Admission into the High Academy grants one a legal status akin to adulthood. That is to say, those admitted are considered quasi-adults.
The law regards them as being nineteen years old. In effect, they are granted nearly all the freedoms allowed to adults.
They can buy alcohol or cigarettes.
They are no longer bound by the Shutdown Law and may play games late into the night.
They can enter jjimjilbangs after dark.
They can share rooms at lodgings, regardless of gender.
They can marry without parental consent.
They are even eligible to acquire a driver’s license.
Short of committing a crime, nearly every adult activity is permitted.
And this status is valid regardless of whether their actual birthday has passed.
Some might worry that this freedom is excessive for students. But not in this world.
“They’re letting you live it up before you die.”
This is a world haunted by monsters.
In such a world, the lives of Hunters—those who kill these monsters—are anything but secure.
A Hunter never knows when, where, or how they might die.
Naturally, that grim calculus of death also applies to the students who aspire to become Hunters.
The rate of students dying during training or lectures—before ever earning the title of Hunter—is far from negligible.
Whether they pursued this path for the sake of humanity, or simply for wealth, glory, or power… whatever their reasons, their desire to become Hunters was real.
Thus, to honor their resolve, society recognizes them as quasi-adults and grants them the freedom that comes with it.
Of course, such freedom also has its pitfalls.
These students are young, brimming with vigor, often naïve about their own powers, and easily drunk on them.
In an academy city full of such students, it is inevitable that crime, accidents, and incidents happen with frequency.
Since they are no longer protected under the Juvenile Protection Act, their misconduct grows more sophisticated.
Add to that the Hunter world’s fixation on merit and strength, and the academy city becomes both a paradise for Hunters and a lawless frontier.
Even in the game, this was well known.
As someone with memories of a previous life, I could confirm this much:
“Many children are born here whose parents don’t even know they exist.”
Such is the city’s dark underbelly.
A consequence of unaccountable freedom.
Which is why—freedom must be tempered with responsibility.
If you claim adulthood, you must know how to restrain yourself.
That’s why—
“Everyone poured their drink, right?!”
“Ohhh!”
“As the host of tonight’s gathering, let me just say—don’t just chug blindly because it’s your first drink. Know your limits, don’t pressure others…”
“If you feel drunk, drink water. If you’re going to puke, do it in your own room.”
“As Gyeon-woo said, drink water if you feel dizzy. And if things don’t feel right, just go lie down! Got it!? Now, cheers! To our admission!”
“To our admission!!”
That same evening, after the entrance ceremony—
Yeon-ha-neul, Go Eun-bi, Risa, Yong Hae-rang, the triplets, and I all gathered in my room for a drinking party.
Geumgang Academy boasts a history of over 150 years.
Naturally, it’s steeped in tradition, many of which are still practiced today.
The entrance ritual is one such tradition.
A symbolic act to celebrate a student’s recognition as a quasi-adult, and to toast their hopeful future, through drinking.
Though in truth, someone probably just invented it as an excuse to drink.
Still, no one really questioned the ceremony’s legitimacy. The only thing that mattered was the drink itself.
Which is why Go Eun-bi, Yeon-ha-neul, Risa, and the others showed up at my room, arms full of alcohol and snacks, ready to perform the “entrance ritual.”
For the record, we weren’t breaking any rules.
As long as prior notice was given, the dorm warden allowed students to visit each other’s rooms.
Thanks to that, we were free to gather and drink together.
“Ugh, bitter… So this is the taste of adulthood. It’s not undrinkable, though.”
“Ahhh! So cold and bubbly, I love it. It’d be perfect after a workout!”
Our first drink was beer.
Among the unnecessary items Go Eun-bi bought for her dorm life was a set of frosted beer mugs.
Using the glasses she brought—frosted with a thin layer of ice—we poured ourselves drinks and began tasting.
Reactions split into two camps.
Some, like Go Eun-bi, grimaced at the bitter, unfamiliar flavor.
Others, like Yong Hae-rang, immediately found it to their liking.
Yeon-ha-neul belonged to the latter group.
“It’s refreshing. I think I get why the director kept craving beer on hot days.”
“But don’t just drink beer. A sip of alcohol, a bite of food. Eat while you drink. Here.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Drinking on an empty stomach is dangerous.
I stopped Yeon-ha-neul from gulping down her beer recklessly and offered her a bite of chicken speared on a fork.
Holding back her bangs, she opened her mouth slightly and accepted the chicken, then smiled faintly.
“That’s what they call ‘chimaek.’ Like it?”
“Delicious. I can see why it shows up in dramas.”
“Later, we’ll try ‘pizza and beer’ too.”
“Okay! But my hands are kinda…”
“What do you want to eat? I’ll bring it.”
“Ah… thanks. Then, um… pepperoni, please.”
The pizza box was just out of her reach.
So I leaned over the table, fetched the slice she wanted, and got one for myself too.
Then I took another sip of beer.
…It’s been a while.
This was my first drink since being reincarnated.
It was familiar, nostalgic.
Memories of my past life—coming home after work, sipping beer while gaming—came flooding back.
I chuckled bitterly after the first sip.
I wasn’t sure how well I held liquor in this life, but the beer went down easily.
Then Yeon-ha-neul chimed in.
“You told me to eat something while drinking—so why are you drinking without eating? Here, have some too.”
“…Tastes good.”
Just like I had done for her earlier—
She fed me a bite of the side dish.
Maybe it tasted better because it didn’t come from my own hand.
Before we knew it, our glasses were empty again.
That’s when Go Eun-bi stepped up.
“Okay! Now that we’ve had beer, it’s time for soju! Koreans drink soju!”
“You haven’t even had soju before… And mixing drinks can really mess you up…”
“So you’re not drinking then, Gyeon-woo? Who wants soju, without Gyeon-woo?!”
“…Pour me one too.”
With that, Go Eun-bi produced a retro-style soju bottle.
She tried spinning it at the wrist, like she’d seen someone do before.
“A senior told me this makes it taste better. Huh? Why isn’t the vortex forming?”
“Let me try, Eun-bi.”
“Huh? Okay, here.”
“Not like that. Like this.”
“Ohh, not bad!”
I relied on muscle memory from my past life.
Fortunately, I succeeded.
Tiny whirlpools spun inside the pale green bottle.
Amid a chorus of awe, I poured the soju into our glasses.
“Then—cheers!”
“Cheers!”
Once more, Go Eun-bi called the toast.
We clinked our glasses and downed the soju in one shot.
Ugh… Just like in my past life, I still can’t get used to this stuff.
Tastes like something straight from a chemistry lab.
It didn’t suit my palate at all.
Then again, I never understood how people drank soju, past or present.
The others seemed to feel the same.
“So this… is the taste of Korea…”
“It’s… too bitter. I think this is the kind of drink you have just to get drunk.”
Go Eun-bi and Risa grimaced.
They reached for side dishes immediately, trying to wash away the taste.
The triplets didn’t look too happy either.
“You think so? I actually like this better than beer. Keh! That bitterness—so stripped down to its essence—it’s the flavor of a real man. Clean and sharp. Just right.”
It seemed like Yong Hae-rang was the only one who actually liked soju.
No—there was one more.
“It’s a little sweet.”
“…You think this is sweet?”
“Mm-hmm. If you savor it slowly, there’s a hint of sweetness at the end.”
“….”
Yeon-ha-neul liked soju, too.
I’d assumed her silence meant she was enduring the bitterness. But no—she was simply savoring it.
Before long, she reached for the bottle and poured herself another round.
“Want another?”
“…Just a little. I’ll have some snacks, too.”
“Okay. Cheers. Keh—!”
“….”
“It feels lighter than beer, I like that. One more?”
“…You’re not just downing these with the plan to purge the buzz with magic later, are you?”
“Huh? You told me to drink in moderation, so I am drinking in moderation.”
“…That’s your idea of moderation? At least take it slow.”
“Okay! Cheers again.”
“….”
Unexpectedly—
Yeon-ha-neul seemed to handle her liquor quite well.
Even as the others sipped water or picked at side dishes, she steadily emptied her glass.
It was starting to wear me out, drinking alongside her like this.
This isn’t going to work.
My stomach was already churning.
Soju just didn’t agree with me.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t drink it—it was just better to enjoy what I drank.
I decided to switch things up.
Grabbing both the beer can and the soju bottle, I began to mix.
Go Eun-bi’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
“Wait, are you making a sommaek? Do you know the ratio? If it’s off, it’ll taste awful…”
“I’ll eyeball it. Who wants a so-maek?”
“Ooh! Me, me, me!”
“One for me, too, please.”
“You’re making it? Then count me in.”
“You’re in too, Ha-neul?”
“Yup!”
I could mix a mean sommaek.
It was one of the few things I prided myself on, back when I was a low-ranking office drone in my past life.
…Kinda sad, now that I think about it.
Still, if this trivial skill could excite a group of first-time drinkers and lift the mood, then I was more than happy to show off a little.
Drip—hiss! Splash! Shrrk!
I poured dramatically, adding a bit of flair for show.
At the end, I clinked two chopsticks into an X, then clapped my palms together like a ritual.
The beer and soju blended, and a burst of foam fizzed up like a tiny explosion.
“Here, drink up.”
“….”
I handed out the glasses.
Everyone stared—not at the drinks, but at me.
“Whoa… You don’t look like a first-timer at all. Be honest—you’ve done this before, haven’t you? Are you sure this isn’t your first drink?”
“Yeah… you looked pretty natural. Something smells fishy.”
Go Eun-bi smirked playfully.
Risa squinted with suspicion.
They both wanted answers.
“You’ve had drinks before, haven’t you?”
Even Yeon-ha-neul joined in.
Her sharp eyes pierced me.
But unfortunately for them, I had no intention of revealing anything about my past life. So I only had one reply:
“When would I have ever had alcohol? This really is my first time.”
“Suspicious…”
“Very suspicious.”
“…I don’t believe you.”
“I learned from the internet, okay?”
“Even more suspicious…”
“Extremely suspicious.”
“You’re lying, aren’t you?”
Naturally, they weren’t so easily fooled.
But I wasn’t offering anything more, so there wasn’t much they could do.
In the end, they dropped it.
“Fine. I had friends who secretly drank, too. I guess it’s not that big of a deal. You say it’s your first time, so I’ll play along. But you know what, Do Gyeon-woo? Turns out you’re a party guy.”
“Gyeon-woo, the delinquent student.”
“I’m telling your mom.”
Yeon-ha-neul’s threat made me flinch internally.
But I didn’t let it show.
She had no proof—and even if she suspected, she wouldn’t actually tell my parents.
Go Eun-bi saw her chance and pounced.
“Oho… don’t tell me you’ve also been secretly smoking behind our backs?”
“I haven’t. Ever.”
It felt awkward to say it myself, but I was a good person.
Even with my past life memories, I hadn’t changed at the core.
There was no way I’d touch alcohol or cigarettes while underage.
I gave Go Eun-bi a flat, immediate denial.
Still… cigarettes, huh.
Honestly, I wasn’t entirely disinterested.
Having never tried one before, curiosity was only natural.
I hadn’t smoked in my past life either.
Cigarettes were too expensive.
For the price of a pack, I could’ve bought a steaming bowl of soup.
I’d rather spend it on gaming.
But now… things are different, aren’t they?
This time around, barring some catastrophic fall of my family, money wouldn’t be an issue.
I could afford cigarettes now.
That thought sparked temptation.
Even more so—
It’d look cool, wouldn’t it?
The kind of man who charms everyone—the guy with dyed blond hair, sunglasses, skin sunbaked to show off his defined muscles, piercings, a sleeveless shirt, and tattoos—
Lighting a cigarette with a flick of his lighter.
How cinematic would that be?
Throw in a motorcycle, and it’s perfection.
The ideal man.
Anyone, regardless of gender, would fall for that.
Maybe I should try smoking. Or get my driver’s license.
I opened my mouth.
“I mean, might as well try it once…”
“No.”
“….”
I hadn’t even finished the sentence.
They all shut me down immediately.
I was left speechless.
“I hate the smell of cigarettes.”
“Cigarettes are bad for your health.”
“Try smoking and you’ll regret it.”
“….”
Go Eun-bi, Risa, and Yeon-ha-neul stared me down with serious expressions.
Why do they hate it so much?
Was I wrong?
Or were they just outliers?
Either way, no point pushing the idea.
Especially since Yeon-ha-neul seemed to detest it—that alone was reason enough to give up.
Yong Hae-rang chimed in, adding her voice to the protest.
“Cigarettes? Why would you smoke that? Smoking kills your lung capacity, and that means less power output in combat. If you’re serious about becoming a Hunter, smoking is out of the question.”
“…You’re right, Hae-rang.”
Now that she said it, it made perfect sense.
Cigarettes made you weaker.
Even if the effect was small, any decrease in strength was unacceptable.
Convinced by Yong Hae-rang’s logic, I nodded firmly.
“Anyway, let’s just enjoy the so-maek. Cheers.”
“Cheers!”
At this rate, the drinks were going to go warm.
I raised my glass, partly to change the subject.
One by one, the others clinked their glasses against mine, lighthearted and eager.
And then—we all downed our so-maek.
The verdict?
Resounding praise.
“Wow, this is delicious! Is this really what soju and beer taste like together? I’m only drinking this from now on.”
“The smooth finish is so nice. I like this way better.”
“Soju’s good, but this isn’t bad at all. Can I get another?”
“Just be careful—it hits you faster. Give it here, I’ll mix it for—”
“Do Gyeon-woo! One for me, too, please!”
“Us too!!”
“…You guys can just make your own. Once you know the ratio, it’s easy.”
The flood of glasses heading my way was overwhelming.
Mixing a drink for every single person would be a full-time job.
As I made another somae for Yeon-ha-neul, I decided it was time to pass on my wisdom. I taught the others how to make it themselves.
From then on, everyone handled their own drinks, chatting and laughing freely.
As the alcohol started to kick in, the atmosphere grew warmer, lighter, more electric.
It was then that Risa spoke up.
“After a while, even so-maek tastes bitter. Is there… no drink that’s actually sweet?”
“Sweet, huh…”
A thought occurred to me.
I stood up and walked over to the dorm fridge tucked against the wall.
Inside the freezer was a stash of ice cream I’d bought for post-drinking recovery.
I pulled out a few and returned to the group.
“This’ll do the trick.”
I’d made this drink a few times in my previous life. It was simple.
I tore open a Screw Bar ice pop, plopped it into a big paper cup, and poured soju over it.
Then I handed it to Risa.
“This is Screw Bar Soju. Here.”
“Soju… poured over ice cream? Thank you. I’ll give it a try.”
Risa hesitated as she took the cup, like she was about to drink some strange punishment concoction.
But after one sip, her expression brightened.
“Ah… This is subtle but tasty. That sweetness at the end—I like it. I didn’t know you could drink like this…”
“It’s good with Melona, too.”
“Melona? That’s a new word for me… Is it some kind of melon-flavored ice cream?”
“You got it. Though they’ve got lots of flavors now.”
“If it’s that easy, I could make one next time, too.”
Risa gripped the ice cream stick and stirred the drink, already sipping with enthusiasm.
It clearly suited her tastes.
Watching her, I couldn’t help but smile.
That’s when I felt it—a stare.
“….”
“…What?”
“Nothing. Just… good job scoring points with Risa.”
“….”
Sitting right next to me, Yeon-ha-neul was giving me a sideways look.
I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong, but her glare made me feel weirdly guilty.
Trying to shift her attention, I reached for another ice cream from earlier.
Glad I brought extras.
Just like with Risa, I made her a Screw Bar soju.
Only then did the weight of her gaze finally ease.
“Here, try this.”
“Hmph. Thanks, I guess.”
“So? How is it?”
“…It really tastes like I’m eating a Screw Bar. Wouldn’t it be better to just eat the ice cream on its own?”
“….”
“But it’s refreshing and tasty. Thanks.”
Yeon-ha-neul giggled softly.
I chuckled too, following her lead.
It was just… funny somehow.
If I’d known things would go this way, maybe I should’ve learned to make cocktails in my past life.
That thought came to mind out of nowhere.
I felt strangely disappointed that I couldn’t make her something even better.
But then again, it wasn’t too late.
Maybe I’d pick it up as a hobby in this life. Why not?
“Guys! Let’s not just drink—let’s play a drinking game too!”
“There are games for drinking? I’ve never heard of that…”
“Ah~ If you don’t know~ you learn~ by drinking~ it’s the~ drinking game~!”
“Fine! Bring it on! I’ll play by instinct!”
“Gyeon-woo, you know how to play, right?”
“…Not really. I mostly just stayed home and played video games.”
“…Huh?”
At that very moment—
Across the academy, students were commemorating their admission with drinking rituals of their own.
Bak Sa-goon and Kang Han-byeol were no exception.
“Shall we begin the ceremony, then?”
“Let’s do it.”
Inside the Olive Stone Dormitory.
The room wasn’t spacious, so the two of them had pulled out a folding table and sat across from one another in simple chairs.
Their only side dish was two whole chickens sitting on the desk.
Staring hungrily at the chicken, they swallowed down saliva.
“….”
A glance passed between them—a silent signal.
Following tradition, both unscrewed the caps of the soju bottles they’d bought from the convenience store.
One bottle per person.
Bak Sa-goon led the ritual.
“To our admission!”
“To our admission!”
“Han-byeol, let’s get along.”
“Sa-goon, let’s have a good year.”
“What’s the rule for the first drink?”
“One shot.”
They clinked the soju bottles together.
Then, following tradition, they drank with reckless resolve—determined to empty the bottle in one go.
The results were immediate.
“Cough! Cough! Gahh—this is disgusting. Why did Master ever enjoy drinking this!?”
“I knew it was bitter, but this is way worse than I imagined. Knowing and experiencing are really two different things…”
Tradition dictated that they couldn’t touch the chicken until the soju bottles were empty.
So the two of them, wearing expressions of sheer torment, forced the liquid down.
And thus…
The academic life began.
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