episode_0008

Just the fact that the gallery auction was held caused a significant impact, shaking the Tesseur Empire. However, it couldn’t compare to the current influx of new items. One item that came up through the auction caught everyone’s attention.

“Coca-Cola.”

Why is black liquid causing such enthusiasm? Someone said that, but their words changed after taking a sip.

“Coca-Cola is the drink of the gods.”

It’s even more refreshing and sweet than beer. It leaves a clean feeling after drinking. But is there any reason not to drink it? No one could argue against it. Among those who had tried it, there were none who hadn’t, only pitiful souls who hadn’t had the chance.

“What? You haven’t tasted Coca-Cola? Are you out of your mind?”

I looked at them with great pity in my eyes, even sympathizing. If you mentioned not having tasted Coca-Cola somewhere among the nobles, it would become a subject of ridicule. For nobles who knew how to follow trends, it was an obvious beverage to try! Black water!

That’s how Coca-Cola began to permeate among people. In the Oront Territory located in the northern part of the Tesseur Empire, Lord Oront frowned.

“Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola. Everyone keeps talking about it.”

What on earth is it that people are so enthusiastic about? Even when attending social gatherings, they kept talking about the same thing, to the point where it was becoming annoying. I’ve heard countless times that if you want to keep up with the trend, you have to try Coca-Cola. What on earth is this Coca-Cola?

“Did you bring it?”

“Yes. This is Coca-Cola.”

To satisfy my curiosity, I spent a fortune. Why should I pay one gold for this? They said it was sold for one silver at the auction house. But when I inquired about it, I had to pay one gold. I can’t understand it, but Lord Oront decided to get Coca-Cola anyway.

Refreshing. The coolness spreading on my palm wasn’t so bad.

“Hmm…”

At best, it’s just a beverage. Beverages are what children and commoners drink. That means the quality is low and not that great. No matter how well it’s made, it’s still just a beverage. It’s obvious that it would be inferior compared to wine or beer crafted by artisans. Nevertheless, Lord Oront opened the Coca-Cola.

Fizz—clink!

Strange sounds emanate from the fascinating structure.

Thanks to the pre-existing stories, I was able to open it without being startled.

When I fully opened it, black water appeared inside.

Bubbles formed like beer… nothing seemed particularly special.

“It’s just black water. It’s a beverage!”

Gurgle. Gurgle.

Lord Oront took a gulp of cola in one breath.

And

“Ah…”

Unknowingly, he let out a sigh of admiration.

A fleeting sweetness and carbonation brushed against his entire body.

The ratio was so intense that one could mistake it for something created by the gods.

Though it was a brief experience, it was thrilling enough to be etched into his mind.

Lord Oront recognized the true value of this cola.

“Have you tried drinking this lightly…?”

“Yes, I had a sip.”

“Coca-Cola. How much do you think one would pay for this?”

“In my opinion…”

Sir Lowell, who served Lord Oront, pondered and gave an answer.

“Even if it costs 5 gold for one, nobles with money would still drink it. If we preserve it as part of noble culture, we could even charge a higher price.”

“It’s worth that much. But how much did it sell for at the auction?”

“…It sold for 1 silver.”

1 silver!

Lord Oront inwardly sighed.

Does he not understand the value of money? Does he not understand the value of goods?

With this black water, he could ascend to the throne of wealth.

He knows nothing. Such a person should not be given something like this.

Lord Oront blatantly revealed his greed.

“Sir Lowell, summon the alchemists and wizards.”

“…Should we head to the Black Tower?”

“Summon them all, regardless of their color: white, black, red, blue.”

“Yes, understood.”

No matter how much money is spent, it doesn’t matter!

If I can produce cola, I can easily recoup my investment!

Lord Oront laughed.

Isn’t it as simple as analyzing this black water and reproducing it exactly?

Even if I fail to replicate it perfectly, if I can create something similar, I can sit on a throne of money.

Thus, he called upon the wizards and alchemists, and a few days later, Lord Oront began to doubt his own ears.

“…Impossible?”

“Yes. It’s impossible.”

“You know that I didn’t pay you just to hear that, right?”

He let out an exasperated sound, but the wizards and alchemists didn’t bat an eye.

“We don’t intend to take all the money. We’ll only take 20% as a retainer fee. Instead, let’s consider this as if it never happened.”

An event that didn’t occur.

Officially, there has been no research on cola. So, there is no need to worry about preserving one’s dignity.

However, if you look beneath the surface, it’s a reality filled with misery.

It meant letting go of cola and giving up on it in the future.

“…Is it really an impossible task?”

“Yes, we are certain.”

“How is that…even possible?”

Isn’t the Tower of Magic where all those sorcerers who claim to have extraordinary powers gather?

But I couldn’t understand why they would give up on analyzing this black liquid.

Upon seeing Lord Oront’s reaction, the sorcerers also sighed deeply.

Of course, they knew it would be incomprehensible.

“We tried to analyze this black liquid…cola, by any means possible. However, both magic and alchemy proved to be impossible.”

Impossible.

It’s something rarely heard from sorcerers.

After all, magic is said to demonstrate limitless possibilities.

Doesn’t dragon magic even reach the level of gods?

With just the power of language magic, they can kill people…!

But they shook their heads.

“There is one fact revealed through magic and alchemy.”

“…What is it?”

“It is impossible to recreate the additives inside it…and this beverage called cola is difficult for us to comprehend.”

The sorcerer extended a cup.

When they cast a spell, water filled the cup.

It contained perfectly clean and transparent water.

What are they trying to do? Despite Lord Oront’s confusion, the sorcerer took something out of their pocket.

“Is it salt?”

“Yes, it’s salt.”

Why this?

They added a little salt to the water.

Then they presented it to Lord Oront.

“What does this look like to you?”

“…I have eyes too. It’s water, isn’t it? Water with salt added. Are you trying to make a fool out of me?”

“No, I have no intention of mocking you. I just wanted to tell you that this is water in a ratio similar to cola.”

“…?”

Lord Oront furrowed his brows in momentary confusion.

So, what they’re saying is that the salt in this water and the additives in cola are the same?

“Is it possible to achieve that taste with such a small amount? Impossible…”

“Yes. That’s why we also concluded it was impossible.”

“You don’t even know how it’s made?”

“Yes. We couldn’t interpret that.”

By investing money, Lord Orlont obtained only one Onyx Marquis.

Helplessness. It was nothing but helplessness.

After the departure of the wizards and alchemists, Lowell approached quietly.

“But there is still a way.”

“What do you mean there is still a way…!”

“Do we need to make cola exactly the same?”

“Are you suggesting making a knockoff of cola?”

That would already be close to impossible, one would conclude.

Orlont almost snapped at Lowell for talking nonsense, but he willingly held back.

“No. That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what?”

“We just need to capture someone who sells cola.”

“…!”

“Just catch the key figure in the gallery.”

“We don’t know where he lives.”

“That’s okay.”

Eloquence is silver, silence is golden.

It means keeping silence is difficult.

If a person’s mouth is open, they are bound to make mistakes eventually. Just wait patiently.

“The key figure will eventually leak information.”

“So, we wait until then?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…”

After a moment of contemplation, Lord Orlont made a decision.

“Gather people who can access the gallery. And assign them the task of checking the gallery’s posts.”

He intended to monitor the key figure 24/7.

***

“My Lord, what on earth is this…?”

“This is cola.”

“No, I know that too. But…”

The question arose as to where such a large quantity came from.

Just by a rough estimate, it was well over a thousand.

Wasn’t cola something that could only be purchased one per person?

I wondered how they managed to obtain such a large quantity, but the thought didn’t last long.

“Kern.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Don’t try to know too much. If you’re so curious, won’t your lifespan be shortened?”

Kern felt a moment of fear and swallowed his saliva.

“…Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

“And spread this cola among my subordinates. I will make an effort to consistently acquire cola.”

“…!”

At that moment, Kern’s eyes widened.

He didn’t know where the cola came from or how it was obtained.

But is that important?

Although it was difficult for everyone to obtain, they managed to get their hands on the coveted cola.

They simply worshipped and praised the demon king.

Kern took the cola, while Arcella sat on the throne and carefully read the gallery.

“Well… he’s quite impressive, more than I thought.”

With that much money in hand, it’s natural to be tempted. He’s consistent.

Perhaps he wasn’t shaken because he originally had a lot of money.

Even so, it’s another question whether he would resist the temptation even if more opportunities to earn money came his way.

Money makes people greedy and ultimately devours them.

Perfectly controlling money is not easy.

That was precisely what made him exceptional at accomplishing such a difficult task.

“Just because you have a lot of money doesn’t mean the value of cola is high…”

Selling cola for one silver just because you want to give it to everyone is not something anyone can do.

Arcella pondered deeply.

If it were her, would she have done the same?

Could she make such an easy decision?

“Criminals are those who exist in an incomprehensible realm.”

That’s why they can easily act beyond others’ thoughts and remain unaffected.

At the same time, they possess excellent character, a sense of humor, and remarkable abilities.

“…I wish someone like that were a demon.”

Their identity has yet to be revealed. Are they human? Demon? Or perhaps another race?

Juddak doesn’t disclose any information about himself.

According to the rumors circulating in the gallery, he might be an academy student.

“I’ve become curious.”

She was even more curious. Curiosity arose.

It was the first time she had become so curious about someone.

Arcella quietly smiled and imagined Juddak’s appearance.

“I’d like to meet him once.”

If he is someone she likes, what should she do?

Arcella formed a mischievous smile.

When Arcella distributed cola to the demons.

In the elven kingdom of Elan, Queen Eris summoned the elves.

She planned to conduct research on cola with the highly skilled magical elves.

“This is an item called cola.”

“…I know. Your Majesty. You called us because of this cola.”

“I became curious about how this cola affects our bodies.”

Elves are a race deeply immersed in magic and research.

After hearing Eris’s story, the elven scholars immediately presented their own arguments.

“It probably won’t be good. Because it’s a beverage.”

“However, we cannot be certain that it has a negative impact.”

“Do you know about the ingredients in cola? It is composed of substances not found on our continent.”

“But do you also know that those ingredients are present in small amounts?”

“There are toxins in the world that can kill even in small quantities.”

“So, have there been cases of people dying after drinking cola?”

A heated debate ensued.

Eris quietly stepped back, leaving them to fight among themselves.

If she stirs things up like this, they will take care of the research on their own.

“I hope they discover the recipe for cola.”

Cola tastes delicious. It is so tasty that I want to drink one can every day without fail.

One year consists of 365 days.

Elves live for approximately 1000 years.

Eris is 180 years old this year. She belongs to the young elves.

Assuming she has another 800 years of life ahead, it was concluded that she would need 300,000 cans of cola.

“It’s impossible to ask Juddik for 300,000 cans at once.”

Thinking that way, her thoughts changed while watering the plants.

No, if they become close enough to ask for 300,000 cans, wouldn’t it be possible?

Eris seriously contemplated Juddik.

“I’m getting older too…”

She hasn’t found a suitable partner for marriage yet.

But if they have the potential to influence the entire continent, they wouldn’t be a bad choice for a spouse.

Although she had forcefully assigned him a position, he had been treating her well in his own way.

He is a driven person.

It was known that such individuals were compatible with passive elves.

“Maybe it wouldn’t be bad to meet and decide once…”

Feeling unusually contemplative today, Eris paid more attention to the plants.

While Eris was communicating with the plants,

Hero Kyra Luz quietly brought cola to her personal space.

“The hero… has become happy!”

She was a happy hero as much as she had cola.