Chapter 99
Chapter 99
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: The Birth of Cola
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* * *
…Gulp!
"Hah…!"
I nearly spat out the zero cola I was drinking, barely managing to swallow it before letting out a short gasp.
It was an utterly unique feeling, seeing a fantasy world character who reminded me of cola just as I was sipping some myself.
[ Igugwoden: lolololol what is this ]
[ Igugwoden: How does this kid know about cola??? ]
[ Please Donate: As a mage who knows how to utilize mana, Reina has fully embraced Lord Igugwoden's 'Plain Fact' with her entire being. ]
[ Please Donate: She succeeded in bringing forth an item from the realm of the gods called 'Fertilizer' in accordance with the divine will. ]
[ Please Donate: Through that process, it seems she has awakened to the ability to perceive things that exist in the 'realm of the gods.' ]
They were spouting all sorts of plausible explanations like that—
But roughly speaking, it boiled down to: 'I wanted to introduce modern items but lacked a proper trigger, so I used Reina as the conduit when adding fertilizer, and I plan to keep using her to bring in more stuff like this going forward.'
The author was obsessive about every tiny detail of the worldbuilding, so this much was easy to understand without it being spelled out.
[ Igugwoden: So, does that mean cola gets made now? ]
[ Please Donate: I do not know exactly what 'cola' is, either. ]
[ Please Donate: But just as with the 'Nitrogen Fertilizer' you mentioned, if Plain Fact and mana exist, there is nothing impossible. ]
[ Please Donate: However, there is one prerequisite, as always... ]
[ Igugwoden: What? ]
[ Please Donate: The 'divine will.' ]
[ Please Donate: Just as we were able to manifest the god-realm item called 'Nitrogen Fertilizer' here solely because of the divine will. ]
[ Please Donate: Even if a mere created being like Reina receives divine grace and succeeds in envisioning an item called 'cola,' it cannot be realized unless the god wills it. ]
'Hmm…'
In other words, they'd set up plenty of plausibility, but if I felt like 'this doesn't sit right,' I could cut it off at my discretion.
I cautiously pondered the future developments.
For starters, a cola introduction arc—sounds good.
From an omniscient pig's perspective, it even promised some pretty tasty developments!
Spreading things like chicken and cola in another world, cherry-picking the fun parts of modern civilization like you're at a buffet, and having a line like, 'Ahh, this is what they call chicken and cola. Exquisitely delicious food and drink.'
Even as a joke, it wasn't particularly fresh, but it was definitely one of those clichés guaranteed to deliver a dopamine hit.
[ Igugwoden: Let's make cola happen first lololol sounds fun ]
[ Igugwoden: She seems to have thought of seasoned chicken and powdered seasoned chicken too, so let them try those as well ]
[ Please Donate: Understood. ]
[ Please Donate: Is it alright to use the 'Divine Power' you placed in the connection? ]
[ Igugwoden: Yeah, that's what I put it there for, so use it freely ]
[ Please Donate: Understood. ]
[ Please Donate: As I always say, our world follows only the words of the Sole God Igugwoden. ]
[ Please Donate: We will never forget that, no matter what happens. ]
[ Igugwoden: okok ]
That said, if cola was coming through, would it just pop into existence via Plain Fact?
'That might cost too much sponsorship long-term.'
I didn't know exactly how much it would cost to introduce cola—
But for the sake of sustainable miracles, it was better to avoid blanket-using 'divine miracles' for everything.
It meant I needed to deliberate and decide to some extent.
Of course, calling it 'deliberation' sounded grandiose, but it was far simpler than with the fertilizer.
Compared to chemical fertilizer—which even I didn't fully understand—I had some confidence in adding details for food.
[ Igugwoden: With that in mind ]
[ Igugwoden: Let's proceed like this this time ]
I tossed over a few ideas for the general 'propagation method.'
This should be enough for them to spin it into something fun on their own, right?
And so, the pig drooling in anticipation… drained the last of the cola from his glass.
* * *
The day after the luncheon with Empress Eirene.
Reina immediately boarded a carriage and headed to a large church-managed vegetable garden not far from Igugwoden Cathedral.
This place had originally symbolized the church's 'self-sufficient living,' but now all the ingredients grown here were dedicated entirely to relief efforts.
"No need for fallow periods, you say?"
"That's right. Spread it before planting, then again 1-2 weeks after sowing the seeds, and the soil should be fully nourished. It won't make crops sprout instantly like the previous gift, so labor is still required… but unless there's a typhoon or something, you won't have to worry about failed harvests."
"If you have any precautions for use or questions… just ask our Wood Magic Tower mages."
Today was the day she officially unveiled her newly created 'Air Fertilizer.'
She had initially considered calling it 'improved fertilizer,' but dropped that. Compared to the original 'Miracle Fertilizer,' it didn't qualify as an improvement.
Considering how woefully insufficient the Plain Fact floating in the air was compared to mana, and the need to keep burning through mages, steadily supplying Miracle Fertilizer was nearly impossible—
Thus, Reina had developed this 'Air Fertilizer.'
She named it that because it was made from the Plain Fact drifting in the air.
A downsized version produced in collaboration with two or three mages, based on the completed spell formula.
It used far less Plain Fact than before, and the difficulty was vastly lower—perfectly suited for mass production.
In truth, this Air Fertilizer suited the name 'fertilizer' far better than Miracle Fertilizer.
Miracle Fertilizer was less a fertilizer and more a magic tool—no, an artifact straight out of legends.
"Thank you for coming today. Shall I send someone from the tower right away?"
"Yes. We've made a lot… so whenever it's convenient… that's what I think…."
"Understood. I'll visit by tomorrow. May Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact be with you, Reina…."
After exchanging greetings with the nun, Reina let out a deep sigh.
'Exhausting…'
She had gone out in person for the initial Miracle Fertilizer rollout—
But Reina, a mage by nature and not particularly sociable, couldn't keep running around explaining usage to farmers forever.
So, she chose the church as her base.
Igugwoden Cathedral served as the base camp for disseminating and supplying the Wood Magic Tower's Air Fertilizer to farmers.
Spreading the Plain Fact of the god was a worthy cause, and both the Pope and Saintess approved readily.
Anyway, that wrapped up the necessary work.
As Reina headed back to her carriage, a woman's voice called out.
"Reina!"
Turning, she saw Luca Hevnisian, one of the Dish of Holy Knights, standing there.
Word was, three holy knights guarded the cathedral in rotation.
Reina knew of Luca too—the knight with the black ponytail and white ribbon.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Holy Knight Luca Hevnisian. I should have greeted you upon arrival… but I was tied up. Your renowned name has reached my ears."
"No worries… As you know, I'm Reina Firenshia."
'…'As you know' comes off a bit rude, doesn't it…?'
She regretted the words the moment they left her mouth, exchanged a light handshake, and then—
"……."
"……."
—then came the silence.
Reina, who was merely doing her best but wasn't sociable.
Luca, the mildest-mannered of the three holy knights.
Neither could easily break the ice.
Luca, slightly more sociable than Reina, finally sorted it out.
"Ah, I… I've heard so much about you. They say you created an incredible fertilizer… Thanks to you, relief supplies are flowing smoothly. Our church won't forget the Wood Magic Tower's dedication."
"No, it was only possible thanks to Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact… I mean… no need to thank me specifically…."
"Of course we must thank you. If there's anything I can assist with, feel free to visit personally anytime. I've been granted some autonomy by the Saintess. I'll help however I can. Then…."
Watching Luca bow and carefully withdraw—
Reina sighed, half relieved, half apologetic.
'Did I come off too cold…?'
Still, befriending a friendly holy knight couldn't hurt…
Dealing with new people never got easier, no matter how many times.
'Should've just sent Stella instead.'
She had no regrets about handling the fertilizer herself since she made it… but
Dealing with people like this made Stella far more suited to being Tower Master.
With such thoughts, she returned to the tower—
"Tower Master. A guest has arrived."
"A guest?"
At Yunos's words—the new Wood Magic Tower mage recruited via the fertilizer expedition—she headed straight to the reception room—
"Sa… Saintess?!"
To her shock, Saintess Erin was seated there.
She greeted Reina with a gentle hand atop her absurdly massive Divine Power Pouch.
"Hehe, Reina. We meet again. Come in! I've been waiting."
"Oh, I just came from the cathedral… You didn't have to visit; you could have just summoned me."
"No. How could I summon someone working so hard to realize the divine will?"
Erin spoke with a graceful smile curving her lips.
Brushing off another near-loss to her beauty, Reina cautiously took the seat opposite.
"So… what brings you here today…?"
"I heard from Her Majesty the Empress. You shared a simple luncheon, right?"
"Ah, yes! That's right. She treated me very kindly."
"I heard she was quite satisfied with the divine food 'chicken.' Is that true?"
"Yes! It was really, really delicious… Just a fried dish, yet so incredibly tasty! Oh, right—that was 'divine food,' wasn't it? I heard it was a recipe from the church."
"As you say, chicken is the love of the god, gifted to us. Hehehe…."
Erin wore a subtle smile.
She surely hadn't come just to hear thoughts on chicken.
In fact, at this point—Reina could guess why she was here.
"Reina. At that gathering, you mentioned an item called 'cola,' correct?"
"…Yes. That's right."
As expected.
She'd thought it couldn't be brushed off easily—but it had arrived sooner than anticipated.
"May I ask what it is?"
"Honestly… I don't know either."
"You don't know?"
"Yes. It just… came to me the moment I ate the chicken. Chicken slathered in red sauce, chicken dusted with strange powder, and cola… Like receiving a divine revelation. That's the best way to put it…?"
Erin's pupils dilated slightly at Reina's words.
"I haven't heard about sauce-covered or powdered chicken before…?"
"Oh… yes! They came to mind together. But like cola, I don't know exactly what they are."
"I see…."
Though it sounded far-fetched, Erin listened with utmost seriousness.
Then—she carefully placed a bundle from beside her onto the desk.
"This is…?"
"Holy water."
Erin easily unwrapped it.
Inside was a glass bottle filled with clear water.
"Drawn from the well at Igugwoden Cathedral, infused with the god's love through prayer."
Reina swallowed the urge to ask, 'Isn't it just water, then?'
"Truth is, I came here because I received word from the god."
"A word from the god…?"
"Reina. Would you observe this holy water closely? I believe you, who has opened her eyes to 'Plain Fact,' will understand what I mean."
It seemed like just water no matter how she thought about it, but ignoring the Saintess wasn't an option, so Reina carefully picked up the bottle.
And as she gazed at it—
'…Huh?'
"How is it? The god said you, awakened to 'Plain Fact,' would know."
As Erin said—
The moment Reina held it, an indescribable emotion swept over her.
Something.
Something told her that by applying Plain Fact to this 'holy water'…
She could create something even she didn't know.
A powerful conviction.
'…Let's try.'
Reina closed her eyes.
Gathering the unknown power—Plain Fact—amid the mana in the air, she applied the imagery from her experience directly to the holy water.
It required a substantial amount of Plain Fact—but if this was the divine will as Erin said, she followed without hesitation.
"This is…!"
As intense light emanated from the end of the clear, transparent holy water, what entered Reina's vision was—
'!!!!!'
—She realized.
That right now,
she was peeking into the
'realm of the gods.'
And the 'world' she was peeking into…
was a deep brown realm,
where tiny bubbles rose bubbling up.