"Wow, this alcohol is strong, but it's delicious."

"Yeah, it has a unique aroma, but it tastes really good!"

"Ah, this is the kind of flavor that could get addictive."

"Oh, you understand well. This is a special dwarf-exclusive liquor. You can't find it in this town. I have it delivered from another town and save it for special occasions."

We were all drinking the alcohol Gregor had given us. It was a milky-white, slightly cloudy liquor with a higher alcohol content than regular ale or wine. However, despite its strength, it was slightly sweet and easy to drink.

Its unique aroma might make it unappealing to some, but neither Lange, Dolph, nor I had any issue with it.

Those who couldn't drink alcohol were indulging in desserts, while those who could drink gathered around, leisurely grilling meat and savoring their drinks.

"This stuff is amazing! I’d love to know where you get it from later!"

"Of course, I don’t mind telling you. By the way, the ale Rizac brought is also much better than the usual stuff. And I never knew that chilling it with ice magic would make it even better!"

"Well, not many people can use ice magic, so it's not something most would even consider. But using it on alcohol? Lange, you sure are one indulgent guy. Still, I’ve got to say, since I usually owe Tetsuya and the others, I went all out and brought in some of the finest ales and fruit juices from another town. But I never expected to get my hands on such incredible meat in return…"

The ale and fruit juice that Rizac and Patrice had brought were apparently high-quality imports from another town, which explained why they tasted better than what was available in Al-Flare.

Since magic users were rare, it was indeed a luxury to chill ale and juice with ice magic, as Rizac had mentioned.

"The meat was given to us by Berna and Ferry. Since we received such a large quantity, I asked them if we could all share it together."

"We happened to acquire a lot, so I’m glad everyone could enjoy it. Rizac’s and Gregor’s drinks are wonderful, and they pair excellently with the meat!"

Berna said this as she happily ate the grilled dragon meat and roasted dragon meat, washing them down with alcohol.

...She usually didn't drink much when eating at my restaurant, but tonight, she seemed to be drinking quite a bit. I had a feeling she was keeping pace with Gregor, the dwarf. Maybe she was actually quite the drinker.

"Glad you liked it! …By the way, the taste of the meat Berna and Ferry brought seems familiar. If it’s what I think it is, then yeah, it’s best not to tell anyone."

Oh? It seemed that Rizac had figured out what kind of meat this was. Being a former A-rank adventurer, he might have eaten Earth Dragon meat before.

"Exactly. There are some things in this world that are better left unknown."

Yeah… Honestly, I didn’t want to know how much this Earth Dragon meat cost either. Especially considering that prices in the royal capital were several times higher than in Al-Flare—just thinking about it made me want to avoid knowing.

"The meat itself is delicious, but the way it’s been seasoned and cooked is something I’ve never seen before. And since I’ve been wanting to have a drink with you, Tetsuya, for a while now, this worked out perfectly."

"I was thinking the same thing. Besides, drinking with a large group like this at a gathering makes it even more special."

I had known Rizac for a long time, but since he was the Adventurers' Guild Master and I was running my own restaurant, we rarely had the opportunity to sit down and drink together. This was our first time enjoying a drink like this.

Among my staff, only Dolph and Lange drank, and even then, we’d only have a few drinks together. It was nice to occasionally enjoy drinking in a large group like this.

"Good booze, good meat—thanks for inviting me tonight!"

"I, too, am grateful to have had the chance to eat such delicious meat. If you ever want to cook something new, don’t hesitate to bring it my way."

"I’m glad you both had a good time. We’ll definitely hold another gathering like this, so please join us again."

It seemed that our guests, Rizac and Gregor, had enjoyed themselves, which was great to see. I also had a fantastic time drinking and eating with so many people. I should definitely plan another barbecue like this in the future.

Though, next time, the quality of the meat might not be as extravagant, I could make up for that with creative cooking to still serve up something delicious.

"Tetsuya-oniichan, the oshiruko is all gone…"

"Tetsuya, do you have any more oshiruko?"

"Huh? I thought I had made plenty… Alright, I’ll whip up some more. Just give me a moment."

As we were relaxing and enjoying our drinks, Fia and Ferry approached. It seemed that the dessert, oshiruko, had run out.

I had thought I had made more than enough for everyone, but since we had such a large crowd tonight, it disappeared faster than expected. Luckily, I had brought extra ingredients, so I could quickly prepare another batch. While I was at it, I might as well make some dessert for the drinkers too.

"…You look like a dad on his day off."

Rizac, I can hear you loud and clear… Sure, from an outsider's perspective, it might look like that, but if Ferry gets mad at you later, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

"Hehe, it’s rare to see Ferry enjoying herself with everyone like this. It’s quite refreshing."

Well, as long as Ferry was having fun, that was all that mattered. I’d have to organize more barbecues like this in the future.

The only downside was… cleaning up afterward was going to be a pain.