Chapter 209: Golden Liquor
One day, as the autumn crops began ripening smoothly and life was calm, a bat monster delivered a letter after a long time.
The sender, of course, was Milagros.
I had been worried because no letters had arrived for about a month, so it was a relief to receive news.
I gave the bat monster a small magic stone as thanks and immediately checked the letter.
The contents were delightful: Milagros had successfully persuaded her brother and sister, who had been inclined to join the Demon King’s army.
I knew she had been having serious disputes with them, but it seemed she had managed to convince them.
The letter also mentioned that she wanted to maintain our friendly exchange and asked if it would be alright to visit again soon.
Sheila might be cautious, but I had no worries about Milagros.
I sent my approval with the bat monster.
I didn’t know exactly when she would come, but soon, Milagros would visit again.
It was thanks to our friendship that she had decided against joining the Demon King’s army.
I wanted to respond to her feelings by sharing knowledge, techniques, and delicious meals, and I resolved to save NP to ensure we could welcome her properly.
As I watched the bat monster flap away with my reply, a voice called from behind.
“Sato, do you have a moment?”
“Georges! Of course, it’s fine… you seem energetic.”
It was Georges. Though it had been a while since we last met, he seemed much more lively than before.
“That’s true! I’d even say life is more fulfilling now than ever. I feel invigorated every day.”
“That’s great. So, what brings you here today? Do you need something again?”
“No, it’s not that. I came to report to you! The fruit liquor we discussed has finally been completed!”
His triumphant laughter conveyed the sheer excellence of the creation.
Perhaps that explained why we hadn’t seen him lately—he had been holed up making the liquor.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t even seen him at the bath recently.
“Really? I’d love to try it!”
“Of course! I’ve also called Rozzo and Sid, so Sato, join us.”
“I’ll be there.”
Though still in the middle of farm work, seeing Georges so excited made it impossible to say “later.”
After all, this was the liquor he had made at my request.
Inside Georges’ house, Rozzo and Sid were fidgeting with eyes shining brightly, clearly desperate to drink.
It made me smile.
“Sato! Finally! Waiting felt like forever.”
“I almost thought about sneaking a taste! Georges, hurry and let us try it!”
“Don’t rush. You’ll drink it soon enough.”
I sat across from Rozzo and Sid, waiting for Georges to bring the liquor.
After a short while, he returned carrying a golden fruit liquor.
“Whoa! Just looking at it makes me want to drink it!”
“The clear golden color is beautiful. And the fizz is irresistible.”
“Even if the taste were bad, it’d probably be popular just for the looks.”
“Don’t worry. The taste is extraordinary… in fact, this was made purely to perfect the flavor.”
The chilled, sparkling liquor looked so tempting that even someone not particularly fond of alcohol couldn’t help swallowing in anticipation.
“Can I drink it!?”
“Of course. Give us your honest opinion.”
We nodded to each other and tasted the golden fruit liquor.
First came the rich, overwhelming citrus aroma.
Following that, the refreshing fruit flavor and natural sweetness made it easy to drink.
Some might find it too sweet without carbonation, but the fizz left a clean aftertaste.
“Delicious! What is this liquor!”
“…Incredible. I’ve tried many fine liquors, but this fruit liquor surpasses them all.”
“Really tasty! You could almost drink it as juice!”
“Hohoho! Right? Sato, do you think this fruit liquor could become a specialty of this village?”
“Absolutely! I’ll fully support it, and we should aim for mass production!”
“I’ll help too! If it means drinking a lot of this, I’ll do anything!”
“Me too. Just tell me what to do.”
The two alcohol lovers eagerly offered their cooperation, so this golden fruit liquor would surely become a local specialty.
Grateful to Georges for creating it, I resolved to begin working toward its mass production.