Chapter 08
I quickly checked Boris’s condition after he collapsed. Thankfully, his life wasn’t in danger—but he wouldn’t be waking up until tomorrow morning.
“He’s fine. He just drank too much.”
“R-really?”
The vice-captain, who had frozen in shock, relaxed after hearing me. He gestured to a few people, and they carried Boris outside. Then, as if nothing had happened, he lightly tapped Jude on the shoulder.
“Alright, next.”
“Ah, I…”
Jude hesitated strangely.
“What? Is there a problem?”
At the vice-captain’s question, Jude shook his head.
“No.”
Jude stepped forward stiffly, picked up the smallest cup, poured a little, took a single sip, and put it back down.
“I can’t really drink. This is my limit.”
“…Huh?”
The vice-captain stared blankly for a moment, as if his brain had stopped working. He glanced at me—the only one left—then looked forward again.
Clearly flustered by this unexpected situation, he darted his eyes around and gestured ahead, signaling others to come help.
‘No, no—before they stop me, I should drink quickly.’
I hurriedly grabbed a medium-sized cup and poured the alcohol. Bubbles rose in the yellow, amber-colored liquor.
Clutching my excited chest, I drank it straight down. A cool, bitter liquid slid down my throat.
‘Wow. This is thrilling.’
For a brief moment, my face felt warm, and a pleasant haze spread through my head. But at that exact moment, a very cool, refreshing energy surged through my entire body.
‘Wait. Hold on.’
Suddenly, it felt like I’d just drunk cold water—my mind became crystal clear, and my body felt even lighter.
‘You crazy healing power…’
My healing ability had instantly purified even the alcohol. Wasn’t this a bit much?
I could clearly feel its intense will to reject anything harmful to my body—and that sparked my stubbornness.
‘Alright. Let’s see who wins.’
I quickly picked up a bigger cup, filled it to the brim, and downed it in one go. Again, the moment it passed my throat, I felt slightly hazy—then instantly sober.
‘I’m not giving up at this level. Again!’
Just as I was drinking my second, then third cup, the vice-captain urgently grabbed my arm.
“N-no, Riana. You don’t have to push yourself that far. That’s enough—”
“I’m fine.”
And with that, I finished the rest of the third cup. I really was fine—but for some reason, the vice-captain looked increasingly anxious.
As I was pouring the fourth cup—
“Stop.”
A large hand reached out and took the cup from me. Startled, I turned around and saw Calix’s profile.
Calix brought the cup he’d taken from me to his lips and began gulping the alcohol down. Every time he swallowed, his Adam’s apple moved clearly.
“Captain?”
Ignoring my question, Calix filled the next cup and drank again.
“C-Captain, I’ll take care of the rest—”
Despite the vice-captain’s attempt to stop him, Calix poured and drank another full cup. Only then did the oak barrel finally run dry.
Clack—
Calix set the cup down, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and turned toward the mercenaries.
“I was watching to see how far you’d go. Are the new recruits just toys to you?”
“N-no! Captain, we were just about to help!”
“We didn’t force them to drink—they poured it themselves…”
A few mercenaries stood up, sounding unfairly accused. Calix’s brow furrowed.
“Silence. If you’re going to ruin a tradition meant to share hardship like this, then there will be no more welcoming ceremonies.”
At his sharp rebuke, the mercenaries immediately groveled and begged for forgiveness.
“We’re sorry, Captain. Please calm down.”
“It won’t happen again.”
Calix watched them quietly, then clicked his tongue.
“I’ll let it slide this once. There won’t be a next time.”
“Of course, of course.”
“Thank you, Captain!”
“In exchange, everyone involved here runs twenty laps around the training grounds tomorrow morning.”
“Th-that’s—!”
The mercenaries looked devastated but couldn’t argue further and sat back down. Only then did Calix turn toward Jude and me.
“I apologize on behalf of everyone.”
Jude, looking awkward, quickly stepped aside. I waved my hands.
“Ah, I’m really fine—”
“You don’t need to pretend. For now, it’d be best to sit over there and drink some water.”
Calix lightly placed a hand on my back, guided me to a side table, and handed me a cup of water as soon as I sat down.
“Thank you. I’ll drink it.”
After finishing the water, I looked up—and met Calix’s gaze. He was sitting across from me, resting his chin on his hand, staring straight at me.
‘Why is he staring like that? Did he notice my real goal?’
Startled, I almost dropped the cup.
“Captain?”
At that moment, the golden shimmer swirling within his blue eyes felt unusually vivid as Calix spoke.
“Riana.”
“Yes?”
“Your name… it suits you.”
“My name?”
“Yes. I just thought it fit you well.”
“Really? Thank you.”
I thanked him casually. For some reason, Calix smiled faintly.
Still resting his chin on his right hand and tapping the table rhythmically with his left, Calix spoke again.
“When you were at the temple, how did you usually live?”
“At the temple? Well, I was a trainee priest, so I mostly prayed or went on service missions.”
“Service?”
“Yes. I usually went to villages hit by plagues or areas where monsters appeared often to treat the wounded.”
“I see. I’ve seen the priesthood before in damaged villages.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. A very long time ago.”
Calix seemed lost in thought for a moment, recalling the past, then looked at me again.
“If you’re used to that kind of life, you probably can’t ignore people who are hurting.”
“It’s an occupational habit.”
“I thought so.”
Nodding, Calix poured me another cup of water.
“Why did you leave the temple?”
“Ah, well… I failed the aptitude test.”
“You? Unqualified?”
“Yes.”
“That’s hard to believe. You—”
“…?”
As I tilted my head and popped a green grape into my mouth, Calix paused briefly, then continued.
“You fell from that cliff and survived unharmed. Even if you say it was intentional, that’s no ordinary ability. So being unqualified seemed strange.”
“Ah, well… I guess it was different from what the temple expected.”
After a short silence, Calix asked,
“What kind of life does the temple expect?”
In an instant, my past life before regression flashed through my mind—the countless rules, laws, and duties demanded of me as a saint. And the days when I broke almost all of them, earning record numbers of violations.
“A life so boring you’d die from it.”
“What? Hahaha.”
Calix let out a small laugh. He laughed with his eyes curved, clearly amused—then slowly stopped and looked straight at me.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes…?”
He asked seriously.
“You must have spent most of your life in the temple. I wondered if coming into such an unfamiliar world was truly okay for you.”
At his words, my throat suddenly felt tight.
When I had been taken to the imperial palace as a saint, when I endured countless unfair situations in that unfamiliar place—I had wished that even one person would ask me something like that.
But no one ever did.
And now, on my very first day here, he was asking me.
“I’m fine.”
It didn’t feel bad. No—it actually made me happy.
“I’m excited, actually. Because it’s a new world.”
At my words, Calix’s eyes wavered slightly. Then the corners of his lips lifted.
“That’s a relief.”
He smiled. Without realizing it, I stared blankly at that smile. Then suddenly, the gaunt face I had seen in prison before my regression came to mind.
‘So this is how brightly you were meant to shine.’
He had never deserved the cruelty inflicted by someone like Valdier. I must have found him too late back then—before he could gain the power he was meant to have.
‘I promise. This time will be different.’
He was right here in front of me now, and I had stepped into his world. That meant I would have plenty of chances in the future.
As I thought that, my eyes unconsciously lingered on his lips.
