It's Not a Lewd Party (3)
It's Not a Lewd Party (3)
Lee Ha-yul bowed his head low, belatedly overcome with embarrassment.
Those watching him felt a warmth spread through their chests, a buoyant sensation as if they were floating.
Anyone who knew him knew about Lee Ha-yul's trauma.
Back during the first semester, at the post-tower-entry celebration.
Many had noticed how Lee Ha-yul would go rigid the moment anyone offered him a drink.
Even those who had been pretending not to see it and holding out glasses had quietly withdrawn them.
That was the kind of person Lee Ha-yul was.
No one had heard the full details of his childhood, but he carried an extreme trauma around alcohol and cigarettes.
He was the Lee Ha-yul who had glimpsed the faint marks on Atra's body—marks so subtle a normal person would never have noticed—and had vomited and passed out.
[I brought it for everyone to drink]
[So you could have it with the meal...]
And that same Lee Ha-yul had now brought out alcohol with his own hands and was offering it.
With a slightly awkward, stiff gesture, he gave the bottle a small shake.
It was impossible not to feel deeply moved in a complicated way.
How to describe it?
It was like the feeling when a dog, once wounded by its former owner and always growling and wary, one day comes to you of its own accord, rubbing up against you and seeking affection.
There was no doubt—it was a sign that he trusted the people here enough to push aside his trauma around alcohol.
Who wouldn't be moved by that?
"Oh! This is from Terragrand!"
Liana, who had been looking at him with similarly warm and touched eyes, suddenly raised her voice.
The gaze of Liana—a woman notorious for her drinking—latched onto the label of the bottle on the table.
"...You really..."
Atra, sitting beside her, frowned.
She had been basking in the sweet, warm atmosphere, and then the drunkard next to her shattered it.
Even as Atra glared at her with a furrowed brow, Liana went on pointing at the bottle with a fuss.
"Terragrand! You can't even find this stuff on the market!"
"Terragrand...? Isn't that a city that fell ages ago?"
"It was destroyed at least forty years ago. A Grade 2 dungeon outbreak swept through and completely wiped it out. And the thing is, that was the city that produced superhuman-grade liquor. After that, the supply went to hell, and it's practically impossible to find now...!"
[Ah... really?]
[I just brought it because it said honey wine]
'Terragrand? Was there a faction called that?'
Lee Ha-yul tilted his head. He searched his memory for a moment, but nothing came to mind about a faction named Terragrand.
He had just been agonizing over what kind of alcohol to bring out for dinner.
Knowing absolutely nothing about liquor, Lee Ha-yul had simply homed in on the word 'honey' and picked this one.
"Is it... is it really okay if I drink it...?"
Even as her eyes sparkled at the sight of a bottle she hadn't seen in ages, she now stole a glance at Lee Ha-yul and asked.
[Yes, it's really fine]
[For you, Professor, it's fine]
Lee Ha-yul smiled softly as he gestured. His face shone so brightly it seemed to light up everything around them.
A moment later, space split open just as before, and the Winged Garment slipped inside and brought out cups to match the number of people.
Six cups. None for Lee Ha-yul or Lee Seo-yul.
Lee Seo-yul was obviously not allowed, and Lee Ha-yul himself still couldn't taste anything properly, nor had he found the courage to drink.
"Wow, wow...!"
Liana's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Her throat bobbed repeatedly as her mouth filled with saliva.
Superhumans, by nature, have such powerful immune systems that they can't get drunk on ordinary alcohol.
That's why special liquors were brewed specifically for superhumans and sold as premium products.
Liana was someone who had earned the title of drunkard.
She drank like a fish and barely got drunk. She just loved drinking that much.
When she really got going, it was no exaggeration to say she put away alcohol like water.
But Liana had not let a single drop touch her lips in months.
No! She hadn't even gone near a bar!
And all because of Lee Ha-yul!
Because the child entrusted to her by the Vice Headmaster absolutely hated alcohol.
Because the child she had felt an inexplicable fondness and affection for had shown clear revulsion when he smelled liquor on her.
She had pretended it didn't bother her, but inside, the shock had been immense.
Knowing that, she simply couldn't bring herself to drink.
That was why Liana, a drunkard famous even on the Demon Realm Frontline, had been keeping herself away from alcohol all this time, swallowing her tears.
And now someone was pressing alcohol on her—the very cause of her forced sobriety, Lee Ha-yul himself, offering it directly.
With such explicit permission, it was inevitable that Liana had completely lost her composure.
[Here]
After setting a cup in front of each person, Lee Ha-yul quietly picked up the bottle.
Though he had never participated in a drinking party before, he understood that he was the one who ought to pour.
The cold, smooth feel of the bottle against his hand.
It was made of a special material, branded with preservation magic as if to emphasize it belonged to another world—still, in the end, it was just a cold glass bottle.
Yet, the awareness that it held alcohol stirred an odd sense of aversion.
- Pop
The bottle was sealed with a cork stopper.
He knew there was a tool meant for opening these, but Lee Ha-yul's physical strength rendered such tools unnecessary.
He gripped the cork and applied a bit of force, and it came out with a light, crisp sound and sensation.
'Deep...'
The sound was the end of it. He didn't smell anything.
But for some reason, a strong sense of revulsion stabbed at his nose and nearly made him flinch.
His head spun for an instant.
'It's okay...'
But the fear didn't rise beyond that.
He could trust everyone here.
He had faith that they were not the type to become different people just because they drank and got drunk.
Even if they surrendered to intoxication, he trusted they were not the sort to get physical and torment him.
'It's okay.'
As he repeated that to himself, his stiff body loosened again. His spine, which had been curling forward, straightened. His pounding heartbeat settled back to normal.
- Hoo, hoo...
He steadied his resolve with deep breaths.
And then, carefully, he tilted the bottle toward the waiting glasses...
'...Glasses? Plural?'
The hand tilting the bottle paused suddenly. He blinked eyes that couldn't see anyone except the two of them.
Multiple cups had been extended toward him before he knew it.
Six. Every single person who intended to drink was holding out their glass.
In the middle of it all, Lee Ji-yeon, evidently too self-conscious to be the only one opting out, had slyly offered her own cup as well—a sight Lee Ha-yul found faintly exasperating.
Either way, the gazes directed at him were filled with a certain expectancy.
As if to say, you'll pour mine first, right?
'......'
Under those watchful eyes, Lee Ha-yul read the room and quietly opened a subspace.
The Winged Garment slipped inside and emerged carrying exactly five more identical bottles.
"Ah."
Someone let out a hollow sound.
- Glug, glug...
The next moment, honey wine poured into all six cups at once.
The timing, the volume, the speed—all identical.
It was a precise calculation achieved by mobilizing even the Observation Authority, and someone's expression turned rather wry.
.
.
.
Just as Lee Ha-yul had hoped, the meal continued in a warm, congenial atmosphere.
And it was hard for it not to. Finding any source of discomfort here was nearly impossible.
The food on the table was so varied and delicious it drew genuine admiration.
It wasn't just abundant and tasty.
"Oh, this sauce is..."
After casually picking up a bagel and taking a bite, Ellia's eyes went round.
The flavor in her mouth was startlingly familiar.
[I made that according to the recipe Ellia told me]
Lee Seo-yul answered, cutting a small piece of meat and feeding it into Lee Ha-yul's mouth.
[You said it was something you enjoyed eating back home...]
"Oh my... it's even better than when I make it. And I'm sorry. I should have finished unpacking quickly and come to help..."
[Help? Don't mention it]
[I'm just glad you're eating well]
Every dish on the table had been tailored to the tastes of the people sitting at this meal.
His sense of taste was all but crippled, but he had the Observation Authority.
He could observe every step of the cooking process down to the smallest unit, and he had the ability to control it.
On top of that, thanks to the All-Rounder skill, whose proficiency had now piled up to a preposterous degree, his cooking skill was now well above average.
Food prepared by combining all of that couldn't possibly taste bad.
And beyond that, he had decided exactly who would be eating and specially crafted each dish with that person in mind.
The food would taste good to anyone else, but in the mouth of the intended person, it blended into a flavor that was just right.
As for the alcohol Lee Ha-yul had subtly brought out, every bottle was top-shelf.
Lee Ha-yul had simply grabbed whatever looked decent and sweet, but all of it turned out to be rare liquor that was hard to find on the market.
With food that filled the mouth with delight and fine alcohol rounding it out, how could anyone be dissatisfied with the meal?
And whenever anyone seemed to need something, Lee Ha-yul noticed it uncannily and darted over to take care of it, so there was even less room for complaint.
"......"
"......"
Of course, there were also sparks flying between some of those seated at the table.
Namely... well, between Hong Yeon-hwa and Atra, for instance.
They had already beaten each other to a pulp and been beaten in turn, consuming a fair amount of emotion in the process—but the air between them remained awkward.
They were merely keeping quiet out of consideration for the fact that Lee Ha-yul was present.
'...What is this?'
While everyone else was savoring the food and enjoying their precious drinks,
Lee Ji-yeon, busily working her spoon, glanced downward.
A gratin in its own individual dish.
She had already helped herself to it several times, so its shape was ruined, but its appetizing appearance still made her mouth water.
'It's... good.'
Lee Ji-yeon moved her spoon with a complicated expression. The flavor that filled her mouth as she chewed made the corners of her lips twitch on their own.
The sweetness of the sweet potato and the savoriness of the potato, mingling with the creamy cheese, coiled around her tongue in perfect harmony.
On top of that, the intermittent pop of the corn added just the right stimulating accent and a savory burst, bringing the dish to life.
The ingredients, the flavor—everything about it was exactly Lee Ji-yeon's favorite style.
'How did he know I like gratin... No, was it just a coincidence? But then again, he apparently brought out things everyone else likes too...'
And it was genuinely delicious—enough that she was still absently working her spoon.
She felt bad saying it, but it was far better than what the family chef back home made...
She couldn't help her complicated feelings about that, but it was delicious in a way that perfectly suited her personal tastes...
- Gulp
Even the alcohol that kept being refilled was exactly to Lee Ji-yeon's liking.
What was it they said—a honey wine from a city that had already been destroyed?
The liquor in her mouth was unbelievably sweet. It was also gentle without being cloying, smooth, and clean on the swallow. And the faint, lingering sweetness that diffused through her mouth afterward was lovely.
Lee Ji-yeon, as it happened, loved honey.
When her stomach felt uneasy, she would mix honey into water and drink it. As a child, she used to sneak into the family apiary and boldly help herself to the honey.
This information had never been revealed in the original story.
So it wasn't something Lee Ha-yul had done deliberately, but this entire dinner seemed to be targeting Lee Ji-yeon's personal preferences with sniper-like precision.
The food on the table was delicious, and the alcohol was utterly satisfying.
And the scent of honey that drifted to her nose was captivating. It was the kind of fragrance that could, for a moment, cloud even her rationality—a mind hardened as solidly as Taesan.
The source was not the alcohol or anything of the sort.
"Ahem..."
At that, Lee Ji-yeon secretly swallowed her saliva and turned her gaze toward where the honey scent was coming from.
In this gathering it wasn't anything unusual.
Most of the people here had their attention directed there anyway.
[Seo-yul, is it good?]
"Yes! The food Daddy makes is the best!"
[Heheh]
[Thank you...]
[Here, another bite.]
"Aah..."
The person drawing everyone's gaze, Lee Ha-yul, smiled broadly.
It was a rare sight, hard to come by even these days when his smiles had become more frequent.
Unaware of the desires stirring in several of the onlookers, Lee Ha-yul kept smiling freely and openly.
His face, smooth and pale as milk, was flushed.
Beneath it, even his nape had warmed, a bead of sweat trickling down.
Anyone could see he was intoxicated.
He hadn't drunk a single drop, and yet the intoxication had risen.
Lee Ha-yul was weak to alcohol.
He might deny it, but that was the truth.
Though it wasn't a normal kind of weakness.
His bizarre body, in which spirit and body hadn't fully united, was conditionally weak to alcohol.
When his guard was fully up, he became fairly resistant—like most superhumans who could burn off the effects of alcohol.
Conversely, when his guard was completely down, he became extremely weak to it.
So weak that even without taking a single sip, just the ambient scent of alcohol could intoxicate him.
[Oh my, Seo-yul eats so well, doesn't she?]
[Good girl~]
Right now, Lee Ha-yul's guard was completely absent. As a result, he was getting drunk lightly, quickly, and deeply—but he was still clinging to reason.
There was one reason.
Lee Seo-yul was sitting on his lap.
Even while judging himself lacking, he possessed an awareness of being Lee Seo-yul's guardian.
Therefore, he must not show an unsightly side of himself in front of Lee Seo-yul.
That thought was holding down the intoxication that was trying to rise.
"...Hmph."
Lee Seo-yul knew this too.
She could also recognize the threatening and lecherous gazes she sensed around them.
All of them were the stares of scoundrels who dared to target her daddy.
That was why, ever since the meal began, Lee Seo-yul had not left Lee Ha-yul's side for a moment, intent on protecting her daddy from the scoundrels.
Ruffians though they might be, none of them were bastards who would abandon a child before her parent and violate the parent in front of her.
'Just how dare they.'
So she planned to stick right by him until the meal was over.
'Uh. Uhh? Why are my eyes...'
But even as she steeled herself and put strength into her gaze, her vision suddenly blurred.
Her sight smeared as if drenched, and her consciousness gradually receded.
'Ah.'
Lee Seo-yul opened her mouth in flustered dismay.
Lately, Lee Seo-yul ate a lot and also crashed into sleep very often.
It was an effect caused by her accelerated growth.
The same thing was happening now.
Her stomach was full from the meal Lee Ha-yul had so devotedly fed her, and her body was perfectly, cozily warm.
With all conditions for falling asleep perfectly met, her consciousness was steadily soaking into the desire to sleep.
Lee Seo-yul put strength into her eyes again. She absolutely could not fall asleep here. She had to stay by her daddy's side and protect him...
'Ah, wait... not right now...'
But though Lee Seo-yul clung to consciousness with that resolve, reality was cold.
'Ngh...'
No matter how much she reinforced her will, her consciousness kept slipping further away.
Lee Seo-yul's eyelids slowly closed.
Into her vision, now beyond distinction.
She caught a fleeting glimpse of Lee Ha-yul leaning against Hong Yeon-hwa as if crumbling, and a scoundrel's hand sliding down below his waist.