He was a man with a strange atmosphere. The man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties with a rather handsome face had a face that smiled even without making any particular expression, yet a strangely chilly atmosphere could be felt. It wasn’t the feeling people commonly think of—having a twist in personality, or seeming sinister and cold behind the scenes.
It was just somewhere closer to… a fundamental uneasiness, as if something that wasn’t human was imitating a human.
For a moment their eyes met and Ban thought he’d smiled at him, but whether it was Ban’s misconception or not, the man immediately turned his head and was busy greeting and conversing with the people speaking to him. At the same time, small firework sounds announcing the start of the party could be heard, and Jaena, who’d spotted Ban and Orma, approached.
“There you are!”
“…Where did you buy those clothes?”
“Haha, I bought them in Gillia! They’re Yeru-style clothing—how is it?”
I don’t think it felt like this in the game… Though Jaena in fancy clothing was awkward, it suited him quite well. Whether the game developers referenced Indian clothing, Yeru’s clothing was basically Oriental-style but closer to Indian-style clothing.
He’d made a shirt and pants from fine fabric like silk. On top of that, he wrapped black cloth decorated with splendid gold leaf around his waist to use like a belt, and draped it long from the shoulders to the back, creating an elegant appearance like a young nobleman. When tied with a headband made by twisting two fabrics together, his cute little tiger ears stuck out adorably from behind, making him even cuter.
For the first time, Ban showed the reaction Jaena wanted. Unlike his usual expressionless and indifferent self, he even opened his eyes a bit wider and clapped his hands while praising him.
“It suits you very well. You said it’s Yeru-style clothing—do the tiger tribe also wear such clothes?”
“Actually, they’re not this fancy, but they are similar. Since beastfolk by nature need to use more active and durable fabric, and don’t use cumbersome decorations like these…”
“I see. Still, when you wear it like this, Jaena-ssi, you’re cut… I mean, you look wonderful.”
“Hehe, thank you! But are Lord Ban and Lord Orma still in your traveling clothes?”
If both dressed up properly, they’d look very splendid and wonderful… Jaena looked back and forth between the two with regret, then realized. Well, the two would only be uncomfortable if they stood out needlessly. Ban had recently boarded this ship after causing a spectacular scandal in Gillia, and Orma was that Evil God Orma…
“…Next time, we’ll do it properly.”
“Pardon?”
“It suddenly pisses me off. When you’re this pretty, it doesn’t make sense that you don’t stand out among those bastards dressed up like peacocks with just clothes when you haven’t done anything. Next time there’s a party like this, let’s do it properly.”
“…”
So he was saying he wanted to show off Ban’s beauty rather than his own. Earlier he said it was rather good that they didn’t stand out though…? Ban, who’d tilted his head, thought Orma’s appearance was actually more of a shame than his own.
If Orma also wore fancy clothes like what Jaena was wearing, it would suit him very well and he’d look wonderful. He’d look elegant and splendid like a prince or emperor of a nation. They say there are such outfits in Yeru… should we stop by once? Though he’d pursued only comfortable traveling clothes that didn’t stand out, if they bought one fancy outfit like that, there might be some use for it someday. He didn’t know if Orma would obediently wear it… but since he was soft toward him, wouldn’t he comply at least once even while grumbling?
Ban’s eyes sparkled as he planned luxury for the first time. When he saw Orma being satisfied while bringing him pretty, sparkling things and dressing him up, he hadn’t understood, but now that he himself was imagining various clothes that would suit Orma, it became quite an enjoyable imagination. Is this why Orma liked dressing me up?
“There’s liquor on that table! Should I go get some—will Lord Orma drink too?”
“No.”
“Aha, then just for me and Lord Ban…”
“Ban can’t either.”
“What?”
Why not me? When the aggrieved Ban asked back, Orma wrinkled his face harshly and scolded.
“Don’t you remember when you got drunk in the Black Wildwood?”
“Ah…”
That was… because it was Banan’s liquor… That’s just ordinary liquor, so wouldn’t it be okay…
He mumbled while gauging the situation, but Orma only fiercely glared with sharp eyes. Finally, when Ban gave up with a smack of his lips, Jaena rolled his lips in an awkward smile and scurried off to get only his own drink.
That’s when it happened. A voice drunk with excitement rang out loudly from the middle of the ship.
“Thank you all for celebrating! Haha, there may be those who attended not knowing this is a party held to commemorate my birthday, but it doesn’t matter. Please enjoy yourselves, everyone. I’ve also prepared a gift so that you all can shed tears of joy…”
The man said that while pointing to wine glasses filled with clear liquor. The ‘rare treasure’ Jaena said you could get by attending the party on the ship must be that liquor. Could it be expensive liquor? If that was ordinary liquor, the quest wouldn’t have specifically mentioned this party on the ship and pushed him to participate.
“I will gift you all with joy!”
People cheered at the man’s words. Seeing that there were people staggering and swaying, they seemed already drunk, but even they were kneeling as if worshipping the man, looking ready to bow to him at any moment.
‘Is this… really a birthday party?’
No matter how drunk they were, this scene was something you’d only see at cult-like religious events. Was that liquor so delicious and expensive? Then what about that man who gives such precious liquor to people whose faces he doesn’t even know just because it’s his birthday?
“…Why are you empty-handed?”
Jaena, who said he’d go get liquor, returned empty-handed. When Orma asked with puzzled eyes, Jaena slowly shook his head while frowning.
“The liquor is a bit strange. At first it looked very fragrant, but when I brought it close to take a sip, I caught a strange fishy smell. It was such a nauseating smell that I couldn’t possibly drink it, so I put it down and came back.”
“A fishy smell, you say?”
“It was some strange fishy smell… somehow it wasn’t an entirely unfamiliar smell. Where have I smelled it before?”
“The smell of water.”
“What?”
“So the identity of that watery smell was that liquor.”
Liquor containing a thick watery smell to the point Orma would be annoyed? Ban slowly blinked while thinking, then was soon shocked. What Jaena said about it not being an unfamiliar smell must definitely be referring to the underground waterway in Siol.
Ban hurriedly looked around. People crawling on the floor, people frothing at the mouth, people trembling while their eyes rolled back… Every single one of them had a bizarre appearance that wasn’t normal.
“Ban, you noticed too?”
“…Yes.”
“Huh? I didn’t notice! Tell me too!”
“Jaena-ssi, the identity of the liquor those people are drinking… don’t you recognize it? It’s Blue Tears.”
Another piece of evidence that the world was gradually approaching destruction. Unlike the bright pouring sunlight that heated the world hotly, the seed of calamity called Blue Tears bloomed secretly in dark and damp places. The terrible flower that contaminated surrounding things and arbitrarily transformed them actually had serious addictiveness.
Ban recalled what the nobles steeped in debauchery and dissipation did in the game. They refined Blue Tears to make it like liquor and got high on it like a drug.
Your body breaks down, gets contaminated, and transforms like a monster? So what? Since destruction was approaching anyway, rather than being soaked in anxiety and fearing the future, they chose what was immediately enjoyable and happy, saying let’s forget it all.
Ban felt uncomfortable, as if he’d witnessed the game version of articles like “Glamorous party on a ship, tycoons enjoying the decadent pleasure of alcohol and drugs…” that he might have seen on Earth in his past life. Is this why the quest induced him to participate in the party on the ship?
But even so, Orma wasn’t the type to punish them. He’d say, “They’re destroying their own bodies and playing around willingly—what crazy bastards…”
Then should I step in? Hmm… well, Ban didn’t particularly feel he should save them either. Was their salvation valuable enough to urge Orma to use the power he hated?
Ban, contrary to people’s expectations and predictions, wasn’t very noble. His mercy and sympathy also ultimately only went to those who had such value. Wouldn’t it be better to watch a bit more for now? Having reached that conclusion, Ban patted the shoulder of Jaena, who was belatedly shocked with wide eyes, and said.
“Let’s go back now. Jaena-ssi, it would be best if you didn’t associate with these people either.”
“A-alright!”
Jaena, who wanted to escape this bizarre place immediately, nodded his head rapidly. Seeing his terrified eyes, he was definitely recalling his earlier self who almost drank the liquor. Ban comforted the trembling Jaena and they all returned to the cabin together.
And that night, the sound of someone knocking on the cabin door could be heard.
