Chapter 202 - Chapter 187 A Tale of Seeds and Tricks
The [Grapeful Vinegar] was also successfully completed.
Now that the vinegar is done, it's time for the next step, but...
"I still have about an hour, right?"
"Yes. It's almost 10 o'clock."
"Okay. Then, let's try the Glycine."
The chances of making soy sauce or miso from Glycine are... fifty-fifty, I guess.
Since I had Lupi watch Sweee, I returned to the [Magic Brewer] in the back room.
I set the small barrel packed with about half the Glycine onto the [Magic Brewer].
Well, let's see...
[Magic Brewer: Operating]
"Raw Materials
・[Glycine Fruit]
Brewing Menu
・Glycina, Glycine Sauce... Insufficient materials"
"Hmm, I think this 'Glycina' is miso and 'Glycine Sauce' is soy sauce, but... no go, huh?"
"Shou-kun, can't you see the description for Glycine Sauce?"
"Ah, that's right."
Can I see it from this menu? Click...
[Glycine Sauce]
"A sauce made by fermenting [Glycine Fruit]. It has a unique flavor. Cooking: Can be used as a seasoning."
It's definitely soy sauce-like, but I don't know what ingredients are missing.
Wait. Click this one...
[Required Ingredients]
"Glycine Fruit, Haku Fruit, Salt, Water"
"Haku fruit?"
"What's that?"
"Please wait. I should be able to see the description for this too. The description for [Haku Fruit]..."
[Haku Fruit]
"The small, white seeds of the [Haku] plant. Edible and rich in nutrients, also called 'Moon White Fruit'."
Small white seeds... rice? So, Haku is rice?
Ah, when I get back to the mountain cabin, I'll have to re-examine the [Plant Encyclopedia].
"Do you have any idea?"
"Ah, yeah. I have a hunch that Haku is rice, and [Haku Fruit] is rice."
"You need rice for soy sauce?"
"I think it's because you need koji, or mold. Probably..."
Does this magic tool make koji from rice, or rather, Haku?
Hmm, I feel like there were various types of koji, but maybe it's generally okay with [Haku Fruit]?
"Um..."
Mion wasn't getting it at all, so I gave a simple explanation.
However, I only know it vaguely myself. Nowadays, seed koji is sold in packets.
"Well, koji refers to a type of fungus, and I think that's what's needed."
"It's made from rice."
"My grandma told me that koji is mold that grew on rice offered to the gods."
To be precise, they made alcohol from that mold that grew on rice, right?
"The previous explanation also involved a goddess, didn't it?"
"Huh?"
"Tsukishiro is said to be the highest goddess in IRO."
"Oh, really?"
IRO still feels subtly Japanese in those aspects.
Well, for the sake of clarity in the game, it's probably something like, "If you put in the fruit of that goddess, it will ferment, and you can make sake, soy sauce, and miso."
"Ah, speaking of which, could Dimaria-san from the [Silver Manor] make miso or soy sauce?"
"No, I don't think so yet."
"I just said something random, didn't I? According to the [Magic Brewer]'s description, it seems it won't work without [Haku Fruit]."
After I talked about the possibility with Holy Magic, I haven't heard from Bell-buchou or Seth about it "succeeding"...
"Will you talk to the [Buchou] after you're done?"
"Yeah, if she's not too busy. Can you contact her?"
"Yes!"
First and foremost, I'm curious if Haku, or rice, has been found.
If I can get rice, I can make white rice, of course, but also risotto, pilaf, and more...
"~!!!"
"Ah, I guess it's about time."
While I was doing various things, the [Camlus] compote should have cooled down. I'll try a little taste.
When I returned from the back room to the counter, Lupi was holding Sweee in her mouth, restraining her. The Fairy Queen was squirming and flailing.
"~!!"
"Alright, alright, just a little longer."
I didn't want her to just stick her hands in, so I took out a bamboo skewer and poked one.
Given Sweee's size, that's still like a whole watermelon for her.
"It might still be hot inside, so be careful."
"~♪"
Ignoring the warning, Sweee opened her mouth wide and bit into it with a chomp.
Anyway, it seems the temperature is no longer hot enough to cause burns, which is good.
"It looks alright."
"Yeah. Since we're here, I'll have one too..."
Its kumquat size makes it perfect for a single bite.
When I bit down, the sweetness and sourness oozed out. The exquisite harmony was irresistibly delicious...
"This is just... unbelievably delicious, even in real life."
"That's unfair..."
I'd love to recreate it in real life, but I don't think it's possible.
"Woof!"
"Hm, yes."
Lupi ate it in one bite and narrowed her eyes in delight.
That's all well and good, but... did Lupi just faintly glow for a moment?
"Shou-kun."
"Yeah."
[Managarm: Lupi: Affection: Free Action: Anti-Poison II (6 hours)]
The [Anti-Poison] must be because she ate the [Camlus] compote, right? And also,
"Did I glow too, by any chance?"
"No, to me, you looked normal. Could you open your status?"
"Yeah."
When I opened my status, the "[Anti-Poison II (6 hours)]" display was added, so I got the buff too.
Mion is live streaming my subjective experience, so I just wouldn't notice it myself. It would probably be annoying if it appeared in my vision.
"That's amazing. Is it thanks to the [Camlus Fruit]?"
"Probably. But it might also be thanks to the [Fairy Honey], so should I report this to Bell-buchou too?"
"That's right. I feel like [Camlus Fruit] might exist on the mainland too."
It seems to grow on coastal slopes, so it feels like it would be a good idea to search along the coast from the village where those fishing players gather.
"Ah, the [Buchou] and others have arrived at the club room."
"Got it. I'll clean up and head out."
"Yes."
I'll leisurely do the rest of the preparations tomorrow afternoon.
＊＊＊
"Hey there."
"Welcome back."
"Brother, welcome back!"
"Good work. Any new discoveries?"
Bell-buchou immediately urged me, but Mion quickly played the earlier archive.
What I explained was about 'Haku' which is rice, and the possibility that '[Haku Fruit]' is rice. Then I showed the [Camlus Fruit] and its effects.
"I think Haku is rice, but has it been found in the Kingdom?"
"No, I don't think so. But in IRO, wheat, called Kohaku, is the staple food, so they might just not have noticed it."
"Indeed. It makes sense that koji can be made from rice, so we must start looking for it immediately!"
She said. If wheat is Kohaku, then is barley Ohaku?
I hope there's some on the island, but I guess I'll have to search beyond that church.
"Oh, and I said something random to Dimaria-san, so please apologize for me."
"It's fine, it's fine. More importantly!"
"Yes, this compote is a much bigger problem."
Huh? Seriously?