ITK C431: God is Captured

It’s me again.
I wonder how things are going for Bacchus?

After we made the oden, I came up with the idea of how to market it.

Bacchus wanted to organize a big event like the expo and serve alcohol and oden to many people, but I disagreed.

After all, drinkers make the most noise and eventually go out of control during events.
That’s the same thing that happened at the expo.

So, this time, I thought, why not try a smaller scale?

Since we had alcohol and oden ready, I thought we could make a small izakaya for customers to enjoy drinking in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Bacchus agreed, and surprisingly, he himself volunteered to run the place.
The land and building to be used were already owned by his Maidens, so an orc team was immediately dispatched to renovate it.

We were casually reminded that his group must be pretty influential to own such a prime location in the Demon Kingdom.

Thus, Bacchus’ izakaya started with oden and farm-brew alcohol as its menu.
He was so happy to see his efforts paid off from day one, so I guess things will continue to go well.

Maybe I should go and see how he’s managing today.
With that in mind, I went through the waypoints and arrived at the Demon Kingdom, where the store is located.

“Help! Saint, help me!”

Looks like Bacchus is wrapped up in a rope.

“What the?!”

I thought I came here to observe a peaceful tavern.
Why am I witnessing a blood-spattered scene?!

“Are they the ones who tied up Lord Bacchus?” says Belena, my companion.

I don’t know how to teleport myself, so I need an escort who can. Her company would be reassuring since she’ll guide me as a local while we stroll around the capital.

The group of people Belena is pointing at looks like a bunch of hoodlums.
They don’t look like soldiers or officials, seeing as they’re in civilian clothing.

So, it doesn’t seem like it was a higher-up order to tie Bacchus up.
Was it done out of personal spite, then?

If so, I, Saint Kidan, will assist my friend Bacchus and let the evil holy sword Dreischwartz suck their blood!

“One moment, please,” interrupts Belena. “Perhaps they’re members of the Izakaya Guild.”

Izakaya Guild?

“The Human Kingdom only has the Adventurer’s Guild, but here, there are guilds for all kinds of occupations to provide mutual aid. The Izakaya Guild was formed by a group of stores that serve alcohol and food different from the Restaurant Guild.”

Huh.
So that’s how individual businesses help each other.

“But what reason do they have to tie Bacchus?”
“I speculate it’s because his business is unregistered.”

Ah.
Come to think of it, I didn’t think about that when I suggested he open a shop!

This may be a different world, but the capital has advanced civilization and the rule of law.
Anyone would need a permit to do business within their territory!

Bacchus’s main purpose was to spread the word about his glorious alcohol and delicious oden, but we overlooked the money-making aspect of it!
And this trouble is the consequence!

Some ruffian-looking members of the Izakaya Guild speak to Bacchus.

“Hey, man. Who told you that you’re free to do business here?”

The way he said it sounded exactly like a scary person demanding for lease fee.

Is this even acceptable?
Isn’t the Izakaya Guild a law-abiding organization?

“In order to run a restaurant in the capital, you have to be a member of our guild.”
“Ignoring that is the same as picking a fight with us. So? You tryna provoke us or what?”

This is bad; we have to rescue Bacchus as soon as possible!

“But this is weird…”

Belena seems to have noticed something.
But now is not the time to pretend to be in a detective novel! We need to intervene, pronto!

“I understand unauthorized operations are a serious problem for the guild. But must they really come in such a large group? I feel like they have some other reason for this…”

Wha…
Can’t she see Bacchus is in a serious situation right now?

“Ahhh! Help! Please help me!”

Look, he’s like a damsel in distress!

“We need to rescue him, and fast!”
“No, let’s wait and see what happens. To solve this problem, we need to know what they want.”

How can you be so level-headed at a time like this, Belena?!
Meanwhile, the guild members surround Bacchus and…

“We’re usually not this strict. But this time, we have a reason to be.”
“Answer us! Where did you get your alcohol?!”

And they place a bottle on the table.
Isn’t that the same rice wine Bacchus himself brewed?

They probably took that from his shop, though.

“This is a new kind of alcohol, rice wine, created by Lord Bacchus! Why is such a precious brew in your store’s possession?!”
“We know this alcohol was only available for one day at last year’s expo—it’s a phantom brew!”
“Spit it out! Where the hell did you get this?!”

Oh, I see now.
The Alcohol Pavilion was open to the public for only one day at the expo.
One of Bacchus’ brews there became legendary.

As a result of the pavilion’s closure due to the commotion it caused, the alcohol became coveted by drinkers because they were never available to the general public again.

If they were suddenly sold at an unknown restaurant, the people working at the pubs would go crazy.
It’s a hot-selling item, after all.

“Say it! Where did you get this alcohol?!”
“Lord Bacchus’ brew doesn’t deserve to be served at an unregistered store like yours! This is what we, the Izakaya Guild, must control and distribute!”
“This process even has to go through our sister guilds— the Brewers Guild and the Liquor Stores Guild!”
“If you tell us what we want, we’ll give you a special registration.”

I guess guilds here are categorized according to their type of occupation.

“The guilds are also color-coded into food and beverage guilds, which makes things even more complicated. Their vague grouping has always been a source of trouble,” says Belena, stunned.

Meanwhile, the guild members continue to interrogate Bacchus.

“If you insist on keeping your mouth shut…”
“We’ll make you talk through your cooking!”

Ah!
They took out the simmering oden from Bacchus’ shop!

“If you don’t start talking soon, this piping hot oden is going all over your face.”
“What should we start with? The radish or the tofu fritter?”

How inhuman!
Using delicious oden as a torture device!

I can’t stand this anymore!

“Hold it right there, all of you!”
“And who the hell are you?!”

The thugs are surprised by my intrusion.
I can’t let them get away with what they’ve done!
I call out to Bacchus, who is being held captive.

“You don’t have to endure this anymore! Let them know who they’re up against!”
“Oh, saint! Okay! I can unleash my suppressor now, right?”

Bacchus, in response to my call, releases his divinity.
Until now, he had concealed his demigod power in order to disguise himself as an ordinary oden shop owner.

The ropes that had bound him up unravel from his rising power.

“Ooooooooooh!”
“Is thissss…?!”

The shocked goons look up at Bacchus, afloat and has completely regained his divinity.

“Now, do you know who he is?!” I say. “He is Bacchus, the god of alcohol who brewed that wine you’re holding!”
“What?!” “No way!”

For a guild like them, Bacchus is their god of worship.
They tied him up, interrogated him, and even tried to pour hot oden on his face.
Just imagine the blasphemy!

“O’ Lord Bacchus!”
“Please! Please forgive us!”

They all bow down one by one.
So… is this case closed?

---

By the way, all of us enjoyed the oden after it had cooled down considerably.

Donate | Table of Contents | Read 500+ chapters ahead!