'Cocktail Potion' by Transworld Transfer Bartenders

─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─

"Always more, that's a sprinkled glass"

"I'll take it as a compliment"

To a young man who doesn't even know how to dislike him, Mr. Oyaji - Fren shows his frightened face.

As always, he remains wearing the bartender's mask until he tilts the glass.

The look of a cocktail is simple, except it has sprinkled salt on the edge of the glass.

Grapefruit-like shades, or that's all I can say.

But it's confident enough to serve, so I guess it tastes good. The degree of trust lay with Fren.

Well, and when you put your face close to the glass, it's still the grapefruit that comes to the scent. But mixed there, there is a peculiar, unconventional alcoholic odor of Wotta.

Without particular hesitation, Fren puts his lips on the rim of the glass.

The salt that was on there, from lips to tongues, conveyed salt air in a grand way.

Without being frightened there, Fren tilted the glass and was quietly surprised.

Salt and grapefruit go well together as a drink.

If it weren't for salt, I'd feel the sweetness of the soothing grapefruit, and the bitterness and alcohol of vodka, which would be a complete drink.

But by the mixing of salt there, it is made completely separate.

Tongue opened by salt slightly delays response to grapefruit jumping right after it.

And when it's time to feel the taste of grapefruit, the sweetness of the citrus that's hidden there blossoms all at once.

This is followed by acidity, slight bitterness, and vodka flavors, each of which becomes clearer and runs over the tongue.

Salt adds grapefruit.

A group of grapefruit flavors are approaching, spearheaded by salt. It just reminds me of a group of shepherd dogs and sheep, either because of the name 'dog' or because it shouldn't matter at all.

When you indulge and swallow its vibrant flavor over your tongue, at the end of the day the remaining grains of salt on your tongue twitch and melt away.

To its moderate saltiness, the tongue again seeks the sweetness of grapefruit.

You can't be too sweet. I guess it's the refreshing sweetness of grapefruit that makes it so compatible with salt.

Strangely matched salt gas for a balance of sweetness and acidity.

If your tongue gets a little tired, you can also enjoy the taste without salt as it is from where the salt is gone.

The way it looks, tastes, and enjoys itself.

It was an easy but deep cup, all put together to a high standard.

More importantly, this salt gas stained the tongue, which was used to bitter flavors due to all the ales.

Only then can I see why the young man in front of me chose this cup.

"... I see, it does taste good"

However, Fren noticed another thing.

The [Bulldog] I should have drank before should have felt a little more vodka.

And I didn't have to ask why, but I could see the answer from Nico's face in front of me.

─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─

"But as always, it's an extra thing to do."

"Was it no good?

"... you can't. I don't know about potions, but Talia wasn't that strong."

Mr. Oyaji laughed lonely as he wiped the salt on his lips with his thumb.

Then I had a few thoughts, and the salt on my thumb was in my mouth again.

"Squishy."

After zeroing without any particular significance, as I said earlier, I will start talking quietly again.

"... when I tried living in this city, I was pretty surprised, huh? In those days, the present lord ruled a little. Half an Elf Talia made it easy to get a job."

I stopped the adventurer and moved to this city. The money I saved as an adventurer disappeared to lay the foundation for my life.

Mr. Oyaji began training in cooking, which was originally an interest and a hobby, and Mr. Talia began working like a pharmacist, drawing on the knowledge he inherited from his parents, although not a family business.

When the couple were able to afford just a little household work, Sui was born, he said.

"He gave me the names Sui and Rai. Everything's been warming up for a long time."

"A long time ago?

"You've been secretly with me since I met you."

I told him that I was frightened, but Mr. Oyaji's face seems to be just a little happy.

Mr. Oyaji was in hiding when he was a teenager, and it was in his twenties that he stopped the adventurer.

"What do you mean, you've been thinking about it for over a decade?

"You know what? There's a weird deviation, right?

"... you're just a romantic, aren't you?

"Sounds like a thing. I said 'heavy' by accident. I got my navel bent for a week."

That's what I said, and Mr. Oyaji chuckled at me with his throat.

But that's how Sui was born. Her hair was a beautiful light blue color that made her feel the blood of an elf.

Three years, struggling with unfamiliar parenting. I just thought I was finally getting used to it, and Rye is next. She had red hair that wouldn't make her feel like an elf this time.

"That's strange. My two daughters, me and Talia have different hair."

"I mean, you don't have Mr. Oyaji's element."

"I guess the elves are strong around there. I'm glad you're both not like me."

With that said, Mr. Oyaji niggles with a fierce face.

Sure, neither of us looks like Mr. Oyaji, but his personality doesn't.

Especially the harshness of Sui, or the lack of forgiveness of Rye.

Well, I won't tell you.

"The life of four members of my family was fun. I didn't know my parents' faces, so I was anxious to be a proper parent, but they both missed me a lot. You've been thinking too hard. Being a parent is all about thinking and acting for your child."

"... yes, what?

"Why don't you come with the pin? Well, don't worry. I guess that's not what everyone thinks."

I try to remember my parents once now, but it's still hard to convince.

Were my parents thinking about me properly? That kind of suspicion never clears up. Well, they've cut it off, and even more so now.

In the meantime, good about me.

"Back then, it seemed like I could see happiness. The four of us stayed together, back then."

I don't know what words to pinch there.

The look on Mr. Oyaji's face sank deep in front of me without such impudence.

"... that was the day our holidays happened to overlap. Suey was getting old enough to think about it all by herself, and Rye was getting somewhat older."

Breathe small and I waited for words.

Mr. Oyaji softly transfers the liquid from the glass in his hand to his mouth.

And I said hey.

"A circus demon escaped to see if there was a mistake at the spectacle hut I went to see with my family. The audience was in disarray and the place became noisy. That's when Talia jumped out by herself and magically caught the attention of the demons"

That was her chosen behavior.

He came forward on his own to protect the vast majority of the audience fleeing.

"It wasn't long before I stopped. The demon was frightened by Talia's magic, but the load was heavy on her own. I stood to join Talia, too, but he turned me down."

"... why?

"'Sui and Rai, please'... that was his word"

Even I wasn't there, I could see Talia's sad expression of determination.

Mr. Oyaji leans down, as he eats and binds, to zero bitter words.

"I took his word for it and took Sui and Rye away. Regrettably, I can't stop all the circus demons without weapons. Instead of Talia, you can't be."

I can only imagine Mr. Oyaji's thoughts at that time.

Still, it must have been a bitter decision. Leave one beloved wife and leave the spot for her daughter.

No matter how difficult it is to acknowledge, as a matter of fact, we cannot replace the role.

"By the time I returned from the evacuation of Sui and Rai, most of the demons had already fallen. I slammed into my dull body and took the rest and headed for Talia, who was falling into it. My consciousness was already breaking off and I was sweating terribly. Magic deficiency."

In the organism's body, there is basically magic, which in this world greatly affects human activity.

And when the magic in that body is rapidly lost due to some factor, it even interferes with the maintenance of life. That's Magic Deficiency.

In fact, the results of the advertisement are that there are not many people rushing into our store as an emergency. You think you've been attacked by demons, or you've been forced to use too much magic?

If mild, conversation is possible to the extent that consciousness is obscure.

But when it gets severe, you can't even move yourself, and if you don't do a quick procedure, you're going to lose your life.

Talia's symptoms are undoubtedly severe.

"I ran with Talia. I kept calling out to the guy who hadn't responded that it would help. The circus was out of town, so there's no way there's such a potion store. Still, I searched around and finally found a store."

"... good. You don't have to tell me anymore."

"... oh"

From there on, I've already heard the story.

The potion shop turned cold to Mr. Oyaji, who held Talia.

"No potion to sell to the poor"

And Talia became the one not to return.

That's the end of Mr. Oyaji's life with four members of his family.

"Even now, I still have that voice in my ear asking for my daughter. For a moment, I ask myself if I can protect my daughter properly."

Mr. Oyaji threw up like that and included a bite of [Salty Dog] again.

Shh, groaning like penance after whispering.

"Sometimes I think. Why did you go to a showcase or something? Why, I couldn't force you to, but I didn't take Talia away. Why, when I was an adventurer, I never had one of those potions that I cared so much about."

"... I have no choice. I wasn't an adventurer anymore."

"Oh, I know. But then Talia wouldn't have died."

The words were rough, but the voices were trembling badly. A clenched fist is solidifying on the counter, losing its head.

If you want to point that at someone, you have no one to point it at. I want to turn that around, because I am who I am in the past.

Even without Mr. Oyaji's words, I felt like he was yelling at me like that.

Because I was the same.

That's all I thought about when I lost Ibuki.

If only I had stopped Ibuki that day and stood firm.

Didn't such an accident happen?

Even so, because I couldn't go back to the past and spit it out.

"... you know, Mr. Oyaji. I know a little bit about that too."

"... ah?

To my words, Mr. Oyaji raised his face slightly bent over.

I received a gaze asking the truth of the words, but I dared to look back at Mr. Oyaji to show his back.

At the back of the counter, there is a 'Synonym' wall in front of it with no weirdness whatsoever.

I take my 'cocktail' and rock the ice quietly.

Then I follow through and choose the words without even putting together what I want to say in my head.

"Because I'm not clear about Trice. I don't know if I'm really with you. Still, I thought something similar."

"... right"

When I heard that, I felt signs that Mr. Oyaji snorted.

Mr. Oyaji also knows my stories of the past. So you must have realized I'm feeling sympathetic.

I spin words that have come together a little while I think so in my head.

"But I, I forgot a lot about that. When I suddenly remembered, I was still blurry and I was fine."

"... what is it"

What is it, okay?

Ignoring words that seemed to explore my sincerity for a moment, I continued to speak.

"But it was when I made the 'Old' prototype in training and drank it. I had a real feeling about the memories, and I remembered all the worries."

…………

"That's when I thought. Tears and tears."

Shit, instead of telling him with my mouth, I rocked the glass and sounded the ice.

Containing a bite, there is the same sound of ice shaking from behind. There were signs that the contents of the glass had been smeared.

"... I don't know what you're trying to say, but just one thing"

"Oh."

"... I knew this would work. Salt, I don't know how to put too much on it."

That said, Mr. Oyaji sounded the ice again.

No, this high sound is different. Ice slapped the glass on its own.

"Really, hey. Just now, I'm so tired of drinking."

Again, there was a sound of ice.

The bartender can tell if the glass is approaching the sky if he hears the sound. Because when there is less liquid, the ice beats the bottom of the glass after drinking it.

That's when the tall noise rings. It signals that there is less glass left.

If you keep bartendering, your consciousness will naturally go there.

"Sorry."

So, I get it.

Mr. Oyaji has been wearing empty glasses for a long time now, as long as he is soggy and repeated.

"... but because of this, I'll drink for you, thank you, kid"

"Thanks."

The sound of ice keeps ringing. Make a high noise from teasing.

After that sound, Mr. Oyaji's voice sounds soggy.

There's no way I'm going to ask for a replacement.

I've been turning around until Mr. Oyaji finished that drink.

"... it's time for Talia's day of life."

The words that sounded quiet, I decided to engrave them in my heart.

Time to go home, don't worry.