373 - - Episode 371 Mel and Melal

We walked into the brewery, and Master Dirk's scent made me inadvertently tell him about cocktails. After some digging, plans were made to make shakers and grow fruits and other ingredients for the cocktails. I thought that they have an orchard, but it would probably not be ready in time for continuous harvesting with the help of the spirits of the forest.

At any rate, I escaped from the spirits who were asking me every detail when it was time for dinner, and we survived last night with a light banquet. The handbell concert by the little army was well received, and it must have been a good relaxation for the spirit kings.

"Well, Yuta, I'll come visit you again when Alvard gives me permission!"

"Okay. I'll at least have some good drinks and food ready for you then."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it!"

Then, Mr. Wind moves up into the sky and grows into a giant. The little spirits, who had been saying goodbye to the little army, fly to the back of Mr. Wind, urged by Mr. Alvard.

Then, Yuta, thank you for your help. By the time Yuta comes back next time, the spirits who work on the sake island will have been selected. Please take care of him then.

"Okay. I'll stock up on alcohol for use on the island."

Waving his hand, Mr. Alvard flew to Master Wind, and the giant Master Wind left at a great speed. Have you settled down for the time being?

Before we left, Light-sama told me to taste the sweetness again, and Fire-sama told me to remember as many details of the alcohol as possible, which made me feel like I had to do some homework.

"Mel, Meral, we'll leave when we're done getting ready, so just tell us what you can while you still can."

You can come to paradise anytime you want, but since Mel has a blacksmith shop, it's hard for you to come visit often.

"But, don't you need help with the preparations?"

"Yes, I'm fine with the preparations because I just have to listen to what the spirits have to say and leave what I need, so I don't have to help them."

Basically, I've got everything in my magic bag, so I don't forget anything. In a way, it's like moving the whole house.

"Thank you very much. Now, I'm going to have a little chat with Mr. Meral.

"Thank you, Yuta."

"Well, I don't think we'll have that much time to talk."

I gave him a cup of tea, thinking he would at least need something to drink, and got ready to leave. In the meantime, I'll ask Dine and Ruby if they need anything. Oh, and Bell and the others have rented some small things from Emme's general store, and I should tell them to return them.

All we have to do now is to ask Sylphy and fly to the labyrinth city. Let's get ready quickly.

Yuta, are you sure the shaker is like this?

"Yeah?"

I turned around to find Nomos waiting for me with the shaker I briefly described yesterday. He had already made them yesterday. So you waited for the Spirit Kings to leave.

"Well, ...... the shape looks like it, but it's too big. I think it was about a third of that size.

I don't know the official size of the shaker or anything, but I do know that it is not so big that it could be mistaken for a 2-liter plastic bottle. I mean, I told you the approximate size yesterday, didn't I?

"Hmm?　I knew it. I must not have misheard. So this is the shaker?"

"Oh, yes, something like that."

They made a decent-sized one, too. Then why did you make a giant shaker?　

"Well, but that's not going to hold nearly enough booze!

"I think so too. According to Yuta-san, you put in juice and ice along with the alcohol, don't you?　Will it be a proper alcoholic drink?"

Oh, surprise, surprise, Deanne and Dolly have the same reaction. I knew they were good friends, but I thought their ideas didn't mix like water and oil.

But then I found out why they built the giant shaker. I guess they made them bigger because they hold less alcohol.

"Yuta, I agree with you."

Even Sylphy agrees with me...... No, it seems that all the Great Spirits agree. Oh, I see, unlike humans like me, the Great Spirits consume alcohol in the sake barrels, so maybe they can sense that a regular shaker won't make it in time.

Maybe the first haunted shaker I saw will become the standard among the spirits.

I would like to prevent that if possible. A beautiful bartender in a dimly lit bar. A 2-liter shaker is shaken vigorously. I feel like everything is going to be ruined.

"Let's see, ...... the smaller size is definitely the right one. Most cocktails are usually made in amounts ranging from a sip or two to a full glass. It's kind of like cooking the drink delicately, so I don't think a large shaker is the best choice for cocktails."

"Delicately cooked?　Even though it's a drink?"

"Yeah, maybe. I don't know, I'm not a pro, but I've heard that pros adjust the mixture of ice and liquid in the shaker."

Cartoon knowledge. I've been to bars many times, but I've never asked that question, so the truth is a mystery to me.

"So, bartending requires a lot of skill."

"Yes. I heard that the other kind of cocktail, stirred with a stick, also requires a lot of skill. I think I read something about turning the ice so that it doesn't hit the ice.

In the comic book.

"In the meantime, you might want to fill a shaker with ice and study the movement inside when you shake it, or practice rotating the ice water nicely with a stick."

"Well, I think you should practice with alcohol, sister, as a great spirit of water."

That's just Dineh wanting to drink spirits. Whew, I stumbled on a place that was supposed to be a quick departure. But I have to convince her of that, or she's going to drink all the spirits. Let's do our best. I've got to convince them and get ready to go.　

**

Master gave me some time, so I decided to have tea with Meral-sama at the floating island for tea ceremony in the Rose Garden. The atmosphere is not quite right since there are no tables and chairs yet, but I feel like a young lady having tea on the floating island surrounded by roses in full bloom.

Master said he's going to furnish the labyrinth city for the tea ceremony, so I'm sure we'll be able to enjoy a more beautiful atmosphere the next time we come here.

"Meral-sama, you won't be able to see us after we leave here, right?"

Even though I know that Master has told me, I still feel a little sad to think that Meral-sama will be out of sight. I heard that this place is called "Paradise for Spirits" and it was just like a paradise for me too.

I was worried when I entered the land of death, but I think Master is really an amazing person who pioneered such a place from scratch.

I feel like I did not want to know about the spirit tree, the gravity stone island, and the spirit kings, but I am sure that I am still happy to see Master Meral and hear his voice directly.

"Yes. I can't see him when I leave the sanctuary. But don't worry, I'm always here for you."

Perhaps sensing my loneliness, Meral-sama cheers me up. When Master gave me a picture of Meral-sama, I was surprised that it was a little different from what I imagined. But when I met him in person, he was just as kind and dependable as the signs I always felt close to him.

"Hmmm, yes. I also remember that she was always with me when I cried, even when we were not under contract. But now that I think about it, even though we didn't have a contract, you were with me a lot, weren't you?　Wasn't there a problem?"

"Yeah, well, you know. Yeah, well, he was clumsy. I was watching him for him. I'm just filling in for the contractor, so it wasn't a problem. But he was always worried about Mel."

It is true that my father was clumsy except for blacksmithing. He was a terrible housekeeper, which is hard to imagine from the dynamic yet delicate movements he had when he was blacksmithing. .......

But I am sure that he loved me as much as he could after my mother's early death. And thanks to the presence of Meral and Yunisu, I was never lonely. I am sorry to say this, but maybe I felt like Meral was like my mother.

"Don't worry. I know my father always cared about me even though he was clumsy."

"It's okay if you know. He was so easily misunderstood. It would be a pity if even my daughter was misunderstood."

Meral relaxes as if relieved. I have never seen my father communicate with Master Meral. Like me before I met Master Meral, he must have thought that I could only express my feelings through spells.

Still, when I see the expression on Master Meral's face, I know that there was a strong bond between my father and Master Meral, and that makes me very happy. When I can see you, I can understand your feelings that I couldn't understand only through communication. I envy you, Master, who can see spirits in everyday life.

"Yes, I love both my father and Meral-sama."

"Oh, yeah. I love you too, Mel."

It's kind of embarrassing, isn't it? But it's really fun to see you in person and talk to you. I would be happy if you could bring me here at least once a year, but I wonder if it would be possible if I ask your master to do so.

It's a very precious place, and I'm afraid I'll sound brazen, but I'll do something about it.

Okay, now I'm feeling motivated. I was worried that I would not be able to make it as a blacksmith because I did not have many customers, but I can still do my best as long as I have a goal.

I will become a full-fledged blacksmith and make the workshop I inherited from my father prosper. No, it was not enough to be a blacksmith. It's also important to become a full-fledged spirit worker who will be recognized by Master and Meral-sama.

"Mel, what's wrong with your hands suddenly clenched?"

"I was just getting into it. Let's do our best in the labyrinth city and ask the master to bring us back to paradise again."

"That would be nice. Yuta goes back to paradise about once every two times?"

"No, ...... I would be happy to see you a lot, but with the workshop and all, I don't think I will be able to see you that often."

Master comes to the labyrinth city quite often, and if he were to take me there every two times, my workshop would be destroyed.

"I see. No, you're right. It's the workshop I inherited from him. Mel has to protect it.

"Yes."

However, if he is so happy, once a year may be too little. It is up to the master, but I would like to ask him to come twice a year. I will ask him when I leave.