50 - Episode 48 To the Living Earth

Hearing Nomos's review of the whiskey, I was convinced that the Great Spirit was full of gourmets. Most of us would think it tasted good, smelled good, or something like that. It is not that I am insensitive.

"Yuta-san. This drink. It's whiskey, isn't it? It's also very delicious. Yuta, you put ice in it.　Does it taste better that way?"

Dolly asked me a difficult question. I want to answer it somehow in a cool way: ....... Wasn't there some cool expression?

Oh, I think it's velvety smooth or something. ...... Is that whiskey you're talking about?　Was it wine?　...... Let's not overdo it. It's dangerous to be too specific about taste when you're dealing with someone who is obsessed with it.

"Hmmm. How it will change: ....... Just my opinion, but the cold ice will cool down the drink. When it warms up in your mouth, I think the aroma spreads a lot. So whether it tastes better with ice or not depends on one's preference. Some people say it is best to drink it straight, some say it is best to drink it with water. You should try different things, Dolly."

That's my limit. I don't know enough about alcohol to talk shit about it.

"I see. Well, I'll try ice.

Dolly went to ask Sylphy to shave the ice. I feel kind of bad for Sylphy. Maybe he'll ask her to shave the ice a few more times.

"Yuta, it's good to put ice in. But I prefer it straight. I feel that the taste will be loosened when the ice melts."

Dolly, with ice in her cup, tells me her opinion. I've heard that water is the best way to drink it, but I guess it all comes down to personal preference.

"You look a little funny, what's wrong?"

"No. I just felt a little uncomfortable. Where I come from, a girl as old as Dolly shouldn't have been drinking."

"Hmm. I'm a grand spirit, so I'm a little older than you. Drinking is fine."

I guess I shouldn't go into ...... that it's just a little bit. I understand that much.

"Ha-ha, I hear that. Well, as long as you don't have a problem with it, it's fine. My world's rules have nothing to do with this world."

Somehow I feel it is dangerous to continue this kind of topic, so I decide to change the subject.

"Oh, by the way, Dolly. Is any kind of forest soil good?　I can't tell the difference between good soil and bad soil."

It was a topic that I had brought up in order to change the subject, but in my cool head, it was something I needed to be sure about.

"Yes, that's right. The soil in the forest is better than the soil here. So you don't have to worry about it too much.

...... Well, yes. It is the soil where plants normally grow, so it is several times better than the soil of the dead land. I wonder what kind of war would destroy nature so much.

"Okay. Then I'll go get what I can."

"I look forward to it. Don't forget the bugs."

Ah. Bugs. They won't fit in the magic bag, and we'll have to get a bag or something to carry them in. Maybe we can get some soil when we come back here.

"...... By the way, how much soil and bugs do we need to secure?"

"Yes, that's right. We can get by with one block of ground that Yuta-san dug up. But as long as there is a lot of it, it is no problem at all. The more you have, the better your cultivation will go. Insects are good for the ...... soil, so please give us lots of them."

The soil is fine, but how many insects is too many? ...... sounds too much to imagine, so if we don't have enough, we'll just go and get some more. Let's not think too much about it.

I think I talked with Dolly a lot more than usual, probably due to the effect of alcohol. Usually she seems to be smiling and looking out for me. Drinking is important in the other world, too.

From there on, Sylphy and Dine, who were surprisingly weak against alcohol, started to make a lot of noise, and the party turned into a drinking party with an atmosphere I knew well. I'm glad that the party didn't end up like a drinking contest at the beginning.

****

...... in the morning. It's inconvenient without a window, even if it's just a precaution against demons. Now that we've made a deal with Sylphy, let's ask him if there's any way we can make it better.

I raise myself from the bed of sand and cleanse and groom myself. The party last night was fun, but two bottles of sake and two bottles of whiskey are not enough for five people.

Waking up comfortable but drinking till you're drunk and hungover is also a tasteful thing to do. I'm sure I'll never drink again, though. I stow the rock blocking my bedroom and go out to the kitchen, thinking about some nonsense.

"Yuta. Good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning.

The belles cheerfully greet us in the morning. I return their greetings, pat them on the head, and get ready for breakfast. But first thing in the morning, a little girl. A dolphin. A boy. A little fox floats up and greets me, and I don't even feel strange anymore.

It hasn't been that long since I came to this other world, but habituation is a terrible thing. I finish my breakfast, taking out the cooked seafood from my magic bag, while fending off the teasing belles.

"Yuta. Good morning. I had a good time last night.

"Good morning, Sylphy. I'd love to drink again, but we're running low on booze. When we get some more of this world's alcohol, we'll have another drinking session.

"Oh. But please spread the word about otherworldly liquors here. It was delicious.

Nomos came to mingle and express his wishes without a morning greeting. Hmm. There are ales and wines...can we distill them?　There must have been a difference in the alcohol stage before distillation, but something similar could be made.

"Good morning Nomos. If I sign a contract with Nomos, they will make glassware for me, right? If you could make a distiller, I think we could make something similar. But you'd have to let it sit, so it would take time.

"Distiller?　I don't know what it is, but if I can make it, I will. I thought you said it took 12 years?　That's nothing to a genie."

That's a lot of time for me. I wonder how old the Great Spirit is, but I can't carelessly ask him in front of Sylphy, Dine, and Dolly.

"It's supposed to be drinkable if you let it sit for at least three years. Well, if you sign the contract, I'll teach you how to make it. But I don't know if it will taste as good as it did yesterday because I'm an amateur and I don't know anything about it.

"Once I have a rough idea, I'll figure it out. I'm looking forward to it."

...... all this guy thinks about is booze. I think it has something to do with his dwarvish build. I wonder if we can meet real dwarves when we go to the labyrinth city?

I look at the great spirit of the earth who is thinking about drinking and has a slovenly expression on his face. If the real dwarves are like this, it might be dangerous to carelessly talk about alcohol.

****

"Yuta. Hurry up!

"I know. I'll summon you when we get to the labyrinth city and find a place to stay, so be a good girl and wait for me."

There was some trouble before we left for the labyrinth city. It seems that Belle and her friends were planning to fly together, and when I told them that only Sylphy was going with them, they looked shocked with a betrayed expression on their faces. It seems that they had enjoyed the last sky walk and were looking forward to today.

Bells sticking to his head. Rain and Tamamo are complaining to me, cooing and cooing. Tulu looking up at me silently. I feel so guilty.

I comforted Belle and the others, explaining that it would take some time, and promised to summon them as soon as they settled down over there, and that I'd train them to fly over there as well.　　

"Yuta! Even if you enjoy the labyrinth city, don't forget to come back here.

I'm going to come back often, so don't worry. Deanne, you should think about the conditions.

It would take less than four hours one way, so it is possible to make a day trip if you want to. It would not be a bad idea to live here and in the labyrinth city, traveling back and forth every few days. The only vacation home in the land of the dead. Good or bad, it is romantic.

Well, don't die.

Yuta, take care.　

"Yeah, I'll try to stay out of harm's way. Well then, Sylphie, let's go.

"Okay. We'll take a break, but let me know if you need anything else.

I nodded my head at Sylphy's words, and my body floated up in the air. I waved to the spirits and immediately disappeared from sight. He's fast.

How fast are they going?　The fountain house soon turned into a pea ...... and I couldn't tell where it was anymore. It's so fast when Sylphy is in charge. Last time I was in flight training I was just a turtle.

Yuta. If it's all right, I'll increase the speed, okay?"

He says there's more up there.

"No problem, but won't Sylphy get tired?"

I don't get tired from all this. Then I'll increase the speed."

Giggles of speed: ......?　It's going so fast I can't tell the difference. I don't even feel the wind. I'm just lying in a comfortable space. I'm sure I'll get a good night's sleep.

****

"Yuta. Aren't you tired?　Should we take a break soon?"

"Ah, Sylphy. I'm not tired at all. If you need to go to the bathroom, you can take a break then."

You are free to position yourself and eat and drink out of your magic bag if you feel like it. I'm enjoying the scenery so much that I don't need it right now, but I'm comfortable enough to read a book when I get tired of the scenery. If there is a bookstore in the labyrinth city, I would like to buy some books, but books seem to be expensive in a fantasy world, don't you think?　　

"Really?　You don't have to do it, okay?"

"No. I'm comfortable, so I'm not pushing it at all.

In fact, it's a little sad, because it's definitely more comfortable to sleep in than a bed of sand. The sand bed was quite an inspiration for me, though.

I'm a little sad to say.

While chatting with Sylphy and looking at the scenery, I noticed some plants in the dead land.

"Sylphy. There's grass or trees growing there, right?"

"Yes. The land of the dead is coming to an end. Nature will be more abundant from now on. Enjoy it."

Just as Sylphy said, the further we go, the richer the scenery becomes. The more we go, the richer the landscape becomes. The landscape becomes more colorful. Grass grows and becomes meadows, which turn into forests. Rivers flow and lakes are found. They are excited when they see the village.

"That's great, Shilfi. This is the land of the living.

"Hmm. Do you like it?"

"Of course. I'm starting to get nervous."

From dead earth to green wilderness. Humans need greenery, don't they? This scenery shows us that the land of the dead is dead. It is dead, after all. It's no place for people to live.

It's time for a labyrinth city. It will be more conspicuous if we fly, so I think we should get off at the front and walk.

...... appeared in the labyrinth city while flying. You get a lot of attention and a lot of scouts. It's not a bad idea, but it seems like a lot of trouble under the current circumstances. I guess I'll have to get used to standing out.

"Let's get off the street and walk somewhere out of sight."

"Okay. I'll go down into the woods to avoid being seen.

I'm going down to the forest without any hesitation to see if the search is over. ...... My exciting debut in a different world human village is just around the corner. I'll definitely enjoy it.