Silver Snow Wine
Unlike other cities, Unmonghyang boasted quite a number of inns.
Drunken Moon Pavilion, Fig Garden, Silverstream Inn, Moonshadow Studio, Westspirit Hall, and more.
The place Yujin and the 3 No chose was Silverstream Inn.
It stood beside a stream that shone with silver light. Not especially large, yet the play of light and its dreamlike atmosphere blended into scenery that was genuinely beautiful.
“You somehow managed to pick a good spot.”
“I picked it!”
Lee Sia shot her hand straight up and shouted at Yujin’s words.
“The vibe here is insane, right? The second I saw it I just knew.”
What kind of “feeling” that was, he had no idea. But the fact that she had chosen well was true enough. Atmosphere or not, Silverstream Inn hid a fairly useful opportunity.
Silverstream Step [D], wasn’t it?
Only D-grade, yet its utility was broad. It could even be linked with other footwork skills, so the effect punched well above its rank.
It’ll suit Park Ji-hoo.
He glanced sideways. Park Ji-hoo sat in a chair, quietly taking in the interior; his face came into view.
His body is far too heavy.
More precisely, his footsteps were heavy. It wasn’t because of the War Dragon Armor [C]. It meant he still could not perfectly control his mana and body. Even clad in the heaviest plate, a player could move like the wind if they wanted to. Until now Ji-hoo had moved purely on instinct. Fast and strong—that much was praiseworthy. But it was not enough. He needed softer footwork, steps that flowed like water. Once that became possible, the punches he threw would be far more powerful than they were now.
Gotta get it.
He decided what they would claim first in the Dream Garden. Of course it was impossible right this moment. Silverstream Step [D] also required several conditions before one even gained the right to obtain it.
After the kids finish their vacation. We’ll try then.
An hour or two would never be enough, so he shelved it for later.
“Why are you zoning out? Is it finally time to leave?”
What a tone. Yujin clicked his tongue inwardly and raised a hand.
“Order over here.”
The owner, who had been watching from a distance, came hustling over as if he had been waiting for exactly that.
“Our stir-fried noodles are the house specialty. Thin-sliced and wok-tossed with vegetables that grow only here—the flavor is exquisite. The steamed dish made from fantasy-beast meat is also quite popular.”
“One bottle of Silver Snow Wine, and the dishes you just mentioned.”
“Oh, you’ve already heard the rumors! Speaking of our Silver Snow Wine, its history—”
“Enough. Just bring it out quick.”
The owner of Silverstream Inn was a notorious chatterbox. Fail to cut him off in time and the man would talk without pause. There was a famous first-timeline anecdote of him yammering for a full hour after taking an order before he finally went to prepare the food. So Yujin shut him down without delay.
“Ah… yes.”
The owner turned away with a dejected look. A brand-new conversation partner had appeared after so long, yet he had to leave without managing a single word; the disappointment clearly stung.
Troublesome.
Yujin watched the man’s retreating back in silence. The first condition for obtaining Silverstream Step [D] had just floated up in his mind.
Listening to that guy’s chatter all day long, right?
A few hours of investment for a skill was nothing. The problem was that the owner’s monologues never ended in a few hours. Half a day at the short end, an entire day at the long. He truly talked until your ears bled. Worse still, none of it was interesting. Enduring endless streams of boring nonsense was its own special hell.
Well, not my problem.
The one who needed Silverstream Step [D] was Park Ji-hoo. Therefore the one who would have to endure the ordeal was that kid. Yujin snickered under his breath as he looked at Ji-hoo.
“…Did I do something wrong?”
Catching the stare, Ji-hoo hunched his shoulders and asked carefully.
“Nothing like that. Just eat plenty.”
“Ah… yes.”
The boy eyed Yujin warily, face uneasy. He had never once had a good experience when Yujin wore that particular expression; of course he was on edge.
“But is that Silver Snow Wine actually good?”
Sia, who had been fuming at being ignored, tried again.
“Probably. Better not drink too much, though.”
“Why?”
“Drink a lot and you’ll get drunk.”
“…Is this guy actually insane.”
Who says something that obvious like it’s some profound secret.
“I don’t mean ordinary drunk.”
“Then what?”
“If you’re curious, chug a ton. That’d be entertaining in its own way.”
Silver Snow Wine was dangerous liquor. The taste was supreme, but past a certain amount it paralyzed reason. Not simple intoxication—status abnormality.
Berserk [E].
Friend or foe ceased to matter; the drinker went completely feral. They rampaged until their stamina hit absolute zero, then collapsed from exhaustion. After that came another status, Hangover [E], and a full week of bedridden misery. The image of Sia foaming at the mouth and charging at him was honestly a little exciting. It might even give him a perfectly legal chance to thrash this irritating brat.
“Your eyes are giving me a really bad feeling.”
Sia’s eyes narrowed to slits. Her instincts were sharp; she had clearly sensed he was plotting something. Yujin was still clicking his tongue inside when the owner returned with a bottle and cups. Pure-white porcelain held the Silver Snow Wine.
“Here, here! Speaking of this wine—its renown is famous even throughout Unmonghyang, the very—”
“Hand it over.”
Yujin snatched the bottle.
“Ah—aah!”
“When’s the food coming out?”
“…It’s being prepared now. It will be out shortly.”
The owner’s face went past dejected into full hangdog; shoulders slumping, he trudged away.
“Wasn’t that a little too mean?”
“If you feel that sorry for him, go keep him company yourself.”
“Ah, that’s… my dad told me never to talk to strange uncles.”
“Excellent parenting.”
Yujin let her words wash past him and uncorked the bottle. With a soft pop, a sweet fruit fragrance flooded the air in an instant.
“Woooow—”
Sia’s eyes went huge. The smell alone was enough. This was god-tier booze.
“First pour me a glass.”
She thrust her cup forward.
“The world really has gone insane.”
Yujin sighed at the sight of her. He did not refuse, though. He wanted to watch this kid get wrecked. Watching her suffer under Hangover [E] afterward would be even better. Smiling inwardly, he filled her cup to the brim.
“You can’t drink yet, so stick to water. Baekbaek, how about you?”
He gave the bottle a little shake; clear liquid chimed softly inside.
“Give me some too.”
Had the fruit aroma impressed her? Vivian also lifted a cup. Yujin poured her exactly half of what he had given Sia.
“That’s not much.”
“Drink a little. You’ll get drunk.”
“Alcohol is meant to get you drunk.”
“Then you can drink a lot too.”
Why did none of them ever listen? Except their Chunbae. Yujin exhaled and poured Silver Snow into his own cup as well. Clear liquid glugged out in a thin stream.
It really is good liquor.
If not for the status effects he would have ordered several bottles. Unconsciously his gaze drifted toward Vivian.
“What?”
“Nothing. Forget it.”
He shook his head a moment later.
Burning dollars just so I can drink more is ridiculous.
That money put into combat would let him fight far longer. Booze versus levels—if someone asked which mattered more, there was no contest.
Wearing a faintly regretful look, Yujin held out his cup.
“Cheers!”
Sia clinked hers against it. Vivian, head tilted, followed suit. Only Ji-hoo floundered for a second before lightly tapping his water cup against theirs.
“First glass is what? One-shot!”
Whatever had her so hyped, Sia crowed in a voice bright with excitement and drained the cup in a single gulp.
“Kuaaaaaaagh!”
It looked like flames might shoot from her mouth. Yujin snorted. He hadn’t mentioned it, but Silver Snow ran around seventy percent alcohol. Anyone expecting regular soju was guaranteed that reaction. You could practically feel the shape of your own esophagus.
Watching her, Vivian took a careful sip; her dazed eyes widened a fraction. She seemed to like it. After observing Sia a moment longer, Yujin also took a mouthful. A taste too exquisite for words bloomed across his tongue—sweet and searing at once. The liquor was ice-cold, yet it burned.
Delicious.
He nodded. Tasting Silver Snow again after so long pulled first-timeline memories to the surface.
…No. Better not remember.
Come to think of it, they hadn’t been good memories. Back then this very place—Silverstream Inn—had been completely demolished. By the hands of a thoroughly smashed Yujin. He had been forced to pay an enormous sum in credits for the damage.
A bitter smile touched his lips as he slowly took another sip.
“Uwaaa, what even is this? Is this really alcohol?”
“What would a brat know.”
She had entered the Tower at a mere twenty. Years had passed, but that still only made her twenty-one. Far too young to understand good liquor. At best she had sipped soju or beer. She didn’t even look especially interested in drinking, so nine times out of ten that was the case. For someone like Sia, Silver Snow was simply too strong.
“Ugh, thought I was gonna die.”
Sia stole Ji-hoo’s water and guzzled it, then let out a long breath.
“But this is actually good. First time I’ve ever had anything like it.”
Was it just his imagination that her focus looked slightly off? Without warning she thrust the cup out again.
“One more!”
Far be it from him to refuse. Yujin filled it to the brim once more; she one-shotted it again.
“Kuaaaaaagh!”
Screams and rounds of wine continued. Somewhere in the middle the food they had ordered arrived—stir-fried noodles that looked excellent and a steamed dish of unknown fantasy-beast meat. Everything tasted superb. Yujin ordered another bottle of the emptied Silver Snow and drank slowly, savoring every drop.
Then, a short while later—
“Graaaaaaaah—!”
A scream unlike the earlier ones—no, a full-throated roar—burst from Sia’s mouth.
Got her!
Yujin cheered inwardly.
Berserk [E].
Sia’s eyes flooded crimson; drool ran freely from her lips. Her expression was that of a starving tiger that had just spotted prey. That gaze locked onto Yujin.
“Me?”
He smiled. At last the chance had come to personally discipline an ill-raised child.
But then something completely unexpected happened.
“Keuaaaaaaargh—!”
From right beside them, Baekbaek—no, Vivian—began making almost the exact same sound.
“Hmm…”
This he had not seen coming.
“Park Ji-hoo.”
“…Yes?”
To Ji-hoo, who was still blinking in pure incomprehension, he said,
“Just run.”
Two crazy bitches at once. In a situation like this, fleeing was the only sane strategy.