(133) Epilogue
Translator: Tseirp
After finishing our preparations, mixing the Silver Vine and yeast to ferment and adding sufficient amounts of nectar, we allowed it to further ferment.
Halfway through the process, Stella woke up and came over to help.
“Stella, just now you got drunk just by holding onto Silver Vine so would you be all right helping with the making of Silver Vine Wine?”
“Getting drunk with Silver Vine and getting drunk with Silver Vine alcohol is different nya~. I’ll be fine as long as I don’t drink it nya~.”
Her manner of speech sounded like she was already tipsy but I guess she’ll be all right.
Since Stella took over the job of adding honey, I almost had nothing left to do.
After all, Pionia is the one fast forwarding the time.
“Ichino-san, why are you doing so much for my sake nya?”
Stella asked as she stirred the Silver Vine Wine.
“This world should be a considerably important place to Ichino-san after all nya.”
“Hn? Ah, you’re Malina’s friend after all and I have my own reasons too.”
“Reasons? For the King’s sake?”
“No, it’s for Stella’s sake who cherishes her father.”
I spoke. About our fathers. Well, I did omit some of the details.
For me, Haru and Carol, our fathers have already left this world and more so for Carol and I who feel responsible for our father’s death while Haru could not witness her father’s final moments.
I don’t really know much about Malina’s father but even if he is still alive, she has been reincarnated in this world so she would not be able to see him again.
“That’s why I don’t want Stella to have regrets.”
” … So that’s why nya … thank you nya.”
“You can give us your grat.i.tude after everything is completed.”
After I said that,
“There’s no need to thank him. Since Master Ichinojo is not doing anything.”
Pionia said unnecessary words. I wonder whose MP are you using to speed up the growth of the plants? Wait, if I said that, I would be like a hopeless husband who says something like ‘Whose money do you think goes into feeding you!"”
Stella looked at us and mixed the barrel with a ‘nyahaha’ laugh.
Then, it was complete. Silver Vine Wine.
Along the way, Malina brought additional Silver Vine over so we brewed two barrels worth in the end.
“Shall I test it?”
Pionia scooped the alcohol with a homemade ladle, sniffed the aroma and then brought it to her mouth.
I heard from Marina that originally Silver Vine alcohol is manufactured by immersing unripe Silver Vine in white liquor without adding sugar so it actually tastes like medicine. However, this was made using ripened Silver Vine and there was even nectar added. I really want to give it a taste.
※※※
“All right, let’s go. Pionia, I leave Malina in your care. Absolutely don’t let her go out.”
“Affirmative.”
For now, I tied Malina to a pillar.
The rope would unravel the moment we close the door.
“Stella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-san”
A sense of guilt rose as I saw Malina continuously call Stella’s name while crying but letting Malina leave here in this state would cause chaos befitting the second advent of the Devil.
Stella was also scared witless so she didn’t look at Malina’s face.
“Ah, once everything is over, I’ll explain the circ.u.mstances and try asking them to consider letting Malina enter the hidden village (with a leash) to visit.”
“You promised okay! Absolutely okay! If you lie to me I’ll catch a pufferfish from the sea and make Ichino-san eat it.”
The item people usually say to make the person drink is a thousand needles and definitely not the generic name pufferfish that signify the fugu fish. Also, it’s a fish that is frequently eaten in Okinawa so I really want to try eating it if she actually brought it to me. (TL: Thousand needles and Pufferfish are p.r.o.nounced the same way in j.a.panese)
Moreover, I said I would try asking but I didn’t say that I would definitely get permission.
In the worst case, maybe it will be fine if I bring her along inside a cage. Thus, I left Pionia and Malina behind as we returned to the village.
Haru and I were carrying the barrels.
Originally I intended to carry both but Haru stubbornly refused.
Incidentally, Carol also asked that she, as the slave, carry it but she couldn’t do so even when she tried to lift it so she gave up.
We headed to the King’s abode together with Stella but the situation seemed odd.
There weren’t any gate guards.
Just as I was thinking maybe something happened, ‘The King nya!’, there was a commotion as people rushed to enter the palace.
We looked at each other and nodded before running over at full speed.
“Your Majesty!”
When we entered the King’s room I was at just now, the Cat Siths in the village were all already gathered there.
And, beside the King, there was a grey-furred Cat Sith who I presume to be a doctor pressing a stethoscope onto the King’s body.
“Please be quiet nyi … ”
“Doctor, is His Majesty all right nya?”
“I speculate His Majesty has only two hours left nyi. If you have anything you want to say to His Majesty, you should say it now nyi.”
“No way, only two hours left nya …”
I lightly patted Stella’s head who had collapsed in tears.
If there are only two hours left, you know what you should do now right?
I told her that.
Stella wiped her tears and nodded.
“Your majesty! I completed the Silver Vine Wine nya! I hope that your Majesty would drink it nya!”
It’s usually not recommended to offer alcohol to a patient. However, there was nothing Stella could do now for the King if he only has about two hours left. n.o.body stopped her as they all knew that.
” … Stella … you’re here huh. I can no longer even open my eyes.”
“Yes, Stella is here nya! I made Silver Vine alcohol nya!”
“I see, you made alcohol huh … could you please feed it to me?”
“Yes, Your Majesty … ”
Stella opened the lid and scooped the Silver Vine Wine with a ladle.
“Your Majesty, please open your mouth.”
Stella said and the King slowly opened his mouth.
Then, Stella gently poured the Silver Vine wine into the King’s mouth
It was then.
The earth shook ― an earthquake? …. I thought but then the white wall … no, the King’s body moved.
“The King ―” “The King ―” “The King ―” “His Majesty ―” “His Majesty’s body ―”
Everyone blurted out one after the other.
The room gradually got wider.
Actually no, the room’s size didn’t change. The King’s body was shrinking.
“The King’s body ― is free!”
“The King’s face that has been stuck at the door to his own room in the Royal Palace has detached!”
Somebody cried.
Wait, so the s.p.a.ce behind the King was empty! I’m kind of worried how they managed his daily business but at least the mystery has been solved.
The King sat on his backside and licked his forefoot as he said.
“Delicious nyaaaaaaa!”
Ah, he said ‘nya’.
“Stella, my daughter! Well done nya! Stella, how much more Silver Vine wine do you have?”
“Yes, your majesty. I have two barrels nya!”
“Then, we will have a Silver Vine Wine tasting festival for all citizens nya!”
He announced in an extremely loud voice unimaginable for someone who has an estimated of a couple of hours left to live.
From then on until the night turned to day, the citizens all had a party in the name of a Silver Vine tasting session.
It wasn’t just alcohol, a lot of river fish dishes were served and we also tasted them.
In the middle of the night, the King called out to me.
“Hume … thank you. I could enjoy an extremely tasty wine in the end.”
“You say the end but you still seem very healthy though.”
“Umu, I also wish to have a longer life if there’s a wine like this. Leaving that aside, I smell a strange smell coming from you.”
“Strange smell? Is it that the smell of Silver Vine is stuck on me?”
“No … do you know the Demon Lord Famiris‧Raritei?”
“Only the name though … ”
“I’ve met her only once. The smell I smelled that time and your smell … the smell of your souls resemble each other.”
” … Ah … is that so?”
That’s probably because Haru’s lord was the Demon Lord right? But I couldn’t reveal that.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I have a request to ask of you … a final request as a King.”
After that, I listened to the King’s final request.
The next morning, the Cat Sith King, Suberoa took his last breath while surrounded by his citizens.
He was a King who watched over the Cat Siths for a long period of centuries. They all regretted how they did not realize that his death would come in an instant.
But, I thought that it was alright.
That’s because he had a peaceful expression as if he was sleeping and having a delightful dream.