Chapter 20 A Scene In A Certain Tavern, Part Two
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Sigh… just as I thought. All the customers have left.”
While sighing in frustration, Gardreo flipped over the “OPEN” plate on the store’s door and changed it to “CLOSED.” However, when he returned to the store, he heard Melissa’s voice coming from the back.
”You don’t have the guts to drink alcohol in the middle of the day like this. The people of Babellion need to be diligent.”
“Which mouth?”
Gardreo headed towards the room behind the counter, a blue streak in his mane. Melissa orders a strong drink, Rigalvan orders a non-sweet drink, and Sarikir orders a recommended drink. Gardreo put his hand on his chin, thought for a moment about what would be good, and picked up a liquor bottle that was placed on the top shelf.
”Here you go, just as ordered, a strong and delicious drink.”
”It better not be mixed with anything.”
And then, an unnecessary comment. However, he already know Melissa’s giggly personality and have come to accept it. Moreover, he has confidence in the drink in his hand.
”You’ll understand once you taste it.”
With a defiant smile, he placed the bottle back on the table. The same drink for Melissa and Sarikir, and a different dry wine for Rigalvan.
Melissa reached out for the bottle on the table. She removed the cap and threw it onto the table, then brought her nose close to the mouth of the empty bottle and sniffed.
”Oh, it smells nice. Is it apple brandy?”
”Oh… I can smell it too.”
”Hey, you don’t even have a nose, do you?”
”Hohoho, I do have a sense of smell.”
The strong scent of apple-like fruits permeated through Melissa’s nose. However, when looking into the bottle, it appeared not amber but golden, and it seemed to shine ever so slightly.
”Give it a try. It’s delicious.”
”Oh, really? You’re saying that?”
Melissa respects and trusts Gardreo’s expertise in choosing alcohol. Since it was recommended by Raffanie, who has an unparalleled love for alcohol, she never doubted his taste.
Gardreo seems completely unconcerned about being told that the drink is not good; on the contrary, he seems like he wants to say that anyone who doesn’t understand this drink is foolish.
While glancing sideways at Gardreo’s confident face, Melissa smiled a few times with a small smile and brought the bottle to her lips, tilting it.
”Well… this is definitely delicious.”
Immediately after, the alcohol exploded in Melissa’s mouth. Even though she had only wet her tongue with a sip, the gust of flavor was so strong that it seemed to blow out from her nose and ears. The aroma was a sweetness of fruits. But it wasn’t just sweetness, it was rich, intense, and vivid, as if a punch from an apple-clad boxing glove had caused a massive explosion on her face.
”…Well…isn’t it too delicious? At least it’s not something you’d expect from a tavern in the middle of nowhere like this.”
Melissa stares at her bottle with a surprised expression, lost in thought. The bottle is just a colored thing with no special features. It just doesn’t have a label, so to speak.
”You see, even though it’s called an end-of-market place, it’s still classified as a high-end store, both in terms of pricing and prime location on the 98th floor, right?”
Compared to the high-end stores facing the main street, this store is located at the back and can be said to be inferior. However, the pricing is also appropriate for a high-end store.
But Melissa doesn’t seem convinced yet.
”Well, anyway…”
”Hohoho, it’s definitely delicious.”
Sarikir drinks the same drink as Melissa, strokes his beard, and smiles with satisfaction.
”Is it that delicious?”
”Would you like to try mine?”
”I’d love to have it.”
While Melissa and Sarikir rave about it, the other Rigalvan, who is the only one who has been given another drink, must have been interested. He takes the bottle from Sarikir, smells it, and takes a sip.
”Hmm, it’s definitely delicious. Not only the aroma, but it also makes me feel energized.”
Rigalvan didn’t usually like sweet sake that women prefer, but he didn’t dislike this one at all. It certainly had a strong fruitiness, but it wasn’t overpowering. It was like a forbidden domestic violence that gently caresses you after being punched.
”There’s something strong welling up from within your chest, right?”
”I think I’m getting really hot for some reason.”
It felt like a sensation where hidden abilities of the body were being unleashed, different from the effects of alcohol.
”Would you like some of the same alcohol, Rigalvan-sama?”
”It’s definitely delicious, but I prefer fire one.”
Saying that, Rigalvan gulped down the colorless liquid in the transparent bottle. With the alcoholic liquid that had a spicy taste and burned his throat, Rigalvan nodded satisfactorily.
On the other hand, Melissa still seemed unsatisfied.
”Hey, where did you get this guy? I want to add it to my favorites, you know.”
Melissa leaned in, forcefully grabbing Gardreo’s collar. She also stared at him with a serious look in her eyes, which made Gardreo seem a bit uneasy.
”Oh, well… I don’t think you can buy it normally, you know?”
He said, scratching his cheek with his index finger.
”What? Hey, you’re not talking about some kind of drink that’ll get me caught by Kolke, right!?”
Melissa slammed the bottle on the table with a loud thud. She glared at Gardreo with accusing eyes, as if she had touched something she shouldn’t have.
Seeing Melissa’s reaction, Gardreo turned pale and widened his eyes.
”No, no, please, spare me.”
He vigorously shook his head from side to side.
”Well, then, what is it?”
”…Let’s keep this just between us.”
Realizing that he couldn’t escape, Gardreo leaned in close to Melissa’s round tiger ears and whispered softly,
”Just now, Anego, you mentioned Apple Brandy, but in reality, this drink is distilled using the World Tree’s fruit as its main ingredient. Although only a hundred bottles are made in a year, the majority of them end up in Esmeralda-sama’s mouth. Well, it’s a gem of a drink that doesn’t come down to the common folk.”
”Are you sourcing such a grand drink through your connections? The owner of this small tavern?”
”That’s why it’s not just any ordinary tavern.”
”In other words, the overwhelming sensation of power I felt earlier was the World Tree’s blessing.”
”Hey, Sarikir. If you drink that, won’t you get purified? Shall I take it for you?”
”Please rest assured. The power of the World Tree is not of the Holy attribute, so it’s harmless.”
”I don’t care about that. Just hand it over to me.”
”Hohoho, it’s impolite to reach for someone else’s plate. Besides, putting your feet on the table is not something to be praised.”
”Kukuku, just like an old man and his spoiled granddaughter.”
Melissa reaches for the alcohol and goes wild, Sarikir skillfully dodges it. And Rigalvan, who kisses the bottle of alcohol and stirs it up in a grand manner, using their little battle as an appetizer.
While watching such a scene, Gardreo smiles softly and shrugs his shoulders, then returns to the counter, saying “Oh well.”
* * *
About an hour has passed since the calm atmosphere of the shop suddenly became lively. Gardreo, who was preparing for the next day since he wouldn’t be accepting any more customers after the three of them, was called out. Before he could respond with “What is it?” Melissa shouts for him to bring the next drink.
Since there is only a little bit of World Tree Brandy left, Gardreo doesn’t prepare a second bottle. Instead, he brings another delicious sake that is comparable to World Tree Brandy and heads towards the table.
After an hour has passed, the three people at the table are each in their own state.
Melissa, who has opened a 700ml bottle of brandy, has a face that was as white as snow, now turning bright red. Although she is not completely drunk, she seems to be feeling the effects of the alcohol to some extent.
Sarikir, who is neither flesh nor skin, does not have the ability to change expressions, and it is not even clear where the alcohol is absorbed in his skeletal body. There is no sign of being drunk, and it may be possible that Sarikir cannot get drunk at all, but then why can he taste, Gardreo wondered.
Rigalvan also remains unchanged from the beginning. Regarding Rigalvan, he demanded an additional bottle 30 minutes ago, and he has consumed nearly 1 liter of fire liquor, but there is no sign of being drunk at all. With one hand, he impatiently restrained Melissa, who was entangled with him.
Observing Melissa’s behavior, Gardreo had a question in mind. It was something he thought of when Melissa and the others entered the store, but he didn’t dare ask, yet it was a natural question to come up with.
”Hey, Anego.”
”Hmm? What is it?”
When Melissa, who was biting Rigalvan’s arm, turned her eyes towards him, Gardreo voiced his question.
”You guys are the superiors, right? Is it okay to be drunk at this hour?”
Gardreo had heard that the Four Major Army had set up a huge base in the 2nd floor to prepare for the enemy’s invasion. And yesterday, the First Army captured and occupied a city. The residents of the city within the Babellion were greatly excited about their first battle and victory, and in the northeastern district’s tavern, the residents were celebrating joyously.
However, Melissa and two others are high-ranking members of the Twelve Pillars of the Saint Tower, each entrusted with important units as captains. Gardreo questioned whether it was appropriate for them to be drunk and receiving no marching orders in a place like this. In response, Melissa, as if transformed into a different person, sobered up.
”I can’t say much… but there’s no way it doesn’t exist, right?”
She said with a meaningful glance.
”If that’s the case, aren’t you important folks busy? Instead of coming to this tavern, devote yourselves to His Majesty’s service with all your might and main.”
Gardreo narrowed his eyes, and Melissa chuckled.
”If you’re going to talk about loyalty and patriotism, then you should join in the military too. My high-level beast people are warmly welcomed you in the the Beast Army (Beastars). I’ll even reserve a captain’s seat for you.”
”Kukuku, trying to recruit for the prestigious Special Forces at a tavern, huh?”
”Hohoho, well, this is getting interesting.”
With these words, Melissa’s gaze roamed all over Gardreo’s body as if appraising a slave at an auction. It seemed like deceitful lies to deceive people with sweet words, but perhaps it was her true intention.
If what she said was true, then the captain’s seat in the Beasts Army was not just an honor; it would be gladly received by carnivorous beast-type [Therianthrope], but it might be too overwhelming, and they might be too elite to be interested.
However, Gardreo’s response was already decided.
”I’m good. I’m a retired veteran, you know. I’ve participated in wars to the point of hating them, and now, being a tavern master like this is more enjoyable.”
Gardreo shrugged his shoulders.
”I can’t understand that.”
Gardreo expected Melissa’s reaction to either persist or be laughed at as a joke. However, Melissa’s gaze sharply pierced through Gardreo’s foolishness and she said,
”In battles, where life and death are determined in a fraction of a second, I am always on the front lines, drenched in the blood of my enemies, tearing through them and slaying their commanders. And then, I receive praise from His Majesty. Isn’t this the way to truly live?”
Sarikir chuckled, and Rigalvan growled softly.
”That kind of thing is tiring.”
”Is that so? Well, even if you were to become the master of a tavern, you wouldn’t be able to meet His Majesty.”
”That’s different.”
Gardreo countered, pointing at the counter.
”I have met His Majesty multiple times. This battle axe was bestowed upon me by His Majesty’s own hand when I achieved the greatest merit.”
The wall pointed to by the finger proudly displayed a single battle axe. The double-edged axe, adorned with a lion design, exuded a strength that anyone could feel was extraordinary.
”I may not look like it, but I am one of the most senior soldiers in Babellion. When Babellion was first created, I was created as a [Cat Warrior (Werecat)] under the leadership of Felshiol-sama, who led the only army at the time. The Liutenant at that time was Raffanie-nee-san, who was still just a [Dark Spirit (Dark Elf)].”
Gardreo reminisced about the scenes of the past, thinking back to the early days of Babellion and sharing his memories.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.