Chapter 169
Bang! Bang-bang-bang!
It was a dark night.
The streets were packed with people enjoying the festival.
Fireworks burst overhead, filling the night sky with flashes of every color.
"Catch me if you can~!"
"Wait for me! Hey!"
Children ran between the crowds.
Adults watched them with warm smiles.
Everyone was enjoying the celebration.
Meanwhile...
The banquet hall inside was just as lively as the festival outside.
"Kuhahahaha! You really know how to drink, Brother! Hahaha!"
The Martial Alliance Leader's face was flushed bright red as he gulped down wine from the 10th floor.
Sitting beside him...
Equally drunk...
Was Dolkin.
"Kuhuhuh! Look who's talking!"
"You drink like a champion yourself, little brother!"
"Nothing beats this Empire's wine!"
At some point...
The two had started calling each other brothers.
They even had their arms around each other's shoulders as they drank.
Both their faces had long since turned red as carrots.
"Kuhuh! Brother, you should visit our Alliance someday."
"Reconstruction makes it difficult right now, but once we're finished..."
"I'll repay you with the finest Dukang Wine I can find."
"Kuhaha! Sounds good."
"And while I'm there, maybe I'll bring a few weapons for you too."
"Now that's wonderful news!"
"Hahahahaha!"
The two alcohol lovers continued emptying bottles.
Watching them from nearby was Lee Yumi.
Then...
Someone quietly approached beside her while sipping wine.
Kalahil.
"Why are you sitting here by yourself?"
"Aren't you drinking with your companions?"
"You are...?"
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself."
He smiled politely.
"My name is Kalahil."
"I run a small guild called Luna Guild on the 20th floor."
"Please just call me Kalahil."
"I think Suhyeok oppa mentioned you before."
Yumi nodded.
"You're the one distributing Elixirs cheaply, right?"
Kalahil took a sip of wine.
Then looked toward another table.
His little sister was happily playing while drinking orange juice.
When she noticed him looking...
She waved enthusiastically.
Kalahil smiled back before answering.
"Yes."
"Thanks to that, the guild's situation has improved significantly."
"Players buy from us regularly now."
"You seem really close with your sister."
"That too is thanks to Lee Suhyeok."
His smile softened.
"Without those Elixirs..."
"Neither my sister nor I might've been here today."
"So I work hard with a sense of duty."
"Haha."
"I see."
"That's good."
Their short conversation continued for a while.
Then...
"I should get going."
"I already greeted Lee Suhyeok earlier."
"My sister and I promised we'd go look around the festival afterward."
"All right."
"Have fun."
Once again...
Yumi was left alone.
She suddenly looked toward another table.
The moment she saw what was happening there...
Her expression darkened.
"..."
At the end of her gaze...
Was Bong Taesu.
"Y-You really don't have to feed me...."
"Just eat it, nya~!"
"Come on, aaah~."
"A-Aah...."
"Try this too, nyaaa."
"Kyaa~! You're eating so well!"
Half-beast maids were sitting beside Bong Taesu.
They had their arms linked with his while feeding him snacks.
They were the Myoga sisters from the 30th floor.
"H-Haha..."
"I can't say this feels unpleasant..."
"But you're all putting me in quite the difficult position."
"What's wrong with that?"
A voice came from behind him.
"With an occasion like this, shouldn't you enjoy a little luxury?"
A woman approached, gently swaying her red tail.
Myoga.
The other sisters naturally moved aside.
Bong Taesu could only stare awkwardly at the situation.
Myoga circled him seductively as she spoke.
Then slowly closed the distance.
"The more I look at you..."
"The less bad you seem."
"You're pretty dependable."
"And your face isn't so bad once I get used to it."
She smiled.
"So..."
"How about you and I seriously──"
FWOOSH!
Flames suddenly erupted between them.
Step. Step.
"You damn fox."
"You trying to die?"
"Should I turn your fur into a coat?"
"Get lost."
Lee Yumi strode toward Bong Taesu's table with a terrifying aura.
She looked ready to kill someone.
Myoga stared at the slightly singed fur on her body in shock.
Apparently deciding there was no point pushing her luck...
She clicked her tongue and backed away.
In an instant...
Only Bong Taesu and Lee Yumi remained at the table.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Kuhuh!"
Taesu suddenly burst into laughter.
Yumi stared at him as though he were insane.
"What are you laughing at?"
"And you!"
"If women like that come over, reject them!"
"Didn't you see those sly eyes?"
"Anyone could tell she was trying to use you for something."
"Seriously..."
"What would you do without me?"
By the time she'd finished ranting...
Her face was bright red, as though she'd been drinking.
Bong Taesu was still laughing.
"Kuhahaha!"
"Seriously, why are you laughing?"
"Is this funny?"
"Of course it is."
Taesu wiped at the corner of his eye.
"It reminded me of when we first met."
"You had quite the temper back then too."
"Kukuk."
"T-That was just──"
"That's why I like it."
Yumi froze.
"Even when you're angry like this..."
"It's all because you're worried about me, isn't it?"
"So anything Miss Yumi does is fine by me."
"Even if it's something as simple as talking like this."
"..."
Yumi suddenly went silent.
Bong Taesu leaned closer, wondering why she wasn't saying anything.
Smack!
She punched him hard in the side.
Then immediately turned away and hurried out of the banquet hall.
"Y-You really say anything you want...!"
"Hah!"
All her usual confidence was gone.
She walked so stiffly from embarrassment that the arm on the same side as each stepping foot moved with it.
Bong Taesu noticed how red the back of her neck and ears had become.
A grin spread across his face.
"Miss Yumi!"
"Wait for me!"
"D-Don't follow me!"
"Seriously, are you c-crazy or what...?!"
The banquet had grown even livelier.
Suhyeok stepped outside for some fresh air.
He leaned against the railing and looked over the festival streets.
He'd heard that everyone exposed to the contamination on the 50th floor had recovered.
