I'm curious.
Megadia the Black Devourer.
That other Class II delver they keep talking about.
I'd like to see what kind of person she is. The name suggests she might be a woman.
"I'd like to see what sort of person she is, but with this crowd…"
Pakira-san seemed to think the same.
Only, the place was absolutely packed—a solid wall of people.
There was no way we could break through that physically.
Nor did I have any intention of trying.
"…Indeed."
I used the Relic **Danger Discernment**.
Red and blue points became visible inside the shop. Even within the shop, red dots existed.
The bright-red ones marked where it was most packed.
Right between two muscle-bound men. A few black ones too, which made me grimace.
"Wof?"
"Ah, sorry. I was just thinking what an incredible wall of people."
"So it is."
Then I scanned around and spotted it. A white point.
There was a gap in the wall of people—the counter.
The drinking contest was taking place close to the counter.
They also needed a route for bringing drinks.
So nobody was standing near the counter.
And the inside of the counter was empty.
"Pakira-san. We can go."
"Go where?"
"First, let's finish eating."
"R-right."
So we enjoyed our meal to the fullest.
After eating, we gave it a little time, then moved.
"Follow me."
"Hmm?"
I stood up from my seat and made my way to the counter.
Just then, the shopkeeper Burns-san came out from the kitchen.
"Burns-san."
"Well well. Wof, and Pakira the young lady too."
"Mm. Thank you for everything, as always."
"Unusual pairing."
"Actually, I have a small favor to ask."
"Oh? What's that?"
"Um, would it be possible for us to step behind the counter?"
"The counter?"
"What'd you say? Behind the counter?"
"Yes, that far end over there."
"The far… ah."
"Got it. You want to see her, right? Go ahead."
"Thank you very much."
"Don't mention it. You've helped me out plenty of times."
Burns-san laughed heartily.
"What's he talking about?" Pakira-san tilted her head.
"It's nothing that grand."
"Hmm?"
"I just chat with him now and then about cooking—things like that."
Recipes from my past life, preserved in the memories of that life.
I didn't know them in great detail. Still, some came in handy.
"Wof, you can cook that well?"
"Not really. Just a hobby—home-cooking level. Shall we go?"
"R-right."
We stepped behind the counter.
And approached the still-packed wall of people.
The counter, which served as the route for carrying drinks, had no one standing there.
From that vantage point, I could see Agaro-san at a chairless table, mug in hand.
His face was beet-red and he was swaying—wasn't he pretty far gone already?
Across from him—hm? HM!?
"…Goth loli…"
"Oh my. So that's the Black Devourer."
Seated across from him was a woman—no, a girl—in gothic lolita attire.
Her long black hair was, remarkably, cut in a hime style. Wide-set purple eyes.
She wore a red-black gothic lolita outfit with elegance.
Strictly speaking, gothic lolita clothing didn't exist in this world.
However, I knew there were similar outfits.
They called them "Elegant Chic."
Weren't they pretty much the same thing as gothic lolita?
So in my mind, I called her goth loli.
But… she was taller than Agaro-san.
Agaro-san was probably around 175 centimeters.
Meaning Megadia the Black Devourer stood nearly 190.
Tall.
And in gothic lolita, to boot, she had an oddly imposing presence.
"Come on, come on, come on, come ON! Just give it up already, you—!"
"That's MY line."
"Ngh!… Here I go, damn it!"
Agaro-san downed his drink.
He drank on pure fighting spirit.
"Another round!"
"Oooohhh yeeaaah!"
"Ooooooohhh!"
"That's mug number sixty-six?!"
"Sixty-six?!"
Wait, they'd been drinking that much?
"What an idiot."
"Yeah."
I agreed with Pakira-san, who was exasperated.
And Agaro-san—anyone could clearly see he was at his limit.
In stark contrast, Megadia-san across from him.
Her face wasn't even red. She didn't look remotely drunk.
Yet if this was a drinking contest, she'd put away sixty-six mugs just the same.
*Gulp gulp gulp gulp* — Megadia-san drank from her extra-large mug.
"Phah. Another round."
The instant she emptied it, the surroundings exploded.
"Ooooooohhhh yeahhh!"
"Ooooooohhhh!"
"Sixty-nine!"
"Sixty-niiiiine!"
"Is this—is THIS the Black Devourer?!"
"S-she's insane!"
Sixty-nine!?
"Quite surprising."
"…Agaro-san. You're losing, aren't you?"
"Mm. That Agaro… losing."
"He's beaten not only strong drinkers but dwarven champions as well."
"They said nobody at Hydrangea could take him. Ridiculous, but still."
That was why he'd been banned from most taverns.
"And yet that Agaro-san…"
"He doesn't stand a chance."
Agaro-san went down at mug sixty-seven.
The winner was Megadia-san, who drank down her eightieth mug.