Author: Yume Neiji

In the vineyard, clusters of dark grapes are waiting to be harvested.

I see.

Now it was clear why the two of them were so surprised.

The grapes this time are sparkling. It’s the same as the grass in the pasture. This is what happens when the grapes are of particularly good quality.

“Cedie-sama, what is going on with these grapes?”

“Hmm…maybe it is vintage year?”

On Gandalcia, we can harvest in three days, so I guess it should be called vintage week?

No, it’s not that often that special crops are harvested….

In that case, should it be vintage month?

It will be interesting to see how much of a difference there is. I couldn’t taste the grass, but I’m grateful to be able to try the grapes directly.

“Let’s taste it.”

The moment I picked one grain, the juice in it burst out.

Hoh~, this looks promising….

I put the grape in my mouth, careful not to let any more juice drip out.

Delicious!

The sweetness and aroma are much better than the previous grapes.

“The juice is thicker than usual……”

Even the taciturn Pino has a smile on her lips.

“If we make wine with these grapes, I’m sure that it will be much more delicious! Let’s do it today!”

All of us nodded in agreement.

✲✲✲

After nine days, the aging of the wine prepared with sparkling grapes was completed. I did not taste it this time, so I don’t know how it turned out yet. This batch was stored in the large hole, so it matured perfectly.

I decided to take it out of the barrel today.

I don’t know where they heard it from, but the islanders are all here. What’s more, each one had their own wine glass in one hand. Nowald-sensei and Lulu also came with them.

“Guys, what’s going on? Why are you all holding a wine glass?”

I pretended not to understand, so Upa spoke on behalf of the others.

“Cedie, don’t be so mean. We all heard you’ve made some amazing wine this time. We are not asking for a glass full, just let us have a taste, well, just half a sip. That’s it!”

I stopped teasing them.

“I’m kidding. Of course we’re all going to taste it. I think this one is going to be amazing.”

I used a long dropper to pour wine into everyone’s glasses.

“Well then, let’s toast to the prosperity of the island and everyone’s health with some vintage wine!”

The wine turned out just as expected, no, it’s even better than I expected.

“Oi oi oi, how can we put a price on this!”

Upa covers his forehead with his left hand and shakes his head.

It looked like he is very tangled.

Lynn is super excited too.

“This is an exquisite delicacy that you might not even find in a high-end restaurant in the Capital!!”

“Really? Then, how about 10,000 crown coins for one bottle?”

When I suggested that, it was denied by everyone in the room except for Char.

“Eh~, what should be the appropriate price then?”

“Hmm, how about asking a wealthy person for advice? Someone who knows a lot about wine could give you a fair price.”

I see. What Lynn said is reasonable.

But who is this rich man?

Alexei-oniisan is rich, but I think if I showed him something like this, it would be taken from me for sure. He’s such an unreasonable Earl, who says what’s mine is mine and what’s my brother’s is mine as well.

Wait…. Speaking of an Earl, there’s also Earl Simpson, Eugenie’s father!

Earl Simpson is a fair man, and I’m sure he’ll give me a fair price for it. I’ve also heard from Eugenie that he knows a lot about wine. Conveniently, this afternoon, Eugenie will be here to attend Nowald-sensei’s lecture.

When she goes home, I will ask Gian to take me with them.

After Nowald-sensei’s lecture, Eugenie and I went to Earl Simpson’s house.

“Father is picky about wine but I’m sure he’ll appreciate Cedie’s wine. He complimented your wine when he had it last time.”

“This one is better than the one before.”

I am confident, but I am still nervous in front of the Earl.

When I was ushered into the waiting room, I honestly confessed to Earl Simpson that I was worried about the price of the wine so I am here to ask his opinion.

“You priced the wine we had last time at 5,000 crown coins? I think that’s too cheap.”

“Well…. then I suggested that we price this one at 10,000 crown coins this time, but the manager and the head chef at the auberge objected to it. They said that 10,000 crowns was too cheap.”

“Hoh~, so this one is more than that huh.”

“I have come here to ask the Earl, who is a wine connoisseur, to make a decision, so please help me.”

Earl Simpson gave a wry smile.

“It’s still bright outside, but with you asking me this way, I can’t say no then. Alright, let me have a sip.”

The Earl asked for a wine glass. As the Doritos, the head butler, opened the cork with graceful dexterity, the Earl said to him,

“Just a little. I still have some afternoon work to do.”

Earl Simpson is a modest man, so he doesn’t go to work while drunk. I’m sure he turned a blind eye to his principles for me.

A small mouthful of wine was placed in front of the Earl.

“Hmm, it got a nice color, reminiscent of a beautiful garnet.”

After saying that, the Earl brings the wine glass closer to his nose and enjoys the aroma coming from the wine.

“This is……”

Surprised, the Earl shook the glass wine, swirled the wine around and then he brought the wine glass closer to his nose again.

“Excellent!”

So far, the review looks good.

I nervously watched the Earl’s movements. Earl Simpson also looks nervous, but was I imagining it?

Oh, the Earl is trembling as he puts the glass of wine into his mouth.

Sure enough, this one is indeed a fine wine huh.

“Doritos, pour me some more. More than before is fine.”

After taking another sip of the wine that Butler Doritos had poured, the Earl turned to me.

“I get why the manager and the head chef at your place rejected your price. There’s no way this wine is worth 10,000 crown coins. I can’t even imagine how much it would actually cost.”

“Is it really that good?”

“It tastes better than even the vintages of Chateau Priabec, which is said to be the best in the world. If word gets out, any wine lover will definitely want this.”

Earl Simpson drank the last drop regretfully.

“Cedie, you brought me two bottles of wine today, right?”

“Yes, I brought it with me with the intention of giving them to the Earl.”

“Thank you. However, I’m thinking of taking one of these to the Capital.”

“Ah? Taking it to the Capital…. uhm, what are you planning to do with it?”

“I’m going to have my acquaintances try it and get their opinions as well. Everyone will be happy to drink it for sure. We can hold a private auction there. I’ll raise the price as much as I can, so you can look forward to it.”

Earl Simpson winked playfully.

“By the way, how much of this wine do you have in stock?”

“It’s about a hundred and sixty bottles, but I’d like to keep some of them. I want to give some to my second brother, Paul-oniisan as well. I can only sell a little over 100 bottles.”

“Hahaha, Cedie-kun is indeed not a greedy one. Oh, let me tell you, vintages from Chateau Priavec can go a million a bottle.”

“That much!?”

“Yes. So, are you sure you’re only going to sell 100 bottles?”

“That’s right. I’ll only sell 100 bottles.”

Money is important, but the happy faces of Upa and the others and my brother are even more important.

“Understood. Then I’ll leave the packing of the wine to you. I swear on my pride that I won’t disappoint you.”

I think it’s better to leave this to the Earl. But I do feel bad asking him to go to that length for my wine.

“….But, I think you don’t need to go all the way to the Capital for me after all.”

“No, I have an errand to run anyway. You must have heard it, haven’t you? The wedding of His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, is coming up. There’s a lot of things to do to prepare for that.”

Come to think of it, I think I read it in the newspaper.

Oh-, then since it’s just a side trip, there’s no need to be shy, I guess.

I decided to leave the matter of selling the wine to Earl Simpson and then I went back to Gandalcia.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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I took Char to Paul-oniisan’s ranch.

Paul-oniisan was surprised to see Lucio the donkey, who has regained his youth.

“It’s the donkey you bought on our ranch, right?”

“Yes. Lucio has been working hard in the island.”

“That’s good to hear. But…… is it really that Lucio?”

“It’s definitely Lucio. Seems like the climate on the island suits him very well so he is feeling better.”

“Heen!”

Lucio neighed energetically and grinned. When he was here, he looked like an exhausted old man, but these days, Lucio has a lot of expression.

I won’t tell Paul-oniisan about the sparkling grass just yet. The next time I harvest some, I want to feed it to the horses on the ranch and surprise him at that time.

I’m sure he’ll be delighted.

“By the way, why are you here today?”

“The wine has finished aging, so I brought you some for you to drink.”

“Huh? Is it already aged? Cedie’s territory is truly a mysterious place. Come on in and have a rest first. I’ll give Charlotte a drink of freshly squeezed milk.”

“Thank you, uncle!”

I decided to stay at my brother’s house that night. We had a big steak for dinner. Char is overjoyed and she even ate two thick steaks.

“This is really delicious. Even at Dantes’ mansion, wine of this quality rarely appears on the table.”

“Really?”

“Cedie is still a child after all so you probably don’t know it, but the only time you can drink something like this is during special occasions.”

As I thought, this seems to be a good wine.

“By the way, how much is this one?”

“Five thousand crown coins.”

In my opinion, this is a pretty ambitious price. At first, I am thinking of setting it to 3,000 crown coins, but Lynn and Upa both said that it was too cheap, so we came up with this price in the end.

“Five thousand crown coins!?”

“Uh-, was it expensive?”

“No. I mean, I’d like to order ten red wine and ten white, is that okay?”

“Yes, it’s in stock, so it’s fine. We’ll be able to deliver it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”

I can ask Mio and Lucio to do the delivery. Since he’s my brother, I’ll give him a discount on the delivery fee.

Hmm…. wine sells well after all.

In my brother’s place alone, I already earned 100,000 crown coins.

But…. is it really okay?

“Paul-oniisan, is 100,000 crown coins too high for you?”

“Not really. A hundred thousand crown coins is cheap you see. A friend of mine would probably pay ten thousand crown coins per bottle.”

“Oh~. Ah right, you can’t resell it.”

“Don’t worry, it’s a waste to resell them. I’ll consume it all for myself.”

My brother seemed to like the wine very much, he kept pouring himself refills while eating his thick steak.

✲✲✲

The next day, as we left the ranch, Paul-oniisan gave us a large chunk of prosciutto.

“Don’t forget the wine.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll arrange it as soon as I get back.”

Paul-oniisan is usually a cool guy, but today he made such reminder. I guess it means that he really likes the wine so much.

We said goodbye to Paul-oniisan and then we headed back to Gandalcia.

When we arrived at the island, I immediately arranged for the delivery of the wine to Paul-oniisan’s place as promised.

Mio and I loaded the wagon with crates of wine.

“Deliver ten red and ten white bottles to Paul-oniisan. He already paid for them. Then please deliver two bottles of each wine as present to Earl Simpson as well.”

“Understood. What about the Polymer Grocery store?”

She is talking about the company where we wholesaled the bottled goods at the processing plant.

“Lulu will go there by boat. As for Sambabano in Lebon, I’ll go there myself to share some to them.”

I’ll also give wine to the witches of Sambabano who shared the grapes with me.

If we distribute them in this way, we may find new sales channels. Medoc and Pinot are doing their best, so we have a lot of wine in stock. I want to sell a lot of it and build a new facility.

My goal is to buy a small boat with sails. Then once the sales channels are all set and I have accumulated some funds, I’ll upgrade the pier into a harbor.

Anyways, for today, we continue tending to the fields. After that, it’s time to improve the roads. I’m going to build a paved road to where the fruit trees are growing. I also have to get to Sambano before dark.

Well, there are a lot of work to be done today huh.

✲✲✲

I must have been a little tired, so the next morning, I overslept a little.

“Cedie-sama, Cedie-sama! It’s bad!”

Eh?

Medoc is calling me outside.

Did something happen?

I already told the siblings not to be surprised by the little things.

I rubbed my eyelids as I walked outside.

“Good morning, Cedie-sama.”

“Good morning……”

Oh yes, Pino, who is usually very shy got used to it a little and started greeting me as well.

Pino has great strength, so she’s a big help at the winery. She even lifts the heavy harvest baskets with ease. In addition, she got a sensitive tongue so she can clearly tell the difference in taste. Medoc is also good at calculations, so I think I really got some rare talents.

“Morning. What’s the matter with you being so flustered this early in the morning?”

“There’s a situation in the vineyard!”

“Huh? Was it that big rocks suddenly appeared? Then Char can—”

“No, it’s not that Cedie-sama. Just go with us for a bit.”

Pulled by the Medoc, we headed to the vineyards.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The siblings, who were recommended by Masciolini-san, came.

The older brother’s name is Medoc. He has a gentle face with slender build. However, his personality is cheerful, and he is quite talkative. As for his younger sister, Pino, she bears no resemblance to him at all. She has a cute face, but she must be over 180 centimeters tall. She even has a muscular build. She is more muscular than Dawsill and Cawsill. She is extremely shy though. Her face is bright red during the interview.

As soon as I interviewed the two of them, the alert on my status screen lit up.

Oh, for the first time in a long time, my level has improved.

Not only that, but the island’s level is now level 3!

And since I leveled up, I am now able to build new facilities.

Small Winery Creation

All unlock conditions had been lifted! Condition: – Install a fermentation tank and press. (Completed) – Hire two employees. (Completed) Required points: 8

Thanks to the arrival of Medoc and Pino, a small winery can now be built.

“You guys are hired!”

“E-eh? ……W-what about the interview?”

“That’s it. Both of you seem like a good citizen.”

The fact that my status reacted suggests that both of them are worthy of staying in Gandalcia Island.

I built the winery on the opposite side of the cottage, placing it between the vineyards.

“W-what’s that?”

Medoc was so surprised that he had a big reaction.

“……”

Pino on the other hand is trembling silently. Even as she trembles, she still holds tightly onto the hem of Medoc’s shirt.

Hmm, she must be relying on her brother.

“Gandalcia is an island of wonders. That one just now was my magic. It’s a magic exclusive to this island. You will see more things like that so don’t be scared.”

“U-understood……”

The winery also had an employee room, so I decided to let them use it. The room is like a studio apartment so it’s not particularly spacious. Still, there is a shared kitchen and toilet, so there will be no inconvenience.

“You can put your luggage down first then I’ll introduce you to the rest of the islanders. I’ll also guide you to the location of the hot spring.”

“Hot spring?”

“………”

“There is a hot spring on the island, and the islanders can use it freely.”

The two of them were stunned.

“What’s the matter, both of you?”

“I-, we are just surprised at how well we are being treated! The salary is better than Massolini-san’s, and we never thought we’d be given a private room.”

Oh, right. All servants in this world have a shared room. They can’t get a private room unless they rise to a substantial position. Even in Dantes’ mansion, there is only one private room and it is allotted to Sebastian, the head butler.

If you look at it that way, this place is really a blessing.

I’m even willing to give them a raise if sales increase.

I toured the siblings to the hot spring and then I introduced the brother and sister to everyone on the island.

After that, we proceeded on arranging the winery.

Char played a big role in moving the items in the barn. We had to carry the brewing equipment from the barn to the winery, and Char carried most of it. A barrel of wine with a hundred and thirty liters of wine was also carried by Char, lifted only by one hand.

Seeing this, Medoc and Pino are once again surprised.

“W-who is that little girl?”

“She looks like a little girl, but she’s actually a yellow dragon.”

“It is the strongest species!”

“Ah?”

Right. So don’t be surprised everytime.

“Work at the winery starts tomorrow. For now, let’s start with harvesting the grapes. Then tonight, we’re having a welcome party at the auberge, so I’ll come and get you when the time is right.”

I told them to relax in their room after harvesting the grapes and then I went to Lynn to discuss the welcome party.

✲✲✲

Half a month has passed.

Medoc and Pino have also gotten used to life on the island, and they are doing their job very well. They are both hard workers. Medoc is quick-witted and is good at math. His sister, Pino, is a strong woman, and even Dawsill can’t seem to match her in terms of physical strength.

Our wine stocks are now steadily growing.

That’s right.

Even though the amount of wine brewed at one time is small, about 130~150 liters of wine is made once every three days. The winery is too small, so the barrels are stored in the large hole that we found earlier. Char and Lucio the donkey, are active in transporting the bottles there.

By the way, Lucio has been rejuvenated since he came to this island. He is now energetic enough to pass as a teenage donkey.

Well, the sparkling grass is indeed out of the norm. When it grows again, I’ll feed it to the horses on the Paul-oniisan’s ranch to surprise him.

When I went to the auberge, Lynn and Upa were making a fuss.

I thought they were fighting, but apparently not.

What’s going on?

“What’s the matter with you two? The customers during lunch hour are supposed to arrive soon you know.”

“Cedie! There’s no time for that. Just what on earth is going on with this?!”

Lynn is pointing at the bottle of wine in the table. It was the wine that has been left aging in that large hole. I carried some that are 15 days old to serve at the restaurant.

Was there something wrong?

“Don’t tell me…. is it moldy?”

“No, not that. This one is ridiculously delicious!”

“Yes. This wine is comparable to the Château Goat, which is said to be the best wine.”

Upa, who likes to drink, tilts his glass further.

“Oh-, it’s that good?”

It may have something to do with the half-month aging period and the fact that it was stored in that large hole, which is quite a cool place.

Hmmm, I’ll send some to Paul-oniisan and Earl Simpson too then. Oh, and I will send a couple of samples to Masciolini-san who ordered our wine.

“That’s good then. Oh right, I’m going out for a bit.”

“What? Where are you going? You can’t go far by yourself!”

Once again, Upa gets worried.

“I’m going to Paul-oniisan’s place. Don’t worry, I’m going to take Char with me. If it’s going to be late, we will stay over there.”

Hearing that, Char smiled brightly. She is very happy because she likes to go out.

We tied the wagon to Lucio, got on it, and then we set off.

　　　✲✲✲

In the study of the mansion, Alexei was looking through the papers. Beside him is Sebastian, the head butler.

“Is the wine shipment going well?”

“Yes, it’s going well. Our inventory is also selling well, so this month’s sales exceeded 2 million crown coins.”

“Good. I stretched myself a little bit, but I made the right decision by buying the winery.”

Hearing Sebastian’s report, Alexei nodded in satisfaction.

He is thinking of buying a new horse again. His dream is for his horse to win at the racecourse in the Capital. He is willing to spend as much money as he wants to make that happen.

“Continue to expand our sales channels. Got it?”

Sebastian bowed deeply.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Three more days passed. The mash in the tank is no longer giving off gas. Fermentation is over.

Next, the mash is strained and further squeezed with the press. The result is a wine that looks like a cloudy sake. The volume is just over one hundred and thirty liters. If we bottled them, I guess it’s about 160 bottles.

After letting it sit in the barrels for three more days, we will have a clear wine. However, the adults who were looking forward to this day can no longer wait. Especially Upa.

“Cedie, can we have even just a little taste of it?”

“Young Master, please let us have some too!”

It seems that Cawsill and Dawsill also wants to have a drink.

“I get it. Look, I’ve got this ready.”

They cheered when I took out a long glass dropper. They are super excited.

This dropper is a tool for tasting directly from wine barrels. I remove the cork at the top and insert it through to extract the clear liquid. I had this tool specially exchanged for 1 point.

Well, I can’t afford to disappoint everyone. In addition, tasting is indispensable in winemaking. I wanted to have a good tool because it would be used in the future. I pulled out a generous amount of cloudy wine and poured it into everyone’s glasses.

“Mmm, it’s not aged yet but it smells good.”

Upa swirls the glass and puts it close to his nose. He’s picturesque as ever. He was acting like a kid just a moment ago, but now he’s so cool in a scene like this.

Dawsill and Cawsill also followed Upa’s example and smelled the scent of the wine.

“Alright. Let’s have a toast, shall we?”

The three of them raised their glasses and then took a sip.

“““Delicious!”””

All three of them shared the same opinion at the same time.

“It’s still a work in progress, but it tastes good already. I’m looking forward to what it will be like in three days.”

Yes, if we let it sit in the barrel for another three days, the newly brewed clear wine will be completed. In fact, it seems that it is better to let it sit for about three more days to further advance the degree of aging and become more delicious.

Speaking of newly brewed wine, it seems that in my previous life, there was a festival to celebrate the newly brewed wine.

I think it was called Nubo…… No, maybe Chocolate Confectionery…….

Ah! I remember!

It’s Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

It was often advertised on TV. I think I saw people actually buying it.

Right.

What if we also hold such festival on Gandalcia?

It’s a good advertisement, and it looks fun. I talked to the three of them about the concept of new brewed wine festival.

“That’s a good idea!”

“Young Master, let’s do it!”

“Okay. We got to prepare a lot of snacks too!”

Upa, Dawsill and Cawsill are very thrilled.

I’m glad I suggested it!

“Oh, that’s truly a blessing. Now we’ll have new wine festival every three days.”

“Huh? What are you talking about, Upa?”

“I mean, the wine will be ready every three days, right?”

It’s true that brewing takes place every three days. Right now, the tank is even filled with white wine must. It will be ready in three days.

But I did not mean that way…….

“We can’t have a new wine festival every time we make wine!”

“Is that so?”

On Gandalcia Island, we can make a new wine in six days. If we brew it every three days, we will have a new wine festival each time.

Oh dear, what a feast for alcohol lovers but will be a problem though.

“This one is special. The New Wine Festival is only once a year!”

“Darn. I thought so.”

Beaujolais Nouveau is released in November. In this world, that’s about the time when new wine is made.

Okay, let’s have an official new wine festival on Gandalcia in fall.

Well, since I already said it, we will still have the New Wine Festival in three days.

I should send out invitations to people who have helped me out on a daily basis, like Paul-oniisan, Earl Simpson and the others. I don’t know if they’ll come because it’s a sudden decision, but if they can’t, I’ll just give them a bottle of wine.

✲✲✲

Now is the day of the New Wine Festival.

We decided to use the barn as the venue, with the doors wide open. There is plenty of space, and the festival can still be held even if it rains. It’s also convenient for having refills on a glass of wine.

Lynn and Mary brought us trays full of snacks. There are a lot of smoked salmon and fruits lined up, and they look really delicious. Char, who can’t drink wine, is drinking grape juice and munching on a roast beef sandwich.

In the meantime, the guests began to gather.

Earl Simpson couldn’t come, but Eugenie (riding on Gian) came to visit in his place. The laws of this world are lax, so even if a child drinks wine, he will not be charged with a crime. I think Eugenie and I can have a little taste and enjoy the day too.

Today, I promise to give Gian a glass of wine as well. Gian is a griffon, but he has weakness for wine.

Then Paul-oniisan came in with a dejected looking Masciolini-san.

The Casino Wyall Group, which is run by Masciolini-san, seems to be in debt and is not doing well currently. Stocks are also falling, and I’m losing a lot of money. But I won’t say anything about it. After all, investing is at your own risk.

Let’s have a good wine today to cheer up!

I called out to Masciolini-san, who looked crestfallen.

“Hello Masciolini-san.”

“Hello, Cedie-kun. Thank you for inviting me today. I’m glad you invited me because I’ve been having a lot of bad times lately.”

“It sounds like your store is having a hard time.”

Knowing that I, a small child, knew what was going on, Masciolini-san looked embarrassed. If he had known that I even bought shares in Casino Wyall Group, he might have been even more embarrassed.

“Mmm, I’m in a real predicament right now. Actually, Cedie-kun… No, I’d like to consult with Cedie Dantes, Lord of Gandalcia.”

“What is it?”

“I’m embarrassed to say this, but I’ve decided to downsize my business. In regard to this, I’m looking for new jobs for my employees. Would you be willing to hire some of them?”

Although he has caused the company to go under, he seems to be concerned about his employees’ future and is constantly reaching out to them. While there are many irresponsible capitalists, I liked Masciolini-san’s approach.

“Well, we’re not quite on track yet, but if you have someone who can help me with the winemaking, I might be able to hire a few.”

Cawsill and Dawsill are already working on the food processing plant and Upa is needed at the auberge.

I can’t always ask for their help.

“That’s great! I’d like to recommend two people.”

“I focus more on personality.”

“They’re serious and honest siblings, and they’re good workers. If it weren’t for the current predicament, I’d like to have them work with me forever.”

“How old are they?”

“The older brother, Medoc, is 19 and her sister Pino is 18.”

Wine is a part of the industry in Gandalcia so the earlier I start developing the talent, the better. For the time being, I only promised Masciolini-san that I would have an interview with them.

The new wine was a big hit.

The people who had gathered today kept asking for refills, exclaiming how delicious it was.

Emma was among the guests, but she looks very frustrated.

“Not being able to ship this is really a huge loss for the Londo Company! If only Earl Dantes hadn’t interfered –oops.…!”

Looks like Emma is drinking a little too much. Masciolini-san shrugged his shoulders slightly and laughed.

“I know how you feel. But mouth is a source of disaster, remember that. Uhm, Cedie, I wonder if you will let me buy this wine?”

“Masciolini-san would like to buy them? We only have about one hundred and forty bottles in stock. In three more days, I’ll be able to serve you the same amount of white wine….…”

“Okay, I’ll take both. The customers will be delighted if I can sell this much. Hey, don’t worry. I won’t issue a bounced check. I’ll pay you in cash.”

If that’s the case, then there’s no problem.

We immediately signed a contract.

Given the fact that we could develop a sales channel right away, holding the New Wine Festival was worth it. When I thought about the white wine that would be ready in three days and what was to come, my heart swelled with anticipation.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Three days have passed since the seeds of the grapes were sown. The vines are growing vigorously and has become a mature vine. However, as expected, they haven’t produced fruits yet. It will take another three days for its fruits to appear.

After tending the vineyard with Char, we get started on building the barn. This will be the facility for winemaking.

I wish I could build a winery, but my level is not there yet.

Well, I guess that because I haven’t meet the requirements for it.

I don’t have other option so I decided to just build a work barn for now and aim to be a small-scale brewer first.

Possible to Build: Barn Description:  A building where agricultural tools are stored. Can also be used as workstation. Comes with a second floor and a small basement. Required points: 3

I spent 3 points to build a stone barn.

“There’s nothing here.”

Peering inside the empty barn, Char tilts her head in confusion.

“I’m going to get what we need.”

While checking my status screen for what is needed for winemaking, I used points to set up the equipment.

First, I installed a machine to remove the stems and branches and lightly crush the grape skins. Next is the tank for fermentation. Then a press for squeezing out the fermented juice. I also added barrels for storage and aging.

Since the production volume is small, it is better to keep the barrels to about four small ones. If the barrels are too big, they’ll be difficult to handle.

I have spent so many points that I only have 12 points left.

Sigh. I’ll have to live frugally for a while.

“I’d rather eat grapes than wine.”

Char, who can’t drink alcohol, doesn’t seem to be convinced that grapes made into wine would be delicious. She has been murmuring that it is better to eat grapes as it is.

“But you know, if you squeeze the grapes, you can get its juice.”

“Juice?”

“Yes. You will like the sweet grape juice before it is processed to become wine for sure.”

“Oh! I indeed like juice!”

“Besides, if we have that juice, Lynn might be able to make us some sorbet.”

“Sorbet?”

“I’m talking about cold sweets. Lynn can use ice-cooling magic for cooking, so it is possible to make one.”

“Yay! I’m looking forward to the grape harvest!”

Looks like she is in a better mood now.

The harvest day will probably be three days later. With the help of Cawsill and Dawsill, we’ll start making wine that day.

✲✲✲

For the next days, we worked hard in the fields every morning and do our usual tasks.

As expected, three days later, the grapes are now ready for harvest.

The black grapes to be harvested today are large-grained and have thick skins. I tried it, but it is less astringent and has just the right amount of acidity and sweetness. If we use this, we can surely make an elegant red wine.

Today, in addition to Dawsill and Cawsill, Upa and Mio-san also came to help with the harvest.

“We don’t have any guests staying tonight but you don’t have to come too Upa.”

“Even if you say that, I’m still curious. You guys are going to start brewing wine, aren’t you?”

Right. Upa loves to drink.

You can never have too many hands, so there’s no reason to complain. The vineyards are about 100 square meters in size for each variety, but the harvest is still plentiful.

“Okay, let’s start harvesting. We’ll have the red wine ready by the end of the day!”

All the black grapes were harvested today. We left the grapes that will be used for making white wine for tomorrow’s work.

“Young Master, what are we going to do next? (Munch, munch)”

Cawsill asks as he snacks on the freshly harvested grapes.

“Put the harvested grapes in a bucket to wash them. After that, put the washed grapes in the machine over there.”

If you wash the grapes too much, the natural yeast on its skin will be washed away, so we are careful when washing them.

Everyone then slowly poured the grapes into the opening of the machine.

“Alright. I’m going to run the machine, don’t be surprised if it makes a loud noise.”

The machine starts to move, efficiently removing the stems and branches from the grapes. The sweet smell of crushed grapes fills the barn, and Char and Cawsill are both fascinated by the sweet scent.

Mio-san stared at the machine cautiously.

“How does this work?”

“It’s powered by magic stones. The fermentation tanks also use magic stones. Oh right. I need to go to the cave and replenish the magic stones soon.”

“Then I’ll go do it.”

“Mio-san?”

“I used to be a spy, but Cedie still allowed me to stay here. I want to be useful to you.”

“But it’s dangerous for you to go alone, Mio-san.”

“I’m still a former adventurer, and the cave here is not as dangerous as the dungeons in the Capital.”

I haven’t leveled up the cave so the monsters that appear there are still all low-level. Mio-san, who is familiar with dungeons, doesn’t seem like she’ll be in danger and fall behind there.

“Well, okay then. I’m leaving it to you. But if someone else is free, please go with them as much as possible. I’ll help out if I have time.”

“I’m going to help you too. Char is the strongest species!”

“I’ll also join you when I’m free.”

Mmm. As long as Char and Upa are there, there will be no problem.

The work was finished and the machine stopped. The result was a mixture of fruit juice, pulp, and skins called mash. This was transferred to a fermentation tank and then wine yeast was mixed in.

With this, today’s work is done.

Upa stares at the tank with a big smile on his face.

“Oh, please be a good wine. It will be a week or two before the fermentation is finished, right?”

That’s normally about that long. But this is Gandalcia Island after all.

“I think it’ll be done in three days.”

“That fast!?”

“Yes. As for the aging time, I think it’s going to be three days of maturation after that.”

Normally, you have to wait three weeks to a month for a clear wine to show up.

“As expected, this island is really incredible.”

I remained silent, but that wasn’t the only amazing thing about Gandalcia. In some cases, the wine is left to age in barrels for several years, but here, this process would only take three days.

Within just ten minutes of putting the fruit in the tank, bubbles are already coming out. Fermentation seems to have begun. Upa watches the fermentation from the tank window without getting bored.

“Is it time to taste it?”

“Not yet!”

Even on Gandalcia Island, you can’t make wine that fast. Once the gas stops coming out, the mash will be pressed in the press and left to sit for three days, after which it’s complete. That’s the best time to taste it.

“Oh, I can’t wait!”

I know it’s not for me to say this as I am a child myself, but Upa is really like a child at times like this.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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