Volume 2 Chapter 18: The Elf Who Sing

(Walson)

"That long dream, shining on the tree, that bright moon──"

I sat at the dining table, looked at the singing Barella, while watering the potted plants at the same time.

The seed given by Miss Nakula has grown into a young seedling, and it has grown to the point where I can start talking to it.

Well, not really, the plant just makes some noise, it's less of a talk and more of a babble.

From the way I see it, the plant is in the infant stage, so babbling is the best it can do.

This potted plant, given to me by Miss Nakila, also has the ability to read minds, but it has its limitations. If the other party that the plant is talking to refuses to communicate using their mind, there is nothing it can do.

Back to the present, now I am sitting at one of [Dog House] dining tables, while Barella holds a handful of ukulele in her hand, swishing it around with a joyful smile on her face.

Ukulele is something that I made for her.

Seeing that she likes to sing very much, I feel that there is something missing if she sings without using any instrument, so I made it for her. This musical instrument does not exist in this world, and the more common type of instruments that are similar to it are the harps and the like.

She had never seen this instrument before, and she was very clumsy at using it at first.

But I gotta say, she's a genius.

After a little guidance from me on what made what sound, the rest of the needed skills are something that she gained from practicing by herself, and she has been able to skillfully use the ukulele to make the songs she sang before become even better, which is amazing.

In my previous life, I often heard popular music in all kinds of categories such as rock and jazz, but the music in this world is different, all of the known music is classical.

Listening to Barella playing ukulele and singing, there is an ingenious leisure in it.

I brought over a new barrel of wine.

While not specifically explained earlier, all of these wines are all brewed by myself.

To be honest, I don't know anything about winemaking.

In minecraft, there is a material that can be used to brew potions called [Fermented Spider Eye].

It is made by crafting spider eyes, mushrooms, and sugar, into the crafting table.

Don't ask me why those three ended up as [Fermented Spider Eye], there is no logic behind minecraft crafting system..

With that in mind, I thought that, if I want to make something fermented, I need to synthesize it with mushrooms and sugar, so I tried to combine mushrooms and sugar with various fruits.

Sure enough, a [Fermented Fruit] appeared.

When using a brewing stand to brew the [Fermented Fruit], a barrel of [Fermented Fruit] wine can be produced in about 30 minutes.

I have a total of 5 brewing stands under my command, and it will not affect my potion crafting too much to be honest.

First, because I won't sell so many of these powerful potions, or the market will be in chaos due to the sudden increase in potion.

Second, our own usage of those potions is also very low.

So I used the brewing stand to produce other things.

Back to the topic of wine, I have recently become quite interested in bartending.

It turns out that mixing various fruit wines in different proportions will also have different flavors, and sometimes the taste will change drastically when mixed with vanilla and so on.

A small part of the blend I made is sold as a special product in the store, and the rest of it I drink with Barella at night.

Barella is simply a wine hog.

She is very good at drinking, her drinking capacity is bottomless, no matter how much she drinks, her face is always flushed and she is not out of breath.

Now I have developed the habit of drinking with Barella at night and listening to her beautiful singing voice.

—However, I'm curious as to why she's wearing a slave collar.

[Barella_LV19_HP 143/143_Status: [Curse of Subordination], [Elvenized]_Title: Slave of Barlon]

Just to add, when I first saw Barella on the [Detection Radar], her real name "Aurevia Bratio Ilf" was displayed, which is quite long. However, once I started calling her "Barella", her detected name changed to that.

It seems that this ability is also subject to my subjective influence.

During this period of time, I spent more time with Barella. And although the relationship between us two was like friends, I soon discovered that there should be more hidden stories behind Barella's past.

When drinking recently, I always drink less so as not to get drunk, and spend some time observing Barella.

Occasionally, she will show a sad look after drinking, at that time she will be a little drunk, but soon she will return to her usual laughing appearance.

I didn't ask her about the collar, for fear I'd step on her land mine.

I once asked Grace a little about her.

Grace said she was an elf without an elf weapon.

Of course I didn't ask Barella about that matter either.

As mentioned before, elf weapons are as precious as a second life for elves, and each elf will only have one elf weapon in their lifetime.

—And it's not necessarily weapons.

For example, an elven blacksmith might have an elven anvil or something.

However, there can only be one elf weapon in a lifetime, and an elf who loses an elf weapon will become an existence that is discriminated against by other elves, and they may encounter all kinds of bad treatment should they become a slave.

Grace also said that Barella was often bullied in the school, but the elf always endured it while continuing to maintain that laughing look.

Honestly, I kind of wanted to help her.

In the status of Barella, there is a state of [Elvenized], which excludes the situation that she does not have her elf weapon. I think she lost her elf weapon for some reason.

Although we are friends, I know very little about Barella.

All I knew was that she was Grace's roommate, a 6th grader who had been at the academy for seven years and would definitely be graduating this year.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" Barella waved her hand in front of my eyes, bringing me back to focus, "Did you pay attention to my singing? That's my favorite song from my hometown." Ah, that's right.

The songs she sings seem to all come from her hometown.

She must be very homesick. Will she go back home after graduation?

"Ah, I'm sorry, I'm a little drunk, almost falling asleep listening to your song." This was my excuse.

"Really? It's only autumn now, so it's so cold." After saying so, Barella folded her arms and her body trembled.

The movement caused her chest to lift up.

Oh, her boobs are huge.

It has more weight than Melon's.

"...Your gaze makes me feel like you want to get me pregnant."

"What should I call the baby?" It's okay to sexually harass a friend, but if Grace was around, I'd definitely get a bunch of fireballs casted right to my face.

I took out a blanket from the [Chest] and handed it to Barella.

"What an obscene guy, I don't know what Grace was thinking when she chose you out of the various choices available."

"Enough with the insult, by the way, I accidentally made a suit in the wrong size, do you want it?

I asked. Take out a furry wolf fur outfit from my [Inventory] again.

The clothes that Barella has been wearing all this time are just a few thin shirts, and there are still many traces of mending on them.

I can't help but wonder if Barella is in trouble economically, but I have no way of knowing.

I haven't heard of her working any part-time jobs either.

She came to drink with me, and now I have asked her to help me in the name of tasting.

"...Thanks for the cloth, Pervert."

"Honestly thought you wouldn't be shameless enough to accept it, you continued to surprise me in many different ways."

"..." Barella just stared at me in silence, she picked up a new flagon and drank.

Hm? Why does the place feel so cold all of a sudden?

Obviously, with Barella's cheerful personality, she has never let the place cool down.

Seeing her silence, I also started to drink.

The sudden silence lasted until I started to feel drunk after chugging down four barrels of wine, and then Barella spoke.

".....I know you are trying to help—"

"Nope, don't want to hear it."

"—But you can't help me, the problems that are behind me are very complicated."

"Do you know what I think? I think things will become much easier after Melon punches it a few times." I joked.

I saw Melon next to me looking at me with a puzzled expression.

Melon, don't think too much about it, this is just a metaphor...probably.

"At least, tell me what difficulties you're having. You've had so many drinks with me as a friend, and yet it seems I don't know you at all."

"What's the use of listing it? I'm trying not to think about it, and if I talk about it, it will just cause you trouble."

". . . . . " After listening to her words, I laughed.

I have been getting along with Barella all this time, and I always feel that there has yet to be any real "heart-to-heart" conversation between us, which makes me feel very unpleasant.

And with my power, I don't think there is a problem in this world that I can't handle, I'm a very capable person you see.

And besides, I have to pay back the kindness that she gave to me and Grace.

"Alright then , let's make a bet." I know that Barella is not only fond of drinking wine and singing songs, she's also rather fond of doing gambling.

". . . . I'll bite, what do you want to bet?"

"If I can solve your problem, it will be considered as paying back the help you gave me with the Grace problem." I took out a rather embarrassing childish outfit from the [Chest]. "But if I can't solve it, then you can put this on me."

Anyway, if she really wants to put it on me, I would just blast her away and then flee.