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Chapter 8
Yesterday, Heart was so strong it was overwhelming.
The food that had filled Rowenhart and Alex’s table was cleared away, replaced by towering mugs and bottles of liquor. The knights crowded around, their eyes glittering with excitement. Tessia, meanwhile, smiled in satisfaction.
“Rowenhart is really getting along well with the knights.”
She had worried that, as neither a knight nor native-born but instead a foreign prince, he might struggle to fit in with the Valkyrie Order. But now, it seemed there was no need to worry at all. Rowenhart had found a bold way to bond with the knights. Tessia laid a hand on his shoulder and winked.
“Heart, make sure you win.”
“Ah, Lady Tessia. I’m your direct lieutenant too, you know. Don’t you think you’re playing favorites a bit?”
Alex grumbled, but Tessia just gave a mocking little laugh.
“Heart is our precious new member.”
“Well then. I suppose I’ll just have to prove I won’t lose anyway.”
Rowenhart’s lips curved. So arrogant. Sensing the quiet mockery, Alex’s eyes suddenly gleamed with seriousness.
“If you collapse and have to be carried back, don’t blame me.”
“You should be careful not to end up crawling home on all fours, Sir Alex.”
The two raised their mugs at the same time. A historic duel was about to begin.
Tessia clicked her tongue at Alex in annoyance.
“What a clueless idiot.”
The knights were all like that, but Alex was being especially thick-headed tonight. Rowenhart was working so hard to bond with the Valkyries, and here Alex was, determined to drink himself half to death. Sure, a contest was sacred and should be taken seriously, but… how could a mage ever hope to outdrink a knight? Tessia raised her hand.
“I’ll be the dark knight! I’ll drink one round in the rookie’s place.”
She thought that was a fair handicap.
“Hey, that’s favoritism.”
“It’s not favoritism—it’s looking out for the newcomer.”
Tessia pouted, then snatched up Alex’s full mug and downed it in one go. Rowenhart, who had deliberately stayed quiet, smiled warmly. Then he tugged lightly on Tessia’s sleeve.
“Then I should grant you a wish, Princess.”
“What? That’s not necessary, Heart! I did it because I wanted to.”
“But I’d like to grant you one anyway.”
Well… if Tessia’s act of drinking in his stead was her sense of justice, then perhaps repaying it was Rowenhart’s code of honor. Tessia nodded seriously.
“Then I accept.”
It wasn’t that kind of story, but still—one could hardly expect to be satisfied in one go. Rowenhart decided to match her pace.
Meanwhile, Alex drank like water, showing no sign of wavering despite the strong liquor. Tessia refilled his mug.
“Captain!”
“It’s called affection.”
She laughed playfully and clapped him on the shoulder. Clueless as he was, Alex was still an exceptionally capable lieutenant. So yes, this was indeed affection. He downed the drink she poured and muttered:
“You’re better than I thought.”
“You too, Lieutenant—you’re doing better than I expected.”
Tessia beamed with pride at Rowenhart, who wasn’t falling behind at all. He truly was the perfect fit for the Valkyries. And he could drink, too. His complexion hadn’t changed a bit. Empty bottles piled up in crates, yet both men still looked fresh. The knights, on the other hand, were fired up.
“Sir Alex! You’ve got this! Show him Valkyrie spirit!”
“Look at the rookie—hasn’t even turned red!”
“Come on, someone win already! Waaah!”
As the mood soared, betting began.
“Two gold on Alex!”
“Ten silver on Sir Alex for me!”
The wagers overwhelmingly favored Alex. Rowenhart was doing unexpectedly well, but people still thought: a mage is just a mage. There was no way a flimsy mage could outdrink a brawny knight. Seeing the odds climb tenfold in Alex’s favor, Tessia joined in.
“Twenty gold on Heart.”
“What?”
“Captain, really? Twenty?”
“Yes. Put it down.”
Alex, slightly tipsy now, roared good-naturedly:
“Lady Tessia! Bet on me too!”
“That’s boring. Besides, I have to bet on Heart.”
Rowenhart glanced at her. Tessia grinned, shaking her coin purse.
“You’d better win, Heart. Crush Alex.”
“Alex! Alex!”
“Rowenhart, win!”
With Tessia raising the stakes, the atmosphere grew even hotter. Empty mugs stacked higher before them. Each knight cheered for the side they’d bet on. Soon, the outcome became clear.
“Hic…”
Alex wiped the alcohol dripping from his mouth. His dark, shaggy face was flushed like a ripe strawberry. In contrast, Rowenhart’s face remained spotless. Smiling, he offered:
“You could surrender, if it’s too much.”
“Hic—surrender, my ass! Back in my day, you either drank or died trying!”
With a trembling, reddened hand, Alex grabbed his mug and chugged it in one go. But it was his last. Unable to withstand the drunkenness, he slammed his head onto the table with a thud and began snoring. The unexpected result brought a roar of cheers.
“Woooaaah!”
“The rookie beat Lieutenant Alex!”
“Rowenhart! Rowenhart!”
Rowenhart raised his hand high with a gallant bow, and the crowd’s cheers grew louder. Tessia rushed up and threw her arm around him.
“Heart! You’re amazing! You really can drink!”
“Haha, it was nothing.”
“No, it’s incredible! You beat Alex. You really are perfect for the Order!”
A rare healing mage, tall, handsome, and on top of that—able to drink like a knight? Tessia’s affection for him shot through the roof. Especially the drinking part. She ruffled his hair enthusiastically.
“Well done, well done.”
Rowenhart accepted the gesture with a smile, but inside he secretly clicked his tongue.
“What a monster.”
Without magic, he would’ve been in serious trouble. The truth of his victory lay hidden: before the contest, Rowenhart had cast a healing spell on himself. His body recognized alcohol as poison and continuously purified it. In the end, it was Rowenhart who had truly been drinking water all night. Apart from a slightly full stomach, he felt as though he’d just had a lot of juice. Naturally, he was fine.
His eyes flicked to the collapsed Alex. To have downed that much liquor—the real monster was him. Not that he’d ever realize it. Rowenhart was, after all, the best healing mage alive.
With his flawless victory, the night reached its peak.
“Wahaha! The rookie’s amazing! He was no joke against Tessia either. Come, drink with me too!”
“Who knew a mage could be so hearty? Have a drink, lad. Rowenhart, was it? Name’s Gilbert.”
“Hahaha! We’ve got ourselves a real recruit!”
Rowenhart’s popularity skyrocketed as everyone clamored to drink with him. Tessia nodded proudly and sat beside him, pouring his cup herself.
“You’re wonderful. Here, share one with me.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
He smiled. His goal of growing closer to her was accomplished. Tessia raised her voice.
“Come on, everyone—let’s drink to our brilliant Heart! Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
The boisterous night of the Valkyries deepened.
“Ugh…”
The next morning, Rowenhart woke groggily, thirst tearing him out of sleep. His head pounded as if struck with a giant hammer. The previous night, swept up in the mood, he hadn’t been able to refuse any drink offered to him. Even his magic had its limits. Overloaded, his healing spell eventually failed, and he ended up drinking without its filter.
Alex hadn’t been wrong: the knights really could drink endlessly. And their captain, Tessia, was without question the incarnation of a god of wine. In his hazy memories, he saw her gleefully emptying bottles. His head throbbed again.
“Sigh…”
He groped around for water. His hand brushed against something on the bed—someone. He dismissed it until a voice answered.
“Awake?”
“Y–yes?!”
His eyes flew open in shock. Tessia—who had been drinking with him all night at the knights’ pub—was right beside him, propped on an elbow, grinning.
Rowenhart’s pupils dilated.
“P–Princess Tessia?”
“They say beauties sleep a lot. Guess they meant you, Heart.”
She chuckled with delight. Flustered, Rowenhart’s eyes darted around. What happened last night…? He sat up, pupils trembling. He tried to recall, but his pounding head made it impossible. He vaguely remembered drinking more than usual to keep up with the princess, but the crucial later parts were blank. His gaze, against his will, kept drifting to the elegant lines of Tessia’s legs visible under her shirt.
Smiling, Tessia handed him a cup.
“Here. Drink some water.”
“…Thank you.”
He accepted it, smiling faintly, though his thoughts spun frantically. What on earth happened…?
Then Tessia leaned in and whispered:
“Yesterday, Heart was so strong it wore me out.”
