Published: February 1, 2026
Because of the C-rank request, “I want to drink my fill of liquor from liquor-spring trees,” the three of them had gone to collect the alcohol-like sap from the liquor-spring trees that grew only in certain parts of the jungle. Now, with the bottles secured, they were heading to the guild, walking through the streets of Astarnia.
Incidentally, Gill and Eleven had very naturally made sure to secure their own personal share as well. Since only a small amount could be collected at once, it was counted among the high-class liquors. It probably didn’t taste bad. Watching the two already discussing how they’d drink it this very night, Lizel nodded, feeling satisfied that they were pleased.
“Come to think of it, lately the gate guards don’t really nod at us anymore.”
“Well, they were totally convinced by what they’d been told about us, yeah.”
When they’d first entered the country, the picture Nahas had given the gate guards of who Lizel and the others were had been passed around in turn among the guards who rotated in and out of duty. Supposedly: “The three weirdos—one excessively noble-looking, one excessively black, and one excessively eccentric and out-of-touch with reality—are in fact normal adventurers, so it’s fine to let them through.”
For the guards, it was only meant to avoid the shock of suddenly finding out someone was an adventurer at the gate. But having a guard they’d never met before instantly and wholeheartedly accept them as “Oh, you’re those guys,” had left Lizel and the others thinking, What on earth…? at first. They let it slide, though.
“We’re stopping in.”
“Okay.”
Gill suddenly ducked into a liquor shop along the road; apparently what they’d just acquired wasn’t enough for him.
Well, that made sense. When Gill drank alone, he tended to slowly savor strong and expensive spirits. But Eleven, regardless of alcohol content, just poured it down like water. And when Gill drank with Eleven, he matched Eleven’s high pace. No matter how much alcohol they had on hand, there would never be leftovers.
“Big Brother totally gets it. I want this, and this, and this.”
“Quit picking all the sweet crap…”
“It’s not that sweet, and if it’s booze you can handle it a little sweet, right, Big Brother? And also—”
The liquor from liquor-spring trees should be extremely high-proof as well—would they really be okay? Watching Gill and Eleven casually buy whatever bottles caught their eye, Lizel let his gaze drift along the lined-up bottles as well.
He knew the names of the liquors and where those names came from, he knew the ingredients and the distilling methods—but only the taste itself was unknown to him. In noble society, being unable to drink was a real hassle at parties. He had no idea what he might do if he got drunk, so he couldn’t let others find out that he couldn’t casually drink.
Compared to the Capital City, there were overwhelmingly more dry varieties here, but there were also many sweet fruit wines that used the jungle’s distinctive fruits. Many of both types were high in alcohol content; that was probably just how this country was.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Leader. What d’you wanna drink?”
“No, I was only looking.”
“Oh,” Eleven said, sounding disappointed. Behind him, Gill was making a disgusted face.
Lizel honestly wondered why their reactions were so different. He really was curious what he was like when drunk, but whenever he remembered the hangover, he lost all desire to drink.
They left the shop and started walking again. By the time they reached the guild, the sun was already setting. Since it had taken time for the slowly seeping sap to collect in the bottles, they’d ended up hitting the guild at peak rush hour, instead of their usual habit of finishing early and returning before the crowd. It was the time when many adventurers came back, and people were constantly going in and out.
Looks like this will take a while, they were saying as they stepped through the wide-open guild doors—when it happened.