Tundra stood in the cafeteria for a few moments before turning to the assistant chefs.
"You will take over for Kukki until she returns. I don't expect any of you to match her expertise—but if you do, I will arrange a reward."
The assistant chefs straightened and gave a quick salute. "Yes, sir!"
Tundra watched them for a moment.
"If you understand, then return to the kitchen."
They nodded quickly and hurried off. "Yes, sir!"
Tundra stared at their retreating backs for a brief moment before turning away, heading back toward his throne room.
Sitting down on his throne, he snapped his fingers, calling for Cherry.
He sighed as he saw her flying toward him. He would miss the way she used to scurry with that tiny body of hers.
"Bring me something to wet my throat."
Cherry bowed slightly. "Yes, sir."
She flew off to retrieve something.
Tundra sat in silence for a few minutes, staring at the door ahead of him, until he sensed her return. When he turned, he saw her carrying a strange wooden bottle along with a large wine glass.
Noticing his confusion, Cherry spoke first.
"This is Aro wine. I've had it for a while but never knew when to give it to you. I hope now is a good time."
Tundra paused, his mind going blank for a moment.
"And what have I done to deserve a gift?"
Cherry smiled.
"You've never hurt me, nor have you ever gotten angry at me. You pay me well, and you take care of my living expenses—"
"Stop."
Tundra sighed.
"I do those things because you listen well. I would discard you the moment you stopped."
Cherry flinched slightly, but her smile remained.
"Listening well is the bare minimum for my job. If I'm rewarded for something like that, then I want to give something in return."
Tundra exhaled softly, taking the wine glass from her.
"Fine. pour it."
Cherry nodded, opening the wooden bottle and carefully pouring its contents into the glass.
A smooth liquid flowed out—light magenta in color, with a deceptively rich body.
Tundra examined it for a moment. He had never tried alcohol before, always sticking to water.
Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.
He brought the glass to his lips and took a measured sip.
The wine was thick, rich, and faintly warm. Its flavor carried a deep sweetness—layered and complex, almost like a blend of fruit preserves and something honey-like.
He held it in his mouth briefly, surprised by the unfamiliar sensation, before swallowing. The flavor lingered, clinging to his tongue.
"It's not unpleasant," he said after a moment. "A bit sweet, but the warmth balances it somewhat."
Cherry nodded, clearly pleased.
"Thank you for the compliment, Lord Tundra."
Tundra took another sip, more thoughtfully this time.
"I don't know much about wine production, but is there a way to reduce the sweetness? Or at least the thickness?"
Cherry considered it.
"The sweetness can be reduced with longer fermentation. Though… if I'm not mistaken, that also reduces the viscosity."
Tundra nodded.
"I see. A simple solution, then. It could become a truly excellent drink."
He finished the rest of the wine in a few more measured sips, then stood, handing the empty glass back to her.
"You can keep the bottle. I have somewhere to be."
Cherry nodded, pleased that he had not only enjoyed it but offered feedback. She left with both the glass and the bottle in hand.
Tundra watched her go for a moment before turning and making his way out of the spacecraft.
__
Tundra floated in space, gazing at the surrounding planets.
After a moment, he set off toward Makura's cloud world, arriving within minutes.
Nothing had changed.
It was still the same quiet expanse of clouds—with only two beds resting upon them.
Makura lay on one of them, staring upward, her hand raised to shield her eyes from the sunlight.
She yawned, then lazily swiped her hand across the sky.
In an instant, the sky darkened, painted over like night as vast waves of mana surged outward, plunging the entire planet into darkness.
Tundra paused, staring upward in surprise. The sheer amount of mana used in that simple motion was staggering.
He descended and approached her. Makura remained completely unbothered—neither by the sunlight from before nor the immense power she had just used.
Tundra sat on the bed beside hers.
"Hello, Makura."
"Hey."
She subtly tried to probe his mind again. This time, however, she felt a faint resistance—just enough to catch her attention, making her stop.
"…Did you learn magic?"
Tundra nodded. "I did. I became curious after seeing Kinir turn materials into gold."
Makura hummed.
"Transmutation, huh? So—did you find a good teacher?"
Tundra nodded again.
"Not transmutation. But yes, I found a capable teacher. Though now, she leaves me to figure things out on my own."
Makura nodded lazily.
"That's normal for anyone with even a bit of talent. Magic is better understood personally, anyway. Not all mages even agree on how it works."
Tundra paused, watching her.
"…Where did the laziness go? Sorry if that's rude—you usually don't talk this much."
Makura yawned again, unfazed.
"Yeah. Just felt like talking."
She shifted slightly.
"Now… what should I watch? The Burdened Planet or The Adventures of Ming?"
Tundra lay back on his own bed, staring upward. He had never heard of either.
"I don't know. I assume you don't have a preference? The Adventures of Ming sounds better."
Makura nodded and turned it on.
"Yeah. Thought so."