Chapter 240: Cucumber
We did our usual morning stroll at dawn the following day, just when the sky was getting lighter. It’d be too hot for Riche by the time Mr. Sun would appear on the horizon. Our course also changed as we looked for cool places, and we frequently climb the peak.
I sowed blueberries, mulberries, plums and other wild fruit types, as well as gourds in the forest. I did say I sowed them, but it’s more like inserting seeds into a ball of mud and flinging it whenever I found a suitable spot.
Still, the seeds have a higher chance of germinating because they’re protected from birds who peck them.
The thought just flashed through my mind when I spotted a green pheasant. It’s probably hiding in the bushes since it’s staying completely still. I’m already satisfied with the meat from the animals that I raised, as well as from the monsterfied birds, so I didn’t have any intention of hunting it.
It’s the season for green beans to steadily grow in the fields, and if I let my guard down, even the cucumbers would grow into huge ones. There’s also plenty of red color in the fields, like tomatoes, extremely hot chilli peppers, and round peperoncino. It’s also the season to harvest potatoes.
I wonder how the potatoes I sold in Nalluahdid are faring now? My plan was to introduce second generation potatoes — a hybrid of the potatoes in the『Pantry』and ordinary potatoes — as another variety once there were enough potatoes circulating in the market that it would even reach Canum.
I diligently harvested the crops and stowed them into 【Storage】. Even if I harvest them every morning, the tiny ones would already be huge by nightfall, so I can’t let down my guard. Riche waited for me on top of his chilly chilly plate under the shade of trees.
We had our breakfast when the sun rose in the sky and it turned a little hot. I sat down beside Riche and nibbled on the cucumber I chilled in the stream.
Today’s breakfast is chimaki*. I used two varieties of filling, seafood and stewed cubed pork . I couldn’t tell which was which since they’re wrapped in bamboo leaves and wondered which to pick.
I opened it up. Shrimp, manila clams and edamame with a gorgeous shade of yellow peeked out of the brown rice steeped in the sauce. The rice was fluffy and sticky and it really absorbed the juice of the clams. The stewed pork chimaki also tasted great, the fragrance of the ginger clinging to each grain of glutinous rice.
I munched the cucumber in between bites. Ahh, so satisfying.
「Ah, Pal, Ish, do you want some? 」
「Yes, thank you. 」
「I’ll have some too. 」
Pal’s cucumber was as is. I sprinkled some salt on Ish’s cucumber before handing it to him.
Pal can taste the vegetables grown in this field, and Ish can also taste the veggies nurtured with the water from this place. Ish loves cucumbers in particular.
Right, aren’t cucumbers composed of 97% water? He also likes tomatoes, and I think he’ll like daikon radishes too. Swallowing salt is bad for the heart, so it’s great that the food he likes increases.
「Nice, it’s refreshing, really nice. 」
Pal seemed elated. Was the cucumber really that refreshing? Come to think of it, the European folks loved the aroma of cucumbers so much that they even made cucumber scented perfumes.
I’m glad I still persisted despite struggling with the ‘hard-headed’ cucumbers that crawled on the ground if left on their own despite having props for them. It’s all worth it if they’re happy. I decided in my heart that I would also set up nets for support aside from the trellises.
「The cucumbers here are delectable. I did see them in other lands, but the flesh is whitish and lacking in moisture, apparently. 」
Ish muttered.
That’s because the ones here are the product of my selective breeding with the 『Pantry』cucumbers as origin. It’s not only the cucumbers that have deeper flavors; all the vegetables grown in this field do. It’s just that some crops that smell grassy or muddy also got mixed in. I removed those and kept the seeds of the rest.
Alright, let’s make something much better for next time! Yeah.
「Oh right, Pal, do these match the black boulders that you told me about before? Or is it this one? 」
I took the crushed black rock and the shells of the land anemones out of 【Storage】 and showed them to Pal. I met her before I got the chance to go to the library.
「Ahh, both of them. Mix 20 parts black soil to 1 part shell and you’re good to go. That shell will crumble easily if you pour water on it. 」
「Thanks, I’ll try that. 」
I thanked Ish again for the water, then I resumed my work. The crops and fertilization of both the fields and orchards turn out well whenever those two visit, so I’m thrilled when they do.
Van, Halalfa and Mischt affect the things they take interest in, while Pal, Ish and Khadar’s influence are more gentle yet far reaching, I think? Ludere very rarely comes here, but I guess he’s just like Van’s group?
It’s probably more about their personality than consciousness.
Anyway, I wonder why both of them abruptly shut up when Riche suddenly put his head on my knee?
***
Noon time came. It’s the hottest part of the day so I ended my work here. Even if it’s dry, I’d still get sizzled and burned. Did you know that heat stroke, if severe enough, could harm the liver and it could also denature your proteins so it’s dangerous, really dangerous.
And so, I returned to Canum, and found Daifuku there sitting inside the box lined with chilly plates. I poked him to his annoyance. After that, I went down and gave Ash the peach jam, peach compote and then finally went to Dinosso’s place.
I timed it so that the kids won’t be at home.
「These have been tested on real living people. 」
I handed the peach compote and jam to Shiva.
「Oh my goodness! 」
「One spoonful a day will do the trick. 」
I tried introducing it like how they did in late night shows showcasing beauty supplements.
「Hey, don’t go handing off something weird to my wife! 」
「It’s alright. I also gave some to Ash, and it won’t do any major remodeling on her. 」
Dinosso’s roaring, but I already tested it on humans. They also guaranteed the taste.
「What do you mean by remodeling, huh, remodeling, you say!? 」
「It’s fine, Dear. I already heard about its effect from Dean and Retze. It’ll be moist and plump, they said. 」
Shiva beamed. I’m impressed that it’s not only Dean, but even Retze would back me up.
Ah, but it’s a secret that I sent an extra bottle to Ash.
Alright, Dinosso! Try confiscating that peach compote and jam from Shiva, I dare you!
I sneered with pure elation with my success before taking my leave. That’s a lie, Dinosso started babbling about how Shiva’s current chest size fits his palms perfectly and other professions of love and the mood’s turning pink with hearts all around so I left. Argh, you, you harmonious husband and wife, argh!!
I wonder what they’re gonna do? If she won’t change her body shape then maybe it’ll just be a lick a day…?
When I went to Ash’s place, Butler greeted me with a lukewarm smile so I hastily withdrew from there too. I ended up finishing my deliveries a lot earlier than planned.
Notes
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T/N: Jean ‘experimenting’ on humans, lol! I’m looking forward to Ash’s results! XD
Chimaki – rice cakes wrapped in bamboo leaves
Ctto: Introduce Japan
Peach Jam- ctto: Natasha’s Kitchen
Peach Compote – ctto: True North Kitchen
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.