CH 39.1

It has been snowing in Torquiva recently.

I had never seen snow since it doesn’t snow in the south where I used to live.

We were provided with coats but it was not enough to protect us from the cold so everyone made various kinds of warm clothes after learning from those who know how to knit.

The loaded Chicken-san is wearing a nice fur lapel but those of us who had not yet retired had to make with scarves.

Master wants to try making sake so recently, I’ve been walking around in the cold to look for a good place to buy.

Ideally, it should be spacious, inexpensive, and not populated.

Even though the number of people in Torquiva has been increasing recently, the Schenker family has been buying a lot of properties so the market price is rising. In short, it is impossible to find a place like that.

If it’s a small house, there are some for sale. If we’re talking about something big, not much.

The real estate agents don’t have any good properties at the moment so we can only negotiate directly with the property owner of a good property.

The real estate agent we stopped by just now was even saying “I think you can get a good price if you’re going to buy land around the dungeon”. What a fool.

Even nobles don’t buy land near the dungeon.

Who wants to build a shack outside the city?

-0-

I couldn’t stand the cold that was coming from both the sky and the ground at the same time so I bought a shot of distilled sake from a street vendor.

Five copper coins, how expensive.

However, my body feels hot.

I also bought some torquivayaki from a Schenker family stall.

I’m desperate since it’s too cold for me to work.

「Ah, you’ll smell like alcohol, Jiren.」

「It’s so cold. I can’t take it anymore.」

「We’re by the fire so it should be warm.」

「Right」

Her carefree smile is annoying.

I chose to become a knowledge slave like Chicken-san but now I envy these normal slaves….

The thin, round thing is being cooked on an iron plate.

It’s a very ordinary torquivayaki that has cabbage, thinly sliced meat, pepperoncino, and grated potatoes.

I wonder if master has thought of this dish too. He’s so skillful.

「Lot of sauce」

「I can’t do that, Jiren.」

「No way!」

As the black sauce was poured over the toast, the smell wafted out of the iron plate while making a sizzling sound.

「Little girl and the uncle, what’s yours?」

「I’ll have, I’ll have」

「Half size」

Before I knew it, a crowd had already gathered around the stall.

I knew that on a cold day, hot food was the right answer.

「Jiren, you want some of this?」

「White sauce? Lots of it, please.」

「Sure sure」

White lines of sauce popped out of the narrow container creating a beautiful pattern over the black sauce.

I’ve been told that this sauce is quite a hit among some people but not with others but I’m going to have some on mine.

I like it after all.

Master was very surprised when he heard that there are people who don’t like the white sauce.

I guess it can’t be helped since its sourness is a little too much for some people’s taste buds…..

「Here’s your order!」

「Order!」

「Thanks」

The cooked torquivayaki was served by wrapping it in a sorghum leaf.

Yeah, the fact that you can eat it with one hand is nice too.

「Haa, hot, fuhhh, fuhhh,……haaaa….」

It’s hot.

When it’s cold, you have to eat something warm, right?

I waved and said goodbye to the two who were at the stall as they cooked more torquivayaki. Then, I turned my attention to my next destination.

It tastes so good and the serving is enough to fill both hands. Best value for 3 copper coins.

-0-

I walked slowly to a former wooden inn in Higashi.

It is located at the end of the street, next to a cemetery, and is decently big.

It was burned by a fire in early spring and has remained that way since.

I guess the person who runs the inn wasn’t able to save a lot of money.

I headed for the crude tent that had been built next to the ruins of the fire.