Chapter 292
Chapter 292
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 292
Chapter Title: Interlude - Banquet (2)
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As a rule, the Awakened don't get drunk easily.
This is because accepting a Stigma strengthens their physical abilities beyond human limits.
For high-ranking Awakened of 9-Star or higher, whose bodies have been reconstructed, they'd literally have to chug pure alcohol to get drunk.
It wasn't easy for a high-ranking Awakened to get intoxicated even if they tried, so for them to be this drunk...
"Just how much did you drink... ah."
Oh-jin, looking at the two drunken women, glanced down at the empty bottle in his own hand.
Come to think of it, this was the beastmen's traditional liquor.
"Hehe. I was having a drink with all the villagers, and I just started feeling so good~"
"Everything's spinning~ Heehee."
Seeing the two tipsy women, Oh-jin could guess what had happened.
What they had drunk wasn't ordinary alcohol but the traditional liquor of the beastmen.
And, of course, the beastmen's traditional liquor was made for beastmen, whose robust physiques could put high-ranking Awakened to shame in the 'physical ability' category.
If they had unknowingly accepted and downed it, it was no surprise they were in this state.
"Oh-jin~"
*Squeeze.*
Isabella wrapped her arms around his, whispering into his ear with a voice that seemed to melt.
A softness that felt otherworldly enveloped Oh-jin's arm.
"What did you think? I tried it one last time before leaving the beastmen's kingdom."
There was no reason to hide the fact that she was human anymore.
Isabella smiled bashfully, wagging her puppy tail from side to side.
To think she could maintain such fine control even while drunk.
Oh-jin swallowed hard.
"...This is the last time?"
At this point, what was there to hide?
The sight of Isabella wearing puppy ears and a tail was too devastatingly charming to be described as a 'one-time thing'.
"Oh my?"
Isabella's eyes widened as she beamed.
"Of course, if you'd like, I can keep wearing them for you, Oh-jin."
"...Wearing them all the time is a bit much."
He'd rather not show this side of her to others.
"Fufufu. You're so silly, Oh-jin."
Isabella gave him a beautiful eye-smile, her tail swishing back and forth, tickling him.
"Tonight... how about I wear this?"
Isabella tempted him with her sweet voice.
Apparently displeased with their lovey-dovey display, Ha-eun shoved herself between Oh-jin and Isabella.
"Hey...! I-I was first, you know?"
Pouting, Ha-eun pulled Oh-jin closer, looking like a real cat throwing a tantrum at its owner.
'What do I do about this?'
Even knowing they couldn't think straight because they were drunk, it was hard to control the desire simmering deep within him.
"First, drink some cool water and sober up."
Oh-jin handed a nearby canteen to Ha-eun and Isabella.
With dazed expressions, the two of them gulped down the water Oh-jin offered.
"Ehehe. Oh-jiiin~ The world is spinning."
"The water tastes so bitter."
After drinking the water, the two women staggered, slurring their words even more.
'What is this?'
Oh-jin took a sip from the canteen.
The strong scent of alcohol filled his mouth.
"No, you've got to be kidding me. Who poured alcohol into the canteen?"
This wasn't some college orientation trip; what the hell was this?
"Uwahahaha!"
"Want some water? Huh?"
"Grk... Th-these damn Silver Mane bastards...!"
Not far off, a red-maned beastman was grandly emptying the contents of his stomach onto the floor. It was easy to guess who the culprits were.
'Just as I'd expect from the same tribe as that bastard Lyac.'
Oh-jin stared at the cackling members of the Silver Mane tribe with a look of disbelief.
"Hic! Oh-jin... I'm dizzy."
Was the alcohol in the canteen the final blow?
Ha-eun's eyes spun as she leaned against Oh-jin.
'This isn't going to work.'
Oh-jin lifted Ha-eun in a princess carry.
"Ah! Oh-jin, my head is suddenly..."
Isabella, who had seemed much more composed than Ha-eun, suddenly collapsed to the ground.
As she lay there with her eyes closed, the corners of her lips could be seen twitching upward in anticipation.
'This girl.'
Oh-jin narrowed his eyes and called out to a boy who was busy carrying drinks to the village elders.
"Leo! Come over here and give your sister a piggyback ride!"
"Huh? Who?"
Leo's ears perked up as he scampered over.
Seeing Isabella on the ground, Leo let out a gasp of shock.
"Y-You want me to carry Isabella?"
The boy shivered, swallowing hard.
The memory of being held in Isabella's arms replayed endlessly in his mind.
"Ah, I'm feeling a bit better now."
Just as Leo was hesitantly stepping toward Isabella.
Isabella shot up from the ground where she had fallen.
She glanced at Ha-eun in Oh-jin's arms and clicked her tongue.
"I-Is that so? That's a relief. The Silver Mane tribe's liquor is really strong, so don't drink too much."
Leo turned away with a dejected look.
Isabella patted his head a few times as if he were cute, then clung tightly to Oh-jin.
"Let's go, Oh-jin."
"...Are you sure you're drunk?"
"Who knows?"
Isabella gave him a fresh wink and hugged his arm.
Oh-jin gently kicked the canteen Isabella had been drinking from and had set on the ground.
The canteen tipped over, and the alcohol inside gushed out.
"......"
"Oh my, Ha-eun doesn't look well. We should get to the hut quickly."
Isabella pulled on Oh-jin's arm with a sly smile.
"H-Hey, big bro!"
"Hm?"
Leo looked at Oh-jin, who was holding Ha-eun while Isabella clung to him, and clenched his fists.
"I'm going to become a great warrior like you! I swear it!"
The boy's eyes shone as he solidified his resolve.
A faint smile touched Oh-jin's lips at the sound of his passionate voice.
Well.
It was only natural that his current appearance would be an object of aspiration for a vigorous young boy.
"Do your best."
Oh-jin left Leo behind and headed for the hut.
"Ughhh. Oh-jiiin."
As he laid Ha-eun on the bed, she spread her arms like a baby bird seeking its mother.
"Take my clothes off."
"Excuse me?"
I'm sorry, what did you say?
"It's stuffy! Take my clothes off!"
Seriously.
Why the hell is her drunken habit like this?
"Isabella..."
"I'm just going to go wash my face in the stream~"
Isabella quickly fled outside.
"Clothes!!!"
Ha-eun thrashed about like a five-year-old throwing a tantrum in a toy store, demanding a three-stage transforming robot.
Oh-jin started by taking off Ha-eun's boots and socks.
"Heehee. That feels nice."
Ha-eun wiggled her toes, squirming like a caterpillar.
Oh-jin resolved to tell Ha-eun every detail of what happened today once she sobered up tomorrow as he took off her jacket.
"This should be enough, right?"
Now, Ha-eun was only wearing a white t-shirt and a tight black leather skirt.
For someone who usually slept in a tank top that exposed her midriff and dolphin shorts, this might still feel constricting, but he couldn't take off any more of her clothes.
"More."
"What?"
"Take off more."
Why don't you just ask me to wash you while I'm at it?
"And wash me."
"You're driving me crazy."
What was he supposed to do?
One might think it wasn't a big deal between lovers.
But this wasn't their home; it was a hut belonging to the Silver Mane tribe.
And right now, the drinking party was in full swing.
There was a real risk that a plastered-drunk Silver Mane tribesman might come looking for Oh-jin and burst into the hut.
'Seeing how those bastards were drinking earlier, they really might.'
This wasn't an idle worry. In the eyes of the beastmen, Oh-jin was the hero who had killed Kalike, the de facto ruler of the Khan Kingdom.
Given their culture of revering warriors, it was inevitable that they would be interested in him.
Drunk beastmen could very well swarm him, like obsessive fans storming an idol's house.
It would be one thing if they at least knocked.
But did those guys, who were chugging liquor strong enough to get a high-ranking Awakened drunk like it was water, have the presence of mind for that?
"Oh-jiiin~ Hurry!"
Ha-eun pulled on Oh-jin's body.
The strong smell of alcohol hit his nose.
Looking at the persistently clinging Ha-eun, Oh-jin made up his mind.
"Ah, screw it."
Surely they wouldn't actually kick the door in, right?
"I'm taking it off, then?"
"Yeah!"
"Okay, arms up."
"Arms uuuup~!"
Just as he grabbed Ha-eun's shirt and lifted it over her raised arms.
*BAM!*
The door flew open violently, and a thoroughly drunk Leoru stumbled inside.
"Haha! There you are, Mr. Oh-jin! Our tribe's warriors were just saying they really wanted to have a word with you..."
"......"
"Huh?"
Leoru cleared his throat, ahem, and quietly closed the door.
"M-My apologies."
An apology came from beyond the firmly shut door.
Oh-jin pressed a hand to his forehead as if he had a headache.
"Hah. I knew this would happen."
"O-Oh-jin."
"It's okay, Ha-eun. I was covering you with my body, so he probably didn't see anything."
"That's not it..."
"Hm? It's not?"
"I, I... have something I really need... to tell you."
"...What is it?"
"It's... important."
With teary eyes, Ha-eun threw her arms around Oh-jin.
A soft warmth spread through his body.
Ha-eun held him tight, her shoulders trembling faintly as if she were about to sob.
Oh-jin's expression hardened.
"Ha-eun..."
The first thing that came to his mind was Isabella.
She had seemed to accept his relationship with Isabella without any issue.
She even seemed to get along well with Isabella afterward, but...
'What if that wasn't actually the case?'
What if there was still a knot of unresolved emotion in her heart?
What if, emboldened by the alcohol, she was about to confess those pent-up feelings?
"Oh-jin... I."
"It's okay. Don't hide it, just tell me."
Oh-jin hugged the trembling Ha-eun, trying to soothe her.
"Just like you understood my feelings, I'll do my best to understand yours."
This was the woman more precious to him than his own life.
If there were still unresolved feelings tangled in her heart.
He wanted to accept all of it.
"Oh-jin, I...!"
Tears welled in Ha-eun's eyes.
She tightened her grip on him and whispered in a heated voice, as if confessing her love.
"I think I'm gonna throw up."
What?
"Urp, ugh!"
W-Wait a damn minute!
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!!!"
Stop!!!
"Bleeeaaargh!"
Aaaaargh.