First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 2
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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 2
Returning to my bedroom, I clutched at my hair.
‘Ah, what do I do, really.’
I had no desire to stand out.
My current state is highly unstable.
The situation is that of a demon lord’s soul contained within the pathetically frail body of a human child.
It’s like a ticking time bomb where the body could break down from overload at any moment.
Moreover, since I can’t let them discover that I possess demonic energy despite being human, I decided to live as quietly as possible.
Drawing attention wouldn’t benefit me in any way.
Making that resolution meaningless, not even a few years after my reincarnation, I had firmly imprinted my existence on the humans.
“Aaaah.”
As I hit my own head with my fists out of frustration, the wet nurse grabbed my arms in alarm.
“Your Highness! You mustn’t do this!”
Please.
I just want to be alone.
Thud, thud.
Footsteps walking down the corridor.
Not just one person. At least ten or more.
I turned my gaze to look at the door.
Creak.
Soon the door opened and the source of the footsteps revealed itself.
Led by a middle-aged man of sturdy build, about ten knights stood as if forming an escort.
Brilliant golden hair and a splendid uniform engraved with all manner of decorations.
Even without bothering to check the sword at his waist, I could tell at once that the man was a considerable master.
“I greet His Imperial Majesty!”
As soon as the wet nurse recognized the man’s presence, she knelt on one knee and paid her respects.
‘Emperor?’
I raised an eyebrow at his unexpected identity.
I am a prince.
That human is the emperor.
‘Then that means he’s my father?’
For reference, my hair is jet black.
I had been uncertain because our hair colors were different, but looking closely, there seemed to be some resemblance in our facial features.
Of course, his features were much more defined.
As I blinked and stared quietly, the Emperor murmured softly.
“Are you not going to pay your respects?”
Pay respects?
Me?
‘Ah right. It was customary for humans to show courtesy to the emperor.’
Then I should prostrate myself too.
The wet nurse was trembling beside me, even breaking out in cold sweat.
“I greet His Imperial Majesty.”
I knelt on one knee and bowed my head just like the wet nurse.
“Hmm.”
But the Emperor still didn’t seem satisfied.
“The child’s education seems lacking. For your reaction to be this slow.”
“I apologize! It’s all due to my inadequacy!”
“You’re well aware.”
The Emperor kept his gaze fixed on the wet nurse while gesturing to the knights behind him.
“Drag this one out immediately.”
“Yes!”
The knights grabbed the wet nurse’s arms with a short battle cry and roughly pulled her to her feet.
“I was wrong! Please forgive me! Please…!”
Even as the wet nurse was dragged away by the knights, she couldn’t even resist.
What fate awaited her if she was dragged away like this was as clear as day.
I couldn’t just stand by and watch that happen.
“Take your hands off her right now.”
I commanded the knights in a menacing tone.
The knights hesitated.
The Emperor held superior command authority, but still, they couldn’t completely ignore the words of a prince like me.
Or perhaps they simply flinched because the aura I was emitting was too murderous for an 8-year-old child.
“I’m the one who was late with greetings. Why are you trying to punish an innocent wet nurse?”
When I confronted him directly, the Emperor seemed a bit flustered.
Soon his eyes changed as if he found it interesting.
“Because she’s the one in charge of your childcare and education.”
“The wet nurse taught me sufficiently that I should immediately pay respects when seeing His Imperial Majesty. The reason I failed to do so was simply because I didn’t have the opportunity.”
“She should have educated and drilled it in more thoroughly. This is an adult matter, so you stay quiet.”
The Emperor’s expression twisted fiercely.
Sharp tension swirled between us like rapids about to burst.
A hair-trigger situation.
My dream of living quietly had already scattered like mist.
‘Since it’s come to this, should I try ‘that’ while I have this opportunity?’
I had been thinking of doing it someday.
To obtain a certain item necessary for rapidly recovering my strength.
I didn’t expect it would be now, but since the stage was set like this, it wouldn’t be bad to give it a shot.
I recalled the family tradition of the Argent Imperial Family that I had heard from the wet nurse before and opened my mouth.
“I request the ‘Silver Rite’ from Your Majesty.”
“…!”
Perhaps because such an explosive statement came from a small child’s mouth.
Shock filled the room.
The Silver Rite.
Before the Empire was founded. Since the days when House of Argent was merely a renowned swordsmanship family, it was a time-honored tradition carried out whenever conflicts arose between members.
The two parties in conflict would engage in a duel under the supervision of a judge.
The type of duel was usually sparring, but when there was a significant difference in strength, it was decided by the method that would allow both sides to compete most equally.
And the winner could take away one thing that the loser held dear.
The Emperor who heard my declaration chuckled as if it were absurd.
“You’ve gotten your head full of hot air. Where did you pick up talk of the Silver Rite?”
“I’m speaking in earnest. I heard that age doesn’t matter in the Silver Rite. Please treat me as one member of Argent.”
“Even though you could lose your life?”
Something the losing side holds dear.
That naturally included life as well.
“I don’t mind.”
“…Whew.”
The Emperor exhaled roughly as if swallowing his rage.
“Release Cael’s wet nurse.”
The knights released the wet nurse’s arms as soon as the Emperor’s command was given.
The wet nurse, pale as a sheet, collapsed with a dazed expression.
The Emperor looked back at me.
“Your spirit and eloquence are abnormally outstanding for your age. I can hardly believe you’re only 8 years old.”
I hid my hands behind my back and picked up whatever I could grab.
Looking closely, it was the rattle toy the Wet Nurse used to play with me.
The Emperor’s words continued.
“The Silver Rite is a long-standing family tradition. Once spoken aloud, it cannot be taken back.”
“I understand.”
Whether he liked it or not.
If I hadn’t been confident of victory, I wouldn’t have attempted such a risky move.
“Tsk, how troublesome.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue roughly, seemingly annoyed at having to play along with my scheme.
“Let’s not drag this out and settle it right here. Count Gamillan, please oversee the judgment.”
“Understood.”
As the Emperor waved his hand dismissively, a middle-aged knight emerged from behind him.
Shing.
With the sound of scraping metal, a sword was drawn from the knight’s scabbard.
The knight brought the sword to the throat of the collapsed Wet Nurse.
“Eek!”
The Wet Nurse let out a shrill scream and trembled in terror.
The knight’s mouth opened.
“The method of this duel is for Your Highness to persuade me before I behead this woman. Please tell me why I should not cut off her head. If you move my heart, Your Highness wins.”
For an impromptu method, it was quite brutal.
Naturally, the Emperor didn’t seem to take this match seriously.
He probably thought it was just the tantrum of an ignorant brat.
His intention was likely to execute the Wet Nurse before my eyes, instilling fear so I’d never pull such a stunt again.
I chuckled and replied.
“What words could I possibly offer? Just do as you please, Sir.”
The faint glimmer of expectation in the knight’s eyes vanished, replaced by a flash of contempt.
He probably thought I was acting recklessly without a plan, even treating my own retainer’s life as worthless.
“…Very well.”
The knight sighed and tightened his grip on the sword’s handle.
At that moment.
Two events occurred almost simultaneously.
Swoosh—!
The knight raised his sword high, attempting to strike down at the Wet Nurse’s neck.
Whip—!
Just as I had dealt with the Prime Wolf, I hurled the toy to deflect the sword’s trajectory.
Thunk!
Despite controlling my strength, the toy flew like a cannonball, grazing the upper surface of the blade before embedding itself in the ceiling.
The sword missed its target completely and struck the bare floor.
“…”
Silence pressed heavily down on the room.
The Wet Nurse seemed oblivious to what had just transpired in that instant.
But the knights.
And the Emperor had clearly seen it.
What I had just done.
“This is why you shouldn’t behead the Wet Nurse.”
I flexed my wrist while looking at the knight’s dazed expression.
This time I looked at the Emperor and added a comment.
“You came to find me to verify the truth in the first place, didn’t you?”
“…”
I must have hit the mark.
The knight stared at me intently for a while in silence.
“This rite is Prince Cael’s victory.”
Soon he plainly acknowledged my victory.
Surprise seeped into the Emperor’s blue pupils.
“So the rumors were true…”
Fortunately, he was someone who knew how to accept the results.
“Tell me what you want. What was it you wanted to take from me badly enough to risk your life?”
Your head.
I couldn’t say that.
‘Another rule of the Silver Rite.’
The reason the rite’s format, which should have been conducted as a duel, was changed was due to the overwhelming difference in power between the Emperor and me.
It could be said the Emperor was at a unilateral disadvantage.
In this case, even if the one at a tactical disadvantage won, they could not take a life.
‘What I would request was decided from the beginning.’
I had requested the Silver Rite to obtain this in the first place.
I stated what I wanted.
“Among the spirit pills the imperial family possesses, please give me one with the best efficacy.”
Going to the Demon Realm to take revenge on the Demon Lords who killed me.
To achieve this, naturally the process of recovering my strength had to come first.
If I could take a spirit pill at the young age of 8.
Moreover, if I could consume a top-grade spirit pill stored in the imperial treasury.
It was clear that the speed of regaining my past life’s power would be dramatically shortened.
“Understood. I’ll have it delivered as soon as possible.”
The Emperor turned his back and walked out the door with heavy steps.
The knights followed the Emperor.
Left alone in the room with just the Wet Nurse and me, I calmly checked on her condition.
“Wet Nurse, are you alright?”
The Wet Nurse, who had crossed between life and death several times in that short period, was already out of her mind.
She burst into tears.
I sat quietly and patted the Wet Nurse’s back.
* * *
“Count Gamillan, you saw it too.”
“Yes.”
Emperor Brunei walked down the corridor, reflecting on the scene from moments before.
The instant the knight tried to strike the Wet Nurse’s neck.
The moment Cael threw the toy at incredible speed, deflecting the sword’s path.
“What do you think?”
Imperial Guard Captain Zeroph Gamilan had a great deal he wanted to say.
The muscle movement during the throw.
The precision of the motion.
The distribution and application of force.
All of it was at a shocking level that far surpassed first-class knights.
‘Speed and power approaching the speed of sound. That’s not physically impossible.’
Even for a child who was only 8 years old.
All living beings have an inherent fundamental power within them.
Though accumulated power might be small due to young age.
If one drew upon all that power to its absolute limit, it could certainly be manifested in reality.
But it was only theory.
Zeroph Gamilan had traversed countless battlefields, yet had never once seen someone capable of such a feat.
‘Yet Prince Cael has already grasped that method.’
Without even learning it.
It’s as natural as breathing from birth.
For Cael.
“I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to say this about Your Highness.”
Zeroph Gamilan knew only one word to describe such a person.
“…A monster.”
Prodigy, genius, brilliant mind.
He had transcended such realms.
That was simply a monster, Zeroph Gamilan was certain.
“I think so too.”
A deep smile hung on the Emperor’s lips as he spoke.
Like a child who had discovered an interesting toy.
* * *
A few days later.
The promised item from the Emperor arrived.
Zeroph Gamilan held out a finely wrapped red pill and said.
“This is a Magic Spirit Pill.”
“…!”
Magic Spirit Pill.
An ancient elixir that greatly increases the user’s magical power simply by consuming it.
It was famous enough for me to know about it, and priceless beyond measure.
‘I never thought there would actually be a Magic Spirit Pill.’
One step lower than that.
No, even if I had received an elixir two steps lower, I would have accepted it.
As expected, the Empire is indeed the Empire.
“If you ask the Wet Nurse to brew it for you, she’ll take care of it. Never consume it without diluting it. This is also His Majesty’s message.”
What nonsense.
“Understood.”
Elixirs lose their effectiveness when diluted.
Of course I would consume it raw.
Surprisingly, the Emperor’s gift wasn’t just the Magic Spirit Pill.
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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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