Chapter 532: Shall We Do Something Fun?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 532: Shall We Do Something Fun?
"Here, let me pour you a drink."
Lee So-ran lifted the bottle and began pouring into Sun-woo’s cup.
Trickle, trickle.
The clear liquid quickly filled the cup to the brim.
"It’s going to overflow, Lady So-ran."
Sun-woo spoke as he lifted the brimming cup.
"It’s fine. So what if it spills? We have plenty of wine."
She spoke with an air of nonchalance.
"It seems you haven't properly learned the Way of Drinking. To say it's fine to spill wine..."
Sun-woo shook his head as he spoke.
"Stop acting like an old man and let's just have a good time!"
Having filled her own cup to the brim before he knew it, Lee So-ran raised it high.
"Good grief."
Sun-woo let out a small chuckle at her energetic display and raised his own cup. Seeing her so cheerful naturally lifted his spirits as well.
Clink.
The two cups met, ringing out with a clear, crisp sound.
Gulp, gulp.
After the toast, they both drained their cups in one go. Immediately, a sweet aroma began to bloom and fill their mouths.
"Mmmmmm..."
"Kaaaaah."
Exclamations of delight escaped them simultaneously. The wine was far more delicious than they had imagined, drawing the praise out of them instinctively.
"This is delicious," Lee So-ran said with a soft smile.
"It really is. What kind of wine is this?" Sun-woo asked, looking intrigued.
Since arriving in the Central Plains, he had sampled almost every type of liquor available. Yet, this was a taste he had never encountered before. Naturally, his curiosity was piqued.
"They called it honey wine."
"Honey wine?"
"Yes. They said it’s a special liquor brewed personally by the Lord of this establishment."
"Hmm... It certainly has a taste worthy of being called 'special.'"
Sun-woo smiled thinly and began pouring more wine into his cup.
"Ah, fill mine too!"
Seeing this, Lee So-ran hurriedly held out her cup to him.
"You should pace yourself, Lady So-ran. You aren't exactly a strong drinker, are you?"
Sun-woo looked at her with a slightly belittling gaze.
"I was just caught off guard yesterday! Normally, I don't get that wasted!"
She flared up, raising her voice. Being looked down upon like that pricked her pride.
"Have you even drunk much before?"
"Of course I have!"
"How many times?"
".........Three times."
"Does that include yesterday?"
"........Yes."
Snicker.
The smirk on Sun-woo’s face deepened. It was clear to him that a complete novice who had just started drinking was trying to act tough.
"Don't laugh at me!"
"I'm not laughing."
Sun-woo immediately straightened his expression.
"Liar! Your mouth was practically hanging by your ears just now!"
"You must have imagined it."
"Fine, whatever!"
Snatch.
Miffed by Sun-woo’s teasing, Lee So-ran snatched the bottle away.
Trickle, trickle.
She filled her cup to the brim and then—
Gulp, gulp.
She downed it in one go, as if venting her frustration. The sweet yet tangy aroma of honey exploded across her palate.
"Haaaah..."
A shallow moan escaped her lips as she savored the fragrance. The incredibly sweet scent of the wine brought a slight flush of excitement to her face. A blissful smile began to spread across Lee So-ran's features.
"Is it really that good?" Sun-woo asked, finding her reaction amusing.
".....It's so good."
She looked at Sun-woo with eyes that were starting to go hazy and unfocused. She seemed completely captivated by the charms of the honey wine.
She’d probably be great at doing mukbangs.
Seeing her over-the-top reaction, Sun-woo lifted his own cup. Watching her look so happy made him crave a drink as well.
Gulp, gulp.
Sun-woo drained his cup in a single breath and began to enjoy the tangy, sweet aroma filling his mouth.
Grin.
A wide smile spread across Sun-woo’s face.
"See? Aren't you glad you came with me? Right?"
Seeing his expression, Lee So-ran asked him with a bright laugh.
".........I can't deny it."
Sun-woo nodded reluctantly. He wanted to tease her by denying it, but the honey wine was simply too delicious to lie about. Denying it for the sake of his pride would only make him look foolish.
"Hehehe... It was worth spending all that money I won from gambling after all..."
Satisfied with Sun-woo’s reaction, Lee So-ran let out a loose, giddy laugh.
"How can you be so happy after spending so much money?" Sun-woo asked, genuinely puzzled.
"It was unearned income anyway. Easy come, easy go."
She smiled brightly and continued.
"Besides, you admitted that you were glad you came with me."
"Does that really make you that happy?"
"I love it! Who wouldn't like being praised?"
She continued to speak while looking at Sun-woo with those hazy, unfocused eyes.
"Surely someone like you has plenty of people praising you? Like Madam Hwangbo... or the people in your faction..."
"............I wonder."
At Sun-woo’s words, Lee So-ran’s gaze turned somewhat plaintive.
"I don't think that's really the case."
"Pardon?"
"I'm a bit of a dummy, so I'm clumsy and I make the same mistakes a lot. I'm easy to trick, too. Maybe that's why even the people in my own faction are stingy with their praise."
She spoke in a calm, quiet voice.
"But my mother still praises me!"
Then, she quickly returned to her energetic tone.
"I see... I thought you were just a bit dim, but you really are a fool."
Sun-woo nodded as if he finally understood.
"In times like this, wouldn't it be better to offer comfort rather than teasing?"
"Isn't it more fun to talk nonsense and joke around than to give half-hearted comfort?"
"I suppose that's true."
Lee So-ran smiled softly. It certainly did make her feel more cheerful—much more than if he had just offered sympathetic platitudes.
"Young Master Jang."
She looked at Sun-woo with a steady gaze.
"Yes, go ahead."
"Thank you."
"For what?" Sun-woo asked back with a mischievous expression.
"....You're mean. You know exactly why, don't you?"
She asked him with a pout.
"I do."
"Hmph, fine then."
She abruptly turned her head away. Seeing his shameless attitude made her desire to express her sincere gratitude vanish instantly.
Grab.
Instead, she picked up the wine bottle.
Trickle, trickle.
She began to pour the wine politely, making sure his cup never stayed empty. It was her own way of showing her sincerity.
Soon, the two of them were incessantly exchanging drinks.
*
How long had they been drinking?
By the time exactly five bottles had been emptied, both of their faces were flushed deep red. Because they hadn't been expelling the alcohol poisoning with their internal energy, the intoxication had caught up to them.
"Haaaaah..... It's so good."
Lee So-ran kept exclaiming in admiration. She reached for the bottle again, but it felt incredibly light. There was no sound of liquid sloshing inside. They had emptied it before they knew it.
"The wine... it's gone."
She spoke with a slurred tongue. She turned her gaze to scan the large table, but only empty bottles were rolling around. There was no wine left.
"Young Master Jang! Wine! Order more wine!" she demanded, looking at Sun-woo.
"Stop. You're already dead drunk."
"I'm not drunk! Not even a little bit!"
Lee So-ran shook her head violently.
"How many do you see?"
Sun-woo held up two fingers and asked her.
"Two!"
"Wrong. It's one."
Sun-woo spoke with a look of pity.
"Liar! It's two!"
She flared up, raising her voice.
"Close your eyes for a moment, then look again. You'll see one."
Squeeze.
Hearing that, Lee So-ran squeezed her eyes shut.
Pop.
She snapped them open and focused intensely on Sun-woo’s hand. Sun-woo was now holding up only one finger.
"One?!?"
"See? Didn't I tell you?"
Sun-woo spoke with a mischievous grin. Seeing her get tricked so easily made him want to laugh.
"Uuuuugh.... I... I guess I am drunk..."
She spoke with a dejected expression.
"That's right. You are excessively drunk."
"Uuuuuugh."
"So, let's wrap this up and get going."
"No!"
She shouted her refusal at Sun-woo’s suggestion. She was filled with the desire not to let this gathering end just yet.
"I want to play more!"
"Don't be stubborn. You can't even count the fingers in front of you."
"We can play without drinking!"
She looked at Sun-woo with a face full of intoxication.
"What do people do for fun in a tavern without drinking?" Sun-woo asked, looking at her as if she were being ridiculous.
"Mmm... talk about life and stuff..."
"I hate boring topics like that."
Sun-woo shook his head and gave a firm refusal.
"Then... counseling for our worries..."
"Nothing brings the mood down like listening to someone else's depressing stories."
".....Uuuuuu..."
When Sun-woo remained adamant, Lee So-ran looked like she was about to cry. This was the most fun she'd had drinking in a long time. She felt it would be a terrible waste to end it now.
"....Just a little... just a little... more... let's play..."
Lee So-ran began to plead with Sun-woo, her eyes sparkling like a dejected puppy's, begging him to play with her just a little longer.
"Sigh."
Sun-woo let out a long breath.
"I suppose I have no choice."
He shook his head and reached into his robe.
Rattle.
He pulled out two dice and rolled them onto the table.
"Wow!! Dice!"
Lee So-ran shouted in delight at the sight of the dice. It felt strange and exciting to see something she usually only saw in gambling dens here in a tavern.
"How about we play with these until you sober up?"
Sun-woo spoke with a slight smile.
"I'd love to!"
Lee So-ran answered loudly, her excitement peaking. The thought that this fun drinking session wasn't over yet filled her with joy.
"But how do we play?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
"We roll the two dice, and the person with the higher total wins. Simple, right?"
Sun-woo explained the basic rules to her.
"Okay! But what do I get if I win?"
"You just get to feel good about winning."
Sun-woo spoke in a calm tone.
"It's only fun if we bet something!" she said with a bright smile.
"Do you have anything to bet?" Sun-woo asked, glancing at her.
"Money... if it's money..."
"Didn't you say you spent it all to reserve this place?"
".........Yes."
She nodded slowly as she remembered. She had no money. Believing that unearned income was best spent quickly, she had used it all to book this private room.
"If you have nothing to bet, what are you going to wager? Let's just settle for the sense of achievement from winning."
"Uuuuugh... but that's no fun..."
She hung her head in disappointment.
"It can't be helped, can it? By the way, it's getting a bit hot in here."
Sun-woo gave her a dismissive answer and slightly loosened the front of his robe. As he did, his firm chest was partially revealed, hovering on the edge of visibility.
Flush.
Seeing this, Lee So-ran’s face began to turn red. Her heart hammered at the glimpse of his solid physique.
"Young Master... your chest is very firm."
She muttered her inner thoughts without realizing it. Normally, she would never have said such a thing, but the alcohol made her speak whatever came to mind.
"Where are you looking!"
Sun-woo gasped and quickly pulled his robe shut. His face flushed slightly as if he were embarrassed.
Grin.
Seeing this, Lee So-ran let out a sly grin. Seeing the usually prickly Jang Sun-woo acting shy and covering his chest triggered her mischievous side.
".......You're quite shy, Young Master."
"I've exposed my skin to a woman who isn't family; how could I not be embarrassed?"
Sun-woo spoke with his face completely red.
"Hehe.... It's not like it'll wear out..... You could show me a little bit........"
"I refuse."
Sun-woo looked disgusted as he flatly rejected her suggestion. And that firm refusal began to stimulate Lee So-ran's desire for conquest.
Haa... I want to see it.
She wanted to see it. That firm chest he didn't want to show anyone. The flesh-toned body hidden beneath the tightly wrapped clothes. And Sun-woo’s face, flushed with shame and embarrassment.
"Young Master Jang."
She called out to him, her face slightly red.
"Yes, go ahead."
"Shall we do something fun?"
"Something fun?"
Sun-woo asked back, looking puzzled. He had an innocent, clueless expression on his face.
"We roll the dice, and the person who loses has to take off one layer of clothing."
She spoke while staring at Sun-woo with a burning gaze.
"Wh-What did you say!?"
Sun-woo asked back, looking absolutely horrified.
"Doesn't it sound fun?"
Lee So-ran spoke slowly, her eyes sparkling as she watched Sun-woo’s shocked expression. Her gaze was filled with an intense desire for conquest.