Side:
In Moderation!
ZINAL ASKED US OVER for a relaxing evening in his room. When I went to invite my creatures, I found they were already half-asleep.
“Let’s let them sleep,” my father said. “They must be tired from all that playing in the forest.”
“Good idea. Good night, everyone.”
“Pu-puuu.”
“Teeeh-ryuuu.”
“…pefyu.”
“Gyau.”
My father and I chuckled over their drowsy replies.
“Wanna come with us, Ciel?” I asked.
Ciel was still in high spirits. Even after playing with the others in the forest that day, the adandara was still wide awake. Getting a head-nuzzle against my thighs in reply, I smiled and gave Ciel’s head a pat.
“Ready?” my father asked.
“Sure.”
As I put Ciel, who was transformed into a slime, into the bag slung over my shoulder, I wondered why Zinal wanted to have a “relaxing evening in his room.” Did he have something to talk about?
We left our room and headed to Zinal’s, arriving just as Fische was stepping out. “Come on in,” he said, holding the door open for us. But was it really okay for him to let us in the room where Zinal was staying without permission?
“What’s wrong? Come on in, guys,” Zinal’s voice came from inside the room. He probably noticed we were hesitating at the door.
When we stepped inside, a surprise greeted us. I never would’ve imagined Zinal’s room being so tidy.
“Ah! Ivy, you’re shocked to see my room so clean, aren’t you?”
Oops. He saw through me.
“Er, no sir, I wasn’t thinking that at all.”
Zinal was staring into my eyes and making me uncomfortable, but I held his gaze.
“What exactly are you two doing?” my father asked, tiredly looking back and forth between us. Hey, in my defense, it was starting to feel like a staring contest I couldn’t let him win.
“Zinal, act your age,” my father sighed at him.
He shrugged and looked away.
“Anyway, what’s the occasion? You don’t usually invite us just for tea.”
Zinal shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing; I really just thought we should make time to relax. Have a seat, you two.”
My father and I sat side by side on the chairs he offered. I opened my bag, and Ciel quietly jumped out onto my lap.
“That so?” my father asked.
“Yeah. So anyway, Druid, we can always have tea, of course, but would you rather have a little fun?”
Zinal playfully pulled an expensive-looking box out of his magic bag. My father looked shocked by the sight of it.
“What is that?” I asked.
There was no crest or lettering on the box, so I had no clue what was inside.
“See for yourself.” Zinal opened it and pulled out a bottle. I nodded when I saw the crest displayed on it.
“Liquor?” I asked.
“That’s right. Druid, wanna drink this with me?”
I glanced at my father to see him staring at the bottle, eyes brimming with excitement.
“How did you even get this bottle? They don’t sell this anymore.”
It’s not sold anymore? So it must be a special liquor.
My father took the bottle from Zinal and stared at it solemnly. “Yeah…this is definitely the real deal.”
Zinal smiled mischievously. Did that mean there were fakes?
“Of course it’s real. So, wanna drink?”
“I sure do!”
My father’s eager reply made me giggle…which he must have heard, since he gave me an embarrassed look.
“May I?” he asked.
“Huh? Of course.”
I never thought he’d given up alcohol. But hadn’t he said he’d drink in moderation?
“Just don’t drink too much, okay?”
As I looked at my father and Zinal, I got just a little worried.
They’ll be okay, right?
Zinal merrily poured the alcohol into three cups which the two of them immediately started drinking.
“Hey, everybody, I’m ba—ah, you’re already drinking.”
When Fische returned to the room with snacks, he smiled at the sight of the already drinking pair.
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with it. We’ve got a lot,” Zinal said.
A lot?
“Well, sure, but it’s kind of irritating to see you start without me. Couldn’t you have waited just two more minutes?”
Zinal chuckled in reply.
“Here, Ivy, this is for you,” Fische said, setting a basket the size of a fist in front of me. It had a lid, so I opened it and looked inside.
“Ooh, it’s shaped like flowers! What is it?”
“It’s a sweet called hepe.”
The cute little treats made me a bit giddy. I thanked Fische and took a sweet out of the basket. The sweet scent of flowers hit my nose, and it was a lot firmer than I’d expected it would be.
“Thanks, Mr. Fische,” I said, biting the flower-shaped treat. “It’s so tender.”
The pastry softly crumbled away, revealing something saucy inside.
“Agh! It’s spilling!”
I quickly popped the rest of the sweet in my mouth, and a tangy flavor filled it. The contrasting sweet and sour blended exquisitely. It was delicious.
“Well? Is it good?” Fische asked.
Since my mouth was full, I answered with a nod.
“Ha ha ha! Yeah, that sweet fills your mouth with sauce, so it’s messy to eat.”
I nodded meaningfully at Fische again.
“Aren’t there any for us?” Zinal asked Fische poutingly.
He shrugged his shoulders. “You don’t like to eat sweets when you drink liquor, so I didn’t get you any.”
“Oh. Fair point.” Zinal nodded and sipped his drink. He seemed to have a different aura about him. Was it because he was tipsy?
“Hey, Ivy, if I find any other tasty treats, I’ll be sure to buy you some.”
“Thank you very much.”
Fische and I went on to chat a little about sweets. He seemed to know about a lot of specialty shops.
“Once we get to the capital, I’ll take you to all the best ones.”
“That would be great. When we get there, I’m in your hands.”
My father and Zinal suddenly laughed much louder than before. I shot a surprised look at them…and my jaw dropped in disbelief.
“Uh…when did you drink all that?”
Both Zinal and my father had several empty bottles in front of them.
Fische sighed, “Zinal, Druid, you’re drinking too much.”
Zinal adamantly shook his head. “We’re fine. This isn’t enough to get us drunk.”
“Yeah, we’re okay.”
Zinal and my father both looked normal enough. I assumed they really were fine.
“Just try not to overdo it, all right?” I pleaded.
They might have been fine then, but they couldn’t keep up that pace much longer. If they got hangovers the next morning, they would suffer, not me.
“Aw, we’ll be okay. We won’t drink ourselves into hangovers, I promise,” Zinal said, and my father nodded.
Really, though? I can think of several times where my father promised he wouldn’t get a hangover and he did.
“Ivy, I’ll be okay this time.”
“Okay, I believe you. Oh, I’d better be getting to bed.”
Those scrumptious sweets and the tasty tea had made me sleepy. I was sure I would have sweet dreams.
“Okay. Well, I’ll stay here just a bit longer, then I’ll join you,” my father said.
“Okay. Good night, Mr. Zinal and Mr. Fische, Dad. Come on, Ciel.”
Mrrrow.
I was a little worried, but I decided they would be all right with Fische watching over them.
“Oh, bother…”
I was right to have worried last night. Of course they drank in Zinal’s room all night long, and Fische joined them, too.
“Ahhh, I’m sorry, Ivy.”
“It’s okay.”
…Oh, right! I know!
I left Zinal’s room and went back to ours. After I got what I needed, I borrowed the kitchenette on our floor.
“Okay, let’s make this thing!”
I got out a pot and put the medicinal herbs that cured hangovers in it. Usually each adult got one pinch, but today? They were getting two. I mixed the brew and poured it into three cups.
“There. A strong hangover tea.”
Knock, knock.
I brought my brew to Zinal’s room. “I’ve made you all some hangover tea. Here, drink up.”
I handed the cups to my father, Zinal, and Fische. They all stared into their cups and froze.
“Ivy…”
Ha ha! This is kind of fun.
“Is this—”
“Is there something you’d like to say, father-of-mine who promised he wouldn’t drink too much last night?”
“…uh, thanks for the tea.”
“You’re welcome. Mr. Zinal and Mr. Fische, do drink up.”
“Yeah…sure. Dang, it’s strong.”
I only put in two pinches of leaves. Granted, that’s twice as many as I usually add…
With a collective sigh, the trio gulped their hangover medicine down. I was impressed by their vigor.
“Dang…this stuff really works,” my father muttered, a twisted grimace of discomfort on his face. Zinal and Fische nodded silently in agreement, and I couldn’t help but giggle at the sight.
Ooh, I know. Next time they get hangovers, I’ll brew the tea three times as strong.