Transmigration: I Became a Goddess!

After the third cup of beer, I held my cup out to Lucius. He raised an eyebrow, then shook the empty bottle in front of me. "Empty," he said with a smirk.

"Already?" I muttered, blinking at the bottle in surprise. Had I really drunk that much so quickly?

Lucius nodded, leaning back casually. "Looks like you're not done, though."

I grinned and shrugged. "Not even close."

"I'll get more," he said, standing up.

Before I could protest, he returned with four bottles, setting them on the rooftop floor with a clink. We poured and drank, one cup after another, until the world began to blur around the edges. At first, I thought I could handle it. After all, I'd had my fair share of strong drinks before. But this beer was on another level.

By the fifth bottle, I could feel the effects creeping in—my thoughts were hazy, my head felt light, and my body swayed slightly. "This beer is strong," I slurred, staring at my cup.

Lucius chuckled beside me. "Strong enough to bring even the mightiest to their knees. But you're holding up better than I expected."

"That's because I'm stronger," I muttered defiantly, though the words barely escaped my lips. The next thing I knew, my eyelids were drooping, and the world faded to black as sleep claimed me.

Lucius's POV

We had barely finished our second bottle when I noticed Kiara's soft, even breathing beside me. I glanced over and saw her head slumped forward, the cup still in her hand.

"Kiara?" I called softly, nudging her shoulder. She didn't stir.

With a sigh, I set my cup down and gently leaned her head onto my shoulder. My heart skipped a beat at the unexpected closeness, but I quickly shook the feeling away. "She's just drunk," I told myself firmly.

I debated what to do next. She needed to get back to her chambers before anyone saw her like this. But when I tried to stand, the world tilted violently. The alcohol hit me harder than I had realized.

I sat back down heavily, my legs refusing to cooperate. Calling for help was out of the question—if a servant or maid walked in and saw her like this, rumors would spread like wildfire.

"Just a moment," I whispered to myself, leaning back against the couch. I would wait until I sobered up enough to carry her.

But the alcohol was relentless. My eyelids grew heavier with each passing second, and before I knew it, I slumped back against the cushions. The last thing I remembered was the faint sound of her breathing beside me before darkness took over.

My head pounded like a war drum, heavy and relentless as I slowly came to. The sunlight hit my face with a vengeance, almost blinding me. It felt like waking up in heaven—or maybe hell, considering how disoriented I felt. Squinting against the rays, I realized I was on the rooftop.

Rooftop?

I groaned, rubbing my temples as fragments of last night returned to me. The beer. The bottles. Athena...? No. Kiara. My gaze shifted, and there she was, lying beside me, peaceful and oblivious. Her hair was a mess, her breathing soft and even. Memories of our impromptu drinking session flooded back.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, the gravity of the situation settling in. We had fallen asleep on the rooftop. If anyone found us like this...

I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the splitting headache. Carefully, I scooped Kiara into my arms. She stirred slightly, her lips parting to mumble something incoherent. Her body felt heavier than I had expected, or maybe it was just the lingering effects of the alcohol.

"More beer... more beer..." she murmured, clutching at my clothes.

"What do you mean, more beer?" I hissed, my voice low. "You're lucky we're not in trouble already."

---

I descended the stairs cautiously, each creak of the steps sending a wave of paranoia through me. Kiara's grip tightened around my shirt, her head resting against my chest. Her warmth was distracting—too distracting.

Finally, I reached her chambers. I pushed the door open with my foot and gently laid her down on the bed. She mumbled slightly, shifting but not waking up.

I straightened, ready to leave and salvage whatever dignity I had left. But just as I turned to go, her hand shot out and grabbed my shirt, yanking me down. I stumbled and landed awkwardly on top of her.

"Don't go," she murmured, her voice thick with sleep. Her arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a loose embrace. "I love how warm your body is..."

My heart thudded painfully in my chest, and a rush of heat crawled up my neck. For a moment, I froze, unable to process her words or the unexpected intimacy of the moment.

"Kiara," I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady. "Let me go, you drunk beast."

But she just held on tighter, her grip surprisingly firm. My mind raced. Was this girl out of her senses? Probably. Definitely. Still, I tapped her arm lightly, trying to untangle myself without fully waking her.

"Kiara," I whispered again. "Let go."

But she didn't let go. No, Kiara was not releasing her grip. Her arms tightened around me, as if anchoring me in place.

A part of me—one I didn't want to acknowledge—wanted to stay, to hold her just as tightly. But no. She wasn't Athena. She wasn't her at all. This was just a random soul occupying her body.

Kiara.

I reminded myself of that truth, and with a sudden jolt, I snapped out of my thoughts. I pulled away sharply, accidentally bumping her head in the process.

"Ow! What the hell?" she groaned, sitting upright and clutching her forehead.

I quickly stepped back, smoothing my clothes and trying to regain my composure. Her bleary eyes blinked open, and she looked at me, disoriented but slowly coming to her senses.

"Your head hurts, doesn't it?" I muttered, half exasperated, half amused.

"Yeah, no kidding," she grumbled, rubbing her temples. "Your beer is insane. It feels like I got hit by a boulder."

"You just drank too much," I replied, crossing my arms. "It's not the beer's fault."

Kiara shot me a glare. "Don't you dare call it just beer. Back where I come from, we have strong alcohol too. And I don't remember ever getting this kind of headache after drinking."

"Our beer is far stronger than whatever watered-down stuff you're used to," I countered, raising an eyebrow.

"Watered-down?" she huffed. "Don't insult my alcohol!"

I ignored her pout and ran a hand through my hair. "Look, Kiara, last night might've been... fun, but you can't just sneak around outside without permission. Do you realize how much trouble we could get into if anyone saw Athena's body in such a state?"

She sighed, her defiance draining away. "Yeah, I know. I only go out when I'm sure no one's watching. I'm a pro at sneaking."

"That's not good enough. Don't ever do it again," I said firmly. "You don't understand the danger we could be in."

She nodded reluctantly but then added with a smirk, "At least I'm leaving tomorrow, right? So I might as well enjoy my last day here."

I groaned. "You'll enjoy it responsibly, Kiara. No more rooftop escapades."

"Fine," she said, throwing up her hands. "But tonight, I want a proper send-off. Let's have some fun. No lectures, no rules."

Although she was not my Athena, I found the soul fascinating.

"Fine," I relented with a sigh. "But after that, you're going back to where you came from without causing more trouble."

"Deal," she said with a grin.

She stood up, wobbling slightly before steadying herself. I watched her carefully, half-expecting her to fall over again. She took a few steps forward, but then her stomach growled loudly, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"Starving," she muttered sheepishly.

I frowned, realizing she probably hadn't eaten anything since arriving. "Don't worry," I said. "I'll have food sent to your chambers. Maidservant Tae will take care of it."

She nodded appreciatively, and I turned to leave. But as I walked away, the weight of my responsibilities came crashing down again—unresolved matters with the spirits, unannounced meetings, and the endless famine requests piling up on my desk.

Just one more thing to deal with...