Chapter 160

Going back in time for a sec—

The freshman banquet went smoothly without any conflicts.

No one made a scene, and even Kara, who drew the most attention, adapted quite well.

Moreover, the appearance of the Crown Prince, Karas, more or less overshadowed everyone else.

And let’s not forget the princess of the Hwan Empire, Danyerin, among many other notable figures. It was too chaotic to focus on just one place.

Still, the atmosphere gradually warmed up, thanks to the musicians and the booze to lift everyone’s spirits.

No matter how much some people despise crowded places, a little drink can bring out some joy.

This was true for Luna, who boasted her popularity as the top freshman. She certainly attracted a lot of attention.

She started off a bit clumsy but thankfully, with Grace’s help, she managed to get the hang of it.

The problem was that every time she had help, she ended up drinking. Sure, it was a low-alcohol wine, but booze is booze.

“Hehe.”

“What’s up with her?”

“I think she’s had a bit too much to drink.”

As a result, she was thoroughly plastered. Even Grace next to her couldn’t manage to stop her.

For Luna, it was her very first experience with alcohol. She had no idea what her limit was.

So, without a second thought, she kept chugging until she hit that limit and became an absolute mess.

“Sivar, you look alright. Thought you were drunk earlier.”

“I’m good now.”

“Already?”

“Yup.”

In contrast, I had sobered up completely. Grace looked at me with wide eyes.

I had consumed a ridiculous amount and was smiling like a fool, just like Luna.

But after a quick trip to the terrace, I was completely sober.

‘Must be because of my Poison Resistance, huh?’

I usually wouldn’t get drunk easily. But since I had drank like a fish, I did end up tipsy.

It’s hard to take in and even easier to break down. That’s why even poisons and drugs don’t affect me much.

“Luna, are you drunk?”

“Nah~ I’m not drunk~”

Regardless, it was clear that Luna was on the brink of passing out.

Her once white skin was now flushed red from the alcohol, and her steps were all over the place.

To top it off, she was grinning stupidly. Anyone could see she was drunk.

“We need to get her out of here. The banquet’s winding down anyway, so it’s a good time.”

“But I’m fine, sis! I can still drink more~”

“Don’t make a mess before you pass out. Eli, do you know where her dorm is?”

Kara seemed eager to send Luna off. If things went on like this, who knows what kind of trouble she’d cause.

If Luna let something slip, it wouldn’t be good for me either. I could easily end up exposing our secrets.

Luna, who always boasted of her chaotic tongue, would be utterly doomed if she made a big blunder.

“I know, but what happens afterwards is the problem, right? Who knows what she might do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like stumbling out into the night while drunk? I can’t handle that.”

“Man, I still need to be around.”

Kara scratched her head, looking distressed. Even if Luna acted like a fool, she was still the top freshman.

She had a clear physical advantage over Eli. If Luna were to throw a fit, Eli would be helpless to stop her.

Kara probably wished she could take care of her directly. But she had to stick around until the banquet wrapped up.

“I have to stay too. Got a lot to do.”

“Then, Sivar, how about you take her? The Saint’s in the dorm too, so it should be fine.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. You good with that?”

“Yeah.”

Honestly, passing her off to me was a smart move. As Eli mentioned, Rize would be in the dorm, so it should work out.

Even if some weird rumors spread, Rize’s presence would easily overshadow them.

Especially since Luna had been popping in and out of my dorm on weekends without issue.

“I’m not going! I’m going to drink more!”

“Oh come on, seriously?”

In the end, Luna was dragged away by Eli and me. She didn’t seem to have any strength left, thoroughly wasted.

“Let go of me~ Hehe.”

Thankfully, her drunkenness was simple. If she started causing a ruckus, I might have to smack some sense into her.

I threw Luna over my back and headed for the dorm. On the way, Eli chimed in.

“So, this is Sivar?”

“Yup.”

“Wow, your back is super wide~”

She usually seemed cold, but the alcohol made her friendly?

They say dogs can’t become humans, but humans can become dogs, and I suddenly thought of that.

Luna’s behavior was almost dog-like. Not in a sarcastic way, but in an adorable sense.

Ever since hopping on my back, she kept rubbing her cheek against me. Like she was trying to soak up my warmth, it was an odd cuteness.

“So that’s how Luna acts when she’s drunk. Guess I gotta be careful next time.”

“What about you, Eli? Are you drunk?”

“I think I’m a little tipsy, but I’m fine. I didn’t drink much.”

Eli isn’t much of a drinker. Even if it’s sweet, if it leaves a bitter aftertaste, she’s not a fan.

She’d rather chomp down on a pile of herbs than drink a bitter drink.

“I like the sweet stuff.”

“I do too, but it’s not like I hate all bitter things. And if all you eat is sweet, you might end up with diabetes, you know?”

While chatting with Eli, Luna’s drunken ramblings faded into the background.

Catching a glimpse over my shoulder, I soon only heard soft snores. She had passed out, it seemed.

Honestly, this was far better than her causing a scene. Thanks to that, we reached the dorm with ease.

“Take care of Luna now. Even if the Saint helps, she’ll be fine. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

Eli headed off to her dorm, and I too moved along. Not much left to go.

But then—

‘…What was that?’

Before long, my Wilderness Instinct kicked in. Every hair on my body stood on end, and my blood ran cold.

If my Wilderness Instinct was alerting me, something was definitely off. I looked around, scanning suspiciously.

Nothing felt out of place. Occasionally, people walked by but ignored us completely.

So, what exactly was making me tense? The encroaching darkness of night only heightened my unease.

“Ugh…”

“…?”

At that moment, an unsettling noise tickled my ear. The problem was it was a bit too close.

That noise was none other than Luna. Hearing it made my heart sink.

“Ugh!”

“…No.”

This couldn’t happen here. At least, it would be better if it happened in the dorm.

I felt my heart drop and hurried my steps. I had to get her to the dorm, no matter what.

If worse came to worst, I’d just have to drop her on the ground. After all, it was Luna who would suffer, not me…

“Uweeeek!!”

“…

Shit.

She was about to hurl a rainbow of vomit from her mouth.

*****

After Luna upchucked a rainbow of vomit on my back, we bolted straight for the dorm.

With a feeling of utter defeat, I wished I could just shuffle along, but it was so horrifying I needed to wash up.

Plus, since Rize would be here, I could count on her to help me clean up. Maybe even do some laundry.

Squeak—

“…Rize?”

But something felt off. The moment I stepped into the dorm, it hit me.

Usually, whenever I return, Rize would be there to greet me. Be it in her Saintly form or her Gwonseong guise.

But it was eerily quiet—too quiet. I wondered if perhaps she had stepped out for a moment.

“Huh?”

Then I spotted a piece of paper lying on the table. I picked it up.

[Hello, Sivar. It’s Rize. Something urgent came up, and I’ll be returning to Byzantium first. I’ve informed Rod, so you can visit together later.]

“…Oh, for crying out loud.”

What kind of bad timing is this? Returning right now of all times.

I couldn’t blame Rize; she was a person of her status. Even though she was free, she had responsibilities to attend to.

With a mixed bag of emotions, I sighed deeply. It seemed I had no choice but to deal with the Luna situation all by myself.

‘First, strip her of her clothes… This is going to be a nightmare.’

Both Luna and I had just bought our outfits recently. Since they were covered in vomit, I might as well toss them out.

I should ask Grace later how to handle it. There’s a good chance she’ll tell me to get rid of them too.

“Ughhh…”

“Seriously…”

As I stripped Luna of her dress, an overwhelming sense of despair washed over me. I just wanted to call it quits.

What on earth makes this girl better than a savage? She’s being pampered by a savagery.

Eventually, I managed to peel off the dress soaked with rainbow puke. This left Luna’s bare body on full display.

If Kara gave off a strong, solid feel overall, Luna had very noticeable curves. The line between her waist and hips was quite impressive.

‘Guess I never noticed while she was wearing baggy clothes.’

Despite her slender appearance, she had a definite allure as a woman. She possessed a distinct edge that others lacked.

But honestly, I needed to get her cleaned up before marveling at her figure. She had just lost all her awareness after that major vomit session.

Swish—

“Ugh, really… Ugh.”

I tossed my own clothes and proceeded to clean her up. I was so taken aback that all I could do was sigh.

Was this how Malboro feels when he’s washing me? Just a few months ago, I was in the position needing help, and now I was the one doing the washing.

“Mmm…”

Finishing off, I dried her up so she wouldn’t catch a cold. I had to dry her hair on the fly, since I couldn’t do much with it.

Then I threw on the underwear I had stripped off her. Guess she skipped on the bra thanks to that dress.

With most of the chaos handled, I washed off my clothes and Luna’s dress. Sure, I had a cleaning magic item, but I’d rather wash them by hand. The ickiness called for it.

Swish—

After washing up, I stepped out of the shower.

Once outside, I spotted Luna quietly sleeping in my bed.

Somebody was suffering while somebody else was snoozing comfortably. It was infuriating.

‘Maybe I should doodle on her face?’

That thought crossed my mind. I dried myself off with a towel and made my way over to Luna.

She usually kept her hair tied back, so I hadn’t noticed just how pretty she looked with her hair down.

Since she already had a lovely face, she looked great no matter how you styled her. The problem was the chaos and vomit spilling out of her mouth.

“Hey. Are you sleeping? Wake up.”

“Uweee…”

As I squeezed her cheeks, she let out a funny sound. She resembled some animal I couldn’t quite place.

I sighed again at the sight. The bed was spacious, but I’d much rather sleep elsewhere.

Originally, there was a bed where Rize would sleep, but she must have taken it with her when she left.

Just when I thought I’d have to sleep on the floor, Luna suddenly clenched my hand.

“Hmm?”

Just as I was about to turn, she held onto my hand. Thought she woke up, but nope, not at all.

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