TranslatorCorner
Minasan oideyasu. This is Yukkuri demasu!
Another chapter. Will finish another one bythis week.
DISCLAIMER: There is noguarantee that my translation is 100% correct. Please correct me if I waswrong.
Author:
Dozeumaru(どぜう丸)
Translator:
Yukkuri Oniisan
Editor:
Online GrammarEditor
Enlightenment Arc
Interlude 6 – A Certain Research Investigation
The academic inst.i.tution 『Ginger’sTraining School』 located in theformer slums of Parnam, the capital city of the Kingdom of Friedonia, wasstarted under the sponsorship of King Souma as a part of the plan to securetalented people and to diminish the slavery system. Nowadays it had its size andscope upgraded into what is now called 『Ginger’s Vocational Academy』.While still retaining its primary education inst.i.tution, various faculties had beencreated for the study of various specialized academic disciplines. The facultiesthat were deemed as successful in this place would be established on the other vocationalschool in the other cities.
There were already several facultiesthat had become independent and began to be established on the vocational schoolin the other cities, but the 『Agriculture』 and 『Medical』 faculties still remained in this vocational academy. This was because the Ministerof Agriculture and Forestry Poncho Ishidzuka Pannacotta, and the physicians HildeNouge and Brad Joker took their residence in Parnam. This displayed how Souma,who aware that the improvement in food supply and medical care are directlylinked to the improvement and growth of the population, highly regarded thesetwo fields.
Now two couples of men and women werefacing each other across the main gate 『Ginger"s Vocational Academy』.One couple was a combination of a almost-thirty years old man with a round stomachand an elegant and intelligent beautiful woman. The other couple was acombination of a gentle-looking boy who look like a girl on first glance and a slightlyolder, impressive strong willed eyes and beautiful Racc.o.o.n Tribe girl who had.The queer thing would be that both women were wearing a cla.s.sic long skirt"s maiddress.
The men and women who are aboutto enter the Academy’s premise were the current Kingdom’s Minister ofAgriculture and Forestry – Poncho, and the Chief Maid of the Parnam Castle and thePersonal Maid of Princess Liscia – Serina. The pair who greeted them on thepremises was the Princ.i.p.al of this 『Ginger’s Vocational Academy』 -Ginger Camus and his Secretary plus Maid – Sandria. Poncho and Ginger shook eachother’s hands while smiling.
「We welcomeyour visit to our place, Poncho-dono.」(Ginger)
「Gi-Ginger-donoalso seems to be in good health, yes.」(Poncho)
「Um……There is no need to speak that formally with me. Aren’t Poncho-dono more seniorthan me and also a minister of this country?」(Ginger)
「Th-thisis a habit, so I can’t do anything about this, yes.」(Poncho)
「I ama fainthearted person, so please refrain from that way of speech.」(Ginger)
When Poncho was fl.u.s.tering sweat inthat conversation, Serina interjected.
「Goodgrief…… Despite your knowledge have saved the lives of countless people, whydon’t you have a little more confidence in yourself already.」(Serina)
「Umm,you are?」(Ginger)
「Pardonme for interjecting. I am employed as the Chief Maid of the Castle. My name is Serina.」(Serina)
While introducing herself, Serinabowed with a refined gesture.
「S-socourteous. I am the one who had been entrusted with the position of theprinc.i.p.al of this academy, Ginger.」(Ginger)
When Serina bowed to him, thistime it was Ginger who in a panic. Seeing Ginger’s reaction, Serina slipped outa smile.
「BecauseGinger-sama is the princ.i.p.al of this academic inst.i.tution, there is no need to speakthat formal with a mere maid like me, don’t it?」(Serina)
「Well,that is……」(Ginger)
「So Masteris weak against a beautiful onee-sama.」(Sandria)
This time, Sandria interjected.
「San-san!?What are you suddenly spoke like that!?」(Ginger)
「Sincethat is a fact. Aren’t you always being nervous in front of a beautiful personlike Hilde-sama?」(Sandria)
Sandria picked up the hem of theap.r.o.n dress and bowed while spouting a rude remark at Ginger.
「Niceto meet you. My name is Sandria, the secretary, maid, and cherished love-slaveof Ginger-sama.」(Sandria)
「Stop!That will hurt my reputation! I only employed you as the secretary. Isn’t themaid work something that San-san did on your own, right? Also, what do you meanby the last one!?」(Ginger)
Ginger protested like this, butSandria brushed it like a wind unbothered.
「Ipresume you are Poncho-dono? I had heard a lot of rumors about you. I heardthat the resolution of the severe famine of my comrades is all thanks to youraction. On behalf of everybody, please let me express our grat.i.tude.」(Sandria)
「T-there’sno need! Please don’t mention it, yes!」(Poncho)
Poncho hastily replied as Sandriabowed towards him. Seeing his actions, Serina stared at him with rather coldeyes.
「Poncho-dono.Even if you are praised by an “underage girl” you so fond of, please don’t loseyour composure like this.」(Serina)
「P-pleasedon’t put that strange label on me, yes!」(Poncho)
「Astrange label?…… But, I am aware of it, you know?」(Sandria)
Serina replied while smiling, buther eyes weren’t laughing at all.
「Thefood “Hot sandwich”[1] thatyou developed with His Majesty not long ago; you only share it with Tomoe-sama,isn’t it? You never spoke nary a word about it with me.」(Sandria)
「Isthis perhaps, the cause of your bad mood these days!?」(Poncho)
If anyone was asked “Who is themost glutton person in Parnam Castle?”, they would answer, “Without any doubt, itwould be Aisha”. Then if they were asked, “Who is the second place?”, theanswer will be, “Serina”. However, there was a subtle difference in their gluttont.i.tle. Unlike Aisha who more like, 「I’ll eat anything if it’s delicious (especially if it’ssweet)!」, 「Please more food!」, Serinadidn’t request for quant.i.ty, rather she expressed strong interest, especially, inthe so-called junk food or B-cla.s.s gourmet cuisine[2]made by Souma and Poncho.
Souma and Poncho had invented manydishes until now. Though accurately, the dishes were only a reproduction of thecuisine from Souma’s world, amongst those dishes, there were dishes that couldn’tbe found in a luxurious restaurant such as Napolitan bread or yakisoba bread,which completely captivated Serina.
Actually, Serina"s House was afamous House that had produced many personal butlers and maids for the RoyalFamilies. For that reason, they received ethic and esthetic education fromchildhood so as to not disgraceful in front of the Royal Family. Even in the tablemanner, they would always pursue to eat good food in a good manner. Of course, buyingand eating food from a mere streetside stall won’t be deemed as acceptable. ForSerina who was brought in such environment, the dishes that were made by Soumaand Poncho were shocking.
(To put a staple food on top of a staple food!)[3]
Serina, who was exposed to the Napolitanbread for the first time, felt that such notion that she had so far were completelybroken the moment she had a taste a bit. How can this vulgar food taste so delicious?Ever since then, Serina often accompanied Poncho. After all, if she hanging aroundhim, she could partic.i.p.ate in the trial eating of delicious prototype dishes. Thedishes made by Poncho was the only thing Serina interested at– other than cutegirls –…… Hence the reason why she held a grudge at Poncho due to him excludedher from eating new dishes.
「Th-thatis still a sample dish, so its quant.i.ty wasn’t much……」(Poncho)
「I hadreceived an order from His Majesty and Princess to accompany you who aren’t thataccustomed in dealing with the public, so I endeavored to wholeheartedly a.s.sistyou. Even so, you didn’t give me a chance to sample the food, is it because Iam already an adult woman?」(Serina)
「Whenwe return! When we return, I will you properly treat you with food, yes!」(Poncho)
Poncho panicked when Serina made asad expression. Then,
「It’sa promise.」(Serina)
Serina said that with a completely nonchalant face.Apparently, she was just acting to obtain Poncho’s promise. Poncho dropped hischest crestfallenly. Seeing these two’s interaction, Ginger was dumbfounded,but Sandria repeatedly nodding for some reason.
「Itlooks like their relationship is similar like the one between Master and me.」(Sandria)
「? Myemployer is the Princess, however.」(Serina)
「Notin that meaning……」(Sandria)
Sandria showed a troubled smile atSerina who t.i.tled her neck in confusion. Meanwhile, both of the men werewatching these their conversation while question mark floating over their head.
◇ ◇ ◇
After the greeting finished, Gingertook Sandria, Poncho, and Serina and leave 『Ginger"sVocational Academy』 to head towards “Outside”.In the 『Vocational Academy』,there was a research building for the agricultural technology, where research aboutcrops and compost or selective breeding were conducted. However, there was nofield inside the Vocational Academy where those research result could be seen.The former slum was located close to the City Walls, so they established thefield beyond the City Wall. The research building and the field were separatedby the castle wall, but the distance was really short that it was easy totravel between the building and the field.
Pa.s.sing through the city gate, Gingerguided Poncho and the others to the field owned by the 『VocationalAcademy』. While greeting the Guards who watched the field, thefour people arrived in front of two fields. It seemed that none of the twofields had planted with crops, but the first field’s soil looked like a normalblack soil[4],while the second field’s surface was dried up and cracked. After showing these field,Ginger then asked Poncho.
「Thereason for Poncho-dono’s visit today is related to the research of “that”,correct?」(Ginger)
「Yes.Since His Majesty and I too have great expectations for the “that” researchresult.」(Poncho)
After hearing Poncho reply, Gingershook his head with an apologetic expression.
「…… Letme preface my reply with an apology. We did not get a result you expected.」(Ginger)
A research that Souma or Ponchoput great expectations into. It was a research of the 『FailedCreation』 that had been inventedby the Over-Scientist Ginya Maxwell. During the previous reign of the King Albert,Ginya developed a plant-seed inserted arrowhead so that a battlefield could be fullof greeneries. However, due to the effect of the light magic enchantment endowedto that arrowhead, the plant grows and proliferates at an extremely rapid rateand nearly engulfed half of the research building with vegetation. So it was afailure creation with a major defect.
Ginya was transferred to the RoyalArmy and her research was frozen. However, King Souma, in his interaction withher, became aware of her research and noticed its usefulness, and so he orderedfor the resumption of that research. Ignoring the arrowhead part, if theyresearched about how the vegetation grow at such speed that could engulf a building,then it might be useful for desert greening[5]and food productivity improvement. However, since the genius Ginya no longer hadany interest in that research, Souma ordered the Agricultural TechnologyResearch Department at Ginger"s Vocational Academy instead.
However…… Ginger said that they couldn’tshow a successful result.
「Certainlywe achieved the rapid growth of the plants. Between the growth andproliferation plant trait, we had succeeded in eliminating the proliferation part,so being engulfed by vegetation won’t happen anymore.」(Ginger)
「So itbecomes controllable? Isn’t this a success, yes?」(Poncho)
「No, notat all. Although this research is performed with expectation for being employedin food productivity improvement and desert greening…… The research found outthat it would be useful for that purpose. Ginya-dono’s magic arts is “only”accelerated the plant’s growth. Poncho-dono, do you know what plants needed fortheir growth?」(Ginger)
After thinking for awhile, Ponchoanswered,
「Itshould be a fertile soil and water…… and, sunlight, yes?」(Poncho)
Ginger nodded.
「Yes.There is no problem with the sunlight. For the water, we could manage one wayor another. The problem is the fertile soil. Even when the plant had its growthaccelerated, the amount of water and nutrients absorbed from the soil doesn’tchange. Ginya-dono also recognized this point, so in her magic arts, she also includeda function to absorb nutrients and water from the soil.」(Ginger)
Ginger said this word as hepointed at the cracked dried field.
「Thisfield is the aftermath of the growth-accelerated wheat harvest.」(Ginger)
「…… It"scompletely similar to a desert sand, yes.」(Poncho)
「Evenif we can accelerate the plant’s growth, fertilizing the soil would take a considerableamount of time. As a result, the plants would absorb moisture and nutrients fromthe soil and ended it this dried up field. In this state, nothing can be plantedon it anymore.」(Ginger)
「Can’tyou continuously provided the nutrition into the earth one way or another?」(Poncho)
「Itis impossible. Unlike water, providing continuous nutrition to match the growthspeed itself is not realistically possible. In the first place, fertilizer itselfis limited. If the fertilizer is depleted due to the increase the growth speed,as a result, the productivity improvement might not happen at all.」(Ginger)
「Sothat is…… impossible.」(Poncho)
When plants decayed, it willreturn the nutrition back into the soil, but it won’t happen with the foodcrops. Indeed, it is impossible to return every food part that had beenconsumed by human back to the field.
「Thisis the reason why we judged that this method not suitable for growing food crops.The other purpose, the desert greening, will also impossible since it lackedwater from in the first place. Even if we could provide it with water ca.n.a.ls, thistime the rapid growth rate would be the bottleneck problem. The plants alsodecayed at a rapid rate, after all.」(Ginger)
「Soit’s something that can’t be done either way, yes……」(Poncho)
Poncho dropped his shoulders dejectedly.It was disappointing that the research that he put hopes for had produced zeroresults. However, Ginger shook his head again.
「Itdoesn’t mean that it is completely without result. Please look at the neighboringfield.」(Ginger)
「…… But,there is only a soil-covered field?」(Poncho)
「Yes,the soil in this field is just a normal soil. A created “normal soil”.」(Ginger)
While saying this, Ginger took a handfulof soil.
「Thesoil in this field is brought from the dungeon inhabited by many undead-typemonsters. Of course, when it was first brought here, it was contaminated bymiasma released by the undead-type monster.」(Ginger)
「Miasma!?」(Poncho)
Poncho unconsciously yelped. Anundead-type monster such as Skull Dragon, scattered miasma that harms livingbeings simply by being present in the environment. The miasma spreads disease,corrodes things, and prevents living creatures to reside on that location.Moreover, it has the characteristic of remaining on the ground for long periodof time. As a result, the land where the Skull Dragon once rampaged or where thereis a large outbreak of zombies and so on, will end up as a barren land where nocrops will grow in that location for a long period of time.
However, Ginger picked up that shouldbe dangerous soil in his hand without any hesitation. Poncho closely examinedthat soil with an intense stare.
「Isthis soil…… safe?」(Poncho)
「Yes.It had completely cleaned from miasma.」(Ginger)
「Whathad you done, yes?」(Poncho)
「By usingthat same method. There is a flower that blooms only in a dungeon where manyundead-type monsters resided.」
As Ginger said this word, heasked Sandria to bring out a stalk of flower. That flower was reddish violet coloredwith a greenish-black spots, obviously, this was a poisonous-looking color combination.A flower that you don’t want to give as a gift for an auspicious celebrationeven as a mistake.
「Thisflower is called 『Miasma Flower』 amongst the adventurers who went into the dungeon. The location where thisflower bloom indicates that it is the active domain of the undead-typemonster. That’s why when they discover this flower, they would preparecountermeasure for the miasma.」(Ginger)
「Sothere is a flower like this. Wow, to think that I don’t know about this.」(Poncho)
Poncho is very well-informedabout edible plants. Not only about ingredients that are edible, but also ingredientsthat are inedible. Because Poncho’s knowledge is rooted from his appet.i.te.Therefore, he wasn’t that well-informed in plants that are inedible just bylooking from its appearance or plants that are virtually inedible, which didn’tpique his interest. Ginger unintentionally chuckled.
「Asthe name suggested, this Miasma Flower grows with miasma as its nutrient. This isthe reason why it grew in throngs inside the dungeons with a large number ofundead-type monster. If we plant the Miasma Flower combined Ginya-dono’s magicarts to accelerate the plant growth in a contaminated soil like this one, then……」(Ginger)
「!? Isee! The amazingly fast rate of growth will absorb the miasma from the ground!」(Poncho)
*pon* Ponchohit his hands. If they used the method on the normal plants, they would absorb thesoil nutrient and left it barren. But in Miasma Flower’s case, only the miasma thatwill be absorbed. Ginger nodded.
「Afterward,we can harvest the flowers and incinerate them. Since the miasma had been usedfor its growth, only ash remained after they are burnt. If we repeat thisprocess twice, the contaminated soil will return to a normal soil like thisone.」(Ginger)
「Isn’tthis- isn’t this a truly wonderful discovery! It could counteract the effect ofthe undead-type monsters on fields and crops, yes!」(Poncho)
Poncho was delighted. Its applicationwasn’t much, but since the antic.i.p.ated research wasn’t without any result, hewas delighted none the less. Poncho suddenly had a thought.
(This reminds me…… When gathering the talented people,His Majesty had spoken these words, 『I will decide whether or not it is useful.』 Perhaps his words mean that there are no useless thingin this world. Even me who don’t have any talent other than eating…… could helpthis country even just for a little bit.)
Poncho, who thought like this, feltslightly more confident in himself.
Serina and Sandria were watchingthe men engrossed in serious conversation from a slight distance away with aslightly dismayed expression. Without throwing a single glance at them, the twomen were having an exciting exchange of opinions about the research. It was asif in the men’s head, the women’s existence had disappeared. Seeing her masterbehaving like this, Sandria asked Serina.
「…… Areevery man always behave in this manner?」(Sandria)
「Thatmaybe so. Princess oftentimes appears to be jealous when watching His Majesty[6].I felt that even if she trusts His Majesty who worked hard running the nation, insome respects, she looks frustrated.」(Serina)
「Howabout Serina-sama?」(Sandria)
「Me? Ofwhat?」(Serina)
「Areyou currently feel jealous?」(Sandria)
「Notat all? My employer is Princess. Certainly, I have been given the privilege tobe at Poncho-dono’s side, however, to feel jealous when seeing him talking withanother person is something that perhaps won’t happen.」(Serina)
Serina replied with a serious expression,and after Sandria thought about it for a bit, she looked straight at Serina’seyes and asked,
「Well,what if Ginger-sama is a woman? In this case, will you still not feel jealous?」(Sandria)
Serina looked at Poncho and Gingerwho were in the midst of conversation. If the one Poncho is talking with is awoman, then…… After pondering for a few moment, Serina finally gave her answer.
「Whoeverhe is talking with to, I don’t feel anything.」(Serina)
「Isee……」(Sandria)
「…………However, if Poncho only gave that person to taste his new cuisine…… Then…… Idon’t…… like it. Even if eating together with that person is not something thatis wrong for him……」(Serina)
Serina replied with an expressionof not understanding why she was thinking like this. Sandria made a slightlysurprised face, but she didn’t ask any further.
Serina herself didn’t really understandif her words “only” came from her gluttony. However, she predicted that this ‘fuzzy’feeling will be cleared after she returned back to the castle and ate thepromised hot sandwich.
☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽
The way to a woman"s heart is through her stomach.
That’s why don’t be cheap and take her tofancy restaurant!
Also… All aboard! Ship is setting sail!