odorekijin

chapter seven

[Western Country—Rural Town]

Arthur: Bradley and the others still seem to have plenty of energy to spare.

Nero: Well, they can keep the wine flowin’ with magic as much as they want: as long as they’ve got customers comin’, they can rake it in. Business doesn’t run like that over here.

Even if we had the customers, our sales would naturally fall behind if we couldn’t provide them with the star of the show: the wine. Competing on sheer numbers, we were inevitably about to be outgunned.

With little time spared for conversation, just as many of the few remaining bottles, one by one, left our stocks.

Rutile: But if we don’t act now, Mister Bacchus’ vineyard will definitely…

Shylock’s composed voice cleared the tense impatience that had spread through the atmosphere.

Shylock: I have yet to fold the hand I was dealt.

《 Invibelle 》

Shylock summoned in his hand a dark bottle, so lustrously polished that its shine was nearly glaring.

Akira: And what is…?

Before I even could finish my question, Murr’s keen gaze was drawn towards the bottle, and he answered:

Murr: Oh, that’s Bennett’s wine, no doubt about it.

Akira: W-what…

For a split second, I hardly trusted my own hearing—my eyes immediately darted back to Shylock.

Akira: (Bennett’s wine? But, I thought…)

I thought… At least, I’m pretty sure there were only a few bottles left…

Shylock had taken it upon himself to tell me his story once:

Bennett's wine was rare in its own right, with only a handful bottles left to enjoy—Shylock had even shared how eagerly he was looking forward to when, how, and who will be in his company to uncork the last of his stock.

At my pale expression, Shylock simply bowed his head with grace, as if acknowledging the incredulity I couldn’t bear to voice.

Shylock: This wine is incredibly precious to me.

I would fail to meet my own reputation if I weren’t to make use of such precious bottles for an equally important occasion, don’t you agree?

I assume you know me well enough by now, yes? In that case, you would also know how competitive I can be, and how much I abhor losing.

A sidelong glance followed his words. Despite an eloquent delivery, his daring smile was blinding, like the sheen of an imaginary blade he was pointing directly at Murr.

Murr coldly returned the stare through narrowed eyes, like a cat ready to jump on its prey.

Murr:...Hm-hm, that you do. I know you far too well myself, Shylock.

Bradley: Ahahah!

Bradley’s roaring laugh boomed out—he looked awfully delighted to see Shylock on his last legs, playing his final trump card.

Bradley: Looks like yer finally gettin’ in the groove too, ay? Now we’re talkin’—it’s pretty rare to see ya that worked up, so thanks fer the show.

Akira: …Shylock.

Faust & Nero: …

The two wizards kept their lips sealed shut, faces shrouded with complex expressions.

Despite Shylock keeping much of his own thoughts to himself, they all could sympathise with the situation he was in: what he was about to sell held a far different value than the collection he had previously presented.

Shylock: Oh dear, please, do not make such grim faces. We must give our all to this competition to achieve victory, do we not?

Akira: But…

Oz: Shylock has decided to take part in this bout out of his own volition.

If he is resigned to see it through, our intervention is meaningless.

Akira: (...But… but is it all right to leave him be?)

Shylock would lose what he had poured his heart and soul into, what he had loved so dearly all this time—the mere thought made my heart sink into my stomach.

???: Hol’up!

——At that very moment, someone came rushing in.

Shylock: Bacchus?

Bacchus: If it’s wine y’all need, I gotcha! Take these!

Barely catching his breath, a plethora of bottles appeared at the command of his wheezy spell.

Rutile & Arthur: …!

Oz: This wine…

Bacchus: That’s all the wine I’ve been producin’ up ‘til now. If you need to make the sales roll in, then use my bottles!

Not even sparing a second, Mister Bacchus rushed over to Shylock, deeply bowing to the other wizard with great might and main.

Bacchus: Shylock, excuse me, seriously…! Not only was I a goddamn unworthy coward, but I’ve also put you through a whole lotta trouble.

You’ve blown your treasured collection just to get my lands back, on my behalf.

I can’t take this any more! I can’t just sit around stewin’ in my own damn sorrows, not when all this is happenin’…!

Shylock: …

As apology after apology cascaded from Bacchus’ trembling lips, Shylock was silent, and did not address a word of sympathy or protest.

Instead, a hand fell on Bacchus’ shoulder—a “thank you” for his effort—as Shylock’s own gaze tenderly narrowed.

Shylock: Come now, this was but a warm-up—the competition is only getting started.

⁂

Rutile: Ladies and gentlemen, we have just received Mister Bacchus’ very own wine!

Arthur: Everyone is more than welcome to have a taste, and experience for themselves Bacchus' life-long history in winemaking.

Joining his fellow wizards at the front of the stall, Mister Bacchus spoke up as well:

Bacchus: Although we dun’ have this year’s cuvée, we’ve got cellars’ worth of past vintage!

Be it young or more aged wines, we’ve got ‘em all!

Customer: Bacchus’ wine, really?

Other customer: It’s the real thing! And so many of these bottles aren’t even available on the market anymore…!

Chatter and gossip were far quicker than we were: the bottles had barely reached the shelves before customers began swarming our stall.

Customer: So this is the “Bacchus Wine”, huh? I’ve wanted to give it a try for so long.

Female Customer: Goodness, at last! My search for this wine has always been fruitless—but no more!

Nero: Woah, where did they all even come from…

Akira: (I mean, Mister Bacchus’ wines are bound to be pretty famous around here, after all…!)

Be it fresh new customers or regular buyers, all sorts of guests came forward in waves for Bacchus’ production.

From within their midst, some regulars called for his attention:

Customer: The cuvée from the year before last was beyond words, Bacchus. My wife was head over heels about it, I swear, I’d hear day in ‘n out ‘bout how much she wanted to drink some of it again.

Bacchus: Huh? U-um, well… Well, glad to hear that!

Arthur: Bacchus, it seems all bottles of this vintage are sold out. Do you perhaps have any of it left?

Bacchus: They should be in the wooden crate over there. Just wait a tick, I'll get ‘em out fer ya.

Customer: Um, excuse me! Could I have one of these?

Other Customer: And I'll take two of this wine here.

Akira: Thank you so much for waiting, I’ll get to your order right away! Oz, I’m sorry, but could you take care of the pay desk?

Oz: Understood. …Next customer.

Customer: Eep…

One customer called out for others, the stall growing busier by the second. Even the townspeople, who simply happened to pass by, eventually assisted us in serving customers.

Citizen: You guys sure are hard at work there. Here, let me help you out—I’ve got nothing planned right now anyway.

Faust: Thank you, right when we needed someone the most.

Customer: Yup, that’s the one! Man, that brings me back: my old man used to drink this all the time.

Female Customer: My, and you even have wine from a decade ago! Oh, how exciting, what a delight. I had missed my chance at getting a bottle for myself that very same year, you see?

Rutile: That’s fantastic news, then! We have quite the stock with us today, so feel free to take a look around.

A myriad of people gathered around our stall for Mister Bacchus’ wines, and left with the prized bottles of their choice.

Each and every one of them was beaming with great expectation and joy, as if meeting with an old-friend after many years had passed.

In a hushed tone that only I could hear, Shylock quietly whispered: