Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: EP.53 One Drink for Me, One for You - 2
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***
"What are you doing?"
The journey to subjugate the Demon King was far from easy. Especially for those unaccustomed to camping out like this.
Claire, having grown up in a rural village, didn't mind, but Leventia was still nobility.
She was used to training as a knight, but she had little experience with travel like this, so camping still felt awkward every time.
If the Sage hadn't prepared everything, they wouldn't have even had proper meals, accumulating fatigue and stress until they couldn't perform at their best.
That's why, after defeating the first of the Demon King's subordinates, she had watched the Sage every time they camped.
"Oh. This? I'm getting ready to grill some meat."
He built a simple brazier with stones and pebbles, then placed charcoal and twigs inside. After skillfully lighting the fire, he set an iron plate on top and spoke leisurely.
"You all looked tired, so I thought we'd have meat tonight."
"You were talking to those merchants earlier. Is this what you got from them?"
"Uh? Yeah."
Ever since the Demon King appeared, the number and strength of monsters had increased. In the past, monsters appearing on major roads would have been extremely rare, but now it was commonplace.
Earlier, while traveling along the road, they had fought to help some passing merchants, and afterward, the Sage had negotiated with them and received some good meat.
Hyunwoo wiped his nose and generously spread butter on the iron plate.
"Go wash up. I'll have it ready by then."
Claire and Evangeline had already gone to the nearby stream to wash up. That's why he was telling Leventia, but she shook her head. She needed to learn and remember as much as possible of what the Sage did.
"How do you do that?"
"You don't know how to start a fire?"
"I do, but getting that kind of heat..."
"When we stopped by the Torett territory, I borrowed a kiln from the charcoal maker and made some charcoal."
"When did you even...?"
"While you were meeting the lord and resting there."
The Sage wasn't officially part of the hero party. So he could only be treated like a commoner, and it wasn't easy for him to join meetings with haughty, status-conscious nobles.
He couldn't even enter the castle in the first place. Claire and the others had felt sorry about it, but the Sage had brushed it off, saying he'd do what he needed to do.
Who knew he was preparing things like this then.
"I'm sorry."
Learning that Hyunwoo had worked hard while they met with nobles and enjoyed comfortable beds and fine meals made Leventia's heart fill with even more guilt.
But Hyunwoo, as always.
Just like when he first joined them, simply smiled warmly.
As if it were his solemn duty.
That smile was so dazzling it made her own darkness visible, and Leventia clamped her mouth shut.
"My role is to support you in subjugating the Demon King."
"...Mm."
"So don't worry about me. Until you defeat the Demon King, I'll be on your side no matter what."
He casually said as he placed the seasoned meat on the iron plate.
Sizzle. The large chunk of meat hit the heated plate, where the butter had melted, releasing a savory aroma that was more than enough to rumble the stomach of the hungry Leventia.
*Grrrrumble...*
"Feeling hungry?"
"Uh, ugh."
It wasn't very knightly. Reacting to the smell and making such a fool of herself.
Leventia blushed, and the Sage chuckled as he began slicing the meat into smaller pieces. As she wondered at his actions, meant to cook it quickly, he added vegetables and sauce, whipping up a meat-and-vegetable stir-fry on the small plate in an instant.
"Here."
"But Claire and Evangeline aren't back yet..."
"A taste test should be fine, right?"
The appetizing dish on the small plate. Staring at it, Leventia swallowed slightly. Her muscled abs kept crying out for that dish. Saliva gathered automatically, and the Sage's gentle smile was breaking down her refusal.
"...Then, if you insist."
As she lightly took the plate, her hand brushed his. Rough and hot. Changed from starting the fire and grilling just moments ago.
He said it was just support, but Leventia knew the Sage did a lot more.
He handled all the hard, tedious work.
"Delicious."
"Yeah? Glad to hear it."
"Where did you learn something like this?"
"I've known how since the beginning. Oh, and try this too."
When had he prepared this? Receiving a shake made from milk, fruit, and ice blended together, Leventia looked at the glass and asked.
"We're always in your debt. I should help you out too."
"Forget it. You all focus on catching the Demon King. Like I said earlier, I'll handle all your support until then."
"Haha... If we do subjugate the Demon King, I wouldn't know what to do to repay you."
"Repay?"
At that moment, Hyunwoo's eyes curved like crescent moons. Leventia unwittingly sucked in a breath at that smile.
His eyes desired nothing.
His eyes wanted nothing.
He wished for only one thing.
For them to subjugate the Demon King.
"Don't think about repayment. Your journey's success is repayment enough for me."
"...You really have no greed."
Hyunwoo pretended not to hear Leventia's mutter and kept grilling meat, and she didn't say anything more.
And that silence lasted until Claire and Evangeline returned.
Returning from the flashback, Leventia silently stared at Hyunwoo.
There he was, beyond the buildings.
Seeing him still caring more for others than his unchanged self brought back memories of when they got along well. It was perhaps inevitable.
And maybe.
Lucille and Veronica, smiling brightly there, might have had her in their seats.
No, she definitely did.
In the past.
Before she started envying him.
Who had ruined it?
Who had destroyed it?
Leventia clenched her fist against the tearing pain deep in her heart.
She could leap across in one bound if she wanted. But the short gap between the buildings felt farther than a hundred feet to her.
"Ahh..."
A low sigh escaped. A deep sigh dyed in regret, despair, and self-reproach.
And that sigh was loud enough for Cecil nearby to hear.
"What are you doing?"
"...Nothing."
At Cecil's voice, Leventia flinched and stepped back. Feeling like she was unnecessarily bothering him, she lowered her head, and Cecil glanced beyond the building and chuckled.
She knew who Leventia had been watching.
"Still such a cheap guy. Grilling meat himself. Don't they have a chef?"
"...I doubt it."
The Sage was the type who didn't entrust such tasks to others. A virtuous person who loved giving to others, helping them, making them happy.
The more she knew of his kindness, the greater her hatred and self-blame for attacking him grew.
Leventia bit her lip hard, and Cecil, who had glanced at her, raised her hand.
"Hey! Sage!"
"Yeah?"
"No chef? Want me to send one over? I called a bunch for my birthday party!"
After all, since she'd received his help, giving fitting repayment was the act of a noble.
But contrary to her expectation, the reply from across was ice-cold.
"No thanks!"
At that remark, Cecil thought.
That guy. He's pretty special after all.
***
It was a satisfying mealtime for everyone.
I cooked without worrying about ingredients and racked up skill counts, so I was satisfied, and Lucille and Veronica ate deliciously, so they were satisfied.
The people from the next building stared a bit, but I wasn't so fragile as to mind.
"Shall we hit the bar?! The bar?!"
Veronica seemed pretty excited. As she lay comfortably and suddenly shot up her hand shouting, I looked at Lucille.
Her eyes sparkled; she wanted to go too.
"I-I can handle some alcohol too."
Cecil had asked me to drop by there briefly anyway... Whatever, should be fine?
"Sure? Then let's go."
Going to a bar only VIPs can enter means no trouble should arise. I asked a Join tribe staff member to take us to the VIP bar, and soon a palanquin was prepared.
"We have to ride that?"
"Special room privilege."
The two weren't used to palanquins yet, but they didn't complain. How long had we been carried?
As snow and ice came into view midway up the Reidnin Mountains, a building like an ice castle appeared. At the fantastical sight, Lucille and Veronica let out exclamations.
"Wah..."
"So cool..."
"The inside is even better."
"Won't it be cold?"
"It's made of eternal snow and eternal ice, so it's fine to cast warm magic inside."
That's why Join tribe mages constantly maintained a comfortable temperature with warm magic.
Soon the palanquin stopped before the ice castle, and I led the two, who were looking around, inside. There, they exclaimed again.
"Wah..."
Numerous ice sculptures and soft light from chandeliers created an even more fantastical scene than outside. Not just decorations—the chairs and tables were eternal ice too, gleaming more brilliantly in the light.
"Welcome. Table for you?"
"No. The bar's fine. Is Luinen around?"
Mentioning the head bartender's name brought footsteps from inside. A peacock beastkin with impressive tail feathers spotted me and exclaimed.
"Good heavens! Sage?!"
He rushed over and hugged me. A pleasant scent tickled my nose.
Probably the aroma of cocktails ingrained in the skilled bartender.
"Long time no see, Luinen. Doing well?"
"Of course!"
"Master, you know him?"
"Your connections are insane...."
It ends up like this when you clear achievements. I finished greeting Luinen and followed him to the bar. As soon as I sat, he grinned.
"But who are the two ladies? Girlfriends?"
"Gi-girlfriends..."
"Eek."
"One's my disciple, one's my friend."
"Oh, I see. Nice to meet you. I'm Luinen Voltage, head bartender of Reidnin. I taught the Sage how to make cocktails."
"You can make cocktails too?"
Beverage crafting is part of cooking skills. I used to make them steadily since it counted toward achievements.
"How'd you meet Master?"
"He gathered all the ingredients for my ultimate cocktail. I took him as a friend and disciple then. Haha. The kid's got skills, right?"
Lucille and Veronica tilted their heads, and I smiled.
I hadn't let these two try my cocktails yet.
"Hm? Didn't you learn to make them for someone special?"
"Ah..."
Lucille sighed as if realizing, and Veronica bit her lip.
Yeah. I learned cocktail recipes for achievements, but also for the hero party.
Well-made cocktails are great for stress relief.
"...Masteeer..."
"Not even for your closest friend..."
I smiled at the two pouting. No opportunity yet, but if I set up, I could make them anytime.
"But the ones I make get you drunk fast. Especially the Lady Killer types."
"...Lady Killer? To get girls drunk quick? Why learn so many of those?"
To feed the hero party kids and put them to sleep fast. Otherwise they'd pick fights.
"...I'd like to try one. Yours."
As Lucille gazed at me with dreamy eyes, I looked at Luinen. He smiled and stepped aside, so I entered the bar and picked liquors.
"But Princess, if you're entering the tournament, you need to study tonight..."
She looked visibly disappointed. For her tournament plans, dozing off from drinks would be a big hit.
She needed every extra moment to study and practice duels.
"I can fix that. I know Drunken Cure, a family secret magic."
I sighed, turning toward the voice.
There was Leventia, head bowed, muttering something.
And.
"In exchange? Can you make one for me too?"
Cecil stood smiling.
"The legendary cocktail only the hero party could drink until now."
Author's Note
Thank you so much for the support, Recallamon!!
Hello! It's Malmulmalmul! Just one day until the long holiday, huh ㅎ
I'll be home alone for Chuseok, so I think I'll do some serialization...
See you tomorrow! Bye~
ps.
I swear I scheduled it for 10 AM, why is this... Did I miss somethingㅠㅠ