(The story takes place after Chapter 548, and all mentioned country and personal names are fictional; please do not associate them with reality.)
January 12, 1921, in Sydney, Australasia.
A group of faces from Asia were sitting in a tavern, tasting red wine that came from the royal family's winery, which was priced low for the general populace.
One of them took a strong sip, frowned, and swallowed before turning to his companion and remarking, "I really can't get used to these foreigners' wines, not nearly as good as our own sorghum liquor."
The leading Asian-faced individual smiled and, unconcerned by the abrupt comment, said, "If it weren't for gathering information, I wouldn't bother drinking this foreign wine. Besides, the cost of one bottle equals our meal expenses for two days; it's indeed crippling."