Volume 1 Chapter 7 + Ss (1/2)

Translator: Skythewood

Editor: Hiiro

「Uwah, it's pickled plums!」

<tl: https: en.wikipedia.org wiki umebos.h.i.+=””>

Yuri looked at the jar of pickled plums gleefully, and Ari was dumbfounded by how gleeful Yuri was. Ari was the one who handed the pickled plums to Yuri, but he didn't expect Yuri to be so happy.

「Do you eat pickled plums?」

「Hmm? Yes, I make them in my hometown too.」

「I see, people don't really eat it here. Jake and I are the only ones who do so in this mansion.」

「Ehh～ what a waste～ pickled plums are tasty～」

Yuri took one small pickled plum and tossed it in his mouth. It taste just like the one his grandmother made in the countryside, the saltiness and sourness of a handmade product. Yuri frowned and smiled while saying it was good at the same time, which made Ari smile awkwardly. Very few people eat pickled plums this way.

The jar of pickled plum was sent to Ari from his hometown. His family owns a plum farm, and they make a living by selling pickled plums, plum wine and plum juice. They would regularly post  jars of pickled plums to their son living in the capital. Brooke would drink most of the plum wine. He has a sweet tooth and likes fruit wine, which ran contrary to his cool exterior.

「There's lots of it, but it can be kept for a long time, so stow it away for me.」

「Erm...」

「What is it?」

「... Can I use pickled plums in my cooking?」

「What?」

Yuri was dead serious. To Ari, pickled plums was just something to eat together with plain rice or to make a beverage. That was what pickled plums were, and plum wine was the only product with a sizeable consumer demand.

Pickled plums were made from plums that couldn't be processed into plum wine, and the purpose was to preserve them, at least that was what Ari's family does. They were only sending the retail pickled plums to Ari who had a taste for them, but Yuri was talking about making dishes with them.

Yuri had always been full of surprises, so Ari's answer was the same as usual.

「Whatever, do what you want.」

And so, Yuri gleefully started preparing pickled plum dishes, and to hold a taste testing session to garner feedback from everyone (Taste testing sessions would be held irregularly, depending on the mood of the head chef Yuri).

「「......」」

The 《Scarlet Lynx》 members fell silent as they looked at the mysterious dishes laid out on the table. They couldn't understand what was happening, or rather, they didn't understand what Yuri meant by 「pickled plum dishes」.

There were two to three person's share for each dish, and the plates for taste testing were placed to the side. Everyone just need to try the dishes that piqued their interest. The most well received dish would be promoted to the regular dinner menu.

Ari and Jake who likes pickled plums had already tried all the dishes, and had taken another share of their favourite dish to eat at a corner of the kitchen.

「This is plum and kinoko mushroom.」

Yuri introduced the dishes with a smile.

This was made by frying s.h.i.+meji and Maitake mushrooms, then adding in shredded plum with a little soy sauce. Yuri also added a tiny pinch of pepper, but this wasn't a proper meal, but closer to a snack to go along with beer.

「This is plum and yam.」

The seasoning for this dish was similar to plum and kinoko mushroom, and long slices of yam were added instead, which completely change the texture and taste. Yam was a j.a.panese style food, and the pickled plums made that j.a.panese style even more prominent, so it was also like a snack that goes with beer.

「This is plum and cuc.u.mber.」

This was cooked in the same method as the previous dishes, the only difference was a bit of kelp stock was added to subdue the taste of the plum, before finally mixing it together with sliced cuc.u.mber. Another difference was white sesame sprinkled on top. There wasn't any special reason for this, just that of the dishes Yuri ate in the past, this was the only one that had white sesame.

「This is plum sauce fried viper.」

He would make this dish with chicken back home, so he chose Viper that had similar texture to chicken breast meat here. He cut a slit in the bite sized meat, and stuff minced plum in, wrapped it with perilla, and fried it. The main taste was from the plum stuffed inside the meat, but the pickled plums made by his grandmother had a strong taste, so this was good enough.

「This is plum sauce spaghetti.」

The plum sauce was diced pickled plums soy sauce, wine, and a bit of oil to subdue the taste, which was then cooked together with spaghetti. Seaweed shreds and perilla were than added on top. Yuri wanted everyone to taste the plum sauce, so he didn't add anything. But this would taste great if you mixed it with mushrooms, dried sardines or other types of meat without a strong taste… In terms of taste, chicken would work for j.a.pan, and Viper would be great here.

「The last dish is soup made with plum.」

Yuri used the leftover plum seed from the previous dishes to make soup, adding them to the kelp stock he made. The flesh of the plum had been used in the other dishes, but there were still some left on the seeds. He added the plum flesh into the stock, seasoned it with salt and soy sauce, then finished it by adding in leafy vegetables. This time, he chose something similar to j.a.panese Mustard Spinach. The leaves cooked quickly, and was great for making soup.

「That's all the dishes, please try them.」

Yuri bowed, and everyone stared silently at the dishes. Despite Yuri's explanation, they didn't really like the sourness of plums. They only knew that pickled plums could be eaten together with rice, and drank together with hot water to relieve sore throats. That was like making medicine, so they couldn't relate the dish before them with pickled plums.

Someone suddenly muttered 「it seems delicious」. He wasn't wrong, even though the dishes all looked unfamiliar, they all seemed tasty. One person went near with a plate, and the others started moving too. Yuri watched them with a smile, and everyone started helping themselves with the food.

「So pickled plums could be used this way too.」

「That's right.」

Jake muttered quietly. He was holding a bowl of plum seed soup, which he really liked after he tried everything. He liked to drink water boiled with plum, so he chose the plum seed soup in the end. On the other hand, Ari besides him was digging into the plum with kinoko mushroom, and complained about wanting to eat it together with beer.

The pickled plums dishes were diminis.h.i.+ng slowly before their eyes, and at the same pace too. The pickled plums might be sour, but Yuri already neutralized the sourness by using soy sauce, so the taste was more even. After all, they weren't eating pickled plums, but seasoning the dishes with the pickled plums.

And the members of the 《Scarlet Lynx》 didn't avoid pickled plums because they hate it. They would drink plum with hot water, plum wine, and also plum juice too.

That was because pickled plums were sour, so they didn't like to eat it directly.

In a situation like this, what would happen if there was a pickled plum dish that was easier to eat? And the one who made them was Yurii… All the Clan members had already been captivated by Yuri's cooking, and they were certain that anything Yuri made would taste good. Being accustomed to something sure was scary.

「...Jake, what do you think the results will be?」

「The girls will like the soup like me, I guess? It's refres.h.i.+ng and tasty.」

「That fried food might be popular too, since it has meat and the plum gave it a pleasant taste.」

「Yes, that's true, that fried food makes you want to keep eating it, even though it's meat.」

Jake who didn't particularly like meat agreed. The plum sauce viper meat was mainly taken by the apprentices, but Tiffana and the other girls was digging in too. Even those members who didn't like meat was joining in, so it must taste really good.

「Magu! If you hog that dish, we won't get to eat it!」

「...」

「Answer me! And put down that plate!」

「... No.」

「Heyyy!」

Ari and Jake turned towards the commotion, and saw Magu wolfing down the plum and cuc.u.mber as he hogged the dish. Urgus wanted to s.n.a.t.c.h it away, but Magu turned a deaf ear to him, and didn't bother to answer.

「... He likes the cuc.u.mber and pickled plums that much?」

「... I think it's because some kelp stock was added in to subdue the taste of the plums.」

「... So the reason is the stock.」

「... I guess so.」

After eating Yuri's cooking and helping him to cook, Magu was a devoted believer in the fresh taste of stock. He likes cooking that brought out the taste of the original ingredients. This dish had the simple taste of cuc.u.mber and the flavor of the kelp stock mixed in with the plum, so Magu had his eyes set on this dish with firm conviction.

However, Magu probably hogged the plum meat cuc.u.mber after everyone tried one. Lots of people said they wanted to try it again, but no one said they haven't tried it yet. So Magu already held back.

… However, hogging a dish by yourself wasn't holding back at all.

「Yuri, can you make this fried food with other meat?」

「Hmm? I never tried it before, but that should be fine.」

「Then please make it with Orc meat next time.」

「Clay sure loves Orc and Bison meat...」

「Orc should be fine, I guess...」

When Yuri said 「fine」 it probably meant 「Orc meat isn't that expensive, so it should be fine budget wise.」 Yuri nodded as that wasn't wrong, but whether he would make it or not was a different matter.

Glacier was a growing boy, and ate fried food with a smile that said this was the best thing ever. He probably request for Orc meat because he felt Viper meat was too bland. Yuri never tried it before, but he heard someone mentioned that frying food with pork wasn't bad, so he thought Orc meat should be fine too.

In the end, all the dishes were cleaned out, and Yuri got the answer that 「all of them taste great.」 So he added all the dishes to his regular menu rotation.

Volume 1 Epilogue: The 【G.o.d Eye】 would work from time to time

Today, Brooke was out grocery shopping with Yuri. Brooke wanted to buy his own things, so he tagged along with Yuri. In a sense, that was very fortunate… probably.

「...Brooke-nii.」

「What is it, Yuri?」

Yuri stared at the people gathered in the adventurer's guild. There were humans and beastmen, although adventurers got the reputation of being lawless ruffians, but only a small number of them were actually ruffians. They were the ones who gave other adventurers a bad name. There were idiots everywhere, even bees had those who were lazy.

Brooke looked at the direction Yuri was staring at, and was a little troubled. Yuri had his eyes on a few normal adventurers, some looked like vanguards, others looked like rear support, and nothing seemed out of place. They were just a group that could be seen anywhere, but Yuri kept staring at them.

Yuri tilted his head left and right, and he finally lifts his head up and asked Brooke, no, it was more appropriate to say he dropped a stun grenade.

「May I know～ is an 『enslavement necklace』 something normal people will equip?」

What Yuri said caused an uproar, and they all stared at Yuri with eyes wide open. Especially the team members Yuri were staring at, they all cast dubious gazes at Yuri, which made Yuri s.h.i.+ver and tugged on Brooke's clothes. Yuri grew up in a normal environment, and didn't have the guts to confront the fierce looking adventurers directly.

「...Yuri.」

「Yes.」

「Is there someone wearing an enslavement necklace inside?」

「That's right.」

Brooke was right, so Yuri answered truthfully, which stirred the crowd again. Brooke nursed his temple as he entered the adventurer's guild together with Yuri. They shouldn't talk about this in the streets, and fortunately, only the adventurers with keen ears had heard them… Which was really lucky.

Yuri followed Brooke into the guild, and other people also went in. Brooke asked the surprised counter staff to get the guild master, then grabbed Yuri's shoulder and asked him calmly.

「Whose wearing an enslavement necklace? Where?」

「That lady in armour over there.」

「...Her? And?」

「That man in a robe behind her is wearing an enslavement bangle.」

「Got it.」

The uproar had already stopped, and the place turned dead silent. Brooke was very calm, and the Yuri didn't know what was going on, and just answered Brooke's questions.

Yuri wasn't trying to cause any trouble, they just seemed uncomfortable to him. He knew appraising others was rude, but he still wanted to know where this sense of unease came from. It was the same unsettling feeling he felt when he stared at the traps in the dungeon, so he wanted to know why he was feeling that way on the streets.

After appraising them, he found the armoured lady whose face looked a little pale was wearing a sparkling necklace which was actually an 「enslavement necklace」. At the same time, he realized one of the rear guards in a robe had an 「enslavement bangle」. Normal people probably wouldn't equip something with such an ominous name… Aside from that, Yuri didn't tell Brooke that those equipment had the disguise effect cast on them.

When Yuri appraised them, a screen appeared.

── Ruby necklace【True form: enslavement necklace】

A necklace with ruby embedded in it, average quality.

【Those wearing this equipment has to obey the one who equipped it on them, and cannot be removed by themselves】

── Silver bangle 【True form: enslavement bangle】

Silver bangle, an accessory that could be found everywhere.

【Those wearing this equipment has to obey the one who equipped it on them, and cannot be removed by themselves】

If his appraising Level was too low, he wouldn't have seen through this disguise. However, Yuri possessed the 【G.o.d Eye】, the cheat-like appraisal ability, so disguises were useless. Yuri knew that a disguise effect had been added on them, and he could see the original information too. Nothing could escape the 【G.o.d Eye】.

The lady and the man had a stiff face after being pointed out that they had enslavement equipment on them, but looked relieved at the same time. In contrast, their comrade's face started to cramp, and shot murderous gaze towards Yuri. However, a glare from Brooke was enough to keep them quiet.... The killing intent Brooke release in an instant was enough to tell them the difference in skill.

「Brooke, what's with this commotion?」

「Sorry for the trouble, guild master, it's urgent.」

「I think so too, I never thought you will ask for me… What is it?」

「He says those two over there have enslavement equipment.」

「... What did you say?」

The guild master came out from inside, and he looked a little unreliable, not like a guild master at all. He was slender, had a monocle, and looked more like an elderly butler, instead of the guild master of the rowdy adventurers. However, there was a majestic dignity about his deep voice and stance that showed no openings.

「His appraisal skill is guaranteed by Ari, and he said that necklace and bangle are enslavement equipment.」

「... Someone investigate, subdue them if they resist.」

「「Yes.」」

A few men went over on his orders, and the couple didn't resist. Their comrades were obviously against the idea, but they were outnumbered. The adventurers cast suspicious gazes their way, and didn't offer any help.

At the same time, a female staff inside the guild jogged over on the guild master's orders to inspect the necklace and bangle. She tilted her head as she inspect the items with her gla.s.ses on. Yuri walked briskly to her, with Brooke and the guildmaster accompanying him.

「Miss, a disguise effect had been cast on them.」

「A disguise!?」

「Yes, on the surface, they are a ruby necklace and silver bangle, but the original form is different.」

「... What a surprise… You are so young, and you can see through that...?」

「He is Ari's secret weapon.」

「I see.」

The staff nodded after hearing the guild master's explanation. Yuri thought leisurely 「Ari-nii is amazing」... He was really taking it easy. The few men that were subdued resisted strongly, but no one paid them any mind, as expected of an adventurer's guild.

Since she knew there was a disguise, she had a way to deal with it. She inspect the accessories carefully and then breath out. She wasn't sighing, and was lamenting unhappily.

「Guildmaster, he's right, there is a disguise effect on it. This is an enslavement equipment.」

「Is that so? All that's left is who is the master...」

「「......」」

Everyone looked at the few rowdy men after hearing the guild master said that. They knew the master was probably amongst them, and they wouldn't admit it. The couple wearing the enslavement equipment couldn't answer either.

「Excuse me...」

Yuri's silly voice broke the tense atmosphere. Brooke and the others all looked at Yuri, as he lifted his hand and pointed at one of the men who was resisting and said:

「It's him.」

「「...」」

The crowd went silent, everyone was thinking 「you are skipping too many steps」. They didn't know if they should retort 「you got the answer too quickly」 or 「how did you know that」. However, Brooke tapped Yuri's shoulder gently, then look him in the eye and asked:

「So that man is the owner of the enslavement equipment?」

「Yes.」

「Are you sure?」

「That's right… Well, I know doing this isn't right, but that's what his Basic Information says.」

「... Is that so?」

Brooke nodded, and the guild master gestured to his staff to go. The men were taken away, for interrogation, and they cursed at Yuri. But Brooke just covered Yuri's ears, and Yuri tilted his head as he couldn't hear anything.

The people around him asked 「How do you know」, 「Just how powerful is this Master Appraiser?」 But the guild master silenced them by saying 「He is Ari's secret weapon」, and their faces lit up with enlightenment… Yuri might not know, but Ari was a famous Truth Appraiser. After all, his Magic Eye skill was at Level Max, and everyone in the capital knew of his fine skill.

Ari was very capable, which made people wonder why he was staying in a Clan specializing in nurturing newbies. If he wished, he could work as a Truth Appraiser for the royal family. But he turned it down, saying 「it's too troublesome」.

After the couple removed their enslavement equipment, they thanked Yuri and returned to their homes. They were from a local garrison, and the bad guys invited them to join their team because of their capabilities and looks. The couple turned down the invitation, but they were tricked into putting on the enslavement equipment and brought to the capital. It was a terrible story.

Fortunately, they saved up some money on the journey here, and received compensation for this incident, and got to go home. They kept thanking Yuri, and promised they wouldn't let out Yuri's secret. It was impossible to seal the lips of everyone, but Ari felt that two was better than nothing.

There was more to this incident.

After witnessing Yuri's amazing appraisal, the ones who got punished wanted to get back at Yuri, but no one could get near Yuri to harm him. But the strange thing was, no one was stopping them from doing so either.

Ari had this to say when he learns about this phenomena:

「He's blessed by a lucky star, and can avoid any danger.」

No one would really believe that, but on second thought, Yuri never encounter anything dangerous either. He would make mistakes and get hurt from time to time, but nothing serious. All the people he knew were good and kind, which made others wonder if some powerful being was protecting Yuri. Hence, everyone accepted his explanation.

And so, with his luck ∞ stats, Yuri continued enjoying his slow life.

Volume 1 Special Chapter: Souvenirs from a Dungeon are Mushrooms from a Different World

Turning back the clock a little, to that time when the instructor Brooke brought Glacier and Lelei to a dungeon that was some distance away for a quest, and Yuri made sandwiches for them.

「Ahhhh! How boring!」

「You are annoying, Clay.」

「Why are you not bothered at all? You have to make one too!」

「Huh? I'm a vanguard, isn't drawing the map Clay's job?」

Glacier flung a stack of paper that was binded with thin ropes aside, and grumbled. He had been drawing the map of the dungeon, which was the basics for scouts and rear guards. Exploring the dungeons would be easier after making the map.

Lelei wasn't bothered by Glacier's grumbling at all. She was a vanguard, and sketching maps wasn't her job. She had another job that took priority, which was looking out for monsters and protecting the scouts and letting the rearguard do their job… Normally, that would be true.

「Lelei.」

「Ehh!?」

Brooke called out her name coldly, which made Lelei s.h.i.+vered. She turned and saw Brooke narrowing his eyes. He was usually a calm and reliable big brother, but his tone had a hint of admonishment, which gave Lelei a bad feeling as she smiled stiffly.

She then heard the declaration from the devil.

「What did you think the purpose of this quest is? To train up your fundamentals. You have to draw a map too.」

「... Ughh, drawing maps are a pain, I don't like it.」

「What's the motto of the 《Scarlet Lynx》?」

「... Everyone has to learn the fundamentals of adventuring with no distinction between Jobs.」

「Then do it.」

「... Okay.」

She took a stack of note paper from Brooke dejectedly, then started sketching as she thought back. They were in the dungeon's safe zone, which had spring water, was of an adequate size, had a fruit tree, and wouldn't be invaded by monsters. It was a mysterious s.p.a.ce, and no one knew why such a place exist in dungeons.

This dungeon was called 「Newbie Training Grounds」.

The name might be too literal, but its function was just that. The entrance to the dungeon was a normal cave, but the interior would change a little after every visit. There would always be three or so levels, and wouldn't be too big, taking about half a day to make a round trip from the deepest end. It would take more time to draw a perfect map, and fortunately, there was a town nearby where they could lodge in.

The simple layout made it suitable for beginners just starting out, and practice their skills before heading to the next dungeon. The level of the monsters here were low too, so newbies could earn some money as they trained. Another good point was the drop items and treasures here were all very practical.

Today, Brooke brought Glacier and Lelei to this dungeon to complete a fetch quest and learn to sketch a map. The basics of exploring dungeons, detect traps and defeating monsters could be learned in other dungeons, plains or forest, but making maps were different. This skill would get better with practice, and there was no point in wandering around in the same place.

And the ever changing dungeon of the 「Newbie Training Grounds」 solved this problem. The place wouldn't change if someone was inside, but everyone just needed to leave and enter again for the layout to change. The structure, layout, monsters and environment would all change, so it was a good place to practice map drawing.

「So boring… So boring… So boring...」

「Clay, you are annoying.」