Chapter 112 : Five Minutes Before Complete Chaos (1)
Five Minutes Before Complete Chaos (1)
A glass of wine, suggested by Vern, whom I was meeting again after 15 years.
Memories of not only drinking with Vern but also gathering all the legion commanders together for drinks flashed through my mind.
Back then and now, alcohol was practically holy water to me.
In the vicious discrimination of Mewzealand, just a drop on my tongue was enough to briefly forget that pain.
'I want a drink.'
Especially, I craved beer so much, the type that would explode out if you shook and opened it.
I wanted to savor the thrill of beer spreading across my tongue and drink till I lost my mind.
'I want a drink... I want a drink...!!'
Of course, I was a minor, so I shouldn't even take a sip.
I had tried to sneak some, but it wasn't easy.
There were over twenty beers in the fridge at home, but the moment even one went missing, my father would know instantly, as if by magic.
Of course, sneaking a beer from the convenience store was out of the question.
The moment I'd try, I'd be labeled a juvenile delinquent.
Given that my father was in charge of juvenile crime, he'd never allow his own son to drink.
As the son of such a man, I absolutely had to stay away from alcohol.
For someone like me, the only place to drink would be where laws didn't matter.
"You said you make the rules here, didn't you?"
That's right. A place with no laws, or authority powerful enough to sweep things under the rug.
Especially here, in Hand, the one with absolute influence was standing right before me.
"Vern."
"Yes, Demon King."
"Do you know what I want right now?"
"Of course, I do."
At my meaningful statement, Vern smiled and approached a bookshelf on the side of the room.
Amid the many bookshelves, there was one—by adult male height, the smallest.
When Vern pulled it aside, the bookshelf slid away like a sliding door.
Beyond that shelf, there was a spacious room.
"What is this place?"
"This is my secret room for enjoying a calm teatime."
Inside, there was a table and chairs, a fridge, and a TV, giving off the vibe of an average bachelor's pad.
Of course, Vern's unique aristocratic extravagance made it far more luxurious than a regular room.
"And this is exactly what you desire, isn't it?"
Vern opened the fridge as he spoke.
Squeeak— as the fridge opened, I opened my eyes wide in shock.
Inside was... a collection of beer and wine.
"Is this a dream or reality?"
"My retainers sometimes come here to drink and relax, too. After all, there's nothing quite like beer for relaxation."
Every bottle was an expensive, high-class drink.
They couldn't even be compared to the draft beer sold at convenience stores.
I wondered how he'd accumulated such a collection, but that wasn't what mattered.
"Here, there's no need to worry about prying eyes. As soon as the door closes, the soundproofing kicks in—so you can get rowdy as you want."
"..."
"I know all too well how much you love drinking, Demon King. So, to be ready for the day we met again, I've stocked up on a huge amount."
With soundproofing, and no one watching or laws to interfere here,
I realized—maybe I'd been living just for a day like this.
"You must have suffered, holding back from drinking with your young body. But here, there is no need for restraint!"
"Vern...! Truly, you are my greatest servant!!"
Overcome with emotion, I hugged Vern.
Though Vern was taller and ended up hugging me back, either way, with this, everything was set.
"But is it just the two of us?"
"Hahaha! Of course not, wouldn't it be sad with just the two of us?"
Vern snapped his fingers—snap!—and a swarm of bats flew in from the ventilation duct.
All these bats gradually merged into humanoid forms.
Vern's retainer vampires, fitting the Earth setting, were dressed like bodyguards, and all knelt to me and shouted:
"We pay our respects to the Demon King!"
Their loyalty hadn't changed at all.
The trusting look in their eyes as they gazed up at me—still the same.
Not that it mattered right now.
"You guys, what are you doing!"
Grabbing a beer from the fridge, I popped the cap and shouted.
"Hurry up and drink!"
Let's dive right back into a sea of booze for the first time in ages!
****
Two girls, entering the central tower of Hand, were extremely tense.
Waiting for the elevator to the chairman's office, both kept sneaking glances at each other.
The other appeared to be a middle schooler, just like herself, and, judging by the elevator, was probably heading for the chairman's office as well.
At the same time, both girls thought the same thing—Ah-rin saw the girl with wings and thought:
'That's definitely the same scent as that girl from before.'
The girl who'd crossed blades with her on the airship.
The wings were just the same, too.
Of course, winged Mutamits are everywhere in the world, but Ah-rin's extraordinarily advanced sense of smell couldn't be ignored.
'She couldn't have recognized me, could she?'
If the other girl had the same senses as Ah-rin, she definitely would have noticed.
There are many Mutamits with excellent senses of smell.
But no one could hold onto a scent for months or years the way Ah-rin could.
It was a sense acquired after becoming Sura, unique to Ah-rin alone.
'Yeah, she probably didn't notice.'
If she had, she wouldn't simply be standing there.
Though a bit unsettled, Ah-rin decided to ignore it and let it pass.
And then...
'That's the Sura from the Sura guild I saw back then, no doubt!'
Eunseol glanced at the fox-eared girl standing by her and thought.
The girl who'd crossed spears with her on the airship.
The tails matched, too.
Of course, canine-type Mutamits are all over the world, but Eunseol's detection of auras couldn't be discounted.
'She couldn't have recognized me, could she?'
The auras Eunseol sensed were different from most people.
For regular people, aura meant someone entering or leaving.
But Eunseol could immediately identify who had appeared.
She'd even been able to identify a guest who visited after three years, even when blind.
It was a sensing ability only Eunseol possessed, and she didn't know why she had such power.
Still, there was one thing she was sure about.
'Still... there's no way she'd recognize me.'
If she had, she wouldn't simply stand there like that.
No matter how much of a Sura she was, she wouldn't have the same ability.
Fox-eared Mutamits are taught that even those with keen senses will forget scents after a few days.
'I was wearing a mask then anyway, so she won't recognize me.'
'I've always hidden myself in veils, who would recognize me?'
Thinking all this, both girls arrived at the same conclusion.
'She doesn't know who I am.'
'She doesn't know who I am.'
Ding—
At that moment, the elevator arrived and opened its doors.
The two girls stepped in and went to press their desired floor.
But when they pressed the same floor, the atmosphere became awkward.
—Now going up.
With the door closing and the elevator ascending, the one who first broke the silence was Ah-rin.
"Are you the transfer student who passed the entrance exam?"
"Huh? Then you...."
"Isn't it obvious, given we pressed the same floor?"
The only place the elevator was heading was the chairman's office.
Going there at this hour was proof they were both transfer students.
"Are you in second year, too?"
"Yeah. Second year."
"So, we're the same age?"
"Yeah...."
Ah-rin was outgoing, while Eunseol was reserved.
Ah-rin, sensing this, decided to push a bit further.
"Looks like we're the only ones who passed the test?"
"I got a message a bit ago saying we didn't need to show up... maybe that's why everyone else went back."
"But why didn't you go back?"
"My grandpa had a gift to deliver to the chairman... so I'm delivering it instead."
"Oh, is it that you're holding in your hand now?"
A paper envelope was in Eunseol's hands.
Ah-rin glanced at it and asked.
"What's inside?"
"Alcohol."
"From the convenience store?"
"No, it's really expensive stuff. My grandpa got close to the chairman when they met a long time ago."
"If your grandpa got close to the chairman... then he must be amazing."
"Yeah...."
Ah-rin realized that Eunseol's grandfather must be the Angel guildmaster.
Even on the airship, it was obvious she was at least connected to the Angel guild.
Then Eunseol asked Ah-rin:
"But what about you?"
"Huh?"
"You got the message too, so why are you here at the chairman's office?"
"Ah... I also have a gift...!"
Ah-rin was holding an envelope, too.
Inside was a luxurious wrist accessory, but unlike Eunseol's present, it had an ulterior motive.
It was a micro spy spell hidden in the ornament, crafted by the Sura guild.
That was the real reason for Ah-rin's gift.
"Your family must be amazing, too."
"Yeah. I'm Kang Ah-rin. You?"
"I'm Ha Eun... no, Baek Eunseol."
"Alright, Eunseol, let's get along well as fellow second years."
"Yeah... Ah-rin."
Ah-rin, smiling widely, extended her hand, and Eunseol shook it.
There was something powerful about Kang Ah-rin that Eunseol felt she lacked—
The ability to get along with anyone, adapt to any social setting.
She possessed everything needed to build great relationships.
'I'm jealous....'
But Ah-rin's aura carried a hidden darkness.
Inside her bright exterior, a thoroughly concealed shadow.
She didn't know what it was, but she couldn't forget that Ah-rin was Sura.
That darkness was surely some witch-like nature working as an underground agent for Sura.
'Jealous as I am... I can't be fooled by her appearance.'
No matter what, this girl was her enemy.
She couldn't let personal feelings sway her.
As they shook hands, Ah-rin could also sense more deeply the scent of Eunseol.
'She smells a lot like me.'
She felt a strange sense of kinship with Eunseol.
In fact, her shy demeanor reminded Ah-rin of her own past self.
Before she met Seongjin.
Back then, shattered by a huge shock and plunged into despair.
'If only we hadn't met as enemies....'
If only, maybe they could have been friends.
Ah-rin was quietly saddened by that thought.
A day might come when they would have to fight as adversaries.
—30th floor. The doors are opening.
At the elevator's announcement, the girls stepped out together.
They walked down the hall and finally found themselves at the chairman's office.
Knock knock knock—
"No one's here, after all?"
Eunseol knocked, but there was no response.
Probably the chairman sent that cancellation message because he knew he'd be absent.
"Huh? The door is open?"
But Ah-rin opened the chairman's office door without hesitation.
Normally, the door would be locked at times like this, but Ah-rin just entered.
Eunseol protested cautiously,
"Wait! Can we just go in like that?"
"Why not? We're just going to leave the gifts and go."
"..."
Given it would just be a moment, Eunseol reluctantly followed.
Honestly, since they'd brought gifts, taking them back wasn't an option.
Besides, if the chairman planned to go out, shouldn't he have locked the door?
That was partly on the chairman, too.
"It's huge, huh?"
"Yeah."
Ah-rin and Eunseol each placed their gifts on the desk.
Then, with nothing left to do, they turned to leave immediately.
For immature students barging into an adult's office, they were being rather well-behaved.
But then...
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Eunseol stopped in her tracks.
She sensed a strange presence in the room.
"Wait a minute...!"
At the same time, Ah-rin froze, her face tense.
She'd caught a scent—someone very familiar, someone she had searched for all her life.
'He's here...!'
The mysterious boy from her dreams.
She didn't remember his face, but Eunseol had never forgotten his aura.
And now, she felt it somewhere in this room, and she could locate its source.
'It's beyond here.'
Eunseol walked up to the smallest bookshelf among the many.
Yet somehow, Ah-rin also stood at that bookshelf.
"..."
"..."
There was something inside.
Something they both hoped for.
Trusting their instincts, both girls pushed the shelf aside with all their strength.
Suddenly, the soundproofing gave way, and noise erupted from beyond.
"Iyeeeeeee~!!"
"Uiihaaaaa~!!"
"Urriiiiiiii~!!"
As the hidden space behind the bookshelf was revealed, a chaotic, riotous scene welcomed the girls.
It was a wide, clean-looking studio.
But the floor was littered with things.
Bottles.
Beer bottles.
Wine bottles.
Spilled booze.
Shattered wine glasses.
Shirts and trousers.
And... underwear.
"Ugh... I can't drink any more...."
"Ha... I give up...."
"I can't believe I lost...!"
Not only objects, but men collapsed on the floor, defeated by alcohol.
All were shirtless.
Ah-rin grimaced at the heavy reek of alcohol in the air.
But the shock wasn't over.
"Wahahahahaha!!! Look at this!!"
A boy was standing atop the table, howling.
For some reason, there was something very familiar about this boy—an overwhelming sense of longing welled up within her.
Eunseol was nearly moved to tears at the realization that this boy was the one she'd been searching for.
"My long-lost son has been reborn through resurrection!!"
The boy wasn't wearing any pants.
Not even underwear.
Completely naked, the boy kept boasting about a certain part of himself.
"The son I'd lost! Reborn through resurrection!!"
"Truly magnificent, Demon King!!"
"Who dares insult my son!!"
If this were on TV, it would be immediately censored.
"Who the hell are youuuuu...."
"..."
"..."
The boy's howling stopped the moment his eyes met those of the two girls.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Wahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahaha.
「✧*｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و✧*｡」