Alice had no interest in alcohol—none whatsoever.
The reason was simple: Alice got drunk at the slightest taste of liquor.
Lili was a bit more resilient, but what she faced now was Soma's divine wine. Even so, the outcome wasn't likely to be much better.
Lili had tasted divine wine before, back when she was just a child. She had received it from Soma himself.
Back then, she had fallen completely under its spell. She knew all too well what kind of disgraceful state she would fall into after drinking it.
That feeling of losing yourself—of no longer being you—was why Lili dreaded and resisted Soma's wine with every fiber of her being.
She understood why Alice wanted her to drink it.
Because of Soma's judgment, Alice wanted Lili to prove him wrong by drinking the divine wine and resisting its lure.
Lili trusted Alice.
So, despite her deep-seated fear, she mustered her courage.
She pulled out the cork, lifted the jar with both hands, and drank deeply.
Though Soma's divine wine was a clear liquor, it usually went down smoothly—yet with Lili gulping it down so fiercely, some of it still wound up in her windpipe.
"Cough, cough—!!!"
In mere moments, about half the jar was gone.
After the coughing fit, under the influence of the divine wine, Lili felt her mind begin to relax, her thoughts turning light and detached.
It was as though she were floating in the air—blissful, utterly at peace.
To those watching, Lili's expression had already shifted. Her eyes grew hazy, a happy flush spread across her cheeks—she was falling under the wine's enchantment.
Seeing Lili like this only deepened Alice's dislike for alcoholic drinks.
"Alcohol really is no good, is it? To think it could make Lili like this…" Alice shook her head, watching Lili's expression with a mix of curiosity and disapproval.
"To think it could make our Lili look so… entertaining."
"Hey now, Alice-chan," Loki frowned as she observed Lili. "Soma's divine wine is like the strongest hallucinogen for a Level 1 kid. Even people with iron wills can be captured by it, get addicted. You really think Lili will be okay?"
Alice glanced at Hestia, who was watching Lili with clear concern.
Then she turned back to Loki. "If it were Ais or Lefiya—back when they were Level 1—and they drank Soma's divine wine, do you think they would have gotten addicted?"
"Of course not!" Loki answered without hesitation. "Forget Lefiya for a second—Ais would never get addicted to divine wine."
"And why are you so sure about them?"
"Because they're my children," Loki said seriously. "And even if they did get addicted, I'd guide them back. But both of them are special. Lili… she's just an ordinary Pallum."
"In that case, let's just keep watching," Alice replied with a light smile.
Soma stood to the side, observing Lili's intoxicated expression without surprise.
He had seen this drunken look countless times—and felt disappointment just as often.
"In the end, this child is no different from the others," Soma remarked calmly.
This time, the gentle expression vanished from Alice's face. She shot Soma a cold glance and said in an icy tone, "Just watch quietly. Lili is still your child, isn't she? As a god, it's your duty to guide and care for the members of your familia, not stand by and make detached comments."
"…" Startled by Alice's sudden coldness, Soma shook his head. "But what is there to guide in a child like this?"
"That's why I said—watch. Quietly."
Thud.
Just then, Lili collapsed onto the ground.
No one moved to help her. They all waited silently to see how she would respond. Lefiya started to step forward to help Lili up, but Loki held her back.
"Mmm…" Lili's voice was soft, dazed.
Slowly, unsteadily, she pushed herself up. Her face was still flushed, and as she lifted her gaze to the sky, tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
"Lady Alice…"
"Lili…?"
"Lili… is back."
Her voice was weak, but everyone present could hear the joy in it.
Hearing those words, Alice's lips curved into a smile.
"Can you stand?" she asked gently.
"Sorry… I feel… a little weak. I don't think I can stand up right away. I need… a moment."
Lili's eyes, once clouded and distant, were now clear.
One could feel it—even see it: beads of sweat had formed on Lili's forehead.
Not just her forehead—her upper clothes were soaked through with sweat.
For a Level 1 adventurer like Lili, resisting the allure of divine wine was incredibly difficult. And yet… she had succeeded.
With a wave of Alice's hand, Shanghai and Hourai suddenly appeared, flying over to Lili and helping her up.
"Lili!" Seeing the dolls assist her, Hestia also hurried to Lili's side, supporting her.
"Lili, huh… I'll remember her." Loki watched the scene, her eyes slightly open, a smirk playing on her lips. When she turned her gaze back to Alice, that smile deepened.
Alice, meanwhile, was looking at Soma with a soft smile.
"Well, Lord Soma, I know Loki is going to launch an attack on your familia soon, but as you can see, Lili has exhausted herself resisting the divine wine."
"So…"
Alice brought her hands together in front of her, smiling brightly at Soma.
"Would you mind releasing Lili from her blessing right now? I hope that's not a problem."
Her tone was light, but it carried a weight that brooked no argument.
Soma, who had been about to say something, simply nodded. "...I understand. I'll release her blessing now."
As he walked toward Lili, his eyes held a trace of bewilderment as he looked at her.
When he passed by Loki, she spoke softly.
"So, Soma… how does it feel? A treasure that should have been yours, snatched right out of your hands."
Loki's expression was just as bright as Alice's—a fox-like smile that made Riveria sigh in resignation.
"Still, you've had better luck than Apollo. That guy got sent back to heaven almost the moment he found his treasure."
"As for you… well, it's up to you now."
"But that treasure of yours? She's definitely gone. And you're the one who threw her away."
Loki spoke cheerfully, clearly enjoying herself.
Especially when she saw her words wipe the calm from Soma's face, leaving him pale and shaken. It made her even happier.
This move…
This move from Loki could only be called adding insult to injury.
--+--
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