Chapter 42

The distillery began operations, and I served a White Lady cocktail to celebrate.

For a second round, the topic turned to the king of cocktails, the Martini. The three bear cubs chose Martinis, while Molly ordered another White Lady.

"If they like it, maybe we can attract female customers with its colorful appearance?"

"Really, you think of everything."

Herkov also picked up on my mutterings while sipping his Martini.

"That could work, but I want to go for a high-end approach now. The Martini is getting good reviews, and I'm building a strategy around the image befitting its royal name."

Molly looked pleased as she gazed at her White Lady, but her thoughts were pragmatic.

"I had a hard time getting the gin from that monastery. I managed to secure a regular purchase contract, but I need to take steps to avoid any more resistance."

Molly seemed to be thinking about the alcohol used in both the Martini and the White Lady, which I knew was a medicinal liquor long kept secret by an old monastery.

Distillation techniques had declined and were no longer practiced, or so I thought. However, alchemy had once flourished, and the technology was used to build this imperial capital. So, I wondered if the distillation techniques might still exist somewhere.

"Wasn't that what Dinker mentioned earlier, about drinking too much being harmful?"

When Herkov asked, Molly tilted her head, trying to recall.

"Is that so? I was told it was a very toxic medicine. People have actually died from it."

The bear cubs were shocked by Molly's words, but they didn't stop serving the Martinis made with the potentially toxic gin.

"Isn't it normal for medicine to become toxic if you take too much?"

"Is that so? I don't think anyone would have that much medicine to overuse."

In response to my question, Terent, with his yellow fur, perked up his round bear ears.

"You throw up if you drink too much. But if it's toxic enough to kill, that's different, right?"

"Not exactly, but maybe that's how it works?"

It's hard to explain.

Throwing up from drinking isn't just a result of the alcohol. More likely, it's due to the inability to break down the alcohol, leading to intoxication or poisoning.

While I was deep in thought, Renato, with his orange fur, asked Molly.

"Why was that monastery still making a drug that could kill people?"

"Of course, because more people are saved than killed. Plus, the locals around the monastery say it makes them feel better when they get it occasionally, so it's highly valued as a secret remedy."

I think it's impressive that Molly found this hidden alcohol in a specific region, especially since it was dangerous. Even more impressive is that she managed to persuade them to sell it despite the toxicity concerns.

Still, it seems like the use of gin is similar to energy drinks. I seem to recall that they can also cause addiction or dependence if overused.

"Out of caution, can you find out why people died? Is it just about the amount consumed, or is it related to food combinations?"

In response to my concerns, Molly shrugged.

"I had to go and talk to them because they were so resistant. That's when I was told about the toxic dangers."

Molly has incredible energy.

She must have been busy setting up the factory and managing personnel, yet she still went to negotiate.

"Once, three young monks learned about the existence of this secret medicinal liquor."

And then, an old story began.

"The abbot, who knew the recipe and the dangers, strictly forbade the three from drinking it, warning them it was toxic. However, one of the young monks said he could smell alcohol on the abbot, suggesting it was a lie to prevent them from drinking it."

Wait, this sounds familiar.

Is it like the story where the candy turns out to be just candy?

No, that's probably not it.

"The three young monks waited for the abbot to be away and went to the storage room hidden underground. There, they found the alcohol. The one who said it was a lie was delighted and started drinking. The deliciousness led him from one glass to two, then four, and finally eight."

"Hey, that's a lot. It's doubling each time."

Herkov was amazed, but he seemed to understand the exponential growth. I remember he was good at math in the military.

In this world, arithmetic isn't a required subject, so the bear cubs didn't understand.

"One of the two remaining monks, seeing the first one's uncontrollable drinking, felt a sense of crisis. He thought it might be a poison that, once tasted, would drive one to drink until death, like the devil's temptation."

According to Molly, the two monks with the first one felt a sense of crisis due to his excessive drinking. Just like in the candy story, when he had almost finished it, the abbot returned and discovered what had happened.

"Wait, he didn't die?"

"Was the poison a lie?"

"Either way, they'll get in trouble."

Molly held up her hand to stop the bear cubs from jumping to conclusions.

"The drunk monk, in a jovial mood, grabbed and tore the expensive clothes the abbot was wearing. Then, he finished the remaining alcohol, intending to die as an apology, but he didn't die because it wasn't poisonous."

If it were candy, it would end with "it was just a lie." But what he drank was a high-proof distilled liquor.

"After that, he died. The monk who drank it."

"What do you mean?"

Herkov was surprised, and Molly smiled awkwardly, realizing she had revealed the ending.

"Yes, the medicinal liquor can be used in small amounts, but the problem is its taste, which makes people drink too much. The monk who drank all the alcohol in the storage room suddenly collapsed and stopped moving."

"He didn't choke on his vomit?"

"You sound like you know. According to what I heard, he suddenly collapsed and died. The alcohol was so tasty that it made him drunk and delirious, leading to a fatal poisoning."

It was probably acute alcohol poisoning.

People can also die from choking on their vomit.

Or from organ failure leading to a sudden loss of consciousness.

I remember seeing posters in college warning about the dangers.

In the company, management training included a section on the dangers of alcohol.

"The high purity of the alcohol makes it taste good, but it's also harmful. Since Molly's sales are expensive, people won't drink it recklessly."

"Yes, I explained it as a high-end product with limited quantities. I was strongly resisted when it came to selling in bulk, but the monastery was struggling financially, so I offered a large sum of money."

What is she doing to the monastery?

Well, sometimes you have to do what you have to do, right?

"Still, you know a lot, Dinker."

Elast pushed his glass towards me, asking for a refill. Renato nodded and placed his empty glass on the counter.

"Is it written in alchemy books?"

"I heard it from my uncle, who reads a lot."

Terent also smiled and brought his glass for a refill. I couldn't tell them about my past life, but I nodded. I wondered why the story made them want a refill.

Since Sefira started reading and telling me things, the werewolves no longer know how much I read. Herkov said that reading and writing were necessary in the military, but he doesn't read much on his own. Ikt is similar to Herkov.

"Hehe, eventually, I'll invest in that monastery, buy the rights, and take control of production. With their existing knowledge, I'll have them produce it on a large scale as a side business."

Molly sipped her White Lady with a cunning smile.

She's not trying to shut down the monastery or make the monks leave, so it seems okay. She seems to have a clear plan for a fair business deal.

I pretended not to hear and, under the pressure of the bear cubs, picked up the shaker.

(700 Bookmarks Anniversary)