Chapter 417: Oversight
I saw folks plucking plums on the island, so I also went to my own mountain orchard early in the morning today to harvest plums too. Although the island is hotter location wise, the waterways help make it cooler, and now it’s relatively the same temperature as the hottest place in my mountain.
The temperature is also significantly different between the mountain peak and its foot compared to when I first started living here, and the vegetables and fruits I cultivated in this region also grew well. It’s all thanks to the spirits. Well, the temperature gap is glaringly blatant, but it doesn’t matter since I’m the only human who can step in here.
The spirits shook the branches of the tree so that the plums would fall onto the blanket that I spread on the ground. Tiny spirits also helped by catching the fruits or riding on them so that not a single piece landed outside the blanket and the plums won’t bump into each other too hard while falling.
The scene is so adorably heartwarming. The spirits truly are a huge help to me and their involvement also makes the harvested fruits even more flavorful so I’m glad. Hmm, maybe I can make a huge batch of jam and give it to the guys on the island.
I’m pretty sure I also have apricots growing outside the fields? Let’s gather those too and make jam and dried apricots, oh and maybe sugar preserves too? Apricots are in season right now, after all. Let’s harvest tomatoes while at it too.
***
I’ve been careless. The fields and orchard of my 『House』 had been neglected because I’ve been too preoccupied with traveling to different places. Ah, I did check up on them from time to time even when I was out and about and I tended to the plants after I came home, but there were still some things that I missed.
I did check them when I walked Riche in the morning, but I just briefly looked at them while briskly walking. I only did some simple remedy if there was something wrong and called it a day…it’s an oversight on my part.
The fields and orchards were a total mess.
It wasn’t in the sense that the plants withered, or the grass overgrown, but it was a mess. To be specific, the spirits had been left to their own devices, and they happily did their shenanigans and gave me a bountiful harvest, or to be more accurate, something strange had happened to the areas that I hadn’t checked.
For example, the tomatoes left under the spirits care had turned out completely different from their prim and proper, stake-supported counterparts that I frequently saw during our stroll. The outskirt tomatoes bore fruit in clusters, pretty much like grapes, with hues ranging from red, orange to yellow. Hey, seems like the colors are similar to cherry tomatoes?
One or two square-shaped watermelons peeked underneath the crawling leaves that covered the ground. Yeah, I did tell Pal that you can use a mold to make square watermelons, but that doesn’t mean I want that! I prefer my watermelons round!
The vegetable seeds that I sowed a while ago had grown enough and were now ready to be harvested. The jasmines that should have scattered already in this season were in full bloom.
Many of the fruit trees have their branches snooping down because of the heavy load of abundant fruits. Well, it’s a frequent occurrence and a welcome one at that, so I don’t mind. But gold fruits among many other fruits ー is this trying to cause an event like the Judgement of Paris!?*
These golden fruits are probably the work of light spirits and some type of mineral spirit. Gold, silver, copper apples dotted the trees and blended among other fruits, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. I plucked one of the golden fruits. Is it even edible ー hmm, I guess not!
【Appraisal】 shows that the fruit is called 『Golden Apple』 and it’s a rare treasure born from the fickle whims of spirits and it’s edible, more or less. Ah, rare means there’s only 2 or 3 pieces, right?
『Oh well, things got out of hand because I cut corners…』
I muttered to myself when a transparent, crystal-like apricot caught my eye. It retained its original color, looking a bit golden too, and it’s beautiful. Yup, it’s nice and all, but still, you know?
Riche sat beside me and lifted his face, as if asking what’s wrong.
『Riche is so cute~ 』
I squatted down and rumpled and tousled his face, and in response Riche rolled on the ground and showed me his belly. Ahh, my little cotton-padded jacket!*
Riche squirmed on his back and snapped in the air while I rubbed his tummy, but he didn’t actually bite me. It’s kinda like he wanted to play and be petted at the same time, with belly rubs getting a bit higher score in his book.
Afterward, I took a huge pot and stewed the tomatoes I just harvested outdoors and bottled them. I diligently threw out the first boil then strained and mashed the tomatoes to make thick tomato sauce.
I still have a lot of tomatoes left over, but I only made one potfull since I can put them in the 【Storage】. Ah, but I’d better make dried tomatoes when the season is hot and there’s plenty of sunshine. Let’s make some tomato salt too.
I leisurely made some preserves and when nightfall came, I teleported back to Canum.
「Delivery~ 」
I went back to deliver tomato sauce to Butler and Shiva. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna send some tasty dishes made with the sauce… They’re pretty suspicious about the tomatoes themselves so they probably hadn’t tried using it as an ingredient, but I’m confident that these two can do it…
「Oh, Jean-sama, please come in ー what might this be? 」
「It’s something I frequently use, and it’s called tomato sauce. Ah, and here, pound cake and some fruits. 」
I passed the basket covered in cloth to Butler.
「Okay, next stop is Dinosso. 」
「Thank you very much. Please come in. 」
I saw Butler’s elegant nod from the corner of my eye as I made my way inside. After passing through their house and going through the kitchen door, I finally arrived at Dinosso’s place.
「Sorry for the intrusion, delivery~ 」
「Oh my, come in, Jean. 」
Shiva opened the door.
「Come in, Jean! 」
「We’re about to have dinner~ 」
「The food is almost ready! 」
Tina, En and Vak quickly came running over, before peeking from behind Shiva.
「Ou. 」
Dinosso followed the children and greeted me with a grin.
「Ah, this early? Sorry for disturbing you while you’re having dinner. 」
I thought I perfectly timed my visit so I won’t intrude while they’re eating, but I ended up coming right on cue.
「We missed lunch, so we’re having supper early. I made plenty of soup today, so if you’re free, why not join us, Jean? 」
「Yeah! Thanks for the food. 」
Perfect! I eagerly accepted Shiva’s invitation.
「Ah, here, tomato sauce and pound cake. 」
「Thanks as always, Jean. 」
「Alcohol? 」
Dinosso took a peek when I handed the basket to Shiva.
Aaand he froze.
Uh, I was curious about the taste, so I made some apple bunnies. Let’s enjoy the golden apples together, shall we?
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.