For those interested, the table of contents (ToC) has been updated with the future chapter t.i.tles.
Volume 2: Hero Ruti is here
Chapter 47: Red and Lit have stew
Translator: Tseirp
Zoltan was surrounded by a vast expanse of gra.s.slands.
During this season, the farmers from the north district typically head outside the two meter high ramparts, or more like a stone wall, that surrounds Zoltan to mow gra.s.s from the outer gra.s.slands to collect feed for their livestock in preparation for winter.
The people from Downtown want animal feed too so there were many partic.i.p.ants.
Poor adventurers below D-rank also partic.i.p.ate as a side-job. The frequency was low but they were in charge of exterminating monsters whenever they appear. The rewards for the job was low but they could receive food such as vegetables and wheat flour from the farmers.
They could easily earn a living by gathering medicinal herbs but the nature of this job meant that they would be surrounded by companions and would be carried to town immediately if they suffer any serious injuries. To them, it was important that there would almost not be any need to put their lives on the line.
The collected gra.s.s would be piled up in the north district warehouse to become hay and sold at a reasonable price once winter came.
“It’ll be winter soon.”
The sky was clear and sunny.
The temperature was slightly chilly.
I wore a coat over the usual shirt I wore.
With my left hand kept in my pocket, I was on my way back to the shop hugging with my right hand a package containing a large number of potatoes and cheese as well as chestnuts as a bonus that I received from the farmers in exchange for medicine.
“It’s still warm compared to Logavia.”
Lit said as she plunged her hand into my coat pocket as well.
She held my left hand tight to warm her slightly chilly hand.
“Didn’t you just comment that it was still warm?”
“Winter is still winter.”
Perhaps she was slightly embarra.s.sed as Lit lifted the bandana wrapped around her neck up slightly to cover her mouth.
When I gripped her hand back tightly, I discovered through the gap of her bandana that Lit was grinning.
It was somewhat cute so I ended up grinning too.
“Ah, Red is grinning.”
And so Lit made fun of me.
How unreasonable.
☆☆
We returned to the shop just before noon.
It was still too early for lunch.
Lit took three tins of 10-liter milk out from her item box that she received from the farmers similarly by exchanging medicine.
You might think that it would have been fine for me to store the potatoes in the item box too but although the item box would recognize the milk kept inside the tins, it would not recognize the bag the potatoes were kept in and will store the bag and the potatoes in separate alternate s.p.a.ces.
Then, I would have to image them separately when I want to take them out, with no choice but to take the potatoes and cheeses out one-by-one.
And I would have to memorize every single different kind of vegetable when putting them in so it was quite an arduous task and keeping them in a bag and carrying by hand was a lot faster.
“The milk will go bad if we don’t use it quickly.”
“Shall we exchange one tin with other food in the market?”
“Good idea, I’ll pop by for a bit.”
“Can I come along?”
“Of course.”
Now then, if there was another person around, they would have had this question.
Who would watch the shop if the two of us went together?
… Autumn was ending after all so it can’t be helped that the two of us wanted to have a stroll together!
Gonz would probably hold his belly and laugh if he heard it.
But only Lit and I were there.
I plan to live an irrational fun life to the fullest.
I grabbed a bag with common copper coins in it and set off once again together with Lit.
☆☆
When we reached the market, Zoltan’s summer languidness had completely pa.s.sed as shop owners wearing slightly thicker clothes were raising their voices to promote their products.
“Now what should we exchange it for.”
In the cities of the Avalon Continent, coin purchase of goods was practiced but there were still many who barter for goods.
The common copper coin with a low value equivalent to 0.01 Peryl was fundamentally used as a supplementary coin when bartering goods.
Previously, even in Newman’s clinic, there was an old lady who paid the treatment cost using meat and common copper coins too so it was a common sight on this continent.
I heard that the money economy of the Dark Continent was advancing. Their copper coin was about the size of a pinky and unlike our common copper coins where there are even privately-made copper coins mixed in, they apparently engrave their copper coins.
Even in the Avalon Continent, their coins are high quality with a low price so there are also countries that import the Dark Continent-minted coins to use as their own country’s coin.
If a person plans to travel to the Dark Continent, they can exchange money at such countries.
The price of milk in Zoltan was slightly high.
Because it was better to rear milking cows in a slightly cooler environment.
It was probably 20% more expensive compared to other regions.
Normally it would cost about 5 Peryl for 10 liters but in Zoltan, it would cost 6 Peryl.
6 Peryl was equivalent to the living expenses for six days. Instead of exchanging it in a single shop, we would probably be exchanging it for food ingredients one after another.
Or for some expensive food material that is not normally sold.
In comparison, beef was slightly cheaper compared to milk.
The farmers commented that Zoltan had a suitable environment for meat cow animal husbandry.
However, compared to the price of beef in the central region, it was not cheaper by even 10%. It sold for 95% of the price in the central region, about 4.5 Peryl for 1 kilogram.
It wasn’t really agreeable.
“Isn’t it the season for stew soon?”
“Stew huh, then, shall we buy some sausages and I’ll make pot-au-feu?”
“Can’t we add beef in directly? I like stewed meat!”
“That works too, beef stew it is then. The vegetables will be onion, cabbage, turnip, and leek. The appetizer will be marinated fish. Fried chicken to go with the stew. After finishing the stew, we can add pasta and let it shimmer. The dessert will be fruit yogurt.”
“Wow, that’s luxurious! But is it all right? For such a day without any occasions?”
Lit’s eyes were sparkling from my words but she asked with her head slightly tilted.
I smiled to dodge the question.
It was too embarra.s.singly hard to admit that I was happy and over-enthusiastic because Lit made a dish request.
☆☆
“It’s done~”
“Yay~”
I placed the stew on the table we set in the living room.
After that, I set a small lit charcoal stand on the table.
The fire wasn’t very strong but the heat radiation from the charcoal caused the stew to emit bubbling sounds.
“Let’s eat.”
“Yup.”
She had eaten most of the marinated fish while waiting for the stew.
I kind of felt that she ate a little too much even though it was meant to be an appetizer but it seemed that it was a needless worry on my part when I placed the stew in front of her.
We had fun conversations while we picked at the stew.
“This chicken dumpling is delicious too.”
“Yeah, I ended up buying it after the butcher strongly recommended it for the leftover amount of common copper coins I had but it certainly matches his recommendation. I will have to thank that butcher.”
After we finished eating, I added pasta and left it to shimmer.
The soup pasta that soaked up the taste of the ingredients was delicious as well.
The after meal dessert was yogurt with cut grapes and bananas.
Seeing the sweet-tooth Lit happily eating it made me want to ask if she wanted my share too.
Well, I ate my own share too though. I love sweet stuff too.
“Thank you for the meal!”
After we both finished eating, Lit had a satisfied smile on her face.
I felt from the bottom of my heart that the effort put into making today’s luxurious meal was worth it just by seeing that smile.