CH 138

Afterwards, we continued our journey while I pounded away with the gun when chased by monsters, and threw masses of pepper bombs whenever pursued by bandits. The pepper bombs were terrifyingly powerful and were endowed with a fearsomeness (and moreover abnormal painfulness) that not only affected the targets hit by them, but also involved those around them (truly making them thrash around), allowing us to roundup all the bandits.

With all of this going on, we somehow managed to arrive in Ys safely. When I showed the note of Mr. Hero at Ys gate guard station, the official looked back and forth between me and the piece of parchment. And then, after being told to follow, we were brought to the guild.

The official, who brought us here, whispered with someone looking like a guild higher-up.

“You were entrusted with a letter by Sword?”

“Yes.”

Guessing that he probably meant the note, I handed it over.

“Hmm… you’re from the same place as Indra lad…err, missy, huh?”

“Ah, yes. I share a soul home with Lady Indra…or rather, how to put it anyway…?”

Much more important than how much I could actually reveal was the question whether he’d believe me in the first place. I kept it rather vague, but he still nodded.

“Got it. For starters, I’ll guide you to Sword’s place. Do you have a note for the maids as well?”

“Ah, that should be Lady Indra’s.”

She should have been the one who wrote that one.

＊

It was a huge, palatial residence we were led to next. The royal castle naturally was a palace, but this residence is at the level of a noble, isn’t it? Oh wait, Lady Indra used to be a noble, didn’t she? Incredible, that girl’s truly a cheat through and through.

I thought about all this while watching the guild’s higher-up whispering with a woman who had come out from the mansion.

After reading the document given to her, the woman looked my way and said, “First off, please return the weapons you were given by Lady Indra.”

I quickly did as told.

“I used up quite a few of the bombs…”

Since they were extremely effective against bandits, I threw lots and lots of them.

“No problem. Please return the rest.”

Once I handed over all the weapons I was given to Ms. Maid, I next held out the emergency kit to her.

“This is no weapon, so please keep it for yourself.”

Eh? That’s okay?

“Please allow me to guide you then.”

I was led into the mansion while still confused.

＊

My first impressions while being led around were: awesome and huge. The royal castle might actually be quite huge, but since I was isolated from the public parts of it, I don’t know most of the castle, I suspect.

“I shall give you a brief tour of the estate and then lead you to your private room.”

After being told so, she made us walk the mansion all over. She also explained the facilities while at it, but when I thought that it’d be impossible for me to remember all of it, it apparently showed on my face.

“You might have troubles finding your way around, but please feel free to address any of those walking in the mansion or the spider-shaped golems at any moment.”

Oh, so the golems are okay as well? Then I’m definitely gonna ask the Ryokus!

＊

On the first day I quickly fell asleep on my bed after being guided to my room. The bed’s padding was like urethane foam. Even the royal castle didn’t have anything like that! Or rather, even the bed I used in the other world was made out of pipes with a mattress installed on top! How come the one being used here is actually better!? While pondering about this and that, I fell fast asleep.

＊

When I got up in a hurry on the next day, Ms. Maid soon after showed up.

“Sorry, I was so tired yesterday…”

“Do not mind it. You must be exhausted from your long journey, so please rest up over the next few days. Lady Indra has also ordered for it to be handled in such a manner.”

Nothing less of Lady Indra! …I thought and intended to take it easy, but Mr. Rob was already working. Knights are cut from a different cloth, as expected. I do feel like I’ve grown physically stronger, but I think my exhaustion is actually of mental nature.

“Mr. Rob, it’s just what you’d expect from a member of a knight order. You’re already working?”

“Yes. I was allowed to join as a member of the brewers over here!”

When I chatted with him, he seemed extremely lively. He explained his new job with his eyes sparkling.

“…Huh? Mr. Her…Mr. Sword was brewing liquors?”

“The one brewing it is Lady Indra.”

There it is agaaaaaaaiiin! Cheeeeeeeeeeaat! And Mr. Rob also started to add an honorific title to her name!

＊

“Magnificent…! Lady Indra, who made such wonderful liquor, is truly fitting to be the partner of Hero 【Thunderclap Whitefang】! She posses an astounding wisdom and intelligence!”

I don’t think it’s my imagination that I can feel a tinge of fanaticism from Mr. Rob’s eyes. …Somehow it feels like a friend has departed to a place my hands can’t reach any longer.

＊

“Come to think of it, I have heard that you possess wisdom similar to that of Lady Indra, Mr. Amato,” the one in charge of the brewery asked me after jumping at me as soon as he spotted me.

“No, no, no, not at all! That person is way too incredible for me! I certainly understand some of the things she mentioned, but it’s not like I know that much!”

I’ll be in a bind if they expect too much out of me!

“I see…… Lady Indra’s letter mentioned that you might possess knowledge she doesn’t have, and suggested that we could ask you to give us advice on the liquor…”

Whoaaaa! Impossible! Doesn’t that person understand just how amazing she is!?

“No, no, no, I wasn’t kidding! Really! I can’t make liquor. In the first place, I don’t drink alcohol often!” I insisted, but I think you know from my having accepted the royal castle’s pleas that I’m weak against pressure.

In the end, it resulted in me tasting the drinks and giving advice…

＊

“Beer…no, that’s not it. It’s what you call ale, isn’t it?”

I drank it while secretly wondering how those two differed anyway. And after tasting it, I immediately knew.

“Ah, this is no beer. I used to be a fan of low-malt beer, but…oof, the flavor is quite strong. Okay, I got it. What has Lady Indra said about this?”

“She said she’s lacking the ingredients, probably making it impossible to recreate the one in her mind.”

Hee, I see.

“Umm, please ask Lady Indra whether she can’t make low-malt beer or malt-free beer.”

“Understood!”

All the brewers all went noisily into action.

“How about this here?”

“This is…wine? I’ll taste just a bit. I’m not strong against alcohol.”

I drank a bit and immediately understood.

“Oh, okay.”

“I-Is something wrong?”

“I’m not totally sure since I’ve only drunk cheap wine in the past, but if I remember correctly what I’ve heard back then, the flavor of wine changes with the quality of the grapes, or rather, its flavor is decided by the grapes. This made me wonder how to categorize this here.”

“…In other words?”

“Hmm, I think it might be better to lower the quality of the grapes a tad to match wine.”

The aroma is weak and the taste also lacks depth, somewhat. All in all it’s too thin. Sure, it’s delicious, but if you ask whether it tastes like wine…I think it’d be more accurate to call it grape liquor.

Once I looked at the brewer’s face while analyzing the drink in my mind, he was flustered, his face being like he received a devastating blow.

“Ah, it’s definitely tasty! It’s like grape liquor! Just, I thought it’s different from the wine I drank.”

“……Lady Indra mentioned something in that direction as well.”

Figures. Good luck, Mr. Wine Brewer.

＊

I was also asked to taste the whiskey and brandy, but I don’t know much about these drinks. I’ve never drunk them before. Oh, but if it’s a highball, I have tasted it in the past, I suppose.

When I told them, they immediately brought out a highball! So they want me to drink their liquor to such an extent, huh?

“Hmm, I think this mostly resembles the taste I remember? But seriously, I haven’t drunk that much alcohol in the past, okay? It’s said that expensive whiskey tastes like barley tea or some such, but you see, I’ve never tasted it myself.”

“The taste of barley tea, right? I got it!”

…Just what did he get?