Chap 2: 'Goute d'Or

“Cluck… Cuckoo”

Anthea tapped lightly on the table. Her eyes focused on the wooden box that was neatly placed on the table.

The steady sound, coming from under Anthea's slender fingers, startled Maxi out of her hazy thoughts. Unexpectedly for a moment of absentmindedness, Anthea was right back in front of him.

Maxi's voice reading, regains the style of the ordinary day. Smile faintly at the opposite person.

“You also guessed the target I brought you here for. And I'm sure she also guessed what was inside this box…”

While saying that, Maxi ran her finger gently through the oak bark, the same details made on the outside of the box. Respect the words, do not hide the irony part.

“I did not expect the record itself to be correct.”

Anthea leaned against the wall, finding herself a comfortable position, and spoke softly. But her eyes, blue and as deep as the ocean, still didn't leave the box for a moment. The vision was getting darker and darker in some parts.

“Well then, I am the opposite. This must be very beautiful if it is real? ”

Maxi was not surprised by Anthea's words. Who can hide their feelings when teaming up with Maxi. About this account, he's pretty confident. Fingers of slow slow Maxi set up the big box. At this moment, he first looked Anthea straight in the eye.

“It seems, this time Bentalize, the God of luck and lights, is on my side.”

As soon as it was opened, the lid of the box was immediately opened. The mocking smile on Maxi's face was quickly replaced by a triumphant smile. He monitors the other person's expressions.

"'Goute d'Or"

Anthea jumped up, straightened up, and walked quickly to the keyboard. It's a dream Anthea also never thought she'd be able to see 'Goute d'Or in real life. This is one in the eight bottles of wine listed as rare in the Empire.

When Maxi saw Anthea, surprised, happy, and at the same time panicked, she was extremely satisfied.

“'Goute d'Or Commanderie du Clos du Montmartre' of the village of Montmartre, dubbed the "Golden Drop of the Vasking Empire..."

“The whole kingdom has only 2 bottles, one bottle is used as a gift on the happy day of Emperor Chammis III. The other bottle was lost in the hands of Duke Valerie and has yet to be identified. ”

Anthea interrupted Maxi, saying she couldn't see her eyes. Her hands carefully caressed the bottle of wine, treating it as priceless to protect. In his eyes is not afraid of godliness toward Goute d'Or.

“Not bad, it became famous and listed as a rare wine because it is one of only two bottles that still retain the flavor and mystery of the recipe of Montmartre village after the massacre of the Duke of Valerie.”

Maxi has no joy in being angry at Anthea's disrespectful act. He continued, the tone adding some standard. At the same time, Maxi's blue eyes turned, glimmering with some alertness.

A foreign girl who came from a faraway land of the Orient, but deeply understood all the knowledge of the Empire's culinary wine. The 'Goute d'Or' has long been faulty. What people say about it is no different from what they say about legendary protection - not real. Not that they had ever tried looking for something as rare as the 'Goute d'Or that had so many desires. But so many times already, every clue to turn around and bring them to a standstill. The clues became fragmentary, gradually losing their leading link and changing from time to time the different positions of the Emperor. Make the search return nothing.

But the guys failed, does not mean Maxi are also failed. He found the 'Goute d'Or' on a day he least expected to come, at a time when he least expected. It is this that makes Maxi always proud to say that he is loved and protected by God Bentalize.

“How did you get this bottle of wine, even the Royal Family has one. Should I doubt the quality of the bottle or have I arrogantly disregarded your identity?”

Anthea placed the bottle of wine on the table, glaring at the man opposite.

“So I also have a question. Why does she know this information? Should I suspect that such knowledge is too common, or is it too arrogant to disregard your identity?"

Faced with Anthea's sharp gaze, Maxi didn't care at all. He calmly turned the matter over to her.

Neither of them wants to be in a vulnerable position. So, they use silence as an answer to the other's question.

Anthea peered deeply into Maxi's mind, trying to capture the change in her sly face. But of course, she got nothing in return, but a provocative smile in the corners of his eyes.

“Want to try a drink?”

Maxi spoke up, breaking the oppressive atmosphere in the room.

Anthea understood well that this was not a mere offer of wine. She understands that: “no meal is free. And so is wine.” Reciprocity. They are much more dangerous than those meals. Especially a glass of precious wine.

“Don't be so polite. I just wanted to let you know what a premium 'Golden Drop' tastes like.”

Anthea nodded instead of words. In a sense, Anthea was also confident that she could offer Maxi a drink from the list of the rarest bottles of wine in the Empire.

Maxi pulled out a drawer and took out a brand new wine opener. The 'creaking' of a desk cabinet that hadn't been oiled for a long time interrupted Anthea's train of thought.

"Looks like it's been a while since you've done this here?"

“Light can affect the quality of the wine, so I don't come here often.”

“So I am also favored by the god Bentalize.”

Anthea smiled, turning her gaze to Maxi. He was carefully examining each opener, to find the most suitable one. Although he was very attentive, he was also made to laugh by Anthea's joke.

“Do you find yourself too pompous?”

Anthea asked, staring at the pile of utensils on the table. Although their use is the same, they are both used to turn on wine. But each one is designed to be very ostentatious. Set with diamonds, gold, silver, precious stones, rubies, and rubies from the handle to the opening of the wine cap. All of them reflect wealth and luxury. Although somewhat exaggerated, but looking at the overall structure, it is extremely harmonious, not ridiculous.

“Every bottle of wine has its own value. So the things around the bottle must also be commensurate with its value. Even the person who enjoys it must have a certain status.”

“Comparative value, certain status”

Anthea softly mumbled repeating Maxi's words. He said no wrong. Everything that is born and exists in this world has a corresponding value and a certain role. We cannot make the second hand of a watch work the hour, nor can we make the minute hand of the second handwork. And of course, we can't force the commoners to enjoy the taste of cakes, while their empty stomachs can't even take a piece of bread. And it's also impossible to force a Noble to drink the cheap alcohol of commoners. Their taste buds are so used to the taste of luxury and luxury, they will feel disrespected when holding that water in their hands.

But that is nothing more than discrimination and imposing prejudice. If one day, the second's hand doesn't want the seconds anymore, it wants to take over the work of the hour hand. If one day, the minute hand wants to swap places for the second hand. If one day, a commoner could taste all the delicious flavors in a piece of cake, he would be able to distinguish the ingredients used in that cake. If one day, a noble takes off his hat to the taste of "cheap water", because that taste really touches their heart.

So what will happen? Anthea closed her eyes, the soft scent of oak wafting through the air, along with Maxi's words. Reminds her of a story, about a princess.

There was a little princess who did not want to settle down in a magnificent palace. She wants to get out of the high wall, to see the mysterious world out there. The princess does not want to tie her life to a political marriage, for the sake of the Royal Family. She wants to make her own decisions, to become a wine appraiser. The princess did not want to live according to the arrangement of others, including her parents. She wants to live the way she wants to live. The princess was small, but also very brave.

Unfortunately, her thinking is too naive. The world is not as beautiful as she thought and the price to pay for that princess to live differently is too expensive.

"Edge, edge."

The sound of a cork popped out, shattering the illusion of the little princess story in Anthea's mind.

The smell of heaven and earth before the rain quickly covered the whole cellar. For some people, this scent is not pleasant at all. But for Anthea, this is the scent of happiness. The scent signals a bottle of wine with its very own taste and rare characteristics.

Most people, when making a bottle of wine, people will be very interested in their scent. So sometimes they try to restrain the mixing of each ingredient, just in case when the things when mixed together don't count up to a scary scent. This helps ensure the aroma but does not promote the full flavor potential of each ingredient. Only Montmartre's recipe dares to challenge this standard. But since the bloody massacre that year, no one is lucky enough to enjoy that wonderful taste anymore.

All that remained were a few sporadic pieces of information that were briefly recorded in history books, but then they gradually fell into oblivion. For Anthea, the smell of heaven and earth is the beginning of a beautiful taste that is guaranteed to make people enjoy it.