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Chapter 30: The Bran Tree

Looking at the resource information screen of the [Sma-ho] skill, I spotted a new icon displayed northeast of the rock salt mining area we had just seized.

The icon looked like a droplet, light brown in color.

What kind of resource could it be?

(Petroleum? Or maybe some crop used to make cooking oil?)

I mused as I zoomed in on the [Sma-ho] screen.

The number of light brown droplet icons increased.

It meant there was a large quantity of that resource.

A speech bubble appeared over one of the droplet icons, displaying the resource name.

「Bran Tree – Bears Liquor Fruit「

I stared at the text in disbelief.

「…Huh?」

Liquor fruit…?

What the heck is that!?

I imagined a tree branch with wine bottles hanging from it.

No way! That can’t be real!

「Gaia! What’s wrong?」

Uncle Athos was calling out.

There was definitely some kind of resource there… but liquor fruit? Would anyone believe that?

I decided to ask Uncle Athos.

「Uncle Athos… have you ever heard of liquor fruit?」

「What!? What did you say!?」

「Liquor fruit…」

「Gaia, listen. Alcohol is made by craftsmen in barrels. It doesn’t grow on trees.」

His bluntly rational response hit hard.

It made me feel like some ignorant child.

I do know alcohol is brewed in barrels, thank you very much!

When I looked back at the [Sma-ho] screen, I could see that the Bran Trees bearing liquor fruit were growing not far from here.

「Uncle Athos, let’s scout out the neighboring area.」

「Yes, yes! Before conquering it, let’s see what kind of place it is!」

We left the Bloody Bear butchering to Rosso and the Great Lizard Tribe, and headed off to scout.

I led the way, with Uncle Athos and Jessica—my lover—following behind.

Jessica had said there were too many people at the butchering site, so she came along.

We walked through the forest for about ten minutes.

According to the [Sma-ho] screen, we should be close…

「Gaia! Over there!」

「「Ah!」」

Jessica pointed ahead—growing there was a tall tree, its branches heavy with large fruit.

The tree was tall, and the fruit was hanging high up.

「Whoa! Those are some big fruits! Looks like they’d be filling!」

Uncle Athos seemed to think it was just fruit, but that—that was the liquor fruit.

I could faintly smell alcohol in the air.

「Uncle Athos. Don’t you think that fruit smells like liquor?」

「What!? You’re serious!?」

「Yes. There’s a faint scent of alcohol.」

「I can smell it too! It smells like booze!」

Jessica could detect it as well.

She started climbing the tree.

Elves build their homes in trees.

They’re excellent climbers.

Jessica reached the branch with the liquor fruit.

No way to reach it from the ground—it looked to be at least three meters high.

She used a knife at her waist to cut one loose, and lowered it to the ground with a rope.

「Gaia… it’s huge…」

「Uncle Athos, this thing is packed with liquor…」

The liquor fruit was about the size of a large watermelon.

The skin was thick, but squishy when pressed—clearly full of liquid.

We carefully cradled it like a baby as we brought it back to the village.

「D-Delicious!」

Back at the Blumunt village.

Uncle Athos had immediately begun testing the liquor fruit harvested from the Bran Tree.

He poured its contents into a wooden barrel—and a sweet aroma wafted up.

I dipped a fingertip in.

It tasted similar to brandy—refined, and clearly strong.

This… this wasn’t something to just drink among ourselves…

I quietly closed the barrel lid.

This should be sold.

Suddenly, Uncle Athos turned pale.

「G-Gaia! Why are you closing the lid!?」

「This liquor is amazing, isn’t it?」

「It is! I’ve never tasted anything like it! The flavor! The aroma! The strength! Everything is perfect!」

「Exactly. That’s why we need to sell it.」

「Wha…!」

Despair settled into Uncle Athos’s face like a curse.

If we drank up all the fine liquor from our own lands, we’d have nothing left.

But if we sold it to other lands and nations, we could earn gold.

Uncle Athos understood that too—that’s why he looked so crushed.

「We’ll serve it at festivals and celebrations, of course.」

「You swear!? You swear we will!?」

And so, we had gained Rock salt, and the liquor-bearing Bran Tree.