Chapter 139: Distillation – i novels

()x11-14 minutes

I entrusted Nomos with the creation of the still, while I built the building for the distillation. It was just hollowing out rocks.

“Nomos, I’m ready here. Did the still work out well?”

“Well, it took shape, at least. I’ll need to adjust it once we start using it.”

Adjustments, huh… It’s really convenient to be able to fine-tune it later, considering that everything except the place to pour in and out the alcohol is made of glass. But I’m a bit tired, and I’m worried about that.

Nomos’s gaze seems to hold a slightly resentful glimmer, and there seems to be some thoughts about leaving Dyne in high spirits behind. …Well, let’s pretend not to notice.

“It’s amazing, just as I described.”

There’s a glass box about the size of an 18-liter kerosene polytank, and another glass box about half its size placed there. The two are connected by glass pipes that are spiraled like springs, just as I requested.

I’ve never seen a still directly, so I can’t say for sure it’s perfect, but it looks completely like a still. Let’s try it out right away. However, I’m really worried if a still made from a diagram drawn by an amateur will work well.

I take out the building I made earlier and set up the still in the empty space… Oh, I’ve been so focused on ventilation that I forgot about where to place it for heating.

Well, since there’s no fire spirit, let’s assume we’ll heat it with charcoal. It’s better to have easy temperature control. For now, should I use a grilling stand?

Nomos, and of course, Dyne, and Dolly are all watching with excitement. It’s hard to say that I forgot to make it just now. First, I’ll put charcoal in the grilling stand and summon Bell to kindle it for me.

“Yuu-taa, it’s sparkling!”

Bell is extremely interested in the glass still. She’s observing the still, which reflects the sunlight coming in through the window and sparkles, while flying around it. She seems to understand something and gives off an air of “I see,” but I wonder if she really understands something?

“Yeah, it’s a glass still that Nomos made. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

I think it’s beautiful from my perspective too, and there’s an exciting coolness to the appearance of glassware. But for now, I need to get the charcoal lit.

“Bell, sorry, but make the fire bigger.”

“Roger!”

Bell snaps into a sharp salute she just learned yesterday, then happily flies to the grilling stand. It’s better to have both words and a pose. I’ve asked her to do this many times before, so she knows the procedure perfectly. The charcoal quickly turns red.

After Bell finishes her task, I pat her head, thank her, and let her go back to playing. Although her gaze was somewhat focused on the still, she went back to everyone to boast about helping.

“Now, the preparations are complete. All we need to do is evaporate the alcohol at around 80 degrees Celsius. Repeat that two or three times, fill it into barrels, and let it mature for at least three years. Then, we should have a drink similar to the whiskey we had before. (Maybe.)”

I know about aging alcohol in oak barrels, but since I don’t know what kind of wood oak is, I can only use wine barrels. This is where my knowledge from reading manga reaches its limit. The rest will be up to Nomos’s efforts.

The ingredients are ale, and I didn’t use peat, and I don’t know what kind of wood the barrels are made of, so I think it would be amazing if something similar comes out. I hope it turns out well.

“Hmm, three years… For us, it’s a short time, but when it comes to waiting for alcohol, it feels long.”

Nomos’s words are echoed by Dyne and Dolly, nodding in agreement.

“That’s true. But they say that the alcohol just distilled is rough and strong in alcohol content, and not very tasty. If possible, would you like to try tasting it?”

“Well, since everything is an experience. It’s certainly better if the alcohol is delicious, but even if it’s not, it’s still alcohol.”

Nomos is saying something I don’t quite understand. Did I hear him say that any alcohol will do?

“Well, it’ll take time from here on, so let’s relax and observe. It seems that maintaining a temperature of around 80 degrees Celsius is the best, but since I don’t really understand it, I’ll keep it at a temperature where steam is generated but it doesn’t boil.”

“Hehe, it’s Oneechan’s turn.”

Dyne comes forward in response to my words. She has a proud expression on her face.

“I may not understand temperature, but I know about the state of water!”

Dyne says with a triumphant tone. She looks extremely satisfied. Since there’s no fire spirit, I thought we could only rely on intuition for the temperature, but if she understands the state of water, she must also understand the temperature at which alcohol evaporates.

“That’s amazing, truly worthy of the Water Great Spirit. We can truly rely on you.”

Dyne puffs up her chest even more. It’s a delightful sight, but the feeling that she might take it too far if I praise her too much makes me hesitate to compliment her.

“Well then, if the temperature is too low or too high, let me know so that I can adjust it.”

“Leave it to me!”

Dyne hits her chest with a thud. She looks excited and motivated, but it’s a bit sad to see Nomos next to her with a distant look. At this rate, it seems like Dyne will take the lead in making alcohol, and that’s a bit disheartening.

Following Dyne’s advice, I adjust the temperature by bringing the charcoal closer or moving it away. After a while, water droplets start dripping into the glass container through the glass pipes wound in spirals.

“Is this the alcohol becoming stronger?”

Nomos asks with a deeply interested expression. He seems really curious, with the still and Nomos’s face being very close. If we continue like this, he might end up licking the water droplets through the glass.

“Nomos, for now, don’t touch anything until the first distillation is done.”

“I understand!”

Nomos says it as if he’s disappointed, but I can’t trust him when I see the look of longing in his eyes. If it weren’t for me, he would definitely be licking it.

I make slight adjustments to the still, play with Bell and the others who occasionally come to check, and have a rare leisurely conversation with the Great Spirits who don’t have alcohol in them. And as we spend a meaningful time, the first distillation is complete.

I remove the lid and transfer the reduced amount of alcohol to the glass container. It’s colorless and transparent, but the smell of alcohol is distinct. The three Great Spirits have excited expressions. I want to taste it. I pour a small amount of alcohol into small dishes and hand them to the three. I hope they don’t look so dissatisfied just because the quantity is small.

“Hmm, the alcohol content has certainly become stronger. As for the taste… there’s a faint hint of wheat flavor, but it’s not particularly delicious.”

“That’s true. Can this become a drink similar to the whiskey you had, Yuta?”

“I don’t think so either. The whiskey I had from you, Yuta-san, had an amber color, so I don’t think it will turn out quite the same.”

The three of them give me skeptical looks. Even I have no confidence since this is my first experience.

“The color should turn amber once it’s aged in barrels. Whiskey is something that becomes delicious over time inside the barrel.”

Probably.

“Is that so? It’s fascinating.”

From my perspective, the spirits are much more fascinating.

“Yuta, if ale turns into whiskey through distillation, what happens if we distill wine?”

“It becomes brandy. Since that’s also delicious, let’s try making it when we have time.”

When I say that, Dolly nods with a smile. Despite her appearance and demeanor being that of a sheltered young lady, it’s somewhat peculiar that she really loves alcohol. She even scoops alcohol from barrels with a tankard when she drinks.

“Yuta, if we expand the distillery and create a fire-friendly environment, I can bring fire spirits who love alcohol.”

Nomos seems to have misunderstood something. It’s not like I’m intentionally gathering alcohol-loving spirits. It just happened that the ones Silphy brought happened to be alcohol enthusiasts. Wait a minute? Could it be that Silphy specifically chose alcohol-loving Great Spirits to bring here?

Well, it’s fine. It’s easier when our preferences align. If I regularly provide them with alcohol, they’ll be in a good mood, and it will be easier to ask for favors.

“I’m not sure what will happen yet, but when the time comes, I might ask for your help. Silphy is probably thinking about it too, so let’s discuss it.”

“Understood.”

However, I wonder if it’s appropriate to use a still as a facility for fire spirits? It feels different from what I imagined… I would like to prepare a more impressive place if possible.

———–

After lunch, we managed to distill one barrel of alcohol by evening. The alcohol distilled three times is strong in alcohol content and has a strong aroma… To be honest, it wasn’t delicious, but Dyne seemed surprisingly pleased. She said something like “It goes pon!” I don’t understand the meaning, but it seems that the rough sensation doesn’t bother her.

Nomos and Dolly were happy that the alcohol had become stronger, but they didn’t like the taste. They probably wouldn’t clamor for a taste before the three-year aging period, so it’s a relief.

“Well then, I’ll keep this barrel in storage.”

Dyne looks a little disappointed as I store it in the magic bag where time doesn’t stop. It’s the first alcohol we made, so I want to let this barrel age for a long time. She’ll have to endure it this time.

“Dyne, I’m going to the Labyrinth City soon, so I’ll stock up on alcohol. We’ll drink it later.”

“Thank you, Yuta-chan!”

She smiles happily as I pat her head. She seems really delighted.

“Yuta, please also get some brandy.”

“Got it. Next, let’s try distilling wine. I think it was white wine, so I’ll buy that too.”

“Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to it.”

Dolly seems interested in brandy. I want to try it too, so next is wine. I remember there were some precautions for distilling wine… What were they again? I hope I can remember them before I start making it.

“Nomos, can we make the still larger for a barrel-sized amount of alcohol? The prototype still is too small.”

“Hmm… We can make it larger by increasing the thickness to maintain strength.”

“Then, can you make one that’s about three times the size of the prototype still?”

“Sure, leave it to me. Once it becomes a sanctuary, I’ll produce a large amount of alcohol, so it’ll be a good warm-up. Gufu, if it succeeds, it’ll be all-you-can-drink.”

That’s rare. Nomos is smiling with his desires clearly showing. Suddenly, Nomos says, “See you later,” and disappears. What happened all of a sudden?

…Ah, I see. I can see Silphy and Sara flying over from a distance. So, he’s still not good with children from a distance, huh?

“Welcome back, everyone. How was it today?”

“Master, we’re back. We successfully conquered the Skeleton Knight’s nest and Zombie Knight’s nest today.”

Sara reports dutifully. It seems like they did well, with no injuries. Marco and Kika are full of energy. I praise them for their hard work. I use an education method that encourages and extends. …Rather, Sara and the others never do anything to warrant being scolded. It’s easy for me, but is it alright for them as children?

I thank Silphy for escorting Sara and the others and we have dinner together. That night, Silphy scolds me right away. She’s quite upset that we had a fun event like distilling alcohol without her. I apologize wholeheartedly since I was genuinely scared.

I tried it on a whim, but I should have been more considerate as an adult. After all, Silphy loves alcohol too. I’m sorry. I’ve reflected on my actions.