The liquor's aroma spread and within the rich aroma, there was a hint of the oak's fragrance.
Byron's hand froze and he couldn't help sniffing the liquor's aroma again. He already felt a little drunk just sniffing this aroma.
Even Luna, who didn't drink normally, widened her eyes when she smelled the liquor's aroma too. She wasn't craving it. She only thought it was an aroma that gave her a deep impression.
"Mr. Mag, you… Sigh, you have made me feel ashamed." Byron looked at that open bottle with amazement and a hint of helplessness, but his gaze on Mag became filled with affection for his junior.
"I will be damned if you feel ashamed." Mag took three glasses and filled up two of them. He only poured half a glass for Luna. He picked up his glass and said, "Let me toast you first." Then, he finished his glass of rum.
"Sit down, first. Let's not talk about being damned. I don't even know how to thank you when you treat me with such great liquor." Byron looked at Mag with an increasingly satisfied gaze.
"It's all in the liquor." Mag clinked his glass with Byron's.
"That's right." Byron also raised his glass. The amber-colored rum swirled gently in the crystal glass. There was no sediment in the clear and transparent liquid. It looked mesmerizing just like a gem.
Byron placed the glass next to his mouth and took a small sip. The delicate and sweet texture made one get lost within it unknowingly. The rich aroma had a hint of oak fragrance. Only an aged liquor that was stored in an oak barrel would give out such a beautiful taste. And, that rich texture and the lingering aftertaste after he swallowed the liquor made him close his eyes.
This was a 50-year-old aged rum!
He seemed to have seen the tree rings of history during the long aftertaste.
In the dark cellar, the rum was lying in the barrels made with 100-year-old oaks, waiting for fermentation silently.
An old brewer was sitting on the barrel and drinking the rum, as though he was waiting for the rum to be ready.
Byron opened his eyes and there were tears sparkling in them. He nodded and said, "It's indeed a 50-year-old rum. It's excellent!"
This was indeed brewed by Master Old Sim himself. There was nobody else in this world who could make a rum like this.
He never expected to get to drink the liquor in his dreams when he only came here to have a simple meal.
"Then, you shall enjoy a few more glasses of it today," Mag said with a smile. He picked up his chopsticks. "Come, have more of the side dishes. We'll enjoy the rum slowly."
"Sure." Byron popped a peanut into his mouth with his chopsticks. The crispy peanut was a little spicy and it got increasingly fragrant as he chewed. It was perfect with the rum.
With the excellent rum and dishes, Mag and Byron began to chat happily.
Mag had a great impression of this old gentleman. He had a brief interaction with him at Rodu previously. This old gentleman, who had a high status, but cared deeply about basic education and academic studies, was a special existence.
Maybe only a person like him could bring up a woman like Luna.
One had to know that there were many well-bred young ladies in Rodu, but none could decide for themselves who they were going to marry.
Byron looked at Mag and nodded continuously with a smile in his eyes.
Byron was already a little tipsy. He raised his glass and said to Mag, "I've heard from Luna that you have contributed a lot to the building of Hope School. Let me toast this to you."
Mag clinked his glass with Byron and smilingly said, "It's all Teacher Luna's credit that Hope School is now successfully built. I only provided a little help."
"You don't have to be humble." Byron shook his head. "Luna had told me about these children's problems two years ago. I had no way to help them, so I let her help them as much as she could.
"But the foundation was successfully established as soon as you came. You have the funds and the connections. That's why Hope School can be built in such a short time.
"I have been working in the court for decades. I knew about all these matters but it only happened because Luna had met a benefactor."
Luna, who was eating the red braised pork at the side, stopped her hand in midair and turned her gaze toward Mag.
"I'll feel embarrassed if you insist on saying that." Mag put down his glass and smilingly said, "The building of Hope School is a project that will benefit Chaos City for generations. City Lord Michael supported it greatly, hence all the permits were approved quickly. I won't dare to claim all of it as my credit."
Byron laughed and patted Mag on his shoulders. "You're a good chap."
Then, they began to talk about promoting the decimal system and the multiplication table. Under Byron's promotion and their excellence, they were spreading widely in the Roth Empire.
After having a few rounds of drinks and finishing the side dishes, Byron was drunk too.
Rum was a spirit with a strong after effect.
The after effect of this 50-year-old aged liquor was even greater.
"I-I think you are good, chap…" Byron grabbed Mag's hand and nodded with gratification. "Giving Luna to you, I-I feel relieved…"
After saying that, he slumped over the table slowly.
"W-what do you mean by giving her to me?" Mag raised his eyebrows. His first reaction was to wonder if Irina, who was soaking in the bathtub upstairs, had heard it.
"Grandfather…" Gina looked at the drunk Byron with a deep blush. H-how could he say that to Mag. There was obviously nothing going on between the two of them.
The restaurant instantly quietened down. Mag and Luna simply sat there. They didn't know what to say to break the awkward silence.
Luna was the first to speak. She said to Mag with an embarrassed blush, "Erm… Grandfather is drunk and he said some funny things. Please don't take it to heart."
"Ha, no worries. He must be worried about you being alone in Chaos City." Mag shook his head with a smile. He shook the unconscious Byron and said, "I'll get a carriage to send you guys back."
"Yes, please." Luna nodded. She only wanted to escape from here now.
Mag went out and hailed a carriage. He helped Byron up the carriage and instructed the coachman to help Byron into the house after they reached their destination. He paid the coachman extra fare for that.
"Goodbye, Luna. These two bottles are my gift to your grandfather. Please take them for him." Mag passed a package into the carriage cabin.
"Sure, thank you." Luna nodded.
The horse-drawn carriage moved and Luna lowered the curtains. She heaved a breath of relief and loosened her tightly clenched left fist. She discovered that it was covered with sweat and she couldn't help but laugh.
She touched her flushed face and couldn't help thinking about her grandfather's earlier words. She didn't know if he was saying drunk words or if he was being serious.
If he was really going to give her to Mag, should she… reject or agree to it?
Then, she recalled those words that Vivian always said to her and her face became even hotter.
Mr. Mag was naturally good. There was no other man in this world who was as gentle, talented, cooked so deliciously and had great handwriting as him.
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