When Venti saw them feasting and drinking, his face turned red. This was simply too much.
"Venti, why's your face red?"
"Want a bite?" Koji grinned, utterly unfazed.
"We helped you deal with Dvalin. This is our rightful reward."
"Hey, that's my wine money! I'm not eating—"
"…Mmm, so good."
Venti, who had been firm, imdiately gave in. Normally, he'd never splurge on food like this.
The "true fragrance law." It worked in every world.
"Koji, you sold it for so much. At least share so with ," Venti grumbled. That had been his fine wine. He hadn't even dared drink it himself, yet Koji had taken it all.
"I got it with my own ability. Why should I give you any?" Koji countered with a smile.
"I…"
Venti's mouth twitched. He had no rebuttal.
"How about this. You're good at drinking, right? Let's compete. Whoever can drink more wins. If you win, the remaining jars are yours. If I win, they're mine."
Koji smirked. Venti thought it over. Competing with him in drinking? Surely a mistake.
"Fine. Let's do it."
My wine, wait for . I'll win you back.
Lumine mourned for Venti in her heart. With all Koji's strange blessings, there was no way he lacked one for drinking.
Venti didn't know. If he didn't suffer a loss, she'd wash her hair standing on her head.
At Angel's Share, Diluc heard about the match. He waived their bill and told Charles to bring out all the tavern's wine.
Ordinary wine was nothing to him. He was Mondstadt's wine industry tycoon.
"Generous boss!"
"Venti, it's starting. No backing out now," Koji smiled faintly.
Venti sensed sothing off. Koji was too confident. But he wouldn't retreat. Besides, drinking to his fill wasn't bad.
"Ready, go!"
At Lumine's signal, the two began.
Gulp gulp—
Koji downed bottle after bottle without pause. His face didn't flush in the slightest.
[Blessing of Drinking: You are the God of Wine. A thousand cups cannot topple you.]
Once it activated, alcohol had no effect on him.
How could Venti win this?
"What a capacity."
"Incredible."
…
Cheers erupted. Even drunkards couldn't drink like this. Unreal.
Venti gritted his teeth and gulped as well. How could he accept soone outdrinking him?
Empty bottles piled higher and higher. More people gathered, breath held, watching the spectacle.
This wasn't human capacity.
Diluc raised his brows. He didn't care about the wine, but he hadn't expected Koji to outdrink the Anemo Archon himself.
"Still holding on, Venti?"
Koji spoke calmly, face unchanged. The alcohol didn't touch him, though the sheer volu made his stomach feel heavy.
Venti's face flushed bright red. He couldn't disperse alcohol with divine power. That would defeat the purpose.
"Of course. Maybe you'll give up first?" he said stubbornly, downing another bottle.
"To match in drinking, Koji, you're the first. I acknowledge you."
But inwardly he was baffled. Koji wasn't a god, yet drank like one. He hadn't felt him using any energy to burn away the alcohol either.
He couldn't understand it.
"Venti, if you can't hold out, just admit it. Drinking this much isn't shaful," Koji teased.
"Yeah, you two are monsters."
"In the world of drinking, I call you the strongest."
"No contest. That's the reincarnation of the Wine God."
…
Onlookers were awestruck. Anyone else would've been unconscious long ago.
Even if Venti surrendered, none would mock him. They themselves couldn't beat him.
"Unless I fall, I won't admit defeat."
Venti spoke tough and kept drinking. He refused to believe Koji would stay unflushed forever.
Lumine pitied him. Koji wouldn't have suggested it without a hundred percent certainty.
From afternoon to evening, bottles piled into a small mountain. Many spectators left. The two just wouldn't stop.
Thud!
At last, Venti collapsed on the table. Without using divine power, he'd reached his limit.
"Winner, Koji," Lumine announced with a smile.
Clap clap—
Applause rang out. Amazing. Most people wouldn't drink that much in a year.
Koji leaned to Venti's ear and whispered, "You lost. I'll tell you—I have a blessing called the Blessing of Drinking. Alcohol can't make drunk."
"Despicable…"
With his last trace of strength, Venti lifted his hand and gave the universal friendly gesture (middle finger).
How could such a blessing exist? Cheating. Supposed to be fair, yet he was up against a cheat character.
"Thanks for sponsoring, Boss Diluc," Koji waved.
"It's only wine. Watching such a contest was worth it," Diluc said generously.
His Archon truly was unlucky. Clearly tricked.
But he didn't think Venti would mind much. To him, drinking to his heart's content was hardly a loss.
"Koji, well done." Lumine clapped his shoulder.
What Archon? Her buddy was stronger, even in drinking.
"Venti has strength. If he used divine power to neutralize the alcohol, the two of us could drink the tavern dry and still never decide a winner," Koji shrugged.
A battle both wild and satisfying.
Venti had lost only because of lack of information. Otherwise, he never would've agreed.
Now he had no chance to reclaim his wine.
"Lumine, I need the restroom."
Unable to hold it, Koji blinked into the washroom to let loose.
"Venti, you're awake?"
After Koji left, Venti stirred. His cheeks no longer flushed.
"I can't just sleep here. What, lie on the floor?"
He had used divine power to purge the alcohol. From now on, never again would he challenge Koji in drinking. That "Blessing of Drinking" was absurd.
He could drink with old Diluc, sure. But not with a cheater.
(End of Chapter)
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