Two People's Consolation (1)
Two People's Consolation (1)
"Oh my, Rene! You're back!"
Perhaps because it was so early in the morning, Grace of the Rose was still preparing for business.
As I stepped into the quiet shop, Madam Rosalia greeted me warmly.
"Hm? And who is this young lady?"
Her eyes widened as she looked at Jenna.
Jenna, who had been half-hiding behind me, bowed her head slightly to the Madam.
"Ah, hello."
From her stammering, it seemed she was nervous.
I patted Jenna's head and briefly explained the situation to Rosalia.
"Oh my, what a pitiful situation. We just so happen to be short-handed in the kitchen. What do you think, Jenna?"
"Y-yes! Just tell me what to do! What should I start with?"
Jenna rolled up her sleeves as if ready to start working immediately.
Seemingly pleased by her enthusiastic demeanor, Rosalia let out a small laugh.
"Hehe. You're more energetic than you look. But you should rest fully today. You must have built up quite a bit of fatigue."
I had indeed accumulated a lot of fatigue.
Noticing my eyelids drooping, Rosalia continued.
"You look very tired too, Rene? Leave Jenna to me and go get some rest. Be careful on the stairs on your way up."
"Yes... I'm sorry for being away for so long, Madam."
"Hmm? Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you came back safe and sound."
The Madam is truly kind and benevolent.
Now that I'd handed Jenna over, my work here was done.
Leaving them behind, I hurried up to the 3rd Floor.
My room, which I was seeing for the first time in about two weeks.
I just tossed my cloak and sword aside and collapsed onto the bed.
I didn't even have the energy to take my clothes off as a wave of drowsiness hit me.
Burying my face in the soft pillow, my consciousness faded just like that.
* * *
When I opened my eyes, the room was pitch black.
I must have passed out and slept until nightfall.
It seems I'll have to stay up until dawn tonight.
Suddenly, I saw a faint, thread-like light and turned my head.
Light and noise were seeping through the gap under the door.
The shop must be in full swing.
I turned my head back and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Even though I'd slept enough, my body refused to get up.
It was because a listless, hollow feeling was constricting my heart.
When I was captured by the bandits, I was solely focused on immediate survival.
My comrades' deaths were sad, but I didn't even have the luxury to mourn them.
But now that it was all over. A belated uneasiness washed over me like a tidal wave.
"...Tir."
Though our connection was brief, he left a vivid mark on me.
Perhaps it was because he was the first to call me Nunim instead of a whore.
I recalled his characteristically respectful tone and the way he treated me like a precious piece of porcelain.
The voice I would never hear again also echoed vividly in my ears.
An eternal farewell.
As I dwelled on its meaning, an uncontrollable depression pressed down on me.
It felt as if my body was being pulled into a deep, dark reservoir.
"Miss Rene? Are you awake by any chance?"
What roused me from my heavy stupor was a light knock and the familiar voice of an employee.
Staggering, I forced my body up and pushed the door open.
"...What is it?"
"Ah! Good, you're awake. We were all worried since you slept for a full day and then some."
I listened blankly, then my eyes widened suddenly and I asked in return.
"A full day?"
"Yes. You must have slept for at least thirty hours?"
So I hadn't just slept from morning to night, I'd slept an entire day.
This was a first for me, so it was somewhat disconcerting.
As I stood speechless, the employee stated her business first.
"More importantly, there's someone here to see you, Miss Rene. He said his name is Daygan, the clerk from the mercenary guild. He seemed to have some important business."
My mind snapped to attention at the unexpected name.
If Daygan came all the way here, it must be something serious.
It must be related to the Subjugation Force incident.
"Thank you. Where should I go?"
"He's waiting near the entrance on the 1st floor."
I thanked her and hurried down the stairs.
As I practically ran to the 1st floor, a familiar face caught my eye.
A middle-aged man with tanned skin, muscular arms, a smooth bald head, and surprisingly intellectual glasses.
"Daygan. What brings you here?"
"Oh, it's you. It's nothing major, really. I just came by to check on you."
So he hadn't come on business, but to check on my well-being.
It was different from what I expected, but I understood.
My face must have shown a lot of strain yesterday.
"...It seems I've caused you worry. I'm fine."
"Hmm. You don't look fine to me."
Managing my expression was really difficult.
How was I supposed to hide eyes soaked in gloom?
I just stood there with my mouth tightly shut, so Daygan readily made a suggestion.
"How about a drink? I'll pay, of course. Soothing the minds and bodies of our affiliated mercenaries is part of my job, after all."
...A drink.
Getting good and drunk didn't sound so bad.
At the very least, it might wipe away the thoughts in my head.
"Here?"
"Hmm..."
Daygan looked around with a troubled expression.
Rough men drinking alcohol like water, and girls swaying their hips seductively as they moved about.
Even I had to admit it wasn't exactly a wholesome place.
"There's a place I know. Let's go there. Their dark beer is quite good."
"Alright."
We walked past the pleasure district, crowded with decadent establishments, and into the brighter part of the city.
After walking for a while, we arrived at the tavern he mentioned.
"Two large dark beers. And let's get an order of seasoned grilled pork too."
"You're buying me meat too? You're very generous."
"Well, you need something to go with it. Don't worry about my wallet. I doubt you'll eat that much anyway."
My chest and hips were plump, but overall I had a thin build.
It wasn't unreasonable for him to assume I was a light eater.
I put on a spirited tone and gave him a preemptive warning.
"You don't know me. I can polish off an entire cow in one sitting."
"Are you drunk already? What nonsense are you spouting?"
Alcohol and meat bought by someone else are the most delicious things in the world.
Since Daygan told me not to hold back, I could pour Recovery into my stomach and enjoy the feast to my heart's content.
"Your two dark beers are here!"
As soon as the dark beers were placed on the table, we clinked glasses and took a drink.
A subtly rising, savory aroma of barley.
The first sip had a soft sweetness, followed by a heavy bitterness at the end.
"Ahh...! This place's skill is as good as ever. How about you? Is it drinkable?"
"It's delicious. A clean, well-balanced beer."
It was on a different level from the low-quality beer at other cheap taverns.
Sorry, Madam, but it wasn't even comparable to the beer sold at Grace of the Rose.
The only thing that might come close was Waldo's beer.
"Can I have another?"
"What? You finished it already? All of that?"
Daygan looked astonished, but he ordered another dark beer without complaint.
I couldn't bankrupt him, so I should savor this one slowly.
"One more dark beer, here you go!"
I took a sip of the dark beer that was placed on the table again.
A passing caramel scent and a subtle sweet bitterness.
It was a flavor that left a long-lasting aftertaste.
"...Death is like everyday life for a mercenary."
As we drank together, Daygan brought up the topic in a low voice.
Suppressing the rising intoxication, I quietly listened to his words.
"A friend who was laughing and talking with you yesterday becomes a cold corpse today. It's something that would shake any man. It's not that you're weak."
As if he had seen right through my heart, he offered words of comfort.
I was a Silver Badge mercenary, but a rookie with less than two months of experience.
It was only natural that someone who had been through countless battles could read me.
"Just as life is dealt unfairly under the providence of the gods, death also arrives with absurdity. In the end, all we powerless beings can do..."
Daygan raised his glass. The meaning was clear.
I likewise raised my glass and clinked it, causing the dark beer to slosh and create a rough current.
"...is to keep on living. And..."
"And?"
"To eat and drink until we're stuffed, and to laugh and talk even louder!"
Daygan suddenly shouted heartily and downed his dark beer in one go.
Immediately after, with a clunk!, the empty glass was slammed onto the table.
"Who would want to see a comrade grieving? Those who have departed wouldn't wish for that either!"
"......"
Those who have departed.
Rubyia would have only wished for my happiness.
Tir worried about me until his last breath.
If I were to end my life after revenge, I too would wish for nothing but blessings in everyone's future.
"We have to let our laughter reach the heavens so the departed can leave in peace, don't you think?"
"...So that's how mercenaries express their mourning."
I looked down at the dark beer held in both hands.
My expressionless face, pale and cold, rippled in the black waves.
The face that hadn't smiled even once since the day I sent Rubyia off.
Daygan, what am I supposed to do, having lost my laughter?
Swallowing the words that had nowhere to go, I quietly sipped the dark beer.
"Moping around won't honor your comrades' memories. Revenge! Payback! Settling scores! Once all that is done, we raise our glasses and forget the sorrow together. That's what it means to become a seasoned mercenary."
"...Revenge."
"Yes. Haven't you already settled the score?"
Instead of answering, I just gave a small nod.
I had taken more than enough revenge on the Subjugation Force.
I had delivered a terrible end to the wicked with Agony's ecstasy.
"Ah, the food is here. Come on, let's drink ourselves to death now."
A generous portion of seasoned grilled pork arrived on a large plate.
It smelled delicious, perhaps infused with the scent of fire.
"What are you doing? Cheers!"
"Cheers."
And so the atmosphere warmed up and the drinking session gradually intensified.
By around the tenth glass of dark beer, after the third, fourth, and fifth rounds...
Thoroughly drunk, I finally pointed a finger at Daygan's head.
"Takoyaki."
"...Takoyaki?"
"No. Maekbansuk eggs."
"What's that now?"
His bald, tanned head shone under the lantern light.
Looking at it made me think of various foods.
The takoyaki I ate after ten days of overtime was really delicious.
And what about the maekbansuk eggs from the jjimjilbang I stayed at when I couldn't pay rent.
"Daygan. One more!"
"Hmm... Are you sure that's okay?"
"One more!"
Giving in to my insistence, he ordered one more dark beer.
Maybe it was the alcohol, but restraint was especially difficult today.
Memories of my past life kept surfacing too.
"Daygan. Do you know coffee? Ah, right, coffee exists here too. I hear the Jeguk people drink it. Anyway, there's also this thing called cola. It's a black drink even tastier than this dark beer. The people here wouldn't even dream of it."
"Cola? What in the world are you talking about..."
Daygan looked completely baffled by my rapid-fire drunken rambling.
That was the last thing I remembered before my memory faded.
When I came to again, I was walking down a dark alley instead of being in the tavern.
"Ugh. Damn, you're heavy."
To be precise, Daygan was walking while carrying me on his back.
Had I forgotten to use Recovery to the point of blacking out?
A headache assaulted me from the alcohol that had penetrated even my brain.
"I'll give you a nickname for passing out like that. Little Behemoth, how about it? The way you endlessly swallowed beer and meat was just like a calamity-class monster. A calamity for my wallet!"
"...You flatter me."
Daygan stopped walking for a moment.
But it was brief, and he continued walking as if nothing happened.
His voice also deliberately shifted to a casual tone.
"Hmm, you were listening? I know how fiercely you live your life. You need to relieve stress like this sometimes. You did well."
"So will you treat me next time too?"
Daygan's answer didn't come.
Surely it wasn't because he regretted spending the money.
We had probably almost reached our destination.
I got off his back and planted my feet on the ground.
"Is this the right building? I haven't been around here much, so I don't know the way well."
"Yes, it is. Thank you for bringing me back, Daygan. And thank you for today. I won't forget this kindness."
"You can forget it. I'm satisfied if you're feeling better."
Grace of the Rose, with all its lights out.
He had carried me here himself after I became unconscious.
Daygan, who gestured for me to go inside, turned back the way he came. For some reason, he was pounding his lower back with his fist.
I watched his retreating figure for a moment, then turned away.
Thanks to his thoughtful consideration, the knot of resentment in my heart felt a little looser.
It was late at night, so I should go in now.
The main entrance was probably already locked tight with a padlock and bar.
With my skills, I could probably pick it, but there was no need to cause unnecessary trouble.
Using Recovery to remove as much of the intoxication as possible, I headed towards the outer part of the building.
A wall, encircling it like a barrier, came into view.
It was quite high, but not insurmountable.
I took a few steps back, then took a running start and made a big leap.
The wall grew closer.
I kicked off the wall diagonally and launched myself into the air.
I bent my upper body and tucked my legs in, rotating once to adjust my center of gravity.
I finished by landing softly on top of the wall, having regained my balance instantly.
I had successfully scaled a wall much taller than me.
When I was younger and more agile, I used to break into empty houses like this to steal.
I had to stop after my chest and hips grew, but now, with my enhanced physical abilities, it felt even easier than when I was a child.
I jumped down from the wall and looked towards the 3rd Floor side of the building.
My private room was next to a large oak tree.
I skillfully climbed the tree and reached the balcony.
Moving vigorously while drunk must have been why I felt a bit anemic.
Holding my dizzy head, I opened the balcony window and stepped inside.
"...Hm? Rene?"
A voice calling my name affectionately.
It was only then I realized something was wrong.
The room's interior was unfamiliar and strange.
An antique vanity and bookshelves filled with books.
A wine rack stood against one wall, and several jewelry boxes were neatly arranged on a table.
"...Madam. I'm sorry. It seems I've come to the wrong room."
The red-haired beauty in a négligée was the final confirmation.
Rosalia, who had been looking at me with rabbit-like widened eyes.
She let out a small laugh upon hearing my awkward apology.
"Pfft. Our Rene, you're drunk, aren't you? You have a peculiar drinking habit."
I'd made an embarrassing mistake.
My face flushed with embarrassment, and somehow my head started hurting even more.
I bowed my head to the Madam and quickly tried to leave.
"I'm really sorry. I'll just go back to my room now, ugh...!"
The moment I said that and took a step, my head spun dizzily and my body swayed.
The walls and floor also seemed to tilt and threaten to collapse onto me.
If this continued, I'd faceplant onto the floor.
In the instant I clenched my eyes shut and tensed my body.
Something soft enveloped me warmly.
"You have to be careful. Are you alright?"
The scent of roses wafted over.
When I opened my eyes, a pale, voluptuous chest filled my vision.
Startled, I quickly lifted my head and saw the Madam's concerned face drawing near.
"Did you drink too much? You can't even walk like this."
"I'm fine. I can't trouble you any further, ah...!"
Another headache tore through my mind.
Was the price of excessive drinking finally catching up to me?
My whole body felt heavy, like a waterlogged cotton ball.
"You can't even support yourself. Sleep in my room tonight."
"Th-that's not..."
"Our Rene, be a good girl, okay?"
The Madam, pressed close to me, began reaching out to take my clothes off.
After managing to strip me of my corset vest, blouse, and leather pants, she eventually led me to the bed.
"Come now, over here."