Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 61: Things That Don’t Match Just Don’t Match
“Selective breeding, huh? That sounds like a lot of work.”
Nara-kun, who couldn’t quite get over the taste of the rice, wanted to talk to Jonas, the farmer who probably knew a thing or two about selective breeding.
I rejected it because it sounded like a hassle, but after Nara-kun bowed his head and insisted, I reluctantly used teleportation magic to bring him to Jonas’s village.
If it’s such a hassle, why not teach Nara-kun teleportation magic? But considering the possibility that he might betray me in the future, I can’t just teach him that easily.
Well, if things change, I might teach him, but not right now.
So, even though it’s a hassle, I went to the village with Nara-kun.
While Nara-kun was talking to Jonas, I sat a bit farther away, eating the pickles Jonas had given me and sipping tea.
…Now that I think about it, is this another Japanese-style custom?
The past summoner really wanted to somehow recreate Japanese food.
But that never really caught on, and it’s only preserved in this hidden village.
In my old world, Japanese food had become a global sensation, but in places where it doesn’t suit the local tastes, it just doesn’t work.
As I sat there, sipping tea and relaxing, I watched the two of them discuss selective breeding, and I suddenly wondered.
…Is Nara-kun planning to become a rice farmer in this world?
As I was thinking this, Nara-kun called my name.
“Maya-san!”
I was worrying about Nara-kun’s future, but he called my name.
“What?”
I answered, but Nara-kun didn’t immediately continue.
I wondered what he was up to, when suddenly Nara-kun looked surprised and walked over to me.
“I totally forgot it was you, Maya-san. I thought you wouldn’t come just because I called.”
“?”
“Of course I wouldn’t.”
What’s he talking about?
“No, I get it. That was my bad. But Maya-san, can you use plant growth magic?”
“I can.”
There’s a magic that promotes plant growth using healing magic as a basis.
I can’t use it on living creatures because they’re too complex, though.
Using this magic, plants grow at a rate several times faster than normal, but the reason he called me now must be…
“I want you to help me with selective breeding!”
“No.”
“As expected!!”
Yeah, that was the request I was expecting.
“Please! If we can make delicious rice, you’d be happy too, right?”
“Will you really be able to do that?”
When I looked at Jonas, he folded his arms and hummed.
“We think this rice is good enough, so we don’t really need selective breeding…”
“No, Jonas! The real taste of rice isn’t like this! Real rice is chewier, with sweetness and stickiness…”
“Ah, Nara-kun.”
“Yes?”
“By the way, that’s the kind of rice that Japanese people think is delicious. But apparently, there are people abroad who don’t like the sticky texture of Japanese rice.”
“Seriously?”
“Some people prefer rice with loose, separate grains, while others like it sticky. It’s a matter of personal preference. Don’t push your own values on others.”
When I said this, Nara-kun groaned.
“Even this—some people like us think it’s delicious, while others can’t stand the smell.”
“…Wait a second. Maya-san, what are you eating?”
“This? Takuan.”
“That’s not fair! I want to eat takuan too!!”
Yes, what I’ve been snacking on with my tea is takuan, pickled daikon radish.
Daikon is a common vegetable in this world too, and since they grow rice here, they also have rice bran.
The conditions for making takuan are all met, so there’s takuan here.
There are other kinds of rice-bran pickles too.
“Oh, Nara-kun, you can eat takuan too? Then try some. In this world, rice-bran pickles aren’t very popular. There are plenty of pickles left.”
“I’ll eat it! Yes!”
While Jonas went back to the house to get some takuan, Nara-kun spoke to me again.
“By the way, I can’t believe rice-bran pickles aren’t popular here.”
“I told you already. People here can’t stand the smell of rice-bran pickles.”
The distinctive smell of rice-bran pickles doesn’t sit well with many people in this world.
Jonas and the others probably have no problem with it since they’ve been eating it since they were kids.
It’s just like us.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here’s the takuan.”
“Yay! I’ll eat it!”
Nara-kun, looking delighted, started munching on the takuan.
“Ah, this is delicious… if only the rice tasted this good, it would be perfect.”
“Well, I can’t say I don’t understand that feeling.”
Ah, I messed up.
That was an offhand comment.
I could swear I saw a spark light up in Nara-kun’s eyes.
“I knew it! Maya-san wants to eat delicious rice too, right!? So please, help me out!!”
He was begging me persistently, and it got so annoying that I couldn’t help but shout.
“Ugh, fine! I get it, so just get away from me!!”
“Seriously!? Yes!!”
Nara-kun danced around excitedly after pulling away from me.
Watching Nara-kun like that, I let out a sigh.
“Haha, even the overbearing Kenta-dono can’t compete with the innocent enthusiasm of his junior, huh?”
“Innocent, huh?”
Seriously, when did this guy change so much?
As I watched Nara-kun bouncing around happily, I felt a bit depressed thinking about the days ahead, when I’d have to deal with him.
“By the way, Maya-san.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Where should we grow the rice?”
“…”
You’ve got to be kidding me…
“Think for yourself!”
This kid, seriously!
The gloomy and quiet version of him when we first met was ten thousand times better!