Chapter 22: Overconfidence and the Dangers of Drinking
Chapter 22: Overconfidence and the Dangers of Drinking
"Just bring it to him, I don't need a menu."
After adjusting the hem of her bright red high-waisted pencil skirt, the red-haired woman, whose beauty rivaled the lingering sunset, sat gracefully by the window in the restaurant. She waved away the waiter's menu and, with practiced ease, directly ordered:
"First, bring a dozen Bass Pale Ales to whet our appetites. Then, open a bottle of Margaux red wine to cleanse the palate from the beer's maltiness. Follow that with a bottle each of brandy, Talisker, and Glenlivet's classic affordable whiskies."
"Finally, when we've had enough to drink, serve a bottle of Macallan whisky aged in a sherry cask to finish, and pack a bottle of Captain Morgan's black rum to go."
"Hmm... that should be enough for now. Oh, and put the bill under the name of Leon Ryan, to be sent to the Sanitation Bureau under the Police Department. We'll settle the payment on payday."
"..."
In less than five seconds, the red-haired woman had finished ordering... or rather, the drinks, even directly charging it to her tab. Seeing this, Leon, who was holding another menu, couldn't help but feel a chill. He forced a smile and reminded her:
"Director, all you've ordered are alcoholic drinks. Should we also order some food?"
"It's fine, you eat your food. Don't worry about me; I just need something to drink."
"..."
Drink without eating anything else? Are you planning to drink yourself to death here?
Opening the drinks section of the menu, Leon found the types of alcohol the woman had ordered. He saw at least five or six dark 'distilled spirit' labels, indicating a high alcohol content, and his scalp began to tingle.
According to the Kingdom's Ministry of Commerce's alcohol classification standards, any beverage with an alcohol content of 30% or higher must be labeled as a distilled spirit. However, these drinks not only had the distilled spirit label but also the darker label, indicating an alcohol content of at least 40%.
I... I must be out of my mind to offer to buy her drinks! Leon looked at the menu, which wasn't expensive but wasn't cheap either, and hesitated for a long time before finally deciding not to spend too much money.
After carefully selecting, he chose only a shepherd's pie made of layers of lamb, mashed potatoes, and lettuce, and ordered a side dish of braised beef with vegetables to take home to his younger siblings. Then, with a mix of fear and curiosity, he watched his boss's performance.
...
"Mmm~ So nostalgic~"
In a speed that Leon couldn't comprehend, Olivia elegantly yet wildly finished half a dozen pale ales. Amidst the whispers of the other diners, she tossed her red hair behind her ear and, as if no one else existed, leaned down to sniff the decanter. Her pretty face instantly flushed with a charming blush.
"Raspberry, toasted bread, very rich coffee, and a hint of truffle aroma~ It's been a long time since I've had such a refined wine~"
"..."
Is she that amazing?
Leon was momentarily fooled by the red-haired woman's expression of enjoyment. He discreetly sniffed the wine but only smelled a slightly sweet and sour fruity fragrance. He furrowed his brows in doubt, not detecting the other flavors she mentioned.
There's no bread or coffee... Is she lying?
"Don't you believe me?"
After glancing at Leon's expression, the red-haired woman took a glass, poured half a glass of the bright red liquid, and handed it to him with a smile.
"Want to try?"
"Umm..."
Sensing the slightly sharp alcohol fumes, Leon, who didn't drink, instinctively frowned. He wanted to refuse, but then he remembered that he had paid for this drink, and not a small amount. So, he took the glass and, following the red-haired woman's instructions, took a large gulp. He swished the liquid around his mouth with his cheeks, quickly swirling it twice around his tongue, and then gulped it down.
"How is it?"
Watching Leon's face turn red from the sourness of the wine, the red-haired woman propped her chin on her hand, observing his flushed face with a smile.
"For someone new to wine, a sweeter type would be more suitable. This stronger, dry wine might be a bit too much for you... Haha, little guy, do you want to drink more?"
"Ah..."
Taking a couple of slow breaths, Leon felt a slight sourness around his teeth, but his eyes lit up involuntarily.
"Cheers! And I'll have another of everything!"
The sudden change in his attitude wasn't due to the allure of alcohol or the teasing tone of the red-haired woman, but rather...
[You have successfully activated the Black Iron Badge, 'Novice Sommelier', by tasting a 'craft' level alcohol for the first time]
[Novice Sommelier: I know, I know, alcohol can be harmful. But the most delightful thing in my long and boring life is precisely this—my life itself.]
[Equipped Effect: For a period after consuming alcoholic liquids, the influence of negative emotions such as fear, timidity, and panic, will be weakened.]
[Evolution Path: After tasting ten or more 'craft' level or higher alcohols, this badge will automatically evolve into the Bronze Badge, 'Connoisseur Sommelier'. Current progress: 1/10]
[Hidden Trait (No Need to Equip): Your alcohol tolerance has significantly increased.]
...
I never expected you to have such a talent for drinking...
Seeing Leon's eyes shining with excitement, the red-haired woman, who had intended to tease him, suddenly became energized herself. She poured him a glass of high-proof whiskey, and, tapping the golden liquid through the glass, she explained with a smile:
"This is a single malt whiskey aged in a barrel for over ten years. Its aroma is similar to cinnamon and vanilla. Although it's quite strong, it's very smooth when savored.
Drink it like this... Here, if your tongue is sensitive enough, you should be able to taste the matured flavors of dried fruit and oak..."
Before she could finish her explanation, Leon picked up the glass and gulped it down, only to be overwhelmed by the spice, coughing and with tears welling up in his eyes. The red-haired woman shook her head and then chuckled:
"You're drinking too fast. This glass has more than four times the proof of the previous one. It's too much for you, right? Do you... Mm? Want more?"
"Yes!"
After blinking a few times and recovering, Leon looked at the 'Novice Sommelier' badge and its significantly increased alcohol tolerance. With the mindset of wanting to level up the badge as much as possible, he nodded confidently:
"I feel like my alcohol tolerance is actually pretty good. Even if it's not as good as yours, it shouldn't be too much worse... Mm, but I'll only have one more glass."
Oh? It's not that much worse?
As if Pandora's Box had been opened, the red-haired beauty, who had initially planned to just have a casual drink, raised her eyebrows and smiled, summoning the waiter again.
"Then let's drink until we're satisfied~ Don't worry, I'll pay for the rest. It won't cost you your salary~"
When six waiters arrived, breathless, carrying more drinks, the red-haired beauty's smile as she poured the drinks was the last thing Leon remembered from that evening...
...
"Ugh... Why is the sun rising again?"
Rubbing his head, which hurt so much it felt like it was about to split, Leon woke up in a daze, surprised to see the sun inexplicably rising above the horizon outside his window.
It had just set when we started drinking! Did I sleep for an entire day? As he summoned the badge panel with a trembling hand and saw the golden 'Martyr Sommelier' badge in the slot, he was left completely stunned, his lips quivering.
Black Iron - Bronze - Silver - Yellow - Gold? Three badge levels in one night? How much did I drink?!
(End of Chapter)
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