Chapter 34: The Addictive Divine Wine
Shirou ended his forging training early.
The reason for this wasn't anything special—it was to visit the apothecary, Naaza, on Apothecary Street.
Today was the day for his follow-up examination.
Although Shirou had essentially recovered after receiving treatment that day, Naaza remained deeply concerned about the wound inflicted by the Sword of Rupture.
She hoped Shirou would come in regularly for check-ups, at least to ensure the wound didn't worsen or cause more serious problems.
Shirou himself wasn't particularly bothered by the wound anymore, but since Naaza, as an apothecary, still wished to put in effort, he naturally didn't mind receiving her care.
Also, Shirou wasn't just visiting for the check-up—he came to investigate the Soma Wine he had obtained previously.
"I'm here, Miss Naaza."
Upon arriving at the shop, Shirou directly opened the front door.
To his surprise, not only was the gray-haired beastwoman Naaza inside, but also a blue-haired youth with strikingly handsome, almost feminine features.
The youth gave off the aura of a classic nobleman.
Even though he wore a simple gray robe, it couldn't hide his refined demeanor, which seemed neither human nor demi-human.
Faced with someone who was clearly an important figure, Shirou immediately asked, "And you are?"
"I'm the main deity of this pharmacy, Miach," Miach replied with a smile, then turned to Shirou. "You must be Hestia's new Familia member, and Naaza's patient—Shirou Emiya, correct?"
"That's right."
Shirou nodded at Miach's words.
After a brief conversation, the two quickly understood each other's situations.
Miach's Familia was similar to Hestia's, or perhaps even worse off at the moment—only one member.
As a deity, Miach managed a struggling Familia. Not only did he have to work various jobs to make ends meet, but he also had to take care of many matters regarding the Familia.
As such, Miach was usually very busy. Today just happened to be a rare break, which was why he was at the Familia's pharmacy.
Despite being in poverty, Miach was quite enthusiastic.
Upon meeting Shirou, he immediately offered him newly-made elixirs, his generosity belying his Familia's financial troubles.
"Lord Miach, please stop adding to our debt!"
Just as Shirou was wondering how to politely decline, Naaza finally emerged from the back of the pharmacy and immediately struck Miach with a hand chop.
She clearly couldn't stand Miach's tendency to give generously despite their dire financial straits.
"Are we really so broke that we can't even afford to give away a single potion? The ladies at the market say that giving out more samples helps bring in customers!"
"They're giving away leftover green onions! You're giving away potions worth thousands of valis! How is that comparable?!"
Naaza was clearly exasperated by her god's reckless generosity. She shoved him behind the counter and personally welcomed Shirou.
After a brief exchange, Naaza asked Shirou to lift his shirt and examined his wound.
"This is the divine power-inflicted wound?"
From behind the counter, Miach also curiously observed Shirou's body.
He had heard from Naaza that Shirou bore a divine wound, and although he had been skeptical at first, seeing it with his own eyes now confirmed that Shirou had indeed fought a battle involving a god.
"Incredible… you actually survived an injury caused by divine power?" As a deity, Miach had a clear understanding of this kind of wound. "Setting aside which god would break the rules to harm you like this—the fact that you're still alive with a wound like that is a miracle in itself."
"But it hasn't really affected me all that much," Shirou replied.
He had already grown used to the wound; he often even forgot it was there.
"That's natural. Divine power is fundamentally different from ordinary forces. Once it takes effect, it distorts the laws of reality," Miach explained quietly. "It may not cause physical pain, but it will leave a lasting mark deep inside your body—even your soul."
"That's true…" Shirou nodded. His Unlimited Blade Works had been damaged and couldn't be activated since, clearly due to the divine wound.
While Shirou and Miach talked, Naaza had completed a thorough examination.
In the end, she confirmed that aside from the divine wound, Shirou had no other injuries, and the wound itself hadn't worsened—it remained stable.
Naaza then repeated her earlier recommendation: that Shirou seek treatment from Armid, believing that aside from the Fountain of Heaven, Armid was likely the only one capable of healing such a wound.
Shirou nodded, but he didn't currently have the funds for Armid's treatment. He'd need to save up a bit more first.
After wrapping up the matter of his treatment, Shirou didn't leave. Instead, he pulled out a flask from his bag and handed it to Naaza.
"Miss Naaza, could I ask you to analyze the contents of this?"
"Analyze?"
Naaza took the flask, and the moment she opened it, a strong alcoholic aroma hit her.
She was surprised, not understanding Shirou's intent. But her instincts as an apothecary kicked in, and she used her Alchemy skill to analyze the drink's components.
"Wait… this wine is—?"
The moment the analysis completed, Naaza's expression changed dramatically. She stared at the liquid in the flask in disbelief.
"What is it?" Shirou asked.
"This wine… it's not something from Genkai, is it?" Naaza blurted out. "No, wait—all the ingredients are native to Genkai. But… there's divine power mixed into it…"
"Divine power mixed in?"
Both Shirou and Miach were startled by her words.
As a god, Miach understood more. He immediately asked, "Shirou, the wine you brought—is it from Soma?"
"Yes. I got it from someone in the Soma Familia."
Shirou answered frankly. There was no reason to hide it at this point.
Miach's expression became complicated. "Then it makes sense. That guy—Soma—is truly something else. Even after descending to Genkai, he can still produce divine wine from the Heavens."
"So this really is divine wine?" Shirou asked.
"It was divine wine—but its contents have been diluted with water," Miach shook his head. "I've heard rumors that members of the Soma Familia dilute divine wine and sell it for outrageous prices."
"But in the end, it's just wine, and it's been watered down—how much could it possibly sell for?" Naaza said indifferently.
"Normal wine, sure—but this is wine made by Soma," Miach said gravely. "They say that even gods who drink it become overwhelmed with desire and crave more. That's why even diluted versions have an extraordinary effect on mortals. Just a sip, and they can't stop—falling into an addiction-like state."
"Addicted?" Shirou asked.
"Yes. Some of my fellow deities have mentioned it—Soma Familia is selling this diluted divine wine in large quantities.
At first, they sell it normally to customers. But once the buyers get hooked and come back for more, they start demanding exorbitant prices, forcing people to bankrupt themselves just to drink it again."
Miach's expression darkened. "They say many Familia members—and even ordinary people in Orario—have had their lives ruined by Soma Familia's wine.
Men who drank it abandoned their families and spent everything they had.
Women sold their bodies, desperate to taste the wine again.
And in the end, when they were wrung dry of all value, they were discarded—left to die, unnoticed, in some forgotten alley."