Chapter 91
“I am! The most amazing! Man in the world!”
“Man! Man!”
Gabriel sang, scraping his throat harshly. As he thrust his arm forward like he was holding a microphone, the drunken gang members joined in the song.
“Kiyaaaahoooo!”
Overcome with excitement, Pig Nose climbed onto the table and pulled down his pants. He exposed his ugly lower body and swayed his hips.
Pig Nose was a gang member who had lost one of his eyes as punishment from me. Because of that, he was still wary and afraid of me.
I sat at the bar, glancing around. Beard and Dog Eyes, whom I had recruited into the gang early on, were also present.
“I quit drugs. For real this time. I swear I’m really done with them.”
Beard spoke, his thick facial hair soaked in beer foam. He hadn’t always been this hairy—he had developed hypertrichosis as a side effect of using body-enhancing drugs.
“Think you can really pull that off? It’s not like we’re gonna live forever, so who cares? Boss said we just need to stay clean while we’re working.”
Dog Eyes chimed in. He had failed an eye implant surgery, leaving his pupils permanently misaligned. It was a nerve-related issue, meaning even if he underwent another transplant, he would have to live like that for the rest of his life.
By now, I even knew the personal circumstances of the gang members. Whether I liked it or not, their stories reached my ears.
Gabriel’s gang was slowly growing, steadily establishing itself. But it was less because of Gabriel’s abilities and more thanks to the support from Martina Diva and Grace.
“Diva is keeping her promise to Lord Luka. One day, you will have to repay that trust.”
Grace, wearing an eyepatch, sat next to me. She had been drinking as well, making her face seem softer than usual. There was even a faint, blurry smile on her lips.
‘My deal with Diva.’
Martina Diva would take care of Gabriel in my absence. With her protection, Gabriel wouldn’t suddenly collapse one day.
‘Even if something happens, at least he’ll survive.’
In return, I had given Martina my acquaintance. By the time I rose higher in status, she would surely ask me for a personal favor. And as someone indebted to her, I wouldn’t be able to refuse.
“Lord Luka, is there any new information on Rowzen?”
Grace asked.
To be completely honest, I had completely forgotten about ‘Rowzen.’ There were simply too many things more important to me.
‘Irregular Rowzen.’
Grace had left the academy because of Rowzen.
After becoming an Imperial Guard, Rowzen’s personality had gradually changed—until it completely collapsed.
Witnessing this, Grace sought Martina Diva’s help to leave cadet life behind. She had been able to do so thanks to Martina Diva’s connections with high-ranking officials.
I organized my thoughts and looked at Grace.
“It’s fine. I’m not pressing you, so don’t worry about it. Just look into it when you get the chance.”
True to her background as a former cadet, Grace was quick-witted. She must have realized that I had forgotten about Rowzen.
“I’ll let you know as soon as I find out anything.”
“It may not be your real birthday… but still, let me pour you a drink. It’s also a gift from Diva.”
Grace pulled a glass from the cupboard and handed it to me. She then poured a liquor she had prepared separately. Even just the smell made it clear—it was incredibly strong.
“Who do you think was the first person to ever drink alcohol? If you think about it, it’s basically poison. It tastes bad, numbs the mind, and dulls the body.”
I said as I lifted my glass.
“Perhaps it was someone who wanted to die, someone who drank poison with the intent to end their life.”
Grace filled her own glass as well. The liquid rippled as our glasses clinked together.
We emptied our glasses in one go. It felt like my throat was burning. It made me question whether this was something humans were even supposed to drink.
“Hmph.”
I grimaced slightly, but Grace remained composed. Feeling like I had somehow lost, I grabbed the bottle and quickly refilled both of our glasses.
“But the first person who drank alcohol didn’t die, did they? Instead, they must have found a way to momentarily forget the suffering that made them want to die. So, they kept drinking every day, ruining their body… but somehow, they found the strength to make it to the next day.”
It was an irrational act.
…But right now, it felt like exactly what I needed.
I raised my glass again and clinked it against Grace’s. We kept drinking the strong liquor in quick succession. The alcohol slowly seeped into my nervous system, unraveling the senses that had been sharpened through training.
“You’re a coward, Grace. You ran away just because Rowzen was consumed by Legion? Were you that scared of a mere machine?”
I spoke harshly.
“I was young back then. But… I’m satisfied with my life now. Even if I could go back, I would still choose to stay by Diva’s side.”
“That’s just a loser’s way of rationalizing things. You threw away all the honor and status you could have attained with your own ability. You ran away out of fear, nothing more.”
I spilled out the words I had been holding back.
My relationship with Grace wasn’t bad. In fact, it was rather good. That was precisely why I usually didn’t speak to her this aggressively.
Yeah, the alcohol was the problem.
However, Grace only smiled, as if she was used to dealing with drunken ramblings. She had probably drunk as much as I had, yet she seemed completely composed.
“Recognizing one’s own weakness is important too. I wouldn’t have been able to defeat Legion. Just like Rowzen.”
“So, in the end… you were just another loser from the lower districts. You didn’t even try, yet you decided it was impossible and shut yourself off from your own potential. That’s the kind of person I despise the most.”
Even as I insulted her, Grace showed no sign of offense. Instead, she simply lifted the bottle and calmly refilled my glass.
Seeing her composed smile, I snapped back to my senses. I felt ashamed of what I had just said.
Damn it… Honestly, Grace seemed more mature than I did right now. Embarrassed by how unraveled I had become, I put down my drink and opted for water instead.
“Lord Luka, I lack both the talent and the mental fortitude that you have. However, there is one thing I do have over you—age. I’ve lived at least ten years longer than you.”
“That idiot Gabriel is older than me too! Is being older something to brag about?”
At my outburst, Gabriel, who had been singing, flinched. Then, he grinned and brought the microphone to his lips.
“That’s right! I’m your elder! Call me hyung! Luka! I’ll even let you call me Gabi-hyung! You’re the first person I’ve ever given a nickname to who isn’t a woman!”
“Shut up, you idiot.”
I grabbed the nearest plate and hurled it at Gabriel. He tilted his head to the side, dodging it with ease. The sound of breaking ceramic rang out.
“What a temper.”
Gabriel shrugged and continued singing.
I turned back to Grace. She was calmly bringing her glass to her lips, tilting it ever so slightly. The way she drank was so refined and poised that I half-wondered if she was secretly pouring the alcohol somewhere else instead of actually drinking it.
“Hoo…”
Grace exhaled, releasing a breath laced with the scent of the strong liquor. The rich aroma pleasantly brushed past my nose.
Without realizing it, I found myself silently gazing at the side of her face.
Grace slowly turned her head, looked at me, and smiled. It was the most expressive smile I had ever seen from her.
…Suddenly, I felt awkward drinking alone with her.
“Well, it was a good conversation, Grace.”
I tried to stand up.
Snap!
Grace grabbed my wrist.
“For the first time in a while, I feel like spending the night with a man. What about you? If I’m not mistaken, Lord Luka, you…”
“Sh-shut up.”
Grace let go of my wrist. She rested her elbow on the bar and propped her chin up with her hand.
“You blushing just now was rather cute. So you do have reactions like that. In any case, this is what experience is, Lord Luka. Since I’ve lived a little longer than you, I naturally have more experience in many areas. Sexual experience is one of them. No matter how talented or mentally strong someone is… when faced with an unfamiliar situation for the first time, they often respond late or inappropriately.”
I couldn’t come up with a rebuttal. She was right—I had been caught off guard in that moment. I hadn’t responded with the composure or skill I prided myself on. I had acted like an innocent, inexperienced boy.
“…I’ll keep your advice in mind.”
“Have a good night, then. I’ll be on my way.”
Grace gave a slight nod and stood up, leaving the gang’s office.
There were multiple reasons why I had been flustered just now. The weight of the imperial audience, my lack of sleep, and the effects of the strong alcohol had left my nervous system in a precarious state. That was the first reason.
The second was simply that I had never been in this kind of situation before. A woman’s direct proposition wasn’t something my training or education had prepared me for. I had no protocol to follow—I had to rely on my own judgment.
And the last reason… was that I found Grace attractive. If I were to build a family in the future, a woman like her wouldn’t be a bad choice. Our personalities would likely be compatible.
“…Hmm.”
I felt someone’s gaze on me.
Five seats down at the bar, Giselle was sitting there.
She was staring at me with a cold expression. Her eyes were so frigid that they reminded me of our first meeting.
As soon as our eyes met, Giselle sharply turned her head and started talking to someone else. She was engaged in a long conversation with an unexpected person.
Gilda.
Gilda had come late after hearing it was my birthday. She had practically become the gang’s dedicated mechanic. With more customers coming her way, it was a benefit to her, and for the gang, it was reassuring to have someone reliable handling our equipment.
Gilda and Giselle had been engaged in a long conversation. Neither of them seemed to have drunk much.
Clatter.
After their lengthy discussion, the two women stood up. Then, like business partners, they shook hands.
“I’ll visit you properly next time, Gilda. You’re today’s greatest find.”
Giselle spoke politely. Their conversation had come to an end.
After parting ways with Giselle, Gilda approached me, her bright smile beaming as she stared straight at me. She was a woman as radiant as sunlight.
“Happy birthday, Luka! You know, you’re really starting to give off a manly vibe. If before you were a ‘boy-boy-man,’ now you’re more of a ‘man-man-boy.’”
I wasn’t exactly sure what the difference was, but it seemed like a compliment.
“Well, time has passed.”
Gilda placed both of her hands on my cheeks. Her arms weren’t mechanical but flesh and blood, making them feel even warmer.
“I know I’ve said this before, but I’ll never forget that you saved me. If I ever have a child, I’ll name them Luka—whether it’s a boy or a girl.”
The mention of children suddenly made me wonder about something. Gabriel and Gilda had been close for quite some time now.
“…You’re not dating Gabriel, are you?”
“Ugh, no way. Gabi’s just… not my type. I care more about looks than personality. But don’t tell him that.”
Gilda covered her mouth with one hand and laughed before giving my back a few firm pats.
“Hm, I see.”
“Oh, by the way, is the old man busy these days? He hasn’t been visiting at all.”
By ‘old man,’ she meant Kinuan.
“He’s probably busy.”
I kept my answer brief. Gilda didn’t press for more details.
After finishing our conversation, Gilda walked over to Gabriel and the gang members. She shoved Gabriel aside, snatched the microphone from him, and started singing herself.
Gabriel, momentarily flustered after having the microphone snatched from him, scratched his head. Then, settling into his seat, he quickly joined the other gang members in clapping along and singing to Gilda’s song.
Her choice of song was much softer. From the lyrics, it was clearly about love and romance.
Tap!
Giselle placed her glass in front of me with a firm thud. Then, she sat down beside me.
Perfect timing. I had something to say to her as well.
"You—"
"You—"
We spoke at the same time.
Both of us paused, waiting for the other to continue, leading to a brief silence.
"Go ahe—"
"Go ahe—"
Most likely, we had both intended to say, You go first.
Flick.
Giselle extended her hand and began cycling through rock, paper, and scissors. Without a word, I nodded and stretched out my own arm.
She often forgot what I was capable of since she wasn’t a trained soldier.
I simply observed her movements and reactions, ensuring that I got the result I wanted. It wasn’t difficult for me.
Flick.
I played rock. She played scissors.
“Damn it, I’m an idiot.”
Giselle made a belated grimace of realization.
“The loser speaks first, young lady.”
I gestured toward her with an open palm, as if offering food.
Taking a deep breath, Giselle parted her lips. Her lipstick was darker than usual today.
“That woman, Grace… is she your lover?”
…Of all things, that’s what she was curious about?