Chapter 36: Alcohol is the Problem(3)
Chapter 36: Alcohol is the Problem(3)
"...ake."
"..."
"Wake up...!"
"...Wake up!"
"Ugh..."
What was that sound? An indistinguishable voice echoed in my ears like a recurring ghost.
I groaned at the buzzing sound ringing in my head. My vision swam, and my stomach felt like it had been seared with a hot iron.
I felt so miserable that I wanted to just close my eyes and drift back into oblivion.
"Wake up!"
"Mmm...?"
This time, the voice was crystal clear. Someone was definitely shouting at me to get up.
My eyelids, which felt like they were glued shut, trembled before finally prying open. A harsh glare of light pierced my eyes, forcing me to blink several times until I could adjust.
As my blurry vision gradually cleared, a familiar face came into focus. White hair, blue eyes, and a characteristically dissatisfied expression.
My sluggish brain took a moment to process it, but it was definitely Marie.
"Are you finally awake?"
"Ugh..."
I couldn't answer her grumpy question immediately. As soon as I regained consciousness, a throbbing headache assaulted me.
Clutching my aching head, I barely managed to part my lips. My voice came out parched and raspy, as if I hadn't touched water in days.
"...Where am I?"
"Where do you think? The Grand Hall."
Ah, right. I remember Cecily dropping me off here just before my memory cut out. I had no idea what we talked about after that.
I felt like we had discussed something important, but strangely, I couldn't recall a thing. Well, that’s what happens when you’re drunk.
I wasn't sure what I did afterward, but I probably just fell asleep quietly. Old habits die hard; whenever I drink too much, I tend to just pass out.
"Anyway, I was wondering where you went, and here you are, sprawled out and snoring. Just how many glasses of wine did you have?"
Marie’s judgmental tone stung my ears. Her words were laced with genuine exasperation.
I pressed down on the bridge of my nose and spoke, my voice still cracking.
"...I don't know."
"Right. Of course you don't. Here."
"Huh?"
While I was rubbing my face, Marie handed me something. Unlike the wine glasses from before, this was a plain glass tumbler filled with clear liquid and a spherical ice ball.
I hadn't realized there were regular glasses available, given how much wine was flowing. Then again, even if I had known, I probably would have stuck to the wine.
"It's just cold water. I didn't put anything weird in it, so just shut up and drink."
As I stared blankly at the glass through my mental fog, Marie bluntly explained what it was.
"Oh," I muttered, carefully taking the glass. The chill from the ice seeped through the glass and into my palms, providing instant relief.
I stared at the ice for a moment, then gripped the glass with both hands as if I might drop it and brought it to my lips.
Gulp, gulp, gulp—
"Phew!"
After draining half the glass, a heartfelt sigh escaped me.
My chest had felt like it was filled with smoldering logs just moments ago, but the cold water made me feel human again. My throat, which had been as dry as a desert, felt restored.
"Feeling more like yourself now?"
Marie asked with a smirk after seeing my reaction. I felt the dizziness slowly receding and replied.
"Thanks to you. Where did you get this?"
"It was on the table. They have cocktails too, not just wine."
I guess it wasn't just wine after all. Then again, the wine was so good I had just kept drinking it without a second thought.
I shook my head to clear the cobwebs and looked around. The orchestra that had been performing on the stage was gone, and the number of people in the hall had dwindled significantly since I last remembered.
It seemed a lot of time had passed while I was passed out in the chair. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I scratched my head and asked Marie quietly.
"Um... by any chance..."
"I don't know when you started sleeping. I only just managed to get some free time myself. It's been about four hours since we parted ways."
Marie beat me to the punch, as if reading my mind. She added a disgruntled look and crossed her arms for good measure.
She must have been busy running around all evening, so my question might have been a bit rude. I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"...Then we can hang out together now? You said so before we split up."
"Eh? Oh, right. But are you going to be okay?"
Marie was taken aback for a second but immediately showed concern for my condition. I had been borderline wasted before passing out, so her worry was justified.
However, perhaps because I’d had a nap, the drunken haze had mostly lifted. Furthermore, the cold water Marie gave me acted as a sort of sobering agent, making me feel functional again.
Of course, the headache and nausea were still there. I recalled hearing somewhere that wine hangovers were particularly brutal.
"I can move. And my father told me something once—that circulating mana helps clear a hangover."
"Oh, that? I've heard that from my brother too."
"Up we go."
I stood up and began to circulate the mana within my body. No matter how lacking I was in martial talent, I could at least manage basic mana manipulation.
As I focused, the mana that had been sluggishly crawling through my veins began to move vigorously. Every time I moved my mana, I was struck by how strange yet refreshing the sensation felt.
It's still amazing that people use this to fight...
I was tidying my clothes while lost in thought.
Marie, who had been considering my method of curing the hangover, suddenly widened her eyes as if a lightbulb had gone off in her head.
With a look of sudden panic, she grabbed my arm and shouted.
"Hey! Hey! Stop it right now! You can't circulate mana yet!"
"Huh? Why? I'm starting to feel bett—"
Ding—
Before I could finish my sentence, it felt like someone had slammed a sledgehammer into the back of my skull. An indescribable pain surged through me.
The sudden, overwhelming headache made me stumble back into my seat. Not only that, but my stomach, which had been calmed by the water, did a violent somersault.
"Using mana makes a hangover worse! It shortens the duration of the hangover, but it brings all the pain forward at once!"
"Ugh..."
"Honestly... if you're going to know something, know it properly. What were you thinking?"
Her scolding washed over me, but I couldn't process it. The headache and nausea I thought I’d suppressed came back all at once, leaving my mind in a whirl.
"Good grief... this is like a comedy routine."
Marie grumbled in disbelief and sat down in the chair next to me.
She seemed prepared to wait until I recovered, which looked like it would take a while. Feeling guilty, I had no choice but to apologize.
"...Sorry. I had no idea it worked like that."
"Just be quiet and drink your water."
I realized I was still clutching the half-empty glass. Following her command, I downed the rest of the water in one go.
The ice kept it freezing cold, and I felt the chill slide down my throat. My churning stomach seemed to settle slightly, making life a bit more bearable.
Still, the nausea lingered. It was a good thing I stopped the mana circulation immediately; if I had kept it up any longer, I might have actually fainted.
"Ugh..."
"If it's too much, I'll call someone to take you back to the dormitory. There are always waiters on standby for people who get too drunk at these events."
Marie suggested with a worried voice, sensing that I was in worse shape than I looked. However, I caught a hint of disappointment hidden beneath her concern.
Understandably so. Anyone would be disappointed if they finally got some free time only for their plans to fall through—even if it was because the other person was unwell.
Besides, while I was busy sleeping, she had likely been working hard to represent her family, and she must be exhausted. Yet, she had still come to find me to keep her promise.
I didn't want to let her down. I forced myself to look okay and tried to reassure her.
"I'm fine. My head is just spinning a bit; it's not as bad as you think."
"Really? Well, that's a relief."
"But moving around might be tough. Should we just talk here?"
"Here?"
Through my nausea, I glanced at Marie. Her eyes were wide as she stared back at me. I simply nodded to save my energy.
Marie blinked her cat-like eyes, then let out a helpless smile.
"You're usually fine, but sometimes you can be such a klutz."
"It's just the wine talking right now."
"That's a very convincing excuse."
"Didn't you drink?"
"I did, but not as much as you. Besides, the Rekilis family is known for having a high tolerance."
Blessed genetics, on top of those looks. I felt a pang of envy as I looked ahead.
The waiters were starting to clear the tables, signaling the end of the event. The number of students remaining was even smaller than before.
Even so, one person stood out—Cecily, in her striking red dress. As usual, she was sticking close to Lina.
If she had to pick her best friend, it would undoubtedly be Lina. Whenever I saw her, Lina was almost always by her side.
"..."
Did she sense my gaze? Cecily, who had been talking to Lina, looked straight at me and gave a little wave.
I didn't have the energy to move much, but since she greeted me first, I had to respond. I gave a weak wave back, which made Cecily giggle.
"She's looking at you, isn't she?"
Marie asked from beside me, her voice dripping with annoyance. I gave a tired, non-committal answer.
"Probably. Anyway, Lady Cecily seems to be with Lady Lina every time I see her."
"...Birds of a feather, I suppose."
Marie’s evaluation of Cecily was quite harsh, likely still dwelling on what happened before we split up. I could only offer a bitter smile.
Meanwhile, Marie looked down at her perfectly manicured nails and spoke in a calm voice.
"...Isaac."
"Yeah."
"I'm just asking out of curiosity, but what's your ideal type?"
"Ideal type?"
I turned to look at Marie, surprised by the random question. She glanced at me once, then went back to fidgeting with her nails.
"Yeah. Your ideal type."
"Where is this coming from?"
"Just curious. No particular reason."
Marie tried to sound nonchalant, but I noticed the tips of her ears were slightly red. Against her snow-white hair, it was impossible to miss.
I felt a strange sense of familiarity at her reaction, but after a moment of confusion, I rubbed my chin and pondered her question.
"My ideal type..."
To be honest, I hadn't given it much thought. Maybe in my past life, but in this world, I was surrounded by beautiful women everywhere I turned.
Marie, Lina, Cecily, Leona, Adelia, and even Cindy, the Elf who was considered the incarnation of beauty.
Preferences aside, none of them could ever be called unattractive. If someone called them ugly, that person would be the one with the problem.
Regardless, I didn't have a specific type in mind. If I had to pick something... maybe big eyes?
I stopped rubbing my chin and spoke.
"I don't know... I haven't really thought about it. I guess I like girls with big eyes."
"What about girls with big breasts, like Cecily or Lina?"
That was incredibly blunt. Whether I was flustered or not, Marie was dead serious. I met her serious gaze for a moment, then reflexively let my eyes drift downward.
While not as provocative as Cecily's, Marie's dress was also quite daring, revealing a hint of her cleavage. Her skin, as white as snow, was likely drawing the eyes of many men.
In any case, Marie was by no means small. It was just that Cecily was exceptionally large; by my standards, Marie was also on the larger side.
No, focus.
The alcohol had made my mind wander, but I snapped back to the topic. I looked back up at her face and spoke honestly.
"...The bigger, the better. I think most guys would agree. It's instinct."
"I-is that so? I see..."
Just as Marie was about to turn away with a gloomy expression, a thought flashed through my mind, and I quickly added more.
"Oh, there is one thing. I'd like someone with the same hobbies."
"Hobbies?"
"Yeah. Hobbies."
In my past life, regardless of anything else, if our hobbies aligned, we generally got along well. I even had a female friend I was on the verge of dating before I cut ties after my parents passed away.
Edin was a similar case from earlier tonight. It might have been the wine, but as soon as we realized we shared a hobby, the conversation flowed effortlessly, even though we’d just met.
"When you share a hobby, there's this sense of closeness. The feeling of knowing something together and enjoying it together? I like that."
"...That's surprisingly normal."
"Right? As you know, my hobby is reading. But lately, it seems like everyone only reads the Xenon Biography. I wish people would read other books too."
I meant that sincerely. People used to read a variety of books, but everything changed after the Xenon Biography was released.
They had become so accustomed to the easy-to-read Xenon Biography that they wouldn't even look at other books. It was a bit of a sad reality.
"...What about history?"
"Huh?"
"Don't you like history too?"
Marie asked tentatively. I tilted my head slightly at her question, then nodded.
"I do. Why?"
"Just wondered. No reason. Oh, and..."
Marie hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
"No, it's nothing. So, your ideal type is someone who shares your hobbies?"
"Yeah. What about you, Marie?"
"Me?"
She pointed at herself when I turned the question back on her. I nodded to confirm.
She stared at my face for a long moment, then her lips curled into a wide, mischievous smile—one I felt like I’d seen somewhere before.
"I'm not telling."
"What?"
"I said I'm not telling. You're surprisingly naive, Isaac."
"No... Haa..."
I let out a long sigh. If I’d known she’d do that, I wouldn't have answered either. My judgment was clearly clouded by the alcohol.
As I let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity, Marie murmured something under her breath.
"Someday..."
"Hmm? What was that?"
"Nothing. Anyway, is your head feeling any better?"
"I feel like I'm going to throw up."
"If you throw up here, rumors will... oh, wait, they'll start anyway. About the redhead who got wasted and passed out in a chair. That'll be fun, won't it?"
"Can I actually hit you once?"
"If you do, I'm calling my dad."
It took about thirty minutes for me to feel somewhat human again. Marie and I left the Grand Hall, shared a brief conversation, and parted ways as the night grew late.
Just before we split up, Marie called out to me.
"Oh, right. Isaac. I forgot to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"You looked cute while you were sleeping."
"..."
"See you next week. Bye~!"
I couldn't even bring myself to smile as I watched Marie walk away, waving cheerfully.
I'm never drinking again.
This gathering, at least for me, was nothing but a dark history.