Chapter 22

“Give it to him, I don’t need the menu.”

After smoothing the hem of her high-waisted red tight skirt, the woman with red hair sat gracefully by the window of the restaurant. She was even more radiant than the late evening霞 still lingering in the sky. With a wave of her hand, she declined the menu offered by the waiter and fluently placed her order:

“Start with a dozen Bass pale ales to whet the appetite, then decant a bottle of Margaux dry red wine to clear the malt flavor from the beer. Follow that up with one bottle each of Bowmore, Talisker, and Glenfiddich classic range whiskies.

Finally, when I… we’ve had our fill, bring out a bottle of Macallan Sherry Cask whisky to finish off, and top it off with a take-away bottle of Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum.”

“Hmm… that’s all for now. Oh, write Leon Lane on the bill and send it to the Clearing Bureau under the Public Security Bureau. We’ll settle it on payday.”

“…”

Watching the red-haired woman finalize the drinks list in less than five seconds and even put the bill on credit, Leon felt a chill run down his spine as he held another menu and reminded her with a forced smile: “Director, what you’ve ordered is all alcohol. Shouldn’t we also get some food?”

“Oh, don’t worry about me. You eat yours. I just need something to drink.”

“…”

Not eating anything else but drinking? Are you seriously planning to drink yourself to death here? As Leon opened the menu’s liquor section and spotted the items she’d ordered, he saw several dark “spirits” labels, indicating an alcohol content of at least 40%.

I… damn it, why did I invite her for drinks! Looking at the prices which weren’t cheap either, Leon regretted it deeply but hesitated before spending too much money. After careful consideration, he only chose a shepherd’s pie made with lamb, mashed potatoes, and lettuce layers and ordered a side dish of veal stewed with seasonal vegetables to take home for his younger siblings. Then he nervously observed his bureau director’s performance.

…

“Uh~ how nostalgic~”

At a speed Leon couldn’t comprehend, the red-haired woman elegantly yet wildly downed half a dozen pale ales. Amidst the whispers of other diners, Olivia flicked her red hair behind her ear and leaned over the decanter opening, taking a light sniff. A charming blush instantly appeared on her pretty face.

“Raspberries, toasted bread, very rich coffee notes, and a hint of truffle aroma~ It’s been so long since I’ve tasted such exquisite wine~”

“…”

Is it really this good? Leon was taken aback by the red-haired woman’s expression of enjoyment. He surreptitiously sniffed with his nose but only caught a faintly sweet fruity scent, nothing else. Doubtfully furrowing his brow, he wondered silently, “Where’s the bread or coffee smell… Is she lying?”

“What? Don’t believe me?”

Glancing at Leon’s skeptical expression, the red-haired woman picked up a glass, poured him half a glass of the deep red wine, and handed it over with a playful smile.

“Try it?”

“Uh…”

Sniffing the slightly sharp alcoholic odor, Leon instinctively frowned, not being a drinker. But thinking about how much he had already spent on the wine, and not wanting to waste it, his hand involuntarily took the glass. Following the red-haired woman’s instructions, he gulped down a big mouthful, swirled it around his tongue, and swallowed with a gulp.

“How does it taste?”

Watching Leon suck in air due to the sourness, the red-haired woman propped her chin on her hand, observing his reddening face while smiling.

“For someone new to wine, sweeter types would be more suitable. This dry wine is quite strong and stimulating, probably too early for you… Hmm, young man, do you want another sip?”

“Hisss…”

“Drink! And I want another one of everything!”

The reason for such a quick change of attitude wasn’t because Leon appreciated the beauty of alcohol or felt teased like a little brother, but rather…

[First-time tasting of a “craft” level fine wine has successfully activated the Black Iron Badge “Newcomer to the Wine World”]

[Newcomer to the Wine World: No need to persuade me, I know. Loving it harms my life, but what makes me happiest is precisely my long and boring existence]

[Effect: For a period after consuming alcohol, negative emotions like fear, timidity, and panic will have reduced influence on you]

[Advancement Path: After tasting ten kinds of “craft” level or higher fine wines, this badge will automatically upgrade to the Bronze Badge “Gourmet Drinker,” current progress 1/10]

[Hidden Feature (no need to wear): Your alcohol tolerance has significantly increased]

…

Who would have thought, you’re actually quite talented at drinking…

Seeing Leon’s eyes sparkling brightly and becoming increasingly excited, the red-haired woman who initially just wanted to tease him suddenly became more spirited herself. She poured him a glass of a high-proof single malt whisky aged over 10 years in oak barrels and tapped the golden liquid against the glass wall, explaining with a smile,

“One mistake per chapter, no content available in 69 Book Bar!

“This is a single malt whisky aged for over 10 years in casks, its aroma similar to cinnamon and vanilla. Though very strong, if sipped carefully, it’s surprisingly smooth.

Drink it like this… see, if your tongue is sensitive enough, you should be able to taste flavors akin to dried fruit and oak maturity… Alright~”

Seeing Leon gulp down the glass before she could finish her explanation, coughing continuously with tears welling up in his eyes, the red-haired woman shook her head amusedly and said,

“You drank too fast. The alcohol content of this glass is more than four times that of the previous one. Did it burn? You… Hmm? Do you want another?”

“Yes!”

Blinking his eyes, Leon slowly recovered, glancing at the significantly increased alcohol tolerance entry below the [Newcomer to the Wine World]. With the mindset of leveling up the badge, he confidently nodded,

“I feel my tolerance is pretty good. Even if I’m not as good as you, it shouldn’t be too far off… though, I’ll stick to one glass of each.”

Oh? Not too far off?

As if opening Pandora’s box, with those words, the originally casual drinking session of the red-haired beauty turned into something more serious. Her eyebrows arched upward, and she summoned the waiter again with a smile.

“Then let’s drink until we’re satisfied today~ Don’t worry, the rest is on me. No need to spend your salary~”

When the next round of drinks was laboriously carried in by six waiters, the sight of the red-haired beauty cheerfully pouring wine became the last image imprinted in Leon’s memory that night…

…

“Ugh… how did the sun come up again?”

Holding his throbbing head as if it might split open, Leon woke up disoriented from his small bed. Seeing the sunset strangely climbing back above the horizon outside the window, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes in shock.

The sun had just set when we started drinking! Did I sleep all day? When he shakily summoned the badge interface and saw the radiant [Martyr of the Wine World] in the slot, he froze completely, his lips trembling involuntarily.

Black Iron – Bronze – Silver – Yel… Gold? Three-level jump in badges overnight? How much did I drink?!?!

(End of Chapter)