"Lord Lucas, all the cargo has been loaded onto the ship. Would you like to inspect it?"
Dahlia chose not to dwell on the matter of the inner vault. She realized that the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to know what kind of existence it was.
She had never been inside the treasury of the Siacan Kingdom, nor had Catherine. It was said that Princess Lucy had entered before, but since the kingdom's treasury was quite far from them, they never even dared to imagine it.
"Alright, I'll go take a look tomorrow."
Lucas nodded. He needed to personally inspect the transportation process to feel at ease. Besides, he had already planned to visit the shipyard tomorrow to check on its construction progress.
He also needed to visit the farm. Ever since its construction, he hadn't gone to see it. The farm was crucial to whether Sedona City could have large-scale meat production in the future, which would help lower meat prices—at the very least, allowing commoners to afford a meal with meat every two or three days.
Right now, most of the hunters in Sedona City have been recruited into the army. The meat sold in the main market still comes from the soldiers' hunts.
The army, in particular, is like a meat-devouring machine, consuming a significant amount of meat every day. They couldn't keep relying on soldiers to hunt all the time—if this continued for a few more years, the wild animals around Sedona City would be completely wiped out.
In reality, relying solely on the farm to provide meat for the entire city was impossible within just a few years. Unless they purchased livestock from other places, meeting the demand was out of reach.
Lucas had plans for the future—to stockpile canned meat sufficient for ten thousand people for an entire year. Canned meat was considered a strategic resource.
Such a massive quantity could only be obtained through imports, meaning purchasing from other regions. Of course, that was next year's plan—this year, the economy was a bit tight.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
Footsteps echoed from outside the study, interrupting Lucas's thoughts. He turned his head and saw Annie and Mina each carrying a cardboard box as they walked in.
Mina and Annie paused for a moment when they saw Catherine and Dahlia, then smiled and nodded as a greeting.
"Young Master, the items have arrived." Annie said with a bright smile.
Mina placed the box on Lucas's desk and, with a smooth motion, took the one from Annie's hands and set it down as well.
"Open it." Lucas said softly.
"I'll do it." Mina responded. With a swift movement, a military knife appeared in her hand, and she sliced through the tape sealing the box.
Nicole, Catherine, and Dahlia instinctively gathered around, their eyes fixed on the box, eager to see what kind of auction item lay inside.
Before opening the box, the cat-eared girl glanced at Lucas. Only after he nodded did she slowly lift the lid, revealing the contents inside.
"Huh? What's this? It looks so dark." Catherine asked curiously.
"These are wine bottles—grape wine." Lucas explained as he reached into the box and pulled out a bottle. It was one of the items he planned to bring to the auction.
"Lord Lucas, may I take a look?" Dahlia requested, her tone carrying a hint of anticipation. She had a certain level of expertise in appraisal.
"Of course." Lucas said with a light smile, handing the bottle over. He needed her to estimate its value before deciding whether to bring more items for the auction.
However, anything Lucas brought from Earth was bound to become a treasure, just like how the five glass cups had once been mistaken for exquisite cups.
"Thank you." Dahlia said softly, respectfully accepting the bottle with both hands. It felt cool and smooth to the touch, with an elegant, streamlined shape that was aesthetically pleasing.
Catherine, Nicole, and the others leaned in closer to examine it. The slender neck of the wine bottle, its overall black hue, and the way it shimmered under the light made it resemble a piece of black crystal or a refined black crystal glass. Their breaths quickened—this was far more exquisite than the crude ceramic wine bottles they were used to.
"A wine bottle?" Catherine blinked in astonishment, waving her hand dismissively. "Lord Lucas, you must be joking. There's no way such a beautiful black crystal bottle is just for holding wine!"
Putting those awful barley beers in such a beautiful bottle would be nothing short of an insult to the bottle itself.
"Huh?" Lucas chuckled in amusement. He reached into the box and pulled out another bottle of wine. Then, opening a drawer, he took out a multifunctional knife, twisted the corkscrew into the bottle's cork, and pulled it out with a firm tug.
"Pop!"
As the wine bottle was opened, a rich aroma of alcohol spread through the air. Only then did Catherine finally believe that this exquisite bottle truly contained wine.
"This… Lord Lucas, don't tell me this is just barley beer?" Catherine asked with a frown. If that were the case, it would be a real disappointment.
"Of course not. This is grape wine." Lucas said, shaking his head. He then reached into the box again and took out a small case. Opening it, he carefully pulled out a tall, delicate glass cup.
"This…" Dahlia covered her mouth in astonishment, her teal eyes shining with excitement. The thin, translucent crystal glass cup was mesmerizing—it drew her in completely.
Lucas poured the wine into the glass, and the deep red liquid immediately widened the eyes of the women around him. Even Annie, Nicole, and Mina were seeing grape wine for the first time.
What shocked them the most wasn't just the wine itself, but the stunning bottle it came in. It made them instinctively feel that this drink must be something rare and valuable.
"Young Master, what is a grape?" Annie blinked curiously, asking the question on everyone's mind. This was the first time she had even heard of such a wine.
"Grapes?" Lucas was momentarily speechless. It suddenly dawned on him—he hadn't seen any grapes in this world yet.
"It's a type of fruit. You'll see next year."
That was the best explanation Lucas could give for now. Next year, he planned to bring some grape vines from Earth and plant them here. That way, he could produce his own wine—after all, drinking wine had anti-aging benefits and could help prevent conditions like cerebral thrombosis.
"Oh!" Annie nodded. As long as she knew it was a fruit, that was enough for her.
"Can we drink this?" Catherine asked in a small voice, unconsciously licking her lips. The deep red wine was incredibly enticing.
"Of course." Lucas chuckled, handing her the wine glass.
"Mmm!"
Catherine carefully took the glass and took a small sip. Her eyes lit up—it was sweet, with a noticeable taste of alcohol, but without any bitterness.
"Let me try it too." Dahlia said, taking the wine glass. She took a sip, then another.
The taste was smooth and far more enjoyable than barley beer or even Youhe Grand Spirit. In fact, it felt more suited to a woman's palate—pleasant and refined.
Wait… hold on.
Dahlia suddenly froze, staring blankly at the wine in her hands.
Wasn't this supposed to be an auction item?
How had they just… casually drunk it?
With a bottle and wine of this quality, the value couldn't possibly be low!
.
.
.
.
You can read advance chapters and view R-18 images of the characters on pat reon page.
pat reon.com/GreenBlue17
300 Power Stones for 1 extra chapter.
5 New reviews for 1 extra chapter.