Beers and Beards: A Cozy Dwarf Tale

Book 4, Chapter 59: An Even More Local Specialty

I considered my options. I had quite a few [Friend] based Abilities. And I was a diplomat now, so getting a diplomatic Specialization could be the way to go.

But at the same time, it really wasn’t me.

From way, way back when, my and Caroline’s dream had always been to go cruising. Heck, it was practically my last regret before I… died.

Brewing was in my soul, winemaking was in my heart, and the desire to travel and vacation was in my bones. We’d seen London, we’d seen France, we’d seen the world’s largest underpants. They were in Missouri.

We’d traveled all over the world, really. And now I had another entire world to explore!

The ambassadorial work was more of a hobby.

So, now that I was pretty happy with my brewing Specializations, it was getting high time to branch out. Besides, I didn’t have a single Brewing Milestone I was willing to sacrifice at this point.

[Long Stride], [Wayfinder], [Paper Pusher], [Tools of the Trade], and [Fetch Friend] were all travel and dimensional based Abilities. I already had a dimensional Specialization, so it would probably be a good place to branch out.

“What are you thinking about?” Mirelda asked, coming up alongside me. “The kiddos are all having a fun time jumping in grapes, and it’s getting a bit messy. Especially the beards, and the fur. How do you put a beard net on a beaver, anyways?”

I laughed, remembering Sammy’s first time in a maceration tank.”That happens. Romero’s fancy tank prevents hairs and dirt from getting into the must, so don’t worry about it. I’m thinking about doing my next Specialization.”

“Oh, really?” Mirelda’s eyebrows rose. “Ah, right, you’re still getting Quests. How many Specializations are you at now?”

I pulled at my beard. “Three? This’ll be my fourth.”

“So many you’ve lost count? Lucky.” She flumped down on the grass beside me. “I’m not even at my first yet.”

She smelled of grapes and tea. She lifted her hair over her ear as she gave me a bright smile. For a moment, the sun framed her like a halo.

My throat suddenly felt dry. “Don’t have enough Milestones?”

“Not enough I’m willing to sacrifice. What’re you going for?”

“I’ve got enough for two options. Either something more diplomatic, with a bunch of [Friend] Milestones. Or something more travel based with a bunch of movement and teleportation and dimensional Milestones.”

“Travel, definitely.” Mirelda said without a moment’s hesitation.

“Oh?”

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her knees and giving me a teasing look. “Do you think you’ll be happy giving a portion of your soul to politics?”

“I am an ambassador,” I choked.

“A beer ambassador!” She tittered. “WIth an emphasis on the beer! I don’t think that a political Specialization is, well, you.”

I grinned. “Y’know, I agree with ya.”

I tossed the Abilities into my Specialisation notification, but before I could activate it Mirelda held up her hand. “Don’t you want to ask your family about it? Aqua said you made it a big todoo last time.”

I shrugged. “I usually do. But that’s because my last Specialization was about brewing, and since we’re brewers, it could impact the entire clan. This time, I’m not doing it to be a better brewer. I’m not doing it to save beer. I’m not doing it to strengthen the clan.”

I gestured at the beaven kits bouncing around the maceration tank; their tails could give them quite a bit of air. They ping-ponged into a group of dwarves, and they all fell into the must giggling.

“Being in here, seeing the beaven just live life, I feel like doing something for me. I get the feeling this may be my last Specialisation in a while, and I want it to be something I want. And I want to travel.”