Chapter 108
The old man—disheveled in appearance but exuding a sinister aura—grinned widely when he saw Clayton, revealing teeth stained with thick, red liquid.
"Hey, Clayton! What brings you here? Isn’t it a little early for the wheat harvest?" he asked with unsettling enthusiasm.
Clayton managed an awkward smile, hesitant to step any closer. Vino, seemingly oblivious to his discomfort, cheerfully waved him in.
"Come on in already!"
After a moment’s hesitation, Clayton stepped inside, a mix of unease and curiosity churning in his gut.
"Have a seat!" Vino said, motioning toward a nearby chair.
Clayton sat while Vino disappeared into the back of the house. The place looked just as it had the year before, but something about it felt different now—like he was in a place it’d be all too easy to lose yourself in... or never leave at all.
His eyes landed on a glass filled with a deep red liquid. It looked just like the potent brew Old Man Wood had sampled the previous year. Clayton had tried it too—just one sip—and immediately vomited.
He suspected it was the same liquor now staining Vino’s mouth and clothes with that disturbing crimson hue. The air held a faint, sweet-metallic scent that made his stomach tighten. As he reached for the glass to confirm, Vino returned, arms full with several bottles.
"Come on, try this liquor I brewed using your grain!" Vino said excitedly, pouring the drink into a small cup and handing it to Clayton.
Clayton accepted it hesitantly, sniffing it like it might be poison. But the moment the aroma hit his nose, a warm, soothing sensation spread through his body—like soaking in a hot spring.