CH 179

Words : 1128 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

I Thought About the Wine that was to be Destroyed “Ah, that’s right. Mr. Hannes. Is there any place outside that no one will see you? Also, I would like some clean cloth…” “A place that is secluded? …Well, you could go behind my house. As it is at the edge of the village, no one will go there. …But, what are you going to do?” “Well, since I’m not returning to the duke’s house, I thought I should work a little. I cannot just sit here idly…” “But we really wouldn’t mind if you took things easy… But I see that you are a passionate person. In that case, please feel free to use the space behind my house. I too will make sure that I don’t bother you there. And I’ll bring you the cloth at once.” “I’m sorry to trouble you.” After mentioning that it was the work related to the duke, Mr. Hannes assumed it was something that he should not see. And since I wanted to keep Weed Cultivation secret, it was good that it was a place where nobody would go. Even though I was here to ensure that everything was well with the town, I did not feel like resting and doing nothing. In that case, I might as well make some herbs and medicine to send to Ractos later on. Of course, since I had my sword with me, I also meant to continue my training… It was best to do these things when you had time. Mr. Hannes was about to leave in order to get the cloth when my stomach suddenly sounded loudly. Now that I think about it, I haven’t eaten lunch yet… “I’ll have something prepared for you first.” “Thank you…” This happened back at the mansion as well. It was rather embarrassing… But at least it wasn’t in front of Ms. Claire. “Please eat. I made this with the other villagers.” “Thank you.” After some time had passed, I was back in the center of the village, where the feast had been held the previous night. And I started to eat lunch According to Mr. Hannes, unless there was something that kept him away, he would eat his lunch here and watch the village. Lunch… Well, it was actually a little late now, but I thought that it would be quite nice to eat and watch the people while the sun was still high in the sky. It must be something he did because he was the village chief. And now, it seemed to me that the village had brightened up considerably, now that they were all healed. “By the way, Mr. Hannes. Half of the wine can no longer be used… How will that affect the village’s income?” Perhaps it wasn’t something that concerned me. But as I observed the village, I started to think about how much they must rely on their wine production. It was a small village, and so if half of their wine could no longer be sold, then it must be a great loss? “Indeed… If I am being honest, it will be quite severe. And while it won’t be easy for everyone, we will have to live in moderation for some time…” “I see…” So it really was a heavy blow for them. I didn’t know how the seasons worked in this world, but for a village of this size, you would have to save up in order to survive during the winter. “Hmm…” I ate the food that was made by the villagers as I considered this. Losing half of the wine meant they would be in a dangerous position for some time… And while I was no expert, I doubted that they could make up for the lost wine in just a few months. Perhaps it was something that would take years. Also, the wine was so delicious. It almost felt like a waste to throw it all away just because it had the scent of disease… I suppose that was the Japanese side of me talking. “The market price for wine…no, that might be too expensive…perhaps the wholesale price…” “What is it, Mr. Takumi? Is the food not to your liking…?” “No, the food is delicious and quite satisfying. I was just thinking about the wine that is to be disposed of…” “Oh?” I had been muttering to myself while I ate, and Mr. Hannes had interpreted my scowl as a sign that I was not enjoying the food. But it really was every bit as delicious as what we had yesterday, and there was no need to worry. Even if it wasn’t anything fancy, there was something comforting about it. I was just a common person, like them, after all. …Indeed, in spite of their upcoming troubles, they were still serving me such good food. And so I wanted to do what I could. “Mr. Hannes. I want to ask you about something…” “Yes, what is it?” “The wine that you can’t use… Could you sell it to me at the wholesale price?” “What!? You wish to buy that wine!? However… You said that it cannot be drunk, as it will likely make people sick…” “Yes, that is true. It cannot be drunk… However, I think I might be able to do something about that.” For instance, maybe you could kill the pathogenic bacteria by boiling it…and then it could be used for something. Of course, I didn’t know if there even were pathogenic bacteria in this world. Or if it was fine to boil wine. In the first place, boiling it would get rid of the alcohol content. Well, I didn’t know what could be done, it was merely an idea. “I’ll have to consult with others before deciding how to use it. I just think that it might be used for something. Of course, I don’t mean to use it to spread the disease even farther. Don’t worry.” “I trust you, Mr. Takumi. However…I cannot sell something that is likely to be thrown away…” Sebastian had so much knowledge, and might be able to think of something. And if he couldn’t, perhaps Ms. Helena would know something. …And if I still couldn’t find a way, I would have to throw it out. I was currently being paid to grow herbs. And since I had nothing to spend the money on, surely spending it on something like this… After all, it was for the village, and so I didn’t see it as a waste. Just in case, I had actually brought some money with me at Sebastian’s suggestion. …Though, I never thought that I would end up using it.

CH 179

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