Now then! Making Mochi! At last!
I strained the sticky rice I let soaked overnight and steamed it.
In the meanwhile, I heated up the stone mortar I made with Earth magic.
The sticky rice would cool down if put into a cold stone mortar and wouldn’t turn into Omochi well.
Seeing me fill the water with magic, s.h.i.+n muttered something like「The things Ojou does are so nonsensical…」, but I will have you leave me alone! I will use anything I can use! All the more if that’s my own magic!
… Well, I understand what he wants to say since I’m using this many non-existent magic with no frugality, you know? But you see? My magical power is abundant and there are many magic to use. Then, isn’t there a no way I wouldn’t use them? By finely adjusting them, it also becomes a good control practice. That’s true, you know?
When I said such to s.h.i.+n, he vaguely responded with「He~ ho~ hmm」! Gununu… eh? People usually practice magic earnestly? I’m only trying very hard for my own convenience? Gunuu…
I, I’m working hard with a purpose or objective in mind, so isn’t that fine-!
… With this and that, I steamed the sticky rice. I confirmed by eating a pinch that there are no hull left.
From here on out, it’s a match with time.
After confirming whether the stone mortar warmed up, I scooped out the wat… the time is precious, so I temporarily stored it in the Inventory. When I caught the fish by the sea before, the fish had no influence over the other things in my Inventory, so I understood that liquid and other things don’t interfere with each other. Indeed, a pot of Orc soup also doesn’t spill after storing it after all.
Just in case, I imagine putting it into tubs or other containers while storing it. I don’t think it matters though…
Lightly wiping the stone mortar, the steamed sticky rice was put inside.
I wanted to do it myself, but I was stopped by s.h.i.+n as it was apparently dangerous. Dejected.
I will have the sticky rice smashed with the mallet. I will leave this part to Kurogane sensei. I have explained him the process beforehand, so he smashed them skillfully. As I thought, Kurogane is handy, isn’t he…
After the smas.h.i.+ng, it was finally time for the main event. However, what we must be careful about here, is that the mallet isn’t swung down with all might.
Simply utilizing the mallet’s weight is good. If the stone mortar gets carelessly hit with the wooden mallet, it would be inevitable that the splinters from the mallet would mix in with the sticky rice. Everyone made a sour face when I conveyed that. In my past life, there were men who would use all of their strength because of the increasing tension, weren’t there…
While thinking such, the Mochi pounding has begun. First, I will have Kurogane continue. I’m at his side, in charge of using warm water in between.
Pound, pound, pound…
Ohhh, it goes well…!
「Kurogane, you may go a little bit faster, you know?」
「… It seemed that I would hit Lord’s hand if I went any faster than this」
Mumu, I will be troubled if you belittle me, you know? Even things may appear this way, I was helping at Baachan’s house in the countryside with Mochi pounding when I was a child. I’m at the pro level of watering. Getting dragged into Mochi pounding by my relatives and neighbors was an end-of-year, great event, you know?
… I often got replaced in the middle though. I was no match for the elderly…
Not good, let’s put the gloomy stories aside and focus on making the delicious Omochi…
「Cristea, I will do it?」
Saying such, Mas.h.i.+ro came and requested a subst.i.tution.
「Eh, but…」
Rather than mine, I can only see a future with his hands getting pounded.
「Is fine. I saw you how to do it. Will do it」
「Fumu. With you as my opponent, I don’t need to hold back」
Kurogane laughed.
What a bad smile…
「Kurogane too, will get switched if too slow, you know?」
「Come at me」
Clang! it felt like I heard a gong… auditory hallucination, huh.
Starting with pound, pound… from the normal speed, it gradually increased and it became frightfully fast at the end… wha, incredible. A speed that is unbecoming of the usual Mas.h.i.+ro. Kurogane’s movements are incomparable from when I was doing it. Moreover, he’s not hitting strongly. Matching with Mas.h.i.+ro putting in the water, they are doing it properly. I, I lost…
「… Amazing. As expected of Sacred Beasts is what we should say, huh」
「… Yeah」
With a speed that exceeded the speed of Mochi pounding I saw in my past life, I could only watch with nothing else to do…