140 - - 138. Salute.

We discussed the sanctuary with the Great Spirits. There was no clear line of acceptance set, and it was vague, but it was decided to create a livable environment while increasing the amount of nature. We have added a regular forest, a camellia forest, and an orchard, so let's just say that we have made some progress.

The brewery and the cellar for the nomos request are on the back burner for now. I don't even know how to build a normal house, but a brewery or ......?　But if you just want to distill, you can usually do it with a larger room and a distiller. .......

We have quite a few barrels of sake that Sylphy and his friends drank out of. I'm starting to think it won't be a problem. We can make a room by getting a big rock and hollowing it out, and nomos can make a distiller for us.

The only thing left is to control the temperature. ...... I think we can make a contract with a fire spirit to heat the liquor at a certain temperature, and we can stock up on liquor when we get to the labyrinth city. And we need to build a facility for the fire spirit to stay in the fountain house. I think we can just keep the fire burning in the brewery, but since we're going to have the spirits visit us, it should be something cool.

Even if we build a furnace like Mel's, I'm not going to do blacksmithing, and I can't think of any cool facilities ...... that are always using fire.

Torches and campfires seem to be difficult to maintain... For me, the light of a torch lighting up the dark night, or a fire burning in the center of a plaza, tickles my fancy, but it's not realistic.

I think I could ask Dine to extract the alcohol from the water without going to the trouble of distilling it, but ...... hmmm, I think I'd lose some of the flavor and ingredients. If I add water to 100% alcohol, will the result be the same?　Unlike rice, I'm not in the mood for waiting.　

"Yuta, gohan!"

Belle says, her eyebrows arched in a figure of eight as she flutters around me. Oh no, it looks like Belle can't wait for breakfast. I've been thinking about this a little too much.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll get it ready right now."

He takes the food out of his magic bag and sets it on the table. Oy?　We're about to run out of rice stock. We're a pretty big group, and everyone eats so much that we're running low on food fast. I should cook some rice before going to the labyrinth city. The sun-dried rice is getting dry, and I'm going to ask Sara to help me cook some rice today.

I'm sorry to keep you waiting. Let's eat.

I say, and all the kids start to eat at once. I don't know about Sarah and the others, but Belle and the others shouldn't be hungry, but they've been eating three meals a day for so long that their bodies have learned to do it.　I like the sight of them eating because it makes me feel at home, but as a spirit, I don't think it's very subtle.

I think I've thought the same thing before ......, but I didn't solve the problem and put it off. It's too late to stop Bell and his friends from eating, and the only thing I could think of was to spread the custom of offering food to the spirits. I guess I'll have to put it off again this time. I'll keep it in the back of my mind until I have a better idea.

"Master, what should I do today?"

After breakfast, we were relaxing a little when Sara and her friends came to see what we had planned for the day.

"Well, we want to make a lot of food today, can you help us?　Marco and Kikka are training with Uri and Mame."

"Yes!　Okay.

Sarah's voice gets a whole lot louder when it comes to cooking. I guess she likes it so much that I should ask Mr. Toruku to teach her how to cook when we get to the labyrinth city.

Now that he knows I've broken through the 50th layer, it might be a good opportunity to ask him about magma fish. Maybe I can give them some dragon meat and we can have a fancy meal. We haven't had wyverns and fire dragons yet, and I can't wait to see how good they taste when cooked by a real chef. ...... No, I'm drooling. .......

I'm thinking magma fish, wyvern, fire dragon in that order. No, no, let's have the real cooks cook the assault dragons with their own skills. My dreams are expanding. It would be a waste if we eat them all at once, so let's have them cook them in time.

Well... I got a bit rowdy at the Adventurers' Guild. After all we did, we'll get results one way or another.

Either he'll get angry and attack us, or he'll get cornered and snap. I'm looking forward to seeing the house finished, but I'm also looking forward to seeing how the guild comes out of it.

"Well, I guess that's what I'm asking. Belle and Rain help build the fire and wash the rice.

"Yessir." "Coo-coo-coo."

Sounds good. I've already given up on the Yessir. I'll teach him to salute you anyway. If you're going to do it, do it thoroughly. Halfway is the most embarrassing.

"Like this?" Cue?""" Koo? Ho?""" Bugya?"

Not only Belle, Rain, Tulu, and Tamamo, but also Fukuchan and the others have joined us, so we teach them.

"Yes, that's right. Whenever you say "yes, sir," you have to strike that pose. Got it?"

"yessa," "cu-cu-cu-cu," "yes sir," "ku-cu-cu-cu," "ho-ho-ho," and "pup-gah."

Belle and Fuchu make a salute pose. Yeah, very cute. I couldn't help but pat them all on the head.

The only thing that bothers me is that Uri's cry sounds like a person who was killed by a one-child assassination technique at the end of the century. Well, it's just a coincidence, since Uri doesn't know about a certain cartoon.

They are all cute, but Rain (a dolphin), Fukuchan (an owl), and Mame (a bean) are doing a surprisingly good job in their saluting poses.

On the other hand, Tamamo and Uri are doing the salute pose while pulling themselves up, as if their body shape is too tight. But it's very heartwarming to see them trying their best. They seem to like it and are happy to show their poses to each other. I feel like I've done something good.

"Master ......"

I nodded to myself, and Sarah and the others looked at me with subtle expressions. Yeah, I kind of get what you're saying.

"Well, let's get started. Belle, Rain, and Sara are helping. Marco and the others are training. Tulu and Tamamo will tend the fields and forest. Yes, ma'am.

Pretend everything never happened, tell everyone what to do, and start cooking. But all we have to do is cook the rice.

With help, we cook rice in a rice container. In between, I ask Shilfi to thresh and polish the rice that has been dried in the sun. The rice is completely dried in the sun. ...... I hope I can taste the difference this time.

"Oh, by the way, Sara. When you get to the labyrinth city and things have calmed down, would you like to learn how to cook from Mr. Toruku?　I think they'll take care of it if I ask them to. If he's very busy, it might not be possible."

If Sara's cooking skills improve, the table will be more lively every day and I will have an easier time. The question is how popular fried food is.

"Please do!"

Ohhhh, Sarah's eyes are shining so brightly.

"Well, it's not absolutely certain that they'll do it, so I don't want to get my hopes up too high, but I'll ask them. But there's a chance he won't, so don't get your hopes up too high."

If you have such high expectations, I'm afraid I'll be shocked if it doesn't work out. Maybe I should have talked to Mr. Torque first and then asked Sara.

But if I didn't confirm Sara's intention, there was a possibility that Sara wouldn't like it after I asked Mr. Torque. ...... I don't know. What will be, will be.

"Yes, I'll try not to get my hopes up too high."

He nodded at my advice, but looked pleased. I'll find another cooking teacher if ...... that doesn't work out. I have a little more to worry about, but I'll make sure we have enough food in stock. We'll just have to stock up in the labyrinth city for the time being.

The rice we had for dinner, completely dried in the sun, tasted better than ever .......

** **

The next morning, he sent Sarah and the others off to train to kill the undead and summoned Nomos.

"So, what's the story?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking of making a drink, or rather, I'm thinking of improving my existing drinks and recreating the drinks from my old world that I made you drink before. I'm not going to get serious about it until after I come back from the labyrinth city, but I'd like to try a prototype, what do you think?"

"Of course I'm going to do it. What do you want me to do?" I'll help you too, sister.

"No, I only called Nomos. ......"

Before I knew it, Dineh and Dolly were behind Nomos, full of enthusiasm. They weren't here earlier, were they?

Sylphy's not here. He's escorting Sara and the others to the nest of the undead, so it would be unfortunate if he came back.

"I'm just going to have them make some tools, so Dine and Dolly won't have to help me."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

A disappointed Dine and Dolly are asked to stand by while I explain to Nomos how the distiller works and what it looks like.

"Hmmm, in other words, it uses the difference in evaporation temperature between water and alcohol to thicken the alcohol. The shape is also well thought out. But why make it out of glass?　Why not iron?　How fragile are they?"

"Well?　I don't know the details, but I think ...... metal would smell and taste different."

Maybe.

"I see, I can't have my sake smelling like metal."

"Yes, that's why I'll get out the sea sand and you can make a small prototype in glass."

"Yes, I'll take care of it."

Hey, Yuta. I've been listening to what you've been saying, and I know you can separate water and alcohol, right?"

Sharp criticism comes from Dine. I knew she knew about water.

"I thought about that too, but I think it would affect the taste to take out the alcohol completely, so I think it would be better to distill it normally."

We don't know what ingredients are left in the alcohol, and it is possible that the heat could change something.

"I see. I understand."

Deanne nods a little ruefully.

"Well, we should try to make it as basic as possible at first, and if it is designated as a sanctuary, Deanne and Nomos can have fun experimenting with it. With Deene's help, I'm sure we can make a strong drink."

"Mmmm, that sounds fun too. Nomos, let's work together.

Nomos seriously?　He's looking at me with a "what the hell? I'm sure Deanne will be useful, so good luck with that.

"Well, I'll go make a room for distilling, and you make a distiller. Good luck."

He averted his eyes and walked quickly away. I feel like I'm being stopped, but I don't care.

Okay!　Let's get to work. I took a large hewn rock pile out of my magic bag. First I need to make an entrance and hollow out the inside.

The entrance should be the same size as the door I bought from ...... Jill's place. I've already used the two I bought, so I'll buy some more when I go to pick up the house.

I'm used to hollowing out rocks and can easily complete the job with a magic saw, a magic shovel, a magic saw, a magic saw and so on. Ventilation is important because of the fire, so I added a few windows, although I'm worried about the strength of them. This is the most useful pioneering tool in a long time. It's not so fancy.