Ch. 73 Melina's peripheral vision scanned the surroundings

Melina’s peripheral vision scanned the surroundings; she didn’t understand why she was afraid of others’ gazes at a time like this.

But it was fine.

It seemed that because of the wine, Kalé and Patches were bickering again.

And Wilden’s upper body was completely hidden by the Whole Roasted Sheep in front of him.

Melina closed her eyes and obediently opened her mouth.

This was the emotion called “shyness.”

As another piece of meat was placed in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

Melina opened her eyes and finally found some courage to move Mia’s hand away from her face.

“I can eat by myself.”

Then, as if by a coincidence destined by heaven, Kalé’s voice suddenly cut in: “Mia, do you want some wine?”

Only then did Mia realize she had been acting embarrassingly in front of others, and her face turned slightly red.

“Okay!”

Not even daring to look at Melina again, Mia responded.

Inadvertently, Mia shifted a bit in the opposite direction of Melina.

Now the latter was holding Mia’s original bowl, elegantly eating the roasted meat in a well-behaved and cute manner.

Kalé poured a cup of wine for Mia.

How could a bonfire party be without wine?

The wine was pale yellow; with a small sip, what she felt for a moment wasn’t the sharp sting of alcohol, but a rich fruit aroma.

Thus, the girl naturally developed a sense of contempt for such a drink.

Just right, having eaten some roasted meat, her mouth was a bit dry.

Mia drained the cup of wine in one gulp.

Good wine.

*Burp—*

Beside her, Patches suddenly let out a very poorly timed belch.

The meal of vengeance has ended!

“Why do you eat so fast?!” Mia stared at him with wide eyes.

It seemed like less than ten minutes had passed?

“Hehe.” Patches wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Old habit. Back when I was a bandit, if you didn’t grab fast, the loot would be divided up in an instant. As someone who could become a boss, how could I not have a secret skill?”

In contrast to Patches was Wilden, who ate unhurriedly: “Does that have anything to do with eating fast?”

Wilden was chewing slowly now, savoring every bite; compared to a Soldier, he seemed more like an elder.

“It does, it does.”

Patches rubbed his belly, wiping the grease from his hands on his clothes in the process, and burped again.

He leaned lazily against the wall behind him and looked at Melina.

“Speaking of which, miss whom we rarely see, what exactly is your relationship with our boss?”

“Who’s your boss…”

If she could, Mia would have liked to roll her eyes.

She asked Kalé to pour her another cup of wine.

By now, a flush had appeared on the girl’s face, but she herself seemed completely unaware.

“Hehe, you get the idea.” Patches chuckled. “Are you a Finger Maiden?”

Melina put down her bowl.

She looked at Patches seriously and said, “I am Lady Mia’s Finger Maiden, and I will assist her in becoming the Elden Lord.”

“Hmm… mmm…” Patches smacked his lips. “That’s something I wouldn’t even dare to think about. Elden Lord and all that… Hey, Mia, what do you plan to turn The Lands Between into?”

“Use proper honorifics for me!” Kalé said, very displeased.

It was fine for him and Wilden to call Mia by her name.

But this bald bandit, who was practically useless and a waste of air, also called Mia that way.

It was truly annoying.

“Hehe.”

“As for that…” With a thud, Mia placed her cup on the ground. “Kalé, another cup first!”

Kalé squinted at her, unsure if it was an illusion.

This girl seemed to be swaying already.

“You should pay attention, don’t drink too much.”

Kalé took the cup and poured her half a cup.

“Not at all! *Gulp*—” Mia let out a soft belch. “It’s just… fruit juice!”

She was clearly drunk!

Mia waved her hand grandly. “As for the Elden Lord, naturally it’s…”

“Naturally it’s…”

The somewhat dazed girl could no longer speak any inspiring grand principles.

She drained the wine in her hand.

Then, shouting, she made a plain declaration that sounded very chuunibyou and anime-style.

“A King, of course, must make the people happy and able to smile!”

“Hmm…” Then, as if having a split personality, her expression suddenly became serious.

She was clearly quite drunk.

“Without the recognition of the people, even if one guards a territory spanning tens of millions of kilometers, they are but a fake King.”

The girl stood up again, her cheeks flushed as she looked toward the Erdtree.

She shouted.

“One who only has power is not a true King! One who makes countless people suffer just for their own desires is also not a true King!”

“*Gulp*— *Burp*.”

Such a passionate declaration ended with a wine-induced belch.

“Another cup!”

“No more!”

Kalé refused Mia’s request with a wry smile.

If she drank any more, she would probably pass out.

Her alcohol tolerance was truly unimpressive.

“Oh my, oh my.” Patches waved his hand in front of his nose as if fanning away some odor. “Anyone can talk big. Even those Shardbearers couldn’t do it…”

“Please recognize your place, Slug.”

Then, Patches looked at Melina, who had spoken, with extreme disbelief.

“Slug?!” he shouted, his voice cracking.

“That smooth head of yours really reminds one of a reflective slug.”

Melina spoke those highly aggressive words with a deadpan expression.

“A slug… wouldn’t be… that hard…”

In her daze, Mia’s words were slurred: “No matter how you look at it, he’s a snail…”

“…Mr. Patches, I can tolerate your lack of courage to fight, but I will not allow you to mock those who do have the courage to fight.”

Melina looked at Patches and spoke with extreme gravity.

“Ah…” He seemed to realize his previous remark was somewhat inappropriate.

Patches’ gaze flickered away as he rubbed his head.

The memory of Melina suddenly appearing behind him and cornering him over a month ago was still fresh in his mind.

“Mei Mei, you’re the best, hug!”

The dead-drunk Mia suddenly threw her arms around Melina’s shoulders.

!

Like a cat with its fur standing on end, Melina’s entire body tensed up.

“Mi… Mia…”

Mia’s warm breath, carrying the fragrance of fruit wine, brushed gently across Melina’s shoulder blade.

An electric, tingling sensation spread through Melina’s entire body.

“Mei Mei~”

The young-looking girl was already unconscious from drink, acting spoiled in Melina’s arms.

“Lady Mia… please, conduct yourself with… dignity…”

Melina’s voice became faint and trembling.

What should she do… at a time like this?

Let alone being hugged, Melina had never even hugged someone else before.

Melina pursed her lips, trying her best to draw in sharp, hissing breaths.

Her hands trembled slightly, clumsily trying to find a place to rest.

“Ah, my fault…” Kalé scratched his head in distress. “I suppose we should just let her rest?”

“Yes.”

Melina, completely at a loss, had no choice but to follow Kalé’s lead.

She had no other option.

Melina picked up the girl in her arms.