Chapter 71: Mystery!
"Huh? What do you mean it's clearly my dream? Aren't we a Familia, a family? It's only natural for family members to help each other! Whatever dreams Soma-sama has, I'll also do my best to make them come true!"
Hearing Soma's complaint, Tara stared at him with the same energetic look.
"Tara."
Soma suddenly called her name.
Looking at her appearance, Soma hesitated for a moment before choosing to tell her the cruel fact.
"Actually...the ingredients needed to brew divine wine simply can't be found in the lower world..."
The ingredients for divine wine could only grow in Heaven. If brought to the lower world, they would lose their original properties.
In other words,
A perfect divine wine could not be created in the lower world.
After spitting out the almost hopeless news in one breath, Soma looked at Tara, who was still smiling, in confusion.
Why could she still smile after learning that her dream couldn't be realized?
"Soma-sama, are you disappointed that I'm not upset?"
"Uh… no… I just…"
"Even if the ingredients for that bottle of divine wine can't be found in the lower world, but…"
As if trying to pique her god's interest, Tara's tone suddenly rose.
"Isn't Soma-sama, the one who can brew divine wine, still here? Since we can't brew the same divine wine as before, let's create a new one, a more delicious one, that surpasses this divine wine! But in return, it won't be called Soma Wine anymore, it has to be Soma and Tara Wine!"
"Pfft… hahaha! What, that's such a stupid name."
Looking at her serious expression, Soma was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.
He didn't even realize how long it had been since he last laughed like this.
Soma seemed to understand the fun of the lower world a little bit now.
"What… isn't the name Soma Wine stupid too…"
Suddenly, Tara seemed to have realized something.
She looked at her god, who was laughing, and lightly hit her palm with her fist.
"Right! I think I know why no one joins our Familia!"
"What?"
"It's because Soma-sama is too gloomy on a daily basis."
As she spoke, Tara walked over and brushed away her god's long hair, revealing his black pupils.
"See, Soma-sama is actually quite handsome, why do you cover your eyes with your hair?"
She suddenly pulled out a pair of scissors from somewhere.
"Wait, what are you trying to do!"
…
"Done! You look much better this way."
Half an hour later, Tara had styled Soma's hair in a clean, neat style without any consultation.
"Can you please not do this kind of thing in the street next time…"
Soma already knew that Tara was a bit airheaded, but he hadn't expected her to perform a live haircutting show in the street.
Curious gazes from passersby kept coming his way.
Soma felt even more embarrassed without his long hair to hide behind.
"Excuse me, is this Soma Familia?"
Suddenly, a young man's voice sounded.
"Yes, it is. Nice to meet you. I'm Tara, the captain of Soma Familia. Are you here to join our Familia?"
Tara put down the scissors and greeted the young man.
"When did you become the captain?"
"What does it matter? After all, I'm the only one in our Familia right now. Or Soma-sama, are you going to ruthlessly kick me out after someone else joins our Familia?"
Ignoring the two who were cracking jokes, Zanis introduced himself,
"I am Zanis Lustra. May I ask, is the Soma Wine that's become popular among gods recently sold by your Familia?"
"It was made by our main god, Soma-sama!"
Tara waved a finger at Zanis, looking like a mother showing off her talented child.
"If that's the case, please allow me to join Soma Familia."
Zanis didn't care who made the wine, all he knew was that this Familia produced Soma Wine.
He had come to join the Soma Familia after seeing the potential of Soma Wine.
"Yes! Soma-sama, see? My method really worked!"
"What does this have to do with your method…"
And just like that, the Soma Familia welcomed its second member.
…
"Development ability: Mixing or Mystery? Which one will you choose?"
In the Soma Familia's divine room, Soma asked Tara.
Three years had passed since Zanis joined the Soma Familia.
Soma and Tara, who didn't understand Familia operations at all, entrusted all the Familia affairs to Zanis.
He lived up to their expectations, and with the popularity of Soma Wine, he quickly turned their Familia into a renowned Familia in Orario.
Although there were occasionally some greedy people who tried to steal their companions' wine, they didn't cause much trouble under Tara's suppression.
Soma Familia was flourishing, and Tara even specially prepared a brewery for their god, with a signboard depicting Soma's crescent moon and wine.
Finally, today, Tara had gathered enough feats to level up.
She reached Level 2 in three years, a pretty good achievement in Orario.
"Mystery sounds really powerful. I have a feeling that I'll be able to make a wine that surpasses Soma-sama's using this development ability!"
Over the past three years, the place Tara spent the most time in was Soma's brewery.
Every day, she watched her god brew wine, hoping to learn something from him.
However, she didn't actually have any talent for brewing wine.
When she first said with confidence how much she loved brewing, Soma thought she had amazing skills, but in reality, she could only make something barely drinkable.
For the past few years, in order to create a wine that surpassed Soma's, Tara often threw strange things into her brews, almost sending Soma back to Heaven several times.
However, although it was noisy and chaotic next to him while brewing, Soma had gotten used to it over the past three years.
"The specific effect of Mystery is unknown even to the gods. Are you sure you want to choose this?"
Soma asked Tara.
Compared to this rare development ability, Soma was more concerned about whether Tara's next drink would send him to Heaven or not.
"Humph, don't underestimate a girl's sixth sense. This ability will definitely help me brew divine wine!"
Tara sniffed and said.
"You haven't given up yet?"
Over the years, as their Familia expanded, Soma gave up on brewing perfect divine wine using materials from the lower world and instead made those inferior divine wines to maintain their Familia's finances.
He had witnessed Tara's attempts, but he knew that this level of effort wasn't enough to create divine wine.
"Soma-sama, are you afraid that I will surpass you? Don't worry! Even if I make this kind of divine wine, the name will still be Soma and Tara Wine. After all, Soma-sama has helped me a lot. This Mystery development ability is also a blessing from Soma-sama. I'll work hard for both of us!"
"I told you not to use that stupid name."
"What's the big deal?"
A flash of light, and Tara upgraded to Level 2.
"Right, Soma-sama, I'm going to visit Dionysus-sama today. Last time, I asked him to help me improve my wine. This time, you'll be amazed!"
With these final words, Tara skipped out of Soma's divine room.
It was also on this night that the [Absolute Evil] descended upon Orario.
…
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