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"Oh? Four bottles?" Senzaemon and Sōe's eyes lit up simultaneously.
Sui's sake bottles weren't ordinary. Unlike most, which only appeared large due to thick glass, his were filled to the brim. Each bottle weighed about two to three pounds, more than enough to last for several days.
Sui nodded. "Yes, that's right."
Since it was a gift for Erina's elders, he had added less juice to the sake, resulting in a higher alcohol concentration. In total, he had prepared about ten kilograms and brought it all.
"Father, how about giving me two bottles?" Sōe asked.
"No way. I can only spare one," Senzaemon replied sternly, showing no mercy, even to his own son.
"Actually, I have more. If you like it, I can send some to you," Sui offered to Sōe.
Sui had already seen the price of the Sakeyashi Fruit—500,000 yen each. It was a high cost, but considering the wine it produced, he felt it was worth sharing. After all, it was only right since he'd unintentionally ended up involved with someone's daughter.
"Oh? Really?" Sōe's eyes gleamed, and he burst into laughter, patting Sui's shoulder. "Young man, you're a good one! Just call me uncle from now on."
It was clear that Sui's gesture had earned him favor with the family.
"Go ahead, call him uncle!" Alice urged with a smile, delighted by how well Sui was getting along with her family.
Feeling a bit awkward, Sui relented and called him uncle.
"Hahaha! No problem at all. From now on, we're all family," Sōe said, laughing heartily.
Alice, overjoyed, chimed in, "That's right! We're family now!"
"Oh my, I'm really looking forward to you and Erina-chan getting married in the future," Leonora teased with a smile, her rosy-red eyes twinkling as she glanced at Sui.
The meal continued, with the family enjoying the sashimi and dishes Sui and the girls had prepared, alongside the delicious fruit sake. The atmosphere was lively and harmonious, full of laughter and conversation.
Though they were part of a prestigious family, they still valued the importance of tradition and affection, creating a warm family bond.
Throughout the dinner, Alice flitted around like an excited bird, sometimes leaning on her grandfather, other times hugging her mother, full of energy.
"Alice, stop being so rude," Erina said, her forehead twitching slightly with annoyance. "You should eat properly. Now, sit down."
"Haha, it's fine. We're all family here," Senzaemon laughed as his granddaughter playfully clung to him.
"That's right! Erina, you're such a stickler for the rules," Alice teased, sticking out her tongue.
"Erina-chan is still as serious as ever," Leonora remarked, covering her mouth with a smile.
Alice echoed her mother's expression, both mother and daughter looking identical in their cute, mischievous gestures.
"Sui, come pour my father a drink!" Alice suddenly said, her eyes lighting up as she dragged Sui over to Sōe.
Though Sui felt slightly embarrassed, he obediently poured a glass for his future father-in-law.
Sōe, clearly pleased, laughed and drank the glass in one go.
"Now, pour one for my mother too!" Alice excitedly pulled Sui over to Leonora.
"Oh, what a lovely boy," Leonora said with a smile as Sui poured her wine. She took a small sip, her pale, elegant face flushing slightly, making her appear even more beautiful.
Sui couldn't help but wonder if Alice had a deeper motive for making him pour wine for everyone. Still, he appreciated the effort to bring him closer to the family.
Next, Alice had him pour a glass for Senzaemon, who laughed heartily before downing it.
Realizing that Alice was deliberately fostering closeness between him and the Nakiri family, Sui felt deeply grateful for her efforts. While Senzaemon held a high status, there was a slight distance between him and the rest of the family. Alice's actions seemed to bridge that gap, something Sui silently appreciated.
"Sui, you should drink this next!" Sōe raised his glass, his voice booming.
"Wait, we're still minors! Drinking isn't allowed, right?" Erina said, concerned. It was illegal for those underage to drink in Japan.
"Oh, Erina-chan! You're already so protective of Sui and you're not even married yet! What will it be like once you two are wed?" Leonora teased.
"No… that's not…" Erina stammered, her face reddening as she shyly looked down.
Resigned, Sui gulped down the wine, but it was much stronger than he expected. He coughed immediately after the first sip.
"Are you alright?" Erina asked, patting his back gently.
"What a sweet boy," Leonora chuckled as she poured him another glass, clearly amused by his flustered state.
"I want to drink too!" Alice suddenly declared.
"No, Alice!" Erina shouted angrily.
"I don't care!" Alice retorted, grabbing Sui's glass, taking a small sip. She stuck out her tongue, making a face, "It's so strong!"
Meanwhile, Leonora had also had quite a bit to drink. Her cheeks flushed, she stood up, chopsticks in hand, and announced, "I'll sing a song for everyone!"
Using the chopsticks as a microphone, she began to belt out a song in poorly pronounced Japanese.
Sui could only watch in disbelief. While her voice was beautiful, she was completely out of tune, making the performance unintentionally funny.
"Mom! You're drunk!" Alice cried, rushing over to pull her down.
"I haven't finished singing! Let me sing just one more song!" Leonora protested, sounding almost childish in her intoxicated state.
Sui couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Who would've thought that someone as elegant and noble as Leonora could be so... funny?