The next day in the early morning. As the cold air dissipates under the bright sunlight, the mist that were shrouding the horizon cleared.

When Leo looked ahead, he gave a great shout, “Our destination is ahead!”

Sua sua sua.

Almost immediately, everyone got out of their carriage to look, few of them are properly dressed.

A mountain wider than it is tall could be seen just a week’s travel away.

Blacken Soot City, the greatest forge of the dwarves.

Their excitement cannot be contained. For the past month they had their view blocked, the way to the dwarven forge is lined by forests and caused them to be unable to judge their distance by sight.

That last week of travel, the carriages almost charged the entire way. Regardless of being in the Dwarf-Gnome territory, no one really felt safe. No, perhaps their main motivation is a warm bath to enjoy. While Kairos’ luxurious carriage is equipped with a shower, it is too limited for dozens of people to share and nothing beats a good spa bath.

At the gates of the city, Kairos and Relestia looked curiously at the bearded short people standing guard.

The dwarven womenfolk also have large beards but those are not naturally grown but wigs.

Every beards have a design and colour of its own, but their size depends on status. Those who cannot grow out their beards are looked upon like men who became bald in the human kingdoms.

Every guard at the gates had well-trimmed beard no larger than a palm’s size. A long line awaited to enter the city.

Soon it reached Kairos’ group. A female dwarf bounced over, full of enthusiasm and spirit. She had a black square beard hanging off her chin with the picture of a pink beer mug dyed in the middle.

“HEY HO! State your business to our flaming city~!”

“We are here to trade.”

“Ohhhhh! What goods do you bring? Do you have rum? Spirits? Maybe some Poison Creek Juice?”

Kairos blinked twice as he looked at the girl before him. The dwarf is no taller than a six year old human child, and that is considered short even in their race.

She still have baby fats on her cheeks and already asking for alcohol like a professional taster.

Kairos and Relestia looked at each other with mirth. The dwarves are really as the storybooks depicts. Love alcohol, talented blacksmiths, and fearless in battle.

Well, the third point is yet to be proved but it is most likely to be true.

Kairos nodded at the dwarven soldier girl and said, “We do have some medical wine and spirits.”

Everyone looked at him in shock, of all the goods they are carrying, there’s no one bringing alcohol. Those produce had already been completely taken over by the big merchants. Not only are the breweries, even the trade routes and prices all locked in by piles of contracts and agreements.

Travelling merchants usually buy goods at low prices to sell at faraway places for a profit, but there’s almost none from alcohol.

However, the city guards are just guards. They didn’t care about these time, storage, and profit cuts. In fact, most of them thought that the merchants seldom ever carry alcohol because they are afraid of the guards sneaking a sip.

The dwarven girl immediately jumped up and down on the spot and reaching out with a hand she excitedly said, “Give me a sip! Quick! I’ll let your group have priority if your drink is good. HE HE HE!”

Kairos nodded solemnly and said, “That’s a promise okay? Here.”

He turned around into his carriage and took out a small pot, as large as a person’s head.

The dwarf girl looked at it with excitement in her eyes.

She almost snatched it from Kairos’ hands, before realising her manners and she gave him a nod, “Ahem, than…thanks!”

Then she grabbed on to a string tied around the pot’s lid and quickly unwrapped it.

Kairos watched the dexterity of her hands and secretly nodded. He had to use the Breath of the Ancients technique to forcefully gain that much control.

The moment the dwarf took off the lid, a rousing aroma lifted from the pot and everyone looked over. From children to adults, human, elves, gnomes, and dwarves.

It felt as though they had been stuck in a dungeon for years, and now they took their first steps in a forest filled with fruits, flowers, and old cedar trees.

A gentle breeze blew on their faces, refreshing them and everyone stared at it like it was a pot of sparkling treasure.

Even Kairos’ group had to gulp.

“My teacher likes to brew drinks when he is free, I only learnt a little from him,” Kairos said humbly.

Seconds passed, suddenly butterflies from the nearby fields flew over dancing in the air around them before everyone unfroze.

“Wha whawhoa … WHAO ISTTTT THI? WHAT’S THIS?”

The excited dwarven girl half-shouted half-mumbled and totally bit her tongue.

Next to Kairos Relestia had almost the same reaction, “WHAAAAWHOOAAA? Kai Kai! Givveeee?”

The articulate princess seemed to have forgotten grammar and vocab with a whiff of the drink.

Before one is drunken, the heart had first become intoxicated.

This level… this degree of drink… none of them had ever seen nor heard before. To cause everyone to become tipsy from opening its lid, this must be a creation of the highest praise. An expensive drink of the kings.

While the dwarven girl’s hands were trembling, Kairos took another pot out and gave it to the princess.

Relestia squealed and quickly fumbled with the string and unsealed it.

*Ham ham ham~*

She hummed to herself as she took off her scarf and take a long sniff.

When the princess revealed her face, the crowd went wild taking glances at her. However, with so many guards around, the commotion was easily managed.

A shadow flew across, and Kairos saw that little Aisa, the snatch thief, had struck again.

The title of True Holy Dragon is shattering.

“The alcohol is all going to disappear into the air if you two young ladies continue staring,” Kairos said.

“WHAT?!”

The two shouted at the same time and covered the pot quickly.

On the side, the burly merchant, his wife, and Leo Stout are all working hard gulping. They also wanted to ask for a pot, but such a luxurious drink, could Kairos possibly have more?

Hold on, didn’t they see an entire carriage full of pots on the way here? These two are the smaller vessels, there are plenty of them left.

“Young master Kairos,” the burly merchant whispered trying hard not to stammer, “Can it be… the… those… all those pots are not only for your bath but drinks?”

Kairos smiled and gave him a nod. The medical wine is meant to be drunk, but it can be added to water boiled with herbs to become a potent medical solution. Of course, Kairos cannot be soaking in pure wine each night. He doesn’t want to turn into an alcoholic yet.

The two girls looked at each other and smiled, then they each took a small sip from their pots.

*Poh*

*Haaaa*

Each girl breathed out a mouthful of aromatic drink in pure bliss.

“Papa, I want to try it too,” Linda pulled at Leo’s sleeve.

“No, you’re too young!” Leo coaxed, but he still looked at Kairos with hopeful eyes.

Kairos laughed then pulled out a smaller vessel. A hand-sized flask and passed it to Leo saying, “This is called a mock juice. It’s fine for children to drink.”

Leo took out the stopper and happily passed it to Linda. He still trusts his master without question. It’s Linda’s fortune for them to have met Kairos.

The little girl took the flask and immediately asked, “Papa you drink it first!”

Kairos laughed joyfully, and gave Leo another pot but he advised Leo not to open it now.

The burly merchant embarrassedly joined in, “Young master, you’re heartless. Only to bring out such treasure now. I … I will pay handsomely to buy a pot from you.”

While speaking, he felt guilty. Kairos don’t owe them anything. In fact, they owe him for their lives. Yet wanting to buy such a drink is like asking for a hefty discount. The burly man don’t believe for a second that he can afford it even if he sold all his possessions.

It may sound farfetched but anyone who can smell the drink’s heavenly aroma will not be astonished.

In fact, if anyone from the queuing crowd have the money, they will also come forward to buy a pot from Kairos. Only the burly merchant dared to ask because he had been a travelling companion for a month, and it was out of a heavy heart.

Kairos patted him on the back and said, “Don’t sweat the little details. I have prepared a pot for you, it’s just not yet the time for it to be ready.”

The merchant looked at the drinks in the dwarven city guard and Relestia hands and then turned back to Kairos puzzledly.

“These two pots are… a little ruined because they were opened early.”

Leo who was deeply contemplating to open his drink suddenly froze like a cat burglar being spotted.

“This… this is still considered ruined? Just how is the completed thing supposed to be?”