The Drinking Contest
Seong Han-su, an apprentice at the Seoksan Workshop, had ventured into the city once again to run errands for his senior blacksmiths. He pulled out his notebook and double-checked the list he had scribbled down. "Let's see... 15kg of high-quality iron, 5kg of mana stones, and 20kg of copper ore. It’s lighter than usual today. I wonder if they’ll tell me what else I need once I’ve hauled all this back?"
He had grown accustomed to it now, so it didn't feel like much, but when he had first started, the weight of the materials had been overwhelming. On his first day, he’d had to trek back and forth between the workshop and the shops three times just to finish a single errand. Even for a dwarf, who possessed innate strength, lugging that much weight over long distances was an exhausting ordeal. 'But it’s a burden an apprentice of the Seoksan Workshop must endure!'
Though buying and transporting such large quantities of materials every day was grueling, Han-su felt no resentment. This process was part of the traditional education passed down to blacksmiths. By running errands for his seniors, he was learning to develop an eye for materials before beginning his formal training. After all, blacksmiths didn't entrust the purchase of materials to just anyone. The quality of the materials directly determined the quality of the final product. Therefore, the fact that Han-su’s list included high-quality materials meant his discernment had grown sufficiently—enough that he was ready to enter the next stage of his training.
"It really won't be long now. Let's work hard...!" It had already been six months since he began his apprenticeship. Soon, he would finally be able to participate in his seniors' work. Of course, he would start with menial tasks, but for now, that alone was enough. Having wished to join the Seoksan Workshop since he was young, he couldn't be happier with his current life. If he felt this way just running errands, he couldn't even imagine how happy he would be once he could actually join in on the crafting.
'Maybe I’ll even get to see the Elder at work? That would be truly amazing...!' Elder Park Gwang-seok, the master of the Seoksan Workshop. Han-su had respected him deeply for a long time. He had joined the workshop specifically to train under the man he admired so much. "I can never forget that necklace I saw back then..."
Han-su’s eyes grew misty with nostalgia as he recalled a childhood memory. It was the masterpiece he had witnessed at an exhibition he attended with his parents when he was five: Park Gwang-seok’s 'Echoing Droplet.' The unparalleled, precise craftsmanship contained within that necklace had instantly captivated young Han-su’s heart.
'Will I be able to make a piece like that someday?' Ever since then, Han-su had resolved to create a work that could rival the Echoing Droplet—perhaps even surpass it. And that resolve had never wavered. "Alright, let's work hard today too!" With a firm determination, Han-su went about the city, purchasing the materials on his list.
Murmur, murmur.
How much time had passed since he started his rounds? As he walked through the central district of Jangsan-gul, Han-su suddenly felt a change in the atmosphere of the streets. It was noisy.
"Damn, am I still drunk?"
"I've never seen such a person in my entire life!"
Han-su looked around, puzzled. He saw that the 'Great Whale Tavern,' the largest and most famous pub in Jangsan-gul, was packed to the brim. It was common for the place to be busy, but something special seemed to be happening today.
'...I still have plenty of time, so it should be fine, right?' Unable to suppress his curiosity, Han-su approached the entrance of the Great Whale Tavern. Peering through the wide-open doors, he felt an atmosphere quite different from the usual.
"They're still drinking at this rate?"
"What are they? Did they receive the blessing of Dionysus, the god of wine...!"
"I can understand the other one, but what on earth is that human?!"
Everyone inside the tavern was standing, circling a central table. There were so many people that he couldn't even see the inside.
'Ugh... I can't see...!' Even when he jumped up, he couldn't see over the crowd. It was due to his height, which was shorter than the others, and the heavy load he was carrying on his back.
"Oh? Excuse me! Mr. Taek-sang!" Just then, Han-su spotted an acquaintance standing in front and called out his name. It was Jang Taek-sang, who lived next door.
"Huh? Oh, is that you, Han-su! I'm busy right now, so if you have something to say, do it later!" Jang Taek-sang, who had shouted in a hurry, turned his head back to the front. He was in a state of extreme excitement, just like everyone else around him.
"No, that's not it! What are you watching right now?"
"What else would be worth watching here besides a drinking contest!"
Jang Taek-sang replied urgently, as if he couldn't miss a single moment, and turned his head back. Han-su became even more curious about the scene inside. A drinking contest was something that happened dozens of times a day in this tavern alone. It was fun to watch occasionally, but it wasn't usually worth gathering like this.
"Go for it! Don't stop!"
"Hey, barkeep! What are you doing! Bring more quickly! You're breaking the flow!"
With the audience's reactions becoming increasingly heated, Han-su couldn't hold back any longer.
"Hup!"
Taking a deep breath, Han-su lunged into the crowd. He heard the surprised voices of people, but he didn't stop his charge. 'Phew, I made it...!' The muscles he had built up through his errands exerted great power. Pushing through the narrow gaps between people, Han-su reached the center in one go. After catching his breath, he looked up, and his face was instantly washed with shock.
'The person having the drinking contest... was the Elder?!'
Park Gwang-seok, sitting at the central table, was downing a large mug of ale in one go. He had drunk so much that not only his face but also his neck and limbs were flushed red. If it was Elder Park Gwang-seok’s drinking contest, it was no wonder people were flocking like this. He had been famous for his drinking prowess in the past, but he rarely stepped forward these days due to his status. And there were few who could challenge him to a drinking contest.
'No... just how much have you drunk...?' The number of mugs piled up on the table was countless. There were dozens of mugs just rolling around on the floor. Even for a dwarf, there was no way he could be fine after drinking that much. In fact, Park Gwang-seok’s eyes were so bloodshot from intoxication that they were almost rolling back.
'Then, who on earth would dare to challenge the Elder...?' At that thought, Han-su turned his head to Park Gwang-seok’s opponent and gasped sharply.
"Haaah!"
Han-su couldn't help but be even more shocked when he identified Park Gwang-seok’s opponent. It was because a black-haired human was sitting there.
'A human is having a drinking contest with a dwarf?'
Only then did Han-su clearly realize why such a huge crowd had gathered here. It was a universal truth that a human could not beat a dwarf in drinking. Due to innate biological differences, a human body could never keep up with a dwarf’s capacity for alcohol. Yet, if such a drinking contest between a human and a dwarf were to occur, it was only natural for onlookers to flock. Even more so if the dwarf opponent was the renowned blacksmith and member of the Elder Council, Park Gwang-seok—this crowd might even be considered small.
'That human, he looks more sober than the Elder...?'
Kim Ilshin, the human who was downing alcohol at the same speed as the dwarf Park Gwang-seok, looked significantly better than Park Gwang-seok. His eyes were clear, and his posture wasn't even slightly disheveled. If he had seen him elsewhere, he might have mistaken him for someone who hadn't drunk a drop of alcohol.
"Go, black-haired human!"
"Elder, hang in there! You can't lose to a human!"
Boom!
While the excited audience sent cheers of support to the two, they both set down their empty mugs at the same time.
"Bring the next round!"
Park Gwang-seok ordered the next drink immediately. That was when Kim Ilshin opened his mouth.
"Wait a moment."
"What is it! Are you going to give up now?"
At the sight of Kim Ilshin blocking the order for the next drink, the audience let out sighs of disappointment. It seemed like the fun spectacle was about to end. However, Kim Ilshin’s following words were different from what the audience had expected.
"That’s not it. At this rate, we won't finish even if we stay up all night, so how about we change the drink?"
"Change the drink? You idiot! There’s only beer in Jangsan-gul!"
"No, there isn't. Isn't there one more besides that?"
"Hmm...?"
The audience murmured, wondering if it could really be that. And Kim Ilshin did not betray their expectations.
"Captain W. Let's settle it with that."
At Kim Ilshin’s words, not only the audience but even Park Gwang-seok flinched. It was a drink that was notorious for its infamy.
"A-are you saying we should drink that?"
"Yes. Are you perhaps scared—"
"Ah, damn it! Bring it here!"
After hesitating for a moment, Park Gwang-seok accepted Kim Ilshin’s proposal in a fit of pique.
Thud!
A short while later, he was rolling on the floor, completely soaked in alcohol.