Chapter 235: The Grass is Definitely Greener on the Other Side
Since we’re already here, I decided to eat one or two even though I already accepted they might be sour. The pear isn’t soft like the ones I’m familiar with from my original world, but it’s dense with a velvety mouthfeel. The juice overflowed into my mouth the moment I bit into it, and the fragrance spread through my nose.
The pears in Canum are yellow, but these red ones are sweet so it’s delicious eating them as is. Plus, it’s not overly sweet so I felt like I could eat a lot in one sitting.
Both the flat and round peaches were tough. They’re a lot more sour than the fruits I knew, with only a tiny bit of sweetness, but even so, the taste is quite refreshing. Mm, still, I think it’s probably best to process them first?
「You seem happy. 」
「A lot of them are ripe enough to eat after all. 」
I grinned at Khan.
「…You seem a lot happier than when you got the treasure in the temple. 」
Ack, why did it seem like Khan’s words suddenly increased!
「Give up. Jean’s interests are foods in season, regional cuisines, rare crafts and sticks. 」
「I also love walking around while sightseeing. 」
Be it blending with the flow of people, chilling out in a tourist area, and exploring places so remote that there’s almost no sign of life, all of them are fun.
「… 」
Hey, stop staring at me with that complicated face, Khan.
Khan isn’t that interested in the fruits; his goal is to explore the forest. He didn’t need anymore than what he could eat here. The small peaches must be too sour for him because he made a magnificent pucker while eating one.
He grabbed a fruit within his reach while asking Retze about the vegetation in the forest and their uses. I took advantage of that to learn too.
「You guys should just go to the Pharmacy Guild and find someone there to teach you if you want to learn more. And Jean, you’re way too close. 」
「Retze, the ones you find seem more ripe. 」
Please teach me the skill, the skill please.
「I already said it’s the same. 」
「It appears you excel in finding the right things and using them in the right ways. 」
Khan stated his observation.
「See! 」
I totally agree with you, Khan. Alright, teach me how to distinguish the yummy tasting fruits!
「Why the heck did it turn that way!? It’s the same, I’m telling you! 」
I tried my best stealing Retze’s technique but ended up burning the rabbit. I removed the scorched parts with the knife, then served the rabbit meat with bread smeared with peach jam, cheese and wine. Plus huge sausages, because Khan is huge.
I made the jam by mincing the peaches we picked here, tossing them into the small enamel pot, adding a little brandy, squeezing a tiny bit of lemon to prevent the peaches from oxidizing and then pouring lots of sugar. I put the peach peels and seeds into a cheese cloth and tossed it into the pot. That’s the reason I brought it here in the first place.
「Heh, so it’ll turn pink if you add the peels, huh. 」
Retze peered into the pot.
Setting aside during camping, Retze doesn’t seem to cook when he’s at home. Maybe he’s stashing this piece of info for future use? The color is cute, but I suddenly realized how weird it is eating this with an all male group.
I distributed the bread with the jam — actually, I didn’t boil it long enough and the sugar is less than what should be, so it’s more like a stew than jam. When it’s Khan’s turn, he visibly stiffened for an instant, but he still accepted it and took a bite. Oh, so he’s the type to eat everything served to him whether he liked it or not. King-sama, you’ve suffered.
「I thought it’s not something I’ve tasted before, but it surprisingly tastes good when stewed. 」
Khan seemed taken aback after taking a bite. Oh, so it’s not peach, but the sour taste that turns him off, huh.
The peach jam with bits of pulp turned out quite well. Even though I flavored it with brandy, the original peach scent left is really nice.
Khan ate bread topped with slightly smelly cheese while gulping his wine. Retze flipped the sausages while examining the grilling tools and sipping his wine.
I enjoyed my tea while watching those two. Yeah, I’m fine with this, tea goes well with the bread after all. I’m turning 20 soon, so I’ll be able to drink not only the wine in this world, but the ones in『Pantry』that were from the other world with bravado.
Khan gave me the share that he picked, so I went back to Canum carrying a huge amount of fruit. This world’s fruits are a little too sour to be eaten as is, so folks usually make them into jams or sugar preserves. I’ll make a huge batch and give it to everyone as souvenirs later.
Retze’s distributing them as is, apparently. I thought he’s seeing someone, but he said it’s for information brokers and workers. They appreciate it when you give them seasonal things at the same time every year. By doing that, they’ll remember your face even if you don’t keep in touch that frequently, apparently.
Ah, Shiva might be happier if I give her the fruits as is?
NEXT CHAPTER
RELEASE RATE
I Got Transferred in the Middle of a Mountain
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 80 hours
Thanks for the treat.