Fate-san and Chronoa-san had originally come to attend the official ceremony, but since Fate-san had ducked out in the middle of her meeting with Chris-san, they headed back as soon as they had purchased their World Tree fruit drinks.
Lilliwood-san had asked me not to let the original fruits of the World Tree circulate too much, so the beverages I handed over to the two of them were actually Nebula’s version of the World Tree fruit drink.
Well, since I only happened to sell them to those two specifically and the drinks weren't officially part of my inventory, I doubted they would spread any further.
"My Sworn Friend is truly remarkable! To think two Supreme Gods would visit so suddenly... it makes me feel quite proud—I mean! As expected of my Sworn Friend."
"Well, we had our share of trouble, but we’ve made a sale and things are moving along smoothly."
Fortunately, our first customer hadn't been an acquaintance, but someone who seemed genuinely interested in the stall. For now, I was willing to call that a success.
As for the sudden arrival of Fate-san and Chronoa-san, it was a relief that it hadn't caused a public scene, thanks to Fate-san manipulating destiny behind the scenes.
As I was reflecting on this, several people suddenly emerged from another stall nearby. They were short in stature but possessed dense, muscular builds. Looking at their "short but buff" frames, they certainly had the look of Dwarves.
"Um, Amel-san. I haven't seen many Dwarves before, but those are Dwarves, right?"
"Yes, just as my Sworn Friend says, they are the People of Smithing. Most likely, they are preparing to drink Fire Sake to celebrate the start of the festival. As a warning to my Sworn Friend, those People of Smithing will eventually come around to the neighboring stalls to distribute the sake, but I recommend you refuse it."
"Is it really that strong?"
"It is called Fire Sake because a single sip turns one’s face as red as a flame. Unless you are exceptionally resistant to alcohol, it is best to avoid it. While you would earn the Dwarves' admiration if you could drink it, courage and recklessness are two different things."
"I see... By the way, what about you, Amel-san?"
"I have no intention of drinking today, regardless of my tolerance. Alcohol is a treacherous substance that numbs the wings, dragging me from the azure heavens down into the Prison of the Earth."
I basically got the gist of it. We had arrived early, but there was likely a guild or some sort of local association for the stall owners. These people were gathering now to celebrate the start of the Founding Anniversary Festival, toasting with their specialty liquor and sharing the leftovers with the surrounding stalls.
If you drank it, you’d earn the Dwarves' favor, but the alcohol content was apparently brutal. And Amel-san didn't want to drink today because she wouldn't be able to fly properly if she got drunk. That was the long and short of it.
Just as I reached that conclusion, the Dwarves began making their rounds to the nearby stalls exactly as Amel-san had predicted, eventually arriving at ours.
"Yo, young man! It’s a fine day for a festival! How about it? Won’t you have a cup as a gift from us Dwarves?"
"Ah, sure. I’ll take one, thanks."
"M-My Sworn Friend!?"
"It’s okay. I’m stronger against alcohol than I look."
It wasn't so much that I was naturally "strong," but rather that Shiro-san’s Blessing ensured I would only ever reach a slight buzz at most. There was even a bonus effect where if I thought "I don't want to be drunk" or "I want to sober up," the alcohol in my system would vanish instantly. I suspected it might be the work of a blessing from a God of Sake or a God of Health, but either way, I was perfectly fine.
I accepted the large cup offered to me and, while mentally willing myself to stay sober, I downed the liquor in one go. Hmm. It was certainly strong, but I felt like the stuff I drank during my contest with Megiddo-san had been even more intense. Come to think of it, I remember him mentioning that even Dwarves would pass out from that particular brew.
"Thank you. That was a great drink."
"Oh! Young man... you didn't even change color after knocking that back. You’ve got quite the hollow leg! Hahaha, I like you! Hey, get this guy some of our freshly grilled skewers!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah! It’s my treat, out of respect for your fine drinking. I guarantee the taste, so make sure you eat up!"
"Thank you very much."
Just as Amel-san had said, the Dwarf had taken a liking to me. After telling his staff to give us the skewers as a gift, he let out a boisterous laugh and walked away. He was a pleasant, high-spirited man who reminded me a bit of Megiddo-san—the quintessential Dwarf.
"My Sworn Friend! That was amazing! To think you could drink Fire Sake and act as if it were nothing. You truly are powerful against alcohol. You're actually quite cool—I mean! Your stoic refusal to be conquered by the drink commands my respect."
"Ahaha, thanks. Though it’s really just thanks to Shiro-san’s Blessing."
Amel-san’s eyes were sparkling with praise, but since it really was just the result of the blessing, I could only manage an awkward, self-deprecating smile.
Machina: "Hmm~ but really, since Shallow Vernal’s Blessing isn't ever going to be lifted, shouldn't we just count that as my child’s own strength?"
Serious-senpai: "Well, even if that's true, Kaito isn't the type to act high and mighty about it."
Machina: "As expected of Serious-senpai! You really understand my beloved child well! All right, let's keep this momentum going! Join me for a long talk about how wonderful my beloved child is!!"
Serious-senpai: "Absolutely not!!"