A Former Police Officer Who Died And Get A Second Life!-Chapter 109: A Weakness for Wine

"If anything happens, tell me. If there’s something I can do, I’ll help."

When Duzy roughly ruffled his hair, it made Qiong Xing happy, it felt just like having a father.

"I-I also... there isn’t much I can do, but... if you need someone to talk to, I’ll always listen."

When Qiong Xing said thank you to Naz who was looking at him earnestly as if begging him to rely on him, he suddenly hugged him tightly.

Naz immediately panicked and Qiong Xing found that very cute.

...

After being shown around the workshop, the conversation turned to trying some drinks.

"I don’t really understand the quality of alcohol, you know?"

"Is that so?"

Naz looked surprised, it seemed unexpected.

No matter how he looked, Qiong Xing had not drunk since coming to this world and back when he was in his previous life he had been what people would call someone who could drink endlessly, so he had never been very particular.

He would not say that anything was fine as long as he could drink it, but whether cheap or expensive, if it tasted reasonably good, that was enough for him.

"Are you strong with alcohol, Naz?"

"He’s really strong."

It was Duzy who answered, he smiling as he spoke while Naz flustered beside him.

"His father was really strong too. He loved alcohol so much that he eventually started making it himself."

How impressive.

To start brewing alcohol because of a hobby... It seemed he had truly loved drinking.

Thinking that, it made sense that Naz could drink so much.

"Hey, don’t let him drink anymore."

"Got it."

"Yeah."

"U-um! I... I just like making alcohol! I’m not some drunkard or anything... um, so... uh, what was I saying again?"

It seemed that he himself had lost track of what he was trying to say.

Thinking how cute he was, Qiong Xing gently patted his head and Naz lowered his gaze shyly.

"Then, may I try a little of what you made, Naz?"

When Qiong Xing said he wanted to taste it, Naz happily began preparing and Duzy watched with a wry smile.

From that lively expression, it was clear that brewing alcohol was truly something Naz lived for.

"Here it is. Please."

The liquid in the cup that was quickly offered looked just like the sake Qiong Xing remembered from his previous life and a nostalgic smile naturally appeared on his face.

It was clear and colorless, almost like water at first glance, but when he brought it close, he could smell that sharp scent unique to alcohol.

After thanking him and taking the cup, he tried a sip.

"...It’s delicious."

This taste, which he thought he would never experience again lifted his spirits.

It had a gentle sweetness, yet went down the throat with a refreshing clarity, making it feel like he could drink cup after cup.

"I’m glad. My father worked very hard to come up with it, so I’m happy that Qiong Xing... that you could drink it."

Naz must have been proud of his father.

The timid manner he had shown earlier was gone and the way he spoke with a smile showed how truly happy he was.

"I’m happy too. I want to thank your father for leaving behind something so wonderful..."

"...Qiong Xing?"

When Qiong Xing suddenly stopped speaking, everyone looked at him with puzzled expressions and in the next moment, everything went dark before his eyes.

Seeing Qiong Xing suddenly collapse forward like a puppet whose strings had been cut, they quickly reached out and barely managed to catch him as he fell heavily.

"Qiong Xing!?"

"Hey! Are you alright!?"

Because he had been right behind him, Leander noticed in time, but his heart was still pounding painfully fast.

With trembling hands, Leander lifted Qiong Xing into his arms and looked closely at his face and closed eyes, only to hear his steady and soft breathing.

"...He’s sleeping."

"Huh?"

"What?"

When Leander showed Qiong Xing to Naz and the others who had rushed over, they let out loud sighs of relief and relaxed.

"..."

The three of them fell silent at the sheer absurdity of it.

"Hey, don’t let this guy drink anymore."

"Got it."

"Yeah."

When he suddenly collapsed and then fell into a deep sleep without any awareness, everyone thought the same thing.

How weak is he to alcohol!?

Seeing his peaceful sleeping face, they could not bring themselves to complain, but they felt relieved that he had not hit anything or gotten hurt.

"This won’t work. Just take him back and let him sleep."

Duzy said this with an exasperated tone and Leander nodded.

As he lifted Qiong Xing in a bridal carry and tried to leave the workshop, he was called out.

"U-um! Th-this... if you’d like... um... please try drinking it with the others."

What was handed to him was a bottle containing the same alcohol Qiong Xing had just been drinking.

Leander was surprised, he never expecting it to be given to him for free.

Duzy immediately urged him to take it.

"...Thank you."

"No, I can’t recommend it to Qiong Xing, but... um... if you’d like, please try it with the others."

Naz smiled as he said that.

Leander did not know how to respond and felt a little awkward, but he thanked him and left the workshop carrying Qiong Xing.

They walked straight through town and along the path toward their hideout.

"..."

Leander had never thought they would be accepted.

No matter how kind Qiong Xing was and no matter how clearly he showed that he cherished them, Leander had never expected others to do the same.

Leander had mostly stayed close to Qiong Xing without speaking much.

Since Naz and the others never brought up his presence, he had assumed they were ignoring him, but he did not mind, thinking it was just the usual.

As long as Qiong Xing was there, nothing else mattered.

It would be a lie to say he had not felt jealous when he watched Naz and the others talk happily with Qiong Xing.