Chapter 313

Episode 313 The old man who brews (2)

After he finished eating the bread, the old man wiped away his tears and collapsed into his seat.

It was only a piece of bread, but it was enough to satisfy hunger.

“Thank you. I owe you.”

“What are you doing with something like this?”

I smiled as if I liked the answer.

“It is not easy to do good to such an old man in a dark and narrow alley, and he does not even know his face. I’d like to hear your name...”

“This is Ray.”

“Ray... that’s a good name. I’ll be sure to remember it. My name is Kerven.”

He silently nodded his head at the old man’s words.

After the situation was settled to a certain extent, Ray, like the old man, casually put his butt on the floor.

“Youngcha. Rather, what happened to the old man in this alley?”

Although Deron Village is prospering, the security is still not at a stable level.

Especially in times like now where adventurers and mercenaries are infested.

The old man probably didn’t even know about it, but he was lying face down in an alleyway, so he wondered what the hell was going on.

Upon receiving Ray’s question, Kerven smiled self-deprecatingly.

“I am ashamed to say it, but I am a brewer. He’s a brewer who can’t even make money because he can’t find money to buy ingredients.”

“...”

“Ten years.”

The old man continues the words that do not connect smoothly.

“I haven’t made alcohol in the past ten years. It was insanely hard to make just one drink. When I was young, I only thought that alcohol saved people. But at that time, I didn’t know the world yet, and I was just being swayed by my youthful spirit. If you think about it, all the culprits started with alcohol. Heh heh heh.”

There must have been a lot of things accumulated during that time, but even as I caught my breath with my weakened body, my mouth did not rest.

“...It would be funny if I said it like this, but drinking alcohol is a way to break one’s heart. Forget poverty, forget sorrow, hide bitterness, wash away despair. There is always something to lose.”

Listening to the pathetic voice, it seems that there is a story behind it.

Ray listened intently to his words.

Certainly, as he said, there are countless people who throw away their lives with alcohol.

It cannot be said that there are no beneficial parts of alcohol, but the harmful parts cannot be denied either.

Rather than clumsily comforting the old man, he chose to just close his lips and listen to the story.

At first glance, an awkward silence seemed to follow, but old Kerven felt comfortable with it.

I’m even thankful that he deliberately doesn’t say anything out of consideration for himself.

In some other areas, interest arose.

What is the reason for hiding the face by wearing a robe in broad daylight?

Why did I help an old man who I had no one to know, even putting my circumstances behind me?

Old Kerven spat out the words involuntarily.

“Would you like to come and see my brewery?”

* * *

The old man’s brewery was much better than I thought.

He can’t brew alcohol because he doesn’t have money to buy ingredients, but he’s a brewer of a considerable level, judging from the state of his tools.

Derp had said it before.

‘A guy who can’t even take care of his own tools doesn’t deserve to be called a craftsman.’

According to him, the old man is fully qualified.

The old man made a small gesture at the neatly organized brewery.

Ray looked around and said.

“It’s a nice brewery.”

“This is my workshop. It’s a little bit like a return for helping me, but it’s okay to come over anytime.”

I don’t know how long I’ve been brewing, but the savory scent of alcohol permeates the wood.

To brew alcohol until the lumber of the brewery, which is made by pickling in seawater for half a year, becomes this much.

It was clear that the old man was intoxicated.

Even so, one funny thing is that the tool maintenance was amazing, but the housework was very bad.

He was the one who stole the secret swordsmanship of another family over his shoulder.

It wasn’t just one or two recipes.

Although there are no spices, his cooking skills shined.

After tasting it, Ray nodded and put down the wooden plate.

“There is no meat, but eat as much as you want. It will satisfy your hunger.”

The old man’s eyes widened as he ate a spoonful.

It’s just herbs and rabbit meat that taste bitter, but what is this taste!

The piece of meat, which should have a sour smell, has a light taste, and the broth with a bitter flavor is truly a delicacy.

The old man who quickly emptied a bowl burst into laughter.

How long have you been homeless to get this level of skill?

“Heh heh... It tastes great. Is it because of the disappearance of

hunger ?

The world seems to look a little brighter.

Ray tilted his head and asked.

“Why have you been starving? If you look, you will find places to eat and plenty of weeds to eat.”

Even if you look at the poor villages, there are people who peel off the bark of trees and cook porridge to survive.

Of course, is it not better than not eating something like that to have any nutritional value?

Kerven shook his head.

“It’s not okay to get and eat it. The people who live in this village have nothing good to do with me.”

“why?”

“...Have you heard of emotional wine?”

appraiser?

I don’t remember hearing it.

When Ray didn’t answer, Kerven started talking.

“Emotional wine is said to contain emotions. It’s a rumor that has been circulating in this town for more than ten years.”

put your emotions in

Isn’t that pretty lucky!

he said, licking his lips.

“If it really is, I’d like to try it at least once.”

The old man laughed as he put firewood into the brazier.

“Yes.”

“Is there?”

“There may be exaggerations, but there are no groundless rumors. ten years ago. The last drink I drank is the identity of emotionalism that is often talked about now.”

“yes?”

This one surprised even Rei a little.

Could it be that the old man is a craftsman who brews enough sake to create rumors like that?

Looking at the weak-looking hands and forearms, it is definitely not a brewer.

More than anything, I couldn’t understand the current situation where he was driven to the brink of starvation even though he had such ability.

Perhaps guessing Ray’s intentions, Kerven continued.

“Gamjeongju only made one doe. There were only six bottles in total. I overcame my sorrow and shared it with those around me. No, it would be more accurate to say that I wanted to forget.”

“...can’t you make it again?”

At those words, Kerven smiled and nodded.

“Emotional wine is literally a drink that contains the emotions of the person who made it. It was the wine I brewed after the death of my only son ten years ago. I will never feel that kind of sadness again in my life, so it’s only natural that I can’t make it. ha ha ha.”

There were tears in the laughter.

“It’s not just one year, it’s ten years. Countless people looking for emotional wine came to me. There have been several times when a sword has been put through my throat.”

Of course it will.

Humans are uglier than monsters in terms of greed.

They will do anything to get what they want.

He probably didn’t say anything, but he must have been tortured, judging by the long marks running down his collarbone and forearm.