Interlude 21 – First exploration of the Demon Forest
“Hee, it’s a peculiar forest.”
“What’s this plant with its thorny leaves?”
Today the leader of our party, 『Dragon Busters』, isn’t Wend.
There are various adult circumstances or should I rather say that Wend is running about maneuvering to dispose of his blood-related onii-san, which is, by Wend’s words, for the sake of avoiding future ruin.
Though it might this way sound like Wend is a cruel person, it’s not an unusual story for nobles.
It’s something you will easily understand if you look at those Rückner brothers.
Besides, I didn’t admire the attitude of that onii-san either.
No matter how reluctant he is to bow his head to his younger brother, he is a failure as noble at the moment he is unable to do so, I think.
For that reason, Wend is in the middle of making free use of magic to work on taking down that onii-san.
In the morning he sent us with magic to the entrance of the Demon Forest for an exploration.
He is working very hard at cultivating new land, digging irrigation channels, improving the soil and developing fertilizer.
However, I can’t see this as very profitable for the maneuvering to get rid of onii-san.
He made a cultivated land area and a splendid farm village in the Savage Lands, which until now were impossible to exploit. He has even opened a shop for new employees, who are interested in immigration.
This seems to have surprised the populace of the Baumeister territory.
Me as well, when I heard this story from Elise.
『If Wendelin-sama helped out in the development of the territory, this territory would possess hope for the future. Everyone is saying this.』 (Elise)
This Elise is working at the church instead of Meister-sama who is the only priest in the Baumeister territory.
I’m told that Meister-sama apparently has a bad back. Currently he is in a state of being unable to rise from his bed.
It looks like Elise applied healing magic, but it doesn’t have much of an effect due to Meister-sama’s advanced age.
Although the symptoms are slowly alleviating, there is no other choice but to rely on his own recovery afterwards.
『It becomes difficult for healing magic to show its effect in high age. It’s a regretful situation.』 (Elise)
I remember that at the time Wend came to visit, Meister-sama was talking about his too old age while laughing.
And Elise had become a temporary substitute priestess, however that seems to show a frightening degree of prosperity for the church.
It’s not like the fief’s population has suddenly awoken to faith. Though it’s also not like people come to observe just because Elise is cute.
The biggest reason was Elise’s healing magic.
『Elise-sama, our child has a fever…』
『I’ve ended up cutting my arm during the reclamation work last week…』
『I have a bone fracture because I fell from a tree…』
Since it’s a territory that hasn’t something like a doctor, they treated all injuries and illnesses with folk remedies, but Elise can heal those in an instant with healing magic.
It doesn’t look like the fief’s population knows that she is called 『Saint of Hohenheim』 in the capital.
As they can receive treatment during our stay, they are all flooding in on her in turns.
Because Elise is a nice person, she heals them without refusing those who come to her.
Furthermore, she didn’t accept things like donations as substitute for payment at all.
However it seems that she has been accepting things like a bit of food.
『As expected of Wendelin-sama’s wife.』
『Elise-sama, thank you very much.』
『Although it is a replacement for a reward, I picked some vegetables today.』
Everyone is thanking Elise as if she were a goddess. The reputation of Wend, who is her fiancée, goes up as well.
Of course, that won’t mean that onii-san will be happy about that.
Since Elise is in danger, the guards besides Wilma were increased as well.
However, even the feudal lord, Wend’s father, considers it to be dangerous to make a move on Elise.
Everyone is thinking that all of it will be fine, if Wend succeeds as feudal lord.
◆◇◆◇◆
“It’s awfully humid.”
“It’s the southern tip after all.”
“Is that the only reason, I wonder?”
Well, there’s no choice but to leave Wend’s situation alone for now.
Seeing us off in the morning and picking us up in the evening, Wend seemed to like the engineering magic one way or the other as well.
『Ahahaha! The farms are growing! The improvement of the soil is going well too!』 (Wendelin)
He’s getting strangely crazy about it, however I heard from Ina 『Sometimes men go nuts over quite incomprehensible things.』
『Ooh! The gigantic stone is obstructing the completely square paddy field! I have to remove it forcefully!』
『A stump of an old tree! I will break it and turn it into fertilizer!』
Although he tried to seriously face off against an unmoving obstacle, I wasn’t able to understand it even a little.
For that reason Wend won’t be of any help in fights for a while.
As replacement, Burkhart-sama is joining us in the exploration.
He loses to Wend in regards to the amount of mana, but since he is an experienced magician, who can use diverse spells, he is someone you can rely on with a peace of mind.
“Hmm…” (Burkhart)
And although Burkhart-san was important, he looked at the old book, he brought along, and nodded absorbed in his own world with a “Uh-huh.”
“Umm, Burkhart-san?” (Ina)
“Ah, my bad.” (Burkhart)
Due to being called out by Ina, Burkhart-san apologizes while facing this way.
“That book is?”
“I borrowed it from master.” (Burkhart)
The hobby of Margrave Breithilde-sama, who is Burkhart-sama’s, mine and Ina’s lord, was to collect antiquarian books.
As I have seen the ecchi novel, we were loaned previously, I don’t feel like particularly inquiring about the genres.
At any rate, if it’s antique and valuable, he seems to feel an unequaled attachment.
It is a bit rude to say this, but I think he’s a bit eccentric.
“That book, what kind of book is it?”
“The title is 『Illustrated Monster and Produce Encyclopedia』.” (Burkhart)
With it being a quite old book, it is apparently listing monsters, who are living in monster domains, and the produce, that can be harvested from there, with illustrations.
In addition it also explains the monster’s attack patterns, weak-points and things like the parts, that are usable or can be eaten.
It is appearing to be quite detailed, but it’s also a book with a problem.
“A part of it is introducing monsters and produce I didn’t even see yet.” (Burkhart)
Although it’s written quite detailed, it’s nothing but monsters no one has seen before.
That part has been called the 『Half fiction illustrated book』 of this illustrated encyclopedia.
“However, this thorny* leaves plant mentioned in here is apparently 『Southern Fern』.” (Burkhart) (*T/N: toge toge which would be thorny, thorny but sounds dumb in English, though commonly called in Japanese as a bit cute way to call an attribute of things like puni puni or fua fua. Will use the romaji instead of English for that.)
This illustrated encyclopedia, which has even detailed records of things like insects, fishes and plants characteristic to monster domains, is mentioning this toge toge on a single page among those as well.
“Eh? Then, is it possibly?”
Although we are exploring the huge Demon Forest splitting it into 3 parts currently, it’s something that is surely occupying the sea at the southern tip of the Savage Lands. The expeditionary force, which entered the center, didn’t discover other monster domains or anything especially different either.
Even so, in the western part, we entered today, our group saw arbor and vegetation growing in abundance, we didn’t encounter so far.
Also, in addition to this southern fern, a large amounts of plants were overgrowing as if piling up on each other.
“Are there undiscovered monsters or such?”
“Since those are remaining in the illustrated encyclopedia, there might have been adventurers, who came here long ago.” (Burkhart)
There is no way to confirm it, but I also believe that such possibility exists.
Or, even at another location, there might be places with similar vegetation and monster as in this forest.
“It was proven that this illustrated encyclopedia is no fiction.” (Ina)
“Well, yea. But…” (Burkhart)
“But what?” (Ina)
Burkhart-san answers Ina’s question by turning his view in a certain direction.
“Anything in this forest is huge!”
“Certainly…”
Burkhart-san as well as Ina were lost for words due to the gigantic trees bearing a large amount of fruits similar to yellow crescent moons.
In any case, one of those has around the same height as me.
“U~~~~m. it seems to be a fruit called 『Banana』.” (Luise)
Once I looked into the illustrated encyclopedia, the explanation of the fruit, which is called banana, was written down alongside an illustration.
As plant native in the south, it is a yellow fruit with a length of around 20 cm, which is appearing in a large bundle.
“First off, I think the size is incorrect.” (Burkhart)
“It’s weird, isn’t it?”
As Burkhart-san says, to begin with this banana was wrong if compared with the entry in this illustrated encyclopedia.
Or rather, only the size is wrong.
“It’s because it is a monster domain. You can say that one will hit upon absurdities that are unimaginable at other regions. However, it is real.” (Burkhart)
In monster domains there are many places with dense mana, which is the source of magical power, and this place here is such spot.
Even in case the monsters became large, it was thanks to that dense mana.
“However, if they are this large, they will yield big profits, right?”
“Well, that’s how it is.”
Even though it’s an exploration, it’s doesn’t mean that we can’t hunt and gather.
With it being necessary to give a present to Wend as well, we begin the harvesting of those bananas.
Also, in addition there are actually fruits called 『Mango』, 『Durian』 and such with an over-all-length of around one meter.
“This, isn’t this a coffee fruit?”
“That’s right.”
It’s a coffee fruit, which is large to the degree that I can’t even hold it with both hands, though a large quantity of those grew on the big tree in front of us.
“If it’s this big, it will be difficult to roast the bean.”
“It doesn’t seem to be the case.”
Chewing on the actual flesh of the coffee fruit, Burkhart-san confirmed that the size of the seed part to be roasted hasn’t changed to that extent.
In reverse you can say, it’s also difficult to harvest the seed for the sake of making coffee.
Coffee is being cultivated in a part of region more southern than the territory of Breithilde, but because of its low amount and its demand by shops like cafés, its price is close to ten times that of maté.
By the way, because black tea is a drink made by fermented maté it’s not that expensive. (T/N: sounds like a bit bullshit to me here, but oh well…)
At best the price is about twice that of maté.
“It’s slightly sour, but you can also eat the fruit.”
“Really? It’s the first time I heard that.”
Actually the cut up coffee, I received from Burkhart-san, had a bit sourness, but it was sweet and delicious.
“This is also a present for Wend.” (Luise)
“That’s right. If it’s that boy, he will like the unusual food.” (Burkhart)
Certainly, his obsession with food goes as far as being abnormal. He demonstrated a lot of it even at the time of our stay in the capital.
◆◇◆◇◆
『This is disgusting…』
『It’s the shop of a royal purveyor.』
『I don’t care whose purveyor they are, disgusting things are disgusting!』
Wend bluntly states his likes and dislikes of food, but he is always able to eat food he has seen for the first time. If it suits him, he will try to obtain it even if it costs a large amount of money.
In the capital there are things like his favorite restaurant, café, confectionery shop, fish dealer, butcher, grain store, grocery store, etc.
The shops, which have been receiving his favor, named themselves as 『Purveyor of the Dragon-slaying Hero』 shops.
However, Wend doesn’t go to any kind of shop, which puts up a purveyor signboard, because he doesn’t like that.
Also, sometimes he cooks himself.
He has a rough way of handling the kitchen knife and the taste is somewhat strong but he makes large quantities.
I don’t know where he received his teachings from, but he makes unique meals I haven’t eaten so far.
Especially 『fried chicken』 and 『deep-fried food』 were popular items, I think.
One day Wend said 『I’m going to cook!』 and entered the kitchen.
Occasionally that was a normal scene, but that day he emitted more fighting spirit than usual.
When I went to peep, he started with fermenting the meat of helmeted guinea fowl with magic and furthermore made the meat with another spell tender.
If it was a professional chef or a family’s housewife, it would take time and labor to cut the tendons of the meat with a thin cutlery and soak those in the juices of ginger and figs.
For Wend it’s convenient because he has magic, I think.
Honestly, I believe people, who use magic for such things, are rare.
Next the processed meat was soaked in a seasoning liquid, made out of the juice of ginger and sugar with the usual soy sauce, so that the flavor permeated into the meat.
In addition, Wend deep-fried it with oil at high temperature after applying a starch that is called 『Dogtooth violet starch』.
Also, 『As garment, I will cool it in a previously prepared blend of something like oil, rice, egg and a small dose of wheat flour, besides the dogtooth violet starch』.
He said 『Frying twice is justice！』 or such, but I wasn’t able to comprehend why Wend is this fussy.
Even for Elise it was at the level of tilting her head to the side and saying 『Despite Wendelin-sama’s cooking ability not being so good either, it’s a mystery since he often knows about methods of making unique meals for some reason』.
And then, this starch is called 『Dogtooth violet starch』, however with it being a starch Wend suddenly made himself by using potatoes as ingredient, Elise used it to create thickness in things like soups as well.
Also Wend recommended to feed patients in churches, clinics and such with this starch mixed with salt and sugar dissolved in boiling water.
If it’s done this way, apparently even patients, who have difficulties with swallowing, can have the nutrition of normal food.
I believe the church has many people thinking about things like economic activity besides donations, but in fact there are many branch churches in the countryside raising their operational funds by selling self-brewed alcohol.
As it actually showed results, the church acquired the monopoly on the production rights of 『Dogtooth violet starch』 by paying Wend a large amount of money.
I wondered why they didn’t consider something else but alcohol, but the profits are high and since their doctrine states it to be fine as long as they don’t drink in public, there’s no problem.
Though there is also the reason that there are too few people, who can make it, for it to be a problem.
The church hurried and asked Wend about the method of producing dogtooth violet starch. They built an efficient production site and have begun to circulate the dogtooth violet starch on the market.
Also, the food using dogtooth violet starch will likely spread.
The thing called 『imo mochi』 is a sweet baked in a round shape after mixing dogtooth violet starch and steamed potato.
There’s also the version of it that uses pumpkin as ingredient.
The baked imo mochi, if you eat it applying a mix of sugar and the usual soy sauce, it was delicious.
The naming sense though is questionable, just like with the dogtooth violet starch (T/N: katakuri kona).
Also in addition, there are versions of having cheese or boiled adzuki beans and sugar, called 『anko』, put inside, and also versions of covering it with sugar and 『kinako』, which is starch of roasted soya beans.
Furthermore, there’s also pasta made out of dogtooth violet starch, I’m remembering it to be tough and tasty.
Because of that, if I were to speak about why Wend knows about such things, the church is carrying out new charity work with those.
Managing stalls authorized by the church in the capital, they are selling things like pasta, white croakers, etc. there.
As shopkeeper and employees, they have recruited orphans and widows, who lost their family’s breadwinner. The church is stimulating their economic independence.
Lastly, the church sells the ingredients wholesale to the stalls and thus raises the profit.
Although it’s also wrong to forget this aspect, but Wend warned Cardinal Hohenheim 『If you get too greedy, the criticism from society will increase』.
And because of a chain of these developments, Wend can buy cheap dogtooth violet starch at any time and eat imo mochi at the stalls reaching the point of him cheering greatly.
Furthermore, later on he added things like the previous fried chicken and deep-fried food, which are pieces of meat and fish fried in oil after being covered in wheat flour, egg white and crushed breadcrumbs.
Particularly the deep-fried food invented snacks, which are called 『kushiage』 and is a mouthful-sized fried meat, fish or vegetable that is pierced on a wood skewer. This was an idea proposed by Artur-san (the merchant), whom I got to know before.
『I wonder whether you already forgot about me since you made it leaving out mayonnaise.』 (Artur)
『It’s because this time’s items take time for the production.』 (Wendelin)
If it’s the sauce applied on those kushiage, we taste-tested Wend’s home-made versions many times over.
It’s very delicious, but due to the cost of the spices used as ingredients, we considered it to be difficult for business since the price would become severe for the common people.
『Stocking up on the ingredients in one lump cheaply, we will produce a large quantity in the workshop.』
Wend taught Artur-san recipes like 『Tabasco』, 『Tobanjan』, 『Chili oil』, 『Yuzu pepper』, 『Basil oil』, 『Tartar sauce』 and 『Ketchup』, which is made out of tomatoes as ingredient.
All of those are seasoning’s with mysterious naming, which Wend began to make all of a sudden.
『Baron-sama is oddly well-informed on seasoning’s.』 (Artur)
『It’s bothersome to make them yourself, right? That’s where it’s Artur-san’s turn. Since I will continue to purchase them from you.』 (Wendelin)
『For such a reason?』 (Artur)
With our almost daily training with doushi during our stay in the capital, it was natural for Wend to spend his rest days with leisure time and cooking from early morning until evening.
I, who accompanied him to doushi’s training, was almost as busy as him.
『What about the soy sauce and miso? Their recipes are?』 (Artur)
『Ye~~~a, those are…』 (Wendelin)
Wend told in detail the manufacturing method that doesn’t rely on magic to Artur-san.
『A selection of yeasts for brewing and detailed control of the temperature, huh… ?』 (Artur)
In Wend’s case, he ends up forcefully changing the ingredients into soy sauce and miso by the feat of magic.
Even then, he apparently piled up considerable amount of failures until he reached his goal.
If you make this without relying on magic, you might need even more trial and errors.
『There is a reason I had you teach me the detailed manufacturing method. I will link up with an alcohol brewing cellar of an acquaintance here…』
I don’t understand quite well, but apparently the strength of invisible, tiny living things, which is called yeast and used for making alcohol and vinegar, is borrowed.
Moreover, you have to decide on the yeast to be used.
Also, in addition, if you brew with something resembling yeast, it will rot without becoming alcohol and the ingredients will end up being wasted.
How do you even distinct such invisible, tiny living things with your eyes like that? This is a secret of each brewery’s origin. I have heard that it went even as far as murdering because of that in the past.
Wend said something like 『Grudges over food are dreadful』.
『However, do they use that selection of yeast… ?』
『That’s confidential.』
『Talking about yeast is seriously dangerous. Can you say that you won’t even talk, even under torture?』
I don’t understand what this is about, but the research of producing soy sauce and miso without using magic has been consigned to Artur-san by Wend.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login