The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 21 The First Cup of Wine
Tang Qi pointed at Kulu:
"The kobolds stole the shoemaker's boots in order to steal Star Plum as an offering, so they couldn't have destroyed Star Plum."

Father Lynn has a habit of jogging early in the morning, so it's unlikely that it was a coincidence that he saw you near David's house instead of in the church.

The only answer is that you used the excuse of delivering something to Father Lynn to go out and, before the David family woke up, you destroyed their orchard.”

"me……"

In the face of the truth, there is no point in arguing.

Anbi could only clutch Tang Qi's sleeve, blinking her large, red eyes at him as if they were about to burst into tears:
"It's all George's fault for bullying me every day and calling me a monster. I just wanted to secretly teach him a lesson—I don't want to be a bad guy!"

Tang Qi didn't seem to care much about right or wrong:

"There's a reason for everything. You have your own reasons. You're not a bad person... I guess you can't really call yourself one."

"Then...should I apologize to him? He already apologized to me..."

"It will be all right."

“I don’t know what to do. I feel I should apologize to him, but I can’t help but think about the way he yelled at me…”

"Because we don't know, we need to think about it; we don't need to come to a conclusion immediately."

You are free.

You can be a tolerant person, or you can be a strict person. You can be a good person, or you can be a bad person.

But no matter what, only you can decide who you become.

After all, she was a young girl whose mind was not yet mature, and Tang Qi was unsure whether he should educate her with the mindset of a parent.

This shouldn't be his job, and he can't bear the responsibility for it; he should just stop there.

"Then Ambition, think about what to do again... Before that, can we not tell your sister?"

"People who gossip usually have very long tongues."

Tang Qi opened his mouth to indicate that his tongue was a normal size.

The girl smiled knowingly and stuck out her tongue at Tang Qi: "Then it's not Anbi either!"

"Kuru, no!"

The kobold also flicked out its long, thin tongue, but it soon discovered that it had a lizard-like tongue that could even extend to its nostrils.

It quickly drooped its head:

"Kuru, yes..."

The air was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

But the atmosphere didn't last long. As they approached the Golden Oak and saw a beautiful figure standing with her hands on her hips in front of the tavern, Ambly's smile quickly faded.

Catherine maintained her usual smile and was extremely polite, making everyone feel comfortable and at ease.

But Anbi knew that her sister's dignified smile wasn't for her.

Until Ambly walked up to her, Catherine thanked Don Qi first:
"Poet, I'm so sorry to have troubled you. I don't know how to thank you enough."

It seems she has already heard about everything that happened today.

"Then why not waive my expenses at the tavern?"

Although he received some unexpected wealth, no one would complain about having too much money, and Tang Qi didn't hold back.

"As you wish."

Upon hearing his request, Catherine lowered her guard.

"You risked your life for this child... In short, please treat this tavern like your own home."

If Tang Qi has done a great favor, yet asks for nothing in return.

Catherine would only think that he was craving more.

After a brief thank you, she patted Ambition's head:
"Because what follows is a personal matter, so..."

"You say you treat the pub like home, but I wouldn't dare to really treat myself like family."

Tang Qi joked, then quickly pulled Kulu aside and stepped back.
"I'll go upstairs to rest first. Please let me know when it's time for dinner in my room."

"Tonight's meal is mashed potatoes with plum sauce and fried pork chops. Stay tuned."

Once the human and the dog-headed man went upstairs, Ambiya noticed that her sister's expression had finally turned cold.

It felt like early spring had regressed into the depths of winter.

She stammered, trying to explain, hoping to pin the blame entirely on the kobolds.

That way, she could sever ties and avoid her sister's punishment.

But Catherine didn't say a word. Instead, she grabbed her wrist and led her to the wine cellar in the backyard.

The wine cellar was dark. Pushing open the small door, the aroma of plums filled the air, making Ambly feel dizzy and lightheaded; she felt like she was about to pass out even before taking a sip.

"Why did you bring me here, sister?"

Catherine remained silent until Ambly shook her head, at which point she noticed a small wooden barrel displayed in the dim shadows, its planks bearing faint claw marks and a conspicuous label:
Amby!

This is the first barrel of wine she painstakingly brewed after her sister taught her the techniques.

She still remembers that her sister took her to the orchard to pick star plums herself.

It took her a whole day to clean and remove the stems.

Pressing the pulp was hard work, a physically demanding task. She was very strong, but even she collapsed from exhaustion after repeated pounding. Fermentation was the most grueling part. Star plums spoil quickly, and thanks to the special ancestral process, it required an even longer period, taking three months.

Clarification is the last step, otherwise the residue will affect the taste. She spent seven days grinding this delicate process.

Finally, she completed her 'masterpiece,' labeled the barrel herself, and waited anxiously for another month—

My sister once said that the most memorable wines in the world are never the shimmering vintages held by nobles.

Rather, it is the first sip of mellow flavor in your life.

When you grow old and look back, the taste of that time will still linger on your tongue.

It can be bitter or sweet.

So she reserved the day of her first drink for the harvest festival.

While waiting anxiously, we hope that one day we can also relive the joy of the festival.

But Catherine had already picked up the tools for opening bottles that were piled up in the corner—a wooden mallet and a small chisel about the length of her forearm.

"boom!"

She forcefully chiseled onto the wine barrel.

The fragrant wine fountain, like a column, sprayed into the dimly lit cellar with a "whoosh" sound, extinguishing Anbi's anticipation for all the holidays.

“No, don’t!!!”

She rushed over hysterically, trying to cover the gaping hole with her hands.

Yet the slippery liquid still seeped from her fingertips, staining the downy hair on her body a dark purple...

Ambion realized that all her previous waiting had been in vain, and cried out to her sister in heart-wrenching pain:

"Sister, we can drink it tomorrow. I also promised to treat Brother Tang Qi to a drink!"
Why, why do this?

"Are you sad?" Catherine replied expressionlessly.

Ambi nodded matter-of-factly.

"When you see the star plum tree that you've nurtured for a whole year destroyed overnight, David's family must feel the same way you do now."

Catherine stared directly at Ambby and said coldly,

"If George insults you, then you should yell back at him."

If George bullies you, then grab him by the neck and punch him back.

If his family comes after you because of this, then I'll stand in front of you to protect them.

I've done it before, haven't I?

But Ambiya, I never taught you to destroy other people's star plum blossoms, to crush their hopes for the harvest festival.

When she met her sister's solemn, almost icy gaze, all of Anbi's wishful thinking and excuses vanished in an instant.

She only cared about crying and admitting her mistakes:

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Ambi knows she was wrong. Ambi shouldn't have been naughty and shouldn't have damaged George's orchard... Ambi will go and apologize to David's family!

Catherine continued to ask:
"Hogg always gangs up with George to bully you, and what else have you done to their family?"

Ambiya shook her head while crying, "No!"

"did nothing?"

"No, really—George's father grows wheat, and Hogg's father grows starfruit."

Ambi can't destroy the Hogg family's Star Plum, because they really depend on Star Plum for their livelihood..."

Afraid that her sister wouldn't believe her, she tried to wipe away her tears and express her sincerity with her eyes.

The next second, guilt urged tears to well up in her eyes.

Hearing the girl's answer, Catherine's eyes softened, and she knelt down to gently embrace her.
“Ambi, I’m not forcing you to admit your mistake.”

I just wanted to tell you—

Before making a choice, you should understand the consequences of that choice.

Instead of indulging your impulses and ending up with an outcome you don't want to see.

"Sister... Anbi never thought this would happen."

“I understand, Anbi has always been a good girl.”

“What should I do... After George apologized to me, I actually felt a little guilty. I don’t want it to be like this.”

"After we finish eating, let's go apologize together."

Then, after the harvest festival, brew another barrel of liquor?

"Waaaa, I'm so sorry, sister..."

The girl leaned on Catherine's shoulder, tears soaking her dress.

“Ambi will never be naughty again.”

　During the new book period, please read on! I'll change it to one chapter at noon and one chapter in the afternoon!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)