"Reader-ssi! Yuseong-ssi!"
Jung Heewon called out to us after I barely managed to fix my torn-up collar, helped Kim Dokja down from somewhere, and told the other party members it was Kim Dokja's karma.
"Oh my, where did you find this?"
"I spotted it over there and snatched it up."
Saying that, Jung Heewon smiled at me and Kim Dokja, then held up a bottle of soju and spoke.
"We should have a drink at a time like this. As a celebration."
At Jung Heewon's words, the other party members lit a bonfire, gathered around, and started drinking, while I began cooking BB Corn popcorn.
"Now... is it about done?"
Soon, the properly heated BB Corn turned into popcorn and shot up toward the sky, then began falling like rain after a moment.
"It won't be good if it hits the ground... Gluttony!"
I used Gluttony to suck up all the BB Corn falling from the sky into a subspace before it hit the ground, then added flavor with Woohwasan volcanic ash and other seasonings, handed out the BB Corn popcorn to the party members, and took a bite myself.
"Wow... the smell is like fried croquettes, but the flavor deepens the more you chew... It's so delicious that my body swallowed it before I could even taste it all..."
[Constellations in the channel are hungry from your description of the taste.]
[Constellations in the channel are clamoring for a bite too.]
I lightly ignored the rising messages from the constellations and devoured the BB Corn popcorn.
"Ugh... it's damn tasty... but something's missing... Ah!"
I took out Mellow Cola from my inventory, chugged it straight from the bottle, and thought.
'Popcorn really goes with cola...'
After finishing the BB Corn popcorn, I looked around, and the party members were enjoying themselves too.
[Ugh... I want to eat some too...]
[I also... want to taste a little...]
When Maiuri and Rinne said through the wall that they wanted to try the BB Corn too, I chuckled and called them out, handing over the BB Corn popcorn.
"There's plenty, so eat a lot."
"Okay! Thanks, Yuseong!"
"Thank you, Yuseong-ssi..."
Soon, the two started chatting and tasting the BB Corn, and I chuckled at the sight before checking on the other party members.
Shin Yuseung and Lee Gilyoung were over there eating BB Corn and having a childish argument,
Lycaon was drinking the high-proof alcohol I saved for him, looking up at the sky and pondering something,
Lee Jihye was sneaking bites from the party members and giggling,
Lee Hyunsung, Jung Heewon, Yoo Sangah, and Kim Dokja were drinking and sharing brief stories,
Eshil took a few sips of alcohol and passed out, asleep over there,
Meltryllis, Cinderella, and Lilith said alcohol wasn't for them and only ate BB Corn,
and Kiyohime and Melusine were drinking and having a staring contest.
It might only be a momentary peace, but seeing everyone happy like that, I felt satisfied in many ways.
"What a nice scene... What do you think?"
".....Well... At least... it feels peaceful..."
Saying that, Big Yuseong sipped his drink.
"Heh... hehe... Yuseong... one... two... three..."
"Whee~ it's goooooood..."
Then, Rinne and Maiuri, who had somehow started drinking, were seen wobbling and giggling.
"Sigh... when did those guys drink again..."
I sighed at their sight and headed over, and Big Yuseong, watching that, muttered briefly.
"...It's peaceful, really... too peaceful..."
Saying that, Big Yuseong moved toward the drinking party.
"So, I'm telling you... I just... that seating arrangement...! Hic!"
"Ugh, I can't drink anymore..."
"Feels gooood..."
"Cough!..... Cough!!"
"Hehehe..... Yuseong-nim..."
"Yuseong... where are you going...."
"Ugh.... Yuseong-ssi....."
"".......""
"..."
In order, it was Jung Heewon, Lee Hyunsung, Lee Jihye, Lycaon, Eshil, Maiuri, Rinne, Shin Yuseung, Lee Gilyoung, and Big Yuseong.
"They've all just passed out cold..."
I covered Big Yuseong, Shin Yuseung, and Lee Gilyoung with one large blanket, covered Lycaon, Eshil, and Lee Jihye with another set blanket, sent Rinne and Maiuri back inside the wall, knocked out Jung Heewon who insisted she could drink more and covered her with Lee Hyunsung,
"Ugh.... Master.... give Kiyo some head pats...."
"Master... pat me instead of that girl!!"
"Prince, I want to be petted too."
"Master, of course, me first, right?"
"I want some too, but is that okay?"
Starting with Melusine seeing the heavily drunk Kiyohime clinging, Cinderella, Meltryllis, and Lilith clung to me, almost causing trouble in multiple ways.
"Phew... this is really tiring."
I poked a hole in the bottom of a beer can and poured it into my mouth.
[Confirming alcohol detoxification has begun... 1.... 2.... 3 Successful. Alcohol detoxification successful.]
"....Haaa...."
Since the Great Sage automatically detoxified the alcohol, the taste of the drink was cut in half.
'Great Sage... I didn't get drunk easily in the first place, but if you take away the alcohol too, what am I even drinking...'
[I'll be careful next time.]
'Yeah, thanks...'
Soon, I poured soju into my glass and was about to drink when
Fizz! Crackle!
At that moment, small sparks flew from the glass, and the soju in the glass spilled onto the floor.
Crackle! Crackle!
The spilled alcohol on the floor started moving here and there, and soon, characters formed from the alcohol were drawn.
[Constellation, 'God of Wine and Ecstasy' wishes to speak with you.]
At Dionysus's sudden appearance, I frowned.
"What! Let me drink a little! Why do you always interrupt when I'm trying to drink!?"
[Constellation God of Wine and Ecstasy says he was a bit busy and couldn't help it.]
"Busy? With what again...."
By now, Kim Dokja, Yoo Sangah, Cinderella, Meltryllis, Lilith, and Melusine had gathered around me to check what was happening, and then Dionysus wrote a message with the alcohol, making my face automatically scrunch up at the message.
「The Queen of the Darkest Spring has invited you and Incarnation Kim Dokja to the underworld.」