Even Sarra couldn’t quickly absorb the energy in Fireblood Wine. The power within it was steadily being absorbed and processed by her body after just one sip.
Although she had experience with this drink, allowing her to hide the effects better, she still couldn’t match Nina’s frightening speed in metabolizing it.
Initially, Sarra planned to tease Nina a bit, thinking she’d struggle with the drink.
However, to her surprise, Nina had completely absorbed the first sip in just a few seconds.
For Sarra, who had built up a tolerance over many times drinking Fireblood Wine, each sip still took time to handle.
This was Nina’s first time drinking it, yet she handled it with ease—a sign that something unusual was at play.
But the real shock came afterward. Nina, having processed the first sip quickly, downed the entire glass in one go.
And now, she was ready for more, asking for another.
Fireblood Wine was potent, containing spell beast blood and medicinal herbs that made it a drink best consumed in moderation.
But Nina’s eagerness for a second glass left Sarra utterly astonished.
The server, unfazed, prepared another glass as requested. Soon, Nina held the new glass in her hands and drank it down, even letting out a satisfied hiccup and licking the remaining drops from her lips.
“Sarra, is there sugar in this drink? It tastes kind of sweet!” Nina remarked, delighted.
Sarra was at a loss for words.
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Couldn’t Nina feel the immense energy within the drink—the raw, potent spell beast blood coursing through it?
Even after two glasses, Sarra would need to find a quiet place to absorb the energy or risk it overwhelming her body.
But Nina showed no signs of concern or strain, as if the energy had no effect on her.
“Excuse me, could I get another glass?” Nina called to the bartender.
“Are…are you sure?” the bartender asked, slightly hesitant. Drinking one or two glasses of Fireblood was normal, but a third glass? He was tempted to advise against it.
“It’s fine! This drink is really good. If possible, I’d like to buy some to take with me,” Nina replied cheerfully.
Good…? The bartender glanced at the glass, verifying it was indeed Fireblood Wine. How could this young girl drink two glasses and show no reaction?
Sarra, now deeply curious, watched Nina finish the third glass and asked, “Nina, what level are you exactly?”
Nina thought for a moment before answering, “I’m around mid-tier-3 as a Destiny Mage…pretty low among the group I’m with.”
In her group of five, Nina ranked the lowest in power.
She hadn’t focused entirely on magic, with her highest-level companions being Nora, followed by Rose and Reed, with Green slightly stronger than herself.
Through Sarra, she had also learned that Kolman, the Dragonscale Bank team leader, was the strongest in their group, followed by Sarra herself.
Both were fourth-tier. The others were around Nina’s level.
Hearing Nina’s response, Sarra fell silent, not knowing what to say.
As a mid-tier fourth-level bloodline warrior, she couldn’t handle more than two glasses of Fireblood at once without risking an overload. But Nina…
Nina turned to the bartender. “Excuse me, do you have more of this wine? I’d like to buy some to take back with me.”
“I’m sorry, but if you want to take some with you, you’ll need to purchase it,” the bartender replied.
“How much does it cost?” Nina asked.
The bartender smiled and replied, “We only accept mana stones here. A glass of Fireblood costs 3,000 mana stones, but a barrel is a better deal at 500,000 mana stones per barrel.”
“Alright, then I’ll take…” Nina considered and then pulled out her storage crystal, calculating how many barrels to buy.
“Nina, it’s your first time here—you shouldn’t pay. I’ll cover it for you,” Sarra quickly interjected.
She noticed that Nina hadn’t seemed aware that mana stones were the currency here, which made sense for a fourteen-year-old girl who probably didn’t have many on her.
“No, it’s fine, Sarra. I’ll pay myself,” Nina replied.
“Let me get this as a welcome gift! So, how many barrels do you want?” Sarra insisted.
“One hundred!” Nina announced, leaving both Sarra and the bartender stunned.
…
“Sif, headmaster, I brought something awesome from the gathering!” Nina said excitedly as she returned.
Daniel looked up. “Did you observe your opponents, as I instructed?”
“Of course! I found out that most of them are around the fourth tier, while I’m only mid-tier-3 in their ranking system. So I need to work hard to improve quickly!” Nina said earnestly.
Daniel nodded, satisfied that she’d taken her task seriously.
“Headmaster, look! This is what I found that can help boost my strength!” Nina said, taking a barrel of Fireblood Wine from her storage crystal.
“This is Fireblood. It’s made from spell beast blood and some rare herbs. Drinking it regularly can improve one’s strength!” she explained, almost word-for-word repeating Sarra’s earlier description, with a slight adjustment.
Indeed, Fireblood had some strengthening effects thanks to its ingredients, though its benefits were exaggerated. Daniel glanced at the barrel, understanding what Nina meant.
“If that’s the case, then focus on building your strength. I expect to see you in the finals,” he replied.
“Would you like some, headmaster?” Nina asked, pouring him a glass.
Daniel took a sip. “This juice seems well-suited for you and Sif. You both can enjoy it at your leisure.”
“Great! I’ll go find Sif. We’ve got enough to last us a while!” Nina replied, delighted.
Daniel then asked, “How much did you buy?”
“Oh, just a hundred barrels. Since this is a gift from my new friend, I didn’t want to take too much,” Nina said, a bit embarrassed.
“Your new friend?”
“Yes, she’s also a contestant from Dragonscale Bank. She’s the one who introduced me to this delicious drink.”
“How much did a barrel cost?”
“Around 500,000 mana stones. Sarra must be really rich…” Nina replied, marveling.
After a moment, Daniel said, “Nina, find your friend and send her a return gift.
Also, your monthly allowance is cut off for this month and will be halved from now on.”
“Huh? Why?” Nina asked, surprised.
“Think it over and come back to me when you understand,” he replied.
“Oh…” Nina muttered, disappointed, as she left the room. The news weighed on her so much that she forgot to take the barrel she had left with Daniel.
Daniel held up his glass of Fireblood, the crimson liquid swirling within. “This is nice for an occasional sip.”