Chapter 32: Store Summoning 5

The Dark Dragon appeared in the Imperial Capital. That rumor raced through the entirety of Sinfonia in the blink of an eye. At the same time, the name of the girl who vanquished the dragon with the Holy Sword of Light also resounded. Her age, merely six. The niece of His Majesty the Emperor, a dignified, neat, and lovely Ducal Lady. She saw through the conspiracy of a wicked Marquess plotting to overthrow the state, and is on intimate terms with the Princesses of the Prelude Kingdom and the Minuet Queendom. It is said that the reason she had never shown her face in high society until now was because she was undergoing grueling, blood-sweating training in the Forest of Demonic Beasts to obtain the Holy Sword that would save the Imperial Kingdom. The ‘Princess of the Holy Sword’ who destroys evil—that is the Ducal Lady Sakuraile le Philharmonie────.

 

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“And so, the Imperial Capital is abuzz with these rumors.” “Who is that!?”

 

Hearing what Arisa, the maid, told me, I thought, Rumors are scary! Dignified, neat, and lovely—who is that!? Isn’t that greatly exaggerated!? And I haven’t done any training in the Forest of Demonic Beasts! Where did that episode even come from!

 

“Well, rumors are things that always grow a tail or a fin, big or small.” “Ugh… so troublesomeeeeeee…”

 

Because it’s true that I defeated the Dark Dragon and can use the Holy Sword, it’s all very troublesome. I want to stay out of the spotlight and avoid making waves. Otherwise, destruction flags will come skipping my way… Fortunately, one of them, the Crown Prince Elliott route, has disappeared… I think. Now I must maneuver skillfully so I don’t enter the routes of other capture targets…! I think I’m okay for now, though. Setting that aside, today is the day I test my [Store Summoning] [Gift], which has reached Level 5. Holy Sword Mode from when I defeated the Dark Dragon. Due to the recoil causing muscle soreness, I could barely move, but I’m finally back in shape, so I think it’s about time to summon it.

 

“I wonder what store it will be next~♪”

 

My expectations swell for the new store. Here, my first choice is a convenience store… no, a family restaurant wouldn’t be bad either. Ah, maybe the Japanese restaurant I went to with friends in my previous life!? Rice! I want to eat rice! Having found time, Father and Mother, along with the maid Arisa and the guard Tanya Celesta, accompanied me to the summoning ground set up with a barrier in the Ducal House’s garden.

 

“To receive a blessing again… Is this related to Sakuraile defeating the Dark Dragon?” “Maybe it’s a reward from the Goddess of Summoning, Samonia, to Sakura-chan for defeating the dragon?”

 

Father and Mother were discussing such things, and they weren’t entirely wrong. I suspect it’s not so much because I defeated the Dark Dragon, but because I accomplished Estelle‘s Holy Sword summoning. In other words, because I advanced Estelle‘s event. I need to verify this a little. Fortunately, there is a convenient event remaining. Well, that’s for later. For now, the new store! I concentrated my magic power toward the summoning ground and offered a prayer to the Goddess of Summoning, Samonia.

 

“[Store Summoning]!”

 

Along with a dazzling light, I felt the sensation of magic power leaving me. Here it comes, here it comes! After the torrent of light subsided, seeing the familiar shop that appeared before me, I involuntarily collapsed on the spot. Dammit… so that’s what I get…

 

“W-What’s wrong, Sakuraile!?” “No, um… it’s a letdown, or rather… it’s a shop I don’t really need…”

 

That was the best I could do to reply to Father, who called out worriedly. I looked at the shop in front of me again. A stylish brick facade and two vending machines lined up next to the shop. through the large window, I could see bottles of various colors lined up. And on the sign attached above were the words ‘LIQUOR SHOP TAKEDA’. This is the liquor store near my senior’s apartment… The one reputable for having a good selection despite being small. It seems to have various liquors, from standard ones to rare local sake, and was quite a prosperous shop. Unlike Fujinoyu and the pawn shop, this shop hadn’t gone out of business and should still be thriving. But you know… it’s truly unnecessary for me, a six-year-old… The only thing I can do is buy juice from the vending machine outside… Ah, they also sell snacks for drinking, right? Seeing the inside of the store through the window, Father, realizing something, looked at me with expectant eyes.

 

“Sakuraile… could this shop be…!” “Ah, yes… It is a liquor store…”

 

Father thrust his fist toward the heavens, striking a victory pose as if to say ‘Yes!’. Is it that big of a deal?

 

“A liquor store, I see. Then Sakura-chan can’t drink, can she?”

 

Even if the drinking age is lower in this world, they wouldn’t let a six-year-old drink. Well, I don’t really like alcohol myself, and I don’t intend to drink. However, my eccentric senior (female) whom I met in vocational school loved alcohol. This eccentric senior was incredibly knowledgeable about trivia and loved to preach to me about it. Thanks to her, I have a skewed knowledge of alcohol.

 

“Yuan, go contact my brother. Tell him I’ve obtained rare liquor!” “Yes, sir!”

 

Yuan Polka, our knight, ran toward the castle as instructed by Father. Eh, is it something worth telling the King?

 

“Brother and the Chancellor love alcohol, so I think they’ll be pleased.”

 

Come to think of it, His Majesty the Emperor liked snack-type dagashi. Is the Chancellor a drinker too? Is this country okay? It’s not just full of drunks, right? I felt a little anxious about the future of this country, but I pulled myself together and entered the liquor store. Inside the stylish, air-conditioned store, various liquors were crammed in tight. There was a refrigerator in the back, lined with canned beer and chuhai. There’s juice too. Ah, there are bags of ice in the freezer.

 

“It seems there are many varieties.”

 

Mother was looking at beautiful glass bottles. They had pictures of fruit on them; liqueurs, maybe? Father had already placed gold coins on the counter and was putting several bottles of liquor into a basket. Fast action. Father and the others can’t read Earth’s characters, but the numbers are the same in this world, so they should understand the prices of the alcohol from the price tags. Just in case, I told them it’s marked up ten times. Two thousand yen whiskey for twenty thousand yen… It still feels expensive. But considering these are liquors rarely (or absolutely?) obtainable in this world, maybe it’s not that much…?

 

“Sakura-chan, is this wine?” “Eh? Umm, ah yes, that’s right.”

 

Since there was a picture of grapes on the label, even Mother understood. Koshu wine, huh. I haven’t drunk it, but my senior said it was delicious. I wonder if it suits the taste of people in this other world.

 

“Wait, huh? Where is Father?”

 

I looked around the store, but Father was gone. Thinking it strange, I went outside and found him in the gazebo set up next to the summoning ground garden, already putting ice in a glass and about to drink. No, wait, isn’t that Spirytus!? The one my senior said was the world’s strongest liquor, over 95% alcohol!

 

“Father, wait, wait, wait!” “Eh?”

 

As I rushed out of the liquor store in a panic, Father, who was about to put the glass to his lips, stopped just in time. That was close! If he drank that straight, he would definitely collapse!

 

“Father, that liquor is dangerous enough to catch fire. If you drink it as is, it will burn your throat!” “Eh!?”

 

Perhaps he didn’t think it was that dangerous, as Father slowly returned the glass to the table with a twitching face. I showed Father the label, pointing out the alcohol percentage. And ‘Flammable’. I told him it’s highly flammable, so absolutely no smoking while drinking it. I taught him that if he really wants to drink it, he should start by mixing it with fruit juice or soft drinks. This is also second-hand knowledge from my senior. Setting the Spirytus aside, Father picked up another liquor with about 40% alcohol. That should be… Still, I recommended diluting it with water first rather than drinking it straight immediately. Father poured whiskey into a glass with ice, added a little water, and tasted it. That much should be fine, I think…

 

“Oh! This is good! Delicious!”

 

Hearing Father’s praise, I sighed in relief. It seems Father liked Earth’s whiskey. Father is sipping it to savor the taste, so I don’t think he’ll get badly drunk. Or rather, is it okay to drink alcohol in broad daylight? Is the Ducal House okay? Father says, ‘This is “Gift” verification,‘ but that’s definitely just an excuse, right? While I was thinking such pointless thoughts, a luxurious carriage pulled up vigorously in front of the mansion gate. Eh, is that the Royal Family’s…!

 

“Ooh! Is this the liquor store you summoned!”

 

His Majesty the Emperor jumped out of the carriage and dashed furiously toward us. Behind him, Chancellor Tenor was also walking quickly toward us. His eyes are kinda scary.

 

“Oh, Brother and Chancellor. I started without you.” “Claude! Couldn’t you wait a little longer! I-Is that the liquor from the other world?”

 

His Majesty the Emperor and the Chancellor headed straight for the gazebo where Father was raising his glass. Skipping greetings, they took a sip of the whiskey poured into glasses and assumed expressions of ecstasy.

 

“Ooh…! This is wonderfully delicate…!” “This rich and floral aroma… the faint sweetness when held in the mouth is indescribable…!”

 

They’re immersing themselves a bit dangerously. Well, I’m glad they liked it, though. His Majesty the Emperor and Chancellor Tenor raised their glasses toward me.

 

“Sakuraile, well done! As expected of my niece! Nothing makes me happier than this!” “Indeed, indeed. Lady Sakuraile is truly a national treasure!”

 

Aren’t you guys happier than when I defeated the Dark Dragon? Are you drunk already? While Father and the others were having their drinking party, the mansion’s servants were carrying liquor out of the store one after another. They separated what could be stored at room temperature from what was in the refrigerator, carrying the chilled ones to the gazebo and the rest to the mansion. What? Do they plan to drink all the chilled ones right away? While buying, I made a small discovery: I couldn’t buy alcohol here. Apparently, minors can’t buy it. Well, that’s natural on Earth. However, a fifteen-year-old servant who had completed the coming-of-age ceremony could buy it. The laws of buying and selling are Earth’s, but the adulthood standard is this world’s? I don’t get it. I wonder if I’ll be able to buy it once I debut in society and become a full-fledged adult… By the way, I couldn’t enter the store’s back room. Presumably, the liquor in the back is used to replenish the store when stock runs out. If we bought the stock in the backroom too, it would mean being sold out. Eventually, when all the liquor was carried out, Father told me to send the store back. Well, once the contents are all carried out, it’s just a house, and I have no interest in the liquor store itself, so I dismissed the liquor store from the Ducal House’s summoning ground as told. There are piles of chilled liquor bottles and cans in front of the gazebo; surely they don’t plan to drink all of this…? Just as I was doubting Father’s sanity, carriages carrying nobles arrived one after another in front of the gate. The nobles who got off the carriages were guided by our butler, Sebastian, to the gazebo.

 

“Umm, Mother… that is?” “Those are nobles of the ‘Royal Faction.’ His Majesty the Emperor must have summoned them. To treat them to rare liquor and strengthen unity, I suppose.”

 

Haa… he’s shrewd. As expected of His Majesty the Emperor, he doesn’t miss a beat. Even though Marquess Ragtime, the leader of the ‘Traditionalist Faction’ opposing the ‘Royal Faction’ led by His Majesty, has fallen, the ‘Traditionalist Faction’ itself hasn’t been destroyed. There are also other factions like the ‘Conservative Faction’ and the ‘Neutral Faction,’ so I understand that solidifying unity is better.

 

“I think he just wanted to have a drinking party…”

 

One corner of the gazebo had completely turned into a banquet hall. I don’t want to deal with drunks, so Mother and I returned to the mansion. Or rather, do your jobs, old men… The fifth store was a miss. No, the snack persimmon seeds (kaki-pi) are delicious, so maybe it was a hit for the Ducal House. Well, regarding leveling up, I have another idea, so let’s hope for that. If it goes well, I might add another store. I hope it’s a convenience store next time.

 

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“This is delicious…!” “Nay, to think such liquor existed in the world…!”

 

The Captain of the Sinfonia Imperial Kingdom Knight Order, Jean Ludra Staccato‘s father Albert Ludra Staccato (Note: Assuming name based on lineage, text says ‘Alberto Ludra Staccato’), and the First Knight Order Captain, Cain Latia Serenade (Note: Assuming name based on lineage, text says ‘Cain Latia Serenade’), were literally intoxicated by the served liquor.

 

“Isn’t it, isn’t it! Isn’t our Sakuraile amazing!”

 

Perhaps already drunk, the Emperor’s brother Claude couldn’t stop boasting about his daughter, causing the two to smile wryly. Well, they thought it understandable. After all, she is the ‘Princess of the Holy Sword.’ Both were present at the scene where the Dark Dragon was defeated. They thought it natural for a father to boast about a daughter who accomplished such a feat. Though he is a bit persistent. Pushing aside his brother who was repeating the same story, the Emperor, who held his liquor well and wasn’t that drunk, spoke to the two.

 

“Regarding that Sakuraile, we must decide on a ‘personal attendant’ soon. I was thinking of having you two choose one.” “A personal attendant, is it?”

 

Albert nodded in understanding. A ‘personal attendant’ is a guard for a high-ranking noble and also a person of the same age who takes care of their personal needs. Albert himself was the personal attendant of the Emperor, Windham, during his childhood. And Elliott, the Crown Prince who will become the next Emperor, has Albert‘s son Jean attached to him. It was Albert‘s secret pride that two generations of his family could serve as personal attendants to the royal family.

 

“However, does the ‘Princess of the Holy Sword’ need a personal attendant? Having the guarded subject be stronger than the attendant feels somewhat awkward…”

 

At the Emperor’s words, Cain crossed his arms and tilted his head, groaning.

 

“No, that power is strictly for exorcising evil and defeating demons. We cannot expect such power in combat against people. A protector is still necessary.”

 

Besides, there is still risk for Sakuraile in using the Holy Sword’s power. perhaps due to her youth, her body cannot withstand it. This time it ended with just muscle soreness, but if she overdoes it, there might be a greater recoil. It is a power that cannot be used lightly.

 

“I assume a personal attendant of the same gender is better?” “Obviously! Can you imagine leaving a boy of the same age with her from morning till night!”

 

When Cain asked just to be sure, it was Claude, not His Majesty the Emperor, who flared up and slammed his glass onto the table with a Don!

 

“Well, that is how it is. If it is a knight’s lineage and the same age, social standing does not matter. As long as they have the ability.”

 

At His Majesty the Emperor’s words, accompanied by a wry smile, Albert thought for a moment with a ‘hmm’, and then,

 

“In that case, there is a suitable candidate.”

 

He smiled meaningfully. At this moment, had Sakuraile been present, she would have undoubtedly felt a buzzing premonition of something bad.

 

But the story turns. Regardless of the villainess’s wishes or lack thereof.