The Anomaly's Path

Chapter 236: Sober in a Sea of Drunkards

The rich smell of roasted meat, sizzling fat, and sweet berries hit me as we stepped deeper into the Silver Crest Pavilion. The inside was a big, multi-level hall made of dark wood that glowed in the warm amber light of floating fire runes.

Roan, being the shameless prince he was, quickly bribed a waiter to get us a large, private booth near the back, away from the main floor.

"Order everything!" Roan cheered. "The roasted meat, the grilled ribs, whatever they have. It’s on me tonight!"

"If you are paying, I am ordering the most expensive thing on the menu twice," Alice said, sliding onto the bench next to him.

Within minutes, the table was covered with big wooden plates of sizzling meat, thick bread with honey-butter, and small bowls of spiced vegetables. After walking for an hour, the food was a lifesaver.

Even Riven, despite his constant scowl, piled his plate with roasted meat and bread.

As the first wave of eating slowed down, everyone began to relax.

"So, Ariana," Roan started, leaning on the table and pointing a half-eaten rib at her. "How did you actually get dragged into this? I thought you were supposed to be locked away in some lab tower."

Ariana wiped her fingers with a cloth and glanced at the indigo-haired girl beside her. "I was happy just working on my research tonight. But Iris decided that I needed a social life."

"She looked like she had not slept or eaten in three days," Iris said, her bright ponytail swaying as she laughed. "I could not just let my best friend rot under a pile of old books while the strongest students from the Aegis Academy visit our academy!"

Ariana sighed, looking fond but tired. "Yes, well... Iris has a habit of dragging me out of my research whenever she thinks I am being too quiet. And since she knew Leo’s group was going out tonight, she practically broke down my door."

"And instead, she threw you right into a den of wild animals," I said, taking a slow sip of berry juice.

Ariana rested her chin in her palm, her sharp green eyes locked on me with a knowing smile. "You know, Leo, I was actually surprised when Iris told me you were coming. I expected that you would be changed, but I did not think you would grow into such a dramatic, quiet type. You look like you are posing for a sad painting."

"And you have not changed your habit of talking too much," I replied, leaning back. "I thought after years of rune studies, you would have learned the value of silence."

"Never," she said playfully, tracing the edge of her cup. "A busy mind needs an outlet. But looking at you now, it is hard to connect the guy in front of me with the boy who used to stomp around the imperial grounds throwing tantrums."

The mention of the past did not sting like it used to. It was just history now.

"People change when they grow up," I said.

Ariana’s gaze softened, turning thoughtful.

"I suppose they do. We have three of the Four Great Houses sitting at this table right now. House Celestial, House Ashford, and my own House Runeweaver. It feels a bit strange, considering the last time we were all in the same room, we were barely tall enough to reach the buffet tables."

She leaned in, her voice dropping. "Speaking of old circles... Leo, how is Princess Cordelia doing? I heard she is at the academy too, but I have not seen her yet. And... what about Arthur and Amelia? Are they alright?"

The question was innocent, but it hit a few raw nerves.

"They are fine," I answered smoothly, my face blank.

"Arthur is busy being the Apostle, and Amelia is learning to control her own power. They are exactly where they should be. While the princess is good as well. In fact, they are on a trip to the Holy Kingdom right now."

Ariana watched me for a long moment, her sharp mind picking up on the wall I had built. To break the sudden drop in mood, she coughed lightly.

"Right. Well... it is not like I saw you much back then anyway. Even during those big estate parties, you rarely showed up. And on the few times you did, you spent the whole night hiding in the shadows or slipping away to avoid the elders."

She turned her green eyes to the rest of the table.

"But back then, we were just kids running around under our families’ big names. We did not have to carry the weight of our bloodlines yet. Now, looking around this table... it feels like everyone here is carrying the pressure of being the pillars of their houses."

Her eyes then moved to the quiet figure across from her.

"Which reminds me... Riven. I remember you from those banquets too. You were always surrounded by lower nobles trying to get close to your family, but you just stood there with this cold, dead look. You were so small back then, yet you looked like you wanted to stab anyone who came near you."

Ariana chuckled softly. "Honestly, now that I think about it, you used to have the exact same look that Leo has right now. It is actually a bit funny."

Riven clicked his tongue, shooting her a sharp glare. "Tsk. Nobles who cannot fight have nothing to say to me. They were a waste of my time then, and they are a waste of my time now."

"I know, right?" Roan chimed in with a loud laugh, turning to Ariana. "He always walks around with that same angry look, acting like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. Trust me, trying to get a warm conversation out of Riven is like trying to squeeze water from a rock."

Ariana blinked in surprise, shifting her gaze back to the elven prince. "Oh? You two already know each other well enough to make that comparison?"

"Oh, we go way back," Roan said, waving a hand. "Our families have known each other for years. I’ve known this grumpy bastard since we were kids."

I let out a slow breath, a dark, amused smile spreading across my face. "Speaking of childhood stories, Roan... you have been too quiet about your own past tonight."

Roan’s smile faltered as my gaze shifted to his sister. Lyssaria met my look with a knowing smile.

"Well... there was that one time during the Spring Festival," Lyssaria began smoothly, ignoring Roan’s frantic head shaking, "when Roan decided he could talk to the wild forest boars. He took off his clothes, painted his face with mud, and spent three days living in a mud pit until father had to drag him out by his ears."

Riven let out a sharp laugh. "A boar prince. Fits him perfectly."

"Hey! I was just trying to see if I could survive off the land like an warrior!" Roan yelled, his face turning red. "It was a test of survival skills! And it almost worked, until one of them charged me and sent me flying into a thorn bush!"

The table erupted into laughter. Even I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips.

_

For the next hour, the table fell into chaos. Stories were traded, insults were thrown, and the wall that usually separated us vanished under good food and loud arguments.

Once the plates were cleared, leaving only empty bones and crumbs, Roan flashed a wicked grin. He slammed his hand on the table and called the waiter. "Alright! The food is done, but the night is young. Bring us your strongest drinks!"

"Roan, what are you doing?" Lyssaria asked gently, her eyebrows knitting together.

"Oh, come on, Lyss! We are in the city to enjoy! Surely you are not planning to let Leo walk back to the dorms sober after the stories we just heard? It is team bonding! Let us drink!"

"I will pass," Lyssaria said with a patient sigh, shaking her head.

"Me too," Malva said from her corner. Her voice was flat, but her dark eyes were clear.

"Two out," Alice shouted, her eyes gleaming as she slammed a heavy mug in front of Riven. "What about you, Ashford? Are you going to run away like a baby, or can you actually hold your drink?"

Riven’s eyes narrowed, his pride flaring. "I can drink you under the table any day, Scarlet. Pour it."

"That is the spirit!" Caster cheered, his nervousness gone. He rubbed his hands together. "Back home, we start drinking strong stuff before we can walk. Count me in!"

Iris and Ariana shared a hesitant look, but with Iris’s energy and Alice’s loud chanting, they could not back down. Iris grinned, grabbing a cup, while Ariana reluctantly took a smaller glass of sweet wine.

The drinking started fast and messy. Heavy mugs were passed around, and the drinks burned going down.

Roan handled it easily, his elf body giving him an edge, while Alice drank like a soldier, slamming her empty mugs on the table with loud shouts. Caster was having fun, singing an old dwarven song that got louder with each drink. Iris and Ariana slowly slumped against each other, their faces red as they giggled at nothing.

I watched them from my seat, occasionally raising my own glass to keep up appearances. But as the hours passed, I noticed something strange.

I wasn’t getting drunk.

I had downed three full mugs of the strongest drink they had. something meant to knock out most people in minutes, but my head stayed clear. My mana core felt warm, a steady pulse of heat moving through my veins.

Is it because of my bloodline? I wondered, looking at my palm. Or have I adapted to poisons and alcohol without realizing it?

Whatever it was, the alcohol was burning away before it could touch my brain.

"Damn it..." I sighed, realizing I was the only sober one left to watch over this circus.

_

By the time the clock tower chimed midnight, the table was a mess of half-asleep nobles.

Roan was still awake, but his eyes were unfocused, his head nodding as he mumbled nonsense. Riven sat straight, his jaw clenched so hard it looked like it might break, fighting to stay awake through sheer will.

Alice was completely out, her red hair spread across the table as she snored loudly. Caster had slumped into the corner, still holding an empty mug, while Iris and Ariana were fast asleep, leaning against each other.

Lyssaria was the only other one awake, sitting with her hands in her lap, looking at the chaos with a mix of amusement and tiredness.

I stood up, stretching my muscles. "Alright, let us go. It is late."

"Nooo... just one more..." Roan mumbled, waving a weak hand. "The boar... needs... riding..."

"Shut up, Roan," I said, stepping out of the booth. I turned to Lyssaria, but as my eyes swept the area, I froze. The corner of the booth was empty.

Malva wasn’t there.

My eyebrows pulled together in a frown. "Lyssaria," I called out, my voice sharp. "Where did Malva go?"

Lyssaria blinked, looking at the empty corner in surprise. "Oh... she stood up about twenty minutes ago. She whispered to me that she was going outside to get some fresh air. She looked overwhelmed by the noise."

"Right." I let out a slow breath, my mind spinning with irritation.

I should have noticed sooner.

Malva was not used to sitting with high nobles or being around a loud crowd. She was a commoner, and her world was very different from the people at this table.

Even Alice, who was not from a noble background, fit in differently — she just did not care about status and acted the same with everyone. Caster, on the other hand, was awkward but still a prince, so he knew how to carry himself around nobles.

But Malva was different.

She had been dragged out here by Roan and Alice, mostly because she was part of my team. Even if they meant well, it was clearly too much for her.

Fuck. How stupid am I?

I turned back to the group, pointing at Roan. "Roan, get your lazy ass up. Carry Alice. Riven, you are responsible for Caster. Lyssaria, take Iris and Ariana back to the dorms."

"And you?" Lyssaria asked, her jade eyes showing concern.

"I will go after Malva," I said, already turning toward the door. "We will meet you back at the academy."

I pushed through the heavy entrance, stepping out into the cool night air of Magic Tower City. The streets were much quieter now, but the thousands of magical lamps still burned bright, casting long shadows down the empty streets.

A few people were still out, this was the City of Magic, after all, and the locals were used to staying awake late into the night.

My eyes scanned the street. Where the hell did you wander off to, Malva?