Yeah. Weird."
I sipped, thinking inwardly.
'Leader died?'
My status didn't say that.
Faked death? Or... World Tree fucked with memories again.
Planned to ask when memories returned, but booze revealed it early.
'Whatever.'
Now's now, cheers to reality.
I patted weirded-out Baek-do, raising glass.
"If it goes down easy, great. Drink with me from now on."
"...Yeah. No."
"Why."
"Drinking with you. Dunno. Just annoying."
"Forget it all and drink. Come on, glasses up~ Clink."
-Clink!
Under my urging, she reluctantly downed it.
"......Annoying as fuck. Drink and you look like a dog."
"Dog? That's a bit..."
"Shut up dick."
Before raising can to mouth, she mumbled sullenly.
"...Thanks anyway."
Her pure white pupils like snow, husky eyes tamed sharp-yet-gentle.
Wide tee slipping with buzz exposed underwear and armpit subtly.
Less martial world survivor, more mysterious girl vibe.
Drunk Baek-do... was surprisingly similar to my ideal type.