Episode 89

Once again, the drink in Chris’s hand was ginger ale.

“Sorry, but our establishment doesn’t serve alcohol to minors.”

Even the strict taverns in the Destruction Mage territory followed the same rule.

Others around them showed signs of displeasure.

“A noble? You’re a bit too young for alcohol.”

“Hmph. Still just a kid.”

“Try calling me ‘sis’.”

“Damn mage scum. How come these mages are more honest and uptight than those alliance guys?”

So, leaving Chris out, everyone else drank themselves into a stupor.

And this was the result.

They were all suffering from hangovers.

“Drinking all those different kinds like that… serves you right.”

True to their noble lineage, the drinks they consumed were all top-shelf liquors. Chris, who had only ever watched those exquisite drinks disappear into others’ stomachs, felt a bit sour about it.

Even Simon was among the drunk.

Simon had disappeared, saying he was going to drink ox’s blood to cure his hangover.

Apparently, ox’s blood was the best hangover cure?

“They’re all doing well.”

Chris twitched his lips and approached Kashmir.

They were about to part ways soon, so there was business to attend to.

“Lord Kashmir.”

“C-Chr… Christian… I’m sorry for my disgrace… ugh.”

Christian forced a smile, trying to hide his furrowed brows.

“Here, this is a good remedy for hangovers. Please try it.”

“Oh, you even brought something like this. How kind you are, my lord. I will never forget the favor you’ve done for me.”

…But seeing him like this, a wreck suffering from a hangover, the words didn’t quite hit home.

It wasn’t envy or resentment. Really.

“Damn it, I wish I were suffering from a hangover too. Hate ginger.”

Chris swallowed his true feelings and continued.

“…There’s something else I want to give you.”

“What is it?”

“It’s the Fire Fan Group medicine from the Uiseon noble family.”

“!!”

Kashmir’s eyes widened as if they might tear.

It was the medicine he had been desperately hoping for.

The only cure that could save his mother, whose life force was draining due to severe yin energy.

“Ho-how did you get this medicine…?”

“I happened to acquire it at an auction some time ago. I hadn’t had a use for it until I heard about your situation at yesterday’s drinking party, so I’m giving it to you.”

He had gotten it at the auction.

It was made from ingredients Ruina had gathered.

“L-Lord…”

Kashmir’s voice trembled.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

‘How can someone like this exist in the world?’

From the moment they first met, Christian had been endlessly kind to him.

Even though he had once tried to kill him.

“I… I don’t deserve to receive this from you.”

Christian shook his head.

“Of course, it’s not free. Even if we’ve become friends, I can’t just give such a valuable item without something in return.”

“Y-yes! If there’s anything you want, just say it. I’d give my life for you!”

Kashmir answered hastily.

But then—

“Survive.”

“!!”

Christian looked at Kashmir with a heavy gaze.

“You probably have some idea of the great hardships that will come your way.”

Chris knew.

He knew what Kashmir would have to endure.

“I don’t ask for anything else. Just don’t break, no matter what happens. Endure and survive, and one day, strike back at those who oppressed you. That’s all I want.”

“……”

Kashmir fell silent.

He felt it.

Chris’s genuine concern for him.

Unable to hold back the flood of emotions, Kashmir bit his lip tightly and bowed his head.

“I will remember that. And… thank you. I will never forget the kindness you have shown me.”

He meant it.

At that moment, Kashmir vowed to give his life for Christian someday.

With that, Kashmir fully entrusted his heart to Chris.

Next was Marisa.

“You… um, have you sobered up? Do you remember what happened yesterday? You were really out of control.”

Marisa’s face flushed bright red.

She remembered.

Yesterday, she had been completely drunk, crying her eyes out and hurling all sorts of insults at Christian.

“You, you bastard! You’re a terrible man! I’ll kill you!”

Chris crossed his arms.

‘…Marisa still holds a grudge against me.’

Besides the insults, she had rambled on incoherently in her drunken, slurred speech, so Chris only caught the curses clearly.

“Here, this will help you sober up.”

“…Thanks.”

Unlike usual, Marisa accepted the medicine quietly.

“…Sorry about yesterday. I was drunk.”

“You’ve hated me for a long time, not just since yesterday. No need to apologize now.”

“……”

Marisa twitched her lips but said nothing, turning her head away.

“Anything else you want to say?”

“Yeah, be careful.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean all of a sudden?”

“Seems like someone in the Extreme Poison Mage territory wants you dead. Just so you know.”

Marisa’s expression hardened.

“What happened in the underground garden? The Extreme Poison Mage territory is probably involved.”

Most likely, the Marchioness Fresia had hired the Destruction Mage territory for this.

Their target was Christian’s life.

But was it just that?

“If the Extreme Poison Mage hadn’t been involved, the Destruction Mage wouldn’t have acted so boldly.”

The Extreme Poison Mage side also wanted Marisa dead.

“I know about that kind of thing.”

Marisa answered calmly.

“There are so many people trying to kill me, I can’t even identify them all. It’s nothing new.”

Chris nodded.

The noble families, whether Destruction Mage or Extreme Poison Mage, all had complicated affairs.

“Anyway, thanks for looking out for me.”

Marisa spoke softly, and Chris shrugged and moved on.

At the carriage, a pale-looking Jupien was waiting.

“Don’t you have any hangover medicine for me?”

“We’re rivals. Why would I give you any?”

“I don’t like you.”

“Well then, here—some candy I just picked up.”

Jupien glared sharply at Christian, popped the candy into her mouth, and her eyes widened.

She was instantly sober.

Chris smirked and climbed into the carriage.

It was time to return to the Dark Mage territory.

‘I wonder if Kashmir will manage to pull through.’

Chris thought to himself.

This was no longer something he could intervene in.

Still, he believed Kashmir wouldn’t collapse as miserably as before.

‘Besides Kashmir, there’s someone else I need to worry about.’

Chris said the name silently.

‘That damn hero, Evan.’

Back when Evan was being mistreated in the swordsmanship noble family.

The problem was that in the near future, Evan would face a huge disaster.

‘He barely survives, but ends up almost a wreck, suffering terribly.’

If not for that incident, Evan would have grown much faster.

‘I wish I could intervene, but the swordsmanship noble family is too far away. He’s probably operating in the shadows, so meeting him would be difficult.’

There was another problem.

‘Isn’t this the time when Evan is at his worst?’

The future Evan was a righteous, upright hero.

Of course, much of that was an act for others; deep down, he was somewhat prickly. But at least outwardly, he lived up to the hero’s name.

But at this time, Evan was twisted and cynical about everything.

He wouldn’t listen easily.

“Chris, if you had been by my side back then, I wouldn’t have struggled so much.”

Evan had said that once, drunk.

But Chris was skeptical.

Right now, Evan wouldn’t accept anything he said. The situation was just too bad.

‘Still, if I can intervene for the future, I should. Once he receives help, he never forgets it.’

Evan had a loyal, dog-like side. He never forgot a favor.

A bit different from Kashmir’s style, though.

‘If Kashmir is like a gentle, obedient dog, Evan is… hmm. A much more difficult and burdensome kind of dog. A loyal dog, but a prickly one.’

Chris shook his head.

There was nothing he could do about Evan’s situation. Even if he wanted to help, there was no way to get involved.

For now, he had to focus on what awaited him in the Dark Mage territory.

Chris narrowed his eyes.

‘A lot will have changed by the time I return.’

Just as he expected.

When he returned to the Dark Mage territory through the gate by carriage, chaos was everywhere.

Everyone was talking about Christian.

His status had skyrocketed.

---

The underground garden was a famous relic throughout the Southern Mage Kingdom.

Any mage passionate about training had visited at least once.

So everyone knew just how unbelievable what Christian had accomplished was.

“You say he cut off the Spider Queen’s head? How? Isn’t Lord Christian only at the 3-star level? Wasn’t it Steward Simon who dealt with her?”

“That’s not true. Steward Simon said he only assisted. It was Lord Christian who actually destroyed the Spider Queen.”

“Unbelievable.”

“That’s not all. He became a pioneer? Cleared the 27th floor alone? What’s with the nickname ‘The One Who Toyed With Demons’?”

“They say he was forced to move to the 27th floor due to an accident. There, he faced the demon’s trial and passed.”

Since he couldn’t reveal the full details, Chris had given a vague explanation about the 27th floor.

Everyone who heard it was stunned.

“The demon’s trial?! Is that even possible? You can’t keep your wits when facing a demon!”

“Lord Christian is no ordinary person, after all.”

“Well, yeah…”

The minions of the Dark Mage nodded in agreement.

From the moment he first appeared until now, Christian had consistently caused incredible upheaval alongside impossible miracles.

“But still, to have passed the Devil’s Trial… What kind of test could that have been?”

“They say it can’t be spoken of because it’s bound by a pact with the devil. But one thing’s for sure—it must have been as difficult as clearing the 27th floor.”

That made sense.

If the trial hadn’t been that brutally harsh, he wouldn’t have been recognized for conquering the 27th floor.

“So, what exactly is Prince Christian?”

Everyone looked toward him as if he were some unfathomable monster.

In that moment, a thought crossed everyone’s minds.

“Could there really be some unexpected twist in the succession?”

It was absurd.

Christian was still the furthest behind among all the heirs.

Yet, little by little, more and more began to entertain the idea.

They decided to keep a close eye on Christian.

Meanwhile, Christian himself smiled slyly at the gazes of those minions.

‘The reaction’s good. Thanks to Marchioness Fresia’s clever maneuvering, I’ve landed the perfect opportunity.’