A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 154

Alcohol boasts a history so long that it can be said to have accompanied human civilization itself.

Many ancient brewing methods from thousands of years ago still remain, and the production process is largely similar across the board.

Additionally, in the past, due to the lack of clean drinking water, alcohol was often used as a substitute. Not to mention, it was also consumed to lift spirits or enhance the atmosphere, among other reasons.

However, as the saying goes, “Too much of anything is bad,” and drinking excessively inevitably leads to trouble.

Even those who are usually composed might cause a commotion, and in extreme cases, crimes could occur.

In this way, alcohol plays various roles in human civilization, whether positive or negative.

“······Sivar?”

“Hmm?”

“You seem a bit drunk. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Is he really fine? Luna thought otherwise.

Luna had already known that Sivar had arrived at the banquet hall. She had simply delayed greeting him while meeting various other people.

Then, during a brief moment of rest, Kara had approached her, asking her to look after Sivar since she needed to mingle with others.

At first, Luna didn’t understand why she was asked to take care of him, but once they were together, the reason became clear.

“This is delicious.”

“Aren’t you drinking too much?”

“I’m not drunk. I’m fine.”

Sivar was drinking far too much—enough to make anyone watching worry.

He would barely finish one glass before refilling it, chatting briefly, and then drinking again.

The banquet offered a variety of alcoholic beverages, but Sivar only chose the sweet ones.

He said he disliked anything bitter. Luna was also drinking, but not to the same extent.

“Isn’t he going to get really drunk at this rate?”

“Well······ I am a bit worried.”

Ellie, who had approached unnoticed, expressed her concern. Luna agreed with her.

Regardless, Sivar held a liquor bottle in one hand, pouring into his glass whenever he pleased.

Occasionally, he even tried to drink directly from the bottle, attempting what’s colloquially known as a “Bottle Trumpet,” which Luna barely managed to stop.

It was widely known that Sivar had a reputation as a “Wildling,” so people might overlook it, but at least some decorum should be maintained.

“You drink too. Here.”

“Oh······ thank you.”

“Ellie too.”

What was amusing was that he didn’t just drink alone; he shared his drinks with others as well.

With his face slightly flushed from the alcohol, his attempt to share was both endearing and amusing. Ellie accepted with a giggle.

“Luna, is this your first time drinking?”

“I once secretly tried it after seeing adults drink when I was younger. The next day, I woke up with a terrible headache. What about you?”

“It’s my first time. That’s why I’m trying to drink moderately. My mom said that if you get drunk at a place like this, you’ll definitely wake up in bed the next day.”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“With a man.”

“··· ···”

Luna felt uneasy. She immediately understood what Ellie meant.

After all, alcohol has that effect. It’s a drink that excels at drawing out sincerity and desire from deep within.

Moreover, Ellie wasn’t just beautiful; she had an excellent figure. There were bound to be people with lecherous intentions approaching her.

“Hello, beautiful young ladies. May I have a moment of your time?”

Just like now. Luna turned to look at the man who had approached out of nowhere.

Judging by his cheesy line and appearance, he seemed to be a noble.

His expression was as polite as could be, but Luna could tell. His gaze was fixed on Ellie.

‘His focus keeps shifting back and forth.’

While it’s in a man’s nature, it was far too obvious. He must have realized Ellie was a commoner and was trying to take advantage of it.

What’s more, he blatantly ignored Sivar, who was standing right next to them. Did he think he was better than Sivar?

Just as Luna was about to politely decline, Sivar stepped in.

“Leave.”

“Pardon?”

“Just leave.”

Sivar abruptly issued an order to leave. His face was flushed, likely from drinking.

His already pale skin made the redness stand out even more, giving him an oddly vibrant appearance.

“······Excuse me, but on what grounds are you saying this?”

“Your eyes.”

“What?”

“You’re staring at Ellie’s chest. Get lost.”

If nothing else, one thing was clear: Sivar was definitely a little drunk.

Normally, he would have spoken calmly, but now his tone was slightly raised. It was a sign he was gradually losing control.

Perhaps because of that, Sivar’s loud voice started to draw the attention of those around them.

The man, visibly flustered, glanced around before furrowing his brow and walking away.

It seemed he decided it was better to avoid trouble with a lunatic than to risk any harm.

“See? Imagine waking up the next day in the same bed as someone like that······ how horrifying would that be?”

“Exactly. I should definitely drink in moderation.”

“This is delicious.”

Regardless, Sivar poured himself another glass. Though pouring directly from the bottle wasn’t exactly proper etiquette, no one seemed to mind.

Now it was starting to become a concern. No matter how resilient Sivar might be, drinking too much would surely get him drunk.

Especially since the alcohol content wasn’t particularly low. No one else was drinking an entire bottle by themselves, after all.

“Sivar, don’t you think it’s time to stop drinking?”

“No.”

“Just let him be. If he passes out, we’ll just take him back.”

“Hmm······”

Could Ellie really manage to take a completely drunk Sivar back on her own?

Luna didn’t think Sivar would do anything strange to Ellie. She could tolerate him leaning on her.

Of course, Ellie wouldn’t be able to manage on her own, so Luna planned to help later. Or perhaps ask someone else for assistance.

‘But he doesn’t seem like he’ll pass out anytime soon.’

His body was so sturdy that even if he got drunk, he seemed like the type to sober up quickly.

For now, he was drinking more than he was losing, but a bit of rest might be enough to recover.

‘In any case, there are so many people here.’

Luna held a glass of wine in one hand and looked around. Although this was a Freshman Banquet, it was packed with attendees.

Among them, certain individuals stood out the most: Kara in her Dancer’s Outfit and the high-ranking officials visiting from the Eastern Nation.

Kara’s Dancer’s Outfit was one thing, but the people from the Eastern Nation were dressed in Traditional Clothing rather than dresses.

Predominantly black with occasional red accents, their attire featured gold waistbands.

Finally, their hair was adorned with flowers, creating a striking appearance that stood out in a different way from Kara.

‘She’s said to be a princess from the Hwan Empire, isn’t she?’

That’s what the rumors said. The only people who would wear Eastern-style clothing were from the Hwan Empire.

As for why she attended the Freshman Banquet, Luna didn’t know. Perhaps she was scouting for talent.

It wasn’t something Luna needed to concern herself with.

‘Master used to wear clothes like that······’

Suddenly, she thought of her master, who had once taught her. She remembered her master wearing similar attire.

Although the master’s face had been hidden behind a smiling mask, the clothing had been unmistakable.

She wanted to approach and ask about her master, but she didn’t have the courage.

“Ah. It’s all gone.”

“······What?”

It was around the time she was staring at the princess from the Hwan Empire. Sivar had somehow finished an entire bottle.

While Luna and Ellie had barely managed a single glass, he had drunk the whole thing by himself. Just how much had he consumed?

“I want more.”

“You should really stop now······”

“No.”

One of Sivar’s traits: his stubbornness is incredibly strong. And it’s especially true when it comes to food.

Luna sighed as she watched Sivar move, holding a liquor bottle in one hand.

If she left him alone like this and he caused a scene, it would be a headache. Especially since today’s banquet had so many attendees.

A dark history would be embarrassing enough, but Sivar’s reputation could also take a hit.

“Ellie. Stay here for a moment. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay. Then I’ll head to the restroom for a bit.”

Luna hurriedly followed after Sivar, who was heading straight for the liquor table.

As she followed, she noticed they were near the Hwan Empire Princess she had seen earlier, but the princess didn’t seem to pay them any attention.

‘But where is her bodyguard? Could she really be alone?’

Normally, a princess would always have a bodyguard by her side. But maybe it was different because they were at the Academy.

There didn’t seem to be anyone around her who could be called a bodyguard. At most, there was one person nearby, but even they were standing at a distance.

For a moment, Luna wondered if she was really a princess, but her attire—simple yet ornate—made it almost certain.

‘Well, it’s none of my business.’

Luna turned her gaze to where Sivar had stopped. He was now picking up a liquor bottle from the table.

It was still unopened, sealed with a cork. A bottle opener would probably be necessary.

“Sivar. You’ll need a bottle opener for that······”

Pop!

But Sivar simply pulled the cork out with his hand, without using a bottle opener. Luna was momentarily dumbfounded.

They say that if you’re strong, your brain doesn’t have to work as hard, but she didn’t even know how to describe this.

While Luna’s thoughts were momentarily frozen, Sivar poured the liquor into a glass.

The reddish hue of the liquid was enough to make Sivar salivate just by looking at it.

“Just drink that one glass and stop. Got it?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Now then······ where are you looking?”

It was fine that he had brought the liquor. But Sivar was staring off in another direction.

If his gaze had been directed at Kara or Grace, it would’ve made sense, but it wasn’t. He was looking at someone completely unexpected.

Following his gaze, Luna turned her head. Standing there was the Hwan Empire Princess she had seen earlier.

‘When did she get here?’

Was she here to get some liquor? Luna felt a bit flustered.

Meanwhile, the Hwan Empire Princess bit her lip and muttered softly.

“Ha, damn. I can’t deal with this crap.”

“······?”

She muttered in the Eastern Language, so Luna couldn’t understand what she was saying.

Luna, being from the Matra Empire, only knew the Matra Empire’s language and the Common Language.

The intonation was so different that she couldn’t even grasp the nuance. The languages of the East and the West were fundamentally different in structure, so it couldn’t be helped.

“Crap?”

“······Huh?”

“Hmm?”

But Sivar was different. For some reason, he understood everything the princess said.

That alone would’ve been fine, but the more dangerous part was that he started talking to her.

It was when both the Hwan Empire Princess and Luna turned to look at Sivar.

“Want a drink?”

“What?”

“Drinking will make you feel better.”

Sivar confidently offered her the liquor.

“Hehe.”

His face, slightly drunk, was adorned with a silly grin.