Chapter 78: predecessor
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After we were treated to breakfast, we left Klaus's mansion and returned to the lodge.
When I told Amanda the story of how I came to be staying at the inn, she got angry at me for drinking too much.
I went back to my room, took off my other clothes and bathed in water before changing into my normal clothes.
'Reinhardt....'
"Yes, Master Kent?
'Do all the noblemen live their lives like that, with all their resolve?
"There were many a nobleman in our day, but those who lived with the pride of nobility were prepared to do so.
'Yeah, well...'
"But there were some, not all of them, who wore their noblemen's robes with no preparation or consideration for what they were about to do.
I had assumed that Beatrice was making fun of me because she was embarrassed by my embarrassment during the treatment.
It never occurred to me that she was so determined to do that, and on top of that, she was doing me a favor.
I was repulsed by the way he used even his beloved daughter for the benefit of the city, but if I listened carefully, I was reminded that I was the one who wasn't prepared to do so.
'What would you do, Master Kent, if you could go back to your old world?
Yeah I'm starting to think about staying on this side of the world.
Do you have family in your former world?
'Yeah ... just in case ... but we don't get along very well ...'
Well, well...
My father is an executive of a big company and has a mistress, so he rarely comes home.
My mother is a gambler and shopaholic, so she rarely comes home.
My grandmother on my father's side raised me, but she passed away from cancer last year.
I have always had mixed feelings of wanting my grandmother, who was suffering from the terminal stage of cancer, to get well, and wanting her to pass away peacefully and without suffering.
When I was summoned to this world, I think I was dozing off and dreaming about my grandmother.
Maybe that's why I got both the light attribute of healing and the dark attribute of death.
''If I were to remain in Volzard, I wouldn't be able to choose the chairman of the committee, would I?
Wouldn't it be better if I asked you to stay with me?
'That would be like asking the chairman to abandon his family and...'
"So, will you return to your world with your saint?
'When I return to Japan, I don't even know if I can use magic, and if I can't, I'm just a clunker and won't be able to match the chairman. Besides, they need me in Volzard...
'Then will you choose Miss Manon or Miss Beatrice or the two of you to remain in Volzard?
'Ummm...'
In the first place, I've never been looked at by a girl before, so it's hard to believe that I'm in a position to choose the opposite.
By the way, Kent-sama, are you able to visit Dino-dono-dono at the Libre Plantation...?
Oh, my goodness, I almost forgot.
We decided to think again about the committee chairs and asked Amanda to visit the Liebling farm.
On the way, we stopped at the henhouse and picked up some cookies.
The leeble trees that used to grow in abundance when I came to Volzard have now shed their leaves and are getting ready for the winter and the farm looks somewhat sad.
Dino-san, Bruno-san and his son seem to be looking up at the tree and marking it with something.
'Hello, Dino-san and Bruno-san,'
'Oh! Kent, Kent, isn't it, you've come a long way, you've come a long way.
When I called out to him, Dino-san greeted me with a big smile.
''I'm sorry it's been so long, but, um, I'd like you all to enjoy this.
What, you don't bring any gifts, you don't bring any gifts, you don't bring anything.
Well I'd like to thank you all for all the help you've given me...
What do you mean? We're the ones who are indebted to you. Now, go on, go on, enjoy your stay at home.
'Yes, thank you. But I thought you weren't at work?
Well that's what I was doing, marking the branches to be pruned.
Pruning...?
Yes, next year's harvest is very important to us.
Liebling trees are pruned when they are dormant in the winter to cut off any weak or excess branches.
'Extra or weakened branches reduce sun exposure and growth,'
'I see...'
But I couldn't tell which were the extra branches and which were the weak ones.
Ho-ho-ho, that's just years of experience and intuition!
Mr. Dino showed his chest, and his son, Bruno, held up his hands in a show of help.
'What? Don't you understand, Mr Bruno?'
'No, not at all, but I'm not as good as my father...'
Bruno smiles bitterly, but he still looks proud of himself.
Until about two years ago, I wasn't quite good enough, but I think I've caught on, so I think it's time to leave it to you.
Dino-san has a happy smile on his face, but he looks a little sad here.
For me, I want Dino-san to be healthy and do the work he loves, but maybe it's too old for him.
When Dino-san takes me to the main house, his wife, Mya, greets me with a big smile on her face.
'Well, well, it's not Kent, you've come a long way, come on up and take your time.'
Hi. Sorry to interrupt.
He told me that neither Dino's back nor Mya's knee had been in pain since then, and that they both seemed to be getting younger.
'By the way, Kent, what's the matter with you today, did you need something?
'Ah, yes, as a matter of fact, I was invited to Klaus's mansion last night to have a drink of the new liquor from Libre.
I see, isn't this year's new brew a good one?
'Yes, it was very good. It's just....
It's just, what, is something wrong?
'No, it was my first time drinking it, so I'm sorry I couldn't tell you how it compared to previous years or what the difference was.
'Ho-ho-ho, well, it's only natural that you can't tell the difference the first time you take it.
'Yes, but I was kind of giddy to think that it helped make the new brew a little bit.
More than a little. The only reason why this year's harvest and preparation went off without a hitch is because of Kent's massage. I really appreciate it. Thank you, Kent.
Oh, no, no, yes, you're welcome.
Dino-san smiles at me, and I'm embarrassed to have him thank me face to face, isn't it?
When I told him that I had had a chance to try some of the 3, 5, and 10 year old livresseed at Klaus's house, Dino led me to the brewery where the wine was stored.
When we were harvesting, we only saw this brewery from the outside, as the squeezed juice was being carried into the large barrels in another warehouse.
The brewery is a sturdy stone, semi-underground structure, with only a few windows for ventilation.
Klaus-san told me that you protected the sake, but with this sturdiness, it's unlikely that a goblin or so would be able to get in.
I opened the sturdy door and walked in, and the smell of wood from the barrels wafted through the cool air.
'Kent, could you close the door for me...'
Dino switched on his lampshade and led us slowly through the brewery.
What's in the front is newer, and the further back you go, the older the sake.
The barrels are branded with the year they were made and are neatly arranged.
It's like being in a cave, separated from the outside world.
This place is designed to have a slower temperature change than the outside world. "This is where we put the sake to sleep and let it mature slowly," he says.
After all, are they good or bad depending on the year?
Well, when the weather is inconsistent, the leavers are not as good as they could be. The berries don't grow well, they lack sweetness.
I see that the quality of the leavers affects the drinks as well.
Well, the libre is looking good this year. It's going to be a good one.
Dino looks lovingly at the barrels, one by one, and walks to the back of the brewery.
'But then the liquor from a bad libre year would go unsold...'
You think so? But just because we had a bad crop of livres, doesn't mean the drinks are bad, too.
Is that so?
Hmmm, sometimes the sake that you think is lacking in sweetness in the livre will grow into something unique after three or four years of aging.
'Is that something you can roughly anticipate once you've had a new drink?
Yes, up to a point. I don't know what happens to people after five years of sleep, either. See, even people change after five years.
I guess that's true.
But sometimes the core remains unchanged. People and alcohol are interesting things...
When we returned from the brewery, Mya had baked a cake for Liebling.
Kent, Mya's cake is excellent.
Ho-ho-ho, you can eat it all, if you want.
'Yes, I'll take it... hmmm! Delicious......
What do you think? It's great, isn't it?
Yes, it's very good.
Yes, I'm glad you liked it.
Mya's cake has a mixture of chopped dried reables and a few nuts, and the taste, aroma and texture are beyond reproach.
'It smells like leave-brewed liquor, and it's already spreading in my mouth... and I'm so happy.
Ho-ho-ho, that's right, that's right, that's the scent of twenty-year-old livre.
Dino poured the amber liquid out of a bottle in the cupboard into a small glass and served it to me.
We were more than five meters away, but as soon as I poured it into the glass, a mellow aroma wafted through the air.
'Here, this is a twenty-five year old, try it.
Thank you.
It's bad. Just holding the glass up to your mouth makes you feel happy.
It's so good in your mouth that you feel like you're immersed in a leeble bath.
The aroma of wood, the scent of livre, the deep taste, the alcohol content is supposed to be high, but there's no sharpness anywhere, and the warmth spreads slowly.
'Mr Dino, this is not good.'
I'm very proud of you!
I can't drink anything else if you're drinking this much alcohol.
'Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho...'
If I kept drinking it, it would be a repeat of last night's, so I decided to just drink it as it was, and enjoy the rest of it by dipping it into my tea for a bit.
As for the cake, Meisa would be angry with me if I only enjoyed it and only listened to her stories, so I asked her to wrap a bit of it up as a gift.
''Hey Kent, you said you were invited to Klaus-sama's mansion earlier, but...''
Oh, well, actually, I mean...
I was working on the plantation here when I first came to Volzard, and I still explained to Dino-san and the others that I was a survivor of the merchant corps.
So I told them that I was summoned here, that I could use light and dark magic, and that I was invited to dinner because all of my subordinates were active.
''Was the last extreme outbreak okay? Did you experience any damage?
Oh, they didn't do any damage. It was like they were just resting their weary bones.
True, the walls are a big help now.
What do you mean now... it wasn't there before?
I asked because I was curious about what Mya had said, and she nodded and told me.
'Yes, when I came to marry you, this area was still outside the city walls.
'Really? So, did demons ever come out of your body then?
'Well, unlike the woods, where you have a clear line of sight, you could have been fine as long as you were careful, but we've had orcs and ogres come to us sometimes.
Wow... was this really such a dangerous place?
Really ... when I got married, I was living in tears because I thought I'd been cheated ...
When Mya-san turns her gaze to him with a smile, Dino-san cowers her shoulders and looks bummed out.
''I heard that the Liebling farm is only busy during the harvest season, or that they make money from selling alcohol and dried fruit... I thought I could live nonchalantly on a large farm, but it's a hell of a lot better.
Well, I suppose I had to convince him, otherwise he wouldn't have any girls to marry me in this place.
When Dino and Mya were young, the farm was still outside the city walls, and when there was a mass outbreak of demons, for example, they would sit inside the house and wait patiently for the alarm to be lifted.
If you ask me, this main house is also made of sturdy stone, and the other buildings are built in the same way, except for the new workshop.
'I once spent three weeks cooped up in it before the goblin herd disappeared.
Bruno was just a newborn at the time.
Really, I couldn't dry my diapers and that's all I could think about every day, wondering what I was going to do.
They're both smiling and talking about it, but at the time it was harder than I could have ever imagined.
'Well didn't you feel cheated and think about getting a divorce or something?'
'Well there were times when I first came here that I felt that way. But when I saw our people working really hard, I didn't feel that way anymore.
While working on the farm, Dino often participated in the construction of the wall, working only at the end and the beginning of the year, so that his family could live in peace as soon as possible.
The construction of the wall is a symbol of Volzard's development and a bastion of security for the people, so it is natural to work for both the family and the town.
Even when I was here, I was amazed at the way Dino worked after my back pain was healed.
Even though he was about my grandfather's age, he was strong, and most importantly, I was overwhelmed by the difference in experience he had gained over the years.
His big, thick, rugged, wood-carved hands looked like the medals of a hard worker.
'So it's good to be fooled now, then?
'Ho-ho-ho, yes, you're right, dear, thank you for tricking me.
Ho-ho-ho-ho, I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be thanked for my deception, but I am the one who should be thankful, thank you, Mya.
They are smiling and laughing at each other, and they look like a really close couple.
The bond between them is probably the result of the long hardships they have gone through together and the fact that they have cared for each other for so long.
Will I be able to laugh like this with someone else in the future?
In order to do so, do I have to turn down someone's thoughts?
'Kent ... Kent ...'
Uh, oh, yes...
What's the matter, is something bothering you?
'Well, no....I mean....yes...'
I don't know if this old man and his old lady can help you, but you should talk to them.
'Um... yes...'
I was a little embarrassed, but I talked to Dino-san and the others about the chairman, Manon, and Beatrice, including the rescue mission from Riesenburg and the treatment at the nomination request.
'Oh, Kent, you did a great job ... well done.
When I finished speaking, Mya got up and hugged me.
"Mmmmmm, that's great Kent, you've done well.
'Thank you. But I just came running in selflessly, and what can I say, I'm left dizzy and swept away...
Well, that sounds a bit flirtatious to me, as a woman, doesn't it?
As a man, I'd be jealous...
You!
Honestly ... no, it's nothing ...
Yeah, it seems that Volzard has a lot of horrible wives.
'Kent.........'
Hey, what's this?
So, which of the girls do you like best?
'Well the three of you are all terribly cute, you have good personalities, and you like me...'
You can't decide, can you?
Yes.....
Good God, what a good little girl...
Yes I'm sorry.
I think Mya was taken aback by this, but I don't blame her.
'Kent, did you know that polygamy is allowed in the Landsholt Republic?
Yes, I've heard that.
Yes, so you know the option is to be linked to all three of us.
Yes, in case you were wondering...
Then you know why polygamy is allowed?
What, why...?
I've heard that in animals, it's to preserve the genes of strong individuals, but in humans, it's because of the status of people with money?
'Originally, it was because so many people lost their lives in warfare and defeating demons.
Does that mean there was a small percentage of men in the room?
'Yes, friends and acquaintances took people who were widowed or who had lost a lover to marry them to support their lives, but not anymore.
Volzard is called the farthest city, it's right near the Demon Forest, and I've heard of many people losing their lives in dungeons.
Still, it doesn't seem to have an extremely small percentage of men, and there are many people who live off of non-adventurer jobs.
So polygyny is no longer encouraged like it used to be, and having more than one partner makes it a reasonable hardship.
It's true that if you're a normal person, you're going to have to bear a lot of financial burden, and more than anything else, you're going to have the backbiting and envy of those around you, of course.
In fact, I'm being meddled with by Nazario, and I've been exposed to the vindictive stares of the boys in my class.
''Is it better to choose one of them after all?
'Well from a woman's point of view it would be preferable, but it's not logical to like someone.
How do I...
'You have to be honest with yourself, be honest with others, don't lie, don't hide anything from them, at least that's the least you can do.
So far, I've tried to hide it as much as possible when I kissed or hugged someone, but after we found out about each other's existence, that means it's not good enough.
'Kent you're hiding something, aren't you?
Yeah how do you know that? No, no, it's not that I haven't had a chance to report it yet, or...
Add the other one to that, and talk to them properly and tell them how you feel now.
'Yes yes I will,'
That's right, no matter how difficult it is to talk about, if I don't talk about it without hiding it, I won't be able to respond to the feelings of the chairman and Manon.
Besides, in order to respond to Beatrice's resolve, I once again realized that I had to think more seriously about it and convey my feelings to her firmly.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
After we were treated to breakfast, we left Klaus's mansion and returned to the lodge.
When I told Amanda the story of how I came to be staying at the inn, she got angry at me for drinking too much.
I went back to my room, took off my other clothes and bathed in water before changing into my normal clothes.
'Reinhardt....'
"Yes, Master Kent?
'Do all the noblemen live their lives like that, with all their resolve?
"There were many a nobleman in our day, but those who lived with the pride of nobility were prepared to do so.
'Yeah, well...'
"But there were some, not all of them, who wore their noblemen's robes with no preparation or consideration for what they were about to do.
I had assumed that Beatrice was making fun of me because she was embarrassed by my embarrassment during the treatment.
It never occurred to me that she was so determined to do that, and on top of that, she was doing me a favor.
I was repulsed by the way he used even his beloved daughter for the benefit of the city, but if I listened carefully, I was reminded that I was the one who wasn't prepared to do so.
'What would you do, Master Kent, if you could go back to your old world?
Yeah I'm starting to think about staying on this side of the world.
Do you have family in your former world?
'Yeah ... just in case ... but we don't get along very well ...'
Well, well...
My father is an executive of a big company and has a mistress, so he rarely comes home.
My mother is a gambler and shopaholic, so she rarely comes home.
My grandmother on my father's side raised me, but she passed away from cancer last year.
I have always had mixed feelings of wanting my grandmother, who was suffering from the terminal stage of cancer, to get well, and wanting her to pass away peacefully and without suffering.
When I was summoned to this world, I think I was dozing off and dreaming about my grandmother.
Maybe that's why I got both the light attribute of healing and the dark attribute of death.
''If I were to remain in Volzard, I wouldn't be able to choose the chairman of the committee, would I?
Wouldn't it be better if I asked you to stay with me?
'That would be like asking the chairman to abandon his family and...'
"So, will you return to your world with your saint?
'When I return to Japan, I don't even know if I can use magic, and if I can't, I'm just a clunker and won't be able to match the chairman. Besides, they need me in Volzard...
'Then will you choose Miss Manon or Miss Beatrice or the two of you to remain in Volzard?
'Ummm...'
In the first place, I've never been looked at by a girl before, so it's hard to believe that I'm in a position to choose the opposite.
By the way, Kent-sama, are you able to visit Dino-dono-dono at the Libre Plantation...?
Oh, my goodness, I almost forgot.
We decided to think again about the committee chairs and asked Amanda to visit the Liebling farm.
On the way, we stopped at the henhouse and picked up some cookies.
The leeble trees that used to grow in abundance when I came to Volzard have now shed their leaves and are getting ready for the winter and the farm looks somewhat sad.
Dino-san, Bruno-san and his son seem to be looking up at the tree and marking it with something.
'Hello, Dino-san and Bruno-san,'
'Oh! Kent, Kent, isn't it, you've come a long way, you've come a long way.
When I called out to him, Dino-san greeted me with a big smile.
''I'm sorry it's been so long, but, um, I'd like you all to enjoy this.
What, you don't bring any gifts, you don't bring any gifts, you don't bring anything.
Well I'd like to thank you all for all the help you've given me...
What do you mean? We're the ones who are indebted to you. Now, go on, go on, enjoy your stay at home.
'Yes, thank you. But I thought you weren't at work?
Well that's what I was doing, marking the branches to be pruned.
Pruning...?
Yes, next year's harvest is very important to us.
Liebling trees are pruned when they are dormant in the winter to cut off any weak or excess branches.
'Extra or weakened branches reduce sun exposure and growth,'
'I see...'
But I couldn't tell which were the extra branches and which were the weak ones.
Ho-ho-ho, that's just years of experience and intuition!
Mr. Dino showed his chest, and his son, Bruno, held up his hands in a show of help.
'What? Don't you understand, Mr Bruno?'
'No, not at all, but I'm not as good as my father...'
Bruno smiles bitterly, but he still looks proud of himself.
Until about two years ago, I wasn't quite good enough, but I think I've caught on, so I think it's time to leave it to you.
Dino-san has a happy smile on his face, but he looks a little sad here.
For me, I want Dino-san to be healthy and do the work he loves, but maybe it's too old for him.
When Dino-san takes me to the main house, his wife, Mya, greets me with a big smile on her face.
'Well, well, it's not Kent, you've come a long way, come on up and take your time.'
Hi. Sorry to interrupt.
He told me that neither Dino's back nor Mya's knee had been in pain since then, and that they both seemed to be getting younger.
'By the way, Kent, what's the matter with you today, did you need something?
'Ah, yes, as a matter of fact, I was invited to Klaus's mansion last night to have a drink of the new liquor from Libre.
I see, isn't this year's new brew a good one?
'Yes, it was very good. It's just....
It's just, what, is something wrong?
'No, it was my first time drinking it, so I'm sorry I couldn't tell you how it compared to previous years or what the difference was.
'Ho-ho-ho, well, it's only natural that you can't tell the difference the first time you take it.
'Yes, but I was kind of giddy to think that it helped make the new brew a little bit.
More than a little. The only reason why this year's harvest and preparation went off without a hitch is because of Kent's massage. I really appreciate it. Thank you, Kent.
Oh, no, no, yes, you're welcome.
Dino-san smiles at me, and I'm embarrassed to have him thank me face to face, isn't it?
When I told him that I had had a chance to try some of the 3, 5, and 10 year old livresseed at Klaus's house, Dino led me to the brewery where the wine was stored.
When we were harvesting, we only saw this brewery from the outside, as the squeezed juice was being carried into the large barrels in another warehouse.
The brewery is a sturdy stone, semi-underground structure, with only a few windows for ventilation.
Klaus-san told me that you protected the sake, but with this sturdiness, it's unlikely that a goblin or so would be able to get in.
I opened the sturdy door and walked in, and the smell of wood from the barrels wafted through the cool air.
'Kent, could you close the door for me...'
Dino switched on his lampshade and led us slowly through the brewery.
What's in the front is newer, and the further back you go, the older the sake.
The barrels are branded with the year they were made and are neatly arranged.
It's like being in a cave, separated from the outside world.
This place is designed to have a slower temperature change than the outside world. "This is where we put the sake to sleep and let it mature slowly," he says.
After all, are they good or bad depending on the year?
Well, when the weather is inconsistent, the leavers are not as good as they could be. The berries don't grow well, they lack sweetness.
I see that the quality of the leavers affects the drinks as well.
Well, the libre is looking good this year. It's going to be a good one.
Dino looks lovingly at the barrels, one by one, and walks to the back of the brewery.
'But then the liquor from a bad libre year would go unsold...'
You think so? But just because we had a bad crop of livres, doesn't mean the drinks are bad, too.
Is that so?
Hmmm, sometimes the sake that you think is lacking in sweetness in the livre will grow into something unique after three or four years of aging.
'Is that something you can roughly anticipate once you've had a new drink?
Yes, up to a point. I don't know what happens to people after five years of sleep, either. See, even people change after five years.
I guess that's true.
But sometimes the core remains unchanged. People and alcohol are interesting things...
When we returned from the brewery, Mya had baked a cake for Liebling.
Kent, Mya's cake is excellent.
Ho-ho-ho, you can eat it all, if you want.
'Yes, I'll take it... hmmm! Delicious......
What do you think? It's great, isn't it?
Yes, it's very good.
Yes, I'm glad you liked it.
Mya's cake has a mixture of chopped dried reables and a few nuts, and the taste, aroma and texture are beyond reproach.
'It smells like leave-brewed liquor, and it's already spreading in my mouth... and I'm so happy.
Ho-ho-ho, that's right, that's right, that's the scent of twenty-year-old livre.
Dino poured the amber liquid out of a bottle in the cupboard into a small glass and served it to me.
We were more than five meters away, but as soon as I poured it into the glass, a mellow aroma wafted through the air.
'Here, this is a twenty-five year old, try it.
Thank you.
It's bad. Just holding the glass up to your mouth makes you feel happy.
It's so good in your mouth that you feel like you're immersed in a leeble bath.
The aroma of wood, the scent of livre, the deep taste, the alcohol content is supposed to be high, but there's no sharpness anywhere, and the warmth spreads slowly.
'Mr Dino, this is not good.'
I'm very proud of you!
I can't drink anything else if you're drinking this much alcohol.
'Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho...'
If I kept drinking it, it would be a repeat of last night's, so I decided to just drink it as it was, and enjoy the rest of it by dipping it into my tea for a bit.
As for the cake, Meisa would be angry with me if I only enjoyed it and only listened to her stories, so I asked her to wrap a bit of it up as a gift.
''Hey Kent, you said you were invited to Klaus-sama's mansion earlier, but...''
Oh, well, actually, I mean...
I was working on the plantation here when I first came to Volzard, and I still explained to Dino-san and the others that I was a survivor of the merchant corps.
So I told them that I was summoned here, that I could use light and dark magic, and that I was invited to dinner because all of my subordinates were active.
''Was the last extreme outbreak okay? Did you experience any damage?
Oh, they didn't do any damage. It was like they were just resting their weary bones.
True, the walls are a big help now.
What do you mean now... it wasn't there before?
I asked because I was curious about what Mya had said, and she nodded and told me.
'Yes, when I came to marry you, this area was still outside the city walls.
'Really? So, did demons ever come out of your body then?
'Well, unlike the woods, where you have a clear line of sight, you could have been fine as long as you were careful, but we've had orcs and ogres come to us sometimes.
Wow... was this really such a dangerous place?
Really ... when I got married, I was living in tears because I thought I'd been cheated ...
When Mya-san turns her gaze to him with a smile, Dino-san cowers her shoulders and looks bummed out.
''I heard that the Liebling farm is only busy during the harvest season, or that they make money from selling alcohol and dried fruit... I thought I could live nonchalantly on a large farm, but it's a hell of a lot better.
Well, I suppose I had to convince him, otherwise he wouldn't have any girls to marry me in this place.
When Dino and Mya were young, the farm was still outside the city walls, and when there was a mass outbreak of demons, for example, they would sit inside the house and wait patiently for the alarm to be lifted.
If you ask me, this main house is also made of sturdy stone, and the other buildings are built in the same way, except for the new workshop.
'I once spent three weeks cooped up in it before the goblin herd disappeared.
Bruno was just a newborn at the time.
Really, I couldn't dry my diapers and that's all I could think about every day, wondering what I was going to do.
They're both smiling and talking about it, but at the time it was harder than I could have ever imagined.
'Well didn't you feel cheated and think about getting a divorce or something?'
'Well there were times when I first came here that I felt that way. But when I saw our people working really hard, I didn't feel that way anymore.
While working on the farm, Dino often participated in the construction of the wall, working only at the end and the beginning of the year, so that his family could live in peace as soon as possible.
The construction of the wall is a symbol of Volzard's development and a bastion of security for the people, so it is natural to work for both the family and the town.
Even when I was here, I was amazed at the way Dino worked after my back pain was healed.
Even though he was about my grandfather's age, he was strong, and most importantly, I was overwhelmed by the difference in experience he had gained over the years.
His big, thick, rugged, wood-carved hands looked like the medals of a hard worker.
'So it's good to be fooled now, then?
'Ho-ho-ho, yes, you're right, dear, thank you for tricking me.
Ho-ho-ho-ho, I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be thanked for my deception, but I am the one who should be thankful, thank you, Mya.
They are smiling and laughing at each other, and they look like a really close couple.
The bond between them is probably the result of the long hardships they have gone through together and the fact that they have cared for each other for so long.
Will I be able to laugh like this with someone else in the future?
In order to do so, do I have to turn down someone's thoughts?
'Kent ... Kent ...'
Uh, oh, yes...
What's the matter, is something bothering you?
'Well, no....I mean....yes...'
I don't know if this old man and his old lady can help you, but you should talk to them.
'Um... yes...'
I was a little embarrassed, but I talked to Dino-san and the others about the chairman, Manon, and Beatrice, including the rescue mission from Riesenburg and the treatment at the nomination request.
'Oh, Kent, you did a great job ... well done.
When I finished speaking, Mya got up and hugged me.
"Mmmmmm, that's great Kent, you've done well.
'Thank you. But I just came running in selflessly, and what can I say, I'm left dizzy and swept away...
Well, that sounds a bit flirtatious to me, as a woman, doesn't it?
As a man, I'd be jealous...
You!
Honestly ... no, it's nothing ...
Yeah, it seems that Volzard has a lot of horrible wives.
'Kent.........'
Hey, what's this?
So, which of the girls do you like best?
'Well the three of you are all terribly cute, you have good personalities, and you like me...'
You can't decide, can you?
Yes.....
Good God, what a good little girl...
Yes I'm sorry.
I think Mya was taken aback by this, but I don't blame her.
'Kent, did you know that polygamy is allowed in the Landsholt Republic?
Yes, I've heard that.
Yes, so you know the option is to be linked to all three of us.
Yes, in case you were wondering...
Then you know why polygamy is allowed?
What, why...?
I've heard that in animals, it's to preserve the genes of strong individuals, but in humans, it's because of the status of people with money?
'Originally, it was because so many people lost their lives in warfare and defeating demons.
Does that mean there was a small percentage of men in the room?
'Yes, friends and acquaintances took people who were widowed or who had lost a lover to marry them to support their lives, but not anymore.
Volzard is called the farthest city, it's right near the Demon Forest, and I've heard of many people losing their lives in dungeons.
Still, it doesn't seem to have an extremely small percentage of men, and there are many people who live off of non-adventurer jobs.
So polygyny is no longer encouraged like it used to be, and having more than one partner makes it a reasonable hardship.
It's true that if you're a normal person, you're going to have to bear a lot of financial burden, and more than anything else, you're going to have the backbiting and envy of those around you, of course.
In fact, I'm being meddled with by Nazario, and I've been exposed to the vindictive stares of the boys in my class.
''Is it better to choose one of them after all?
'Well from a woman's point of view it would be preferable, but it's not logical to like someone.
How do I...
'You have to be honest with yourself, be honest with others, don't lie, don't hide anything from them, at least that's the least you can do.
So far, I've tried to hide it as much as possible when I kissed or hugged someone, but after we found out about each other's existence, that means it's not good enough.
'Kent you're hiding something, aren't you?
Yeah how do you know that? No, no, it's not that I haven't had a chance to report it yet, or...
Add the other one to that, and talk to them properly and tell them how you feel now.
'Yes yes I will,'
That's right, no matter how difficult it is to talk about, if I don't talk about it without hiding it, I won't be able to respond to the feelings of the chairman and Manon.
Besides, in order to respond to Beatrice's resolve, I once again realized that I had to think more seriously about it and convey my feelings to her firmly.
After we were treated to breakfast, we left Klaus's mansion and returned to the lodge.When I told Amanda the story of how I came to be staying at the inn, she got angry at me for drinking too much.I went back to my room, took off my other clothes and bathed in water before changing into my normal clothes.'Reinhardt....'"Yes, Master Kent?'Do all the noblemen live their lives like that, with all their resolve?"There were many a nobleman in our day, but those who lived with the pride of nobility were prepared to do so.'Yeah, well...'"But there were some, not all of them, who wore their noblemen's robes with no preparation or consideration for what they were about to do.I had assumed that Beatrice was making fun of me because she was embarrassed by my embarrassment during the treatment.It never occurred to me that she was so determined to do that, and on top of that, she was doing me a favor.I was repulsed by the way he used even his beloved daughter for the benefit of the city, but if I listened carefully, I was reminded that I was the one who wasn't prepared to do so.'What would you do, Master Kent, if you could go back to your old world?Yeah I'm starting to think about staying on this side of the world.Do you have family in your former world?'Yeah ... just in case ... but we don't get along very well ...'Well, well...My father is an executive of a big company and has a mistress, so he rarely comes home.My mother is a gambler and shopaholic, so she rarely comes home.My grandmother on my father's side raised me, but she passed away from cancer last year.I have always had mixed feelings of wanting my grandmother, who was suffering from the terminal stage of cancer, to get well, and wanting her to pass away peacefully and without suffering.When I was summoned to this world, I think I was dozing off and dreaming about my grandmother.Maybe that's why I got both the light attribute of healing and the dark attribute of death.''If I were to remain in Volzard, I wouldn't be able to choose the chairman of the committee, would I?Wouldn't it be better if I asked you to stay with me?'That would be like asking the chairman to abandon his family and...'"So, will you return to your world with your saint?'When I return to Japan, I don't even know if I can use magic, and if I can't, I'm just a clunker and won't be able to match the chairman. Besides, they need me in Volzard...'Then will you choose Miss Manon or Miss Beatrice or the two of you to remain in Volzard?'Ummm...'In the first place, I've never been looked at by a girl before, so it's hard to believe that I'm in a position to choose the opposite.By the way, Kent-sama, are you able to visit Dino-dono-dono at the Libre Plantation...?Oh, my goodness, I almost forgot.We decided to think again about the committee chairs and asked Amanda to visit the Liebling farm.On the way, we stopped at the henhouse and picked up some cookies.The leeble trees that used to grow in abundance when I came to Volzard have now shed their leaves and are getting ready for the winter and the farm looks somewhat sad.Dino-san, Bruno-san and his son seem to be looking up at the tree and marking it with something.'Hello, Dino-san and Bruno-san,''Oh! Kent, Kent, isn't it, you've come a long way, you've come a long way.When I called out to him, Dino-san greeted me with a big smile.''I'm sorry it's been so long, but, um, I'd like you all to enjoy this.What, you don't bring any gifts, you don't bring any gifts, you don't bring anything.Well I'd like to thank you all for all the help you've given me...What do you mean? We're the ones who are indebted to you. Now, go on, go on, enjoy your stay at home.'Yes, thank you. But I thought you weren't at work?Well that's what I was doing, marking the branches to be pruned.Pruning...?Yes, next year's harvest is very important to us.Liebling trees are pruned when they are dormant in the winter to cut off any weak or excess branches.'Extra or weakened branches reduce sun exposure and growth,''I see...'But I couldn't tell which were the extra branches and which were the weak ones.Ho-ho-ho, that's just years of experience and intuition!Mr. Dino showed his chest, and his son, Bruno, held up his hands in a show of help.'What? Don't you understand, Mr Bruno?''No, not at all, but I'm not as good as my father...'Bruno smiles bitterly, but he still looks proud of himself.Until about two years ago, I wasn't quite good enough, but I think I've caught on, so I think it's time to leave it to you.Dino-san has a happy smile on his face, but he looks a little sad here.For me, I want Dino-san to be healthy and do the work he loves, but maybe it's too old for him.When Dino-san takes me to the main house, his wife, Mya, greets me with a big smile on her face.'Well, well, it's not Kent, you've come a long way, come on up and take your time.'Hi. Sorry to interrupt.He told me that neither Dino's back nor Mya's knee had been in pain since then, and that they both seemed to be getting younger.'By the way, Kent, what's the matter with you today, did you need something?'Ah, yes, as a matter of fact, I was invited to Klaus's mansion last night to have a drink of the new liquor from Libre.I see, isn't this year's new brew a good one?'Yes, it was very good. It's just....It's just, what, is something wrong?'No, it was my first time drinking it, so I'm sorry I couldn't tell you how it compared to previous years or what the difference was.'Ho-ho-ho, well, it's only natural that you can't tell the difference the first time you take it.'Yes, but I was kind of giddy to think that it helped make the new brew a little bit.More than a little. The only reason why this year's harvest and preparation went off without a hitch is because of Kent's massage. I really appreciate it. Thank you, Kent.Oh, no, no, yes, you're welcome.Dino-san smiles at me, and I'm embarrassed to have him thank me face to face, isn't it?When I told him that I had had a chance to try some of the 3, 5, and 10 year old livresseed at Klaus's house, Dino led me to the brewery where the wine was stored.When we were harvesting, we only saw this brewery from the outside, as the squeezed juice was being carried into the large barrels in another warehouse.The brewery is a sturdy stone, semi-underground structure, with only a few windows for ventilation.Klaus-san told me that you protected the sake, but with this sturdiness, it's unlikely that a goblin or so would be able to get in.I opened the sturdy door and walked in, and the smell of wood from the barrels wafted through the cool air.'Kent, could you close the door for me...'Dino switched on his lampshade and led us slowly through the brewery.What's in the front is newer, and the further back you go, the older the sake.The barrels are branded with the year they were made and are neatly arranged.It's like being in a cave, separated from the outside world.This place is designed to have a slower temperature change than the outside world. "This is where we put the sake to sleep and let it mature slowly," he says.After all, are they good or bad depending on the year?Well, when the weather is inconsistent, the leavers are not as good as they could be. The berries don't grow well, they lack sweetness.I see that the quality of the leavers affects the drinks as well.Well, the libre is looking good this year. It's going to be a good one.Dino looks lovingly at the barrels, one by one, and walks to the back of the brewery.'But then the liquor from a bad libre year would go unsold...'You think so? But just because we had a bad crop of livres, doesn't mean the drinks are bad, too.Is that so?Hmmm, sometimes the sake that you think is lacking in sweetness in the livre will grow into something unique after three or four years of aging.'Is that something you can roughly anticipate once you've had a new drink?Yes, up to a point. I don't know what happens to people after five years of sleep, either. See, even people change after five years.I guess that's true.But sometimes the core remains unchanged. People and alcohol are interesting things...When we returned from the brewery, Mya had baked a cake for Liebling.Kent, Mya's cake is excellent.Ho-ho-ho, you can eat it all, if you want.'Yes, I'll take it... hmmm!Delicious......What do you think? It's great, isn't it?Yes, it's very good.Yes, I'm glad you liked it.Mya's cake has a mixture of chopped dried reables and a few nuts, and the taste, aroma and texture are beyond reproach.'It smells like leave-brewed liquor, and it's already spreading in my mouth... and I'm so happy.Ho-ho-ho, that's right, that's right, that's the scent of twenty-year-old livre.Dino poured the amber liquid out of a bottle in the cupboard into a small glass and served it to me.We were more than five meters away, but as soon as I poured it into the glass, a mellow aroma wafted through the air.'Here, this is a twenty-five year old, try it.Thank you.It's bad. Just holding the glass up to your mouth makes you feel happy.It's so good in your mouth that you feel like you're immersed in a leeble bath.The aroma of wood, the scent of livre, the deep taste, the alcohol content is supposed to be high, but there's no sharpness anywhere, and the warmth spreads slowly.'Mr Dino, this is not good.'I'm very proud of you!I can't drink anything else if you're drinking this much alcohol.'Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho...'If I kept drinking it, it would be a repeat of last night's, so I decided to just drink it as it was, and enjoy the rest of it by dipping it into my tea for a bit.As for the cake, Meisa would be angry with me if I only enjoyed it and only listened to her stories, so I asked her to wrap a bit of it up as a gift.''Hey Kent, you said you were invited to Klaus-sama's mansion earlier, but...''Oh, well, actually, I mean...I was working on the plantation here when I first came to Volzard, and I still explained to Dino-san and the others that I was a survivor of the merchant corps.So I told them that I was summoned here, that I could use light and dark magic, and that I was invited to dinner because all of my subordinates were active.''Was the last extreme outbreak okay? Did you experience any damage?Oh, they didn't do any damage. It was like they were just resting their weary bones.True, the walls are a big help now.What do you mean now... it wasn't there before?I asked because I was curious about what Mya had said, and she nodded and told me.'Yes, when I came to marry you, this area was still outside the city walls.'Really? So, did demons ever come out of your body then?'Well, unlike the woods, where you have a clear line of sight, you could have been fine as long as you were careful, but we've had orcs and ogres come to us sometimes.Wow... was this really such a dangerous place?Really ... when I got married, I was living in tears because I thought I'd been cheated ...When Mya-san turns her gaze to him with a smile, Dino-san cowers her shoulders and looks bummed out.''I heard that the Liebling farm is only busy during the harvest season, or that they make money from selling alcohol and dried fruit... I thought I could live nonchalantly on a large farm, but it's a hell of a lot better.Well, I suppose I had to convince him, otherwise he wouldn't have any girls to marry me in this place.When Dino and Mya were young, the farm was still outside the city walls, and when there was a mass outbreak of demons, for example, they would sit inside the house and wait patiently for the alarm to be lifted.If you ask me, this main house is also made of sturdy stone, and the other buildings are built in the same way, except for the new workshop.'I once spent three weeks cooped up in it before the goblin herd disappeared.Bruno was just a newborn at the time.Really, I couldn't dry my diapers and that's all I could think about every day, wondering what I was going to do.They're both smiling and talking about it, but at the time it was harder than I could have ever imagined.'Well didn't you feel cheated and think about getting a divorce or something?''Well there were times when I first came here that I felt that way. But when I saw our people working really hard, I didn't feel that way anymore.While working on the farm, Dino often participated in the construction of the wall, working only at the end and the beginning of the year, so that his family could live in peace as soon as possible.The construction of the wall is a symbol of Volzard's development and a bastion of security for the people, so it is natural to work for both the family and the town.Even when I was here, I was amazed at the way Dino worked after my back pain was healed.Even though he was about my grandfather's age, he was strong, and most importantly, I was overwhelmed by the difference in experience he had gained over the years.His big, thick, rugged, wood-carved hands looked like the medals of a hard worker.'So it's good to be fooled now, then?'Ho-ho-ho, yes, you're right, dear, thank you for tricking me.Ho-ho-ho-ho, I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be thanked for my deception, but I am the one who should be thankful, thank you, Mya.They are smiling and laughing at each other, and they look like a really close couple.The bond between them is probably the result of the long hardships they have gone through together and the fact that they have cared for each other for so long.Will I be able to laugh like this with someone else in the future?In order to do so, do I have to turn down someone's thoughts?'Kent ... Kent ...'Uh, oh, yes...What's the matter, is something bothering you?'Well, no....I mean....yes...'I don't know if this old man and his old lady can help you, but you should talk to them.'Um... yes...'I was a little embarrassed, but I talked to Dino-san and the others about the chairman, Manon, and Beatrice, including the rescue mission from Riesenburg and the treatment at the nomination request.'Oh, Kent, you did a great job ... well done.When I finished speaking, Mya got up and hugged me."Mmmmmm, that's great Kent, you've done well.'Thank you. But I just came running in selflessly, and what can I say, I'm left dizzy and swept away...Well, that sounds a bit flirtatious to me, as a woman, doesn't it?As a man, I'd be jealous...You!Honestly ... no, it's nothing ...Yeah, it seems that Volzard has a lot of horrible wives.'Kent.........'Hey, what's this?So, which of the girls do you like best?'Well the three of you are all terribly cute, you have good personalities, and you like me...'You can't decide, can you?Yes.....Good God, what a good little girl...Yes I'm sorry.I think Mya was taken aback by this, but I don't blame her.'Kent, did you know that polygamy is allowed in the Landsholt Republic?Yes, I've heard that.Yes, so you know the option is to be linked to all three of us.Yes, in case you were wondering...Then you know why polygamy is allowed?What, why...?I've heard that in animals, it's to preserve the genes of strong individuals, but in humans, it's because of the status of people with money?'Originally, it was because so many people lost their lives in warfare and defeating demons.Does that mean there was a small percentage of men in the room?'Yes, friends and acquaintances took people who were widowed or who had lost a lover to marry them to support their lives, but not anymore.Volzard is called the farthest city, it's right near the Demon Forest, and I've heard of many people losing their lives in dungeons.Still, it doesn't seem to have an extremely small percentage of men, and there are many people who live off of non-adventurer jobs.So polygyny is no longer encouraged like it used to be, and having more than one partner makes it a reasonable hardship.It's true that if you're a normal person, you're going to have to bear a lot of financial burden, and more than anything else, you're going to have the backbiting and envy of those around you, of course.In fact, I'm being meddled with by Nazario, and I've been exposed to the vindictive stares of the boys in my class.''Is it better to choose one of them after all?'Well from a woman's point of view it would be preferable, but it's not logical to like someone.How do I...'You have to be honest with yourself, be honest with others, don't lie, don't hide anything from them, at least that's the least you can do.So far, I've tried to hide it as much as possible when I kissed or hugged someone, but after we found out about each other's existence, that means it's not good enough.'Kent you're hiding something, aren't you?Yeah how do you know that? No, no, it's not that I haven't had a chance to report it yet, or...Add the other one to that, and talk to them properly and tell them how you feel now.'Yes yes I will,'That's right, no matter how difficult it is to talk about, if I don't talk about it without hiding it, I won't be able to respond to the feelings of the chairman and Manon.Besides, in order to respond to Beatrice's resolve, I once again realized that I had to think more seriously about it and convey my feelings to her firmly.
