Phil apparently was on his way to a deal today with a certain person, Cravel and I.
Even so, it's not about distribution, it's about personal face-to-face. The extent to which I was given a mild introduction to someone I know in Cravel.
And I've got two types of demonic grass potions: 'Absinthe' and 'Pernod'.
Basically, the store doesn't allow alcohol to be brought in. I don't think I need to explain it again, but that's not the kind of place the bar is.
However, at this time, it was almost internal, and it was also relative to the store. I honestly decided to accept this gift.
I ask, looking at those two bottles, with a more mysterious face than usual.
"Really, is that a good idea to try it?
Maybe someone from Phil's acquaintance today could introduce me to the route of the formal purchase. But at this stage, everything we have here.
If so, the handling of valuables will also be cautious.
But that's never all.
If this is the same as that 'Absinthe' I know, I need to be prepared for it.
"Don't threaten me, Master. Isn't it your hobby to recommend alcohol to people?
"That's true, though."
To Isotoma's teasing voice, I can only give back a bitter laugh.
Nevertheless, it is certainly a shame not to open what is because of it. Most importantly, it's also bad for Phil and Cravel, who brought it to me.
I decided to open the bottle.
"How do you drink it, that you know it first, make it straight?
For once, I got confirmation from Cravel, who brought me this one with Phil.
At the moment, I thought this liquor was also her possession, but it was late.
"I'll take care of it. That's what I've already given you."
"Okay, so"
I took credit from Cravel, and I prepared a shot glass for the number of people.
'Absinthe' would be good for the first time on this occasion. 'Absinthe' and 'Pernot' are separate, but they are also not like making first-timers drink and compare.
Pour the liquid in the bottle loosely into a small glass lined with five. The thick, thin green clear liquid falls loosely into the glass and shakes.
From the moment it is poured, it is the fragrance of alcohol that can only be described as unique.
Let's have a drink.
"Oh, wait a minute"
Isotoma, who wanted a quick drink of the new potion, tried to be brave, so I stopped her.
Isotoma looks at me slightly dissatisfied, but I tell her calmly.
"I'll have a chaser now, too."
When tasting new liquor, that's important.
And more importantly, if you are going to taste Absinthe for the first time, it is an essential level through importance.
Sally hacked into my words and tried to move ahead of me.
"If that's the case, I will."
"No, good Sally. It's not water."
"Yes?"
I stopped her like that. I look at the faces of the members slightly as I waited with my hands for the strange Sally.
Four, except me. Sally, Phil, Isotoma and Cravel.
I snorted, four glasses.
Tomato juice for three. And for one thing, I prepared orange juice for the cravel.
Sally asked me to prepare them, which are basically not free.
"Why are you deliberately juicing?
"Mmm. Well, preconceptions aren't good, so for now, I want you to think,"
But I clouded the answer.
Looks like the four of them decided to flush it for now, leaning their necks slightly in response to the unboiled response.
And finally, the time has come.
Me and Sally stand at the counter and grab a glass of that light green liquid.
Isotoma, Phil, and Cravel sit at the counter and stand the same.
Because of this number of people, say cheers and keep the glass gently raised.
And I invited the glass to my mouth.
The smell of fluffy, fragrant herbs is sweet. But there's something intensely uncomfortable there.
There are numerous herbal liqueurs and aromatic ones, but none of them are the same. It is as inexplicably sweet as it is inviting, while intensely rejecting those who come.
If I look at the situation, I somehow know that the faces on the spot are confusing to the fragrance.
I pinched the patrol, and they all took a bite. I'll do the same.
A unique taste that goes intensely through the tip of the tongue and out into the nose. Sweetness, aroma, richness, and bitterness.
If you ask me which one I feel the most, none of it. I don't think I can describe this liqueur with such a single taste.
The unique taste insists on being intensely present while crossing this understanding. Moreover, the flavour is not simple, such as swallowing and ending.
Swallow it, and the presence of Absinthe himself, soaked in his tongue, will not disappear at all.
Rather, I might say that the lingering aftertaste is more impressive.
From aroma to aftertaste. Absinthe continues to claim his existence.
Just one bite is enough to know that Absinthe is special.
I realize that this Absinthe is no different from what I know, and at the same time I see the surrounding reactions.
That bite. The reactions there vary.
Those who accept that feeling even in surprise. Those who refuse to feel and even have difficulty swallowing. Drink it for now, such as those who flatter your face.
Now, speaking of the reactions that appear on this occasion.
"Huh!?
"Huh!
And, with a thoughtful face, it was Cravel and Isotma who instantly reached out to Chaser.
"Hmm?
"Mmm."
Sally is the one who slightly distorts her face and tries to think about the flavor.
It was Phil who was trying to taste it while showing a definite surprise.
Well, was it half?
Sounds like the best match for Phil in here.
"Hey, what's this!?
"What is this!?
Isotoma and Cravel, who drank Chaser first, without being able to drink half the glass, have asked the same question.
"That's Absinthe. Maybe you didn't think it was very tasty."
I have no intention of affirming or denying Absinthe's feelings. I want you to think it's delicious if possible, but I'm not willing to push it.
Except that Isotoma was the bad type a little bit, but sometimes that happens.
Absinthe really picks people. You can't have a bad person. Taste preferences, booze strength, whatever, 'something' you can't say in a nutshell separates it.
That's what I think.
"What was it like?
"Delicious or not, this is"
"Is it really a drink?
All I could say was a bitter laugh.
Then I also ask the other two who are licking the little one and Absinthe as they flaunt their faces.
"What do Sally and Phil think?
The two of us, just a little clogging the words. Probably because you know I've been looking for this Absinthe from day to day.
I think it's bad to deny it too easily.
"... I don't know. Though I don't think you have to drink it."
"I think it's funny, but I was wondering if it's hard"
"That's the normal feeling, isn't it?"
I laughed bitterly at their reluctance. Humans who drink Absinthe for the first time and all of a sudden say it's delicious would be a minority clearly.
One more sip of Absinthe while I thank them for their care.
And I included water as a chaser.
"... Speaking of which, why do you have tomato juice?
I wonder if I'm the only one making the water a chaser, Phil.
I wondered if Phil would be okay, and I'd give him a glass of water.
"Try it, try the water as a chaser and you'll see"
"Huh."
As I was told, Phil includes a bite of Absinthe.
And the next time I included water, I was hazy.
"The taste of Absinthe doesn't flow at all."
I nodded. I'm a little glad Phil and I agreed.
My impression is that Absinthe doesn't disappear after drinking water.
"But why?
"Oh, look at that."
I don't answer Phil's questions right away.
I pick up a glass of water from Phil and let it drip to Absinthe where I was drinking.
Then Absinthe, which had been light-green until earlier, quickly turned into a cloudy liquid.
Everyone on the spot as well as Phil watched the scene with their mouths open.
"Hey, why?
Among other things, Phil, who is particularly surprised to be shown in front of him, raises his voice.
"Mmm. It's a potion, so I don't think it's strictly like my world, but this thing that was melted earlier, it just stopped melting because of the water."
That's right, I decided to briefly explain it.
Absinthe on Earth is made with a variety of herbs, but it contains oil.
The oil content is dissolved in liquids with high alcohol content. But when you add water to it, you can't be dissolved.
As a result, the oil that had dissolved in Absinthe appeared and became white and cloudy?
And it's just my own imagination, but perhaps that's what keeps the aftertaste even if you drink water as a chaser.
Oil cannot be washed away with water. Therefore, water cannot flush the flavor afterwards. So the aftertaste won't go away.
In any case, the aftertaste that Absinthe has remains intense. So for those of you who are new to Absinthe, we try to prepare a chaser with as much flavor as possible.
"─ So it's a lot of interesting drinks, isn't it? And keep it in mind when you wash it. Otherwise, the flavor of Absinthe will stick to the glass and tools"
That is one of the cautions of Absinthe, who is good.
Absinthe lineage liqueurs cannot be turned around because of their oil content and unique aroma.
For example, a major cup that measures absinthe once needs to be washed with care each time.
Failure to do so will interrupt all subsequent drinks with the unique flavor of Absinthe.
There is no synthetic detergent in this world, so I will have to wash it even more carefully than I did in Japan. There are detergents of natural origin, but compared to synthetic detergents, the effect varies greatly.
Well, I appreciate you not being too rough with your hands, even when you're washing.
I've done a quick lecture, and I'll just turn my attention to the counter.
"I'll ask you once, Isotoma and Cravel, are you going to be out of that?
I'll ask the two of you who haven't had a glass at all since just now.
They didn't even say yeah, they stared at the glass in their hands.
…………
…………
"Oh, I'm fine. Because there are other ways to drink it than straight. Easier to drink."
I told two mean people who would never say they couldn't drink and decided to borrow an extra glass of Absinthe.
You two don't say anything, but you've honestly given me a glass.
I'm just wondering how I'm going to cook that, and Sally next door asks modestly.
"Speaking of which, the general said he didn't like 'Absinthe' at first, did he?
"Hmm? Right."
"So when you first drank, what did you think?
To Sally's mundane question, I skip consciousness when I first drank this booze.
That one is. Shortly after I started working.
It was when I was drinking and studying chickens to remember the taste of alcohol lined up in the store.
One of the customers who found out I was studying alcohol told me to try what I liked because I would luxury them.
I didn't know anything about it. I chose Absinthe, who only heard of 'special alcohol' from my senior.
The customer looked surprised for a moment but didn't say anything.
Maybe he was amused.
I had a toast with the customer and drank absinthe for about half as long as he could, so I imitated him too.
Shortly afterwards, Absinthe, whose eyes widened in my mouth, shocked me.
I can still clearly remember what I felt then.
"... bathing agents to drink"
The aroma of herbs playing gorgeous harmonies in my mouth reminded me of that space that healed my day's fatigue.
However, bathing agents are not consumed.
"... bathing agent?
To my response, the faces on the spot looked strange.
In this world, bathing agents are basically non-existent, so we have no choice.
Nevertheless, that's the only way I feel anymore.
All this time, I can't think of a good rephrase either.
That's how Absinthe's first experience was special to me.
Either that or I don't really want to remember.