Villain Retirement

"And he's back, everyone. And pray tell, what did our cute little Riri discover?"

It did not ingreally take long for Riley to get back to the top floors of the tower. Unlike his previous run, he did not really take his time at all and just decided to blitz through the floors as fast as he could. That was no problem at all at the lower levels, but Riley actually had to put in some effort again on the upper floors — but of course, his strength may be lacking compared to the other combatants of the upper floors, but his durability was still another thing entirely.

He was more like a tank than anything.

"I discovered nothing, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley let out a small and subtle sigh as he returned to his table like he did not just climb the tower again, "But I do believe we are getting closer and closer to proving that time travel might truly exist."

"You know what I find weird?" Miss Pepondosovich let out a gasping breath as she rested her head on Marleen's arm; the smell of alcohol that was coming out of her mouth, exaggeratingly strong,

"We have the multiverse, we have the Primordials, we have Riri, we have the Domain of the Gods…

…and yet you're trying to figure out if Time Travel is possible? Of course, it is! Even if a Primordial tells you that it's not, it is. Everything is possible! I think the only thing we've learned in all our journey…

…is that everything is possible!"

"I am somewhat inclined to believe that when it is coming from you, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley nodded.

"You should, because I said it!" Miss Pepondosovich puffed out her tiny chest as she leaned away from Marleen's arm… and then once again chugging another bottle of alcohol, "And I think I might be drunk."

"All of us are. The Princess has been talking to herself since a while ago, and the baldie's out there somewhere talking to someone… or maybe he's one of the people currently fighting, I've lost track. All of us are drunk…" Marleen's eyes were almost dozing off as they very slowly turned to look at Riley, "...Except him — he hasn't drunk even a drop of alcohol in his life."

"What…!?" Miss Pepondosovich pointed at Riley, who was listening in on Esme whispering to herself, "That won't do, you need to drink alcohol right this instant!"

"I am already satisfied with my milk soda, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley quickly stood up from his seat as he made his way to the buffet table, only to return quickly; refilling all their snacks on the table. As soon as he sat back down, however, he found a bottle of beer in front of him.

"Drink."

"..." Riley could really only look ahead as Miss Pepondosovich stood behind the bottle of beer; her arms crossed and her eyes glaring at Riley, "I do not like the taste of alcohol, Miss Pepondosovich."

"I told you, it's not about the taste!"

"Everything should be about the taste, Miss Pepondsovich," Riley shook his head, "If fate wanted me to drink alcohol, they would have made it taste like milk soda."

"Oho… Ohohoho," Miss Pepondosovich then suddenly started letting out a hearty chuckle as she lightly kicked the bottle of alcohol in front of her away, making Marleen catch it and immediately drink it without even any hesitation, "My boy, you should have just said so…

…we have a drink just like that here. Yanchuen, give me the Nectar!"

Miss Pepondosovich raised her hand in the air, and as soon as she did so, a bottle flew from nowhere and landed right in her hand. Miss Pepondosovich then started spinning the bottle on top of her palm, lightly hitting it on its butt before just flicking away the cork and placing it right in front of Riley.

"Behold, Riri…" Miss Pepondosovich let out a cheeky chuckle as she pointed at the bottle, "An alcohol with similar taste to—"

"I don't think it's a good idea to let the boy drink." But before Miss Pepondosovich could fully introduce the drink to Riley, Marleen suddenly stood up from her seat and covered the Nectar with her palm,

"You have been with him for quite some time now, I am sure you are aware of how… eccentric he is."

"Who cares about all of that!?" Miss Pepondosovich kicked the Nectar and let it spin in the air before catching it; not even a single drop spilled, "Drinking is something that should be experienced by all creatures, living or not, biological or not — even machines need alcohol."

"I am pretty sure they don't," Marleen could really only sigh and shake her head as she returned to her seat, "Well, don't say I didn't warn you. But I do have to tell you, Riley — being drunk isn't fun, but at the same time, it sorta kinda is? I just don't know what sort of effect it'll have on you."

"Hm…" Riley really only squinted his eyes as he stared at the bottle Miss Pepondosovich was holding.

"You don't need to drink the entire bottle, Riri," Miss Pepondosovich wiggled the bottle, "Just take small sips, if you drink it all in one gulp, that's when it hits you and you get khk! And you don't want to get khk your first time drinking alcohol."

"It's not entirely true that I have not had alcohol before," Riley let out a small hum as he curiously grabbed the bottle from Miss Pepondosovich's hand, "I have used it as an ingredient several times before whenever I cook."

"That's… that's cooking wine," Marleen closed her eyes, almost wanting to escape the impending doom, "You just climbed back up, Riley. But then again, I'm sure you'll enjoy the way up even more when you're… trashed."

"Hm…" Riley smelled the bottle first, and without even looking at Miss Pepondosovich or Marleen for approval, he took a sip of the so-called Nectar, "...Oh."

Riley blinked a couple of times as he rolled his lips to taste the alcohol, "It's still bitter, Miss Pepondosovich — but the mild sweetness and sting are overpowering it."

"See!? Alcohol is the bomb!" Miss Pepondosovich quickly hopped off of the table and grabbed her bottle to raise it in the air.

"I still prefer the feeling of soda hitting my tongue, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley shook his head as he took another sip of the Nectar, "But I do prefer the feeling of this sliding through my throat — it also has this sting stimulating my chest."

"Well, that's the first I heard of that…" Miss Pepondosovich still had her bottle in the air, "...But I'll cheers to that. Cheers!"

"Hm," Riley just nodded as he also raised his bottle. Esme, who was previously whispering to herself, also joined them. And soon, the group just chatted their way while waiting for their matches.

"Riri… what are you doing?"

"I am mixing the Nectar with the milk soda, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley shrugged as he started combining the milk soda and the Nectar in a large mug.

"...You're already mixing drinks!?" Miss Pepondosovich could not help but widen her eyes as she looked at Riley.

"Perhaps I can combine all the things I like about them in one drink, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley nodded, "But I am still waiting to feel intoxicated. How exactly would I know that?"

"Your head starts to become… heavy?"

"Hm…" Riley started shaking his head several times, "...It is still the same as before, Miss Pepondosovich."

"...But that's already your 3rd bottle," Miss Pepondosovich's eyebrows began to lower as she looked back and forth between Riley and the empty bottles next to him, "Wait, don't tell me you're the one that's actually completely immune to being drunk!?"

"I suppose so, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley shrugged as he started gulping down the drink he just mixed.

"But that's boring! Ack!" Miss Pepondosovich once again leaned her head on Marleen, who already had her face buried on the table, "I was expecting something fun! And when are any of us going to fight!?"

"I am also slightly disappointed that I do not get to experience the fun and khk you and Marleen keep speaking of, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley just let out a small breath; not even bothering to wipe the foam around his mouth.

"P…Pft!" Miss Pepondosovich could not help but snort as she saw Riley's face, "You… you look like an old man, Riri! Marleen, Miss Esme… look, look!"

"Hm…?" Both Esme and Marleen turned to look at Riley… only to see him suddenly disappear.

"Ah, finally!" Miss Pepondosovich lightly let out a burp as she looked at the table to watch Riley's match, "Something to watch while having snacks and booze."

"This will be very entertaining," Marleen wiped and brushed her eyes as she focused on the table, "Riley's actually drunk."

"...Huh? What are you talking about?" Miss Pepondosovich raised her eyebrows, "He's totally fine."

"No… No, he's not," Marleen wanted to puke, "I was in his mind just earlier, that's why I'm totally wasted. The guy's drunk…

..and you don't wanna know what's inside his mind."