“Good work, everyone!” “Good work!” everyone replies in unison.
At my signal, Gungrave and the others raise their glasses in a toast. We clink our glasses together, celebrating the success of today’s wedding. It’s very late at night now. In the wedding venue lit by just a few candles, after everyone else has left, we’re having our own private celebration. There’s Gungrave and Arius, Lill, Tegue, and Kuuga. Then Aeclys and Garn, and Gyngus. For some reason, Princess Tevis is still here too as we move into the after-party.
“Well, this is wonderful. Now Gungrave is truly the lord of his own castle.” “Well, it’s been quite a journey.”
Gungrave says modestly, though his face shows a slight smile. It’s understandable – his dream has finally come true. Arius, sitting next to him, is also smiling happily.
“But this is just the beginning. Even though one dream has come true, it’s still part of the bigger dream. I’ll keep moving forward!” “Of course you will! This calls for another drink!” “Tegue, if you’re drunk, maybe you should go to bed…” “I’m not drunk!” “You’re slurring your words, so you’re definitely drunk.”
Tegue’s face is bright red, and he’s already having trouble speaking clearly. I set up a chair for him, since it would be troublesome if he suddenly collapsed while standing. However, the moment Tegue sits in the chair, he falls asleep. That was quick.
“Snore… pshu…” “Will he be okay? Should we take him to his room…?” “Leave him be. We used to sleep anywhere back in the day. It takes more than this to wake Tegue up.”
Kuuga sits in his chair, continuing to sip his sake slowly. Though he’s grumbling, there’s a smile on his face. He might be thinking back on everything that’s happened, from establishing the domain to this wedding.
“Well, I want to do some thinking. Don’t talk to me for a bit.” “Oh, okay.”
Just as I thought. Kuuga is digging up memories while drinking alone. When I mentioned from the domain to the wedding, I meant even before I met them… he’s probably remembering the times when they really struggled. All those difficult memories… now rewarded in the present… I understand wanting to savor them alone…
“Hehe…”
I said something that sounded cool, but watching someone grinning to themselves while drinking alone might just make them look weird, so I stopped watching. It would ruin Kuuga’s image.
“Shuri.”
Just then, someone throws their arm around my shoulders.
“Lord Gyngus.” “That’s right. We haven’t had much chance to talk properly, have we? Due to work and such, we haven’t had many opportunities to chat.” “We had guys’ night out, but we’ve never drunk together one-on-one…” “Exactly, exactly. Come keep me company.”
Gyngus’s face is red with drink too. He pulls me along and sits down in a chair. I pull up a chair opposite him and sit down face to face. I wonder what kind of conversation this will be?
“You know, I used to think my mission in life was to inherit this domain and run it properly.” “Yes. Was that… because of Lady Lenha?” “That’s right. It was the one purpose for my existence… that’s what my mother taught me.”
Things suddenly got melancholy – is this okay? Gyngus takes another drink and continues. His gaze naturally drifts downward.
“But I had absolutely no talent for internal affairs. Looking at the domain’s numbers was like reading gibberish, I couldn’t get tax studies through my head, and I couldn’t think of better policies for the people.” “Sigh…” “But what I discovered was that instead of protecting the people from within, I could protect them from external threats.”
Gyngus shifts his gaze to the window outside, his eyes looking somewhat distant. His eyes have a nostalgic look, as if remembering the past.
“Actually, I had talent for military affairs. Military-related numbers just clicked in my head. Budgets, supply stockpiles, marching speeds, troop numbers and types… I could understand all of that.” “When you’re that specialized… well, it makes sense that other things might not come as easily. It’s like they say – heaven doesn’t give two gifts.” “Exactly! I may not have had talent for internal affairs, but I had military talent! I was confident in my physical abilities too!”
Watching Gyngus laugh happily while pouring and drinking more sake, I find myself growing quite fond of him. Despite having a mission imposed by his parent, he excellently fulfilled the work that matched his talents. I feel both respect and friendship. Though our first meeting was what it was, now we can drink and laugh together like this.
“Lord Gyngus… are you satisfied now?” “Of course. I found what suited me, and Aeclys… my sister didn’t have to pretend to be a man anymore… we got to live lives doing what we wanted to do. I get that question a lot. And I can say with confidence that I’m relieved to be able to leave things to someone capable.” “Hm? You get that question a lot?” “From the old retainers and such. They often ask if I’m going to try to reclaim the lord’s position. I tell them, ‘Gungrave can handle it. I’ve seen his work these past few days – he has the talents of both me and my sister combined. As long as me and my sister are here, the Sounité bloodline won’t die out. Isn’t that enough?’“ “I see…” “For a while… my sister’s and my job will be reducing friction between those retainers and Gungrave.”
That’s right… When you think about it, the current system still uses some of the retainers from the Sounité era. It’s natural that some of them would resist. Even now, the cooks who left during the strike haven’t returned. The embers of discontent will likely continue somewhere. I put my sake on the table, cross my arms, and say:
“Lord Gyngus and Lady Aeclys… we’re causing you trouble. I’m sorry.” “Hmph, I want to say those who can’t adapt to the current times are at fault… but I can’t completely deny that things were better in the past. The more peaceful it was. But the times won’t allow it. We can’t survive without changing. That role can’t be helped. We have to do it, or we won’t survive somewhere down the line.”
Gyngus takes another drink, pours himself more, and then pushes it toward me.
“So let’s both do our best, shall we?” “Yes!”
I quickly pour more sake, and raise my cup to Gyngus’s. There’s a light clink as they touch. After the toast, Gyngus and I drain our cups in one go.
“Phew… Not bad at all.” “Well, you’re quite strong too, Lord Gyngus.” “I’ve always been like this.”
Gyngus laughs heartily. Laughing and laughing… then slumps onto the table.
“Eh?! W-wait, Lord Gyngus?! Lord Gyngus!” “Zzz…”
Ah, he’s down. It seems after saying what he wanted to say and having his drink, he was satisfied and fell asleep. This person is way too free-spirited…
“Shuri. It must be hard dealing with all these drunks.” “Ah, Princess.”
While I’m wondering what to do about Gyngus, Princess Tevis approaches. Eutine is with her, and the Princess has a cup in her hand… surely someone her age isn’t drinking?
“Hmm, the afterglow of celebration is quite pleasant. The warmth feels nice.” “Princess, thank you so much for everything this time. Using all your connections…” “You’ll repay this debt someday.” “With mapo tofu?” “Ugh!! W-with something else…”
You liar, your eyes are darting all over the place.
“A-anyway! Here, Shuri.”
Princess Tevis gives Eutine a look, and Eutine holds out something she was carrying. A bottle of liquid… could it be.
“Ah, it’s ready?” “Indeed, Eutine brought it. Shuri, you seemed to have forgotten about this.” “Ah! Come to think of it…” “As the one who provided the honey, I must say it’s sad to be forgotten.” “I-I’m sorry… Thank you very much.”
I take it from Eutine and check the contents. Yes, it seems to have turned out well. That’s good, that’s good.
“So? I knew about this too. You demanded the highest grade honey from Nouviche and other ingredients to make it. There must be a meaning to this mead.”
Princess Tevis says while crossing her arms. Yes, this is alcohol called mead. It’s alcohol made from honey. The method is simple – prepare honey, water, and yeast in the right proportions, mix them together, and wait. That’s all. You actually need yeast, but unpasteurized honey contains natural yeast, so just mixing and letting it sit will turn it into mead. I asked Princess Tevis to prepare the honey. By the way, there are various ways to make yeast. You can make it with chamomile, honey, and natural water. You can even make it with raisins, so give it a try. Holding the mead I made this way, I say to Princess Tevis:
“This mead is, well…”
Wait, should I really tell this innocent young girl? That might be a bit inappropriate… You see, mead was historically used as… well, an aphrodisiac for making babies…
“Eutine, could you come here a moment?”
I beckon to Eutine. She approaches hesitantly, and I whisper in her ear. Understanding the meaning, she maintains her expressionless face but turns bright red. Princess Tevis, unable to hear what we’re saying, just tilts her head.
“Please explain it to the Princess.” “…!!” “Well then!”
Eutine seems like she wants to say something, but I take my leave.
Now then, this mead. I hope they’ll be happy with it. I hand the mead to Gungrave, and with that, the after-party comes to an end.
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Chapter 54
“Good work, everyone!”
“Good work!” everyone replies in unison.
At my signal, Gungrave and the others raise their glasses in a toast. We clink our glasses together, celebrating the success of today’s wedding.
It’s very late at night now. In the wedding venue lit by just a few candles, after everyone else has left, we’re having our own private celebration.
There’s Gungrave and Arius, Lill, Tegue, and Kuuga.
Then Aeclys and Garn, and Gyngus.
For some reason, Princess Tevis is still here too as we move into the after-party.
“Well, this is wonderful. Now Gungrave is truly the lord of his own castle.”
“Well, it’s been quite a journey.”
Gungrave says modestly, though his face shows a slight smile. It’s understandable – his dream has finally come true.
Arius, sitting next to him, is also smiling happily.
“But this is just the beginning. Even though one dream has come true, it’s still part of the bigger dream. I’ll keep moving forward!”
“Of course you will! This calls for another drink!”
“Tegue, if you’re drunk, maybe you should go to bed…”
“I’m not drunk!”
“You’re slurring your words, so you’re definitely drunk.”
Tegue’s face is bright red, and he’s already having trouble speaking clearly.
I set up a chair for him, since it would be troublesome if he suddenly collapsed while standing.
However, the moment Tegue sits in the chair, he falls asleep. That was quick.
“Snore… pshu…”
“Will he be okay? Should we take him to his room…?”
“Leave him be. We used to sleep anywhere back in the day. It takes more than this to wake Tegue up.”
Kuuga sits in his chair, continuing to sip his sake slowly.
Though he’s grumbling, there’s a smile on his face. He might be thinking back on everything that’s happened, from establishing the domain to this wedding.
“Well, I want to do some thinking. Don’t talk to me for a bit.”
“Oh, okay.”
Just as I thought. Kuuga is digging up memories while drinking alone. When I mentioned from the domain to the wedding, I meant even before I met them… he’s probably remembering the times when they really struggled.
All those difficult memories… now rewarded in the present… I understand wanting to savor them alone…
“Hehe…”
I said something that sounded cool, but watching someone grinning to themselves while drinking alone might just make them look weird, so I stopped watching. It would ruin Kuuga’s image.
“Shuri.”
Just then, someone throws their arm around my shoulders.
“Lord Gyngus.”
“That’s right. We haven’t had much chance to talk properly, have we? Due to work and such, we haven’t had many opportunities to chat.”
“We had guys’ night out, but we’ve never drunk together one-on-one…”
“Exactly, exactly. Come keep me company.”
Gyngus’s face is red with drink too. He pulls me along and sits down in a chair.
I pull up a chair opposite him and sit down face to face.
I wonder what kind of conversation this will be?
“You know, I used to think my mission in life was to inherit this domain and run it properly.”
“Yes. Was that… because of Lady Lenha?”
“That’s right. It was the one purpose for my existence… that’s what my mother taught me.”
Things suddenly got melancholy – is this okay?
Gyngus takes another drink and continues. His gaze naturally drifts downward.
“But I had absolutely no talent for internal affairs. Looking at the domain’s numbers was like reading gibberish, I couldn’t get tax studies through my head, and I couldn’t think of better policies for the people.”
“Sigh…”
“But what I discovered was that instead of protecting the people from within, I could protect them from external threats.”
Gyngus shifts his gaze to the window outside, his eyes looking somewhat distant.
His eyes have a nostalgic look, as if remembering the past.
“Actually, I had talent for military affairs. Military-related numbers just clicked in my head. Budgets, supply stockpiles, marching speeds, troop numbers and types… I could understand all of that.”
“When you’re that specialized… well, it makes sense that other things might not come as easily. It’s like they say – heaven doesn’t give two gifts.”
“Exactly! I may not have had talent for internal affairs, but I had military talent! I was confident in my physical abilities too!”
Watching Gyngus laugh happily while pouring and drinking more sake, I find myself growing quite fond of him.
Despite having a mission imposed by his parent, he excellently fulfilled the work that matched his talents.
I feel both respect and friendship.
Though our first meeting was what it was, now we can drink and laugh together like this.
“Lord Gyngus… are you satisfied now?”
“Of course. I found what suited me, and Aeclys… my sister didn’t have to pretend to be a man anymore… we got to live lives doing what we wanted to do. I get that question a lot. And I can say with confidence that I’m relieved to be able to leave things to someone capable.”
“Hm? You get that question a lot?”
“From the old retainers and such. They often ask if I’m going to try to reclaim the lord’s position. I tell them, ‘Gungrave can handle it. I’ve seen his work these past few days – he has the talents of both me and my sister combined. As long as me and my sister are here, the Sounité bloodline won’t die out. Isn’t that enough?’“
“I see…”
“For a while… my sister’s and my job will be reducing friction between those retainers and Gungrave.”
That’s right… When you think about it, the current system still uses some of the retainers from the Sounité era. It’s natural that some of them would resist.
Even now, the cooks who left during the strike haven’t returned. The embers of discontent will likely continue somewhere.
I put my sake on the table, cross my arms, and say:
“Lord Gyngus and Lady Aeclys… we’re causing you trouble. I’m sorry.”
“Hmph, I want to say those who can’t adapt to the current times are at fault… but I can’t completely deny that things were better in the past. The more peaceful it was. But the times won’t allow it. We can’t survive without changing. That role can’t be helped. We have to do it, or we won’t survive somewhere down the line.”
Gyngus takes another drink, pours himself more, and then pushes it toward me.
“So let’s both do our best, shall we?”
“Yes!”
I quickly pour more sake, and raise my cup to Gyngus’s.
There’s a light clink as they touch. After the toast, Gyngus and I drain our cups in one go.
“Phew… Not bad at all.”
“Well, you’re quite strong too, Lord Gyngus.”
“I’ve always been like this.”
Gyngus laughs heartily. Laughing and laughing… then slumps onto the table.
“Eh?! W-wait, Lord Gyngus?! Lord Gyngus!”
“Zzz…”
Ah, he’s down.
It seems after saying what he wanted to say and having his drink, he was satisfied and fell asleep.
This person is way too free-spirited…
“Shuri. It must be hard dealing with all these drunks.”
“Ah, Princess.”
While I’m wondering what to do about Gyngus, Princess Tevis approaches.
Eutine is with her, and the Princess has a cup in her hand… surely someone her age isn’t drinking?
“Hmm, the afterglow of celebration is quite pleasant. The warmth feels nice.”
“Princess, thank you so much for everything this time. Using all your connections…”
“You’ll repay this debt someday.”
“With mapo tofu?”
“Ugh!! W-with something else…”
You liar, your eyes are darting all over the place.
“A-anyway! Here, Shuri.”
Princess Tevis gives Eutine a look, and Eutine holds out something she was carrying.
A bottle of liquid… could it be.
“Ah, it’s ready?”
“Indeed, Eutine brought it. Shuri, you seemed to have forgotten about this.”
“Ah! Come to think of it…”
“As the one who provided the honey, I must say it’s sad to be forgotten.”
“I-I’m sorry… Thank you very much.”
I take it from Eutine and check the contents.
Yes, it seems to have turned out well. That’s good, that’s good.
“So? I knew about this too. You demanded the highest grade honey from Nouviche and other ingredients to make it. There must be a meaning to this mead.”
Princess Tevis says while crossing her arms.
Yes, this is alcohol called mead. It’s alcohol made from honey.
The method is simple – prepare honey, water, and yeast in the right proportions, mix them together, and wait. That’s all.
You actually need yeast, but unpasteurized honey contains natural yeast, so just mixing and letting it sit will turn it into mead.
I asked Princess Tevis to prepare the honey.
By the way, there are various ways to make yeast. You can make it with chamomile, honey, and natural water. You can even make it with raisins, so give it a try.
Holding the mead I made this way, I say to Princess Tevis:
“This mead is, well…”
Wait, should I really tell this innocent young girl? That might be a bit inappropriate…
You see, mead was historically used as… well, an aphrodisiac for making babies…
“Eutine, could you come here a moment?”
I beckon to Eutine. She approaches hesitantly, and I whisper in her ear.
Understanding the meaning, she maintains her expressionless face but turns bright red.
Princess Tevis, unable to hear what we’re saying, just tilts her head.
“Please explain it to the Princess.”
“…!!”
“Well then!”
Eutine seems like she wants to say something, but I take my leave.
Now then, this mead. I hope they’ll be happy with it.
I hand the mead to Gungrave, and with that, the after-party comes to an end.
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
<< Table of Contents >>