Chapter 22: 22 Drinking Alcohol Harms Health… Too Much Confidence Is Too Also

22 Drinking Alcohol Harms Health… Too Much Confidence Is Too Also

“Just give him one, I don’t need a menu.”

Straightening the hem of her bright red high-waisted bodycon dress, the red-haired woman sat gracefully by the restaurant window, waved off the waiter’s menu, and ordered with effortless familiarity:

“Start with a dozen Bass Pale Ales to open the appetite, then aerate a bottle of Château Margaux red to cleanse the malt from the beer, followed by one bottle each of Bowmore, Talisker, and Glenfiddich’s affordable classic whiskies.”

Finally, when I… when we’ve drunk enough, bring a single cask-strength Macallan from a sherry barrel to finish, and add a bottle of Captain Morgan Black Rum to take away.”

“Hmm… that’s all for now. Oh, and put the bill under Lyon Lane, send it to the Clearance Bureau under the Police Department—I’ll pay on payday.”

“…”

Watching the red-haired woman finalize the menu—or rather, the drink list—and even secure a tab in under five seconds, Lyon’s heart sank as he forced a nervous smile and reminded her:

“Director, you’ve ordered nothing but alcohol. Shouldn’t we get some food too?”

“Oh, don’t worry about me, eat whatever you like—I just need my drinks.”

“…”

She eats nothing else but drinks? Are you planning to die here from alcohol poisoning?

Opening the alcohol section of the menu and finding the drinks she’d ordered, Lyon stared at five or six glaring dark “Spirits” labels and felt his scalp prickling with numbness.

According to the Kingdom’s Commerce Force’s alcohol classification standards, any beverage over 30% alcohol must be labeled as a spirit—but these weren’t just regular spirit labels; they were dark ones, meaning each contained at least 40% alcohol.

I… I really am an idiot for inviting her to drink!

Glancing at the menu, the prices weren’t cheap but weren’t outrageous either; Lyon hesitated for a long time, finally deciding not to spend too much.

After careful deliberation, he settled on one shepherd’s pie—layered with lamb, mashed potatoes, and lettuce—and ordered a side of braised veal with seasonal vegetables to take home for the two kids, then watched his director’s performance with growing dread.

…

“Mmm~ I miss this so much~”

With a speed Lyon couldn’t follow, she elegantly yet wildly downed half a dozen pale ales; amid the murmurs of other diners, Olivia tucked her red hair behind her ear, leaned over the decanter, inhaled deeply at its mouth, and immediately blushed with a delicate flush.

“Raspberry, toasted bread, rich, rich coffee notes, and just a whisper of truffle aroma~ I haven’t tasted such refined wine in ages~”

“…”

Is she really that good?

Dazzled by the red-haired woman’s expression of delight, Lyon cautiously sniffed—but all he caught was a faint sweet-tart fruit scent, nothing else. He frowned skeptically.

Bread? Coffee? You’re making this up, right?

“What? Don’t believe me?”

Glancing at Lyon’s expression, the red-haired woman picked up a glass, poured him half a glass of deep red wine, and smiled as she handed it over.

“Try it?”

“Mmm…”

Catching a faintly sharp alcohol scent, Lyon—who never drank—automatically wrinkled his nose and instinctively wanted to refuse.

But remembering he’d paid for this wine—and paid dearly—he reached out involuntarily, took the glass, gulped it down in one swallow as the red-haired woman had shown him, swirled it around his tongue with his cheeks, and swallowed with a gulp.

“Well?”

Watching Lyon, who was now grimacing and sucking air through his teeth,

the red-haired woman propped her chin on her hand, studying his flushed face with a smile:

“For someone new to wine, sweeter varieties are better suited. This dry, intense style is probably too early for you… Heh, kid, want another?”

“Sss…”

After slowly breathing in twice, feeling the slight astringency around his teeth, Lyon’s eyes suddenly brightened.

“Yes! And I want a glass of everything else too!”

His sudden change of heart wasn’t because he’d tasted the alcohol’s beauty, nor because he’d been provoked by her teasing, little-brother tone—it was…

【First taste of “craft”-grade fine wine: You’ve successfully unlocked the Black Iron badge “Wine Newcomer”】

[Wine Newcomer: No need to persuade me—I know it harms my life, but what makes my long, boring life truly unbearable is life itself]

【Effect: While worn, fear, timidity, panic, and other negative emotions are weakened for a period after consuming alcoholic liquids】

【Upgrade Path: After tasting ten “craft”-grade or higher fine wines, this badge will automatically upgrade to the Bronze badge “Wine Connoisseur.” Current progress: 1/10】

【Hidden Trait (no need to wear): Your alcohol tolerance has significantly increased】

…

Didn’t know you had a real talent for drinking…

Watching Lyon’s eyes gleam with obvious excitement, the red-haired woman—who’d only meant to tease him—suddenly perked up, poured him a glass of high-proof whiskey, tapped the golden liquid with her fingertip against the glass, and smiled as she explained:

“This is a single malt whiskey aged over ten years in cask. Its aroma resembles cinnamon and vanilla—very strong, yet surprisingly smooth when savored.”

“Drink it like this… See? If your tongue is sensitive enough, you’ll taste notes of dried fruit and oak aging… Well~”

Watching Lyon, who downed the glass before she’d even finished speaking, then coughed violently, tears welling in his eyes, the red-haired woman shook her head and chuckled:

“You drank too fast—this one’s more than four times the strength of the last. Burned, didn’t you? You… hmm? You want more?”

“Yes!”

Blinking rapidly as he recovered, Lyon glanced at the “alcohol tolerance increased” line beneath 【Wine Newcomer】, determined to grind the badge as much as possible, and nodded confidently:

“I think my tolerance’s actually decent—even if I’m not as good as you, I doubt I’m that far behind… Yeah, I’ll just have one glass of each.”

Oh? Not that far behind?

As if opening Pandora’s box, the moment Lyon spoke, the red-haired beauty’s eyebrows lifted, and with a smile, she signaled the waiter again.

“Then let’s drink until we’re satisfied tonight~ Don’t worry, I’ll cover the rest—no need to spend your salary.”

By the time six waiters staggered in carrying the next round of drinks, the image of the red-haired beauty rising to pour wine became Lyon’s final memory of the night…

…

“Mmm… Why is the sun up again?”

Groaning as his head throbbed like it might split open, Lyon woke up hungry on his small bed at home, staring in shock at the sunset that had inexplicably crawled back above the horizon.

When he trembled and summoned his badge panel and saw the golden 【Wine Martyr】 glowing in the slot, he froze, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

Black Iron—Bronze—Silver—Gold… Gold?

Three badge upgrades in one night? How much did I drink?!?!