Chapter 154

New Ingredient

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 passed 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 unobtainable~ 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 .

“Hafuu~ that was delicious . Ah, right, right! Takumi-san . ”

Vivian who quickly finished eating the Cream Dorayaki called out to me .

“N, what is it?”

“Takumi-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 butter 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, Takumi-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, Takumi-sa~n . ”

I am fine with a light association, 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 quantity .

“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 .