"Yes, very satisfied. I have to admit, this is the most satisfying wine I have ever tasted. Is the New Continent really so suitable for cultivating vineyards?"
She looked at Shade inquisitively, and Shade smiled as he spoke of his trade secrets:
"Yes, we have the finest black soil, the best family fertilizer, 'Jin Ke La,' the best sunlight, the most hardworking orange warehouse cats, and cheap labor. Your Highness, I would wager that our wine is the best on the entire continent!"
In truth, the grapes used for winemaking were defective ones from Miss Galina's estate that they could not finish eating. Shade had heard Tifa mention them and asked for them to make wine, preventing waste.
Princess Margaret smiled understandingly at Shade's "boasting."
"Sir, would you be interested in supplying wine to the nobles of Weilun Dai'er City? I can offer you a few small conveniences regarding taxation."
She said this while pinching her fingers together. Shade's gaze swept over her red-painted nails, and he smoothly delivered the "lines" he had prepared with Mr. Bernhardt:
"My apologies, Your Highness, but my winery's annual output is not very high. We already have regular partners in Coldwater Port and Middlesburg in the Delarion region."
"What a pity."
The Princess said so, yet there was no regret on her face. With her back to the window, the sunlight made the ring on the fingers casually resting on the sofa arm gleam, and made her slender, fair neck seem particularly alluring.
"I'm not Bloodkin. What am I thinking?"
Shade thought to himself amid "her" laughter.
Princess Margaret continued:
"I heard that you are friends with Viscount Bernhardt? You specifically brought some red wine for him to taste this time. I wonder, how much stock do you still have in hand?"
That was