In Love With the Strongest Man
Translator: Shizukuku
Editor: Helen
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Arc 3 True Identity
Chapter 4 “Alcohol reveals a person’s true nature.”
“Alcohol… I’ve never had it before.”
“I see. Would you like some fruit juice?”
“No, I’d like to try alcohol.”
“Then I’ll dilute it first. It’s a delicious drink even when watered down.”
“Thank you.”
While I was inwardly squirming at the sight of the expensive-looking thin glasses on the table, a maid appeared out of nowhere and offered a light wooden cup with a handle. Ideal took the cup, generously filled it with ice, which was scarce in the fall, and poured some water and alcohol into it.
“Here, for Shuka-san. Let’s have a toast.”
“A toast…”
“Raise your cup like this— Cheers.”
Ideal never made fun of my ignorance. He would gently guide me along with such casualness that I would have missed it if I wasn’t paying attention.
I did as I was told and raised my glass, and the bottoms of our glasses clinked against each other. Ideal’s red lips nestled against the glass, and after a beat, his throat rose and fell in a seductive manner.
I looked down at my cup, feeling like I had seen something I shouldn’t have. I sniffed it and found it had a soft, unfamiliar aroma to it, like deepened barley. This must be alcohol. I recognized the scent itself, having been doused by a drunkard in the past, but it seemed much rounder and nicer than the one at the time.
“I heard that sometimes when people drink alcohol, they become a different person…”
“Yeah, there are people like that.”
“That’s a little scary. Does Ideal change when he gets drunk?”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever gotten drunk when I drink. But I think Shuka-san can get drunk without worry.” Ideal turned over and looked at me. The moon and the lanterns illuminated his red eyes, which took on a deep hue. “Alcohol reveals a person’s true nature. It doesn’t change the person. It just brings out what is normally hidden by our rationality.”
“True nature…”
Suddenly, I felt horrified by what was in my cup. The people drank this in bars, so I wondered if the people who went there had a thing for exposing themselves. It occurred to me to think about what my true nature was. Could something I didn’t even know existed be dragged out by this liquid?
“You shouldn’t be overly nervous. Some people, like me, don’t get drunk, and if we do, it’s mostly just for fun. Your judgment will be impaired, but just that; take it easy and enjoy your first drink.”
“…If I do anything wrong, just pour some water on me to wake me up.”
“Hehe, I’ll consider it.” Ideal extended his arm and clinked his glass to my cup again, saying, “Cheers.”
I gripped the handle firmly to ensure I wouldn’t drop the cup and took a small sip.
“Hm… it’s quite bitter.”
“It goes well with fruits. Nuts and cheese are good too. Try them together?”
Ideal picked up a small red fruit from a small plate and held it out for me to eat. I opened my mouth and it was tossed in. When I chewed it, it was sweet and sour, softening the bitterness of the liquor in my mouth.
“If you don’t like it, you can leave it.”
“Alright… but I think it tastes much better with the fruit.”
“That’s good to know. I’ve got refills, so take your time.”
“Mmm…”
We watched the moon and drank the alcohol a little at a time. The alcohol with ice was cold, but outside was pleasantly warm from the wood stove and lack of wind. Perhaps the ice had diluted the alcohol or maybe my tongue had gotten used to it, but it no longer tasted as bitter as the beginning.
“Shuka-san, are you feeling alright?”
“I’m okay.”
Ideal always took care of me in some way or another. For some reason, I suddenly wanted to touch his hand.
“Ideal, hand.”
“Hand?”
I held the hand that was offered to me. It was at least twice as big as mine was. It was sturdy and seemed like it could hold anything.
“Shu-Shuka-san…?”
“It’s so tough.”
“It is…?”
“Nice, hard working hands.”
“Oh, thank you…”
I put my cup on the table and caressed his hand with both of my own. A man’s hands were usually dry and rough, but Ideal’s hands were smooth, moist, and comfortable to the touch. Even the sword blisters seemed to enhance the beauty of his hands.
“But you haven’t been doing much lately, have you?”
“What?”
“You used to hunt a lot of monsters…”
“Yes, I did hunt quite a bit.”
“No matter how many times I told you no, you kept bringing in materials…”
“Ah. I’m sorry…”
I tried massaging his arms. They were well muscled and soft. Although they were soft, the muscles beneath were firm and strong. Or maybe I just didn’t have a strong enough grip.
“I really shouldn’t have refused to buy them.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. That’s what the rules say… or something… but it was a hassle, so I turned it down.”
“Pfft, so Shuka-san does that kind of thing, too.”
“Yes, I do. That’s why I’m sorry.”
“So we’re even?”
“Yeah. We’re even.”
I rolled up Ideal’s sleeves. He wore a loose-fitting nightgown, so I could easily roll it up to his shoulders. It was hard to tell with his clothes on, but his muscles were well-developed. I was envious of his muscles.
“Thick arms…”
“Should I lose weight…?”
“I like them…”
“Do you want to put on some muscle?”
“I do.”
I pulled down the sleeves I had rolled up and returned them to their original position. I felt a sense of accomplishment as I stretched them out so that they wouldn’t crease.
“…Can I move my arm now?”
“It’s your arm. You can do whatever you want.”
“Okay…” Ideal lifted his blanket and buried his face in it. “How can Shuka-san be so cute when he’s drunk?!”
He let out some kind of scream into the blanket. It was muffled and hard to make out. Normally, I might’ve been able to hear it, but my head was so foggy that I couldn’t concentrate. I wondered if this was the state of being drunk. It was a strange feeling, like having a fever, but not unpleasant.
“Shuka-san.”
“What is it?”
“Can I hold you?”
“Ummm… the other way around… come on my lap…”
“I’d squish you, we’ll do that some other time…”
Ideal picked me up and carried me to his couch. I realized that the one I was sitting on was a little small for my size.
I lay on top of Ideal and his strong arms hugged me softly. I could hear his heartbeat thumping a little faster as my cheek pressed against his chest.
“…I was trying to make a resuscitation drug.”
“Resuscitation…?”
“It is a legendary medicine that can heal the body and bring back souls that have departed the mortal world. There are rumors that powerful monsters have the ingredients concealed in their possession.”
“Wow…”
“I’ve got ten out of the thirteen materials needed.”
“Even though it’s just a legend… Amazing…”
I was a member of the Assassin’s Guild, a fairy tale existence, but how could he believe in such a thing as a resuscitation drug and act on it? I stroked his hair, saying, “Good job.” It was fluffy. Though not as fluffy as Akane’s.
“Materials… and three more left? …Hmm… one more?”
“Hehehe. Three, but I don’t need the resuscitation drug anymore… I found out that the person I wanted to bring back is still alive.”
“I see.”
“So I can keep on hanging out with Shuka-san for a long time.”
“Hmm…”
—If there was someone who was so important to you that you wanted to call them back from the world of the dead, they should be your priority.
That’s what I was going to say, but for some reason, the words didn’t come out. I didn’t want to say it. That feeling overflowed.
“No way…”
“What? …You hate it that much?”
“Ideal can do as he pleases… I have that child…”
What came to mind was a child who had the same colored features as Ideal. I wanted to see that child in good health one day, even if only from a distance. More than money, more than a place to live. If there was anything I could hope for now, it would be that.
“Who is that child…? Shuka-san, hey, that child? What race are they? What gender? What kind of person are they?”
“Sleepy…”
“Shu-Shuka-san…!”
I was feeling warm in Ideal’s arms even though it was outside, and I fell asleep before I knew it, likely due to the alcohol.
