Volume 5 - CH 8

Translator:

Chapter 5: Yuuji Changing Jobs from “Magician of the Forest” to “Farmer”.

Part 8 Yuuji, Asking the Peddler about Preserved Food

「Good morning, Kevin-san.」(Yuuji)

「Peddler-ojichan, good morning~!」(Alice)

「Good morning, Yuuji-san, Alice-chan. Also Kotarou-san.」(Kevin)

It was the next morning after the peddler Kevin’s second visit. Yuuji and the others were exchanging greetings over the gate. They had finished their breakfast.

Today, Yuuji was accompanied by Alice and Kotarou, so it was the Yuuji Full Options Version.[1]

「Ah, Yuuji-san. Since they have free time, I thought that it would be a good idea to let them help with rooting out the stumps. Will it be alright for you to lend them the tools?」(Kevin)

The adventurer trio that always accompanied Kevin as bodyguards. Today, they too were stuck with the task to help with clearing out the land.

✦✧✦✧

「Then, Kevin-san. Before I teach you about the preserved food, first there are many things that I want to know about whether or not they exist ……」(Yuuji)

「Yes, I don’t mind. I will answer as far as my knowledge goes. I couldn’t obtain them in Premie City but the Capital and other places also sell other types of preserved food.」(Kevin)

As usual, Yuuji had a distinct shadow under the corner of his eyes. Last night, after consulting with the bulletin board and receiving their instructions, he was watching the pictures reflected on the monitor and slowly drew them. It took great effort, but somehow it ended up at a level where it can be looked at.

「The first thing I want to know, is about the crops…… Does this exists? This is my country’s staple food, a plant called rice…」(Yuuji)

「This is…… Sadly, I don’t know about them. This drawing is about how they look after they are harvested, right? I never seen something like this before.」(Kevin)

「Is that so……」(Yuuji)

Yuuji was dejected. It couldn’t be helped. He had already used up all the rice. He could have left some behind to cultivate, but rice paddy fields or rice dry planting had a high degree of difficulty. There was a possibility that he wouldn’t be able to eat rice again. If a Japanese person knew about this, most of them would also be dejected. But then again, the chance for a polished grain of rice to germinate was zero. Not knowing about this can also be a blessing.

However, in some sense, Yuuji was fortunate. If he ate rice in high spirits, but it was not Japonica rice, then he would feet that the cooked rice was not that tasty when he ate it and despair, after all.

The farmer of Japan are just that great.[2]

Seeing Yuuji receive so much shock, Alice was puzzled. Certainly cooked rice is tasty, but she didn’t understand why Yuuji was this dejected.

On the other hand, Kotarou could understand his feelings a little and gently snuggled against Yuuji, as if saying:

“Cheer up, there is a possibility that it exists somewhere.”

Although, even if it exists, perhaps the rice was of an unimproved cultivar, so the different taste could send him into an even greater despair……[3]

✦✧✦✧

「Then, what about this? This is called noodles, it’s a food that can be made from wheat or the likes……」(Yuuji)

While saying these words, Yuuji showed up a drawing of udon and all kind of pasta. The drawing of pasta not only show spaghetti but also macaroni, penne, farfalle and ravioli. Actually, this took the most time to draw. At first, it was only the drawing of pasta, but the bulletin board residents’ enigmatic fastidiousness decided that Yuuji would draw all of them, even the short pasta.

「This long and slender thing, exists in the southern country that was established by a Visitor that I had told you before. I had never seen them all that closely, but I recognized several from this picture…..」(Kevin)

It seems that noodles exist at some place in this world. Yuuji’s great effort was pointless.

「It is possible depending on the taste but…… This is not a new preserved food, right?」(Yuuji)

「That’s true…… Although, there is a business chance if we can sell a new way to eat it, so if there is no other preserved food, then Yuuji-san can just teach me about this……」(Kevin)

Kevin seems to not be particularly interested.

「Perhaps this will be alright. Because I have heard that it is easy to make. Then, I have eate the dried food and the salted food yesterday……」(Yuuji)

「Ooh, you even ate that smelly food! How is it? No matter what, I can’t eat it…… People who like it seem to enjoy it, though.」(Kevin)

Yuuji had a flashback from when he ate that fish last night. He made a gloomy grimace.

Maybe because Alice and Kotarou remembered that smell, they drew a distance from Yuuji.

Alice looked at Yuuji while pinching her nose. Kotarou grimaced and bared her fang, her wariness was unconcealed.

“Don’t eat that thing for the second time.” (Kotarou)

「It’s stinky. Verily. I barely could eat it without vomiting. The scent seemed to linger, so last night Alice and Kotarou didn’t dare to approach……」(Yuuji)

“Hahaha, is that so?” Kevin followed with a dry smile.

「Leaving that aside. Is there anything that can be preserved by being dried or salted other than fish? There are many things in the place that I came from.」(Yuuji)

「There are dried vegetables, but they are mostly the staple food for the winter. It won’t be readily available in the other seasons. Also, there are salted vegetables, too. This is also a food mostly consumed in the winter. It was extremely salty, so it wasn’t something that could be brought during travelling.」

Somehow, it’s complicated. While thinking about this, Yuuji continued to ask questions.

□　□　■　■　□　■　■　□　□

【What to Popularize】I finally came out after 10 years, but my home kinda went into another world Part 11【in Another World?】

・

・

・

421 : Yuuji

I came back, in the middle of lunch break

【News Flash】

・Noodles exist

・Simple dried foods and pickled foods also exists as winter staple food

・Smoked food does not exist

・Dairy products exist, high priced. Domestic animals are few in the frontier region. Production region seems to be far away

422: Anonymous ETNE

News flash has come!

423: Anonymous NEET

Well, as expected, maybe?

424: Well-Informed NEET

It’s unexpected that there are no smoked foods

It’s something that should exist at places near forests historically

425: Anonymous NEET

Rather than that, tell me about magic!

That’s the reason why I became a wizard!

426: Anonymous NEET

>> 425

It was more like you didn’t want to turn into one, right?

Just tell us your honest opinion

427: Infrastructure Worker

As expected, there are fewer people here in the workday

This is something I realized when eating my breakfast meal

But there are cereals right?

Then something like “All Bran” must be easy to make

428: Anonymous NEET

>> 427

Why do you have a workday break?

Moreover, your breakfast was cereal

It stinks of winners, so please can you stop?

429: Infrastructure Worker

>> 428

Since it’s lunchtime break

Also, since I have a wife and children!

430: Anonymous NEET

>> 429

Go explode!

No. Die!

431: Well-Informed NEET

>> 427

It exists

Since there are periods where oatmeal was eaten as the staple food

They can be blended with many things and then roasted dry

Its taste can be adjusted unlike hard bread

432: Anonymous NEET

Anon, both’rsome things shalt cometh,

Hence, I wanteth to heareth about charm.

433: Cool NEET

1, Things that can be made immediately

・Oatmeal

・Smoked food

2, Things to achieved in long term

・Canned food

434: Anonymous ETNE

>> 433

I can’t believe it with that standpoint

I don’t dislike it!

435: Anonymous NEET

Isn’t this good?

But there is peddling at places without water

I kinda want a water vehicle…

Paddle steamer…

436: Anonymous MEAT

>> 435

It’s only something that you want to make, right!

437: Anonymous NEET

Since it’s a man’s romance

Listening to the sound of paddle steamer is nice

I also like the Mark Twain models[4]

438: Anonymous NEET

>> 437

That thing runs on rails, you know?

439: Anonymous NEET

>> 438

No way!

I don’t believe it!

I even shook hands with the captain!

□　□　■　■　□　■　■　□　□

「So it’s oatmeal and smoked food, then canned food and bottled food…… How can they be made, I wonder.」(Yuuji)

In front of the computer, Yuuji muttered in a small voice.

Alice and Kotarou, who had finished with lunch, were chittering and playing with wooden toy blocks. Although one could say that after Alice piled them up, after awhile Kotarou would demolish them. However, for some reason Alice was delighted by the clattering sounds when it came crumbling down. By the way, the toy blocks weren’t something that Yuuji made, but were instead taken out from the storage room.

✦✧✦✧

「Kevin-san, there are two types of preserved food that can be made easily, then there are two other types that perhaps are a bit harder to make. I think the easily made things perhaps can be produced before long, but the harder ones would take some time. Is this good?」(Yuuji)

「Ooh! Of course Yuuji-san!」(Kevin)

Kevin cheerfully took out a pen and paper from his pocket. Even though it was in afternoon, it was the blissful time for Kevin.[5]

Without delay, Yuuji began to explain about smoked food. Although in reality, explaining about smoked food wasn’t something that was that hard. First, soak the food in a seasoning liquid, cure it with salt, and then smoke it. It is something that is extremely simple. Of course it would need endless trial and error to find the right mixture of seasoning liquid and salt concentration that would influence the preservation period, selecting the right type of wood for the aroma, smoking time, or temperature control.

「So by curing in the salt, it would also extract the water content from the food and so in other words, it also desiccates it…… Will it be easy to produce a trial product? Is a chef needed to make this thing?...... If the shape is lacking, then can it be sold?......」(Kevin)

After hearing Yuuji’s explanation, Kevin quickly began to think.

“Alright, let’s pull it, ready… now!”

Behind Kevin the adventurers trio was working hard in clearing the land.

「There is one other preserved food that is easier to make. This one could be sold in large amounts, so it is something with small profits and quick returns!」(Yuuji)

Without minding Kevin who was still thinking, Yuuji began to explain about oatmeal. Although, it can be argued that it was mostly explaining about mixing oats with various things and then roasting them dry. Because he didn’t know if the ingredients exist in this world, the recipe couldn’t be taught.

「Will this also need a chef? …… However, can it be this easy? Yuuji-san, can this also last for a long period of time?」(Kevin)

「P-perhaps…… Since we extracted the water content, then I believe it can last for a long time, but…… Ah, even so, the things that I will tell you after this are difficult to produce but they can last for half a year or a full whole year!」(Yuuji)

With this being said, Yuuji began to explain about canned food and bottled food. By the way, he took out an empty can and empty bottle from the house for the explanation. It couldn’t be handed over, but it was helpful since it was difficult to understand with only words.

「This needs the collaboration between the blacksmith and glassworker…… The production cost needs to be charged…… Can this be reused? Also, can that container be made? ……」(Kevin)

「Kevin-san, how about it?」(Yuuji)

Yuuji timidly asked Kevin. Yes, even Yuuji understood.

Currently, Kevin was Yuuji’s lifeline.

‘Yuuji’s knowledge need to be successfully put into application’ and ‘he won’t be cheated’. If these two points were not achieved, then Yuuji, Alice and Kotarou have no choice but to leave the house.

Furthermore, if the fact that Yuuji is a Visitor is concealed, then he can’t enter the city easily.

But if it became known, then it’s unknown what is waiting for hm when he enters the city.

From the beginning, Yuuji didn’t have any option left.

In some sense, he had already been checkmated.

「I believed that the oatmeal and smoked food have commercialization potential. About canned and bottled food, I need to go to my blacksmith and glassworker connections, since I don’t know whether or not it can be produced. I will think about it, even so I need to search for a tightlipped worker…… However, if the oatmeal and smoked foods have been successfully commercialized, even considering the goods that had been handed over to Yuuji-san, I anticipate a profit. Since these two things couldn’t be sold at high prices, then perhaps it would take 2-3 years to recover the cost of the goods that I have handed over to Yuuji-san……」[6](Kevin)

Kevin answered with a big smile.

It seems that they had reached a deal, so Yuuji’s current lifestyle could continue.

“Are the difficult talks over?” Alice came running. Yuuji petted her head, and because he felt really relieved, he let out a sigh of respite.

“You have done a good job” Kotarou also barked while swinging her tail. She seems to be in a good mood.

“Alright, let’s pull out three stumps before the day is over” The sounds of the optimistic adventurer trio, resounded in the forest.

☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽

[1] Just like a Gundam.

[2] For, me Japonica rice is too sticky, though….. I am used to eat long-grain rice after all…

[3] Wild rice tasted bad… After all it took thousand of years of domestication until it become the rice the modern people used to see.

[4] He refer to Mark Twain Riverboat in Disneyland, Anaheim, California.

[5] People in the afternoon tend to be sleepy or unenergetic, like me. (E/N: Ditto)

[6] I’m not that familiar to this field, but I think 2 year BEP is better than a company doing 20 years of trading and hardly ever make a profit (I’m still grateful to them, though)