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You're saying this is the real deal?!

Kjerag's first distillery was established under my father's auspice, but after his passing in an unfortunate accident, its output too essentially stopped.

I revived it after the founding of Karlan Trade.

Thanks to our outdated aging techniques, most of the stuff from the 70s is completely undrinkable these days, but a few bottles from that era still survive.

They were labelled as 1070s, and what few existed were kept in the Silverash clan cellars.

What you see before you is from that collection.

Wow... Just from that hint of fragrance coming from the mouth of that bottle, I can already tell that it'll drive Victoria's greatest sommeliers wild.

This is a mighty fine drink.

If I drank any of this, forget about feeling at home, I'd want to stay in Kjerag for another three years.

If that is ever your desire, then of course we will welcome you with open arms.

Not scared of a Victorian soldier, Sir Enciodes?

If every Victorian soldier is as reasonable a man as you, what have I to fear?

I'm afraid you might have some misunderstandings about me, good sir.

Then it is natural for me to wish to clear up those misunderstandings. Come, let us sit and discuss them.

Ah, well... the Saintess hasn't arrived yet, so should we really be sitting?

The Great Saintess is quite occupied with various affairs at the moment. There is no need to trouble her over this.

Uh...

It is as he says. Were I not here, there would be nothing wrong with the two of you sitting down to a chat.

It would have to clear my approval in the end anyhow.

Is that not right, Sir Enciodes?

Great Saintess, I'm honored that you have deigned to grace this banquet with your presence.

It has been quite some time since you first set foot in Kjerag, Lord Viscount.

In that time, I've heard of the goodwill that you have shown Kjerag, and I had plans myself to reach out to you for our own little chat.

Today is as good an opportunity as any other.

It has been a while, Saintess.

Sir Enciodes... You still have not answered my question.

The Saintess is correct.

It's just that you are the spiritual leader of all Kjerag's people, after all.

Every day, you must hear the hopes and prayers of supplicants, and keep their faith in Kjeragandr in their hearts.

Nowadays all the nations of Terra have heard tell of Her, and one by one they set their eyes on Her. This too, is yet another matter that occupies your attention.

There is no need for you to personally attend to the mundane matters of the nation.

You tell a good joke, Sir Enciodes.

The reason why Kjeragandr attracts more and more attention from the outside world is in fact because we take note of our people's hopes and prayers, and that we work towards a better life for all of them.

And that being the case, it means that there is no such thing as a mundane matter of the nation.

It need only be a matter of concern to the people to be a matter of concern to me.

I am sure that you would understand this simple reasoning of mine, right, Sir Enciodes?

I understand this point. As a good friend of mine once counselled me, whether in family matters or matters of state, if you try to grasp everything at play, it will often times not go as you planned.

And as a good friend once counselled <i>me</i>, whether in family matters or matters of state, even if you cannot attend to everything personally, you must see things through your own eyes and do things with your own hands at least once.

Do you hold family matters in your heart, Sir Enciodes, or matters of state?

What is it that you wish to see, Great Saintess? What is it that you wish to do?

Ah, Great Saintess, just before you arrived, Sir Enciodes gifted me a bottle of liquor.

Oh?

'Snow Realm Spring 1072'.

A drink so fine, its only flaw is that it will upstage the main dish.

It is my gift to you. Are you afraid that it might steal your thunder as our host?

Hardly, hardly.

While I am the host, I can't really call myself the lord of this place, can I?

I would say that the Saintess herself would be considered the star of the evening.

It seems I have overstepped my bounds.

If I may, Saintess, I have a proposal.

Go ahead.

I think we should use this bottle of 1072 as the drink for tonight's meal.

What do you think?

What say you, Sir Enciodes?

...In 1072, when our father placed these bottles into our cellar, he believed that Kjerag's spring was just around the corner.

But even after waiting for more than twenty years, our spring has still not yet truly arrived.

Now, if this bottle were a signal for the opportunity before us, that would truly be a wonderful thing.

Eloquent as ever, Sir Enciodes.

Now that matter's settled, Kjarr.

Yes, Saintess?

Take this bottle to the kitchen, if you would.

At once, Saintess.

Is that to your satisfaction, My Lord?

Well, since our two guests of honor have arrived... Let's get this banquet started.

Please, have a seat.

Ugh...

What happened...? What's with all the empty bottles on the floor?

Odd. Why was I even sleeping here?

Rosalind... you're a good kid...

...Arctosz... you... disgrace...

(Snore)

Dad?!

Eh? Uh…

What did you wake me up for?! Can't an old man nap in peace?!

No, hold on, I...

Dad? When did you get home? Why didn't you let me know you were coming?

What happened yesterday? How did we end up sleeping on the floor?

Quit your yapping, it's giving me a headache.

Sir, Master.

I'm so glad you're both finally awake!

Gulo!

What happened here?

The two of you got drunk, and didn't want to stop drinking, and our efforts to convince you to return to your rooms to sleep were in vain.

I could only feed two more batches of firewood to the furnace so it wouldn't get too cold in here.

Sir, do you not remember what happened yesterday?

I... Wait, let me think.

Yesterday, yesterday...

I remember. I was to prepare for the banquet to celebrate the completion of Kjeragandr's statue.

The Saintess asked me to select the best drinks Kjerag has to offer, so I was tasting them one by one...

And then, after that... I don't remember much.

Hmph, of course you don't.

You were so drunk you couldn't tell people apart, and even tried to toast to a pillar while hugging it.

At your age! What an embarrassment!

Enough, Dad. Was I not doing it for the Saintess, for Kjerag?

Gulo's still here, so could you ease up on the scolding, before I lose any more respect!

I always taught you respect is something you earn on your own, so why ask me to leave any for you?!

Forget it, I'll bicker with you no longer.

Gulo, where's Rosalind?

She went up the mountain first thing in the morning, Master.

What?!