First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 87

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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 87

“….”

All the students held their breath as they watched her appearance.

It was a well-known fact that Raeseya Welton was the professor in charge of Understanding Demon Lords.

What reason would a mere liberal arts professor have for being in such a place out of nowhere?

“…It was you?”

Someone among the students spoke with resentment.

Right.

Anyone with a brain would have no choice but to realize.

That the being who transported them to this place was none other than that bastard.

“That’s correct.”

Raeseya Welton spread both arms wide like a fanatic.

“All of you will become sacrifices here.”

Her eyes gleamed chillingly.

“Sacrifices to be offered to the great Demon Lord.”

Murmur murmur.

Commotion spread among the students.

“Demon Lord?”

“Don’t tell me… it’s the Demon Cult?”

People hadn’t forgotten the incident just a few months ago when countless casualties occurred due to the Zagan Order at the Order of the Sword’s consecration ceremony.

It was still a time when the terror of the Demon Cult hadn’t been erased from their minds.

Fear amplifies through atmosphere.

Though there was only one enemy.

The madness that Raeseya Welton displayed was enough to make countless students tremble.

“Everyone snap out of it!”

Max’s shout tore through the air and spread.

“There’s only one enemy anyway! Even if she’s a high priest of the Demon Cult, we can definitely win if we join forces!”

“That’s right! We outnumber her by hundreds!”

Carno also chimed in from the side.

Max and Carno.

Thanks to the encouragement from the two royals, the students were somewhat inspired.

‘As expected of imperial bloodline.’

Though both of them must have been more terrified, they took the risk of drawing the enemy’s attention to boost their allies’ morale.

It was an action that would be difficult to do without considerable sense of responsibility.

As if proving that imperial blood flowed through them despite being from branch families, they possessed the qualities of rulers.

‘But where is Seria?’

No matter how much I looked around, I couldn’t see Seria anywhere.

‘Don’t tell me… she wasn’t taken down by the monsters.’

The possibility was slim.

With Seria’s skills, she could slice through monsters that appear in this region like cutting tofu.

She probably just hasn’t joined up yet.

I wanted to believe that.

“The preparation of the ‘altar’ is not far off.”

Raeseya Welton’s lips twisted grotesquely.

“You’re all dead anyway… But if you still want to hasten your death, come at me. I’ll accommodate you.”

“Arrogant bitch.”

Hiscliffe, emanating chilling cold air, strode toward Raeseya.

His expression was twisted with rage.

“I will definitely make you pay for your crimes. I swear on the name of the Mendel Family!”

A storm of cold air erupted from Hiscliffe’s sword.

Mendel secret swordsmanship.

Lion’s Roar.

Kugugugugugu-!

Pure white blizzard poured down on Raeseya.

However, Raeseya easily blocked Hiscliffe’s attack with a single gesture.

“What?!”

The moment confusion crept into Hiscliffe’s face.

“I told you.”

A thin black beam shot from Raeseya’s grasp.

“If you want to hasten your death, come at me.”

Swoosh.

The unpleasant sound effect of fabric being pierced.

“Ah, ahhh….”

The students’ expressions were consumed by terror.

Drip drip.

Red blood fell drop by drop, slowly staining the snowy field.

There was a hole the size of a thumbnail in Hiscliffe’s forehead.

He met his end without even realizing what had happened to him.

Thud.

Hiscliffe’s corpse collapsed pathetically.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Sa-save me! Please save me!”

With the first casualty since arriving at the Void Tundra, the students fell into a panic.

Half were pampered noble children.

Most of the remaining commoners had also lived their entire lives in the Empire where public order was stable.

They probably never thought they would actually die.

And so futilely at that.

Only now did they truly realize their situation where they could lose their lives at any moment.

“Huk!”

Cathy covered her mouth and gasped.

Veronica, whose eyes were wide open, also had her hair soaked with cold sweat.

“This student is an example.”

Raeseya stood stepping on Hiscliffe’s corpse.

“There’s no benefit for me in killing sacrifices before the altar is complete. This student was merely an example to show what happens when you attack me. Now I hope you’ll behave quietly without rebelling against me until the altar is completed.”

Perhaps because they had just witnessed Hiscliffe, who was ranked 3rd among the 200 first-year Swordsmanship Department students, die so futilely.

No one could express anger at Raeseya’s words.

They could only tremble in fear.

Except for a few exceptional ones.

“Asel.”

Ragnor quietly approached my side.

“Can you win?”

I trailed off.

“I wonder.”

If I used magic, I could naturally achieve victory easily.

However, it wasn’t an option to consider in front of so many people.

‘No, I should be prepared to reveal magic if necessary.’

Actually, there was also a way to subdue him after all students were massacred by Raeseya and I alone survived.

But I didn’t want to do that.

Then a whispering voice brushed past my ear.

“Veronica, protect the mages and priests as top priority.”

“Signal and we’ll strike all at once. Stay hidden and wait for now.”

I took in the sight of Max and Carno secretly commanding the battlefield.

What is it that I want?

I don’t want these children to die.

Not just them, but no one who’s here.

I won’t let them die meaninglessly like Hiscliffe did.

“Ragnor.”

“Yeah.”

Ragnor brought his ear close to my lips.

“First off, you absolutely can’t win with your skills. You know that much, right?”

“It’s frustrating, but you’re right. I can tell just by looking.”

“You have one job. Protect the kids. Make sure the sparks of battle don’t reach them.”

Ragnor seemed to understand the true meaning of my words and immediately questioned back.

“What?”

I patted his shoulder a couple times and walked forward.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to fight alone?”

I nodded my head instead of answering.

“I’m used to being alone.”

Fighting together would actually be much more awkward.

I’ve been alone ever since the Demon Realm.

I walked past the children who stood frozen in place.

My sudden action drew everyone’s attention to me.

Clang.

I pointed my sword tip toward Raeseya Welton.

“Hey, you bastard.”

And I called out to him.

“You look like shit and act just as sneakily. You’re exactly like the deity you worship.”

A reaction came.

Veins bulged on Leisia’s forehead.

I continued with a nasty smile.

“You should be grateful. I’ll send you right next to that deity you love so much. Right now.”

When I openly provoked him, the students looked at me like I’d lost my mind.

Especially Fail and Max were stunned.

“Asel…!”

“What the hell is that crazy bastard doing!”

Meanwhile, Meirei was watching me with interest from the corner.

Raeseya Welton trembled with clenched fists.

“Grrr…!”

The whites of his eyes turned red as blood vessels burst.

“I can tolerate insults to myself, but insulting Him… I cannot forgive!”

A black beam shot from Leisia’s hand.

It was the same attack that had turned Hiscliffe into a corpse.

Swoosh!

I held my sword vertically and sliced through the beam.

Blue aura blazed like a torch from my sword.

“He cut it!”

“…He’s alive.”

When I successfully defended, the students cheered.

They must have been secretly worried I’d be taken down in one hit like Hiscliffe.

Leisia crossed his arms and looked at me.

“You sliced through my attack.”

Leisia spread his arms wide like a conductor.

His voice, filled with rage, echoed like an evil spirit.

“Once might be possible. Let’s see if you can block this too!”

Whooom.

Whoom-.

Dozens of black orbs rose around her.

Soon, dozens of beams fired from the black orbs came rushing at me.

‘I can’t deflect them all!’

If I can’t cut them, I have no choice but to endure.

I raised the strength of my aura barrier to maximum.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The beams slammed into me with enough force to pierce through my body.

However, not a single one of the dozens of beams could penetrate the aura barrier surrounding my skin.

If my aura control had been at the same level as other 5-star Knights, my entire body would have become a honeycomb.

‘That stings.’

I can’t drag this out.

The difference in firepower is too severe.

‘I’ll finish this with a quick decisive battle!’

Flash!

I charged at Leisia like a beam of light.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Leisia continuously fired beams to stop my charge.

I kept running while taking all the attacks with my body.

The surrounding scenery passed by like a mirage.

“Amazing…! Amazing, Asel!”

Fail was looking at me with a gaze that went beyond admiration to reverence.

The other students’ eyes weren’t much different.

“Asel! You’re our hope!”

“Please catch that bastard!”

“Save us! Please!”

The students encouraged me with fervent cheers.

Because if I die, they’ll be in danger too.

I know it’s cheering born from praying for their own survival rather than caring for me.

Actually, I didn’t care either way.

Because I had decided not to let these children die.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-!

Beams poured down like rain.

Thanks to my aura barrier they didn’t penetrate, but the impact was gradually accumulating.

I didn’t stop charging.

Finally, the moment Leisia entered my sword’s range.

“Give me your neck!”

I swung my sword horizontally toward Leisia’s neck.

“Got it!”

“We caught him! He can’t dodge that!”

The students watching the battle also thought it was over and cried out in joy.

However.

Clang!

My attack was futilely blocked by a barrier that suddenly appeared.

Crrrack.

The black protective barrier, writhing disgustingly as if alive, wrapped around Leisia in a round shape like a turtle shell.

“Hehehe…”

Leisia hid inside the protective barrier and let out a low sneer.

“Did you think I would give it up so easily?”

I continuously struck the protective barrier with my sword.

Clang! Clang!

Even against the Expert Class aura blade, the wall didn’t budge an inch.

No matter how many times I struck, the result was the same.

Damn it.

‘This is a disaster.’

I bit my lip.

At my current level, I couldn’t destroy this wall.

Perhaps if I revealed my demonic energy, but with the realm achieved through aura alone, it was impossible.

Whooom.

Whoom.

Black orbs rising in the air once again.

“You can’t kill me anyway. But I can kill you.”

The black orbs trembled violently.

Greater energy was being concentrated in the beams before they were fired.

Hiding within a safe protective barrier, striking enemies using only ranged attacks.

It was a terrifyingly cowardly and cunning combat method.

“Damn it…!”

I braced myself in advance for the impact when the beams would strike down.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

Leisia whispered from within the protective barrier.

“Originally I planned to keep you alive as long as possible until the ‘altar’ was completed… but a few casualties should be fine. Just die.”

The completed beams passed by me and scattered in all directions toward the students.

Swoosh!

“Aaaaaaahhh!”

“Aaaahhh!”

Terrible screams began to rise from all over the battlefield.

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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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