Chapter 136: Festival (2)

A majestic drumbeat filled the air as the stage curtains swung wide open.

Dung— dududung— dungdung— dudung~!

There stood Jeanne.

Dressed in a pitch-black dancer’s costume as dark as the deepest night.

I was not the only one left speechless.

The people gathered around the stage stared at Jeanne in a daze.

Her shoulders and waist were boldly exposed.

With her hair tied up high, the contours of her body stood out even more prominently.

Small, sparkling beads embroidered across the black fabric shimmered like stars in the night sky.

Every step Jeanne took sent the long, flowing hem of her skirt rippling like waves.

The translucent veil covering her lower face and her dramatic eye makeup created an enchanting, seductive atmosphere.

…If a goddess of darkness existed, wouldn’t she look something like this?

At that moment, my eyes met Jeanne’s.

For a brief instant, it felt like time had stopped.

Jeanne lowered her head slightly.

She seemed quite awkward in the dancer’s costume.

But that lasted only a moment.

Sleek— sleeeek—

Jeanne moved her arms gracefully.

The black velvet fabrics fluttered along their path.

A profound silence fell, so quiet not even a breath could be heard.

Only the sound of Jeanne’s movements and the soft rustling of the fabrics echoed across the square.

Sarak— sararak— sarak—

Jeanne rotated smoothly, like flower petals scattering and falling.

Once. Twice. Three times.

The velvet fabrics swirled and gathered, evoking the image of flower buds blooming.

Once again, our eyes met.

She was smiling.

So beautifully it was dazzling.

Exclamations erupted from all around.

“My god. How can anyone be that handsome?”

“That’s the princess of Ravianglily!”

“Ugh, what do I do about that smile? My heart hurts….…”

Then.

Patpatpatpatpat—

Another figure stepped out from behind the curtains.

A pure white dancer’s costume that paired perfectly with her sky-blue hair, like a swan.

It was Guard Captain Sen Hyal.

The white and black fairies had taken the stage.

Soon, Jeanne and Sen Hyal began to move slowly, following the rhythm.

Sometimes overlapping, sometimes crossing paths, sometimes pushing each other away.

A pair of black-and-white butterflies strolled across the stage.

***

After the short performance ended.

Jeanne was surrounded by women.

“Princess! You were so amazing!”

“It was the most beautiful stage I’ve seen in my entire life.”

“I’m so moved……. I can’t even put it into words.”

The women squealed with excitement.

It was only natural that Jeanne was so popular with the ladies.

Her features were sculpted like a statue.

Her eyes carried a melancholic charm.

With her hair tied up, she even looked like a beautiful young nobleman.

Meanwhile.

“Uhahaha! For the Benefactor to grace this gathering with his presence is the highest honor for our clan!”

“Indeed! Absolutely! This is truly a drinking party fit for genuine heroes!”

“Well said! What kind of heroes’ gathering would this be without alcohol!”

I was surrounded by men.

Burly, muscular soldiers and bearded uncles.

The men had gathered around a bonfire for a drinking session.

That side smelled of flowers; this side smelled of sweat.

…Well, it doesn’t matter.

I raised my cup.

Clink!

The cups clashed vigorously together.

“To our benefactor!”

“To the princess!”

“Long live Ravianglily!”

Boisterous laughter erupted from every direction.

Soon, the adjutant poured a generous serving of the cloudy liquid from the pot into the cups.

“This is liquor brewed with mountain berry mushrooms. I hope it suits your taste.”

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

I downed the cup in one go.

The aroma of mushrooms, mountain berries, and alcohol filled my mouth.

Then a sweet-and-sour scent stung my nose sharply.

However.

Gulp— gulp— gulp—

Honestly, it was quite bland.

It felt like heavily watered-down alcohol.

Well, it is made the old-fashioned way.

Unlike modern liquors, traditional ones usually had low alcohol content.

Not only was proper distillation impossible, but they also boiled it once for disinfection.

Much of the alcohol evaporated in the process, lowering the proof even further.

I recall that the liquor Zhang Fei from Romance of the Three Kingdoms gulped down was basically highball level.

Anyway.

My soju-trained liver didn’t even register mushroom liquor as real alcohol.

I kept gulping it down one cup after another.

Gulp— gulp gulp gulp—

The men who saw this cheered loudly.

“Krrruuu— As expected of a true hero! The Benefactor is on another level!”

“Benefactor, your drinking capacity is incredible!”

“No kidding! You’re still completely fine after downing cup after cup!”

“That guy over there is already drunk! Hahahaha~!”

The residents sat around the bonfire, tilting their cups.

It felt exactly like a university membership training trip.

Then this can’t be left out.

I took out my secret weapons from the inventory.

Wine, whiskey, Andong soju, world beers, and regular soju.

The bottles from the icebox were ice-cold, enough to freeze my hands.

I began passing the liquor around to the people sitting by the bonfire.

“It’s chilled!”

“This is incredible!”

“Sniff…… I’m tearing up……. It’s really hitting me!”

“Hehehehe…… I’m so glad I’m alive! So glad I lived to see this!”

The soldiers drank with great commotion.

Then,

“May I sit next to you?”

Jeanne was standing right behind me.

I made space and said,

“There’s no reason not to.”

“Then, excuse me.”

Jeanne was still wearing the black dancer’s costume.

It felt unfamiliar because it was so different from her usual attire.

Looking at Jeanne, I said,

“You dance really well.”

…My skills are embarrassingly mediocre.

“When did you prepare something like this?”

“I wanted to show you, Master. The traditions of Ravianglily.”

Jeanne smiled awkwardly.

A strange silence settled between us.

Then, Jeanne picked up a cup and gulped it down.

She shouldn’t get drunk since she’s undead.

After that, Jeanne hesitated before speaking.

“I, um…… that is……”

“Hm?”

“Do I… come across as masculine in other people’s eyes?”

“What?”

The comment was so sudden that I reflexively asked back.

“Ever since long ago, I’ve only ever been popular with women…….”

What? Is she drunk?

Weren’t undead not supposed to get drunk?

Jeanne continued.

“Do I… look like a man to you?”

I took a sip and replied,

“No way. You’re beautiful. That outfit…… suits you perfectly.”

“……!”

It was the truth.

For a brief moment, I had been completely captivated.

Jeanne bowed her head deeply.

“You’re too kind.”

Whether it was my imagination or not, her ears seemed slightly flushed.

Jeanne and I silently watched the bonfire.

Crackle— crack— crackle crackle—

Along with the brightly burning bonfire, the festive atmosphere was in full bloom.

***

How much time had passed?

Fssssss—

The last log crumbled into black ash, and the bonfire went out.

The children had returned home long ago, and the other residents had also gone to bed one by one.

A time of quiet and languor flowed.

The remaining people gathered near the bonfire, chatting softly or quietly sipping their drinks.

I should head back soon.

I stood up from my seat.

At that moment, the Guard Captain approached.

“Benefactor…… and Princess. May we have a moment of your time?”

Guard Captain Sen Hyal had already changed back into her armor.

Her expression was quite serious.

Behind her stood the High Priestess, the dancers, and several soldiers.

Jeanne looked at me intently.

I nodded.

“Yeah. I don’t know what it is, but it seems serious.”

The Guard Captain and the High Priestess led us into the tunnel passage.

There, carts loaded with an enormous amount of rat meat and mushrooms waited.

“This is…….”

With this much, the villagers could eat abundantly for several weeks and still have plenty left over.

Why had they claimed there was no food and starved all this time?

As if reading my thoughts, the High Priestess spoke.

“These are offerings. You must have many questions, but could you please trust us and follow along for now?”

Shadows crossed the faces of both the High Priestess and the Guard Captain.

I looked at the High Priestess and asked,

“Where are we going?”

The High Priestess replied,

“…It is the place where an ancient evil god slumbers.”

“An ancient evil god?”

“It is an existence whose name must not be uttered…… so please understand.”

The High Priestess, Guard Captain, and soldiers began pulling the carts forward.

Several hours passed like that.

We arrived at a passage blocked by a massive mana stone.

Then, when Sen Hyal placed the mana stone she took from her bosom against it.

Uuuung— uuuung— uuuung—

The mana stone became translucent, allowing passage.

“This place…….”

Beyond it was a vast space completely covered in salt.

A plain made of salt.

Just how many such zones exist inside the warehouse?

I couldn’t even guess how wide it was.

At that moment, Jeanne spoke.

“I have seen this in the history books of Ravianglily. The salt plains in the northeastern part of the continent…… a region that disappeared without a trace five hundred years ago during the Eris period. To think it was here…….”

Then, structures towering in the distance beyond the salt desert caught my eye.

Seven pillars driven into the ground.

Only three remained intact while four were broken.

“No way…….”

There was no need to check Morgue Mu Featherback’s journal.

It was.

“Wow, what the……!”

It was an S-rank magical beast.