While Trice was listening to me, there were two tasting glasses in front of her.
One is straight, and the other is prepared to be twiced up.
But Trice never laid a hand on the other one, and he gave it back to me softly.
"Hmm?"
Tris says a little lonely when I ask him what he intends with my gaze.
"Drinking alone doesn't calm you down."
"... well. Bad."
"No."
He was in a hurry for feelings. Indeed, the alcohol you drink alone while the bartender stares at you may not be a bit tasty.
I grabbed the glass she gave me back and lifted it gently. Cheers.
Trice also took the glass and said naturally.
"Well, something good... and you are. Here's to this whiskey today."
Always toast to something 'good'. Ibuki said it was for the person who made that alcohol and himself who was going to drink it.
In this case, the person who made it would be a few percent 'myself', so it was extremely illuminating to think that far.
"… Cheers"
"Cheers!"
I was slightly out of sight and bossy, and the opposing Trice said fine.
A glass rang modestly and a volatile lake surface.
I drank it many times and found out the flavor of the liquid in my mouth to enjoy it again.
Every time I put this amber in my mouth, I remember those things. The sweetness of the fluffy, fragrant barrel fragrance and the wheat that goes out makes my thoughts swell.
Unattributed potions made from Swiss research.
The malts of craftsmen who put their lives into alcohol in this world where alcohol culture lags behind.
Aging machines completed by the generosity of the robots who live in curiosity.
And the face of the white oak that gave me all the support I could to complete it.
Taste was another emotion, and I felt comfortable with the liquid slipping down my throat.
Well, like me earlier, I noticed Trice staring at me.
"... what's up?
"Yeah. Again, you made it good. Good luck."
Trice's eyes were gentle. It even seemed like a bigger, people-wrapping look of mercy rather than a gaze at people.
But I had that look on my face during the bundle. Like I remembered something, and, oh, I've said it subtly.
"Speaking of which, what's the name of this bottle?
"... what's your name"
"So the brand. I'm not letting you through with 'arr' or 'sole', am I?
"... ugh"
I got a little upset when they asked me that. Trice couldn't have missed my funny reaction.
She crooked her lips like a cat who found a mouse.
"Ugh, what? What's your name?"
"No, I don't know what it is"
"Is that such an embarrassing name?
"Shame on you," he said.
Embarrassed if I say embarrassed. Actually, I didn't give that name.
And that name doesn't just mean 'the name given to this whiskey I made'...
In this world, for the first time, I made a 'fifth attribute' potion.
Apparently, of course, it's a study of "White Oak," but people in the potion world were aware of my existence.
It is the fault of Mr Appalachian of White Oak and Mr Heliconia of Aurantiaca.
Apparently these two were sharing information in places I don't know, and they seem to know more about the story of the birth of Old Potion.
And those two people who are close to each other know so much about the birth of 'Old' thanks to two honest people.
And he doesn't think my accomplishments are being appreciated correctly at the moment.
But in the potion world, I'm the biological parent of a 'cocktail', an outsider, not an orthodox one.
Some parts of the industry have yet to acknowledge 'cocktails', nor are their names sold as potion researchers.
I mean, even if I knew I existed and even knew Old feat, I was too heretical myself to take it up especially.
In such a fold, I created blended whiskey in my own ratio.
The two of you who found out about it, fortunately, sent me a certain name as "Title to Me".
On the surface, as just a whisky brand. But in the back sense, as someone who was interested in the two 'beginnings': 'cocktail' and 'old'.
So to say the name of this brand is like introducing myself to embarrassment.
For that reason, I said it in a whisper as far away from my eyes as possible.
"'Origin'"
The brand is' Origin '. Origin bottles in series from time to time, not "Origin" or anything.
Trice, who heard the name, nods, yeah.
"... one more time"
"So 'Origin'!
When I repeated it a little beautifully, Trice laughed a lot.
Yes... 'Origin'.
Words that have the meaning of origin, origin, or origin. I'm wondering if it was given a special title, which means a lot in this world.
When I think about it, I find it a little distracting to introduce the name.
For example, I'm talking about being given a nickname like 'Emperor Potion' for my accomplishments and being happy to use it. I can't do this. I'm too shy.
Tris knew exactly what I was feeling, and even though he did, he had decided to tease me.
She nods contentedly, yeah. When I was admitted, I was as happy as I was.
"Yeah, that's a good name, isn't it, 'Origin'? When I first heard it, too, I thought, whoa. That's cool. Evening Mist (Origin) You."
"Stop it! Did you know that!?
Knowing that I was made to play pointless shame makes my voice a little absurd.
If Trice knew about 'Origin' from the beginning, the reason I heard that would be because he wanted to see me shy.
At least, Sally and Rye make fun of each other for that reason, as I recall.
I give him a rough nose and a grumpy face, but after Tris gently apologized, "I'm sorry," he continued.
Now it's not a tease, it's a serious look.
"Of course I know. I didn't come out before you, but I've always cared about you."
The atmosphere of my voice had changed a lot. A quiet voice, not including laughter.
I turned a blind eye on her.
"... today, why?
There is no more air of conversation that fits. The kind of voice that suppressed her discouragement had marked an abrupt end.
Trice showed up here today for a reason. Knowing that, I was putting it off as long as I could. But that's it, too.
"Why... ah. What do you think the total is?
"... right"
My first thought was, did you finish your errands with Trice? I don't know what she's doing, but I didn't know it came with a paragraph.
But even if that's the case, I couldn't get through. Originally she said something like, 'If I get to the end of the cocktail, I'll fit in again'.
I don't really feel that way at all. It's like we haven't made it to the end of the cocktail. Always remain an unrestrained stray.
Then it is considered another errand that she came here.
I put my thoughts into words. Trice almost affirmed what I thought.
"Yeah, that's the total. It fits."
"What do you mean?
"I came here on an errand. One of us, we're done."
Trice poked the glass gently with his finger. A thin fingertip nail rings the glass slightly.
One of the errands was apparently in 'Old Potion'. And with that drink, it seems good to think you've got that errand done.
"Well, that means I have other business to attend to."
"Yeah, but if that's possible, I want total cooperation."
"Cooperation?"
I was surprised by that word.
Until now, I never knew what Trice was doing. From time to time when he appeared flustered, he helped me, stood up as a wall, and did that.
So this is the first time I've been asked to cooperate. I thought that was unusual, and I wanted to work with you if I could.
"Okay, but what's that about? What am I supposed to cooperate with?
"I don't know what you mean... all I want is for you to listen to me."
"Hope, listening, obscurity again."
I was going to ask what that hope was, but the answer I returned is vague.
They conveyed my feelings, and Trice shook his head loosely.
"Right. It doesn't make sense to say something too vague. Let's get straight to it."
Then she said, with a determined eye.
"Total. I came here today to take you away"