Nolan and Black watched Vivian dominate the dining table, quickly devouring the food. Seeing her, their own appetites were sparked, and their mouths began to water instantly. They shared a look, seeing the hidden smiles in each other’s eyes. Then, they each took their portion, placed it on their plates, and began to savor the meal.
“Oh, right, I almost forgot about this…” Vivian paused her eating, as if remembering something. She swallowed the last piece of meat in her mouth with a gulp. Then, she fumbled around in her shirt.
“Found it!”
Joy flashed in her eyes as she pulled out a tan wine skin made of an unknown animal’s leather. The bag was bulging, so full it didn’t even slosh when shaken.
“Nolan, come try this. It’s good stuff I just got!” Vivian excitedly handed the wine skin to Nolan. Her eyes twinkled as she looked at him with an expectant gaze that said ‘praise me’. She was like a little black dog bringing a bone to its master, her tail wagging at high speed.
Black, who was tasting his toasted bread, looked over in surprise. *Wasn’t that the wine I gave Vivian earlier today?* He was about to say something when Vivian’s dark red eyes quickly darted toward him, giving him a cold warning.
‘If you dare speak, I’ll hit you!’
Vivian didn’t say it out loud, but the intent was clear. Black rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, a bitter smile on his face.
‘I won’t disturb your little couple moment…’
He pretended not to see anything and went back to eating, taking a fierce bite of his bread. This bread smelled amazing! He tried to use the food to distract himself so he wouldn’t say anything to annoy Vivian.
***
Under Vivian’s expectant gaze, Nolan slowly unscrewed the cap of the wine skin. He brought it to his nose and took a light sniff. The heavy, gamey scent of leather mixed with the malty aroma of beer hit Nolan’s nostrils. The indescribable smell made his brow furrow slightly. But then he seemed to think of something, falling into a memory.
‘Is this…?’
Without hesitation, Nolan tilted his head back and took a large gulp, wanting to verify his suspicion.
*Gulp, gulp.*
Nolan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed the liquid. A few overflowing drops ran down his sharp jawline, dripping onto his chest and disappearing. The cool liquid carried a rough, wild taste unique to the wilderness, rushing straight to his head.
‘Refreshing!’ Nolan thought to himself.
His face was slightly flushed as he satisfiedly put down the bag, which was now more than half empty. A hint of reluctance lingered in his eyes.
‘This really was… Rat Demon Beer!’
It was an exceptionally precious drink that circulated among the northern Orc tribes. Only the strongest and most devout Orc warriors were qualified to receive it. These brave warriors would skin the Rat Demons they defeated and use the leather to make a wine skin. They would add wheat, water, and a special type of hops unique to the Orc tribes into the bag. Finally, it would be placed deep in a cavern to ferment for a long time. This created the uniquely flavored Rat Demon Beer.
Of course, the Rat Demon mentioned wasn’t a demon from the Gates of Hell. One shouldn’t misunderstand the innocent demons. A Rat Demon was a native creature of the Rat Monster Snowfield, often referred to as a Rat Monster. They were massive and incredibly ferocious, with frequent reports of them injuring people. Thus, nearby residents gave them the name Rat Demon. In Orc tribes, a warrior who could defeat a Rat Demon was a true hero. Therefore, Rat Demon Beer was a symbol of noble status in Orc society.
Thinking of this, Nolan’s eyes reddened slightly as he remembered his past life…
In his previous life, among the team that set out to subjugate demons and destroy the Gates of Hell, there was such an Orc warrior. But he had died on the path of their great cause, unable to reach the end and face the great enemy before the Gates of Hell with him. If he had been there, perhaps they would have had a better chance, or perhaps… there would have just been one more skeleton that no one cared about…
Victory was still hopeless. Nolan shook his head in self-mockery, his heart filled with melancholy. He hadn’t expected to taste this familiar flavor again after so many years. In front of him, that slightly short-tempered but generous Orc man seemed to appear again. He would smile and bring the Rat Demon Beer to Nolan, tricking him into drinking the pungent liquid. Then he would laugh loudly as he watched Nolan wrinkle his nose and make a face.
He really missed those days…
Nolan recapped the wine skin and solemnly handed it back to Vivian. Vivian shook her head and said gently, “It’s a gift for you~ Does it taste good?” she asked, her big eyes sparkling.
Under Vivian’s sincere expectation, Nolan’s lips curled into a visible arc, and he smiled as he nodded. “It’s very good. It truly is a rare treasure.”
This wasn’t just to please his wife; it was from the heart, without a hint of falsehood.
“That’s wonderful! I’ll get you some more next time.” The girl’s eyes curved into crescents, and her voice took on a light, cheerful tone.
“Thank you very much, Vivian.” After saying that, Nolan subconsciously glanced at Black, who was stuffing his face nearby. He fell into thought.
Black, keenly sensing Nolan’s scrutinizing gaze, immediately looked up, coughed, and hurriedly denied it. “This wine has absolutely nothing to do with me! I’m just a small pastry chef at a grocery market. I don’t have the kind of power you’re thinking of!”
He was afraid—afraid of becoming a part of this couple’s games and then getting beaten up by Vivian. Poor Black had originally just wanted to take a bounty and earn some extra money. As a result, Vivian had destroyed his beloved bakery with a single punch. If she threw another one, he might lose his life…
***
After three rounds of drinks and several dishes, the three were full. Each of them had a protruding belly as they lay lazily on the carpet made of roe deer fur. Life was so comfortable…
“Heave-ho!” Vivian sat up from the carpet with a kip-up and spoke to the other two lying nearby. “I’m going to make a few beds for us to sleep on tonight. You two wait here.”
As soon as she finished, she got up and wandered around the clearing, looking for suitable trees.
“This one will do.” Vivian rubbed her smooth chin, standing before a towering tree so large that four Vivians holding hands couldn’t wrap around it. She leaned down and lowered her stance. Wrapping her arms around the trunk, her ten slender fingers sank deep into the wood. Vivian lowered her hips, her muscles tensed, and she suddenly exerted force.
*Boom!*
A low, thunderous sound echoed as the tree was actually uprooted by Vivian! Nolan, who was already drowsy and about to fall asleep, was instantly startled awake by the loud noise, his whole body trembling. He immediately sprang up from the ground, his right hand gripping the longsword at his waist.
“Are the demons attacking?!” he shouted in confusion and alarm.
Then, Nolan’s wide eyes saw the scene before him… a fantasy medieval rendition of a hero uprooting a giant willow tree.