First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 10

Max returned to where we were, trembling all over.

“How was it?”

Seria asked excitedly.

“Did you really see the true form of the Celestial? What did they look like? Did you see Gabriel too?”

“Y-yeah. I think I saw them, but…”

Max answered with his head hung low.

“The thing is… I can’t really remember.”

He looked as if his mind had been shattered by shock.

‘So this is how it works.’

I had wondered how they maintained security after showing their true forms to the royal family every time.

It seemed they erased the very memory of facing the true form after the blessing ended.

“Gasp!”

When I looked up, the same thing that happened with Max was occurring in front of us.

Carno’s eyes flashed as if awakening, and then the holy power emanating from his pupils was absorbed back into the stone tablet.

The emblems engraved on the stone tablet lit up one by one like a spinning roulette, then settled on one spot.

[The deity who has bestowed a blessing upon Prince Carno is… Michael!]

And once again, cheers erupted.

In the midst of this, I was able to discern a pattern.

‘One person gives the blessing, but all four are met face to face.’

The evidence was that all four emblems engraved on the sacred artifact flashed once each.

“Thank you.”

Kal calmly bowed and returned to his original position.

The baptism ceremony proceeded much faster than I had expected.

When I came to my senses, more than half of all the candidates had already received their blessings.

Only two people remained.

Just Seria and me.

[Next. Princess Seria de Argent, please step forward!]

Waaaaaaah!

“I’ll be back!”

Seria answered energetically and stepped forward.

Having already watched two people go through the process, her subsequent movements flowed as naturally as water.

Seria placed her hands gently on the stone tablet and took a deep breath.

The lively atmosphere settled down completely.

Whooom.

Light emanating from the stone tablet entered Seria’s body.

Just like the previous two, Seria began emitting light from her eyes.

The light showed no signs of fading anytime soon.

Somehow it seemed to be taking longer than the other two.

How much time had passed?

Whooosh.

The light returned to the stone tablet, revealing which deity had blessed Seria.

[The deity who has bestowed baptism upon the Princess is… Gabriel!]

Waaaaaaaaaah!

Cheers louder than usual echoed throughout.

Gabriel was a deity who enjoyed relatively more popularity than the other three Celestials.

Emperor Brunei also applauded Seria with a satisfied expression.

“Hmph! As expected of my sister.”

Killian, apparently not remembering what he had done a month ago, shamelessly bragged about his sister to Arthur sitting beside him.

Second Empress Fiore also had a bright smile blooming across her face.

[Now, this is already the final turn.]

Here it comes.

Damn it.

[Prince Cael de Argent, please step forward!]

Thunderous cheers struck my ears.

But to me, it felt as if the world had been enveloped in silence.

Step by step.

My footsteps toward the altar felt like walking a thousand-mile journey.

[Please place your palm here.]

Anghel’s voice pierced my eardrums.

Was placing my hand here the right choice?

Should I just declare that I won’t receive a blessing?

‘That might actually be better.’

If I faced their true form, there was a high probability my identity would be discovered.

Conflict and anguish confused my mind.

[Your Highness…?]

When I didn’t place my hand, Anghel called out to me with apparent confusion.

The countless spectators filling the Grand Cathedral, and the royal family members came into my view.

Including Ellia, who was looking at me with expectation.

‘…Damn it.’

From the beginning, what I would choose had already been decided.

Now that it’s come to this, it’s do or die.

Thud.

I placed my palm on the stone tablet.

Soon, along with bright rays of light that covered my vision, my consciousness began to sink.

* * *

[Open your eyes.]

A space surrounded by darkness.

I slowly opened my eyes as the voice commanded.

[Human.]

The surroundings were filled with complete darkness.

But it wasn’t dark. Countless stars were illuminating the area.

A vast sea of galaxies adorning my vision.

Though I had never been to this place, I could instinctively tell.

This is the Heavenly Realm.

[From now on, answer truthfully to what I ask.]

A beautiful voice that I couldn’t tell was male or female.

It was a voice I had heard before. Of course, in my previous life.

When I looked up, I saw a tall beauty with blue hair grown down to the waist.

An appearance that could be seen as either male or female depending on perspective.

It was the true form of Gabriel, First Rank Celestial and Archangel.

[Why do you, despite being human…]

From Gabriel’s expression and tone, I could clearly sense

[possess magic power?]

hostility.

‘As expected, I’m discovered immediately.’

This was within the expected range.

Fortunately, they hadn’t realized that my true identity was Pluton’s reincarnation.

“Before that, there’s something I’d like to ask you as well.”

I calmly opened my mouth while facing Gabriel’s distorted expression.

“Where are the other Celestials? Why are you here alone?”

[I judged this matter too critical to inform the other Celestials yet, human who possesses demonic energy.]

“That’s strange. Usually when something’s critical, don’t you discuss and decide with your colleagues?”

[I am Gabriel, Archangel and First Rank Celestial. I have the authority to decide whether or not to share information with other Celestials.]

This one also has somewhat autocratic tendencies like Vergil.

It seems the Celestials, like the Demon Lords, usually regard each other with indifference during peacetime.

No, they might even be building subtle competitive relationships.

[Answer quickly, human.]

Gabriel’s presence intensified.

My knees went weak under the pressure emanating from the supreme Celestial in earnest.

[Depending on your answer, I might tear you apart and kill you right here and now.]

At those words, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

[…What’s so amusing?]

“Go ahead and kill me.”

[What?]

Gabriel was flustered.

Had he not expected me to be so reckless?

“I said go ahead and kill me.”

I spread both arms wide defensively.

The power difference between Gabriel and me is absolute.

With just one light gesture from him, my body would scatter as a handful of ash.

If he could, that is.

“Hurry up and kill me then? Come on.”

[…]

“You can’t kill me, can you?”

Hehe.

I twisted my expression and laughed wildly.

Really, it’s nothing short of comedy.

“Your true form is in the Heavenly Realm, and my body is in the Intermediate Realm. If crossing dimensional barriers were that simple, the Demon Lords would have already invaded the Intermediate Realm and wreaked havoc. Isn’t that right?”

[…]

“What’s before my eyes is indeed the true form of a real deity. But what’s before you is fake. Just a simple collection of consciousness. My real body is in the Millennium Cathedral. Not here in the Heavenly Realm.”

Gabriel’s eyes began trembling mercilessly with rage.

Right, it must be humiliating to be mocked by a mere mortal.

But what’s he going to do about it?

When he can’t even touch me here.

[Look at this! You don’t know your place and dare to climb up! You insignificant insect!]

Pure white energy gathered in Gabriel’s grasp.

The exclusive power of angels and celestial beings. The power of light that opposes demonic energy.

Divine power.

[Die! You insect-like human!]

The divine power Gabriel unleashed rushed toward me.

That’s just venting anger.

Attacks in this place cannot reach me.

‘But even so…’

There’s no need to humor his tantrum.

Kwarrrrk!

I unleash my demonic energy.

The ferociously rampaging pitch-black aura burns darkly under the starlight.

Currently, I exist in a state where only consciousness remains without a physical body.

In other words, the damned physical constraints that had tormentingly bound me since reincarnation disappear here.

‘Impossible in reality due to bodily limitations, but usable here where only consciousness exists.’

High-level techniques that require considerable demonic energy.

Among them, the technique I’m about to use was one I frequently employed in the Demon Realm in the past.

Pluton’s signature technique.

The apocalyptic flames that turned hundreds of millions of demons to ash in my previous life.

Calamity Fire Annihilation.

Hwarrrrrrrrk!

Hellfire mixed with black and red blazes fiercely.

Devouring flames that burn everything they touch.

Hwarrrrk! Kwadeuk, kwadeuk!

Gabriel’s divine power collided with the calamity fire.

The struggle between the two forces was decided before long.

[No!]

Gabriel’s panicked voice immediately rang out.

[H-how is this possible!]

Kwadeuk! Kwadeuk!

Like gnawing at apple peel, the calamity fire rapidly encroached on the space surrounding the divine power.

The divine power was blocked by the barrier of demonic energy and could no longer advance, circling in place.

Hwarrrrk.

Then it couldn’t withstand the pressure of the encroaching calamity fire and vanished.

Before long, only the dark red flames made of demonic energy were blazing in this beautiful Heavenly Realm.

[…]

His arrogant attitude from before nowhere to be found, Gabriel silently stared straight ahead.

A light of wariness dwelt in his coldly sunken eyes.

His lips parted.

[…Who are you.]

It was a question with similar context as before, but the tone was worlds apart.

I let out a snickering laugh.

“Well? Would you like to take a guess?”

[Truly arrogant. If you don’t reveal your identity immediately, I’ll personally send down an oracle instructing my followers to tear you apart.]

“Aren’t you curious whether it’ll be me who gets torn apart or your priests?”

[You…!]

Gabriel doesn’t know that on earth, I can’t fully display my power due to physical limitations.

This lack of information was a tremendous advantage for me.

“Right. Well, fine. Actually, I was getting bored of dragging this out anyway.”

I waved my hand as if meeting an old friend.

“Nice to see you, Gabriel.”

No, it really was a face I was seeing after a long time.

“It’s me.”

For a moment he looked puzzled as if asking what I meant.

Gabriel’s expression began to change strangely.

Suspicion. Disbelief. And shock.

Though I didn’t mention my exact identity, saying this much should have made him figure it out.

Who I am.

[No way…! No, that can’t be. He must have been killed by the other Demon Lords…]

I showed him a technique that’s practically Pluton’s symbol right before his eyes – he’d be an idiot not to recognize it.

“It’s me, Gabriel. The eighth throne of the Demon Realm, Pluton.”

I continued with a grin.

“The humans still think I’m alive, but you knew the truth, didn’t you?”

I spoke of information that ordinary people wouldn’t know.

By now, even an idiot would know that my words are true.

[No way, really…?]

“Yeah, you bastard. It’s been a damn long time.”

[You, you were definitely betrayed and killed by the other Demon Lords!]

The Heavenly Realm is also cut off from the Demon Realm by dimensional barriers, but the intensity is less than with the Intermediate Realm.

So much so that Celestial Deities and Demon Lords occasionally gather for meetings.

A deity of his caliber would have easily noticed my misfortune, I expected.

“I came back to life. I don’t know why either.”

[In a human body… you say?]

“That’s right.”

[This is… what kind of nonsense…]

When you experience something beyond the realm of imagination, your mind usually goes blank.

It seems that’s the same whether you’re human or deity.

However, befitting a supreme deity, he quickly regained his composure.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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