In Velharthe there are a total of three castles, built for the Three Great Families.
The largest of the castles belongs to the R-Lockward Family.
The smallest of them belongs to the Evergreen Family. The Evergreens are a family of marquises, worthy nobles of high society, and they have a higher status not only in the city and the southern region but also in the whole empire.
'Is this girl from that family?'
Louis nodded.
He had just discovered that the service he had purchased was to gain contacts, but since that was the case, he would take advantage of it.
"If that's the case, I have nothing to say. I bought the fine wine to enjoy the taste, but I can see there's enough for all three of us. So, go ahead."
The Master smiled and looked at Miss Evergreen. "Would you do me that favor? I'll owe you one, Miss."
She didn't even need him to say something like return the favor. What she wanted most right now was to get rid of this bunch of idiots she had come with, so she immediately nodded.
"Wine Master, your status is incredible in Velharthe, and you work for the Lockwards. It would be an honor for me to have a glass of wine with you," she said.
Then she got rid of her companions, grabbed a chair, and sat down quickly to avoid being bothered.
Louis looked at the old man. 'Lockward?'
At the same time, the Master gave those annoying guys a stern look to scare them away.
He personally poured the wine into three different glasses before sitting down.
"I apologize for the inconvenience, Young Master. Our restaurant isn't usually like this. It's just that there are new guards recently, and they don't want to offend the nobles. I'll make sure there won't be a next time." He apologized before continuing.
"Buying my service with this fine wine includes preparing a wine of which only seven bottles are sold each month, and the opportunity to get to know me. If I like you, I may even introduce you to someone else to expand your network. That's why it's so expensive and very few people buy it."
Louis nodded.
He understood why that was the case.
In a world like this, where information travels slowly and society hasn't advanced that much, but there are secret societies, tyrannical governments, magic, etc., contacts are valuable.
They might even be more valuable here than on modern Earth.
That's why he wouldn't be surprised if the wine ended up costing 1 million just for that reason.
Many people would pay for it if they could gain contacts.
Then he looked at Miss Evergreen.
'And it seems I'm in luck today. An Evergreen... eh.' He smiled.
Although his uncle had mentioned them to him, he hadn't expected to meet one so soon.
Louis nodded to the Wine Master.
"All right. If that's what's included in the package, I have no complaints. I appreciate the good service."
Despite his few words, the Master had a good impression of Louis. He didn't get upset even though rich kids were teasing him. Nor did he get upset about being caught with other people who were planning to take the wine he had bought.
He understands the value of contacts.
At least that's what he thought.
So, he decided to introduce himself.
"My name is Adelbert R-Lockward—the Wine Master of the R-Lockward Family. Don't read too much into my surname, young sir. I don't have any Lockward blood; I was just raised by the family and work for them." He smiled and then looked at the young lady.
"Let me introduce you. This is Miss Evergreen, the Evergreens' only daughter."
Louis nodded.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Adelbert, Miss Evergreen. You can call me Louis."
After a cordial and respectful greeting, the three clinked glasses and drank. Slowly, to enjoy it.
It was the first time Louis had ever tasted such delicious wine. Its texture as it went down his throat was too smooth, strong, yet light at the same time.
He was not good at wine tasting, far from it. He had only drunk wine on special occasions when he went out with his ex-wife, but he could say with certainty that this wine was the best he had ever tasted.
Moreover, it relaxed his mind, and the pain from the wounds under his clothes suddenly disappeared. They began to heal, and he could feel it.
His eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Does this have healing properties?" Surprise showed on his face.
"Haha, this wine can heal minor wounds, clear the mind, and soothe the throat. It's perfect for Cantomancers because of that." Instinctively, he looked at Miss Evergreen after saying that.
That gave Louis some information, but he didn't know what Cantomancers were. He wasn't worried, though; he would soon find out.
After their first taste of the wine, the three talked for several minutes. They got to know each other a little, talked about general topics, and none delved into the other's background.
The food arrived after about 15 minutes. The Wine Master and Miss Evergreen then excused themselves, leaving their contact information behind.
Then Louis took his first bite of food.
It was...
Unique.
When smoked and fried, moon snails have a unique, fluffy, and crunchy flavor, complemented by the moon chicken's fluffy texture inside. These moon flavors were unique in that they were cold, slightly sweet, and fluffy.
Therefore, smoking and frying give it the perfect touch of flavor. Smoking adds intense flavor and makes the seasonings taste better, while frying adds a crispy texture.
Now, the oil used for frying is special. It is not oily, which means that none of the dish is oily. This oil is the blood of dark-skinned giants, a special type of beast whose blood is constantly boiling inside them, making them very aggressive beasts and naturally burning their skin.
Therefore, this oil is more like aggressive blood that is constantly active.
But it does not taste like blood; in fact, it has no taste, making it perfect for frying without altering the flavor of other foods.
This allowed you to enjoy the flavor of the dish and the exotic flavor of the wine more intensely.