141 - - 139th episode. - Stay.

Nomos made the distiller and I made the building for the distillation. It was just hollowed out of a rock.

"Nomos, this one's ready, but did the distiller work?

"Well, it's in shape. Now it's time to use it and make some adjustments.

Adjustments. ...... It's very convenient, considering that everything is glass except where you put the alcohol in and out, and you can fine-tune it afterwards. I just think it looks a little tired.

The way she looks at me has a bit of a bitter glint in her eyes, and I guess she's thinking about the fact that I left her there after raising her spirits. ......Yeah, I'll pretend I don't notice.

"Great, just as I described."

There is a glass box about the size of an 18-liter kerosene tank and a glass box about half that size, with a glass tube connecting the two. The glass tubes are connected to each other. The tubes are turned sideways like springs, as I had requested.

I have never seen a distiller in person, so I can't say for sure that it is perfect, but it looks perfectly like a distiller. Let's give it a try. However, I'm worried about whether the distiller made from an amateur's drawing will work well or not.

I put the building I just made in the empty space in the center and set up the distiller. ...... Oh, I was thinking only about the ventilation and didn't think about the place to put the fire.

Since there is no fire spirit for now, we should heat it with charcoal, and it should be easier to control the temperature. For the time being, I'll use a grill this time.

Nomos as well as Dine and Dolly are looking at me with excitement, so it's hard to say that I forgot to make it now. First, let's put the coals in the grill and summon Belle to make the coals.

"Yuta, it's sparkling!"　

Belle is intrigued by the glass distiller. She flies around the distiller reflecting the sunlight coming in through the window, observing it. She is giving off an air of knowing, but does she know anything about it?

"Yes, it's a glass distiller that Nomos made for me. It's beautiful."

It's beautiful in my opinion, and I think there's something exciting and cool about the look of glassware. But now we need to get a charcoal fire going.

"Belle, I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to make this fire bigger."

"Yes, sir."

Belle gives the salute she just learned yesterday and flies happily to the grill. It's better to have a pose than just words, isn't it? I've asked her to do this many times before, so the procedure is perfect. The coals turn red in no time at all.

After the task is done, I pat Belle on the head, thank her for her help, and return her to her play. He looks at the distiller for a moment, but then goes back to the others to show off what he has done.

After that, we put the ale in the larger glass box and put it on the baking table. The other is placed on a rock at the same height.

"Now we're all set. Now all that's left is to let the alcohol evaporate at a temperature of about 80 degrees Celsius. Repeat the process two or three times, then put it in a barrel and let it sit for at least three years, and you should have a liquor similar to the whiskey you had the other day. (Maybe)."

I know that you can lay down alcohol in oak barrels, but I don't know what kind of wood oak is, so the only way is to lay it down in wine barrels. This is as far as I can go from what I have read in the comic books. I'll let the nomos do the rest.

It would be great if we could make something similar, since we don't use ale and peat, and we don't know what kind of wood the barrels are made of. It would be great if we could make something like it.

"Well, three years is a short time for us ......, but it's a long time to wait for a drink.

Dineh and Dolly nodded at Nomos' words.

"That may be true," Nomos said. But I've heard that freshly distilled liquor is not so tasty in its rough and strong state. Would you like to give it a try if you can?"

"Well, everything is an experience. Good sake is better, no doubt, but bad sake is still sake.

Nomos is talking about a theory that I don't understand. Am I the only one who thought it sounded like anything goes when it comes to alcohol?

"Well, it's going to take a while from here, so let's just take our time and see what happens. They say it's best to keep the temperature around 80 degrees, but I'm not sure, so I'll keep it at a temperature where it doesn't boil over with steam.

"Uh-huh, that's my sister's cue."

At my words, Dine came forward. She looked very proud.

"I don't know what the temperature is, but I can tell you what the water is like!

Deanne said with a bang. She's got a hell of a smug look on her face. I thought I'd have to rely on my intuition for the temperature since we don't have a fire spirit, but if she can tell the state of water, that means she can tell the temperature at which alcohol evaporates, too.

"That's great! That's the Great Spirit of Water! I can rely on you."

I'm not sure about the smug look on his face, but it's true that he is very reliable, so I give him a compliment.

"Woohoo!"

Dineh gets more and more proud. It's a sight for sore eyes, but I hesitate to praise her because she seems to be willing to go anywhere when I praise her.

"Well, let me know if the temperature is too low or too high and I'll adjust it.

"Let me!"

Dineh thumping her chest. She looks happy and motivated, but it's a little sad that Nomos next to her is looking at her with a faraway look in his eyes. I guess he is sad that the brewing of alcohol is going to be led by Dine.

From there, we follow Dine's advice and adjust the temperature by moving the coals closer and further away. After a while, droplets of water fell through the coiled glass tube and into the glass vessel on the other side.

"So this is the liquor that has been fortified, is it?"

Nomos asks me with a curious look on his face. The distiller's face and Nomos' face are very close to each other. I feel as if I might lick a drop of water off the distiller through the glass.

"Nomos, for now, don't touch it until the first distillation is finished.

"I know what I'm doing!"

Nomos looks disappointed, but the look of greed on his face makes it hard to trust him. If we weren't here, he'd be licking his chops for sure.

After spending some quality time fine-tuning the distiller, playing with Belle and the others who occasionally come to check on us, and having unusually slow conversations with the spirits without alcohol, the first round of distillation is over.

The lid is removed and the reduced alcohol is transferred to a glass container. It is clear and colorless, but the smell of alcohol is strong. Three big spirits with excited looks on their faces. I want to taste it. I put a little alcohol in a small plate and pass it to the three. Don't look so dissatisfied with the small amount.

"Well, the spirit is certainly stronger. It tastes ...... like barley, but it's not very good.

"Really. Is this going to be a drink similar to the whiskey Yuta made me drink?"

"Indeed it is. The whiskey that Yuta-san let me drink was amber in color, so I don't think it will be similar."

Three people look at me skeptically. I'm not at all sure, since it's my first time doing this myself.

"The color should be amber when it's in the barrel. Whiskey gets better with time in the barrel.

Maybe.

"Really?　That's strange."

For me, the genie is the wonder.

"Yuta-san, if ale can be distilled into whiskey, what happens when wine is distilled?"

"Brandy is a liquor. It's delicious too, so let's make it when we have time.

I said, and Dolly nodded smugly. She looks and acts like a daughter with a big window, but it's somehow strange that she loves drinking so much. When she drinks, she sips from the keg with a mug.

"Yuta, if you make the distillery big enough to keep the fire going, I'll bring you a fire spirit who likes to drink."

I have a feeling that Nomos is somehow mistaken. It's not that I collect spirits who like to drink. It's just that Sylphy brought them here and they all like to drink. ......?　Is it possible that Sylphy has chosen to bring along great spirits who like to drink?

...... Well, okay. It's easier if we have the same tastes. If we give them drinks regularly, they'll be in a good mood and more likely to do what we ask them to do.

"I don't know what will happen yet, but I might ask when the time comes. I'm sure Sylphy is thinking about it too, so please discuss it with her."

"Mm."

But what about a distillery for fire spirits?　It's not what I was expecting. ...... I'd like to have a cooler place if possible.

*****

We managed to distill one barrel of sake by the evening after lunch. The alcohol distilled three times was too strong for me, and the aroma was too strong ...... to be honest, but Dineh liked it surprisingly." I don't know what that means, but the rough sensation is not bad.

Nomos and Dolly were pleased with the stronger alcohol, but they did not like the taste. If they like it, they'll make a fuss to drink it before letting it sit for three years, thank goodness.

"Well, I'll keep this barrel."

Dine looks a little disappointed as she puts the time-stopper into her magic bag. It's the first sake I've ever made, and I want to keep this barrel for a long time, so I'll ask her to be patient this time.

"Deanne, I'm going to the labyrinth city soon, I'm going to buy up all the liquor, and then we'll drink it.

"Thank you, Yuta!"

He smiled and patted me on the head. He seemed to be very happy.

"Yuta-san, I'd like a brandy too, please."

"Okay. I'll try distilling wine next. I think you distill white wine, so I'll buy some of that too.

"Thank you very much. I'm looking forward to it."

Dolly seems to be interested in brandy. I'd like to try it too, and wine is next. I remember something about the precautions with distilling wine. ...... what was it again?　Hopefully I'll remember by the time I make it.

"Nomos, can you make the distiller bigger for a process like today?"

The prototype distiller is too small to fill a barrel full of liquor. We need to make it a little bigger.

"Hmmm...we can make it bigger if we increase the thickness to keep the ...... strength."　　　

"Well, can you make me a distiller three times the size of the prototype?"　　

"Yes, I'll take care of it. I'll be making a lot of booze when we get to the sanctuary. If you succeed, you can drink as much as you like.

That's unusual. Nomos is laughing with lust. Suddenly Nomos says "See you later" and disappears. What happened all of a sudden?

...... Oh, I see. I see Sylphy and Sara and the others flying in from the distance. You're that bad with kids.

Welcome back everyone. How was your day?

Master, I'm back. We successfully conquered the skeleton knight's nest and the zombie knight's nest today.

Sarah will give you a full report. She doesn't seem to be hurt, so it looks like it went well. Marco and Kikka are both in good spirits. They're praising her for a job well done. I'm a praise-and-extend kind of guy, so I have to be firm when I praise them.

I'm not saying ......, but Sarah and her friends never do anything that would make me angry even though they are kids. It's easy for me, but is it okay for the kids?

We thank Sylphy for escorting Sarah and the others and have dinner together. That night, Sylphy is furious with me right away. She was upset that I had done such a fun event as distilling alcohol without her. I apologized as fast as I could because I was really scared.

I tried it just because it came to my mind, but a proper adult has to be careful about such things, right? Even Sylphy loves to drink. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.