Chapter 51: Seeds of a Special Brew

To make liquor, I naturally needed raw materials first.

“What do you plan to use for the liquor?” Bernell asked.

“Well… the request is for ‘sweet fruit liquor,’ so I’m thinking jewel berries.”

Wishstone loves jewel berry drinks, after all. Besides, I couldn’t imagine making liquor from cloudmilk fruit.

Bernell glanced out the front window and continued.

“You’ll need a lot of raw materials for liquor.”

“Oh, no. How much?”

“Depends on the quantity you’re making.”

“Wishstone asked for one cask, about this size…”

I gestured in the air, mimicking the size of a barrel.

In Wishstone’s dimension, an average cask was about waist-high, wide enough that I’d barely fit inside if I sat in it.

“Then you’ll need to harvest all the jewel berries out there,” Bernell said.

“All that for just one cask… I’ll need to plant more.”

Jewel berry bushes aren’t large, so they yield few berries.

They’re enough for smoothies or juice, but tight for a cask of liquor.

“I could try making one cask as a test. I’ll start preparing the materials,” I said.

“Anything else I can help with?” Bernell asked.

“Bathe Pig. It must be sweaty and dusty from all that training.”

“Got it.”

I grabbed a basket for the jewel berries, planning to save enough for the liquor and plant more bushes.

Opening the gate to the berry patch, a sweet aroma filled my nose.

“Oh!”

Through the fence, I saw Pig-Bird staring at me with wide eyes.

I usually handled its baths, so Bernell taking over must’ve been a shock.

“You need to get over this. Haven’t we been training to strengthen your heart?” Bernell said.

“Bbi…” Pig-Bird mumbled.

Its timid protest didn’t faze Bernell.

Pig-Bird trudged behind him toward the faucet, looking dejected.

Bernell helping with Pig-Bird is more convenient than I thought. Should I ask him more often?

Slither. The white snake glided through the fence, watching me as I crouched to plant more berries. Then it stuck its head into the basket beside me.

Do snakes eat berries? It shouldn’t—it’s already scarce!

Ready to stop it, I observed.

The snake rummaged through the berries with its head, then flicked one out of the basket.

“Hm? What are you doing?”

It tapped the berry with its tail, as if trying to tell me something.

“You want me to plant this one?”

• Nod nod.*

“Why? Is this berry different?”

• Nod nod.*

Different? How?

I examined the berry it chose. It seemed larger, with a clearer, prettier color. Comparing it to another, the snake’s pick looked superior.

“Wait, superior? If I plant this, will I get better-quality berries?”

• Nod nod.*

The snake looked especially glossy and cute today.

“Will it increase the yield too?”

• Nod nod.*

I felt like I’d been hit over the head. I almost hugged the snake.

Why hadn’t I considered this? That crops could vary in quality.

Better seeds naturally yield better crops.

And better crops for drinks… could they raise the grade?

“You little blessing! Why didn’t you tell me you could do this sooner?”

Praised, the snake raised its head proudly.

“Can you pick more?”

I eagerly shoved the berry bowl toward it. The snake, with a sharp gaze, dove back in.

Clatter clatter. The berries jostled as it moved.

Pig-Bird boosts crop growth, and the snake picks high-quality ones! They need skills like that to stay here!

The snake selected three superior jewel berries. Only three from a full basket—shocking.

If I get enough superior berries, I could overhaul the garden and plant only those.

“Thanks for the help.”

From afar, Bernell shouted, “Need my help?”

“Not you!”

What a weird guy.

I planted the snake’s chosen berries and filled the patch with more bushes.

The pond’s limited size restricted planting, which was a pity.

“Twenty bushes should be enough for two casks, right? Considering trial and error…”

I worried it might not suffice, but time is endless here, so I decided to take it slow. Wishstone kept advising patience, after all.

I made a big decision: the café would have a regular day off.

The Essence of Serenity opened new possibilities.

I’ll add liquor to the menu. Maybe cocktails too.

Selling alcohol in a café felt odd, but some drinks use it.

What if my dimension’s god loves liquor?

I’d once suspected this building was a tavern before I renovated it.

So it’s not entirely off track.

The more possibilities, the better.

I wondered if gods get drunk.

If a drunk god causes trouble, could Bernell handle it?

To gather more Essence of Serenity, I’d need to dedicate a full day to mind cultivation, meaning no customers. So, I set every Sunday—once every seven days—as the café’s regular day off.

Bernell welcomed this warmly.

“Good thinking. I’d suggest more rest, but this is progress.”

“I’ll rest, but you don’t get to. On quiet days, we deep-clean,” I teased.

Bernell’s face turned thoughtful.

“Pfft, kidding. We’ll rest together. I’m not that harsh.”

Thump. His hand landed on my head.

“Funny joke. Feels like old times.”

“If you keep this up, I’ll never joke with you again.”

His brow furrowed.

When will he see me as Kongyun, not Aileen?

“Master, I’ve arrived!” Blue Child’s voice interrupted.

“Welcome!”

“Hm? I sense a strange aura here.”

Instead of entering, Blue Child paced outside, heading toward the greenhouse with the Frostbloom.

“What’s this!” he exclaimed, spotting it.

“Master! How’s this here?”

“You mean the Frostbloom?”

I approached, seeing his face flushed with excitement.

“Isn’t this the Frostginseng my master sought desperately? Its dimension was thought destroyed, so he nearly gave up.”

“I found it in another dimension by chance.”

Pointing to the snake slithering fiercely toward us, I explained the gist to Blue Child.

“You’ve been through much. My condolences,” he said.

Hiss, hiss. The snake eyed him warily, tongue flicking.

“If it’s not rude, may I tell my master about your Frostginseng?”

Hiss!

“Not to steal it! Just to inform him of its whereabouts—he’s been searching for it to make medicine.”

Blue Child’s master, the famed medicinal god Yakmyeongdosa, rarely leaves his dimension, seen only by disciples.

This could be a chance to connect with him.

“Should be fine. I plan to propagate the Frostbloom here. I don’t know how to handle it yet, so it’s just planted for now…”

“Great news! If you mass-cultivate Frostginseng, my master will be thrilled!”

The snake stared at me with teary eyes.

“Just sharing its whereabouts. I won’t give away the Frostbloom until I succeed in propagating it.”

“I’m not that wicked a god, and my master is honorable! I swear!”

The snake nodded reluctantly, and Blue Child’s face bloomed with a smile.

“No time to linger! I must go!”

“You came all this way and won’t have a drink?”

“I must tell my master this news! I’ll miss the little lady, but no choice.”

Blue Child vanished before I could see him off.

Maybe I’ll get invited to Yakmyeongdosa’s dimension.

I imagined a realm filled with potent herbs.

Even one could make an amazing medicinal tea.

Yakmyeongdosa’s also renowned for repelling evil gods.

Maybe Frostbloom could open a trade route for protective charms.

Getting it from Wishstone’s dimension was a smart move.

The snake looked extra cute today.

“Bbiak…”

A tearful cry came from inside the café.

Pig-Bird, fresh from its bath, was being towel-dried.

Bernell’s rough hands left its fur a puffed-up mess, making it look like a scruffy doll.

Was it jealous of me with the snake or crying for rescue? I couldn’t tell.