161 Poisoned? (1/2)

8th May 1574

”Just like I said, the only way to get this beer ever since I started producing it, is directly from the breweries managed by my econom, Matsu. If even a single barrel appeared outside of my lands, then you will have to deal with the merchants spreading it, rather than with me.”

Shrugging my arms with a smug smile on my face, I looked at Peter, waiting for his come back. According to my brewing rights, I could produce as much beer or any other alcohol I wanted, as long as I kept it to my laws. As for selling it outside, since I wasn't the one responsible for it, he couldn't tax me even a single silver on it!

”Oh? Then I'm worried we will have a problem. Ah, to make things straight, I found that beer quite awesome, to the point where I always try to have one barrel nearby…”

With a reach of his hand, Peter brought a small, wooden barrel on top of the table, along with three cups. After knocking the stopper out of the container, he allowed the golden liquid to flow down to each of the cups, before pushing them in our direction and reaching for his own cup only to bring it closer to his mouth and take a generous sip.

”... but the King just can't have your beer moving through the entire country without any tax on it. I hope you will understand where I'm coming from.”

I couldn't hear better news! Taking over one of the cup and passing it to Elia, I repeated the same thing with the second one and Governor, only to take the last one for myself and raise it to my mouth in the same manner that Peter did.

But to my surprise, this was nothing but a poor excuse for my beer!

Almost spitting out the drink on the floor, I thought I could mask this hiccup, only to see Elia openly twist her face in disgust. Raising my eyes towards the man behind the desk, I noticed that he was keenly observing our reactions as if he really wanted the three of us to drink what he poured us!

At this point, I also realised that rather than drinking from the same barrel that he poured the drinks for us, he only drank from the cup that was already standing on the side!

”YOU!”

Instantly spitting the content back to the cup, with a swift swing of both of my hands I pushed the mugs away from the lips of my two companions, but it was too late!

Due to how I initially wanted to mask my reaction, Elia already forced herself to swallow a few gulps! While it was good that Governor has yet to poison himself with this bastard drink if anything were to happen to my wife…

”WHAT THE HELL IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?”

Instantly shouting from the bottom of my lungs, I openly rested my hand on the handle of my sabre, with my mind filled with the images of my beloved wife twitching in pain on the floor as the toxins would decompose her body from the inside.