133-Make 120 sauces! Tingzu (1)

The roller we ordered from Tommy said that it would take a few days to complete.

We were rather surprised to hear that it would be ready in a few days, so we took the opportunity to take a few days off.

We decided that it would be better to wait for the completion of the roller than to force ourselves to go and cut the tree and have another hard time. Fortunately, we had enough reserves that we didn't need to work too hard.

What we are going to do on such a rest day is as follows.

"Let's make some sauce!

It was Yuki who announced this to us at the breakfast table.

What's wrong with you, Yuki?

I was just thinking. I thought... Inspirational sauce is indeed delicious. In this world, it's kind of amazing. But I'm tired of the same taste!　I need a change!

"Hmm. I see.

The inspirational sauce that we use now is used in cooking quite often because of its convenience.

No, it's not really that versatile, but in a situation where there are no other options and we tend to have a lot of hamburger-like bread due to the lack of rice, it goes well.

Haruka and his friends also made tartar sauce, but since eggs are not as readily and cheaply available as in Japan, it's not something we can use often.

"Hey, do we need that too?　I don't think Nao and I can make a good sauce.

I agree. We can't cook much, so how can we make something as noble as sauce?

Of course I understand. That's why I'm asking you to make an inspirational sauce.

At Yuki's words, Toya and I looked at each other and twisted our heads.

"......?　Then nothing will change, right?

I'm sure you've heard of it.　I thought it would be more varied if each of us added something unique.

"Wow, Yuki, that's quite a good idea, isn't it?　That could be interesting.

"Right?

With Haruka's agreement, Yuki's face became smug.

But it might be a little interesting, indeed.

The current inspirational sauce, which is similar to okonomiyaki sauce, is tasty enough, but if there are more variations, the diet will be richer.

This is especially important in this life where there is little entertainment other than eating.

Can I have Natsuki?

"Yes, of course. I'm looking forward to it. ...... Since we're here, shall we make two kinds each?

That's right!　If we make a lot, we might be able to make something tasty!

We'll need ten jars then. I'll have to get some smaller ones. ......

Apparently, the decision to make the sauce itself has been made.

Since I don't have any jars on hand that can be conveniently used for making sauces, I'll have to go to the store where I went with Aera-san to stock up.

It was decided that Haruka and I, who had been to that store before, would be in charge of it.

So, let's go over the rules. Put a scoop of inspirational sauce into the jar that Haruka prepared, throw whatever you want into it, prepare it today, and perform it the afternoon after tomorrow. You can throw in whatever you like, but be sure to keep a record of it. If it's good, you'll have to recreate it.

The cost of gathering the ingredients is limited to two gold coins for each of the two sauces. Any money you spend will come out of the common fund.

You can try to make it, but can you do it in a couple of days?

Let's use the food processor. As long as it's small enough to be liquid, it should be fine.

Yes, I think so. It took me about a week to chop it by hand.

The sauce used in Aella-san's restaurant, even in that huge jar, was made into sauce in a week.

Considering that, I think it's possible.

"You're free to use whatever you want, but we'll keep it a secret until it's done. It's not funny. Oh, but you have to put something edible in it. That's a must.

Yuki holds up a finger and looks at me and Toya, but of course she does.

I eat, and I spend money.

--I don't know if we'll end up with something edible. In terms of taste.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to eat as a result.　It would be a pain in the ass to meet them when you're out on your own, right?

There were guys like that, too. I don't know.

Honestly, I don't care about them, so even their names are vague.

That's okay. They seem to have left town.

"Oh, really?　It seems like they're sticking with Haruka and the others. ......

There's less work this time of year, right?　It seems like he was forced to do it because he couldn't take it anymore.

The main work that can be undertaken in this city is the escort of logging operations in the southern forest, but the work of this escort decreases in the winter.

It is said that the quality of the wood is better cut in the winter, but lumberjacks are classified as a high-income occupation in this city. Therefore, they don't need to work in the cold winter months.

Of course, there are some lumberjacks who work diligently, but there are fewer of them than in the spring and autumn, which inevitably means less work for the guards.

Newcomers and untrustworthy adventurers are the ones who suffer the most.

If there is a surplus of adventurers, lumberjacks are likely to go with adventurers they know and trust.

That's why they moved to a town in the south, where there was plenty of work to be done even at this time of year.

This is what Haruka heard from Diora, so I'm pretty sure it's true.

If you don't have a lot of savings, you won't be able to spend the winter in an inn.

Incidentally, it is said that summer is the hottest season, and the quality of the trees is not good for cutting, so the work is the least.

It doesn't matter to those of us who don't have to guard lumberjacks, but I guess this is another reason why adventurers don't stay in this town.

So let's split up and head out to get materials. Nao and I will go buy the jars and put them on the table in the cafeteria, so you can collect them later.

"Yes." "Yes." "Yes.

I'm not sure what to say.

In the event that you've got a lot of money, you'll be able to buy a lot of things.

I'm not sure what to do.

For now, let's think about getting away from the current taste of okonomiyaki sauce.

The okonomiyaki sauce I knew had dates to give it that sweetness, but the sweetness of the inspiration sauce comes from the potatoes, right?

The first thing I should do is to avoid adding potatoes.

I'm not sure what I didn't put in last time, ...... but I don't think there were any root vegetables.

I'm sure you can find some. I don't know.

Let's put together one kind of root vegetable.

And a few inexpensive spices. Root vegetables are also relatively cheap, so the ingredients I bought for the first jar cost less than two large silver coins.

"Shall I add ...... the shop's recommendation for the other one?

I think there is a large element of gambling, but it will be interesting.

I immediately called out to one of the stalls I saw.

"Auntie, what do you recommend?

Auntie, what do you recommend?" "I recommend all of them. "We recommend all of them, but this one is especially good this time of year!

The woman, who looked like a farmer's aunt, held out a vegetable that looked like an onion.

...... Yes, it's also called onion in [help], so it must be a similar variety.

It's sweet and tasty, even if you just roast it whole and put salt on it!

Oh, well, give me three of those, please.

Thanks!　One silver coin!

Yeah, cheap. They're bigger than my fist.

I paid for them, picked them up, and went to the next store.

There's a lot of leafy greens here. I suppose it's unavoidable to some extent, but they're all a little wilted.

If this is the case in winter, it will be difficult to eat leafy vegetables in summer.

A young boy is working as a shopkeeper here. I wonder if he is selling on behalf of his parents.

Hello. Can you tell me what you recommend?

"Recommendations?　Well, that's a good one, isn't it?

The boy pointed to a pile of vegetables in a box in the corner.

They look like celery.

When I picked one up and smelled it, it smelled a little different from celery, but a little stronger.

For [help], please visit ...... "Beleaguered"?　It's a little different from celery.

Are you sure you're not selling this?

"What are you talking about, bro?　No, it's not!

The boy denied it in a hurried manner, but it was obvious that there was a lot left compared to the other vegetables.

The smell is a bit peculiar, so it might be hard to sell. Children may not like it.

"Could it be that ...... is your meal if it remains unsold?

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

...... I don't want to have to eat all the belleojis anymore!

Yes, it's very common.

Well, if there's any left over, you'll have to consume it yourself, since you harvested it.

It's not something that can be stored for a long time.

Ha-ha-ha!　Beleaguered plants are easy to grow, just sow them in a corner of the field!　It's in every store this time of year.

The lady next to me entered our conversation with a laugh.

It's easy to make, and it's in season, so farmers grow it as a side dish and sell it in the stores.

I looked at her store and saw that she also had them. She knows that they don't sell very well, so there are only a few of them.

She said, "I understand, but I can't buy this much.

It's too much to use as an ingredient for inspirational sauces, and even if it were to be used as an ingredient for regular cooking, I don't cook, so I can't buy a lot of it.

That's fine!　Just a little less!　I'll give you a discount.

"Hmm, if you insist.

I feel a little pity for the boy who bows his head as if pleading, and I decide to buy some baleage. I don't like celery either, and the thought of being forced to eat that every day is .......

I don't know the market price of bereozi, but the boy sold me the amount that I could barely grab with both hands for two silver coins.

The lady next to me laughed at the situation, but that was for the boy who forced her to sell it, right?

It wasn't to me who was sold at a high price, was it?

Well, even if the price was a little high, it wouldn't be a big problem if it was only two silver coins, so I didn't mind.

After visiting about six more stalls like that, and buying one item recommended by each store, I returned to my house.

When I went to the kitchen, I found Natsuki there.

Welcome home.

I'm home. Is it just Natsuki?

Yes. Yuki seems to have finished cooking, but Toya and Haruka haven't come home yet.

I see.

That's because it took me and Haruka a while to buy the jar.

I'm a little concerned about Toya being late, but I'm sure he'll be fine, from a safety standpoint. I don't trust him, though, because he might buy something problematic.

Next to Natsuki, who was steaming something on the stove, I took out the materials I had bought and washed them.

Do you want me to help you?

Are you sure about that?

Yes, I'll just wait for a while.

I point to the steamer and ask, to which Natsuki nods and helps me wash the vegetables.

I'm curious about what they're steaming, but I'll leave it for the day after tomorrow.

I should probably keep it a secret too, but ...... I guess there's no need to be so strict.

It's not so easy to wait until each work is done.

I'll just keep secret which one I'm going to put in which one.

Can I use the food processor?

"Yes. I'll be a little longer.

Natsuki smiled and handed me the food processor, and I went to the cafeteria to roughly chop the vegetables and throw them into the processor until they were chopped into juice.

I put them in the two jars on the table and add a scoop of inspirational sauce at the end.

Mix well and cover with a lid, and you are done.

All that's left is .......

I looked around and saw two jars lined up on the desk by the window.

On the sides of the jars, the words "Yuki A" and "Yuki B" are written in charcoal.

I see.

I'll follow suit and write 'Nao A' and 'Nao B' next to them.

I'll just wait for the day after tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the other four will make, if not my own.

The next day, we all went to work on the wood.

The next day we all went into town to buy tools for cutting wood.

The large axe with a long handle and a wide blade, which Toya was going to use, had already been ordered by Gantz yesterday, so today we were going to buy the other tools.

We had already bought our weapons from Mr. Ganz's store, but he himself had told us that there was a store specializing in lumberjack-related tools, and had introduced us to it, so we were on our way there.

Do I need to buy three more axes?

We've already ordered Toya's, and with the one we have, we'll have enough for everyone.

Right. And the saw?　...... Oh, is that it?

The store was located near Simon's workshop, in a corner where many woodworking related workshops were gathered.

Inside, the walls were lined with axes, saws, crowbars, and other objects.

What are those crowbars used for?

"That's for rolling logs.

My question was answered by a man who came out from the back.

He was a middle-aged man, a little younger than Mr. Gantz. He was a stout man, and I guessed he was a blacksmith too.

"Hmm ......, you seem to be an adventurer, what do you want?

"Three axes, and a saw. Would it be better to have a large one that can be pulled by two people?　And a ...... wedge?

Yeah. The one I have now is a little small.

The one I have now seems a bit small." "I've used it, and it seems to me that if you're dealing with a tree of that size, it would be better to go at least two sizes larger. Considering that there were even bigger trees, it might be better to go bigger.

Why not a hatchet?　If you're planning to chop down trees in the south woods, you might not want to do that.　You'll get into a lot of trouble if you make enemies with the lumberjacks in this town, and you won't be able to sell what you cut.

Oh, that's okay. It's not the south woods I'm cutting.

So, the North Woods?　If you're an adventurer in this town, you'll think about it at least once. ......

The shopkeeper then turns sullen.

If you know the situation in this city, it seems that anyone who can cut wood from the north forest will get rich.

"Just so you know, if you come back to return it, we'll take it back at a second-hand price, okay?

The shopkeeper nailed us, as if there had been such adventurers in the past.

In the past, there have been such adventurers, or shopkeepers who nailed it to us.

The shop sells tattered old clothes and rags that look like garbage, so they are very thorough.

It's okay. The axe I had was not enough, so I came to buy it.

Is that so?　Hmm ......, have a look around. If you have any questions, just ask.

Let's see, ......, is there any point in choosing an axe?

Well, when you're chopping down a tree, a heavier, larger axe is fine, but when you're chopping branches, I wouldn't recommend it.

"Why is that?

I'm here to buy an axe for chopping branches.

I came to buy an axe for chopping branches. If the tree moves, it's dangerous, right?　If you lose your aim, you could get hurt.

"I see, I see.

If the tree moves at the moment someone swings down the axe, it could slip through and hit your leg.

A tree as big as that might not move much, but you should avoid the danger.

If possible, I recommend using a saw instead of an axe. This way, even if the tree suddenly moves, the blade will only break.

"A saw? That sounds safer.

It's best to hold the tree firmly in place, as cutting off the branches can throw you off balance. ....... I also use a crowbar to keep it from falling on the person I'm working on.

Apparently, there is a certain amount of danger involved in mere pruning.

There was no problem last time, but it would have been scary if that huge tree had come tumbling down.

In some places, I had to crawl underneath the tree to work on it, and if it came at me from above, I might be crushed.

Now that I'm stronger, I'm sure I won't be killed by something like that, but there's nothing wrong with being careful.

We took the shopkeeper's advice and looked around, and ended up buying three hatchets instead of a regular axe.

In addition, we bought four saws, a large wedge, and two crowbars, and left the store.