kscans

Chapter 60 - The Mysterious Boy

"...So you mean you all don't really make use of the things that grow in the mountains and fields?"

"It’s not just ‘not really,’ we hardly do at all. The mountains have magical beasts, so it’s dangerous… though you don’t seem to be bothered by them, Yuri-kun."

"No, even I would hide quietly and wait for a strong monster to pass. If I happen to run into a weak one, I might hunt it with a surprise attack, though."

"I see…"

If that was the case, it made sense… he was about to nod in agreement when he felt his granddaughter gently poke him in the ribs. He looked over and saw her pointing with her toe at the fur rug on the floor. …The rug spread under the large dining table, which was more than twice the size of the table and chairs combined.

"...This… fur rug… that’s spread out under here…"

"Oh, that? It was just a big boar with a huge frame. It would probably be dangerous if it attacked head on, but if you kill your presence and catch it by surprise, it’s not much of a struggle, right?"

He looked up at them as if seeking their agreement, but from what Old Man Audel could see, that "boar" was a full fledged magical beast called a Thrustboar. It was more than twice the size of a regular boar and would charge humans on sight, making it feared even by adventurers. It was definitely not the pathetic monster Yuri made it out to be… or so it should be.

"No, it’s just a muscle brain that charges blindly, so as long as it doesn't notice you, you’ll be fine."

Even if he said that…

"First of all, I don't think it's possible to not be noticed by a magical beast like a Thrustboar."

"There’s a knack to it."

"A knack… I see…"

It seemed there was a large gap in their respective perceptions. Both of them were vaguely aware of it, but since they each believed their own perception to be correct, there was no chance of them meeting in the middle. Besides, what Yuri said wasn't entirely wrong. It was just that Yuri's Stealth skill was exceptionally high, it had been at level 5 ever since his reincarnation five years ago.

"...Well, setting aside the magical beasts for a moment, you didn't know about removing toxins either?"

"I had no idea… I doubt anyone in the village does."

The truth was, the inhabitants of this world, Forea, were generally uninterested in wild food resources. Several factors contributed to this.

First was the existence of magical beasts. Unlike in modern Japan, the standard here in the Forea World was to avoid forests inhabited by ferocious magical beasts as much as possible. As a result, the collection and use of wild fruits, nuts, and roots were limited to safe areas. Combined with a reasonably high level of agricultural technology, the skills for utilizing these resources were gradually forgotten.

Second, and related to the first, was that many edible species did not require the removal of bitterness or toxins. Therefore, there was rarely a need to eat the astringent nuts of Dag and Shika trees, or the poisonous roots of the Lycoris, and as a result, the idea of removing bitterness never occurred to them.

Third, due to an undeveloped transportation network, opportunities to come into contact with the cultures of other countries were scarce, as was interest in them. There were peoples in other places who possessed the knowledge of toxin removal, but there was no opportunity for their culture and technology to be transmitted to this land. Even if someone learned of it through travel, it was only ever spoken of as a curious custom of another country.

Fourth, taking Earth as an example, the technique of soaking food in water to remove toxins was said to have developed in the laurel forest zone. It was a technique that did not develop much in sclerophyll forest zones like those in Europe. The country where Yuri and the others lived had conditions similar to Europe on Earth, and the technique of water soaking itself was underdeveloped.

As a result of all these factors, no one in End Village knew the technique of toxin removal.

"...But considering what happened this time, perhaps you should think about planting some emergency food crops nearby…"

"Lycoris, you say… It’s true that it wouldn't get in the way if we planted it in a corner of the fields…"

In Japan, where Yuri had lived, the higanbana was thought to be a plant with such a background. Since it was only distributed near human settlements, it was believed to have been artificially introduced and transported by people. There were stories left in various regions about how it was planted around gravesites to prevent animals from digging up corpses due to the poison in its bulbs, how the poison was removed during famines and it was used as an emergency food source, or how paper mixed with it during the papermaking process was not eaten by insects.

"If there are Dag or Shika trees near the village, it might be a good idea to soak the nuts in water to get a powder from them. The roots of the Yoppa can be eaten without removing toxins, and there should be many other things too. …Though if you don't remove enough of the toxins, you’ll be writhing in agony, or in the worst case, you could die."

The last line made the two of them recoil in shock, so he made sure to tell them that as long as they soaked it until it was completely white, it would be fine.

"Still… for someone your age, Yuri-kun, you know a lot of things…"

"Even if you say that, I only learned what my grandfather taught me."

Grandfather? Wasn't he living alone? The old man's expression seemed to ask this, and Yuri replied that he was alone now. Yuri intended for him to read between the lines. The old man refrained from prying further, but there was someone who did not understand such subtle communication. None other than the fourteen year old Dona.

"Oh, by the way, where did you come from, Yuri-kun?"

Still, perhaps showing a child's consideration, she didn't ask directly about his grandfather.