It's the 26th day since I started my life in the countryside.It seems I've safely returned to the other world. The vegetables in the garden are growing well, and the orchard is doing great too.Oh, I almost forgot... The dried persimmons turned out nicely as well. I'll save some for Chronos when he comes. Thinking this, I put them in a Ziplock bag.Alright, now it's time to make plum wine. First, rinse the plums and place them on a sieve. Then, pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. Depending on the type of plums, it's a good idea to soak them in water overnight, but it seems my Mom has already done that.Removing the plum pits one by one with a bamboo skewer is a rather tedious task. My hand is starting to feel strained. Kuro-mame seem quite interested, sniffing the aroma of the plums.Next is to wash the bottles and wipe them dry. To help extract the plum essence, poke many holes in the plums using a bamboo skewer. Then, let's layer the plums and granulated sugar in the bottles and pour in white liquor.And that's it! The plum wine is ready. By storing it in a cool, dark place and giving it an occasional shake, I can create a delicious plum liqueur in one year. I already have some vintage plum liqueur in the cellar, but for some reason, I just can't resist making it every year.Alright, this time, I'm going to make a unique plum liqueur, brandy infused plum liqueur. It's not particularly difficult, just replace the white liquor with brandy. You can also make it with whiskey, gin, or vodka.After finishing the initial work, I headed to the courtyard to store it in the warehouse, and that's when it appeared... Silence hung in the air.Its fur was dirty and matted, and it looked emaciated, with ribs showing. There were blades of grass like thorns stuck in its tail and animal-like ears.Despite its tattered appearance, its eyes gleamed with a fierce hunger. Its teeth occasionally flashed, and a low growl could be heard. Is this a magical beast...? What should I do? It gives off a highly dangerous scent.Encountering the ragged magical beast in the courtyard, I was filled with tension and anxiety, as the danger it poses is palpable. Its sharp gaze and low growl only make the situation more intense.I stood there, frozen in a tense expression, clutching the bottle of plum liqueur in my hands.Is Chronos's barrier, by any chance, broken?At a time like this, the Kuro-mame and Kinako were nowhere to be seen. Had they gone to the fields?The magical beast, with its tail swaying menacingly, had its sights locked firmly on me. With my hands occupied by the plum liqueur bottle, I was in no position to defend myself, let alone launch an attack.But turning my back and running away would most likely result in a deadly attack from behind. Any further and things getting pretty dire. The beast advanced step by step, steadily closing the distance to me.Oh no... What should I do...And then, the magical beast finally leaped towards me, its massive form about twice my size, ready to pounce on me!"........!!" Is this the end of my life?I closed my eyes, bracing for the worst... But there was no pain."Huh?" With trepidation, I opened my eyes, only to find the magical beast nuzzling my neck, making affectionate noises."Ugh..." Overwhelmed by the weight and surprise, I stumbled backward.The beast held me firmly with its front paws and continued to nuzzle my neck, purring contentedly."What on earth is this..." The sensation of its paw pads against my skin was strangely pleasant, but its claws lightly dug into my back.And it had quite a strong animal scent... I wondered what to do next when a panicked voice called out from above."I didn't make it in time... Vice Captain, please come quickly!" I could hear the urgency in the voice. That was Noam."Captain!! Step away!" With even more urgency in both voice and expression, Carl leaped into the courtyard.It took the combined effort of Noam and Carl to finally pry what appeared to be the Captain, Chronos, in his beast form, away from me.He was still agitated, Chronos was still struggling and Carl was doing his best to restrain him."Is he really Chronos-san?" I asked again, as I got a closer look. I could now see that it was indeed a snow leopard, though the filthy fur had initially made it unrecognizable.Examining the beast more closely, I could see the markings of a snow leopard. His fur had been so dirty and disheveled that it was hard to tell at first. However, his amber eyes and the pattern of spots on his tail confirmed it.Apparently, there were no two snow leopards with the exact same spot configuration. This was a way to confirm if it was really him. Chronos, in his current state, still seemed excited, growling as he attempted to approach me."I'll try to calm him down... Please, Rinsakura-san, stay inside the house. It's dangerous!" Carl said and reached into a small, ornate box hanging from his waist to retrieve what looked like a vial.In the meantime, Noam had already taken care of the Kuro-mame and Kinako, keeping them safe."What is that?" I asked, feeling uneasy about the not-so-reassuring color of the vial."This is a magical potion that can forcibly revert someone from their beast-animal form." Caros explained."Is it safe?" I inquired.Carl avoided eye contact and appeared uncomfortable. Looking at Noam, I saw him furrow his brows in a troubled manner."It puts a significant strain on the body and the mind. It's something we only permit in truly emergency situations. But if he were to lose control completely and go on a rampage... there's no one here with the power to stop our Captain." Carl reluctantly explained."Rin... Sakura... s...an..." His beastly form let out a pained growl."Please wait before using that." I quickly retrieved a rice ball I had prepared for my own lunch – a favorite of Chronos, tuna mayo rice balls. I walked over to Chronos's form with it."No, Rinsakura-san, it's too dangerous!" Carl shouted in a near-panicked voice."It's alright. I... I trust Chronos-san. That's why, Caros... Please release Chronos-san." I replied with determination."But... I..." Carl hesitated for a moment, and in that brief opening, Chronos broke free and rushed towards me.The gasps of both Caros and Noah were audible.I just stood there, not attempting to escape, and even embraced Chronos in his beastly form."I'm sorry for suddenly disappearing. Let's first calm down and talk. I won't vanish suddenly again." I said, offering the rice ball to his mouth."Rin... I... missed... you..." Chronos, now back in his beast-man form, said with a relieved and gentle smile. He continued to hold me and then passed out."Oh my..." Suddenly bearing his full weight, I'm about to collapse, but Carl and Noam rushed to me for rescue.It had been a gamble, a leap of faith. My heart had been pounding throughout the ordeal."Miracles like this really exist!" Noam exclaimed in excitement, striking a victorious pose."Really..."Carl, the usually stern bear of a man, had moist eyes.
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