I Became a Food Developer in Another World - C55

Episode 55

“It’s hot, so can you move a bit away?”

“Just a little.”

Aria frowned, feeling burdened by Ayla’s constant closeness. It was as if Ayla was trying to make up for the time they had spent apart, refusing to leave Aria’s side for even a moment.

“Um, um.”

Ayla jumped back at my cough, finally creating some distance from Aria.

“Wow, you’re here?”

“Yes, it seems like you two had a good talk.”

“Thanks for your help.”

Ayla smiled brightly. If I hadn’t brought Aria to the Blue Tower, the reconciliation between the two sisters wouldn’t have happened.

Perhaps because her precious relationship with her younger sister, which had been strained by a trivial misunderstanding, was restored, Ayla seemed happier than ever. Aria, though she didn’t say anything, also looked brighter.

However, it was precisely in this atmosphere that I decided to speak up.

“Suddenly, but I would like both of you to help me a bit.”

Now was the best opportunity to bring it up.

“Excuse me?”

“Is there something you need help with?”

The two sisters looked at me with puzzled expressions, and I nodded.

“I need your help to make distilled liquor.”

*

One of the things I found disappointing about the drinks in this world was the lack of variety. While there were brewing drinks represented by wine and beer, distilled liquor didn’t exist at all.

The alcohol needed to make distilled liquor was recognized as ‘holy water.’ Alcohol, which is used for the disinfection of wounds and is also a primary ingredient in potions, was considered holy water by the people of this world.

Thus, attempts to drink alcohol as a beverage had never been made.

This was why I needed Ayla and Aria’s help. Seeking cooperation from the Blue Tower to make distilled liquor was something I couldn’t do alone.

It wouldn’t be easy for the Blue Tower to accept my suggestion of making alcohol from holy water. Even if they did accept, there would be problems.

‘Even if I can’t make distilled liquor, it would take years to mature.’

Whiskey is a prime example. Whiskey, which is aged in oak barrels, requires at least several years for the flavors of the oak to infuse into the whiskey.

Only after a long aging process do the flavors and aromas properly develop.

‘It’s not easy to replicate this even with alchemy.’

Even alchemy, the study of imitation, would find it difficult to replicate distilled liquor that has undergone years of aging to extract its flavors.

Even if it could be expressed similarly, there was no need to do so.

‘Because Aria is here.’

Aria’s magical power had the trait of inducing illusions as long as the target possessed ‘magic.’ And everything in this world was imbued with ‘magic.’

From passing dogs and cats to insects and even the stones by the roadside.

‘Oak barrels’ were no exception.

The magic of the oak barrel could induce the illusion that its properties were being released into the whiskey.

Of course, even without the oak barrel, I could trick others into feeling the taste of whiskey aged in alcohol.

However, in that case, the effect wouldn’t last long.

So, I aimed to make the oak barrel directly release its components.

Of course, Aria wasn’t omnipotent, so she would need various supplementary aids to make it happen…

‘It should only take a few tries.’

If I succeeded in modeling that process into a magic circle, a semi-permanent aging magic circle would be completed.

This meant reducing the aging period from years to months.

And for that, cooperation from the Blue Tower was essential.

The only organization legally allowed to produce ‘alcohol’ in the empire, aside from the church, was the Blue Tower.

So—

“Ayla, I’m counting on you.”

If Ayla, who was mentioned as a candidate for the successor of the Blue Tower, helped, it would be a great benefit.

If she could just assist, I was confident I could persuade the rest…

“I want to help, but it might be difficult.”

Ayla refused my request with an apologetic expression.

“Um, may I ask why?”

“There’s no holy water right now.”

“…What?”

What did that mean?

“The grapes used to extract the holy water have dried up, so we won’t have any supply starting next month.”

Due to an unknown pestilence, all the grapes in the north had dried up.

*

The Blue Tower was currently facing a dilemma.

There was a disruption in the supply of ‘holy water,’ a primary ingredient used to make potions.

The drought of grapes in the north was the cause.

Since the Blue Tower produced holy water by fermenting grapes, the grape drought was a direct hit for them.

“Of all times, why are there no grapes?”

The petite girl with the horns of a blue dragon furrowed her brow. She was none other than Martin, the head of the Blue Magic Tower.

‘It’ll be hard to fulfill the potion quantities promised to the Red Tower.’

Mirtin’s worries deepened.

The sudden absence of grapes meant they couldn’t produce the potions that had already been ordered.

Since there were already several contracts with payments received, Mirtin was in a difficult position.

If she canceled all the contracts now, she would have to pay a penalty several times over.

That would be a significant loss, enough to shake the Blue Tower.

‘…I shouldn’t have given holy water to the church.’

It had been a mistake to generously support the church with holy water for their events.

If it hadn’t been for that, there wouldn’t be any worries about holy water now.

But what was done was done.

This month, they might manage to hold on, but starting next month would be critical. They had to secure holy water by any means before then.

“This is serious.”

Mirtin had been racking her brain over the holy water issue for days.

Then one day, someone appeared claiming they could solve Mirtin’s problem.

“Are you saying you can solve the holy water issue?”

“Yes.”

The person who appeared was a young man in a white robe.

Yuri Grayot.

He was a wizard from the White Magic Tower, whose name had been frequently mentioned in the Union recently.

He was also a long-time friend of Mirtin’s mentor, Ranya McDowell.

“I’ve tried Snoopy.”

“How was it?”

“It didn’t work at all.”

While the Blue Tower was in an uproar over Snoopy, Mirtin, who had organized the contest, hadn’t seen any effects from it.

Though it tasted good, it just made her sleep well.

Mirtin’s evaluation of Yuri was that he was a wizard who made ‘delicious’ beverages. That was about it.

So she didn’t have high expectations when she heard Yuri say he would solve the holy water issue.

Still, since he was Ranya’s bragging disciple, there was a small glimmer of hope…

“Did you say to use barley instead?”

“Yes, it seems we can produce holy water from barley instead of grapes.”

That tiny bit of hope turned into disappointment the moment she heard Yuri’s words.

‘How foolish of me to have hoped.’

She knew that alcohol could be extracted from barley.

Given the empire’s barley production, it would be more than enough to replace the lacking grapes.

But—

“Those short dwarves are refusing to give even a single grain of barley, so how are we supposed to extract holy water from barley?”

The race that held a monopoly on the empire’s ‘barley’ was none other than the dwarves.

When the grape drought began, the first place Mirtin contacted was the dwarves.

However, those little bastards flat-out refused her request, saying they were short on barley for making Guinness.

The barley fields in the north were unusable because the White Bear tribe had begun to encroach due to climate change and the little barley that remained was not being supplied by the dwarves.

‘Not to mention, other grains wouldn’t suffice in quantity.’

What Yuri had brought as a solution was utterly unhelpful.

Did he understand Mirtin’s frustrating feelings?

“Hmm, I’ll try talking to them.”

Yuri’s attitude, as if he would persuade them well, almost made Mirtin laugh.

It was as casual as asking what the breakfast menu was.

‘If that were possible, I would have gotten the barley long ago.’

Even as she watched Yuri leave to visit the dwarven smithy, Mirtin didn’t hold any expectations.

Those stubborn dwarfs wouldn’t suddenly hand over barley just because they were persuaded.

An hour later, Yuri returned from the smithy. However—

“Since it’s late today, they said they would contact the village tomorrow to send over the barley.”

“???”

Question marks floated above Mirtin’s head.

“R-Really?”

“Yes. You can check for yourself.”

Mirtin’s blue eyes widened as she looked at the paper Yuri handed her.

‘This is real.’

The paper Yuri handed her was a certificate clearly stamped with the seal of the northern dwarven blacksmith.

“Uh, how did you get this…”

I could never have received this!

“I have a bit of a friendship with the dwarfs.”

“……”

Is that really something you can say just because you have a bit of friendship?

In a series of absurdities, Mirtin stared blankly at Yuri.

But Yuri’s astonishing statements were just getting started.

“Are you saying you want to make alcohol from holy water?”

“It’s the condition under which the dwarfs are giving us barley.”

Mirtin was at a loss for words, utterly dumbfounded.

Make alcohol from holy water?

“Why on earth would they suddenly propose such a condition?”

“It seems they liked the alcohol I made from barley holy water.”

“……”

Yuri was just as astonished as Mirtin at the notion of making alcohol from holy water, but the dwarves were equally flabbergasted.

‘These little bastards have lost their minds.’

If the church found out that alcohol was made from holy water, they would send a complaint to the Blue Tower.

That was something Mirtin wanted to avoid more than any shortage of holy water.

After a moment of contemplation, Mirtin spoke.

“If it can replace the lacking grape wine, I will allow it.”

Though it seemed like a conditional approval, it was actually Mirtin’s gentle refusal.

After all, the only wine consumed in the Union was ‘grape wine.’

But with the grapes being gone, it seemed they wouldn’t even have grape wine to look forward to next year.

At this point, it was time to come up with an alternative.

Of course, Mirtin never thought Yuri would be able to provide a solution.

Even the cola that had become a sensation in the empire couldn’t replace grape wine.

‘It’s a shame, but the lacking holy water will have to be helped by the church.’

“Actually, I brought a bottle that I was going to give as a gift to the Blue Tower Lord.”

Yuri pulled out a glass and a bottle of alcohol from the inner pocket of his robe as if he had been waiting for this moment.

The transparent amber liquid filled the glass.

“This is the alcohol I showed to the dwarves.”

“Yes.”

Mirtin picked up the glass filled with amber liquid with curious eyes.

“It looks good.”

The amber liquid flowed over her red lips.

“Compared to grape wine…”

And then Mirtin’s words trailed off.

“……”

A smooth swallow and a honey-like sweetness enveloped her mouth.

With a subtle yet deep apple aroma, Mirtin’s eyes shook.

“What is this?”

“It’s an alcohol with added fruit flavor.”

Yuri was smiling brightly.

“It’s called blended whiskey.”

As if he had known it would turn out this way from the start.