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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Silverriver
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Bell led me down a familiar corridor. Past the Magic Department, we arrived at a club room. The lights were on, indicating someone was inside.
“Ugh…”
Just as we were about to enter, someone stumbled out of the club room.
Iridun Nopheltein. A second-year Class B student and a club member. He clutched his head, groaning. The smell of alcohol was overwhelming. He must have been drinking heavily.
“Iridun, you reek.”
Bell snapped her fingers, and a spell activated. A cool breeze swept through the corridor, replacing the stench of alcohol with the refreshing scent of mint.
“Who do you think made me drink so much…!”
“Are you sure it’s not just your low alcohol tolerance?”
“Shut up… retch!”
Seeing Iridun gagging, I felt a flicker of fear. Would I end up like that? Should I even be drinking?
The enticing liquid sloshing in the bottle had been too tempting to resist. My body had never processed harmful substances before.
“Deron? Why are you just standing there?”
“Huh? Oh, I was just lost in thought.”
“Hmm…”
Bell looked down at me. She was taller than the average woman, and… well-endowed. She took a step back, her slender legs carrying her gracefully.
“Well, I guess at your age, those kinds of thoughts are normal.”
“…?”
What was she talking about?
The smell emanating from the club room was overpowering. I instinctively wrinkled my nose. However much Iridun had drunk, anyone passing by would surely notice the smell.
“I need to let out some air.”
Bell seemed to have the same thought, casting the same spell. A gust of wind swept through the room, dispelling the smell of alcohol and replacing it with the scent of roses.
“Oh…”
Bell smiled, seemingly pleased with the fragrance wafting from the club room. She took my arm and led me inside.
“What are you waiting for? Come in.”
“….”
I hesitated, glancing at Iridun. He was shaking his head frantically, as if warning me not to enter.
Seeing his reaction, I had a feeling I shouldn’t…
Clink
Bell swirled the bottle, the liquid sloshing inside. I swallowed hard. I had endured so long without alcohol.
My current condition was good. Excellent, even.
“Just one glass, then…”
I knew I wouldn’t stop at one, but I couldn’t resist the temptation. I took the bottle from her.
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“….”
“Wow, Junior, you can really hold your liquor.”
Bell, her face flushed, was drinking straight from the bottle. I took a small sip from the glass before me.
To put it bluntly, I had failed.
I had wanted to have at least one drink, even if it killed me. I wanted to experience that pleasant buzz of alcohol. The taste of alcohol, after being forced into abstinence, was as sweet as a first kiss.
My body didn’t reject the alcohol. It processed it like any other liquid.
But that was it.
I didn’t feel intoxicated. Not even slightly dizzy, despite drinking like it was water, far exceeding my usual limit.
[Trait: Unyielding Spirit activating detoxification sequence.]
[1…]
[2…]
[3…]
This damned trait wouldn’t even let me get drunk. Who knew the Unyielding Spirit wouldn’t yield even to alcohol?
I gritted my teeth and took another large gulp, frustrated. Alcohol that didn’t intoxicate was no different from hot water.
“Junior.”
“Yes.”
Bell seemed slightly drunk, despite having consumed so much. It was more surprising that she hadn’t gotten drunk sooner.
“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”
“Do I?”
“Yeah.”
She giggled. I didn’t know why she was laughing, but I assumed it was the alcohol.
“You know I’m the Count’s daughter, right?”
“Of course. One wouldn’t survive in the Empire without knowing the Cardia name.”
The Count of Winter Castle. Count Cardia was a steadfast shield, protecting the Empire from the harsh winters.
It was said that the Count of Cardia’s influence rivaled that of some Dukes. It was likely true. Tens of thousands of soldiers, gathered to defend against the winter, without any interference from the Imperial Family. Honed in the crucible of Winter Castle, they were arguably the Empire’s most elite troops.
“I drank… a lot while living in Winter Castle.”
“I know.”
I had heard that people in Russia drank vodka like water. Winter Castle was probably similar. They poured hot liquor down their throats to combat the frigid temperatures. That was why northerners had high alcohol tolerances.
It was a detail not mentioned in the original story, something I had researched myself. I didn’t even remember if Winter Castle was mentioned in the original.
“To survive the winter, you need to keep your body warm, and alcohol is perfect for that.”
“….”
“Junior, your body feels very cold.”
I looked at her, startled. Bell’s green eyes met mine. Her gaze was surprisingly sharp for someone who was drunk.
“When you live in Winter Castle, you learn to distinguish between hot and cold. Crena acts cold, but she’s warm. The President is the warmest of us all. Iridun is a little cold, but within normal range.”
Bell Cardia pointed at me.
“But you, Junior, are different. You’re frozen, inside and out.”
Frozen? Me?
I swallowed hard, my gaze fixed on her lips.
“Like a walking ice age. As if you wouldn’t feel any warmth even if you drank fire, not alcohol.”
“Is there a way to… drive away that ice age?”
“Hmm…”
Bell seemed to consider her answer. I waited, hoping for a clue about my terminal illness, this cursed trait.
“I don’t know. All I can tell is that your body is frozen.”
“I see.”
I sighed inwardly, disappointed. I thought I had found a clue, but…
Seeing my disappointment, Bell continued,
“But someone else might know.”
“Who?”
“My father.”
“Your… father?”
“Yeah.”
Count Cardia? The lord of Winter Castle?
“He’s even better at distinguishing these things than I am. He might know why you’re so cold.”
“….”
“Break is coming up soon, right? Want to come to Winter Castle with me?”
An unexpected offer. But intriguing. Bell had somehow sensed my condition, even though I hadn’t told her.
‘And her father is supposedly even more perceptive.’
I told her I would consider it and left the club room. The rose scent had dissipated, replaced by the pungent smell of alcohol.
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“As announced, the ranking matches will now begin.”
Professor Akdin made the declaration the moment he entered the classroom. The ranking matches, held over a week, were conducted in a tournament format.
Of course, this didn’t apply to Regina. Due to her status as a transfer student, she couldn’t participate yet. The professors had made that decision.
But it wasn’t a disadvantage for Regina. Even without participating in the ranking matches, Iliad Academy offered many other benefits.
‘For example….’
this library. I doubted Iliad Academy’s library could surpass the Imperial Library, but Regina, who enjoyed reading and gathering information, found it a welcome resource.
“….”
She entered the reading room and took a deep breath, savoring the scent of old books. She glanced around, looking for something light to read. She planned to leave as soon as she found something.
“Oh?”
A particular book caught her eye.
A rare and valuable antique. The book of Lenox, the Magic Swordsman, known as the first and last to perfectly embody that class.
The worn cover, the brittle pages that looked as if they might crumble at any touch. It seemed worth reading, even if it wasn’t the original manuscript.
She hurried towards it, intending to take the book, but it was too high. Out of her reach. She scanned the room, her eyes half-closed.
There was a ladder, perfect for reaching the book.
“Ugh…”
She struggled to move the ladder. It was heavier than she’d anticipated. Normally, she would have a servant do this, but she was alone.
She finally managed to position the ladder and reached for the book. Just as her fingers brushed against it someone else took it.
“…!”
A black suit jacket, a crisp white shirt beneath a vest, a cane for support, and black eyes fixated on the book.
A face often spoken of in rumors, yet one she was seeing in person for the first time.
A man whose beauty was legendary.
Deron Philasia was looking down at her, his expression impassive.
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did u feel the tension?? hmm
