Chapter 97

About a month had passed, and it was a midday during the latter half of the rainy season. When Zenjiro opened his eyes, he found himself in a dimly lit basement.

"…Huh?"

Holding the digital camera, which was powered on and displaying the dim basement on its screen, Zenjiro couldn't understand the situation and looked around suspiciously. Although he had done this himself, his mind couldn't catch up with the first success. The soldier guarding the basement reacted more calmly to the situation than Zenjiro did.

"Congratulations, Master Zenjiro. You have finally succeeded."

Hearing these words, the other soldiers also congratulated Zenjiro on his 'achievement.'

"Um?"

What Zenjiro saw was a dimly lit basement. In his hand was a digital camera displaying the basement on its screen. In Zenjiro's consciousness, he had been practicing 'instant teleportation' in the harem's living room just a moment ago. So, it must be that...

Finally, Zenjiro's understanding caught up with reality.

"Did I... succeed in activating 'instant teleportation'?"

"Congratulations."

The soldier, as if affirming Zenjiro's dazed mutter, smiled without breaking his expression and said it again. As his understanding caught up with reality, the realization slowly followed. Then,

"Yesss!"

Zenjiro let out a meaningless, incomprehensible sound filled with a strong sense of joy that everyone could understand.

That night, in the harem's living room, the conversation between the queen and her husband, as expected, was about Zenjiro's successful activation of 'instant teleportation.' The queen, wearing a red nightgown and beaming with a happy smile, opened a bottle of whiskey and poured the amber liquid into two differently colored Satsuma cut glass tumblers, one red and one blue. Among the alcoholic beverages Zenjiro had brought, the sparkling wine and the brandy he had given to Aura had been drunk long ago. Only this whiskey remained, and now only two of the three bottles were unopened. A bottle of whiskey that costs a little over a thousand yen in Japan is a precious item that won't be available for another thirty years here. But today, it was worth opening the bottle.

"Then, let's toast to Zenjiro's successful 'instant teleportation.'"

"To the success."

The red and blue cut glass tumblers, filled with the amber liquid and ice, clinked together. After the toast, Zenjiro brought the blue cut glass tumbler to his lips and took a sip of the precious whiskey.

"Phew. It's been a while, and it tastes even better with the memories."

"Yes, I prefer the aroma of brandy, but this is undoubtedly delicious as well."

The queen, like Zenjiro, took a sip of the whiskey and then placed the red cut glass tumbler back on the coaster on the table.

"Distilling alcohol is possible, but whether it can be aged to become whiskey or brandy is another matter. It's difficult to produce here."

Zenjiro's vague knowledge only extended to storing it in barrels made of oak. He didn't know if water should be added, if anything else should be added besides water, or if it should just be stored as is. There were many unknowns.

"Yes. Distilling alcohol has reached a certain level of mass production. As it is, it's tasteless. However, the mixed wine with fruit and sugar is sweet, and there are people who don't like it. If we can produce something like this whiskey in the future, we might be able to allocate some of the distilled alcohol for that purpose."

The queen, resting her chin in her hand, spoke thoughtfully. The reason she didn't answer immediately was that, although mass production was possible, the amount of distilled alcohol wasn't that much. The distilled alcohol and mixed wine were already popular among the nobles in the palace. On the other hand, making whiskey was an uncertain venture, neither a product of the sea nor the mountains, with no guarantee of success in the future. For the first few years, it would be necessary to be prepared to ruin the distilled alcohol. It would be a stroke of luck if it saw the light of day during Aura and Zenjiro's lifetimes. As it was, or as mixed wine, it would be a sure thing to be well-received at the palace's evening gatherings and luncheons, and would fetch a good price if sold. Consuming it on a new venture that had a 99% chance of failure required a bit of courage. The reason to take on the challenge of making whiskey, considering all this, was simple.

"I like to drink whiskey from time to time, even though the alcohol here isn't bad."

"Ideally, it would be great if we could recreate that brandy as well."

In response to her husband's words, the queen licked her lips and said, "Yes, it would be ideal."

The underlying desire was a simple one: the heart's desire for delicious alcohol. As a royal luxury, it wasn't excessive. If mass production could be established in the future, it would also contribute to the royal finances, so there was no need to feel guilty.

"From what I vaguely remember, the production methods for brandy and whiskey are basically the same, right? The only difference is the raw material, beer or wine. So, if we can get wine, it seems possible. But, either way, that's a story for the future."

Saying this, Zenjiro straightened his posture on the sofa. He didn't say it to the person involved, but Zenjiro was skeptical of Aura's opinion that she preferred brandy over whiskey. The only alcohol Aura had tasted was a bottle of whiskey costing a little over a thousand yen and a bottle of brandy costing about ten thousand yen. It was frustrating to conclude that "brandy is better than whiskey" based on that alone. Zenjiro wanted her to taste at least a high-quality whiskey and a low-quality brandy before making that conclusion.

In any case, the whiskey was opened only for the toast. It wasn't the main topic of the night.

"Alright, then. Let's get to the main topic. Your mastery of 'instant teleportation' will inevitably set things in motion. Of course, not immediately. First, you need to become proficient in 'instant teleportation.'"

At this point, Zenjiro had only succeeded in activating 'instant teleportation' once. If he were sent to a remote location and instructed to return using his 'instant teleportation,' there was a possibility it wouldn't work this time. In this world, magic doesn't activate and doesn't consume magic power if it fails, so it could be tried multiple times until it succeeded. However, ordinary people tend to feel anxious and embarrassed when they think about failure. Correct perception is essential for the success of magic. If one's head is clouded with anxiety and embarrassment, it's possible that even a day of continuous chanting wouldn't result in success.

"How long do you think it will take?"

In response to her husband's question, the queen thought for a moment before answering.

"Let's say you succeed in activating 'instant teleportation' within five attempts, and if you can do this for five consecutive days, you pass. Of course, the destination can be the usual basement, and you can use the digital camera as a tool."

Zenjiro considered the conditions. The magic he had successfully activated was three: 'Spatial Barrier,' 'Attraction,' and 'Instant Teleportation.' Zenjiro had become proficient enough to succeed with 'Spatial Barrier' and 'Attraction' on the first try. Recalling this, Zenjiro answered.

"Under those conditions... yeah, I think I can clear it in about half a month?"

This was a Zenjiro-like estimate, with a generous safety margin. From his days as a salaryman, he had developed the habit of giving a generous safety margin when reporting progress. Fortunately, unlike his former boss, Aura wouldn't arbitrarily shorten the deadline he set.

"Understood. There's no need to rush, but let's plan accordingly."

This was more a reflection of the difference in time sensitivity between modern Japan and the Kingdom of Carpia. In a culture that uses a lunisolar calendar with a thirteenth month every four years and lacks accurate clocks, the kind of strict time schedules found in modern Japan are rare.

"Alright. So, once I pass, I'll teleport to the Marquis Lala's territory, right?"

Zenjiro's confirmation was met with a nod from the queen.

"Yes. I'll send Ines and Margarete, and your knight, Natalio, ahead, so you won't be inconvenienced there. The foster parents will also be there."

These words reflected the queen Aura's trust in the Marquis Lala and his wife, who had raised her.

"Anyway, I don't plan to stay long. Once I get there, I'll teleport the Marquis Lala's third and fourth daughters, who are candidates for Lord Xavier's wife, to the capital using 'instant teleportation.'"

"Yes, I'm counting on you."

Zenjiro swallowed hard, feeling nervous. In this world, magic failing simply means it doesn't activate, but casting it on strangers, especially young girls he had never met before, was nerve-wracking.

"Understood. By the way, what are the Marquis Lala's third and fourth daughters like? Since they are candidates for Lord Xavier's wife, they must be in their teens, right?"

In response to Zenjiro's question, Aura shrugged slightly.

"Yes. I believe the third daughter, Aida, is seventeen, and the fourth daughter, Lolita, is fifteen. I don't know much about their personalities. They are much younger than me. I know the eldest daughter, Augusta, well, but she has already married and left the Marquis Lala's household."

The Marquis Lala's eldest daughter, Augusta, was a foster sister to Aura. Therefore, she knew her better than her own siblings, but she didn't know the third daughter, Aida, and the fourth daughter, Lolita, who were over ten years younger. She had met them when they were under ten, but those memories wouldn't be very helpful.

"In any case, since the foster parents have agreed to marry them off, I assume they have the necessary education and character to be a lord's wife."

The queen Aura had great trust in the Marquis Lala and his wife.

"More importantly, the issue is how you will manage your time. Of course, you need to practice 'instant teleportation,' but you will be temporarily away from the wedding preparations."

Aura's point was something Zenjiro had anticipated and had already formulated a plan for.

"Don't worry. I'll reschedule what I can to create some leeway. I'll stay in close contact with Lucinda, and the preparations will be paused while I'm away. Once I return, I'll get her sign-off to restart."

This was a precaution against Primo Gijen. In the wedding of Pujol Gijen and Nilda Gazir, Primo Gijen was the representative of the Gijen family, and Lucinda Gazir was the representative of the Gazir Margrave family. Primo and Lucinda were on equal footing, and it was difficult for Lucinda to stop Primo's outbursts by force. That was Zenjiro's role, but with Zenjiro away from the capital for a few days, there was concern about Primo Gijen's behavior.

"Maybe I should give Lucinda a temporary letter of authorization?"

For a moment, Aura showed a hint of joy at Zenjiro's words, but she quickly regained her composure and disagreed.

"No, that's not a good idea. If it were just between Primo, Lucinda, and you, it might be fine, but currently, you are the representatives of the Gijen family, the Gazir Margrave family, and the royal family for this wedding. If it were to be seen as 'the royal family giving the Gazir Margrave family the authority to control the Gijen family,' it could be misinterpreted."

"Ah, I see."

Zenjiro, understanding his wife's explanation, exhaled deeply and reflected on his hasty suggestion. Beside him, Queen Aura smiled secretly. Zenjiro was quite at ease with Lucinda Gazir, which was a very positive sign for the queen. However, she thought that delving into this matter wouldn't lead to a good outcome, so she decided to let it go and continue the conversation.

"In any case, it will be a bit of a waste of time, but while you are in the Marquis Lala's territory, the preparations for Pujol Gijen and Nilda Gazir's wedding will be paused. Given the foster father's dislike of waste, it shouldn't take long."

"Understood. I'll go and return as soon as possible. By the way, until I pass, I want to prioritize practicing 'instant teleportation,' so I'd like to lower the priority of Mrs. Octavia's lessons. Is that okay?"

After thinking for a moment, the queen agreed with a condition.

"Alright. However, since you will be teleporting to the Marquis Lala's territory, there is something I want you to prioritize. I'll inform Mrs. Octavia, so please learn it first."

"Something to prioritize?"

With a slight narrowing of her eyes, the queen explained.

"Yes. The Marquis Lala's territory is at the northernmost point of our country, bordering the 'Alve Kingdom' and, further north, the 'Tukale Kingdom.' I want you to learn about these two countries."

A few days later, Zenjiro, who had successfully activated 'instant teleportation' on his eighth and thirteenth attempts, was receiving a lecture from Mrs. Octavia in one of the harem's rooms.

"His Majesty has informed me. Congratulations on mastering 'instant teleportation,' Master Zenjiro."

"Thank you, Octavia. This is also thanks to your lectures. I want to express my gratitude again."

In response to this achievement, Queen Aura had informed the Marquis Marques that the royal family would offer appropriate thanks. While Zenjiro's mastery of 'instant teleportation' was due to his own efforts and ingenuity, it was also a fact that Mrs. Octavia had worked hard as his teacher in the basics of magic. Queen Aura proposed that the Marquis Marques family be given the right to use 'instant teleportation' for free a few times, but the Marquis Marques requested that Zenjiro be invited to the Marquis Marques territory. This was a shrewd proposal. For the wealthy noble Marquis Marques, the regular fee for 'instant teleportation' was not a significant burden. However, if Zenjiro could be invited to the Marquis Marques territory, it would be possible to use Zenjiro's 'instant teleportation' to travel from the capital to the Marquis Marques territory. If a noble in the capital needed to return home urgently, it would be rare for them to be the only one in such a situation. In that case, it would be difficult to get the queen, who could teleport to over a dozen locations within the country, to do so. On the other hand, Zenjiro, who had never left the capital, would have only one family as a rival. It would be much faster to get a ride from Zenjiro than to wait in line for the queen. In any case, the negotiations between Queen Aura and the Marquis Marques were their business, and it was irrelevant to Zenjiro and Mrs. Octavia. With her usual smile, Mrs. Octavia began speaking.

"All of this is due to your efforts, Master Zenjiro. If I could be of any help, I am truly delighted. By the way, a few days ago, I received a message from His Majesty about a change in the lecture content. Are you aware of this?"

"Yes, I've heard from His Majesty. It's fine."

In response to Zenjiro's answer, Mrs. Octavia's smile deepened.

"Understood. Then, I will change today's schedule and explain the 'Alve Kingdom' and the 'Tukale Kingdom.' First, the 'Alve Kingdom' has the bloodline magic of 'Repulsion,' and the 'Tukale Kingdom' has the bloodline magic of 'Comprehension.' The characteristics of each are..."

She continued her explanation in her usual clear and polite tone.

After receiving a thorough explanation from Mrs. Octavia about the two countries, Zenjiro organized the information in his mind and spoke.

"I see. I understand the main points. The 'Alve Kingdom' is the northern country that borders our country, and the territory that borders it is the Marquis Lala's territory. Further north of the 'Alve Kingdom' is the 'Tukale Kingdom.' Our country was at war with both countries during the last