Evan D. Sherden, Becoming the Count (2)

The clinging sound of countless champagne glasses could be heard.

“Cheers to the future of Count Evan D. Sherden.”

“Cheers!”

“That’s the Master Evan we know. As soon as he launched the Knights of Astray, he destroyed a giant monster in the Royal Road!”

“That’s not all. He’s the youngest of any Dungeon Knights in history to ever become a Count.”

After Evan returned to Sherden, of course, another big party was held. This followed his birthday party, a sea party in the Royal Road, a ceremony in the royal palace, and then a party in Sherden!

Evan, who had been overwhelmed by all the parties, wanted to cut it short this time, but Maybell would not sit still. As soon as Evan learned that he was becoming a Count, she communicated with the dungeon city to start preparing. The party began as soon as he returned.

“I didn’t expect you to become a count as soon as you turned 18. You might end up becoming a duke before you retire.”

“Haha, it’s a good joke to hear.”

“But wouldn’t you marry Her Highness Princess Serena? Then you’ll become a royal relative, and it will be worth it if it makes you a duke!”

“Listen up, man. Master Evan vowed to protect the dungeon city. Do you think becoming the Duke makes sense?!”

When Evan became the Count, his family became more prosperous, and their mouths were filled with laughter. Those who used to talk politely were also drunk and chatted comfortably.

Since all those who betrayed their families were beheaded during the Great Demon Invasion, no signs of despair, bitterness, resentment, or enmity could be seen when the Sherden family gathered. The ascension of Count Evan was such a wonder and joy!

“Now, if only Eric could find a good partner…”

“Shush! Keep quiet!”

‘Yeah, I knew that would happen. Whether it’s Korea or the Silk Line, adults are gathered in one place, and what else would you talk about if not employment or marriage?’

Evan rose to the top of his career as a knight and had become a count, and now all they had left to do was talk about Eric’s marriage.

However, it was too much of a sensitive topic, knowing what Eric had gone through in his first marriage.

“Those old men are really…”

“Come on, let’s toast, Evan. I mean, should I call you Count Evan?”

“Brother…”

And of all things, at that very moment, Eric came to Evan. Eric grinned and poked him as Evan struggled to control his facial expression.

“Never mind, Evan. I will meet a good partner someday.”

Evan nodded at his brother’s words, but could not hide his anxiety. Since that day, Eric had been trying to forget about Millia. That was why he had only been focusing on internal affairs and personal training.

As a result, the Marquis’ future had become more solid, and Eric’s own ability had become outstanding; but still, the longing for a wife to keep his home warm had never disappeared from his heart.

“I told you not to worry about me.”

“But…”

“Oh, your eyes are tearing. You’ve got to raise your countenance, Evan. Your body is big, but you’re still a kid at heart.”

He still was a child. By modern Korean standards, Evan and Eric were still young and still students.

Nonetheless, Evan should be more of a mature adult than Eric because of the memories he had of his past life. Evan was resentful of himself for not taking care of his brother more, who was embracing deep wounds.

“Let’s toast, Evan,” Eric spoke again, staring at Evan with indisputably clear eyes. “For yours and my future.”

Evan drank a glass of champagne with Eric. In the process, there was an accident in which the cup ruptured. However, Belois, who was waiting behind, used her hand as if she had predicted it so that she could collect the fragments without any problems.

“Thank you, Lua.”

“This is my job.”

“…Will the curse be gone if I get rid of the Demon King?”

Eric’s eyes narrowed as he was watching the scene. It was a curse that brought small but diverse self-crisis to Evan. Eric, his older brother, also knew it.

“I don’t know. But maybe.”

“Yes. You’ll be busy in the future,” Evan answered lightly with a shrug, but Eric just nodded with a serious look.

Evan had said not to care about the problem, but Eric disregarded that comment.

“Brother, let’s make a toast.”

“Oh, my princess is here. I’ll leave you alone.”

There were two ‘my princess’ in the dungeon city of Sherden: the real princess of the country, Serena, and Elizabeth, the princess of the Marquis.

It was the latter who now approached Evan. Evan gave Elizabeth a light hug after sending Eric off.

“Yeah, let’s have a toast with my little sister, Liz. But shall we change the glass for now?”

“Hmmm.”

Elizabeth, who received a glass of juice instead of champagne, looked desperately at the champagne in Evan’s hand, but Evan was undaunted. No matter how cute his younger sister was, alcohol was banned for the next 11 years.

“It’s delicious.”

“You’re so mean. I want to catch slime.”

“Okay, okay.”

Evan did as Elizabeth wished and moved the second glass of champagne to his mouth while helping her catch slime. Meanwhile, there was something that came to mind.

“That’s right, and I was going to start a brewery business when I grow up.”

“…Is that really true?”

Belois, who was quietly carrying out tasks from behind, could not hide her feelings and was amazed. Diona, who was standing next to her, tilted her head.

“Do you have good taste in alcohol?”

“No, and that’s because people don’t let me drink.”

“But that’s inevitable.”

“What, I didn’t know the reason until now, but why does Diona, who came in three years ago, know about this?”

“That’s because…”

Diona looked at Evan’s face, which looked drunk whilst showing off his charms. And instead of trying to be honest, she blushed and closed her mouth.

With the same facial expressions all the time she had made when asked the same question by Evan, she finally said:

“I… I feel complicated. If possible, it would be better if you drink alone.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Don’t do that too much, and I’ll hang out with you if you want…”

“Diona.”

“Oops!”

At Belois’ quiet call, Diona stopped talking and shrank. Evan smiled bitterly and told her that Diona had just tried to seduce him.

“If you include the other members, I’ll be glad to drink with you, Diona.”

“If it weren’t for Belois, it would have worked the way I wished. Stop staring at me, I’ll give it up calmly this time.”

“You’re very persistent, too.”

Diona grumbled back.

Belois sighed at this. Evan laughed at the exchange between the two and declared his intention.

“But I’m really going to do the brewery busine—Maybell!”

“Did you call me, Master?”

As soon as they talked about the new business, Maybell appeared in front of them! Maybell, who soon stepped back after realizing that the distance between her and Evan was too close, and reported with a cough.

“Master, boutiques are being prepared. You’re the designer who can handle magical fabrics. We’re going to use this as an opportunity to have a system that produces magic costumes for explorers who use cloth as equipment in addition to simple fashion items.”

“That’s the right direction. There is also a tool that uses cloth and metal together, so let’s work with Horta.”

“Yes, I’ll introduce him to it. Is there anything else you want to order?”

“There is. Let’s make alcohol.”

When Maybell heard him, he looked at Belois and Diona with a troubled look, but the two shook their heads with the same expression. It meant that they would not listen even if they were told to.

“Huh, I see. But if possible, let’s make it a low percentage.”

“Why do you care about alcohol?”

“Tasting. I’ll have plenty of chances to drink. So it should be a low percentage.”

‘I think Maybell knows something. What is it?’‘ However, as Evan was about to ask her, Maybell stopped him with a serious look.

“If you really don’t want to see me go wild, listen to me. Keep in mind that I’m doing this business with you. I’m in a position where I have to look after the Master, who drinks every time.”

“What the hell is wrong with my drinking?”

“You know, when you drink, you’re so hot… Ugh…”

But Maybell, Belois, and Diona shook their heads as if they had promised. Elizabeth, a fierce seven-year-old who did not read the atmosphere, opened her mouth without hesitation but was stopped by Maybell.

“Sigh… But even if it’s low-percentage alcohol.”

Among the most popular alcoholic beverages, beer was typical.

Depending on the fermentation method, it was divided into ale and lager. Ale, which was fermented at high temperatures, so it had been easy to make since a long time ago, and lager, which had to be managed at low temperatures, making it more active in modern times when a manageable system had been developed… but this was just some fictional story from the earth.

“We just need a low-level wizard to create a facility that keeps the right coolness. It’s ridiculously easy with ice magic or wind magic, and anyone who works with earth magic can do it.”

Therefore, in this world, you could get as much ale and lager as you would want to. It was just that Silk Liners traditionally tended to prefer ale, so they didn’t drink lager.

That was why it was funny that now, Evan offered to make ale and lager. Above all, this land was not for farming, so barley was not produced.

“I’m thinking of producing a wines and some liquors.”

“Wine and liquor? You’re saying something vague.”

Wine was generally considered only as grape wine, but the word ‘wine’ in fact included fruit wine and fermented wine. In other words, what Evan wanted to make was fruit

In addition, the liquor was something that just added sugar and additives to its already completed liquor, adding flavor and aroma to it. This also resulted in a variety of results, depending on what additives were being used.

“Because I can’t specify one thing.”

“You must be thinking about something else?”

“Yes. I’m going to use the fruits and herbs from the Dungeon. We’ll be able to buy the ingredients from the explorers, and we’ll be able to sell the finished liquor back to them, so we can create a perfectly circular structure.”

Maybell lost her words. They didn’t have enough fruit to make alcohol in large quantities at the Sherden Dungeon before it was closed. Of course, there were many places with the natural environment, but most of them were in the stone corridors.

“That means, sir…”

“It’s been a long time since you predicted something. It is predicted that the environment of the dungeon, which will be reopened, will be greatly changed.”

Just in time, Arisha broke in.

“It’s good news for Evan. Just now, the Dungeon reopened.”

[TL NOTE: The is honestly the best one in the series.]