Chapter 154
New Ingredient
The inn Vivan was staying at wasn’t far from the place we met her .
But, even though it was an inn Vivan was staying at, it would be difficult to ask them to lend me, a mere visitor their kitchen, so I negotiated with them to lend me a part of the dining hall . That’s because I can make Dorayaki pancakes on the portable cooking stove as long as I have a stable surface .
There weren’t many customers as the time for lunch has already pa.s.sed and it was still early for the dinner, so the owner gladly agreed .
“Here, it’s done . ”
“Yaay~ Thank you very muuuch . I certainly received it, so here’s your payment~”
When I handed the freshly made Cream Dorayaki and regular Dorayaki to Vivian, she handed me the Enerunrun♪ With this, the transaction is done, but… ——
“Are you really okay with this as a payment?”
“It’s plenty~ I mean, this is not being sold anywhere after all . ”
“Well, that’s certainly true, but… that’s similar to this medicine, no?”
“Nono, although there are only a few circulating around, they are definitely not un.o.btainable~ ham . ”
I feel that this transaction was way more profitable for me . Vivian said that there’s an added value from the Dorayaki not being purchasable anywhere else, but Enerunrun♪ is a Vampire special-made medicine too, so I feel that its popularity would bring its worth up .
Vivan didn’t seem to mind that at all as she promptly sunk her teeth into the Cream Dorayaki .
“”Au~~~””
Allen and Elena watched the Cream Dorayaki eating Vivian in envy .
“You have just eaten Dorayaki a little while ago, so you each get only a half, alright?”
“”Yeah!””
As expected, I would feel sorry for them if they had to endure with a person eating in front of them, so when I handed each a half of the Cream Dorayaki, the two ate with great joy .
This time, they didn’t stuff their cheeks but ate little by little instead . They looked like little squirrels… so cute, oy .
“Hafuu~ that was delicious . Ah, right, right! Tak.u.mi-san . ”
Vivian who quickly finished eating the Cream Dorayaki called out to me .
“N, what is it?”
“Tak.u.mi-san, can you make something tasty out of this?”
What Vivian presented to me was a bag stuffed with fingernail-sized yellow grains .
“What is this?”
I didn’t know what it was, so I tried appraising it right away .
“This is!”
It was dried corn . It seems to be called Yellow Millet on Aetherdia though . There are apparently variants of different colors like Black Millet, White Millet, and Red Millet too . They all differ in taste, but I don’t know how much different they are .
“How come you have this, Vivian? I have not seen anyone selling it . ”
“Huhh~? From the way you talk, you seem to have been searching for it~? Just like White Wheat, this is used as fodder for the domestic animals in a few areas~ Well, these were dried though~”
I knew that not only the White Wheat—Rice, was used as fodder on Aetherdia, but…
So it’s restricted to certain regions? Now I can understand why I have not found it yet .
Rather, why is it that domestic animals have such variety of fodder? How mysterious .
“I thought that you might be able to make something tasty out of it just like with the White Wheat~ So I bought it just in case~”
The first thing that comes to mind with dried corn is popcorn . But, I believe that a certain kind of corn is used for that . Different kinds should get burnt when used .
Also… would I be able to make a corn soup if I had the flour?
“It’s unfortunate that it’s not raw . Say, Vivian, can you get it only dry?”
If it was raw, I could fry it on b.u.t.ter and soy sauce, I could add it to pilaf and stew as well, I could even put it into a bread . No, when it comes to bread, I might be able to use the dry ones too?
“N? Not dry, is it~? I think you would be able to get them at the actual place, but I am afraid to say that they are produced on the west side of the Gaya Forest, in the country called the Farce Kingdom~”
The Farce Kingdom, huh~ If we go in a straight line from here, the Guardia Country, through the Gaya Forest and another country, we could reach the Farce Kingdom . It’s too far indeed~
“Are the dry ones obtainable somewhere around here then?”
“There might be a shop that deals with them here in the Capital~”
“I see . I should try looking for one then…”
I have not looked around the stores in the Capital just yet, so I should take a peek after this .
“Rather, Tak.u.mi-san . You can keep that~”
“Eh? You sure?”
“Yes~ I won’t be able to use it anyway~ It would be nice if you could treat me with something yummy that was made from that the next time~”
“… If I am able to make use of it, that is . ”
“Yes, that’s fine with me~”
However, even if I manage to make something nice from the Yellow Millet, I can tell when I will come across Vivian again~
Well, although I have not told Vivian that I can use Infinite Storage, she has surely noticed by now, so there shouldn’t be a problem?
“You and I are connected by fate, so you don’t have to worry as we will surely meet again~ Therefore, please be at ease and prepare something tasty for me, okay~”
Err… was I making such obvious expression again? Moreover, for it to be read by that Vivian… I really must be easy to understand~ Should I train my mimetic muscles a little more?
Still… —
“Having my fate tied with yours… I don’t want that though…”
“Ehh~ you are cruel, Tak.u.mi-sa~n . ”
I am fine with a light a.s.sociation, but talking about fate and things… it leaves a bad taste in my mouth .
“Now then, we have finished our business, so we should be on our way . ”
“Waa~oh, you are going with this timing~”
“Allen and Elena just finished eating too . ”
“”Was yummy~””
“Huh, my~”
Somehow managing to bid farewell with Vivian who tried to detain us, we who left the inn decided to look around a store that dealt with fodder and manure along the road .
“Yellow Millet? You are looking for something unusual, lad . Err… if I am not mistaken, we should have Black Millet and Red Millet in the stock, but we have never dealt with Yellow Millet before . ”
The store we have visited has never dealt with Yellow Millet, but they apparently had two different kinds . If they had the White Millet too, I would have all kinds of the colored millet, but things didn’t go that smoothly .
Well, there are many stores of this kind in the Capital, so I might be able to find it by looking around .
“Is that so? Can you sell me the Black Millet and Red Millet then? I would like White Wheat if you have it as well . ”
“Thank you for the business! You help us out by buying the Millet, so I will sell it to you cheap! Also, the White White? We have just restocked, so buy as much as you need!”
I decided to buy the Black Millet and Red Millet at once and also made an additional purchase of White Wheat while I was here . We have recently increased the amount of White Wheat we eat, so let’s buy a larger quant.i.ty .
“Thank you for waiting! Here you go, Black Millet, Red Millet, and White Wheat . ”
The Black Millet the clerk has brought was slightly purplish in color and the Red Millet grains were of orange-yellow hue, so as he sold them to me cheaply, I decided to buy out his entire inventory .
“”What will you make~?””
“N? Let’s see~ First of all, I will try to make it into a flour and cook some soup . I want to confirm each variety’s flavor first . ”
I think soups would be good to compare the flavors of the millets . I won’t be able to tell the millets flavor by mixing the dry grains into food .
“”Soup!””
“Sounds yummy~”
“Quickly want to drink~”
“Hahaha~ no need to be in such a hurry . I understand that you are looking forward to it, but as I thought, I would like to obtain all four varieties first and compare the flavors all at once . That won’t be possible today, but let’s look around different stores tomorrow . ”
“”Ehh~””
Allen and Elena were looking forward to the soup, but they showed obviously dissatisfied expression when I told them that I won’t be making it just yet .
“I will make them immediately after finding the White Millet, so endure for a little longer . ”
“”A little longer~?””
“A little longer . If we find the White Millet tomorrow, I will make four kinds of soups . Endure for a day, okay?”
“”Oka~y . ””
The two still seemed a bit displeased, but they reluctantly agreed, so I decided to explore the town tomorrow .