The first morning of the Clear Bright Festival had dawned.
The mbers of the committee, including Namgung Il, were preparing to welco guests from early on.
"...Namgung Il."
"What is it?"
"The day of the decisive battle has finally co."
Ak Simin said, turning his head.
Anyone would think he was going off to war.
Namgung Il thought to himself as he looked at Ak Simin's tense expression.
"Will it really be okay?"
"..."
"I still think it would have been better to change the business... What should I do?"
"Why worry about sothing you can't change? It's impossible to change it now anyway."
As Namgung Il said that, Ak Simin scratched his head with his hand as if he had a headache.
Ak Simin also knew well that he couldn't change the business now.
He just couldn't calm his anxious heart, so he had tried to vent to Namgung Il.
"This is crazy. The opponent has even built a pavilion with a great view, how can we possibly win against that?"
"..."
"If we can't sell all of this alcohol... my wallet will be in real trouble."
Everything prepared here had been made with Ak Simin's money.
The cost of the alcohol alone was three hundred gold nyang. He had spent more money on preparing various side dishes and equipnt.
Of course, if he brought the Flying Dragon Coins earned during the festival, the academy would exchange them for money, but the problem was that he had to raise sales of more than three hundred gold nyang.
If he didn't reach the target, the rest would all beco bad stock, and that would be a burden on Ak Simin.
"Just in case... the unsold alcohol will be bought back by Yongmun Tavern, right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"...?"
"Once it's sold, it's over. This isn't a ga, refunds are absolutely not allowed."
As Namgung Il said that, Ak Simin's jaw dropped with a blank expression.
The remaining alcohol could absolutely not be refunded...
Ak Simin had heard those words for the first ti at this very mont.
'...I'm screwed.'
The funds prepared for the festival were what Ak Simin had brought from his family.
He had sohow gotten the money by promising to borrow it for a short while and return it imdiately... He was afraid to even think about what his family would say if he brought back alcohol instead of money.
"N-Namgung Il! You're joking, right?"
"Yes, I'm joking."
"If that's not there... what?"
"You seed too tense, so I played a little joke. Don't worry. If there's any alcohol left, I'll refund it all."
As Namgung Il said that, Ak Simin felt all the strength drain from his body.
"Joking in a situation like this... you're quite relaxed."
"..."
"Are you really planning to win against the Azure Dragon Class?"
"Of course. I plan to sell all the alcohol there, so I said there are no refunds in the first place."
A considerable amount of confidence was felt in Namgung Il's voice.
Of course, Ak Simin had also prepared for the festival with the intention of winning against the Azure Dragon Class, but after hearing what the Azure Dragon Class was preparing, to be honest, his will had been sowhat broken.
'What on earth is this guy's confidence?'
When he had first planned the alcohol business according to Namgung Il's opinion, he had thought he might be able to win against the Azure Dragon Class.
But wasn't the opponent also going to sell alcohol, just like them?
If the business was the sa, the result would inevitably differ depending on which of the two had prepared better.
"..."
The pavilion that the Azure Dragon Class had built alone had already far exceeded three hundred gold nyang.
Two such pavilions. On top of that, it seed they had prepared a very diverse range of alcohol.
'In contrast, what we have prepared is...'
Of course, thanks to Namgung Il's help, he had been able to purchase high-grade cheongju cheaper than the market price.
But could they win against the Azure Dragon Class with just that?
After seeing the Azure Dragon Class's stall, ard with powerful capital, Ak Simin could only have such thoughts.
"We're going to stick with this."
"...!"
"Winning against the Azure Dragon Class with the sa business. That's a truly exhilarating victory."
If Namgung Il hadn't pushed so strongly, Ak Simin would have given up on the alcohol business long ago.
There was no need to stick to that path when he knew there was a huge rock in front of him.
If he just turned a little, he could reach his destination more easily.
"Senior, you're wrong about that."
"What?"
"If you have the strength to break the rock, you should break the rock and keep going."
"...?"
"That's the sure and fast way."
Ak Simin was mulling over the words Namgung Il had said to him.
The strength to break the rock.
Those words sounded as if Namgung Il had a counterasure to defeat the Azure Dragon Class.
"...I understand."
"..."
"I started this because I trusted you anyway. If so, a cool senior would be one who trusts his junior until the end."
"...Thank you, Senior Ak."
In the end, Ak Simin trusted Namgung Il and pushed forward with the plan as it was.
But the problem was that Namgung Il hadn't co up with anything plausible even until the day of.
What on earth did he believe in to speak so confidently? Ak Simin still had no idea what it was.
"Namgung Il, isn't it okay to tell now?"
"What?"
"The counterasure to win against the Azure Dragon Class."
"..."
Namgung Il did not answer that question.
He just maintained his silence with a calm face.
Looking at him, Ak Simin felt a sense of anxiety creeping up again.
"You don't have nothing, do you?"
"Of course not. Didn't we discuss various things, senior?"
Of course, Ak Simin had also prepared counterasures by consulting with everyone.
But to be honest, Ak Simin's frank opinion was that they couldn't win against the Azure Dragon Class with just that.
Unless Namgung Il's hidden trump card, which was not even clear if it existed, was present, it was a certain defeat for the Vermilion Bird Class.
"That's not enough, that's why!"
"..."
"It's the day of, so it's okay to tell now, right? No, in the first place, is there a need to hide it from , the class president?"
"Well, you'll find out naturally as ti passes."
What on earth was he hiding that he wouldn't tell him like this?
Just you wait if it turns out to be nothing special later. Ak Simin thought to himself and eventually gave up on finding out.
Murmur— Murmur—.
Just then, the voices of people were heard from sowhere.
A crowd of people was walking this way from afar.
Confirming that, Ak Simin could see that the Flying Dragon Academy had officially opened its main gate.
"Everyone, get ready!"
"...!"
"It's the first custor."
Vermilion Bird Tavern. Open for business.
***
"Cheap, it's cheap! One bottle of high-grade cheongju for only four Flying Dragon Coins!"
At the entrance of the Vermilion Bird Tavern, Jeong Hyeon-yeong was soliciting custors.
The cheap price of alcohol was the Vermilion Bird Tavern's greatest advantage.
As he solicited custors with that, even the people passing by stopped for a mont and showed interest in the tavern.
"Four Flying Dragon Coins? Does that an forty copper coins?"
"Does that even make sense? If you go to the city, a bottle of high-grade cheongju costs at least one silver nyang, no matter how cheap it is..."
"They're not selling alcohol mixed with water, are they?"
The people gathered around Jeong Hyeon-yeong were whispering among themselves after hearing the price of the alcohol.
The price of one Flying Dragon Coin was ten copper coins. But if it was four, didn't that an the price was forty copper coins?
Since people didn't know the exact cost of high-grade cheongju, they couldn't understand how the students could sell the alcohol at that price.
Thud— Thud—.
Just then, Namgung Il approached the people.
A glass in his left hand, and a bottle of alcohol in his right.
As he approached holding those things in both hands, the people's gazes naturally turned to Namgung Il.
"Custors, have you been living in deception all this ti?"
"...?"
"Mixing water with alcohol? Our tavern does business based on trust. Of course, we would never do such an immoral thing."
Namgung Il said in front of the people and poured alcohol into the glass he was holding.
A liquid of a beautiful color fell into the glass with a clear sound.
As if they hadn't yet grasped Namgung Il's intention, the people were staring blankly at him.
"Is there anyone here who has had a drink or two?"
"...?"
"I'll give this one glass to that person for free. Then you'll be able to know for sure whether we've mixed water with the alcohol or not."
Only then could the people understand Namgung Il's intention.
If you can't believe it, drink it yourself.
If soone could confirm that fact, the suspicions about the alcohol could be dispelled.
"Heh heh heh— I'll have a drink."
Just then, an old man walked forward from among the people.
A nose red from drinking and the sll of alcohol wafting around him.
Namgung Il could tell that the old man had already had a good drink even before drinking the alcohol in this glass.
'He seems drunk already. Can he even taste the alcohol properly like this?'
If a person who didn't know the taste of high-grade cheongju drank it, this tasting would be aningless.
It was the sa as just wasting alcohol on a drunkard.
Namgung Il was slightly conflicted about whether he should give the alcohol to the old man or not.
"Wait, isn't that Old Man Heo?"
"Old Man Heo? You an Old Man Heo, the Dayti Drunkard?"
Just then, a murmuring sound was heard from among the people.
From what he heard, it seed the old man in front of him was quite famous in Luoyang.
Dayti Drunkard. Just from the old man's nickna, he could imdiately tell what he was famous for.
"Have a drink."
Namgung Il imdiately changed his attitude and held out the glass to Old Man Heo.
A person who had so knowledge of alcohol.
As soon as Namgung Il realized that the person he wanted most was Old Man Heo right in front of him, any further hesitation disappeared.
"Thank you."
As soon as Old Man Heo received the glass, he imdiately emptied it into his mouth.
The people, who were watching him with bated breath.
A mont later, Old Man Heo smirked and opened his mouth.
"This is undoubtedly high-grade cheongju."
"...!"
"Actually, I already knew from the mont I slled it. If I'm wrong, I'll quit drinking from now on."
Old Man Heo quitting drinking.
Since that ant the sa as committing suicide, the people had no choice but to believe that it was real high-grade cheongju.
"What? Was it real?"
"Then I have to drink without hesitation! When will I ever get to drink high-grade cheongju at such a cheap price again?"
"Bring so alcohol here!"
As soon as Old Man Heo's certification was over, the people finally moved their steps into the tavern.
A chance to drink high-grade cheongju for forty copper coins.
Since it wasn't a common opportunity, there was no need for further hesitation for those who liked alcohol.
"Two bottles of cheongju and one beef jerky for table number one!"
"Two custors coming in!"
"This way, please!"
Starting with the first custor, the custors' footsteps continued.
As custors suddenly rushed in, the students were slightly flustered but calmly received the custors, and it began to feel like business had truly started inside the tavern.
Swoosh—.
Namgung Il looked around the tavern for a mont and then turned his head back to Old Man Heo.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, we were able to clear people's suspicions."
"Heh heh— What have I done? I just told the truth."
"I'll give you this as a token of my gratitude."
Namgung Il said and held out the bottle of alcohol he was holding.
At that mont, the bottle of alcohol disappeared from Namgung Il's grasp as if in the blink of an eye.
At so point, the bottle was in Old Man Heo's hand.
'What, did he learn martial arts or sothing?'
Namgung Il had that feeling from the movent when he had snatched the bottle.
Whether he did or not, Old Man Heo was already drinking the alcohol straight from the bottle.
Looking at that montum, it seed he would drink all the alcohol in the bottle in one breath.
'...As expected of the man called the Dayti Drunkard.'
It seed a rather interesting scene would have unfolded if Old Man Heo and his deceased master had sat face to face and drank.
Namgung Il suddenly had that thought as he looked at Old Man Heo drinking straight from the bottle.
"Kuh— delicious."
"..."
"Is there any more?"
"There is, but from now on, you have to pay."
"How heartless."
Old Man Heo said and moved his steps into the tavern.
"Bring about five bottles."
"You have money, right?"
"You're young, but you're already so greedy for money."
"Greedy for money? As soone doing business, I'm just checking a little."
"Here."
Old Man Heo took sothing out of his bosom and threw it to Namgung Il.
Jingle—.
With a heavy sound, a money pouch was placed on Namgung Il's hand.
When he peeked inside, he could see so many Flying Dragon Coins that he couldn't count them at a glance, and as soon as he confird that, he looked at Old Man Heo again.
"Welco to the Vermilion Bird Tavern, where we serve with a smile and kindness."
A custor with money is a king.
Namgung Il imdiately said with a business smile.
(End of Chapter)
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