บท 230: [47.3] A Group of Delinquents
She didn't ask me any more questions and let out a sigh, "Although I did think the quality of drinks would be better here since it's a palace."
The curtain suddenly was pushed open and Marx appeared out of nowhere, "I knew you were here!!!"
I panicked and pulled him in quickly so my position wouldn't be given away.
Ugh! Who let him enter the palace looking and smelling like that?!
My nose crinkled from his odor and I quickly pulled out my wand to give him a clean-up.
He didn't think too much of it since he was so used to me doing this for him every day that I was forced to be "tutored" by him.
Rebecca gave him a look, "Marx, why do you look so terrible!? Please tell me you didn't go on another binger."
Wait. So they know each other? I wonder if they are related.
I looked between the neat and plain Rebecca and the messy and eccentric Marx.
…There's no way they are related.
Marx ruffled his filthy hair, "No… The Headmaster locked me up again."
I looked at him in surprise, "My father did!?"
He nodded glumly, "He loves to do that."
"Why would he!?"
"He wanted me to help him with something and I can only focus when I'm locked up."
I raised an eyebrow, "Help with something?"
Is it another gift?
Marx nodded, "Yeah, his girlfriend has a ghost haunting her so he wanted me to make an amulet to ward it off."
My face grew dark, "G-Girlfriend!!?"
Before I could think about that further, I suddenly caught on to the second part, "WAIT!? Haunted!?"
"Yeah. From what I hear it's really bad."
I felt my legs grow weak and had to grab the wall to support myself.
My mother…
What has my mother been going through?
Why hasn't she told me!?
Is it because of me??
Is that why?
Marx turned his attention back to Rebecca, "So can I have it!? Your sweet nectar!?"
Her face twitched in disgust, "Ugh! Stop calling it that!! Go grab me water before I puke."
His face lit up, "Thank you, my little hummingbird!!"
I glanced at her, "...What was that about?"
She let out a sigh, "You'll see."
He ran off quickly and came back to our hiding place with his hands full of bottles filled to the brim with water.
She sighed and grabbed a bottle, dipping her finger into it. I watched as the water turned from clear to a milky white consistency. The smell wafted to my nose bringing on an onslaught of nostalgic memories.
I couldn't believe my own nose, "It can't be…"
Marx quickly took it from her hand and chugged it down.
Rebecca glanced at me, "Want to try it?"
I nodded in trepidation and she grabbed another water container to dip her finger inside to change the contents. She handed it to me after changing it and I hesitantly took a sip.
My taste buds exploded, "YOGURT SOOJU!"
Her eyes widened in surprise before relaxing.
I grabbed her in excitement, "This is amazing!!! Nothing beats sooju! I never thought I would ever get to taste it again!!!"
Her expressionless face finally cracked a smile, "I'm glad you like it. But if you tell anyone I made this, I will have to kill you."
I gave her a wink, "Your secret is safe with me… As long as you keep making it for me."
She shrugged, "I already make it for him. One more person doesn't make much of a difference… Want another glass?"
"Fill me up!"
The three of us continued to drink in secret, hiding behind the curtain.
I giggled, "I feel like I'm back in school, hiding from the teachers."
Rebecca didn't seem as affected by the drinks, "I never had that experience as a child… Sounds fun."
Marx briefly put down the drink, "I think I was the teacher in that scenario."
My face twitched, "I literally snuck out of your class and you never noticed… Or cared."
"Oh yeah."
He raised a drink and started gulping it down.
After a few shared bottles, I finally looked out of the window feeling a strange heat on my cheeks. My body swayed a bit, but I still felt more or less in control of it.
My eyes lit up and I pointed out the window, "Hey! Look! There's a fountain!! Let's turn that into sooju!!"
Marx's face curled up into clear disgust, "No way! I will drown!"
Rebecca laughed and smacked his back loud enough to make a noise, "I will turn the water into my signature drink, then it'll be a drinking fountain."
Marx's face lit up, "Let's go!"
I reached down to rip the hem of my dress off. Then I wrapped it around my hand and punched the window with all my strength.
The glass broke and scattered.
I punched away the remainder of the glass and looked back with a grin, "Let's go!!"
Rebecca watched me with clear distaste then pushed the window up, "...It was unlocked you know."
"..."
I gave her a look and then shrugged. I threw myself out of the window and landed on a snowbank I created. I looked back at them with a face full of snow, "What are you two waiting for!?"
Rebecca climbed onto the windowsill and hopped out, landing on her feet.
Marx carefully climbed out, ensuring he didn't touch the snow at all.
I ran to the fountain and took off my heels and long socks. I raised my dress and climbed inside, standing ankle-deep in the water.
I let out a sigh, "Ahhh… This feels good on my skin."
Rebecca stumbled over, neatly folded my tossed socks, and placed my wand on top of my clothes. She turned her head to look up at me, "Does it really feel that good?"
I nodded and motioned her to join me, "It does! Come on!"
"Oh alright." She took off her shoes and socks, folded them neatly, then stepped into the fountain beside me. Her face scrunched up, "It's cold."
I giggled as I splashed around, "But refreshing."
Marx stood beside the fountain and waved his cup, "You made a promise!'
"Yeah, yeah." Rebecca bent over and touched the surface of the water. It changed to a milky white color. We watched him dunk the cup and drink from it as if he was dying of thirst.
Rebecca made a disgusted face, "Isn't that unhygienic? We are literally standing in this."
He finished his cup and burped, "Does it look like I care about hygiene?"
She crinkled her nose, "Oh, definitely not."
I ignored the two of their banter and splashed the surface as if I was a child in a pool, "How are you able to do this? It's so awesome! I've never heard of it before!!"
Rebecca didn't look impressed, "My village is full of lake attributes who could do far more impressive things than me. I'm the only one who can only turn water into alcohol… And that's ALL I can do. It's hardly anything to be proud of. The villagers can control an entire island. They are the impressive ones."
I shook my head and gazed at her in admiration, "Don't sell yourself short. If you can't be proud of your accomplishments, what can you be proud of?"
Rebecca met my gaze in surprise. A slight flush came over her face and she quickly turned around to hide it.
Steam rose from the surface of the water and caused my cheeks to heat up. Although the alcohol hadn't affected me too much, the steam started to turn my mind into a muddled mess.
I laughed sloppily, "Are you embarrassed? How cute! Let me see~"
I stepped towards her, but she twirled away, "Leave me alone."
"No! Let me see!"
I chased after her in the fountain. The knee-deep water made it hard to do so, but I was determined to see the condescending expression of Rebbecca turn shy.
However, she was far more slippery than I imagined.
And maybe it was the drinks or the steam getting to my head, but…
I'm feeling…
Strange.
I laughed drunkenly and jumped forward to grab her, "Show me!!!"
She skillfully hopped to the side and I went face-first into the water instead of grabbing her instead.
I felt the water rush over my face, shoving me far under the water's surface.
An eerie silence greeted me.
I opened my eyes and immediately regretted it.
AHH!
Alcohol!
I sat up out of the water and screamed, "It burns!"
Rebecca burst out into laughter, "What did you think was going to happen?! Did you think it would be refreshing?"
I cried out, "I thought it would be like water!"
"Doesn't that also sting when you open your eyes?"
"Not as much!!!"
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Nekoru
Nekoru Is now a good time to say that I refuse to include side characters that aren't important to the story?
They must all have purpose!
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