Chapter 8: Let"s cultivate Jack O" Lantern (2)
We didn"t know how to cook the first pumpkins we harvested. Therefore, we came to town.
Who knew that these pumpkins would be a monster called Jack O" Lantern. To tell the truth, I wanted to cook it and eat it at all costs.
At first, I thought I would not eat any monsters, but, no matter how many times I looked at it, it was just a common-looking pumpkin. Besides, I grew these pumpkins myself! I want to eat them!
So, these were the emotions a farmer gets once he grows his own vegetables! I wanted to taste with my mouth the first edible plant that I raised!
Well, when I first came to this town, I wanted to eat at the restaurant since I was starving. I ended up being kicked out. Lily suggested moments ago that we should get a meal for free if we exchange it with a pumpkin. In the end, we ended up in front of a very different restaurant.
Hmm, it was worn-out. Or rather, should I describe it as old-fashioned? The first restaurant I went was a high-cla.s.s dining. However, why do I get a very different feeling from this particular restaurant? Compared to the finesse of the other restaurant, this one looked like a small, family-oriented restaurant.
「Someone I know is running this restaurant. Lately, I heard that she"s having difficulties with finances. I thought that you should cooperate with her. 」
「Ah, I see. Still…Did you say cooperate? What I will do? Work? 」
「Well, if you"re willing to do that, I guess it will be fine. However, I was thinking of something more useful than that. 」
We went inside as she suggested.
Hmm, I said earlier that this small restaurant was worn-out and old-fashioned. But when I went inside it was surprisingly neat. Was the "everyday appearance" the right word to describe it? I mean, once inside the restaurant it had this kind of relaxing atmosphere to it. You could eat comfortably. Ah, I"m sure we can eat more calmly on this place than a high-cla.s.s restaurant.
As I was admiring how likable the dining room was, one girl approached us and bowed her head when she greeted Lily.
「Welcome, thank you for coming…oh my, is that you, Lily? 」
「It"s been a while, Mina. 」
Mina was interacting in a friendly manner with Lily. She was about the same age as Lily, but her appearance and mood was quite the opposite. Mina was a quiet and neat girl. She was cute without being pretentious. Lily was a girl raised with honor, but this new girl was like a bright flower among the ordinary people.
After the short talk with Lily, Mina looked at me and said.
「Lily, who is this? 」
「Ah, he is Kyou. Actually, he is able to cultivate monsters. 」
Hey, don"t say it straight like that. Well, she was not wrong though.
Mina was actually very surprised when she heard that. That"s right. There is a psycho on this world that can grow monsters.
Although Mina had this surprising expression in her face, she was not that scared. Rather, she looked fascinated instead.
「Ah, so you are growing monsters! Excuse me, what kind of monsters are you successfully cultivating right now!? 」
Eh, so this girl was the same as Lily? Just how many people in this world are eager to eat ingredients that come from monsters? Ah, I needed to keep reminding myself of the reality of this world. If they don"t have common vegetables, their standard food is monsters.
Well, we succeeded in growing Jack O" Lantern. We"ve brought four pieces with us for now.
「Eh! Amazing! That"s amazing! Ah, you know, is it possible for me to keep getting Jack O" Lantern!? 」
Yes. Certainly, even if we grow monsters, there is no way to cook them now. Therefore, I would rather offer it to a restaurant and get money. Or maybe a meal for free instead. Maybe that was Lily"s idea when she introduced me to this particularly restaurant since the owner was someone she knew very well.
「Actually, Mina"s finances have become difficult recently. The price of monsters also rose significantly. Because of that, the quality of the food also fell. If you"re okay with it, why don"t you help Mina? 」
Lily whispered to me to explain Mina"s current situation.
I see. That"s understandable. I don"t mind helping a girl in trouble since I also faced some hardship before. I know how hard life can be.
「Understood. I don"t mind. If you"re happy with the monster I raised, I"ll give it to you. 」
「Really? Thank you so much! Well then, about the payment… 」
「Ah, don"t mind about that for now. More importantly, what we want now is…」
「We want to eat Jack O" Lantern!! 」
Both Lily and I screamed ardently as if we were desperately hungry.
【Killer Wolf stew with Jack O" Lantern soup. 】
The soup was simmered until it became a delicious-looking Jack O" Lantern pumpkin soup. It had a very rich and sweet flavor. It was very delicious because the sweetness of a pumpkin was authentic and strong. The stew was made with Killer Wolf meat that the adventurers killed in the forest. So, the meal was basically meat and pumpkin. In addition, the taste of Jack O" Lantern matched the richness of the tender meat. Everything melted in my mouth. The wolf meat tasted like pork. Amazing combination with the Jack O" Lantern pumpkin soup.
「Oh my, that was delicious. But when did you get the Killer Wolf meat? 」
「That"s the basics of an adventurer. Except for some beast-like monsters, most of them can be eaten. In other words, I collected some remains during that time in the forest. 」
「That makes sense. But, it seems that my life is starting to finally flow differently on this strange world! If I dedicate my life to cultivating monsters, I could make a living by selling and cooking! I want to be the best monster farmer on this world! 」
「Sometimes, you say weird things that I can"t even understand. What do you mean by strange world? 」
As usual, Lily thought of me as an odd fella that only said absurd things. We walked to the hills. I never knew that an unexpected sight had been waiting for me when I returned home.
「Hi, brother. Have you finally came home? You"re late. 」
…Yeah, someone was waiting for my return. But, who? This voice was somewhat funny and suspicious. Who"s calling me?
「By the way, my brother. Thanks to you, I was able to mature like this. 」
Oh no, it seems that I forgot to harvest one big pumpkin during harvesting time earlier today. It was hiding behind the gra.s.s. It was as if the pumpkin knew that it was me who raised it. The pumpkin spoke to me from branches on the ground. Moreover, the gra.s.s growing on that particularly spot was quite dense, so the pumpkin managed to grow big with me noticing it.
So, this pumpkin was supposed to be the so-called Jack O" Lantern? The leaves were bigger than expected. The branches grew strongly and doubled in length. It made a perfect hideout.
Well, what should I say? Jack O" Lantern grew a personality of its own and it was staring at me from those doubled branches. It had waited for my return.
「That"s right, brother. What do you think about this? Do you want to eat me? 」
Yet, that pumpkin was not very appealing to eat.
2/2! Sooo tired right now, off to sleep! see ya"h all next time!