Episode 46

Todin and Aron, meeting after a long time, stared at each other for a moment before slowly approaching.

They gazed at each other face-to-face for a while, then spread their arms wide.

"Did you get out of the forest?"

"This friend here helped me. How did you become king?"

"I guess you could say it just happened? Anyway, that's how it turned out. Then instead of standing around here, let's go inside. The one next to you..."

Todin frowned slightly as he looked at me.

His expression seemed to say, 'What's your relationship with this person?'

Thanks to his small stature and somewhat intimidating face, I instinctively shrank back and looked at Aron.

"She's my girlfriend."

Aron answered, noticing his gaze.

Satisfied with the "girlfriend" response, I smiled and took his hand.

Aron gently held my hand in return.

"Really? So you gave up on the other two from the forest? Besides those two, there's also the one who went to the Holy Kingdom. That obsessive childhood friend of yours."

"Not exactly. The other two just went off to take care of their own business, and I don't think the Saintess has given up? I haven't been exchanging letters with her recently, so I don't know."

"Isn't that a problem? That woman who's the embodiment of obsession doesn't seem like she'd give up on you."

"Let's think about that later. For now, shall we have a drink? It's been a while."

"Ah! Right! That's actually why I called you."

"Alcohol? What kind?"

Todin began talking with Aron as they moved together.

I quietly followed behind them.

The majestic atmosphere of the castle didn't last long. After moving a bit, the palace-like feeling disappeared, transforming into a relatively ordinary residential area.

Looking around, I muttered to myself from behind.

"The interior atmosphere is more comfortable than I expected. The dwarves living here don't seem tense either."

I've never met an emperor, but I have met a duke serving under one.

There, every single servant seemed tense and perfectly aligned. In contrast, this place doesn't have that feeling even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠when the king passes by.

It feels more like an ordinary workplace supervisor.

"We're all just working, so it's good if everyone feels comfortable. More importantly, being king doesn't mean I'm above them. I'm just the final decision-maker? Something like that."

"That's interesting. Is it normally like that?"

"Pretty much. It's different from how humans think of a king. For dwarves, a king is closer to a dwarf who can fight at the forefront more than anyone else."

"It feels like a Mercenary Group Leader."

Todin nodded lightly.

"I guess so. Originally, dwarves were too small to be called a nation, and were divided into many tribes. Even now, it's closer to a federation."

"Is that so... I noticed everyone uses informal speech often, is that because they're dwarves?"

"Working in dangerous places makes our speech a bit rough. Don't pay too much attention to it. It's like how beastkin sniff scents."

I nodded in rough understanding.

Especially now that I've ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠become a beastkin, I perfectly understand how important scent-sniffing behavior is, and that it's something that can't be controlled.

"More importantly, you said you bought alcohol yourself. Did you buy it thinking dwarves would like it? Or just as a casual gift?"

I answered Todin's question without much thought.

"I thought dwarves might get tired of drinking strong alcohol every day."

"Oh... So it's not strong alcohol?"

"I just met the Master Craftsman and gave him some - he really liked it. I'll take one out for you once we get inside."

Todin only gave a short nod, but his footsteps quickened noticeably.

His mustache twitched like a cat's.

As soon as we entered a room, Todin said in an excited voice.

"Alright! Since we're here, let's take out the alcohol first. It would be troublesome to unpack without alcohol anyway."

"Shall I take it out then?"

Aron, seemingly excited to meet his friend after so long, brought out makgeolli and sake in an enthusiastic voice.

"This is makgeolli, and this is sake. Besides these, there's soju, gaoliangjiu, juk... I don't remember the names but there are many varieties? Try them first."

"Good. The bottles look unique too. Looking at the structure... does air pass through? More importantly, the alcohol comes first, so I should taste it."

Todin, who immediately understood the jar's function, picked up the makgeolli and brought it to his mouth.

Though he said he would taste it, he chugged the entire jar in one go.

The alcohol in the jar, which was as big as my torso, disappeared at once.

"Haa...!"

Wiping his mouth roughly, Todin continued.

"Good. Not too strong, not too aromatic. Does it go down smoothly? The pure white color makes it look clean too."

Next, Todin picked up the sake bottle and chugged it like blowing a bottle trumpet.

The alcohol content should be quite high, but he showed no reaction.

"This one is much cleaner. You can definitely taste the alcohol but... should I say it has no bitterness?"

Putting down the empty sake bottle, Todin stood up from his seat.

"We can't just drink this alcohol like this! I'll go to the kitchen to get some snacks, so wait here."

"Alright! We'll drink moderately, so bring something delicious!"

After Todin left, Aron immediately came to my side.

He naturally pulled me close and asked.

"Want to have a drink?"

"Shall I try just a sip? I used to drink often in the past."

When I worked as a mercenary, I drank a lot.

There were many difficult tasks and worries, so drinking occasionally was mentally beneficial.

Now that I'm with Aron, I don't really feel the need for alcohol.

"Try this. It's very smooth."

Aron handed me the jar containing makgeolli.

I lightly took the jar that was as big as my face and looked at the makgeolli inside.

"Makgeolli? Makgeolli is best with macksa..."

"What's macksa?"

"A type of makgeolli? But it's not available here."

There's no way cider exists in a place that doesn't even have carbonated water.

'Wait? Tteokbokki existed, so maybe if I look carefully, it might be here.'

Anyway, it's not available now.

Putting aside my disappointment, I lightly brought the makgeolli to my mouth for the first time in a while.

Gulp... gulp...

The alcohol entering my system after so long brought a different kind of pleasure to my body.

If scent brings calming pleasure, this was closer to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the pleasure of loosening rationality.

"Pahaa... delicious."

"Then shall we drink together today? I think Todin will probably come back with his wife."

"Okay! Then let's drink together today."

After a while, Todin entered with his wife.

"Aron, I thought it would be nice if my wife joined us for drinks, so I brought her!"

"Hello. I'm Pania, Queen of Petra."

There were stories that female dwarves are very muscular and look intimidating, but that wasn't the case. She was short with a somewhat sturdy build.

She looked overflowing with what's commonly called healthy beauty.

"Oh, a cute person came along too. Just hearing Todin's stories, I thought he'd be surrounded by ten women."

"That was when he was full of vigor in the old days. Wouldn't even the great Aron eventually focus on just one person as time passes?"

"Really? Then shall we start drinking first?"

And naturally, they really loved the alcohol.

And so, the two dwarves and the non-human Aron began chugging alcohol together.

*

The drinking session that started with lunch finally ended late at night.

The four of us. Excluding Mia who fell asleep relatively early, the three of them emptied four large boxes.

Todin, who was still fine, put down his jar.

"Shall we stop here for today? That young lady sleeping on your lap probably wants to sleep comfortably."

At Todin's words, Aron stroked the head of Mia who was sleeping on his lap.

As Aron's hand stroked her head, she naturally smiled.

"Alright. Then see you tomorrow. I'll be here for a while anyway."

Todin nodded lightly and walked away with his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wife.

Watching Todin disappear into the distance, Aron carefully carried Mia and returned to the bedroom.

"Aroooon... I waaant thaaat..."

As soon as he laid her on the bed, Mia woke up and spread her arms in a drowsy state.

Her eyes half-open, she looked at Aron.

"You want to smell my scent?"

"Uhh... I waaant to shower togetheeer... I feel stiiicky..."

She wriggled on the bed and began taking off her clothes one by one.

She took off her top and pants without hesitation, but while trying to remove the body-hugging clothes underneath, she eventually asked for Aron's help.

"Aron, help me take this oofff... Huh? Quick..."

Lying on the bed with her clothes half off, she stretched her legs out long.

Her smooth, pure white legs stretched out gracefully. At their end, cute toes pressed firmly against Aron's thigh.

"Sigh... Alright. More importantly, are you okay? You seemed to drink a lot."

"Huh? I'm not druuunk..."

Aron knew Mia was drunk but didn't bother to argue.

Given Mia's personality, it was obvious she wouldn't like that.

"Then let's wash up quickly. Here, hands up."

"Hands uup..."

He took off her last top, then her bra as well.

Her breasts, which had grown considerably recently, revealed their presence as the final restraint was removed.

"Wow... they've gotten really big."

"Huh? Do you like them? I was always annoyed that they're small... There are too many milk monsters around..."

"It's fine. I actually prefer breasts like Mia's that are just the right size."

At Aron's words, Mia's sharp gaze fixed on him.

Even though she was drunk, her gaze was clear.

"Liar. You always stare with a dumb smile at people with face-sized milk jugs... You don't care about my breasts, is it because you see them every day?"

Mia, who had much resentment built up about her breasts, finally began shedding tears.

With a voice wet with tears, she continued to the flustered Aron.

"It's annoyiing... Why should I care about Aron? I'm always the one caring, being nervous, being jealous. If it's going to be like this, just abandon me... Just abandon me!"

Eventually, Mia began sobbing loudly.

Aron, watching Mia crying face down on the bed covered with a blanket, found himself saying to her without realizing it.

"No! I care about Mia a lot too. And I like Mia's breasts too. Really!"

"...Really?"

At Aron's words, the drunk Mia peeked her face out from under the blanket.

"Then hug me. Huh? My breasts... you don't dislike them because they're small, right..."

She slowly raised her body.

She rose to her knees on the bed.

The blanket covering her naturally slid down her body.

Barely maintaining her balance, she spread her arms toward Aron and continued.

"Quickly... huh? I want to hug Aron toooo..."

"W-well... first..."

It was clear she would be extremely upset if rejected here.

She already had poor emotional regulation, especially in front of Aron where she didn't regulate at all, and being drunk now made regulation impossible.

"I'll hug you..."

So Aron slowly approached Mia.

One step.

Another step.

The closer he got, the stronger Mia's intense scent seemed to become.

Her unique soft and sweet body odor seemed to explode from under the blanket.

"Then I'll huug..."

Thump.

"Hmmnya... hmm..."

Before Aron could hug Mia.

The drunk Mia finally fell asleep first and collapsed onto the bed.

"Sigh... I'm really going crazy."

Aron walked alone to the bathroom.