Chapter 205

“First impression: a passing grade.”

Bracken Ranke had wanted to meet Theo for a long time.

“He took two of my precious children—how could I not see him for myself?”

He understood his second child, Holkers’ decision.

Holkers had always been overshadowed by his older sister and had no real interest in inheriting the family headship. Instead, he sought a bigger stage to play on.

He yearned for a glamorous, attention-filled life, which made his choice a natural one.

But Erica was different.

She loved being among Ranke’s swordsmen, and inheriting the family mantle seemed as natural as wearing a well-fitted cloak.

Everything changed, however, after her awakening ceremony.

“A little,” Bracken would later think.

“Dad.”

“Yes, my dear? Are you ready to begin your training as my heir, to inherit this magnificent legacy of mine?”

“I’m heading out for a while to have some fun.”

“...What?”

The sparkle in her eyes when she said she wanted to “have fun” was so bright, so full of excitement, that Bracken instinctively nodded in agreement.

He assumed she would return soon after her curiosity was sated.

But nearly a year had passed, and his children showed no signs of coming back.

Curiosity finally got the better of him.

When they visited home briefly during a holiday, they told him stories of Theo’s exploits. That was when Bracken made his decision:

“I need to see this young lord for myself.”

Coincidentally, rumors were circulating that the Gardner family head was acting suspiciously and heading to Winterer. Bracken decided to kill two birds with one stone.

Now, here he was, face-to-face with Theo.

“It seems the rumors aren’t unfounded.”

Theo had a charm that could captivate even Bracken’s fiery children.

“The other vanguard members said much the same.”

Bracken believed that if you wanted to truly understand someone, you had to observe the people around them.

That’s why he had been wining and dining the White Steel Dragon Vanguard—chatting, drinking, eating.

Of course, it had been a rather intense experience for the squad.

“Please, spare us!”

“No more drinks, I beg you! Ugh!”

“Too much meat… I—blurgh!”

“Hahaha! More drinks! More meat! Eat your fill! What? You’re full? You’re drunk? Nonsense! If I keep serving it, it’ll find a way in!”

While several members ended up suffering from overindulgence, Bracken brushed off their plight as a minor inconvenience.

“A proper drinking companion—that’s what he’ll be.”

Bracken grinned, already looking forward to sharing a drink with Theo.

To him, Theo wasn’t just an intriguing young man; he was a potential kindred spirit.

***

“At least Bracken seems to like the White Steel Dragon Vanguard.”

It was well-known, even in Theo’s past life, that Bracken Ranke had a peculiar way of expressing his approval—by offering copious amounts of alcohol and meat to those he deemed worthy.

This generosity had earned him a reputation for being larger-than-life, someone who could even form brotherly bonds with barbarian chiefs during the countless wars around the Mahe region.

But Theo also remembered how this very trait had led to Bracken’s tragic end.

In the not-so-distant future, one of those trusted “blood brothers” would betray him. Invited to a feast, Bracken would drink a poisoned concoction, his magic sealed, and his life cruelly ended by decapitation.

The betrayal had enraged Erica so much that she had single-handedly massacred the tribe responsible, along with several others in the surrounding plains and forests. It was then that she earned the infamous title, “The Blood-Soaked Berserker.”

Yet for all his flaws, Bracken was a man of unwavering loyalty to those he trusted.

The fact that he was so freely offering drinks and meat to the White Steel Dragon Vanguard was proof of how much he had already taken to them.

The vanguard, however, seemed less enthusiastic about the honor.

“Blargh!”

“Please, no more…!”

“My stomach… I can’t take it…!”

“Hahaha! More drinks! More meat! There’s no such thing as ‘too full’ or ‘too drunk!’ Keep eating, and it’ll all go down eventually!”

Bracken, in his rugged, bearded glory, appeared the picture of a jovial barbarian chieftain, but Theo couldn’t shake the feeling that those piercing eyes were scrutinizing him deeply.

“Word is, my children have found a good friend. I’ve been wanting to meet you, but I’ve been too busy to make the time. With everything going on lately, I figured I’d better come before it’s too late.”

Clearly, he was referring to Theo’s impending departure for the East.

“It’s an honor to meet the head of the Ranke family, whose reputation precedes him.”

“Haha! Is that so? Hmm. By the way, is it uncomfortable if I speak informally? Technically, you and I are equals—both lords of our respective clans—so…”

“I wouldn’t find it uncomfortable at all. Beyond such formalities, you are the father of my friends. Please feel free to treat me as you would a son.”

“Well then! Haha! Our young lord is quite the affable one! I’ll take you up on that, then.”

“And I shall treat you as I would a father. May I offer you a drink?”

As Theo reached for a jug to refill Bracken’s empty cup, he caught a glimpse of Erica and Holkers frantically signaling him from across the table.

“Don’t!”

“You’ll regret it!”

Their silent warnings only made Theo chuckle.

“Holkers, sure—but Erica too?”

Bracken’s theatrical groan interrupted his thoughts.

“What’s taking so long? My arm’s going to fall off here!”

Theo hurried to fill the massive cup Bracken held out—a vessel larger than most wash basins.

“No wonder people are collapsing left and right drinking this stuff.”

The liquid inside was murky and reeked of sharp, sour milk—mare’s milk liquor, a potent drink popular among the steppe tribes.

Glug, glug, glug!

“Ahh! That’s the stuff!” Bracken declared as he emptied the cup in one long gulp, then held it out to Theo.

“How about it? Care for a drink?”

Sharing a cup of this dubious beverage wasn’t exactly hygienic, but Theo took it without hesitation, nodding.

“I’ve never tried mare’s milk liquor before. I’d like to see what it’s like.”

“Haha! You’ll find the taste… unique. But once you acquire it, you’ll never go back.”

The eyes of the remaining vanguard members darted to Theo.

“Theo’s actually going to drink that?”

“Finally! We’re off the hook!”

“But can he handle it? That stuff’s brutal for first-timers.”

“Exactly. We only got used to it because of all our missions abroad.”

“Do you think we’ll see him get drunk for the first time? That could be fun—mmph!”

“Shut up, idiot! You’re jinxing it!”

Theo lifted the cup and downed it in one go, as if he were drinking plain water.

“…Huh?”

“Wait, what? He’s drinking it like it’s nothing?”

Even Erica and Holkers gawked in disbelief. The drink was so foul that even seasoned drinkers like them avoided it unless necessary.

Yet Theo’s face didn’t so much as twitch as he polished off the enormous cup. He even mimicked Bracken’s earlier flourish, upending the cup over his head.

“Is this how it’s done? Quite enjoyable, actually.”

“Well, I’ll be damned! Holkers, what are you doing standing around? Bring another jug!”

“Wh-what? More?”

“We’re celebrating meeting a fine ‘Anda’! Get a move on before I boot your lazy behind!”

Holkers, dazed, scrambled to fetch another jug.

“You up for more?”

“Of course. Though I must ask, are you sure you’re fine? It seems you’ve had quite a bit already.”

“Haha! Worrying about me, are you? No one’s outdrunk me yet, my boy!”

And so began the marathon.

One cup, two cups, three cups…

“Ahh! That hits the spot!”

“Allow me to pour another.”

“Such a delightful drinking partner! Truly, my children have chosen well!”

Ten cups, then eleven.

The cups turned into jugs, then barrels.

The onlookers could only gape in shock.

“Is this really okay?”

“Seriously, how hasn’t he collapsed yet?!”

“He’s not even sweating. This is insane.”

Meanwhile, Bracken was visibly drunk, his face flushed and his speech slurred.

“Back in the day—hiccup—I swore allegiance to your father first! hiccup Let me tell you all about it again!”

Erica and Holkers exchanged horrified glances.

“He’s… he’s drunk?”

“Father never gets drunk! This is impossible!”

Theo, on the other hand, remained composed, calmly taking sip after sip.

『You’re as crafty as ever. It’s like watching Sigurd all over again.』

“As long as they don’t catch on, it’s fine, right?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

『We call that cheating, boy.』

Theo had a simple way to endure the alcohol: by separating his mind and body. Using , he entered a heightened mental state, detaching himself from the physical effects of the alcohol.

While the method consumed minimal mana and went unnoticed by others, Theo was well aware of the backlash waiting for him once ended.

“I’ll deal with that later. Speaking of which, Lodbrok, are you ready?”

『…Ready for what?』

“You know, the ribs.”

『You were serious?! You’re out of your mind! I’m an invalid, not a butcher’s shop!』

“It’s not like you’ll miss them.”

『I WILL MISS THEM, YOU MONSTER!』

As Lodbrok seethed, Theo smiled faintly.

“Guess pestering people is my version of drunken antics.”