Chapter 123: A Drink with Long

"There’s no need to start working so soon. You only just got here today..."

[ Our contract is a contract, is it not? There is also a one year limit on my contract with you. If you waste time and end up regretting it, you will be the one who suffers. ]

Qiu Nuoya looked bewildered, while Igor, unable to understand Long’s words, tilted his head and asked, "What is he saying?"

"He says that if I’m going to make him work, I should hurry up and put him to work. He’ll take me wherever I want to go."

"What the heck? He’s a complete workaholic. Just like his master."

"Huh..."

"Nuoya does tend to work a little too much. I guess even tamed monsters with similar personalities end up resembling their masters."

[ What are you talking about? I didn’t become his tamed monster because we get along. I only became one because that old man forced me to... ]

"Hey, Nuoya, can this guy drink alcohol?" 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

Long’s words could never reach Igor, so Igor completely ignored him and cheerfully asked Qiu Nuoya the question instead.

"Um, can you drink alcohol, Long?"

[ I have heard the old man say that it tastes good, but I have never actually drunk it. I have licked a little of something made when fruit naturally fermented, but there was so little of it that it did not fill my stomach at all. ]

Ah, come to think of it, Long had been born and raised in that paradise of monsters, so he had probably never had artificially made alcohol before. Considering his enormous size, any alcohol that happened to form naturally in the wild would have been a negligible amount. A single taste probably would not have been enough for him to appreciate it either.

"He says he has never had alcohol before."

"I see. Do you think it would be safe to let him drink? Is alcohol bad for monsters?"

"His grandfather seemed to drink it, so I don’t think he is incapable of drinking it."

At Qiu Nuoya’s answer, Igor’s eyes lit up. He immediately slung an arm around Long’s shoulder and handed him a glass filled with alcohol. "The first step to becoming friends is sharing a drink. Come on, take a good swig."

"Wait, Igor!?"

Long cautiously brought his nose toward the pale amber liquid in the glass. Apparently, he did not find the smell unpleasant. He glanced toward Qiu Nuoya and asked through telepathy.

[ This isn’t poison, is it? ]

"It isn’t poison, but are you sure you’ll be all right? It’s alcohol, you know?"

[ Grandpa once told me that alcohol was a medicine that could cure all kinds of illnesses. I don’t think there will be a problem. ]

With that, Long downed the entire contents of the glass in one gulp.

Wait, he drank it all at once!?

Qiu Nuoya’s face went pale. For someone who had never drunk alcohol before, that was definitely not a good way to start. However, after finishing the entire glass, Long’s expression suddenly lit up.

[ What is this? It’s delicious! Is there any more? ]

Seeing Long’s reaction, Igor grinned and immediately refilled his empty glass without hesitation. "You’ve actually got quite a taste for it, don’t you? Here, don’t hold back. Drink up, drink up."

"Wait, Igor! Long is drinking for the first time today, so don’t give him too much! What are we going to do if he passes out?"

[ I’m completely fine. ]

Long casually finished his second glass with ease, looking perfectly unaffected.

"Are you really okay? You don’t feel sick or anything? Do you need some water?"

[ Why would I drink water when there is such a delicious drink right here? More importantly, since I have the chance, I want something to eat that goes well with this. ]

Long was a complete heavy drinker, wasn’t he!?

"Well, most of my party members hardly drink, so if you’ll drink with me, I’ll be really happy. Let’s get along from now on, brother." With that, Igor continued pouring more alcohol into Long’s glass.

Viktor was careful about how much he drank, while Qiu Nuoya and Warren were still under the legal drinking age, so Igor had often been drinking alone lately.

The legal drinking age in this world was eighteen. Everyone at the share house in Coalora City had drunk freely, so Qiu Nuoya had assumed there might not be any such regulations. Apparently, that was not the case.

Qiu Nuoya did not mind having a drink with Igor once in a while, but perhaps Igor had simply wanted someone who could drink with him.

"Oops, just drinking isn’t very polite, either. If you’re going to drink, you should eat this too! Everything Nuoya cooks is incredible!" Igor held out the sweet and savory braised cockatrice wings that Qiu Nuoya had prepared as a snack to go with the alcohol.

[ Oh, this is delicious! Does the master make this? ]

"Huh? Yeah. I’m in charge of cooking."

"Good food, good booze, and a new companion. This is the best!" Igor said.

[ Forget about the companion part. I agree about the good booze and good food. ]

The two continued drinking and eating, while carrying on a conversation that Qiu Nuoya could not tell was actually a conversation at all.

Still, since Long could understand Igor’s words, perhaps communicating with him was surprisingly easy after all.

Igor and Long had started drinking together in high spirits. Qiu Nuoya was glad that the two of them were getting along, but Viktor was watching them with a slight frown.

"Viktor, why do you look so troubled?"

"No, it is just a personal feeling of mine..."

"If there is anything bothering you, even something small, please do not hesitate to say so. Living together is not good if someone has to keep their feelings bottled up."

At Qiu Nuoya’s words, Viktor gave a wry smile. "It is not quite that serious. I have always thought of dragons as evil beings that should be defeated, or monsters that people should avoid getting involved with. So I was simply wondering whether Igor is broad minded enough to become friendly with one so easily, or whether he is simply acting without thinking."