act30side

C'mon, give me that bottle!

The girl takes the slightly sour, aged spirit from Arctosz's hand.

She turns up her head, and without the slightest bit of hesitation, raises the bottle and pours the liquid straight down her throat, taking in its varied astringent notes.

Hah—!

And that's that problem solved. It was a little off, but overall, still a pretty good drink!

If you want my expert opinion, I'd say you could really grow to love that aftertaste.

Young lady, you—! Have you gone mad?!

Quick, somebody call a doctor—!

Nah, I'm good.

You're good?!

It'd long since gone bad, and you still drank it? Haven't you ever heard of food poisoning?!

I'm fine. Really.

I've eaten rotten bread and drank foul water out of the gutter before.

Compared to that, what's this drink gonna do to me?

Huh?

Out of the gutter...?

Why would you even do such things, girl?!

I'd rather not talk about those times right now.

But anyway, what I'm trying to say is, I might not really get what the whole deal is here, but I can feel it out.

You said this drink was pretty important, right, boss?

I'll take that as a yes.

Something as rare as that getting spilled away just because it's gone a little off sure would be sad, don't you think?

Listen...

Oh, c'mon, don't give me that face. It could work for you if you were more handsome, but you'd have to lose the beard first.

Hey! Why aren't we drinking?

Whatever boozy treasures are left, serve 'em up!

Today, the three of us—we're drinking until we drop!

You're sure?

I'm sure.

Hmph.

This might be an issue.

You know, lad, you usually come full of ideas, but you're a right mute here.

Can't blame me for that one, boss.

When a lord like you suddenly wants to throw a banquet, just freeing up the space for it took our men no small amount of effort.

It's simply for hosting two foreign dignitaries. Although it's still a bit off for that purpose.

*sigh* I understand.

We've invited a chef from a local restaurant to come and cook, and thanks to us and the locals being so buddy-buddy, we've also managed to get some top-quality ingredients to go with.

We're still stumped on drinks, though.

These three bottles of 'Snow Realm Spring 1095' were the best we could get from hereabouts.

This one... Mouthfeel is pleasant enough, and the aroma is suitably complex.

However, the layering's a little bit weak, and this acridity is somewhat unbalanced.

It would be fine to offer to someone the same rank as me, but for our guests at this banquet... it's far from appropriate.

It's only at times like these that your nobility shows, milord.

Well, I do have to work rather hard at it.

Enough already, we all know you're just a boozer who gave yourself the excuse that you're handling the lords and ladies.

Alright, enough lip out of you, go back and help out or something. I'll think over everything else that's left.

Boss, we've been here a whole month, and we've seen that the Kjerags, they really love their Saintess, and this Enciodes guy too.

I know you keep saying we're just here as tourists.

What is it you think I'm up to? If I really want to do something, I would tell you to get that ambush sorted before all this.

That's what you said, sure, but don't expect the boys to come save your hide if something comes up.

Oh, don't be such a worrywart. It's bad luck.

If I had known sooner, I would have asked the missus to pack that rare red wine we've got in the house.

...*sigh*.

Whyever are you sighing, My Lord?

Ah, Sir Enciodes...

Haha, well, you've caught me in something of a pickle. I'm the one organizing this banquet, but I can't quite find a drink fit for two illustrious guests such as you.

While worrying over that, I recalled a fine vintage in my collection back home, and it gave me a twinge of homesickness.

I'm afraid I don't know where exactly you are a viscount of—

County Barre.

If I recall correctly, County Barre is not far from Toron.

Indeed! They tend to follow the same trails, have done so for quite a while now.

If that is the case, then you and I were fated to meet, Lord Viscount. I lived in Toron for a time.

That's right, I feel like we might have met at some banquet or the other, back in the day.

If only we had recalled this forgotten connection of ours sooner, Sir Enciodes, we wouldn't have had to be at each other's throats.

Indeed.

If I had known that you were such an interesting man, I think we would have made fast friends, My Lord.

I have met with many a noble here in Kjerag, but I believe that you might be the first to get homesick at the thought of some wine.

Would it be remiss for me to assume that My Lord is a family man?

Hahahah, if my daughter heard those words, she would most likely die from laughter.

In her eyes, I'm the most worthless father across all the lands.

Relations always have a different view of things to outsiders.

You're right. Every family has its own issues.

I'm afraid that I have no solution to your longing for County Barre, but I do have the means to make you feel at home here.

Oh?

My Lord, please accept this as a token of my master's regard.

This is... 'Snow Realm Spring'... '1072'?

I had heard that other than the 'Snow Realm Spring' batch that started distilling in the 90s, there were even rarer bottles from a batch from the 70s.

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.