I Possessed the Heroine’s Teacher

At first, I didn’t understand what she was talking about. Making a magician? Was she suggesting something like creating a homunculus? The creation of life is the domain of gods, not something mere mortals should approach.

“Well, I’m not sure what you mean…”

“Come on, you know exactly what I’m talking about…”

“Unfortunately, I’m not interested in that kind of thing.”

Creating new life? I wasn’t interested in such end-of-the-world scientist ideas. What interested me wasn’t fighting or struggles, but a life like “The Heart of a Plant.” That peaceful life was all I desired. Even though it sounded like something a serial killer would say, I genuinely wanted a peaceful life.

Though being a royal magician was tiring, if I handled a certain amount of work, I could live a peaceful life. It was a very long way to go. A very, very distant road.

I said this and was about to take a sip of my coffee.

“But you did it with Glacies, didn’t you?”

For a moment, I almost spit out my coffee. Glacies told Iris about that? This is why loose-lipped women are troublesome…

“…Well, at that time, I had been drinking, so I couldn’t help it. Listen well, alcohol is the most terrifying demon that controls the human mind…”

Actually, no alcohol had been involved at that time, but I decided to tell a lie. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to hold someone like Iris. I was also a man full of sexual desire, and I liked Iris a lot.

But I had to consider the costs of that choice. While Zig cherished Werner, he probably wouldn’t care as much about his daughter. But when his daughter turns 18 and loses her virginity to a 29-year-old man? If I were Zig, I’d be seeing red and dancing with a knife.

“Well then, you should drink. Since it’s your coming-of-age, how about having a drink for the first time after such a long time?”

“I feel like I just heard something outrageous…”

“Ah~ Don’t worry about it.”

Iris raised her hand and ordered the strongest drink from the waiter. The waiter nodded and brought out a red bottle containing the liquor. As soon as I saw the color and design of the bottle, I recognized it immediately. That’s ‘Tears of the Sea Dragon.’

The so-called ‘Tears of the Sea Dragon’ was an item in the game that caused enemies to become drunk and inflicted status ailments. Of course, it wasn’t actually made from the blood of a dragon, but it was made by steeping fruits from regions where dragons lived, mixing a small amount of Drake bone powder, and clean water from the north. Although it looked like white wine, it was a crazy drink with an alcohol content of over 60%. How could wine have such an alcohol percentage? Well, I guess it’s just a fantasy allowance, like in games.

To actually bring this out…

“Hahaha… You asked for the strongest one, but it’s more like a weak drink… No, it’s a really strong liquor.”

“Well, it’s a liquor with more than 60% alcohol, so it’s a legendary drink that can knock out any enthusiast. And it’s ridiculously expensive, too.”

One bottle of this liquor cost two months of a soldier’s salary. My account had been restored, and I had received a reward from the royal family, so I could afford this drink. The problem was that I didn’t prefer alcohol.

“Just one glass.”

I poured about half a glass of ‘Tears of the Sea Dragon’ into Iris’s wine glass. After all, it had some revitalizing effects, and it was good for the heart, so drinking a little wouldn’t hurt. Normally, alcohol should be learned properly from an adult. I’d rather learn from someone like me, a Confucian man, than from a messed-up adult like Melissa.

I, Werner, a descendant of Dionysus, would teach her proper drinking culture.

“First, before drinking a delicate liquor like this, wipe your mouth with a napkin. Any grease or sauce from food will ruin the taste and aroma of the liquor. And usually, the man takes the first sip. When tasting, tilt the glass toward the light to check the color. Clear liquors like Tears of the Sea Dragon should show no sediment and should have a light green or pale yellow hue.”

I tilted the glass toward the candlelight. Yes, a perfectly clear pale yellow appeared.

“Next, gently sniff the aroma. If the liquor is poorly stored, it will have a rotten wood or vinegar smell.”

As I inhaled the scent, it felt like I was drinking the concentrated essence of tropical fruits. Moreover, it pleasantly woke me up as if I had just taken a light nap.

“Finally, you check the taste. Let it linger in your mouth a little, gently rolling it on your tongue, slowly savoring the flavor.”

I said that and lightly tasted the wine. It was sweet, like my tongue was melting, but not the sticky, heavy sweetness of sugar or saccharin. It was a slightly tangy and pleasant sweetness that made my mouth water. The slight acidity hidden within it accentuated the sweetness.

As it lingered in my mouth, the refreshing fruit aroma spread through my nose. And as I swallowed the wine, a deep, rich fragrance enveloped my entire body.

Ah, damn, that’s why it’s so expensive. It paired perfectly with the sole meunière that was served.

Iris quickly followed my lead, and judging by her ecstatic expression, she seemed to enjoy the drink immensely. But rather than the drink tasting great, it almost seemed like she was a seasoned drinker who hadn’t had a drink in a long time. Or maybe that was just my imagination.

“So, does that mean the rest will be finished by you, Master? After you finish it, what will you do? Perhaps…”

“I’ll just drink one more glass and take the rest home.”

“Well, there’s a chance Camellia sister might drink it?”

“That would be troublesome…Shall we just drink it all ourselves?”

Damn it, that was the only answer. If Camellia saw this strong liquor, something would definitely happen. She had once defeated an orc army even while drunk on weak alcohol.

But if we showed her this strong liquor? The capital would be in chaos. For the sake of peace in the capital, as a royal magician, it was my duty to dispose of this liquor.

.

.

.

My master was staggering, drunk on a drink like ‘Tears of the Sea Dragon.’ Back when he used to lock himself away, he’d drink even stronger alcohol than that, gulping it down as he focused on his research. It was research that couldn’t be endured while sober.

As I helped my drunken master onto the street, the dazzling night scene of the city stimulated my eyes. I hadn’t noticed before, but every moment spent with my master like this was a treasure to me.

But, as always, there were pests that would disturb the moment.

“Hey, where are you taking your drunk lover?”

“Hey, with such a pretty girlfriend, you’re ditching him to come have fun with us, huh?”

These pests were everywhere. The kind of lowlifes who approached based only on someone’s face or body.

“We’re on a date, so get lost before I kill you.”

“Whoa, you talk harshly. Ouch, if you say such things with a face like an angel, it’s kind of hurtful to us older guys.”

Ah, damn it… I couldn’t even exert my strength, and now these lowlifes… I kind of understood why Glacies hated that self-proclaimed hero from another world.

“Hey, don’t be so stiff~ We just want to have a drink with you. Come on~”

The guy tried to grab my hand. I must have been too kind recently.

“Spirits of darkness that consume the earth, open your mouths, it’s dinner time.”

At that, the shadows of the pests opened their mouths and devoured them whole. There was no one around, so it wouldn’t be an issue to kill these trash. How dare they interrupt the time I was spending with my master? They deserved to die.

Looking up at the sky, the moon was shining beautifully. After my master had passed away, I would always look at the moon alone and get lost in memories, but this time was different. My master was here beside me, and my master would always be with me.

“You know it’s pretty funny hearing that from someone responsible for that death, right?”

At some point, a damn raven, sent by that bratty little god, had perched on my shoulder. When did it fly in? I’m sure I locked it in the cage.

“Eh~ Did you really think a birdcage would stop a god’s messenger? You’re not as smart as I thought.”

“Shut up, you damn brat. Give me back the contract with the spirit kings. That’s mine.”

“Eh, but that contract with the spirit kings was also thanks to your master over there, right? And I told you, I won’t accept those reincarnation perks.”

I wanted to break the raven’s neck, but I couldn’t. After all, I had a contract with that damn bratty god.

“So then, what about that idiot who said they were from another world?”

“Oh, that? I just saw an idiot jump off a bridge saying they were going to another world, so I called them over to have a little fun…”

The raven made a grimace as it spoke.

“Yeah, that damn fool came at me saying, ‘Loli goddess! You fell in love with me and tried to save me… I’ll never forget you!’ and rushed at me, so I just tossed him aside. But tossing him aside didn’t exactly go as planned…”

“So you mistook him for trash you could throw away?”

“To be honest, people like that just piss me off.”

“Yeah, I agree with that.”

Honestly, if someone like that approached me, I would have melted them with magic right away.

“Anyway, why are you here?”

“I want to permanently return to you one of the contracts with the spirit kings. While I’m at it, I’ll return some of your mana too.”

“Is that true?”

Just that alone would be enough to deal with most of the pests easily.

But soon, I regained my composure and recalled one truth: that foul-mouthed little god would never return something like that for free.

“Ah, you figured me out, what a shame…”

“What’s the catch?”

“Well, recently the Black Round Table or whatever has been annoying me in many ways. I could send my apostles, but it’s a hassle, so I’m asking you to take care of it for me.”