When Alex and Olive finally entered the dining room, all eyes were upon them. Alex sat on a chair and stared blankly at the food on the table. Olive put a slice of bread in his hands and said, “Eat this, Alex. Your friends told me that you didn’t even eat lunch in your rush to arrive here. It will be a while for the diner to be ready, so it’s better if you put something in your stomach. Grief doesn’t give you strength, you know?”
Alex took a small bite and faced James Macdonald. “I am sorry for bringing you here for such a sad event. I hope you enjoy visiting these lands tomorrow while I go to the Chamber of Lords. There is much to see, and if you have any doubt, I am sure Miss Olive can explain everything. Or at least, the not secretive bits, because there are some methods and ingredients that we can’t disclosure to any outsider, whoever might he be.”
“It’s because you don’t want other people to imitate you?”
“It’s dangerous if they don’t know what they are doing, and also because it would make me lose money. For example, that bottle of whiskey that is near you that it’s now almost empty, some people already tried to make something similar, but the results were catastrophic. If there is not enough hygiene and attention to the right amounts of ingredients to use, instead of making a nice alcoholic drink, you will instead make a very powerful poison, and sell it like if it was perfectly safe. There were cases of mistakes that caused some people to lose their sight or die in a matter of days.”
James Macdonald looked to the few centimetres of yellowish liquid in the bottle. “If… you taught more people how to do it safely, probably no one would be fooled to buy the wrong product…”
“Yes, a group of Merchants used that same excuse in the Chamber of Lords, and it was up for a vote to make me explain the entire process. I said at that moment that I would rather stop selling it than reveal how I make it. The Nobles wanted to have their hands on my process as well, but they didn’t want to risk not having the opportunity to ever buy a bottle from me. I stopped the intentions of those Merchants and the handful of Nobles that supported their pledge, but after that day, there are always spies trying to find out how I do it. Unfortunately for them, I and Miss Olive are the only ones that know the entire process. The workers only know how to make their part, and when they pass the product to the next room, they don’t see what happens next. I am perfectly aware that the workers might talk between them and find a little more about the production, but the problem is the amount of ingredients, the temperature, and some ingredients even change during the process.”
“You mean… it’s impossible to replicate if a person doesn’t know all the details?”
Alex shrugged. “I suppose that someone one day will be able to make something similar or exactly the same, but until then, I am the only one making whiskey. The same goes for the champagne and the beer that you also tasted. The method to make it is a little more complicate than to make wine, and in the case of the champagne, it takes longer and even the specie of grapes used, has to be the right ones or it will taste horrible.”
“And… what about the bubbles? Because I never tasted anything that bubbled like that! It tickles the mouth, and makes a nice experience together with the taste of the drink.”
Alex made a slight smile. “Well… that’s kind of a secret. Some people tried using Magic, with unexpected results. Probably because they used the wrong type of Magic or the wrong amount. Despite the fact I don’t use Magic to make champagne, that is, but no one believes it. You see, everyone is so used to Magic, that if I say I don’t use Magic or I use just a tiny bit on everything I make on my lands, they all found it impossible. Probably that’s why so many Merchants and Nobles failed to do what I do.”
“No way… you are saying that you don’t use Magic to make whiskey or champagne? What about the fields of wheat all around this manor? Because as we were coming here, I saw wheat till the horizon, and there were some strange contraptions being pulled by wagons.”
“Well, the land was always fertile, but we use some methods to improve it, after every harvest. We also change the crops every season. The contraptions as you called them, are some equipment to help the workers, to make their job easier and faster. With those, only that group of people we went past by, can harvest the entire field in just a few days. Other Nobles need a lot more people, and they can’t have such big fields because it will take forever to harvest, only by hand.”
James Macdonald slowly nodded, and he then remembered something. “But… What about those strange constructions on that plateau? I think I saw them spinning.”
“You mean the Windmills? That’s a different method that most Nobles dismiss as not important. If they only knew the amount I am able to grind in the same time as they do it, with the horses tied to two round and flat rocks…”
“That’s the normal method. My father used that on his lands. When I was very young, I was in charge of the horses every time we had wheat to grind. You mean you use those Wind… Windmills to grind wheat into flour?”
Alex nodded while taking a sip of the champagne. “Not only wheat but any kind of cereal. There are also cornfields a little further to the North of this manor, oat and rye to the East. There are also vineyards to make the wine and champagne, to the West. Since my lands are right next to Earl Kayden’s lands, we more or less mingled the crops, and now it’s kind of difficult to see where his lands end and mines start. Or… it used to be like that because they are now all mine…”
Bethany Mathews was in silence, listening to everything. She noticed the way Alex was staring at his cup again, and she tried to lift his mood. “Mister Alex, you also grind all those cereals? Because I used to eat porridge when I was a child, and I never even tried to make flour out of oat.”
“Well, oat can also be used to make flour, oat bran or oat flakes. It can be used to cook, to make bread, feed farm animals and… this is something I also do and sell… to make beauty products. With a special method and a few ingredients, it can make a paste that you can use to have better skin or to naturally heal some skin problems.”
Bethany Mathews was looking curious at him. “Beauty products? I use some every night, and it makes wonders to my face, because of all the travels, dust and sun, my skin tends to become rather dry. Yours are different from the ones up for sale on the usual stores?”
“Way better, believe me. If you want, you can ask one of the maids to give you a few samples to try. She can also teach you how to use them, and the proper order to apply the several products. There is one to open the pores of your skin, one to clean the opened pores, and another one to hydrate the skin after the cleaning. I am sure that once you try them, you will want to use them forever.”
“All the maids use that? Because I couldn’t fail to notice that they all have such beautiful skin! Crystal clear, without any damage by the sun whatsoever!”
Alex smiled while nodding. “Yes, I told one of the maids to try it the first time I made them, and soon, they all began to use it. Even the men. Every time a Noble visits, the perfectly clean skin of my maids and servants always granted me a few questions, together with new customers.”
Bethany Mathews made a big smile. “Well, I wouldn’t mind trying that, for sure! But… if I want to get more, those products are expensive?”
“Not for you, Miss Bethany. I can take care of warning my people to sell to you at a very cheap price. They can even send to the Adventurer’s Guild in Bouria when you want to buy more if you want.”
“Nice, I would like that! But I need to try it first, of course, to properly judge the results in the morning!”
Alex smiled at her. “Of course, Miss Bethany. Only one night won’t be enough, you will need at least one week, but you will for sure feel your skin smoother in the morning. After one week of using the products every night, you will be amazed by how smooth and shiny your face will be. You will be even more beautiful if that’s even possible!”
“Mister Alex, you don’t need to flatter me so much, you already convinced me!”
“As a final touch, you can also ask one of the maids to give you a shampoo and hair conditioner. You need to wash your hair with shampoo and warm water to clean it. After that, use the hair conditioner and let it stay on your hair for some minutes. When you finally rinse your hair, you will see how easy it is to brush it and how shiny it will be. If you do that every two nights, in just one month you will rival any Noblewoman that used highly-priced soap to wash her hair, for all her life.”
Bethany Mathews twisted her lips, trying to say those strange words, “Sham… shampoo and hair cond… conditioner? You also do that here?”
“No, those I make in my lands, in a special facility. Since tomorrow I will be in the Chamber of Lords, you can take the day to see everything you want, together with Mister James and Mister Gabriel. I suppose it would be better if Ghar could also join you, I can’t take her with me.”
Anika Wright was in silence for the entire conversation, and she then turned to Pearl Pearson and asked, “You know, I wonder why he didn’t offer us or Wenammy some of those beauty products and shampoo. He thinks we are impossible to improve or what?”
Alex made a slight smile and answered while letting one maid put the food on his plate, “As if a Mermaid, a Fairy or an Elfian needed anything to improve their skin and hair…”
Anika chose a piece of roasted Orc meat while speaking to Pearl Pearson, “He has a strange way of flattering us, doesn’t he? On a side note, why Ghar is looking at this tasty meat with such a disgusted look?”
Alex quickly pushed the bowl with roasted chicken to Ghar’s direction, that was indeed looking at the meat the maids were bringing as if she was about to puke. “Here, Ghar, this is chicken, it’s the same type of meat I gave you when we first met.”
Ghar quickly picked up a piece of a leg, and one maid pointed at the plate, filling it with rice and vegetables, with the meat on top. Ghar wondered what she was supposed to do with all that strange food. She smelled the plate and glanced at Olive Andrews that nodded at her, after sending a mental message that she should try it because it was very tasty.
Ghar took the fork and the knife like Olive was showing her by serving as a model, and Ghar tasted rice and vegetables for the first time. She munched for a while and made a big smile at Olive.
Alex saw the exchange of stares and asked, “Miss Olive, does she like it or not?”
“Yes, she says it’s the first time that she tasted something so good because she used to only eat meat or fish. Or a weird animal that I am not sure what it is, actually.”
James Macdonald overheard them and asked, “Miss Olive… you… can understand her? How?”
Before the puzzled look of everyone at the table, Olive Andrews began to glow. She turned into a tiny ball of light that went to Ghar and disguised herself in between the glowing that was coming from the necklace made of Magical Orbs.
Ghar looked at James Macdonald and Olive’s voice was heard, “I am Ghar, firstborn of Mightarg from the Clan Rehart, and Sukaar, Clan Leader of the mighty Clan Higahrg! Stop blabbering, I am eating here!”
Everyone stared at Ghar, as she continued eating while giving them a big smile, and James Macdonald stuttered, “N-no way… Miss O-Olive is a Spirit? And she can speak for Ghar?”
Alex confirmed while munching a piece of meat. “Yeah, it was Okami’s idea, remember? Ghar was more or less a Mage, and we thought she could become a Mage Summoner. Neither I nor Miss Olive knew if it would work, a contract between a Spirit of the Wind and a female Orc, but now we have a way to speak with Ghar.”
James gulped. “Mister Alex… Do you think it was wise? We all know how powerful a Spirit of the Wind is, and Ghar could already use Water and Fire Magic. With Wind Magic at her disposal as well, she will become extremely dangerous!”
“Yes, I think it will be interesting to see what Ghar will do with all that power. Don’t worry, Miss Olive is more than capable to make sure that Ghar doesn’t do anything foolish. She can’t exactly kill Ghar because of how a contract works, but she can find several ways to ask for help and Ghar will have a quick and swift death if she does something like going Monster on us. Or against an innocent, right, Ghar?”
The female Orc quickly nodded, with a worried look. She then pointed at the light at her neck that was Olive Andrews, and made a signal with her index finger over her throat, from one side to the other.
Alex stared at her with a serious look. “Yes, but I will probably not kill you that quickly. If you betray my trust, I will cut you into tiny pieces, a piece at a time, very slowly and in the most painful way possible. You will get several hours of excruciating pain, and you will beg me to let you die. I will then roast and smoke your meat and eat you on the following days. You will fill my stomach for a very long time…”