[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 236

〈Heal〉

“Open your eyes. You’ll be fine now.”

“Ha! Even if the sky splits in two, these eyes won’t open!”

“I’m serious, you’ll be fine. If I have to poke you one more time, I won’t heal you, okay?”

“Hmm…”

“You don’t want another eye treatment, do you?”

The scholar goblin, who also didn’t want that, quietly opened his eyes while drooling.

“Ahhh!! You! You! Youuu!!”

“Why are you acting like this again?”

“You tricked me again! I thought your voice sounded sweet, but you’re full of tricks! I’ll scold you!!”

There’s no other goblin as crazy as this one.

Seeing the goblins in the audience shaking their heads, it seems this is just how this goblin is.

“Ugh. Men are naturally drawn to flowers and honey, aren’t they? Born as a man, you should seek flowers and gather honey, but here you are with your eyes closed, making even Shim Hak-gyu laugh.”

The scholar goblin, with his eyes tightly shut, turns red with anger.

“Wow! You sure know how to wag that tongue!”

“They say a sharp tongue is stronger than a million soldiers.”

“Y-you…! How dare you spout such shallow knowledge! You’re truly ignorant!”

“There’s a saying, ‘Learn from below to reach above.’ Understanding the higher truths through the lower. Just because you’re below doesn’t mean your knowledge is shallow. You really have a mind as short as your… well, you know.”

The scholar goblin’s heavy breathing sends dust flying across the ground.

“A scholar must stand straight and look up with dignity!”

“Even a pig that’s never seen the sky gets a glimpse when it falls. Forcing yourself to look up when you can’t even see it, isn’t that just a waste of your eyes?”

“Y-you… such a…!”

The scholar goblin, his face turning red, screams at the top of his lungs before finally clutching his neck and collapsing.

High blood pressure is the root of all diseases.

“Hahaha, I’ve never seen the scholar flip his eyes like that before.”

“He probably spent his days reciting poetry. That’s why he couldn’t come up with a comeback.”

“We should avoid arguing with Peach Girl.”

─Click, click.

“Whew─ I am Buddha.”

Other goblins come over, pick up the fainted scholar goblin, and toss him onto the grass.

Seeing their smiling faces, it seems like it was all just a bit of fun.

“Whew─”

As I watch them, smoking a cigarette, Grandfather Georam, who had been observing from afar, approaches.

Tick.

“You’ve worked hard. And you don’t have to rush to put out the cigarette.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Seeing me hurriedly putting out the cigarette, Grandfather Georam nods with a smile.

Though it doesn’t quite fit our country’s sentiment, seeing everyone puffing away, it seems this is just how things are here.

─Click, click.

“Whew─”

As I light a new cigarette, the goblins watching me laugh happily.

“Everyone, please pay attention.”

Grandfather Georam steps up beside me.

At his words, the chattering voices of the goblins instantly quiet down.

“A new guest has arrived in our village. Please treat them well.”

Thinking that was the end of his speech, I look at Grandfather, who nods.

Despite the heavy atmosphere, his words are light.

“Is the test already over?”

“Of course. You won against the goblin in wrestling and triumphed in a verbal battle with the scholar goblin. How could you not be a guest?”

The wrestling was just a win against a peer, and the scholar goblin just fainted from anger.

“An ordinary person couldn’t even do that.”

No need to say more.

Even without me saying anything, Grandfather Georam seems to read my expression and offers an additional explanation.

“Now, our guest who has visited our village, please introduce yourself.”

Grandfather Georam passes the word to me and takes a step back.

Thanks to that, the gazes of the goblins sitting on the dirt floor and rocks all turn to me.

“Hello. I’m Han Ga-eul, a peach here to have fun.”

─Wow!!

Even though I only said one word, the goblins shout in response.

Thinking about it, it was just one sentence, but it seems like I went through quite a bit of trouble to say it.

“And this is my friend, Baekseol.”

“Yes!”

As I pull Baekseol out of my pocket, she waves her front paws at the surroundings.

Thanks to that, another round of cheers pours out.

“Now all that’s left is for her to marry me.”

“This guy’s already drunk by noon. If the Peach Girl sees your face under the lantern on the first night, she’ll run away.”

“Hey, you! What about you!”

“Don’t they say they like a dashing man? That’s me!”

“Crazy talk is a disease, you fool! Go see a quack goblin!”

From goblins laughing and smoking cigarettes while drinking, to goblins suddenly grabbing each other by the collar—it’s dizzying just to watch.

Still, they seem like pure-hearted goblins, even if they look rough.

“Hoo─”

As I watch them and smoke a cigarette, the goblins I just met swarm around.

“How come the Peach Girl’s hair is so smooth?”

“It’s silk, silk.”

“Ah? Hello.”

“Oh my, indeed.”

As the friendly-looking ladies gather around me and start talking, I can’t keep up.

“Our husbands are all dead, you see. At night, they just collapse.”

“Hmm, how about visiting the Herb Goblin?”

“That guy’s a quack, a quack!”

Seeing them trying to poke my eyes and stick needles, it seems they’re not wrong, but at this point, their situation looks pitiful.

I wonder what their usual behavior was like to make them act so wildly.

“Would you like to try this?”

As I pull out shampoo and rinse from my space, the gathered ladies look puzzled.

When I stroked the wrestler goblin and the sword goblin’s heads earlier, I noticed their hair was incredibly rough.

“How strange-looking.”

“If you use this, your hair will become silky smooth. Your husbands will love it too.”

At my words, the ladies’ eyes sparkle, and they come close enough to whisper in my ear.

“Is that true?”

“Of course.”

I twist my finger in my hair and let it go, and it smoothly untangles.

Seeing this, the ladies nod vigorously.

“It smells nice too. It has fragrance oil included.”

“Oh my, goodness. There’s something like this.”

“And this, you can spread it on your face after washing at night. It’ll make your skin shiny.”

“No wonder the Peach Girl smells so fragrant.”

This is probably due to my constitution, but I think it’s a good thing.

“Can I use the stove, perhaps?”

“Huh? Why the stove?”

“I promised to treat you to something delicious earlier.”

“Oh my, really. Would you like to meet my son?”

I think Grandfather Georam mentioned there are no young goblins except for the nameless ones, so I’m not sure which goblin he’s introducing.

“By the way, how old is your son?”

“He’s only five hundred years old.”

“Ah, yes…”

The lady doesn’t seem entirely serious either.

She keeps answering, but her eyes are on the cosmetics set.

“You can use the stove in that house over there, and for alcohol… you can go into the guest brewery.”

“Will it work?”

“The guest brought by the village chief should be allowed in.”

“Then I guess we can go in and pick.”

Grandfather Georam also mentioned the brewery first when he came.

It seems to be a more strictly managed place than I thought.

“If you lend me the place, I’ll prepare a feast for you.”

“Oh my, how lovely.”

“Hehe.”

Every time I say something, compliments pour out.

“Then I’ll go check out the place you mentioned.”

“Kkuni’s mom can go with you.”

The lady called Kkuni’s mom looks the youngest among them.

“Follow me, Peach Girl.”

“Okay.”

I thought they would show me the kitchen with the stove first, but the direction we’re walking is towards the brewery.

As we get closer to the brewery, the sour smell gets stronger.

Probably from the fermented grain alcohol.

“Wow, it’s huge.”

“Right?”

There are rows of what look like giant jars.

The alcohol from the goblins’ waistbands must have come from here.

The lady, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped in a quiet spot and pulled out a long pair of tongs.

“See this hole here?”

“Yes.”

After speaking, the lady inserted the tongs into a narrow hole in the wall and pulled out a small jar the size of a palm.

“This is what we call the alcohol storage. Be careful not to touch the hole.”

“Why is that?”

“Time flows quickly here. One day is like a year, so if you recklessly stick your hand in, your body won’t be able to handle the rapid changes.”

“Ah… That’s a bit scary.”

The lady, who had been listening to me, smiled and handed me the jar.

“So, does this mean it’s been aged?”

“Right. The big jar over there is for makgeolli, and this small one is for yakju.”

“Ah, I see.”

Since Grandfather Kamar had told me interesting stories about alcohol, I could understand how it works.

“Can I use this place?”

“This place? Since you’re a guest brought by the village chief, I don’t see why not. Are you planning to brew alcohol?”

“Yes. I want to try making fruit wine. The goblins seem to like alcohol.”

“They can’t live without it.”

The lady, who had shown her approval, set the tongs aside.

“Then go ahead, but be careful with the alcohol storage.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“There’s also some pheasant meat by the stove, so use it if you need it.”

“Okay! Thank you!”

“Sure.”

The lady waved the face mask she had given me earlier and left with a happy face.

“Hmm. Baekseol, let’s brew some alcohol.”

“Okay!”

Baekseol, who was on my head, slid down to my shoulder and tapped the jar in my hand.

“Will you help me?”

“Magic!”

“Right. Help me with magic later.”

“Okay!”

“Thank you.”

There are many fruits, but the first thing that comes to mind is peaches.

There are so many fruits piled up in the space that it should be fine.

“Alright, let’s start.”

“Okay!”

The various brewing methods Grandfather Kamar told me about flashed through my mind.

I peeled the peach flesh, mashed it, and then squeezed it through a cloth.

Squeeze─

As I squeezed the flesh, sweet juice filled the bowl.

Squeezing it through the cloth again, the bowl was filled with clean juice without any pulp.

The peach’s sugar content is higher than I thought, so the alcohol content might be high, but seeing how the goblins drink, it should be fine.

“Add dried yeast here and put it in the alcohol storage.”

As I sprinkled the yeast, Baekseol twitched her front paws.

“Gosh.”

“This isn’t that thing.”

In about a week, the carbonation will settle.

They say a year is like a day, so an hour is like half a month. That means it’ll be done in 30 minutes.

“Phew.”

Even though I carefully placed the container filled with peach flesh with tongs, I’m sweating bullets. If I accidentally put my hand in, it’d be a disaster.

“Baekseol, can you let me know in thirty minutes?”

“Yes!”

As I set the pocket watch Grandfather Kamar gave me on the floor, Baekseol stares at it intently, her ears perked up.

She’s a brave rabbit, so no wonder she’s good at watching the clock too.

“Next!”

“Alright!”

***

While Baekseol plays with the watch, I set up the distiller, and time flies by.

“Done!”

“Already?”

“Yes!”

I take out the juice container with tongs to check, and sure enough, it’s fermented well.

“Baekseol, can you do the magic?”

“Ice!”

Baekseol wiggles her front paws as if gathering snow, and an ice ball quickly forms.

“Thanks.”

“Yes!”

Now, all that’s left is to add the juice and cooling water to the distiller.

“Seems like it turned out well?”

As I stare at the distiller, Baekseol, curious, scurries up onto my shoulder and peers in with me.

Drip.

Finally, the first drop falls from the tube connected to the distiller.

The ethanol vaporized by the heat meets the cooling water Baekseol made and liquefies again.

“Young lady, the first alcohol that comes out during distillation is called ‘heads.’ It causes headaches and hangovers, so it’s best to discard it.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

Once isn’t enough to get the alcohol content right.

The more you distill, the richer the flavor and higher the alcohol content.

After discarding the heads, I pour the remaining distillate back into the still for a second round.

I’ll have to try it to know for sure, but this probably won’t be enough either.

You have to refine and refine again to make a great drink.

“Right, Grandfather Kamar?”

It feels like Grandfather Kamar is nodding and smiling in the empty air.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him. I miss him.

***

Clink.

The peach highball made with Baekseol’s ice is finally complete.

Ding!

───

[Peach Highball with Effort]

Level: ☆+☆☆☆

○Bonus Points: Rabbit Ice +☆☆☆

Stamina: +1%

Health: -3%

Hangover: +17%

Refreshment: +90%

───

“What’s missing?”

At this point, I might as well just chew on ice.

***