This and that happened, and it’s already the fifth day. I got considerably accustomed to traveling.
Hafuu……
I slept well. The koki sound when moving my neck must be because of age? I don’t like it, I was finally rejuvenated. Ara, which reminds me, un. I was rejuvenated, wasn’t I? But…… still an elderly? What a half-baked job……
On the fifth day, I finally came to think about it…… I’m as expected…… no, let’s forget the old evaluation.
Now then, let’s make a breakfast since I’m up.
Yokkoisho. I think this every time, but getting out of the carriage is the hardest. M, my foot won’t reach. Zuri, zuri, zuri. A, ah~ I, it reached……?
I feel like my foot touched something…… this is, probably the ground.
Yoisho. I push my body with a hand.
Done. I was able to get out of the carriage without an injury today.
Now then, let’s make the breakfast. But…… un, I have only what I have.
Let’s get the soup stock from the pack first. I pour water in a pot then put in the soup pack and put it on the fire.
I have oat, so I will wash it in another pot. Then, I will let it soaking in the water for a while.
N, I have a little bit of Powa (spring onion) left. Let’s mince it finely.
Is the stock done yet? Un, a good fragrance. I take out the stock. And insert the oat. Mix together with finely chopped s.h.i.toru (pumpkin), kotokoto.
What shall I make for the morning tea? Coffee, black tea or green tea are out of the question. Is something from what I have picked suited for morning tea?
Ummm. Chrysanthemum and mugwort? Yes, let’s make tea from mugwort. Although I say that, I just put it into a pot as always.
I want barley~ You can make barley tea when you roast it. I want to drink it because of my high blood pressure…… are? Which reminds me, I have not recently felt the usual dokidoki or kaa~. Ah, perhaps, because of the reconstruction…… That’s right, I have become slightly younger. Did it also cure my illnesses? What a grateful thing.
It appears that the oat has become soft. Tasting…… n~…… let’s add a little bit of seaweed salt. Put in the finely minced spring onions and boil. Although it’s unsatisfactory that it doesn’t contain protein.
Ah, the soup pack! If I roast that, I could sprinkle it over. But, I don’t have any more pots…… for now, put the soup stock in a wooden bowl, add miso and mix, and stir.
U~n. Stretch, stretch.
Everyone is quite not getting up yet.
I got used to making meals as well. I became able to do most things by myself.
I can’t trouble Iris any longer.
There’s nothing to worry about…… is what I would like to say, however.
The ingredients……
Seasonings
・Seaweed salt (just a little bit)
・Miso (about three tablespoons)
・Stock pack (two more)
・Brown sugar (two cubes)
・Malted rice (not used yet)
There is only a little left.
Ingredients
・Oats (handful)
・Gathered perilla (just a little bit)
・Gathered chrysanthemum (just a little bit)
・Gathered rosemary
What to do? I can’t make a meal. I wonder how much further to Tiyul…… I don’t want to starve to death.
Let’s consult with Elm after the breakfast.
「Nee, Elm. How much longer until we arrive?」
「I would say around eight more days until we arrive at Tiyul」
「Maa, what to do? I don’t have any more ingredients」
「There’s still the dried meat」
「The seasoning is not enough」
「Maa, it can’t be helped, right? We still have a little of hard bread, though」
「There’s not enough vegetables as well」
「…… We will arrive at a small village in two days」
「Will we be all right not eating for two days?」
「We will arrive later, but would you like to hunt and gather today?」
「Could we do that? But, there are not enough seasonings, so it will be mostly taste of saltiness, will that be all right?」
「That’s is normal for us, but……」
「Yes. But, I don’t like that. I’m sorry for being selfish, okay?」
「Haa. It can’t be helped, can it? We will get off the road for a while then」
「Altight. I’m really sorry for being so selfish」
I mean, there’s no tea anymore. I used up the herbs. I even used up all of the vegetables.
Only water can be produced with magic, so we are okay on that front.
Since then, I have been practicing magic before sleeping by circulating it around my body or gathering it at hands…… I’m working hard on such basics. Therefore, I still can’t use Clean myself. It’s alright because Iris is casting it on me every day, though.
Elm conveyed to everyone that we are hunting and gathering today.
It appears that Iris and Sapin are going to hunt while Elm and Shien are going to be gathering.
Ara, what about Ivar and me?
…… We are watching over the carriage they said. Even though I think that I’m able to at least do the gathering.
So, that makes Ivar my guard…… un, I’m being taken care of.
Oh well. Let’s knit covers for the cushion.
Chikuchiku, chikuchiku……
「Ivar, what color do you like?」
「Color? Why?」
「I thought about making a cover for the cushion, you see. I thought to embroider it with Ivar’s favorite color」
「Tawny」
「Tawny? U~n…… what shall I embroider……」
「Short rest?」
「Ara, you are fond of tea?」
「Un」
「Let’s see. Tea…… tea…… a cup?」
「Looking forward」
「Yes. Look forward to it」
Well then, let’s cut undyed cloth and embroider『Ivar』in a small font here. Add the embroidery of a cup. Un, un let’s add the steam.
Chikuchiku, chikuchiku……
Also the contents. Let’s cover it for now.
「Ivar, what suits Iris?」
「Iris? Flower? Blue one」
「Ara, Ivar thinks that blue flower suits Iris」
「Un」
「Blue thread…… thread…… ah, there it is. Let’s do it with this」
Chikuchiku, chikuchiku……
I modelled it after iris. Fufu.
Everyone is late, aren’t they? Let’s make the preparations for the lunch.
I soak the remaining dried meat into water. I soak oats in a separate pot.
I put the pot with dried meat on the fire. Until it’s cooked soft.
N~…… I want some greens, after all.
Kyorokyoro.
Are, what kind of greens is that? Broccolini?
Is that edible, I wonder……
「Ivar, is that plant poisonous?」
「N? Which?」
「This one, this」
I lead Ivar by hand to the plant.
「This?」
「Right. Does this plant has a poison? Can it be eaten?」
「Edible. But, bitter」
「It’s bitter?」
「Un」
Is there a lye, I wonder……
「Ivar, I want to gather a little bit, can you use Clean?」
「N」
Ivar casts Clean on the neighborhood (around 1m radius) of the bitter plant. Let’s pick only a little bit.
Is there something else? We don’t have enough ingredients.
Ah, is that perhaps the sourleaf, j.a.panese knotweed? It’s similar, isn’t it?
「Ivar, is that edible? Have you eaten it before?」
「Baachan, sour」
「So you have eaten it, right? It’s sour? Have you eaten it raw?」
「Ate when hungry. sour and crunchy」
Un, un. It’s sourleaf, isn’t it? Yosh, it could be used as a garnish to cleanse the palate.
「Ivar, can you use Clean just like before?」
「Un」
Un. I got quite a bit. Then, let’s carry it back to the carriage. Yoishotto. H, heavy…… it’s slightly different from j.a.pan, isn’t it? I did not notice, but it can easily break. It has a lot of moisture……
「Ivar, please help me to bring it back」
「Carry. Wait」
We have moved slightly far away from the carriage, didn’t we? I’m sorry. I have made you work. I have to reflect……
「I can also carry a little bit?」
「Baachan. Here, wait」
「Fuu. Is it not alright to go together? I can carry a little as well」
「At once, too heavy. Sorry」
「I see. Let’s go together the second time then, okay? I’m also sorry. I have not understood Ivar’s consideration」
「Uun. Learn to carry more」
Umm, I wonder if this is declaring his intentions to try his best to become able to carry more?
「Alright. Do your best. I will cheer you on」
「Going. Wait here」
「Yes, I will wait on you here. Have a safe trip」
Ara, I think I made a mistake with my wording a little bit, but…… Ivar seems to be happy so…… it’s fine?
Then, let’s sit here for a little bit. It won’t take that much time, will it?
To the carriage, let’ see…… three minutes round trip, I would say. It’s visible, but…… it’s quite far.
Gasagasa!!
W, what was that? I heard some sound from the bushes behind……
When I turn around, I saw a lengthy tawny creature…… un, looks like a rabbit…… but, the size is……
Twice the j.a.panese rabbit? Just like a Shiba Inu……
Also, a horn…… it has one. Rabbit……
I back off bit-by-bit while thinking. Without averting my eyes……
It’s wild, isn’t it? That’s only natural, though……
The rabbit also started to crouch.
Umm, what should I……
Kyaa, it leaped!
O, ouch……
The horn, struck…… I can say it only grazed me……
This is bad, isn’t it…… blood is coming out.
I’m glad it was just my upper arm…… if it was a leg, I wouldn’t be able to escape.
Rabbit has red eyes even over here, huh…… n, no. They became bloodshot.
Uwa, it leaped again! I have to runaah!
Gorogoro, I roll aside. Kyaa, leaping, changing direction and leaping right away is unfair.
It grazed my thigh this time. My pants were torn and blood is oozing out.
Bit-by-bit……