Chapter 48

<047. Easter Egg (3)>

Captain Nye.

I had tried it once before entering the game.

Actually, twice.

The first time was during my orphanage days. I think I was in my second year of high school. Since I had to leave the orphanage upon graduating from high school, I learned to drink from the director who had always been kind to me.

[This is a pretty high-end drink. Yeongjin! Drink it!]

[Well, it seems a bit strong for me, Director.]

[Drink! This is what a man should drink! That's when you become a real man!]

When the Director brought out the Captain Nye and poured a glass, I said, ‘Don’t drink it. It kills.’ My heart cried, ‘Save me.’ My mouth said, ‘Did you pour it for me?’

In the end, I took a sip of the 35-degree sticky chemical drink that smelled of barley and coffee, and gently put down the glass.

This is a drink that humans shouldn't drink.

And our Director...

[Drink! You must live your life to the fullest! Understand?]

[...Yes, Director.]

[Good, may you receive many blessings in the new year. Now, bow to me.]

[Director, why are you doing this!]

[Bow to me!!]

The Director, who had drunk half a bottle of Captain Nye, bowed to me.

It was in July.

The next time I drank it was during my active duty. Probably when I was a sergeant.

During a drinking party, I had a chance to drink with the platoon leader.

[So, Yeongjin, what do you plan to do after you leave the military?]

[I plan to do some field work.]

[Really? Why? Didn't your parents tell you to do something else?]

[Well, actually...]

After that, I revealed that I was an orphan and talked a bit about my past.

[...Didn't your parents tell you to do something else?]

[If you're from a public school, you get an extra 10,000 won for field work.]

[...Ha. That's why you're in the military, you little brat. Really... Ha. What a messed-up world. How can someone like you...]

Then the platoon leader took a sip of the Captain Q on the table and shouted loudly.

[What a cheap shot, you little brat!]

And suddenly, he buried his head on the table and started crying.

It was in November, three months before my discharge.

***

This Captain Q, which I renamed Captain Nye when it entered this world, was an Easter egg created by the game company.

An item that can only be obtained in the Wolfram's illegal warehouse.

When you use the Interpretation Scroll or the Find Item Skill in the main story, it will say, [This is a drink that Wolfram von Loen格林 received as a bribe. It's questionable that Wolfram drank this. The type of alcohol is rum (or something similar), and it might be useful in places where hard liquor is needed...?] It's a pretty amusing description, so it still sticks in my mind.

But, Wolfram is right here.

Anyway, because I knew this tip, I was able to prepare the best snack and the best drink—well, a drink—for the fairy queen, and she smiled while shaking the Captain Nye popsicle.

"Such a high-end snack! I like it! I really do!"

Then she put the popsicle, which was about the size of two of her fingers, in her mouth and chewed it.

"Oh, this taste... The intense alcohol flavor that comes from chewing this sweet candy... Gah."

With a thud, the fairy queen fell over. The wolf next to her howled.

"Poison?"

"No, the queen is just weak against alcohol."

"Poison? You've been drinking for three hundred years! How can you be weak against alcohol?"

"Well, I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

Fairy queens are free,

mischievous,

liars,

and above all, they have a strong wanderlust.

"I'd like to erase you from existence, but... now that you're the property of a descendant of Hark, I can't do that. I'm disappointed."

"I believe you'll understand."

"Because it's a bet and a promise."

So, the wolf accepted the bet with me.

In a fair bet, where the outcome is not manipulated and both sides are considered equal, the losing fairy becomes the property of the winner.

At that moment, we tacitly agreed. In fact, the odds were fifty-fifty, but I trusted Captain Nye, and it worked.

An opportunity to escape from the fairy land after three hundred years.

The bet was fair, and the wolf acknowledged his defeat.

And as the winner, I took possession.

The fairy queen cannot touch the blood of the royal family, nor can she threaten the property of the royal family.

In other words, the wolf had outmaneuvered the fairy queen.

The wolf and I looked at each other and smiled. We were saying, "You little cheat," with our eyes.

"Phew. Well, it would have been better if I had lost the bet to you and left."

"Use the fairy queen as your subordinate? Ha..."

I stared at her intently.

I still remember the status of the fairy queen Elpirane clearly.

Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Constitution 8, Magic 21, Will 21.

Even if I took her, she wouldn't listen to me.

"Someone from the royal family will come to free you someday."

"Someday? When? Another three hundred years?"

"No, maybe in three years?"

"Huh?"

I glanced at Eve, and the fairy queen also stared at her.

Then she understood.

"Ah, I see. Not now, but there are some areas where you are better than me."

"That's right."

"Will this child fight me to the death? Just like Hark did when we first met?"

"Of course. He hates losing more than death."

"Ah, I see. I look forward to his growth. Heh heh. My blood is boiling."

"Then rest assured."

"What are you talking about?"

Eve tilted her head, confused by our cryptic conversation.

"No, nothing. Haha."

"Yes, nothing. Heh heh."

The fairy queen and I shook hands firmly.

Actually, it's nothing much. When you graduate, you'll have a bloody one-on-one battle with the fairy queen, and you'll free her.

"Stay strong, Eve."

"Get stronger soon, descendant."

"......?"

Eve, who still couldn't follow the conversation, walked out.

"Your will is really strong, isn't it?"

"Actually, I'm just tired of being a loser."

"Alright, then. We'll part ways here. If we meet again, I'll repay your kindness."

"......?"

What are you talking about?

"Then I'll wander around the human world for a while..."

"Stop joking. Who said I'd release you?"

"......?"

"Review the contract. You are my property."

"Wait, wait. You don't have the magic to control me, do you? How can you control me? I'm a combat spirit! The red-maned wolf!"

I know, I've seen you get beaten up.

But.

"Who said I'd use you in combat?"

"What?"

"Starting tomorrow, you have the destiny to pull a rickshaw for me."

"......?"

"Accept it."

"......Rickshaw?"

"I need help with my business. It's not a big deal. Deliver packages in the morning, do some deliveries, pull a rickshaw, and guard me sometimes."

"......That means..."

"Is dog food enough for you? If you have any requests, I'll try to accommodate them."

"You really plan to use me as a dog?"

I nodded.

"Isn't that what the bet was about?"

"I thought it was just a face-saving phrase."

"Try your best, Partasch."

"That name is even worse!"

"Then how about Wolddol? Jinddol? Chingching? Adequately? Poopdog?"

"Rather... call me Partasch."

Good boy.

Good listener.

***

When we left the fairy queen's castle, it was just me, Eve, and the wolf.

On the way back, Eve suddenly spoke.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For the pollen. The students of Jefrin, at least once, didn't feel the difference in status. You... no, your side did more."

Eve looked a bit depressed. A bitter smile of sadness and self-pity.

"Why do you look so upset?"

"......Ah, really."

"Is it because Wolfram von Loen格林 did what Eve von Loen格林 couldn't? So, what was the rebellion for? Am I really a fool? Was that what you were thinking?"

"......If I stab you in the head with a light saber right now and kill Wolfram von Loen格林, would that solve it?"

Whoa, whoa. Calm down. Hey, don't say such things.

Hmm.

In the game, there was a route where Eve acted like a loser.

What did Kelthers say to her then?

Ah, right.

"What you should do is not regret."

"What?"

"Accept it and find a way out. Otherwise, you'll stay in the same place forever."

Eve's eyes widened, then her cheeks puffed up.

"......Yes. I will! And that's it!"

Then she walked out briskly.

Her temper is really short.

"......You care about your brother, don't you?"

"What's the point of dragging this out? It just makes me tired."

"Alright, let's say that. Then are we parting ways here? If we meet again, I'll repay your kindness."

"......?"

What are you talking about?

"Then I'll wander around the human world for a while..."

"Stop joking. Who said I'd release you?"

"......?"

"Review the contract. You are my property."

"Wait, wait. You don't have the magic to control me, do you? How can you control me? I'm a combat spirit! The red-maned wolf!"

I know, I've seen you get beaten up.

But.

"Who said I'd use you in combat?"

"What?"

"Starting tomorrow, you have the destiny to pull a rickshaw for me."

"......?"

"Accept it."

"......Rickshaw?"

"I need help with my business. It's not a big deal. Deliver packages in the morning, do some deliveries, pull a rickshaw, and guard me sometimes."

"......That means..."

"Is dog food enough for you? If you have any requests, I'll try to accommodate them."

"You really plan to use me as a dog?"

I nodded.

"Isn't that what the bet was about?"

"I thought it was just a face-saving phrase."

"Try your best, Partasch."

"That name is even worse!"

"Then how about Wolddol? Jinddol? Chingching? Adequately? Poopdog?"

"Rather... call me Partasch."

Good boy.

Good listener.