Gates led them through a grapevine. Ahead of them was the castle that Lan Jue had seen earlier.
Top a little bit, said the little dove,
Just when they thought the Paragon they'd fought earlier was inside, Gates didn't lead them inside. Instead, he led them around to the back of the castle.
Along the way, many of the farmers working in the fields turned to look at them. Their eyes were peaceful, but there was a hint of hostility in them.
Once they reached the back of the castle, the three of them saw a small hillside. On the hillside grew a single grape tree.
Unlike those vines that were less than a meter tall, this one was nearly two meters tall. Moreover, it was extremely thick and sturdy, so thick that it would take a person to wrap their arms around it. Its branches were coiled and covered with grape beads.
Each cluster of grapes was like amethyst, sparkling and translucent.
It was a stark contrast to the bluish-purple color of Pinot Noir grapes.
The Wine Master shook, and stared at the vine in surprise. "You're …?"
"Welcome to Beaune," the old voice answered. "Welcome to Beaune."
Both Lan Jue and the Pauper knew something wasn't right. The old voice was coming from the grapevine.
Gate led them up the hill. As they got closer, they could smell the rich aroma of the wine. It smelled like a rich wine, and it was the best wine.
Lan Jue and the Wine Master exchanged a look. They could see the surprise in each other's eyes.
"Even with our Domains entangled, you couldn't bring yourself to hurt the grapes. And the way you look at these vines.
I can feel your love for them.
So.
You and your friends have the right to be here. "
The old voice spoke again.
Now that they were closer, the three of them could clearly see that the sound came from the grape tree in front of them. On the surface of the grape tree, the shapes of eyes, nose, and mouth appeared. Although it was still a rough tree trunk, it gave off a very human-like feeling.
It was a vine?
Lan Jue could tell from the voice that it was the same as the Paragon they'd met earlier.
But for a Paragon to be a giant tree was inconceivable.
The Wine Master took a step forward, and placed his right hand on his chest. He bowed respectfully to the vine. "It is an honor to meet you, senior. This junior hails from Skyfire Avenue. I call myself the Wine Master. May I know your name?"
"Wine Master?
What a fine Wine Master.
It seems that you really are a wine lover.
But he didn't expect it.
You actually managed to find your way here.
My name?
I really didn't forget, even though I had forgotten many things.
However, I could never forget my own name, because when I was still able to brew wine, I would always sign my name on the label of every bottle.
That was also my proudest moment.
I am Aubert de Villaine. "
Aubert de Villaine!
Six simple syllables, but for the Wine Master and Lan Jue to hear it, it was like nothing had ever happened before.
He was even more shocked than the Paragon he'd faced.
That was because this name was too familiar to them.
Aubert de Villaine was a true legend in the world of wine.
They'd come here to find the descendants of the Three Gods of Wine, in hopes that they might be able to revive their legacy.
However, they had never imagined that they would be able to meet this person here.
If they had to ask who was the most famous of the Three Gods of Wine, it wasn't Henri Jayer, the legendary wine they'd tasted on Skyfire Avenue. Henri Jayer's wine was considered the best in the world, but his Cros Parisien paled in comparison to Romanee-Conti's.
Aside from the fact that Henri Jayer's wine was few and far between, there were other special reasons. The Romanee-Conti's Cros Parisien were well known and well known, and Henri Jayer's Cros Parisien couldn't compare.
Even though Henri Jayer's wine was the most expensive in the history of wine auctions, in terms of average value, in terms of popularity, no one could surpass the DRC when it came to Burgundy.
The DRC was a company, but also a family business.
It had seven wines, and the Romanee-Conti was one of them.
In addition to Romanee-Conti, there were six other wines: Mont-Haecher, La Thache, Grand Étienne, Petit Étienne, Richebourg, and Saint-Vivant. All of them were the best of the best. Among them, Mont-Haecher was known as the king of white wines in the world.
The fact that the DRC was able to produce so many fine wines was a testament to the power of Henri Jayer and the other God of Wine.
Of course, the DRC also had a God of Wine.
A God of Wine from the same era as Henri Jayer.
His name was Aubert de Villaine!
Yes, that was the name that the giant vine before them had uttered.
The boss of the DRC, the chairman of the board, the legendary God of Wine, the King of the Burgundy world, Aubert de Villaine!
Aubert de Villaine was born in the early twentieth century of the Former Era. If he'd lived to this day, he'd be over three hundred years old.
The Paragons were only able to live longer because of the interstellar travel, and the discovery of power gems.
The Paragons of the early days of the Mother Planet were older than the average person, but few were over a hundred and fifty years old.
What's more, Aubert de Villaine was a man. But in front of them was a vine!
"It's unbelievable, isn't it?" Aubert de Villaine's aged voice interrupted.
The Wine Master took a deep breath. "It is. I never thought I'd meet the God of Wine in person, much less in such a way."
"I'm not the God of Wine."
Aubert de Villaine's voice took on an irritable tone. "There has always been only one God of Wine, and his name was Henri Jayer. Neither I nor Lalo can claim to be the God of Wine.
I'm proud of the world of wine, but even if I lived another three hundred years I wouldn't be able to surpass Henri Jayer.
No one has ever been able to match his talent. "
The Wine Master wouldn't have been surprised if these words had come from the mouth of a wine lover. There were many who shared the same sentiments.
But it wasn't absolute.
Each of the Gods of Wine had their own fans, and the one with the most fans was none other than Aubert de Villaine!
The wines produced by the DRC were once popular throughout the world.
In the former era, they were unrivaled.
But these words came from the mouth of Aubert de Villaine, and the weight of it was completely different.
The Wine Master had read many ancient texts, but never had he heard Aubert admit to being inferior to Jayer.
He had only said that he could do things that Jayer couldn't.
Lan Jue's shock was no less than the Wine Master's, perhaps even greater.
For a God of Wine to be transformed into a vine was simply too strange.
"Why did you find this place?" Aubert de Villaine seemed to have calmed down a little.
The Wine Master explained. "The Three Gods of Wine are becoming more and more scarce. Every bottle that survives from the former era is one bottle less.
I was hoping to find a descendant of the Three Gods of Wine, and then find a suitable place to restore their glory.
But now it seems I've been displaying my slight skill before an expert. With you here, I'm sure the Three Gods of Wine's legacy will continue. "
"Do you know how to make wine?" Aubert asked.
The Wine Master shook his head. "No, I just like to drink.
That's why I'm called the Wine Master.
But I do have a collection of fine wines that have been passed down from the former era.
Some from the DRC series, some from the Leroy series, and some from Master Henri Jayer.
In order to make good wine, one must experience the taste of those who came before them. That's why I wanted to give these wines to the descendants of the Three Gods of Wine.
But with you here, I don't think that's necessary. "
Aubert de Villaine was silent for a moment. "Do you really have wine made by the three of us?
What do you have? "
The Wine Master replied. "I have everything from the DRC series. I have the best vintages. 1990 Romanee-Conti, for example.
The Leroy series, for example, Leroy's Richebourg, and even her Romanee-Conti. After all, she used to be in the DRC. "
Leroy was also the name of a company. It was a family business, and its owner was the last of the Three Gods of Wine in the former era. But she was also the only woman. She was the one Aubert de Villaine had mentioned before, Bize Leroy.
Bize Leroy was known as the Iron Lady. In addition to her family's business, she was also a major shareholder in the DRC.
Some of the DRC's finest wines were personally made by her.
Whether it was the DRC or Leroy, they were produced much more than Henri Jayer.
But as Aubert de Villaine had said, there was only one true legend in the hearts of wine lovers, and that was Henri Jayer.
If this vine in front of them really was Aubert de Villaine, then no one would question it.
"What about Henri Jayer's wine? Do you have it?" Aubert de Villaine asked.
"I used to have a bottle. Master Henri Jayer's wine was too rare, and there wasn't much left in the former era.
It took me a lot of effort to find a bottle, but not long ago, a few of my friends drank it. "
The Wine Master's heart ached when he thought of how Lan Jue and the others had drunk the Cros Parisien.
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(To be continued, please search, the better the novel, the faster the update!