Mystery: A Spark

"Pfft..." The little white dog nestled in Xiu's arms couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Hugh glanced at the little white dog in his arms, then looked at Arthur with a strange expression, as if to say:

See, even that little guy Arthas doesn't believe your nonsense.

Arthur glared fiercely at Arthas, and the little guy quickly covered his mouth, afraid to laugh out loud anymore.

"Speaking of which, once we get our hands on the brewery, perhaps we can start using the brewery's name as a code name," Arthur changed the subject.

"A beer name? Like Southwell Beer? It doesn't sound very appealing," Hugh said, frowning.

"Oh, of course not. We can brew many different varieties and flavors of alcohol, give them new names, and then brand these new varieties. There are still too few types of alcohol currently."

"By the way, I've already thought of a code name for your drink. Would you like to hear it?" Arthur said with a smile.

"What is it?" Hugh asked curiously.

"Gin."

Chapter 171 Lovia Returns to Normal

It's impossible for Arthur to replicate the wine from his previous life in this world exactly as it was.

After all, he wasn't in the brewing business in his previous life, and he didn't have any in-depth knowledge of the industry.

In his previous life, Arthur only learned about the general manufacturing process of various types of alcohol out of curiosity after reading the manga "Bleach: Elementary School Student".

For example, he knew that rum is a spirit made from sugarcane juice that is pressed and then fermented and distilled.

Gin, on the other hand, is a spirit made from grains and other raw materials. After saccharification and fermentation, the grains are distilled in a still. Then, juniper berries and other herbs are added to the still for a second distillation.

In addition, there are vodka, whiskey, bourbon, and so on.

Unlike mathematics, as beverages, these wines do not actually have fixed ingredient ratios or production methods, which means that even wines with the same name may taste quite different.

Therefore, Arthur naturally doesn't need to pursue a 100% restoration of these wines, as that's an impossible task.

He can make a drink that tastes pretty good, and then insist on calling it "rum." Once more people agree with the name, who would dare say that the drink isn't called "rum"?

If those people in the past could come up with such wine names, then Arthur could certainly do the same. Wine names are not such inconvenient things.

As long as the brewed wine tastes good, that's all that matters. Only if it tastes good will people be interested in it, and only then will the name of the wine gradually gain public recognition.

"Rum? Is that the name you gave to the first liquor you made?" Hugh asked curiously.

“That’s right, you can try it when the product comes out.” Arthur took a sip of cola and let out a satisfied sigh.

After his improvements, the taste of this cola has gradually become closer to the original version from his previous life. When you add some ice cubes, you can enjoy a refreshing and invigorating feeling.

Unfortunately, it's already autumn and the weather is getting colder, which greatly diminishes the refreshing feeling of iced cola, which is a real shame.

Moreover, you can't drink this every day, otherwise it's bad for your health.

Just like that, if it's too frequent, it will quickly lose its fun; doing it only once in a while can keep the anticipation alive.

Otherwise, how could there be a saying that "absence makes the heart grow fonder"?

"Let's not. I'm fine with beer, but I can't handle hard liquor." Hugh waved his hand. "By the way, are there any requirements for the bar? I've never done this kind of decoration supervision before, and I'm a little worried about making mistakes."

"Actually, I don't have many requirements, just something bigger and more spacious would be fine," Arthur said with a meaningful smile.

“I see… But I still need to find someone to refer to for the specific layout of the tavern. It doesn’t have to be too beautiful, but it can’t be too messy either,” Hugh said thoughtfully.

"Just do what you think is best. I trust you to handle things," Arthur said with a light laugh.

Hugh couldn't help but roll her eyes at him and said:

"You're such a hands-off boss, all you have to do is give me instructions and I have to run myself ragged."

"Regular exercise helps you grow taller," Arthur said with a grin.

"Say it again!"

"Just kidding."

"Hmph!" Hugh gave Arthas's little head a couple of hard pats, then walked away indignantly.

"You're the one who upset her, so why are you taking it out on me?" Arthas shook his head and muttered angrily.

"You're easier to bully, aren't you?" Arthur finished the rest of his cola in one gulp.

"I'm not someone to be bullied. Forget it, we adults are magnanimous, let's not stoop to her level." Arthas waved his little paw and said quite magnanimously.

“If you don’t hold it against her, I will.” Arthur put down his cup.

"What's there to worry about?" Arthas asked, somewhat puzzled.

Arthur pounced on the little white dog like a hungry tiger, scooping it into his arms and saying fiercely:

"You little brat, you dared to mock me just now! You've already chosen your own path to death! Today, even if you go to heaven or hell, no one can save you!"

"I'm not a little brat, I'm a little puppy... Wait, no! Help! Howl howl howl howl howl..."

……

Silver City, Berg's house.

"You are a fool who does not belong to this age;"

"You are the mysterious ruler above the gray fog;"

"You are the yellow and black king of good luck."

"Thy faithful servant beseeches thy gaze;"

"We beseech you to open the gates of your kingdom;"

"I pray that you will grant me strength."

……

The ritual of praying for blessings ended, and Derrick stared blankly at the large black box that had appeared on the altar.

What kind of creature's skin is this suitcase made of? It looks quite nice... Derrick had never seen such a well-made suitcase before, and he couldn't help but reach out and touch it.

Generally speaking, people in Silver City use cloth or leather to pack things. Even if they have boxes, the workmanship is rough and crude, as long as they are functional.

The scarcity of means of production meant that they would spend their time honing their combat skills and digesting the magical potions in their bodies, and they would hardly consider adding any patterns to their handicrafts, because that was meaningless for survival.

They prioritize practicality above all else, avoiding anything fancy or gimmicky.

The leather trunk that Audrey used to store her pocket watch, although it was just a spare trunk she found at home, was still exquisitely crafted.

Because ordinary things simply cannot enter the gates of her Earl's mansion.

If this box were outside, its exquisite craftsmanship might have been enough to fetch a few pounds, but Audrey has now sent it directly to the Land of Forsaken Gods.

Derrick clearly lacked any artistic talent, so aside from being curious about the material of the suitcase, he could only comment that it was "good-looking."

Derrick fumbled around the suitcase for a while and quickly managed to open it.

Then he saw rows of gold pocket watches neatly fixed in the leather case, which not only had a neat aesthetic but also exuded an air of nouveau riche.

Keep in mind that even the relatively inexpensive pocket watch that Klein bought cost him three or four pounds, so the pocket watch that Audrey brought out was certainly not a cheap one.

There were at least several dozen pocket watches in this leather trunk, which means that this trunk of pocket watches would cost at least several hundred gold pounds to buy.

However, Derrick clearly did not know the value of these pocket watches. He took one out, examined it from all angles, and then listened to it. He found the ticking sound coming from the pocket watch quite interesting.

They didn't have the concept of machinery in Silver City, so this was the first time he had heard the sound of such a novel machine in operation.

After listening for a while, Derrick carefully placed the pocket watch in a hidden pocket inside his clothes.

This prevents the pocket watch from being lost and also avoids accidental damage during battle.

Because the pocket was located right above his heart, if it could be destroyed like that, then he would probably be dead by now.

After doing all that, Derrick read through the "instruction manual for pocket watches" that came with the suitcase.

After figuring out how to use the pocket watch, he carefully closed the suitcase and then carried it to the round tower where the council of six was located.

Upon arriving at the Round Tower, after the usual announcements, Derrick was allowed to proceed to Elder Wait Hillmont's room.

When the chief is not in Silver City, the affairs of the city are managed by this elder who is also a demon hunter.

I wonder when the chief will be back. I've almost digested my Lightbringer potion, and I should be able to prepare for my promotion soon... As Derrick was thinking, he saw a dignified and beautiful woman walking towards him.

It's Elder Lovia... Derrick hesitated for a moment, then stopped.

"Elder Lovia, hello." Derrick took the initiative to bow.

“Hello, Derrick Berg.” Lovia nodded calmly.

“Elder Lovia, I have a gift I would like to give you.” Derrick picked up the suitcase and showed it to her.

"What gift is it?" Lovia asked, intrigued.

“Its name is a pocket watch, and it can be used to tell time.” Derrick squatted down, opened the suitcase, and took out a pocket watch, handing it to Lovia.

"A pocket watch?" Lovia took it curiously, examining it from all angles just like Derrick had done. Then she held the pocket watch to her ear, listening quietly to the ticking sound coming from inside.

After listening for a while, Lovia smiled and said:

"This is quite interesting. How do I read the time on it?"

“Here’s how it is. You see, this is the hour hand, and this is the minute hand. The hour hand completes one revolution on the dial in twelve hours, and a day is divided into twenty-four hours…” Derrick leaned forward to explain the use of the pocket watch to Lovia.

Lovia quickly figured out how to tell the time. She put the pocket watch away and said:

"Thank you for the gift, Derrick. Are you going to see Elder Wheat Hillmont?"

“Yes, I have something to discuss with Elder Wright,” Derrick replied with a nod.

"Okay, then go ahead, he's in his room right now."

Lovia watched Derrick's departing figure silently, and murmured softly:

"Precise time—that's a truly novel concept. But where does this time reference come from?"

……

Elder Lovia doesn't seem so scary or difficult to approach. Mr. Chariot is right, I shouldn't have prejudices against people for no reason... But then again, Elder Lovia I met today seems quite normal... Derrick walked on, and his steps gradually came to a stop.

Because he suddenly realized that Elder Lovia had actually become normal! This was actually a very abnormal thing!

Could it be that Elder Lovia...