## Chapter 308 – Monarch of Monsters (10)
“Woo-hoo! In this foreign land, huh!?
I’ve even found someone to share a drink with!!
I can’t tell you how happy that makes me!!
Right!? Vivi-yah!!”
This was beyond uncouth.
I couldn’t tell what dialect she was using, but the excessively polite language from before was long gone.
Roxanne was chugging down endless drinks as if she were at some kind of fruit wine buffet. As if that wasn’t enough, whether it was a drinking habit or not, she kept forcing drinks on everyone around her.
“I… I think you’ve had too much…”
“Wait…!! Um…!!
I… I think I’m getting… hic!!”
“Hey now~ Don’t be a lightweight!!
Come on!! You can do it!! Here, bottoms up~”
“Ugh… Glug… Glug… Gueeeh…”
Seeing Lania finally succumb to the alcohol and faceplant onto the table, Vivian shuddered with a sense of impending doom.
‘This is… a restaurant…!!
Why is she acting like she’s in a dive bar!!
Something’s wrong…!!
I need to get out of here…!!’
“Vivi-yah~ Where are you rushing off to…?”
“Ah… Roxanne… I need to use the restroom…”
As soon as she showed signs of getting up, Roxanne swiftly grabbed her from behind and whispered. Vivian desperately wracked her dizzy brain for an excuse, pointing a trembling finger towards the restroom.
“Ohhh…? Alright, off you go~”
Vivian breathed a sigh of relief at Roxanne’s unexpectedly easy release, and scurried towards the restroom.
“Rene-Rene~ Let’s have a drink together~
Heehee!! You’re good at drinking~!!
Your face is so red, it’s cute~”
Looking back, she saw Roxanne clinging to Lania, who was already at her limit, and forcing more alcohol down her throat, a radiant smile on her face. Vivian shuddered.
“Glug… Glug… Vivian… nim…
Save… Glug… Blub… Gueeeh…”
‘She already has a hostage…
That’s why she let me go…!!’
How could there be such a cruel cleric in this world?
What was even more astonishing was that even Vivian and Lania, whose metabolisms had been significantly improved by drinking Enic’s sap, hadn’t drunk nearly as much as Roxanne.
They certainly enjoyed their drinks, and had brought alcohol to the lair to drink on several occasions.
Because of their enhanced metabolisms, it was hard for them to get drunk, so they had to drink a considerable amount to even feel tipsy.
Even they were feeling like they were about to die, so what kind of being was this woman?
Of course, they had drunk a lot compared to ordinary people, but it was nothing compared to the amazing liver of this woman, who had drunk several times more and was only slightly tipsy.
Even the Chao Xing people, who were generally known to be strong drinkers, would have a hard time matching her capacity.
As an example, Anne, who had come along with them, had initially been reserved due to the tension of being with strangers, but had long since face-planted into her main dish.
“I… can’t… Ugh…”
Feeling sympathy for her nemesis for the first time in her life, Vivian emptied her stomach into the toilet. She had a terrible feeling that tonight wouldn’t be easy.
Desperate to turn the situation around, she washed her face in the sink, trying to clear her head with the cold water, and then tried to leave the restroom.
“Woo-hoo~ This booze is sweet!!
Booze is the best, after all, right?
Ouch!!”
“Ugh… I’m… I’m sorry… Ugh…!!”
“What!! Are you alright? The toilet’s this way!! Come on!! Quick!!”
“Gueeeeeh…”
Just as someone bumped into her, Vivian was overcome with nausea again, and clutched her mouth. Someone guided her to the toilet.
‘Never again… will I drink with that woman… Ugh…’
After emptying her stomach for the second time, Vivian finally managed to calm her churning insides. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and was finally able to thank the person who had helped her.
“Hehe~ You’ve had quite a bit to drink, haven’t you?
Having a good time, I see?
You’re an Academy student, right? Swordsmanship Department?”
“How… how did you know…”
“You have calluses on your hands.
Swordsmen are all pretty similar, aren’t they?
Judging by your age, you must still be a trainee swordsman.
Oh, by the way!! Do you know Anne?”
Vivian was surprised that this person, who looked vaguely familiar, was able to figure out her personal information so quickly.
What was even more surprising was the name that came out of her mouth…
“Anne… I… I know her…
She’s at our table…”
“Really!? Yay!! That’s great!!
I was just looking for her!!”
Vivian flinched at the sudden outburst, but before she could react, the woman grabbed her hands and started jumping up and down. Vivian couldn’t keep up with her energy and decided that she needed to get rid of this woman as soon as possible. She led her back to the table where they had been sitting.
“Um… Monehen is over there… can you see her…?”
“Ah!! My student…!!
Come to think of it… are you perhaps…
My cute student’s friend?”
“No. We just teamed up for a specialized training assignment…”
“Is that so? Still, thank you!!
Student!! Your teacher is here~!!
Why is she sleeping like this?
Student!! Breathe!!”
Vivian breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the woman rush over and shake Anne, who was still face-planted in her plate.
However, the words “teacher” and “student” that she had heard were strangely bothering her.
‘She seems a bit stronger…
Was there something going on…?’
As the woman was shaking Anne, trying to wake her up, Roxanne, who had been force-feeding Lania alcohol, turned her head and spotted her.
“Hmm… that face looks familiar…
Have we perhaps met somewhere before… Ah…!!”
Roxanne glanced at the woman’s face and finally let go of Lania, standing up and approaching the woman.
“A Guardian!! Aren’t you [The Battlefield Bitch]!!”
“Bitch…? I’m Polcinella!!
Still, you recognized me!!
Are you perhaps my fan…!!?”
“Wow~ It really is you!!
You fought a wyvern single-handedly!!
I’ve heard all the heroic tales!!”
Polcinella, whose identity was finally revealed, didn’t seem surprised that Roxanne knew so much about her. She shyly covered her cheeks, as if embarrassed.
“Hyaaah!! Aww~ I’m so embarrassed~
Well, I wasn’t exactly single-handed…!!
The others were mostly retired, so, well…
Yes!! I am the Wyvern Slayer!!
The Battlefield Bitch, that’s me!!
But Deborah doesn’t even know that… Hmph…”
“I thought you went to the restroom, why are you causing a ruckus here… what…?”
Just then, someone appeared from behind Polcinella, who was shouting loudly, and stuck their face in.
The distinctive silver hair that was hard to miss anywhere, and the eyes that somehow gave off a menacing aura.
“Deborahaaaa~ Look!!
I have a fan here~
I’m actually amazing!!
Do you finally understand? Huh!?”
“This one’s already drunk…
Wait… who’s that…?”
Vivian’s expression began to sour at the appearance of Investigator Deborah, whom she had never expected to see.
“Ugh…”
After briefly cooperating with Parlocino in their previous confrontation, they had failed to defeat him and had parted ways after being miserably defeated. She hadn’t seen her face for a while since then.
“You there. Have we met somewhere before?”
Nemea now had a new feature that allowed her to thinly cover her face, like a mask, to disguise her appearance.
As a side effect, her face was slightly larger than before, but that didn’t matter to Vivian, who originally had a small head.
It was too time-consuming and tiring to have Parastah perform temporary plastic surgery every time she went in and out of the Academy and the back alleys.
Recently, she had been using this newly developed feature to easily disguise herself.
To be caught in a place like this, and with Deborah seemingly recognizing her, Vivian turned her head slightly and gave a nonchalant answer.
“I… don’t think so…
I’ve heard that I have a common face. Ahem…”
“That face looks familiar…
Am I just imagining things…”
Vivian shuddered as she watched Deborah, who seemed to see through Nemea and sense her presence. She could only give a negative answer, feigning calmness.
In fact, Deborah could have come to arrest Vivian at any time.
She had seen Vivian’s face when she had clashed with Parlocino, and it was now common knowledge in the back alleys that she was in conflict with Mademoiselle of Laratina.
It was something that could be found out with a little investigation.
Vivian had been on high alert, preparing to escape, in case Deborah led the Public Security Department to find her.
But if Vivian knew that Deborah, whom she had been wary of, was not being stopped at the entrance and was constantly visiting Floraz as a customer of Hwangsonam, what kind of expression would she make?
“Well, that’s not important.
Is it Monehen again this time?
Last time too. And this time too?”
“Why? What’s wrong with my student!?”
“Does that mean this kid is the one you were talking about?”
“Yes, yes!! Of course!!”
“So if these four are in the same group…
Do we have to take these kids with us?”
“Um… well… I guess so…? Ahaha…
But what’s wrong with that? There are plenty of seats anyway?”
She had said that she was going to search for dragons and bring someone she hadn’t seen in a long time, but it turned out to be a bunch of kids. What a shocking truth.
Deborah’s expression was turning to one of astonishment.
“What do you think the Public Security Department is…
More importantly, the students… Haa… Never mind…
Right… it’s ‘that’ period…
I just need to issue the certificate.
But I’m telling you again, you’re responsible for managing them.”
She, too, had been a graduate of the Academy in the past, along with Polcinella.
Deborah seemed to be thinking about something for a moment, and then closed her eyes slightly as if something had occurred to her.
“Waaaah!! Yes, yes, yes!!♡
Then it’s settled?
Let’s have another drink!!
Owner!! Combine the tables and bring more fruit wine!!”
“This is a restaurant, so please don’t shout…
Haaa… Don’t act like you know me…
And I have things to do.
Take care of these kids and gather at the appointed time.”
Perhaps it was because she had finally realized the full extent of Polcinella’s proposal.
“Ehhh? Where are you going? Let’s have a drink~!!”
“I’m always busy.
Unlike you, who came out to play.
Then I’ll be going.”
Deborah, who turned away coolly, lightly ignored Polcinella, who was watching her back and reaching out her hand slightly, and walked past the table.
“Excuse me, can I have a bag?”
“Ah… yes, yes…!! Here you go…!!”
She took a large packaging bag from the waiter and stormed out of the restaurant.
And as she continued to fold the bag in half until it was about the size of a small book, she carefully slipped it inside her uniform. Deborah’s hurried footsteps were heading somewhere, exhaling a slightly excited breath, without anyone knowing.
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