(Uru - Blue Farmer)
"I want to ask about this strange drink."
A strange drink?
Looking at what Berany was referring to, my brows furrowed slightly. It was a half-filled cup of beautiful orange-colored drink, leaving me with doubts. I picked up the cup and took a sip. After tasting it, my doubts only grew stronger. "It's just a very ordinary cocktail, Senior Berany. What's so peculiar about it?"
Berany took the cup from my hand and examined it with a cautious expression. She said in a soft voice, "I have never had a drink that goes down so smoothly, and no one has seen a drink with such beautiful colors. However--"
Suddenly, her tone became doubtful and profound, and I could sense a hint of threat. She said in a deep voice, "Even though it is such a rare treasure, you insist on calling it ordinary. Miss Blue Farmer, who are you really?"
Who am I really?
I say that I come from a different world, would you believe it?
Facing the forceful white-haired girl, I felt a bit helpless. But then I realized that my own identity was indeed worth pondering. However, I didn't want to attract attention by claiming to be an otherworldly being or a mysterious fairy. My desire was to be an ordinary person and enjoy a peaceful life. Therefore, I couldn't directly answer the other person's question.
"To be honest, I am not quite sure about that myself." I replied with a wry smile.
Upon hearing my answer, Berany's sharpness softened a bit. She sat down somewhat annoyed and silently examined me for a few moments before speaking again, "Are you really suffering from amnesia?"
"Did President Ehud tell you?" I asked her.
"Yes, he told me when he left this morning, so that I can take care of you." she replied.
"I see..."
Upon hearing Berany's words, my heart warmed inexplicably, and it strengthened my determination to help Casa do Penedo. And with the current dire situation of Casa do Penedo in mind, I couldn't hold back my frustration.
"If things continue like this, Casa do Penedo will definitely go bankrupt."
I was accustomed to using sign language, and now suddenly having a mouth that can speak, I couldn't control myself. Without paying attention, I blurted out my inner thoughts.
"You're very straightforward."
Luckily, Berany didn't show too much displeasure. Instead, she seemed to agree with my point of view. She gently touched the bottle neck of the drink and said thoughtfully, "But this peculiar drink you made might actually help us."
I immediately understood what Berany meant. If the culture of cocktail-making didn't exist in this world, then the "Gimlet" I stupidly concocted earlier could be a valuable business opportunity. Unfortunately, I wasn't very knowledgeable about cocktail-making myself. In fact, the only complete recipe I had in my mind was the "Gimlet".
"It could be a business opportunity, but how do you plan to proceed?" I asked Berany.
"I think we should inform President Ehud about its existence first." she explained. "Unless we have his official consent, no one can add or remove any goods or services from Casa do Penedo. That has always been our rule."
Upon hearing this rule, I furrowed my brows, but as a newcomer who had only worked for half a day, I didn't feel it was appropriate to question it.
"So, when will President Ehud be back?"
"At least until 3 pm." Berany answered.
"We have two more hours..."
Glancing at the large clock in the kitchen, I asked Berany, "If both of us don't help out at the front desk during this time, can Annie handle it alone? Otherwise, I want to write a proposal."
"There aren't many customers today, Annie can handle it by herself. But what is this proposal you're talking about?"With more time spent together, I began to realize that Berany, the senior, was not actually devoid of expression. She just had a poker face. However, by observing her tone of speech and body language, one could vaguely sense her emotional changes. For example, now she had changed her sitting posture to a slightly forward-leaning position - a gesture that represented curiosity and engagement in the discussion.
But besides the culture of mixology, it seemed that this world had other differences compared to Earth!
Nobody disliked being noticed, and as a human, I was no exception. While enjoying Berany's curious gaze, I explained to her, "A proposal letter is a tool for communication and discussion. Someone as busy as President Ahad cannot possibly discuss everything with subordinates face to face. So, in order to maintain effective information exchange, it is necessary for us to systematically write down our thoughts and opinions in written documents for others to read. That is the main function of a proposal letter."
"I see, that's actually a very clever method." Berany lowered her head, pondered for a moment, and gave my suggestion a high degree of praise with her unchanging expression. Her serious tone almost made me think she was secretly mocking my self-promotion, and at the same time, I felt embarrassed about my own complacency.
"It's just a very common working method, actually." I modestly replied.
However, Berany softly gazed at me. Her eyes were as calm as water, clearly reflecting my slightly blushing face. She murmured, "No, Miss Lan Nong, you're actually very special. Truly special."
I couldn't resist her gaze, so I stood up as an excuse and began clearing the clutter on the table, saying, "Let's get to work quickly, Berany-Senpai. Please help me bring some paper and pens. Thank you!"
"Um..." Upon hearing my request, Berany-Senpai didn't immediately move. She sat in front of me like a small path of wildflowers on a mountain trail, in a gentle and strong posture. She tilted her head in confusion and asked me a series of questions.
"Why are you helping President Ahad?"
"Besides Annie, me, and a few other strange people, everyone else has left. Why, at a time when everything seems to be disappearing, do you want to stay here?"
"Does it benefit you, Miss Lan Nong?"
Hearing this, I slowly stopped the cleaning motion and looked up at Berany in front of me. Her expressionless face now showed a concerned look. It was as if she had realized something or was anticipating something, just like the most willful child waiting for the father to reveal the gift. It reminded me of my beloved sister Uran from my childhood.
No matter how excessive the request, I would do my best to fulfill it.
But before that, I wanted to get to know her.
"What about you? Why do you want to stay in Casa do Penedo?"
However, it seemed like I had asked an inappropriate question.
Her amber eyes turned a shade of sad grey...
As if answering my question, Berany choked back the voice she had been suppressing for a long time and began telling her story.
"I am an orphan. I had a turbulent life since childhood until one day, the former president of Casa do Penedo took me in, who had frozen to death in an alleyway. He gave me warm clothes, delicious food, and also gave me the most gentle and brave sister in the world. He gave me many joys that I had never experienced before. So, I can never abandon them, I will never betray them! This Casa do Penedo is our home, and I can't bear to lose it!"
Unlike other girls, Berany's tears were a type of silent, strong tear. Even when she was sad, she didn't actually shed any tears. While her gaze may have been blurry, it was still locked straight onto me, just like President Ahad. She was not the kind of weak girl who would wait for others to save her. She was a strong and resolute shopkeeper.
As her story affected me, I mustered up my confidence and said, "I don't know how bad the situation is in Casa do Penedo right now, and I don't know what it takes to run an adventurer guild. I also don't believe that my arrival can resurrect Casa do Penedo. But I believe in you, I believe in President Ahad, and I believe that you can turn the tide!"
(Note: This translation is not a professional translation. It is a collaborative effort and may not be perfect.)After a moment's pause, I raised my eyebrows and smiled, wiping away the tears that were about to fall from her eyes.
"So, shall we go and write the proposal first?"
