Drunk

"Hmm?" Zhang Ruofeng was rather puzzled. Although he could tell that the proprietress, Christa, possessed combat skills far superior to his own and Jiang's, he hadn't expected her to be a Level-ranked adventurer. After all, it was quite rare for adventurers to run shops in Orario, especially ones that weren't weapon shops or located in the Pleasure District.

"Well, she definitely wouldn't use her full strength if she were to hit me," Jiang said with a self-deprecating laugh. "After all, I might die from a single punch."

Seeing the confusion on Zhang Ruofeng's face, Jiang continued, "Her name is 'Snow Maiden' Christa. It's said she became an adventurer at the age of 12 and leveled up to Level 4 last year. However, it seems she suffered heavy casualties in the 37th floor of the Dungeon. She lost an arm, and more than five of her teammates died. That event hit her hard. I had just experienced my own team being wiped out at the time, so when I saw her drinking in silence while I was hungover, I went over to strike up a conversation. I got beaten up, then tried again the next day, and got beaten up again." Jiang looked a bit embarrassed as he took two large gulps of ale before continuing.

"Maybe I just couldn't stand seeing someone sitting in the corner looking so lonely. It reminded me of myself, and it was painful. Especially thinking about how my teammates were all dead while I survived—the guilt, combined with having to endure the misunderstandings of others, made me feel incredibly, incredibly lonely." Jiang traced the rim of his glass and continued, "I really didn't know who anyone was back then. I had only been an adventurer for a few months, so I naturally hadn't heard of the famous Winter Beauty, the 'Snow Maiden.' Thinking back now, if I had known she was far beyond the reach of a weak adventurer like me, I probably wouldn't have tried to talk to her."

Seeing that Zhang Ruofeng was listening intently, Jiang cleared his throat and went on. "One thing led to another, and we grew familiar. She learned about my past, so she wasn't as cold toward me, though even when drinking together, I'd be lucky to hear a few words from her all night—she talks even less than you. Then, for some reason, I started to love the feeling of being around her. She would just listen silently, occasionally throwing a sarcastic remark my way. One night, fueled by the alcohol, I confessed my feelings to her." Jiang felt sheepish after saying this, rubbing his nose and giving a light cough.

"And then I was rejected in a second, hahaha," Jiang said, sounding a bit dejected. "After all, we don't belong to the same Familia. And even though her strength has been greatly diminished, I'm still too weak for her, so it was only natural that she'd turn me down."

"Doesn't that mean you still have a chance?" Zhang Ruofeng countered. "You never said she didn't like you."

"Yeah, she told me I'm too weak right now. Plus, because of the trauma and the loss of her left arm, she can no longer adventure. She's seen how pathetic and terrifying weakness is. She gave me ten years to grow into a powerhouse stronger than her. If I fail or die, she's leaving Orario." Jiang said helplessly.

"But you don't seem to be working very hard, still hanging around the 4th floor." Zhang Ruofeng's confusion deepened. Looking at Jiang's melancholy expression, he knew Jiang truly loved Christa, but his actions didn't reflect the efforts of someone striving to become stronger. With his current strength, he could likely handle the 7th floor or lower, or even prepare to complete his own great feat. After all, he had reached a level of power comparable to Zhang Ruofeng's in just a year; he was a talent among adventurers.

"Haha, it's a long story." Jiang smiled bitterly. "But all in all, I suppose I just lack the courage. The environment I grew up in always made me a bit timid."

"Good luck." Zhang Ruofeng had no interest in or way to help with Jiang's internal struggles; such things had to be resolved by the person themselves.

"Sigh~" Jiang gulped down several more mouthfuls of ale and continued, "Man, look at you—you're lucky. Even though you both have that 'ice beauty' vibe, Xin Mu seems much more docile. Look at Christa; she's always beating me up. Even though I'm happy just to interact with her, compared to your girlfriend, Christa's chest is just too flat!!"

Zhang Ruofeng had been drinking, but he felt a gaze fixed on them and turned around. He saw Christa standing behind Jiang with a cold, indifferent expression. Because he was drinking, he hadn't noticed her at all. Jiang was in an even worse state than Zhang Ruofeng; just as he was about to mock Zhang Ruofeng for choking on his drink, he noticed the strange look on Zhang Ruofeng's face. Jiang felt a sense of dread, turned around, and felt a sharp, icy wind that seemed to freeze him solid.

"Hahaha... Christa, why didn't you say hello when you came over? Want to sit down and have a drink? This is a new friend I..." Before Jiang could finish, two mugs of beer slammed onto the table in front of him. The foam splashed everywhere, covering Jiang's face. Christa just let out a cold snort and turned away, saying, "The drinks are on the house," before heading straight back to the bar.

"Hahaha..." Jiang rubbed his nose in embarrassment. Being caught by the woman he liked while commenting on her chest was mortifying. Seeing that Zhang Ruofeng wasn't laughing at him, Jiang felt a bit of his awkwardness dissipate. He picked up his wooden mug and took a few more sips. Zhang Ruofeng didn't call him out; although he wanted to laugh, it would be bad for their rapport. They weren't exactly close, and since their friendly relationship was built on a threat, repairing it and getting back on track was the better choice.

The two of them drank five mugs each. What left Zhang Ruofeng speechless was how easily Jiang trusted others; despite it being their first time drinking together, Jiang ended up passed out on the table.

"Hey... hey..." Zhang Ruofeng called out a few times, but received no response, feeling a bit embarrassed himself.

Just then, Christa walked over from the bar. Hearing Jiang mumbling her name while slumped on the table, she let out a cold snort and said to Zhang Ruofeng, "Leave him. I'll throw him in the storage room to sleep in a bit."

"Oh, alright." Accustomed to her icy demeanor, Zhang Ruofeng simply nodded. Seeing the serious look on Christa's face, he thought to himself that Jiang was definitely going to be sleeping in the storage room tonight. He stood up to pay the bill and walked out of the shop, swaying slightly.

"Be careful," Christa said while taking the payment, then turned back to her work. Zhang Ruofeng paused for a moment before continuing toward the Familia territory.