Volume 2, Chapter 23 – The Vampire Princess’s Treasure

“I’m still far from matching onee-sama’s knowledge.”

Camilla looked somewhat dejected.

“Not at all. If anything, you’re much smarter than I am. At the very least, I couldn’t master magical incantations in just a month.”

“Mmm, if you say so.”

Though clearly not entirely satisfied, Camilla’s reaction amused Yisi. While a girl’s cheerful demeanor was something to admire, occasional pouting was equally charming.

A faint scent of alcohol lingered in the room as Yisi turned her attention to the simple distillation apparatus.

“Camilla, extinguish the flame.”

“Yes—『Fire Destruction』.”

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As if smothered by sand, the fire atop the [Eye of Dusk] vanished instantly.

Yisi lifted the scorching iron plate, first cooling the water in the pot with ice before carefully retrieving the bowl inside, which emitted a rich, alcoholic aroma.

A quick sniff confirmed that the liquid in the bowl had a far stronger scent than the fermented brew in the wooden barrel.

“It looks like we succeeded.”

Pleased with her handiwork, Yisi felt a flicker of excitement. She dipped her fingertip lightly into the clear liquid, then touched it to her tongue.

There was a hint of sweetness at first, but before she could savor it, the taste shifted to a mild burn, followed by an overwhelming wave of alcoholic fragrance.

If she took a full sip, she’d probably cough it right back up—Yisi had that premonition. But the burning sensation meant she had achieved her goal.

“I’m not sure about the exact alcohol content, but as long as it’s stronger than fermented wine, it’s good enough.”

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“It smells really fragrant.”

“Would you like to try it, Camilla?”

“Mm.”

Mimicking Yisi, Camilla dipped her finger into the bowl and licked it. But having scooped up too much, her brows immediately furrowed.

“It’s spicier than the wine I’ve had before.”

“Well, it’s distilled liquor. The taste varies depending on the fermentation ingredients, but most of it is quite sharp.”

Yisi poured the remaining liquid into an empty wooden barrel she had prepared earlier, sealing it with a cork to prevent further air exposure. Over the next few days, she planned to fill this barrel to the brim as a signature product for Margaret Tavern.

“Since this is a wine made by Onee-sama, shouldn’t you give her a name?”

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In the Hels Kingdom language they spoke, there were distinct pronouns for “she,” “he,” and “it”.Here, Camilla deliberately used the feminine form.

“Hmm… How about ‘Camilla’?”

Lacking any talent for naming things, Yisi tentatively checked Camilla’s expression. The latter pressed a finger to her lips, neither displeased nor particularly happy.

“If it’s something Onee-sama made by hand, it would be better to include your name in it. Something like Yisi’s Treasure.”

Unbeknownst to Yisi, Camilla was also studying her expression as she spoke, her ruby-like eyes shimmering with anticipation and delight.

“Using my name feels a bit embarrassing… But if you suggest it, then how about The Vampire Princess’s Treasure? Or wait—Vampire… Blood… Bloody Mary? No, that doesn’t sound very appealing. Let’s just call it Margaret.”

Though Margaret was a cocktail, no one in this world would know that.

With hopeful eyes, Yisi looked up at Camilla.

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“What do you think?”

For a moment, Camilla’s expression fell like a child whose toy had been taken away—but soon, she smiled again.

“If Onee-sama thinks it’s fine, then I agree. Though I didn’t expect you’d name the wine after Mary.”

“It’s not because of Mary that it’s called Margaret.” Yisi patted her chest in relief. “Next, I’ll repeat the process to fill this barrel. Camilla, you can go do whatever you like in the meantime.”

“Then I’ll wait here until Onee-sama finishes.”

“Having such a beautiful girl by my side is hardly a problem—as long as you don’t find it boring, that is.”

Yisi shrugged, deliberately teasing, but Camilla responded with an utterly humorless, half-pouting, half-serious tone.

“How could it be boring? Really, Onee-sama always jokes like this.”