First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 36

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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 36

 

‘This is absolutely insane.’

 

It was a development I could never have imagined.

 

Kise and Diago, who had been sitting quietly at a distance listening, were shocked.

 

“Whaaaat?!”

 

“No, Your Holiness! What do you mean by that!”

 

Even Merry had her eyes wide open with her mouth slightly agape.

 

“What do you mean what.”

 

“No, this is too sudden! You suddenly told us to bring the Prince here, saying something about him being chosen by a Demon Lord, and I wondered what you were thinking, but now suddenly Pope?!”

 

“You all know very well what state our sect is in right now.”

 

“But… even if His Highness becomes Pope, we can’t be certain that Pluton will take interest in us again.”

 

“I know that.”

 

“Then!”

 

“But… I want to grasp at even a straw.”

 

Wanting to grasp at even a straw.

 

The three people here would understand Nicolaus’s desperate feelings better than anyone.

 

On the surface, he might just seem like a kind, smiling, friendly grandfather.

 

But Nicolaus’s insides had been burning black for years now.

 

Whipping himself with guilt and regret.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Nicolaus looks at me and continues speaking.

 

“Of course, if Your Highness doesn’t want to do this, I have no intention of forcing you. It would be simple to transport Your Highness back to the Imperial City with spatial magic.”

 

When spatial magic was mentioned, Kise had a fit beside us.

 

“However, Your Highness can no longer remain in the Imperial Capital. You must know this, which is why you followed us obediently.”

 

“…”

 

“This would certainly not be a loss for Your Highness either. This building has food and a place to sleep. How about staying here for a while and postponing your decision?”

 

“…I’m only thirteen years old. If I become Pope, wouldn’t it disrupt the sect’s operations?”

 

“Of course I’m not asking you to perform papal duties immediately. I plan to pass the papacy to Your Highness after you’ve grown more, at least after you’ve passed your coming of age.”

 

I stare into Nicolaus’s deeply sunken eyes.

 

If I activate my insight, it would be simple to determine if there are hidden intentions in his words.

 

But even without such grand abilities, there are things I can understand.

 

“Sure, why not.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“I’ll do it, become Pope.”

 

So I answered obediently.

 

The obsession and regret bordering on madness that Nicolaus showed me.

 

Those weren’t emotions that could be created through clumsy acting.

 

‘So they didn’t know I was Pluton’s reincarnation after all.’

 

These people didn’t even know that Pluton had died, let alone about reincarnation.

 

The reason they kidnapped me was simply because I was born with demonic energy despite being human.

 

They hoped to draw even a little attention from the god who had abandoned them.

 

Regardless of their intentions, these people had ultimately met Pluton again.

 

All the gears of causality were clicking into place perfectly.

 

At this point, it could be considered inevitable rather than coincidental.

 

‘Anyway, as Nicolaus said, I have nowhere else to go right now.’

 

Having left the Imperial Capital, I was without home or sanctuary.

 

Honestly, Nicolaus’s proposal was something I wanted to welcome with open arms.

 

“You’ve… made a wise decision.”

 

You’ve made a wise decision.

 

In those few short words, I could feel Nicolaus’s earnest sincerity.

 

Nicolaus’s face, which had been full of worry, now showed deep relief.

 

His expression suggested he had finally shed a burden.

 

Looking at me, he smiled the brightest smile I’d seen from him yet and said.

 

“I sincerely welcome you to the Pluton Sect, Your Highness.”

 

* * *

 

‘Since it’s late at night, please rest for today and we’ll continue our discussion tomorrow.’

 

That’s what Nicolaus had said.

 

‘Your Holiness, then what about Prince Cael’s accommodations?’

 

‘There’s an empty room at the right end of the second floor. We can clean that room.’

 

‘…Now? It’s past midnight.’

 

‘Don’t we have the convenient means called magic?’

 

‘Ack!’

 

And so.

 

Nicolaus returned to his quarters, and I went up the stairs to the second floor with the remaining three.

 

“My, how high it is.”

 

That was Diago’s comment.

 

“Your Highness, isn’t this tiring?”

 

“…Not at all.”

 

“Is that so? How impressive. I found it difficult just climbing this one floor because the stairs are so high.”

 

“That’s just because your stamina is terrible, Diago.”

 

“Strictly speaking, it’s not difficult but bothersome.”

 

Diago countered Kise’s sarcasm.

 

Let me briefly explain the structure of this building at this point.

 

The front wall I mentioned earlier, where the statue of Hornus hangs.

 

Behind that wall is a spiral staircase leading to the second floor.

 

Since it’s hidden behind the wall, this space naturally isn’t visible from inside the sanctuary.

 

The stairs also led down to the basement, and I should ask what’s down there later.

 

‘It really is high.’

 

Sanctuaries where mass is held have very high ceilings to create a grand and solemn atmosphere.

 

This building was the same.

 

So while it’s called the second floor, it’s actually positioned at a height that easily exceeds five stories.

 

“We’ve finally made it all the way up.”

 

The interior structure of the second floor was simple.

 

Sofas and tables, a kitchen where food could be prepared, and various cooking utensils.

 

It was a space that felt lived-in.

 

The space itself was cramped.

 

Originally, the first-floor sanctuary was the entirety of this building, but it seemed like this was added later as an attic-like extension.

 

“This is the space where Your Highness will be staying from now on. It’s also where we live.”

 

There were four rooms on the second floor.

 

Each door had nameplates with Diago, Kise, and Merry’s names written on them.

 

‘So they live inside the cathedral.’

 

Anghel, who is a priest of Gabriel, also handles all his food, clothing, and shelter within the cathedral.

 

It wasn’t unusual for priests to live in cathedrals.

 

“Your Highness’s room is that one.”

 

Kise pointed to the room at the right end.

 

There was no nameplate hanging on the door.

 

“It’s a room we kept empty to use as storage, but it shouldn’t be too dirty. We’ve been maintaining it regularly.”

 

Kise confidently grabbed and pushed the door handle.

 

As the door opened with the sound of creaking hinges.

 

Whoooosh—

 

Dust scattered through the air as if a smoke bomb had exploded.

 

Kise, who was at the front, was covered in dust from head to toe, looking like a snowman.

 

“Pfft, puhuhup!”

 

Diago burst into laughter at the ridiculous sight.

 

Merry, as always, only let out a low sneer.

 

“Stupid fool.”

 

“….”

 

This one seemed to hit quite hard.

 

“Cough! Cough!”

 

Kise coughed a few times, then snapped his fingers and used magic.

 

“Clean.”

 

Whooom.

 

As the flow of mana was felt, the dust filling the room was cleanly swept away.

 

The small room, about 5 pyeong in size, had only a bed and a wardrobe for furniture.

 

Dim moonlight from the window above the bed settled into the room.

 

“Right now there’s only a bed and wardrobe, but if you wish, we could bring in other furniture.”

 

“It’s fine. It’s not really necessary.”

 

A bed and wardrobe are sufficient.

 

The width is a bit narrow, but I’ll manage to adapt somehow.

 

“Well then, we’ll be going now.”

 

“Sweet dreams, Prince Cael.”

 

Kise and Diago said this and turned around.

 

Merry also tried to follow them back to her room, but Kise blocked her path.

 

“…What are you trying to do now?”

 

“Merry, think about it. Even if that young prince acts calm on the surface, how confused must he be right now?”

 

He thinks he’s whispering quietly in her ear, but my hearing picks it all up.

 

“What are you trying to say?”

 

“What do you think? You worked as a maid in the Imperial Capital and got acquainted with Prince Cael, right? Just sleep with him for tonight.”

 

“Sleep with him?”

 

“Yeah. Originally, children find peace of mind just by sleeping with their mothers. Though the prince seems a bit different from ordinary kids.”

 

“I’m not His Highness’s mother.”

 

“So what, you’re the only woman among us. Look there, the prince is trembling.”

 

Merry glanced over at me and tilted her head.

 

“He doesn’t really seem to be trembling though.”

 

“So you’re refusing? Were you always this cold-blooded? Turns out you’re not just cold in speech but cold-hearted too.”

 

“…Do you want to die?”

 

“Don’t you feel sorry for the prince? Huh? You’re the only one who can do this.”

 

“…Haah.”

 

Eventually, Merry, caught up in Kise’s pace, let out a deep sigh.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

She asked me.

 

“Just for tonight, may I sleep beside Your Highness?”

 

Damn, honestly it’s annoying.

 

But it must have taken courage for her to ask, so I’d feel bad rejecting her coldly.

 

When I nodded, Merry walked into the room.

 

“Then sweet dreams!”

 

Kise called out softly and slammed the door shut.

 

Only Merry and I remained in the room.

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

Now that we’re alone like this, it’s awkward again.

 

It’s true we lived together in the Imperial Capital and saw each other face to face, but Merry was Mac and Kal’s exclusive attendant and had almost no contact with me.

 

Maybe we’d run into each other occasionally when the twins came to visit my mansion with Seria.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Merry took off her shoes and climbed onto the bed first.

 

With her back to the moonlight, she positioned herself with her arm as a pillow and spoke.

 

“Come lie down here.”

 

I’m used to being treated like a child.

 

That doesn’t mean I don’t feel self-loathing about it.

 

My soul is over thousands of years old. I was once a deity of a world.

 

How did I fall to this extent?

 

“Haaah.”

 

I made a strange sound as I climbed onto the bed.

 

The sensation of the blanket brushing against my skin felt pleasant.

 

As I lay down using Merry’s arm as a pillow, she gently patted my stomach with her other hand.

 

“….”

 

Has my mind become childish because my body became young?

 

Being like this really makes me drowsy.

 

It had been a long, long day.

 

I recalled the events that happened throughout today.

 

Infiltrating Sabina’s residence to find the familiar.

 

Then moving to Gerpelt Forest with Lipton who came after us and fighting a life-or-death battle.

 

Getting caught by the Imperial House and the Count for possessing demonic energy….

 

Above all.

 

‘Mother.’

 

Ellia’s death.

 

What pained me about it was that we didn’t even have a chance for a proper final farewell.

 

Ellia died pouring out only curses filled with resentment toward her most beloved.

 

I had made her final moments like that.

 

If only I hadn’t struck the back of Ellia’s neck to knock her unconscious right before the battle.

 

As I shuddered unknowingly from various regrets.

 

Pat pat.

 

Merry silently patted my stomach.

 

Surprisingly, the trembling stopped.

 

I felt comforted.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Merry whispered in my ear.

 

“Your Highness did nothing wrong.”

 

“….”

 

“The situation was just bad. Those who are truly at fault are… those bastards who made Your Highness and Her Majesty the Empress like that.”

 

Right.

 

She’s absolutely correct.

 

‘First, I’ll slaughter every last member of the Baal Sect.’

 

I originally had plans to subjugate the Demon Cult to get revenge on the Demon Lords anyway.

 

That goal has just become clearer.

 

While crushing the Baal Sect, I’ll eventually learn all the details involved in this incident.

 

When that happens.

 

‘Before I crush the Demon Lords, I’ll smash your heads first.’

 

I growled softly as I drifted off to sleep.

 

Merry continued patting my stomach long after I had fallen asleep.

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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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