Week 2 (9)
Week 2 (9)
"Kyah, as expected of Kimaeshi Mangryangnyeonsan—different really is different. Butler yangban, how the hell were you pounding this stuff every single day?"
Now Valerie was straight-up blowing full-on bottle burps.
First time in my life seeing someone guzzle whiskey like that.
I asked in disbelief if her stomach was really okay chugging it like that, but she shot back that she's a Superhuman so it doesn't matter.
Of course, that just blew my mind even more.
"Valerie, ease up a bit. Even if the Master-nim is footing the bill, you gotta have some shame."
Ray scolded her from the side.
Well, honestly... I didn't really mind that part.
Because I don't particularly enjoy booze myself, and this was stuff the Butler had secretly swiped from his hidden collection anyway.
Doesn't hurt my feelings since it ain't mine.
"So, ─hic. Is the doc sleeping soundly?"
"Yeah, the effects kicked in right away?"
Unfortunately, the 'effects' they were talking about here weren't the Nerve Sedative that could restore Kali's mind to normal.
Just the other day, Kali had whipped up an emergency Anesthetic cum Sleeping Pill in case her dosage wore off faster than expected. ─The ingredients were procured by the Butler.─
She called it crude quality herself, but hey.
We'd jabbed it into Kali while she was collapsed and sniffling pitifully with all her might, and boom—she was snoring away in no time.
For now, she's the only one here who can brew the Nerve Sedative, so all we can do is hope she finishes it quick before the Mania flares up again tomorrow.
"Normally Kali should've been here with us too. What a shame."
Ray muttered that.
They'd only gone on one expedition together, but at least Ray seemed to see Kali as a solid comrade.
No bad blood between them is a good thing, all things considered.
"Gah, already feeling it."
Valerie slapped her forehead and cackled.
Her face was already flushed pink, her speech slurring and stumbling—clearly hammered.
That said, 'already' doesn't quite fit.
They'd been pounding away for two hours straight, and only now was she showing this much? Mind-blowing.
I quietly got up and fetched another bottle of whiskey.
Decided to loosen up a bit tonight, y'know.
A true lord has to be generous with his subordinates, after all.
Of course, calling myself a lord when I got no subjects, or generous when it's not even my stuff... well.
"Hic... Hey Ray, you better drink up quick. Doing mercenary gigs... pffft, chances like this to guzzle top-shelf booze don't come easy?"
"...Yeah, she's definitely drunk. Calling me by name like that."
Ray said it to me instead of responding to Valerie.
Tone like she was utterly fed up.
Even to me, Valerie looked a little tipsy right now.
Ignoring Valerie's whiny babble, Ray asked me.
"By the way, Master-nim doesn't drink? Don't like alcohol?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Booze doesn't agree with me."
Back on Earth, at least, but my body's got extreme alcohol incompatibility.
One beer and my face turns beet red as standard, but the real killer is the sleepiness that hits like a truck.
Call it my buzz being sleep, whatever—at some point I just flop over and pass out.
No warning signs either, so the friends I first drank with thought I was dead.
Tried a few more times after, same result, and from then on I quit booze cold turkey.
"Why, do you get smashed quick?"
"Yeah, especially something this strong... Never tried it, but even a sip would have me wobbling."
Answering that, Ray suddenly chewed her lip for a sec.
Her eyes seemed to sparkle a bit, which flustered me slightly, so I munched on the peanuts I'd set out as snacks.
"Ray-ssi seems to have had a fair bit too, but you're totally fine. Strong tolerance, huh?"
"I paced myself, obviously. ...Unlike that idiot."
"What'd you say, punk? ─hic."
At this point, even Valerie seemed to be struggling a tad—she'd quietly set down the bottle-blowing and was now sipping from her glass.
How this gathering even happened was simple.
We'd scored the first win from the expedition, so let's celebrate, right? But nothing else came to mind besides cracking open some drinks.
The Butler was off wandering gods-know-where, not at the manor, and Kali was out cold, so it was just us three.
That's why I was even here.
If Kali and the Butler were around, the booze-hating guy would've dipped quick and left the four of them to party—but with just three?
At least Valerie was cranking up the energy, thank god.
"Come on, come on. Master-nim's a total lightweight, so let's have our own little toast. Here, take it, take it."
Her speech was slurring from the buzz, but Valerie egged Ray on.
Ray sighed like it was a pain, then suddenly flipped—grinning ear-to-ear.
"Valerie, no half-assing it. Let's go all out. I'm confident."
"─Oho, knight lady, you sure? Hic."
Ray just nodded with a laugh, no words.
Taking the taunt, Valerie flashed a fierce grin and topped off her glass with whiskey.
Then slid the bottle to Ray.
...No way, are they gonna down the whole thing in one go?
Ray took it like it was nothing and filled her bottle to the brim too.
Then, stone-faced, she said.
"Non-stop from here. You good?"
"Heh, bring it, bitch."
"No, wait, hold up. We've got time, no need to go that far... R-Ray-ssi?"
Looked like straight-up idiocy, so I tried to stop them, but Ray subtly grabbed my arm from right next to me. Like, don't interfere.
"─Cheers."
"Pfft, cheers."
Ray started it off, Valerie smirked and followed.
And the next instant, they both tilted back their glasses.
─And, a moment later.
"Guh, guhuh..."
"What're you doing? No stopping."
"Wh-who said st-stop─, hic."
─Again, a moment later.
"Wait, hold on. N-no more boozeoo? Can't, can't keep going like this, right?"
"There's more right here..."
"No funny business, come on. Cheers."
"Uh, ugh... Ch-cheers."
─Finally, a moment later.
"...Tch, tough bitch─"
Thud.
The sound of victory decided.
In the end, the one who face-planted forward and died was Valerie.
Having watched that mad duel from start to finish, I was completely done.
Are these people some kinda Golems or what?
Guzzling hard liquor like water—won't their stomachs melt away?
"Whew."
Hell, Ray didn't even look that different from when they started.
She lightly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked my way.
"Figured we should wrap up soon, so I killed her. Master-nim doesn't wanna be stuck here three or four hours, right?"
"Huh? Oh, well... I don't mind..."
Scary. This woman's scary.
She offed her comrade without batting an eye.
Not literally dead, obviously, but come dawn tomorrow, she'll be in agony no different.
While I silently prayed for Valerie's soul inside, Ray casually tidied up the toppled whiskey bottles.
Is this woman for real unaffected?
"Um... you okay?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah. ...Y'know, Master-nim treats us kinda like normal girls, in a sneaky way."
"Ah, s-sorry. I just kinda..."
Ugh. Fair enough— to Ray, a guy way weaker than her hearing this must sound ridiculous.
But Ray's eyes went wide and she waved it off.
"Nah, not like that... Just, no one's ever looked at me that way before. Gotta say, can't hate someone worrying about me."
The way Ray said it, she seemed quietly pleased.
Glad she's not offended, but still a bit skeptical.
Even as a Superhuman, she's drop-dead gorgeous—nobody ever saw her as a woman?
Hmm, as someone not from this world, I couldn't wrap my head around it.
Unthinkingly, I stared right at Ray's face.
Her slightly upturned eyes, those ruby-red pupils like rubies, her slim jawline and soft-looking lips.
No matter how you slice it, Ray was an absolute knockout.
And her body? Oh man.
My gaze drifted down automatically.
She was actually more covered up now than in the Labyrinth.
Loose t-shirt that looked comfy, short shorts.
Even so, couldn't hide those feminine curves.
Straight up, Ray Gladstone was the hottest woman I'd ever laid eyes on in my life—no exaggeration.
"Uh, um... Master-nim?"
Ray's hesitant voice snapped me out of my daze.
Shit, jolted back to reality—I'd been ogling her way too obviously.
"Ah. S-sorry."
Ugh, no excuse for that.
Busted red-handed with my creepy stare, I bowed my head and apologized straight-up.
But surprisingly, Ray trailed off awkwardly, like she had something to say, mumbling.
Wh-why's she doing that? Making me tense up too.
Gotta chug some cold water and snap out of it. I grabbed the glass of water I'd poured right in front of me.
"Huh? Master-nim, wait─"
"Pffft─"
─Fuck, this is booze.
"Wh-what is this? That's my cup..."
"Uh, um... Well. Truth is, when Master-nim went to grab more booze earlier, Valerie secretly swapped it."
She was salty about being the only one left out... or so Ray trailed off.
No, but whiskey's got that golden hue—you'd notice before drinking... wait, forgot.
Unlike their clear glasses, my cup was opaque; couldn't tell the liquid's color without peering close...!
"Pfft. It's fine, just a sip."
"No, it's not that, it's not about─ ugh."
Ping, my head spun.
Felt like my insides were burning.
What the? Even hard liquor, just one sip shouldn't buzz me this fast...?
"Master-nim, you okay?"
Noticing I looked off, Ray—who'd been trying to laugh it off—now approached worriedly.
Amid the dizziness, booze stench hit hard.
...And a sweet, sticky scent I'd never smelled before.
"Even if dizzy, don't lie down— that'll make the buzz hit faster─ huh?"
Ray's voice cracked mid-sentence, cutting off unnaturally.
Soft sensation filled my hand.
Ah, this is addictive. Can't stop.
"M-Master-nim?"
Ray's usual sharp speech was noticeably flustered, all mushy.
Fuck, I fucked up.
Even the lamenting voice in my head didn't feel like mine anymore.
Body not obeying, but my hand kept kneading Ray's breast on its own.
How strong was the shit they were drinking...?
"N-no, stop this, Master-nim. Let go."
"Ah... Ray-ssi. So soft, this."
Body won't listen, but why's my mouth running fine?
Wanted to sew up my babbling trap, but at the same time, that dizzying sensation at my fingertips had me losing it.
Unless Ray pries it off herself, no way I could stop on my own.
What the hell is happening.
Tried thinking through the haze, but no answers.
My buzz is supposed to be passing out.
Right now, a bit dizzy sure, but no sleepiness—instead my heart's pounding all nice and excited.
"Wait, hn, mm, hold on... Ah♥"
And right by my ear, a sweet voice tickles.
No way to stay sane in this.
And... this is kinda fun.
I just started moving my hands on instinct.
"M-Master-nim... Hnng, stop, stop it..."
Then it hit me—Kali's words.
That bullshit rumor I might be good with my hands or whatever.
Yeah, it should stay bullshit...
But hearing Ray pant right next to me? Starting to feel weird.
─Should stop. Gotta stop now.
Faint reason screamed in my head, but fat chance my hands listened.
Right now I just wanted to keep going─
"...Huh?"
Next instant, sensation of being flipped.
When I came to, I was pinned under Ray.
What just happened?
Head spinning so bad, couldn't even track the dramatic reversal that just went down.
Straddling my waist, she panted roughly, then slowly leaned in.
Ray's face drawing close.
Whoosh, whiskey scent flooded.
Ticklish feeling near my cheek.
Ray's hair cascaded down her snowy neck.
Excited breaths filled the air.
Too close to tell if mine or hers.
Finally hovering face-to-face, Ray whispered.
"You started it, Master-nim."