Chapter 35: The Drunken Wager

Yufinika’s gaze turned vacant as she stared at the pastry, now lying on the ground and coated in dust.

“Why won’t you feed me? Do you despise me?”

Yalin found himself completely at a loss.

‘Seriously, was she deliberately trying to provoke him?’

‘Still, she was the boss; whatever she said must be right.’

“That’s not what I meant, Yufinika, I merely…”

“No, you do.”

Yufinika, her expression resolute, cut off Yalin’s attempt to explain.

“This simply won’t do… despite my admirable qualities, you still harbor such dislike for me…”

“It appears a small punishment is in order.”

A mischievous grin played upon Yufinika’s lips.

“Tell you what, go fetch those bottles of wine from the cabinet.”

“Very well.”

Following her instruction, Yalin retrieved several wine bottles from the cabinet.

Each bottle, crafted from lustrous white jade, bore intricate gilded patterns, immediately signaling them as exceptionally rare and precious vintages.

“Shall I open them immediately?”

“Precisely, open every single one.”

As Yalin twisted open a stopper, a potent, acrid aroma of spirits instantly assailed him, causing his brow to furrow in an involuntary grimace.

The liquor was incredibly potent, akin to nothing less than industrial disinfectant.

Yufinika, cradling a bottle, brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply, a look of utter rapture blooming across her face.

“Do you know? This is Elanmia’s most exquisite liquor, meticulously crafted through dozens of intricate processes. Each bottle commands a price upwards of ten thousand Riel, and it’s said that no one has ever managed to finish even one without succumbing to its potency.”

Turning her gaze to Yalin, she inquired with keen interest, “Do you habitually partake in alcoholic beverages?”

Yalin shook his head. “I never touch alcohol,” he replied.

“Perhaps you’d like to try it, then.”

From beneath the table, Yufinika produced a thimble-sized goblet, placing it before Yalin and then filling it to the brim.

The liquor within the tiny cup shimmered with an unparalleled clarity, utterly devoid of any impurities, much like pristine water.

Despite its potent scent, an exquisitely refreshing aroma wafted from it.

Truly, this was the pinnacle of alchemy; its sophistication was undeniable.

“As a consequence for your earlier transgression, why don’t you simply drink this cup of liquor?”

“…”

Yalin gazed at the diminutive cup before him, a knot of apprehension tightening in his stomach.

He finally understood the harrowing experience of being coerced into drinking by one’s superior at a banquet.

In truth, both before his transmigration and after, he had always been a staunch teetotaler.

To attempt such a formidable challenge right from the outset, he reckoned he wouldn’t manage more than a couple of sips before collapsing into an insensible stupor on the floor.

‘Yet… perhaps this new body possessed an inherent resistance to alcohol, a legendary constitution capable of enduring a thousand cups?’

‘Still, considering this subpar vessel, it was best not to harbor excessive expectations.’

“What’s wrong, unwilling? In that case, you may feed me again, but this time, it must be from here.”

Yufinika’s breathtakingly beautiful face drew closer, her fingertip tracing a light path across Yalin’s lips.

‘Damn it!’

‘This woman, as expected, harbored ill intentions; ultimately, she merely desired his body.’

‘But Yalin, a man of unwavering principles, would never compromise his body until the absolute last resort.’

‘He could not possibly win, but he would stubbornly maintain his stance.’

“Yufinika, you jest. How could I possibly presume to commit such an impertinent act?”

With a decisive motion, Yalin gripped the diminutive goblet and, without a moment’s hesitation, poured its entire liquid contents into his mouth.

The instant the potent spirit slid down his throat, it felt as though a fiery ball had plunged directly into his stomach, a searing heat scorching its way up his esophagus and straight into his skull.

Yalin’s vision swam white, and a profound dizziness assailed him, nearly causing him to lose consciousness.

‘No, this concoction was far too ferocious, its potency dwarfing even the notorious Sleeping Red Tea.’

‘Another sip, and he would undoubtedly lose all awareness; at that point, wouldn’t Yufinika be free to toy with him as she pleased, his virtue utterly compromised?’

“Cough, cough… cough, cough…”

Yalin, as if suddenly choked, erupted into a violent fit of coughing.

Under the pretense of covering his mouth with his hand, he deftly retrieved a small pill from his sleeve and swallowed it, unnoticed by anyone.

‘It was ludicrous; as an alchemist whose own physical combat prowess was utterly nonexistent, it would be utterly inexcusable not to carry a supply of antidotes.’

“Hmph, hmph, such a glib tongue, but now you’ve finally tasted the bitter consequences, haven’t you? How do you feel at this very moment?”

After a prolonged fit of coughing, Yalin’s complexion gradually returned to normal before he slowly managed to utter, “For the moment, I find myself perfectly fine.”

“Still trying to act tough, are we? Though, I must admit, you are rather endearing in that state.”

Witnessing Yalin’s discomfort, Yufinika found herself growing increasingly exhilarated.

“Given your stubborn refusal to concede, how about we engage in a little contest?”

“I speak only the truth; there is no defiance in my words.”

“It matters not.”

Yufinika lifted another bottle, casually plucked out its stopper, and tossed it carelessly aside.

“Here’s what we’ll do: we’ll take turns drinking, and see who collapses into a drunken stupor first.”

“Should I emerge victorious, you must remain by my side until tomorrow morning. However, if you win, you may select any single material from my personal warehouse and claim it as your own.”

“Naturally, a straightforward competition would be entirely unjust, so I shall grant you a slight advantage. You need only finish the contents of the small goblet each round, while I, conversely, will take a generous swig directly from the bottle. What do you say?”

‘Yufinika’s warehouse…’ A flicker of intrigue sparked within Yalin.

‘Undoubtedly, it harbored countless invaluable treasures, perhaps even those elusive and indispensable materials he had long sought.’

‘Yet, observing her brimming confidence, she clearly believed herself impervious to defeat.’

‘Under ordinary circumstances, of course, that would be true.’

“If Yufinika desires to play, then I am naturally most willing to oblige.”

“Excellent. Let us commence immediately, then.”

Yufinika proved true to her word, drinking precisely as declared, without the slightest pretense.

She tilted the bottle to her lips and took a substantial, unhesitating gulp.

Drops of liquor trickled down her slender neck, and Yufinika’s face swiftly bloomed with a flush of crimson.

“Very well, your turn!”

“Indeed.”

“Haha, I must say, you’re proving quite capable! Again!”

“Indeed.”

“Mmm… your turn once more.”

“Indeed.”

“Again… again… just one more…”

“Indeed.”

The contest raged for well over ten minutes before, at last, Yufinika could no longer sustain herself, collapsing with a soft thud onto the sofa in a drunken stupor.

An empty bottle, carelessly discarded, rolled across the floor with a faint, resonant clink.

Her words had proven prophetic; indeed, no one could consume a full bottle of Elanmia’s finest liquor and retain their consciousness.

Yalin exhaled in relief, the eccentric woman had finally succumbed to slumber.

It seemed her singular devotion to swordsmanship had left her utterly ignorant of alchemy, preventing her from discerning his subtle stratagems.

“Ugh… mmm…”

The potent aroma of the liquor still permeated the air. Yufinika, utterly intoxicated, lay defenseless and soft upon the sofa, her throat emitting soft, languid whimpers.

Her long hair tumbled in disarray over her shoulders, a few strands clinging to her flushed cheeks. Her soft, seemingly plush lips parted slightly, releasing a faint, indistinct murmur.

“Wuwu… Noah…”