Chapter 69

“This is great! Pumpkin pasta, huh!”

“Oh, so that orange stuff was pumpkin? Kinda weird-looking sauce, but damn, it’s delicious!”

“The soup’s great too—easy to drink but rich in flavor. It’s strange… it’s so light in color, and yet…”

“And the meat’s awesome. This is the kind of meat that really feels like you’re eating meat! Nothing better than meat after a blacksmith’s work!”

No way… I’m not tired at all…

As expected, even though it’s a crafting class, a max-level character is no joke…

Seira’s sense of omnipotence (limited to the kitchen) is overwhelming. I could get addicted to this.

“Director, how did I do on the test?”

After finally finishing distributing food and serving seconds to the blacksmiths, I took off my chef’s hat, let down my hair, and asked about the exam results.

“…You passed. From the taste alone, I can tell these dishes were crafted with care, and it’s hard to believe they were made in such large quantities. Especially… this soup—it really stands out.”

“Ahh… I see. So you noticed that part, huh?”

The vast culinary knowledge stored in my mind. From it came the Japanese specialty: the concept of ‘umami’.

Apparently, the very idea of umami only spread to other parts of the world from Asia in more modern times—even on Earth.

Even I know this, from my knowledge as Shizuma.

You know, like kombu and katsuobushi, right? I used instant dashi in miso soup before, and the package mentioned it.

It seems this soup mimics the taste of kombu and katsuobushi using dried bacon and dried tomatoes.

“Time limit was two hours. Considering you were preparing other dishes too, the soup turned out way too well. There weren’t any soup stocks in the freezer either. And the ingredients were nothing unusual. What’s your secret?”

“As you can see—dried tomatoes, bacon, onions, some herbs, and salt. That’s all.”

“I see… and yet I still can’t figure it out.”

Tomatoes contain glutamic acid.

Drying them increases that glutamic acid, making them serve the same role as kombu—in other words, they become “kombu-like.”

Glutamic acid is, so to speak, a concentrated source of umami.

And when it combines with animal-based inosinic acid, the two create a synergistic effect, amplifying the flavor several times over.

This time, I extracted inosinic acid by using dried, concentrated bacon—and the smoky aroma and spices used to cure it also infused into the broth.

The key was not using any unnecessary seasoning and simmering just dried tomatoes and dried bacon in low-temperature water for a long time.

…It’s like I’ve got Wikipedia downloaded into my head.

“To think you’d get that much flavor just from simmering dried tomatoes and bacon in hot water until the last moment… it’s unbelievable.”

“Well, I believe everyone does something similar unconsciously. I just extracted and refined the flavor-base-building process from that.”

“…Impressive. Clearly, your travels weren’t just for show. I’d ask you to teach me, honestly. No complaints—you’re officially a member of the Culinary Guild as of today. We’ll award you your certification badge shortly.”

“Thank you. That’s a relief. Now I can officially accept jobs from you, right?”

“Exactly. In fact, we’ve got a rather troublesome—well, probably very intense—job that just came in. We’re not ready to discuss it today, but could you come back tomorrow at the same time? Noon?”

“A fierce job, huh… Got it.”

“Honestly, you’ve saved us. We get dispatched to noble luncheons, dinner banquets, events far away… We’re always short-handed, and the work is grueling. People drop out from fatigue all the time. And now we’ve got a huge job lined up. Someone like you—an immediate asset—is a godsend.”

“You’re putting a lot of pressure on me here… Alright, noon tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, please.

After that, I received my official Culinary Guild badge at the reception and returned to the General Guild to see if Melt was still around.

Back at the General Guild, I headed to the Adventurer Guild’s reception to ask where she was.

“Excuse me, I’d like to know if my companion is still here?”

“Huh? Whoa—uh… Sure. Who’s your companion?”

That surprised reaction—he definitely just looked at me and got startled. What was he looking at?

“Melt. I’m the one currently house-sitting for her.”

“Ahh, the young lady Melt. She’s over there—by the request board between the Apothecary and Alchemy Guilds.”

“Ah, there she is. Thanks.”

I wonder if something on the board caught her interest?

I immediately headed over—

“Melt, did you find an interesting request?”

“Ah, Seira…”

Melt turned around—and her eyes were red and swollen.

She didn’t look well.

She looked completely drained.

What happened? Did someone do something to her?

Who did this? We’re inside the General Guild—how could this happen?

“Melt, were you crying?”

“No, I just started crying on my own.”

“What was the reason?”

“Um… me?”

“Really? Was there anyone else around?”

“Umm… Seira, your face is kinda scary right now. What’s wrong?”

“Hm? Nothing at all.”

So, it wasn’t that someone hurt her.

…If anyone ever makes my family cry, I don’t care if it’s a nation—I’ll make them pay.

“So, in the end, what was it all about? Sigurd stopped you earlier, right?”

“Yeah, and I wanted to talk to you about that.”

“Hm…”

“I don’t think we can talk about it here. Let’s head home first, okay?”

I see… so Sigurd and the Adventurer’s Guild might be related to why Melt cried.

…Depending on what actually happened…

After we returned home, I figured the matter must be serious—given Melt chose to discuss it here—so I carefully locked everything and checked the sunroom for any suspicious presences.

Good. No strange responses again today.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“Yeah, so actually—”

Melt told me everything that happened after she was called over by Sigurd.

She explained how she felt pathetic and embarrassed, and ended up crying.

…I already knew her mental age hadn’t caught up to her physical one.

I shouldn’t have left her alone at the guild so easily. But then again, you could say this is a necessary step for her growth.

“You know, you did great by not trying to handle everything on your own and coming to me for advice. Melt, that itself was the result of your own judgment. You thought it might be dangerous to spread this around too carelessly, so you decided to talk to your family first before making a decision. That’s already a well-considered choice on your part.”

“You think so? But I turned away that elderly alchemist who came to ask me about it…”

“That kind of thing happens all the time. When people face serious decisions, saying something like ‘I’ll take it home and think it over’ without giving an immediate answer is totally normal in the adult world.”

Just like when I brought back intel about the dungeon core without making any firm decisions.

“I see… so I didn’t have to cry after all…! Ugh, how embarrassing!”

“There, there. Next time, just confidently say ‘I’ll think it over at home!’”

*Pat pat* She keeps dodging with her ears, but I pat her anyway.

“Hmm… I wonder if this is what moms are like? Seira, you’re a well-endowed grown-up woman, so maybe you feel like a mom?”

“Ehh, really? …Well, I am kind of big, I guess.”

Back when I was making my character, I casually went with “hey, we don’t have a big-boobed character yet,” and… yeah.

“Anyway, onto the main topic. That potion we made under the name ‘Same’—honestly, it’s powerful enough to disrupt the world’s balance. Naturally, we can’t let it spread around carelessly.”

“Yeah… Grant probably would’ve died if not for that. It’s like something out of a myth—something only legendary miracle medicine could heal. Or maybe an insanely skilled healer.”

“I get it. If something like that suddenly appeared, the world would go into chaos. That’s why I hid the information. So, Melt—about that proposed elixir using secca grass berries as a substitute, what kind of potion would that be?”

“Well, it would restore stamina and fatigue, promote healing from injuries, and minor wounds would probably heal on the spot. Also, it can rapidly recover magic power—enough to serve as emergency treatment for mana deficiency.”

…That’s incredible. It is called an elixir, bearing the name of divine blood for a reason…!

To think a single potion could cover that many effects.

“There are different grades of elixirs, too. Um, this one—based on secca grass berries—isn’t rare enough to be called rare, but depending on the season and region, I think it would fetch a decent price. In Golda, I got three gold coins per bottle.”

“And was the person who bought it trustworthy?”

“I don’t know, but he consistently bought my goods and paid fairly, even though I’m a beastkin. Other merchants wouldn’t even talk to me.”

Hmm… the merchants probably bought a little cheap to ensure profit, but still—three gold coins, roughly ¥30,000 in Japanese currency, for one bottle.

It’s fairly valuable, but in a big city like Lindblum, it might still be relatively accessible.

“With your knowledge, Melt, I think more of these elixirs could be produced and circulated. As a result, people currently profiting from their rarity might complain, since their product value would go down.”

“R-Really…? Then should I keep it a secret?”

“No. Medicine is meant to help those in need. Prices drop eventually, no matter what the item is. People work hard and research constantly so they can help as many others as possible.”

There are probably exceptions, but for now, that doesn’t matter.

“With your knowledge, more people might be saved. Sure, there’ll be those who misuse it or complain—but handling that is the job of the Merchant Guild and Alchemy Guild who distribute and sell the medicine. It’s not something you need to worry about. Melt, whether you share your knowledge with the Alchemy Guild or not is entirely up to you. In fact, I think you should even say something like, ‘So, what kind of reward can I expect in exchange for this valuable info?’”

“R-Really!? Wh-What should I do…? A reward… like money, maybe?”

“You should ask what kind of compensation they’re offering. I’m operating as Seira right now, so it’d be weird for me to go with you. You’ll need to handle this one yourself, Melt.”

It’s a kind of test—a trial.

I want to see how Melt handles negotiation when she’s the one with the upper hand.

“…Alright! I’ll go back to the General Guild again tomorrow!”

“Good, go get ‘em, Melt! As for me, I’ll be heading to the headquarters of the Culinary Guild tomorrow to have a meeting.”

“There’s a headquarters for the Culinary Guild? What did you do today?”

“It was wild. About thirty blacksmiths came all at once, and they told me to make food for everyone right then and there. That was my guild entry exam.”

“Wow! So, were you able to do it, Seira?”

“Easily. But there were a lot of forges and ateliers around that area, even though it’s quite far from the usual adventurer hangouts. I wonder where those folks usually eat?”

“Now that you mention it, I didn’t see many craftsmen around either. Hmm… maybe there’s another place nearby where they eat?”

“Let’s go check out that street together sometime.”

“I’m in! Oh right, I wanted something called keegai. If there are lots of blacksmiths on that street, we might find out where to buy it!”

“Keegai… Oh, you mean light armor. Makes sense—it would suit your fighting style.”

“Leti-chan said it’s basically custom-made. Maybe it’s because you have to tailor it to… breast size?”

“Melt, when you say things like that, use ‘tailored to the body’ instead. Try not to say ‘breasts.’”

“Mm! Got it!”

Melt will probably start bumping into the walls of group life and social norms little by little from here on out.

I mean, technically I’m still just a high schooler.

But I’ve absorbed so much knowledge and experience…

Maybe I’ve gotten a little closer to being an adult.

If that’s the case, then I should at least extend a hand—even if I can’t guide her fully.

To this kind, pure-hearted girl who has accepted me as family.

“Alright! Then let’s get dinner started. Melt, what do you want to eat?”

“Hmm… maybe something I’ve never eaten before?”

“Okay, then what kind of ingredients do you want to use?”

“Vegetables! It’s pumpkin season now, right? They’re delicious this time of year.”

“You got it. Then… let’s make vegetable tempura! I bet it’ll be tasty with herb salt too.”

Alright, looks like she’s back to her usual self!

And pumpkin is one of my favorites too…!

“Tempu-lya? What’s that like?”

“It’s fried food. Kind of like fried pies. You coat veggies in batter and fry them.”

“Hmm hmm… I like fried food.”

Alright! Let’s get cooking!

Now that I think about it, foxes have always been said to be fond of oil—drawn to oil lanterns, loving fried tofu…

…Could Melt be like that too?

Maybe I’ll try making fried tofu next time. Or better yet—pull out a recipe from the game.

I’ve actually got something: Inari sushi.

“Pumpkin tempura! Amazing! So crispy and fluffy! Then comes the mellow sweetness!”

“Totally agree… Pumpkin tempura is the best…”

After that, we enjoyed all kinds of tempura together.

Oh, and since Melt brought back some shrimp she caught in the river, I cleaned and made karaage (fried shrimp) out of them.

But then she got the idea to dam up the stream and trap more shrimp, so I had to stop her.

So she liked the shrimp karaage that much, huh…

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