Sake is a drink meant for sharing.
A top-shelf sake brewed by the Ashina brewmaster with water from the Dragonspring.
The pure water extracts every last bit of flavour from Ashina's finest rice.
There are no words that can do the flavour justice. To understand, one must taste it for themselves.
Isshin: Well Well! If it isn't Dragonspring! You've really done it this time, Sekiro! Buhaah! That hit the spot! Whenever I used to get my hands on Dragonspring... Bunch of fools would start coming to me, demanding drinks. Wolf: Fools...? Isshin: Fools who wouldn't let go of their cross-spears while they drank... Fools who would steal sake using illusion techniques... Fools tinkering with half-finished prosthetics, sake cup in hand. And even... The cunning owl, who despite his size would turn bright red after the first drop! Wolf: That's... Isshin: Yes, your father was a fool too. To the fools... Yes...
Drinking
Wolf: Here. Have some sake.
Emma: Oh, is this Dragonspring? I'll have some.
Ahh....Goodness. Wolf: What's wrong? Emma: Nothing, it's just whenever Lord Isshin got his hands on Dragonspring... Everyone would start gathering at Ashina castle and a rather rowdy party would ensue. Every time that happened, I'd leave Lord Dogen all on his lonesome, and I'd stroll around the rear of the castle. Wolf: Behind the castle? Why? Emma: ......... Well... I'd go to the Fountainhead Spiral. Wolf: What is that? Emma: If you look out toward the Fountainhead springs... there is a large spiral of clouds visible in the distance. Ligthning bolts would race from one cloud to the next. In fact... I distinctly recall Master Genichiro practicing his swordsmanship there. All the while glaring at the lightning in those clouds...
Drinking
Wolf: I brought sake.
Sculptor: Oh, is this Dragonspring? I'll have some. Hooh.... Dragonspring...? That's fine quality sake. I'll take it then. Now that really hits the spot... There's nothing quite like this.
I often drank this with Dogen... Emma would keep our cups filled. Have you known Lady Emma for long? That was a long time ago... I found her on a battlefield... a battlefield. She crept up slowly towards me, her eyes fixed, unwavering on the rice I held in my hand. It became too much to bear, so I gave it to her. Then she just started following me. After that...
.........
Well, a while later... Ashina became a dangerous place for the both of us. Around then Dogen adopted her as his daughter. ........ I suppose it didn't really matter where she ended up. One thing's for sure, she's happier for the fact she wasn't raised by a shinobi.
1000.