Chapter 49 (2/2)

Also, more than anything else, it means I can go to the other towns.

I may have forgotten about it, but my objective is to find a method to return to j.a.pan.

I’m currently earning funds in the Royal Capital for my journey, but I think eventually, I’d like to leave for my journey.

Right, isn’t this perfect for a rehearsal?

I decided to take this commission, I took the wooden tag and went towards the reception.

「I’d like to accept this commission.」

I handed over the wooden tag to Airi-san (the usual receptionist onee-san, I asked for her name) who was at the counter, and learned the details of the commission.

「An escort ne. Since the departure is in on the 30th, you won’t be able to accept other commissions if you accept this one now, will that be okay?」

Today is the 28th, in other words, there’s a period of two days.

「Yes, it’s alright.」

It’s my first outing. I want to properly prepare.

「I understand. Well then, the commission has been accepted. The departure is on the 30th at 4 koku. Please go to depot number three in front of the eastern gate before then. The journey is four days and you’ll stay there for one day. Since the meals during the journey must be prepared by each individual, please take care ne. This is the certification of acceptance. The client is a merchant named Afgar Vesta」

I accepted the wooden tag containing the guild’s emblem, then immediately left for town in order to purchase the necessary items.

After making rounds through town, I returned home after purchasing various things.

Eh? What did I buy, you ask?

First I bought wheat flour for the sake of making cookies and bread to subst.i.tute as snacks. The reserves have also decreased considerably ne. I also bought raisins and walnuts in order to make variations.

The other purchases are b.u.t.ter and milk, and also a large quant.i.ty of cheese.

Having cream cheese between cookies is also delicious, isn’t it?

I also plan to make honeyed lemons for when I’m worn out.

Lemon peel cookies and bread would be good as well ne. They also go well with tea.

In addition, I also purchased things like spices and herbs that have considerably diminished.

As well as various jams and marmalades too.

Eh? What about magic tools for the journey, it’s nothing but food, you say? I didn’t want to nee, magic tools were ready for me when I became an adventurer you know7? There’s no need to specially buy new ones anyway.

Besides, I wouldn’t be able to endure having dull meals during the journey you know? It’s four days as well.

Meals are the foundation for everything you know?

I sorted out the things I bought, then immediately began the preparations.

First is the bread ne. Since there are the breads I baked yesterday, today I’ll make walnut bread.

Breaking the walnut sh.e.l.ls and taking out the contents from within, I then heated them up in the oven.

I made the bread dough during that time.

I took out the heated walnuts from the oven and let it cool.

The walnuts were thoroughly mixed into the dough by kneading, then kneaded again, I struck it occasionally in order to let the air out, then kneaded it again.

knead knead knead knead, bash bash, knead knead knead…

After I finished kneading, the later steps are the same as ordinary bread.

I left it alone in order for it to ferment, then started making cookies.

mix mix mix, knead knead knead.

I put in the raisins, then kneaded again.

I laid it in the refrigerator after the batter was ready.

Next is to make cream cheese.

I picked up the milk and heated it with fresh cream and cheese.8

I squeezed a cooled lemon… Oh, I’ll have this squeezed skin made into lemon peels.

I lightly mixed it, then filtered it with a cloth to separate it…

It was then placed in the fridge to cool down.

I prepared the skin that was set on the side for making lemon peels… was what I planned, but there’s not enough lemon skin. A further two, three lemons were squeezed, then it was mixed with honey and placed in the refrigerator.

I start making the skins into lemon peels.

I repeatedly washed them several times, then I cut them into strips and sprinkled sugar over it.

Next will be to leave it until tomorrow, and it’ll be completed.

It’s about time the first fermentation has completed, so I continued the work on the walnut bread.

I de-ga.s.sed it and teared them up into small pieces, then arranged them into shapes.

I let them ferment for a little after I arranged them into shapes, de-ga.s.sed it again, then I shaped them and allowed it to ferment for a second time.

I retrieved the cookie batter, that was left to ferment, and teared them into suitable sizes then started to evenly spread them out.

After briefly spreading them out, I threw them into the oven.

Until the time they’re baked, I drank some honeyed lemon, and waited.

I took out the baked cookies then placed them on a plate.

Now then, until the walnut bread’s secondary fermentation has completed, I should go take a look at Garam-san’s place.

Conclusion…… as expected of Garam-san.

Although it’s a little crooked, there was an ice tray to make small ice cubes, and an ice tray to make large ice cubes.

I gave my grat.i.tude to the grumbling Garam-san, as I was about to return, because he said ‘the craftsman in me wants to see the results of my work’, it was decided he would come over to my house in the evening.

I’ll go home and set the ice immediately.

When returned home, I set the ice tray in the freezer, then began finis.h.i.+ng up the walnut bread.

I painted the surface with egg wash then threw it into the oven.

With the time it takes to bake, I cleaned up…9

I stored away the completed walnut bread and cookies and finished up cleaning, when I was about to begin dinner preparations, Garam-san turned up.

I lead him to the dining room, placed a plate in front of him, then I took out a knife and shaved the ice.

Garam-san didn’t do anything and was completely expressionless, when I finished shaving two portions worth of ice, I transferred it into a cup (there was nothing handy) then poured jam on it.10

「Oi jou-chan, what the h.e.l.l is this? You eat ice?」

Garam-san was bewildered from his first time seeing shaved ice.

「It’s called shaved ice. It’s cold and matches well with jam you know.」

I take a mouthful of it with a spoon and eat it.

Un, it’s shaved ice.

If I had to say, I’d ideally want syrup in place of this but…

Aah, perhaps pouring honeyed lemon might also be good.

Watching me deliciously eating, it seems Garam-san decided to eat as well.

「n…? This is…」

Garam-san immediately ate his next mouthful.

「Ah, Garam-san. If you rush like that…」

It seems I was too late.

「UAA, my head…!」

He groaned while holding onto his temple.

「That will happen if you eat something cold in one go you know. Please eat slowly, to the extent it where it won’t melt.」

He nodded at my words and timidly put it in his mouth.

Garam-san easily ate it all.

「At the beginning I thought ‘who the h.e.l.l would eat ice’, but… This fella would be nice on a hot day na.」

It seems he liked it.

「I think other things like jam and marmalade would also go well with it. You can have fun by adding your favourites to it.」

「I see… However, I was surprised at the time you suddenly came to request this weird object… Jou-chan sure comes up with unusual things na.」

How impolite ne.

「Isn’t there that suspicious magic tool dealer-san? Hey, it’s at a place two streets away from the main street. This freezer was found there you know? And so I wanted to eat it…」

「Aah, that hobby place huh…. So another unusual thing was found…」

Huh? That magic tool dealer-san, could he be quite famous?

「By the way Garam-san, honestly, if there was a tool like this, it would be even easier to make shaved ice but…」

Saying that, I drew a picture of an ice shaving machine while explaining it to Garam-san.

I showed a simple picture of a ice shaving machine with a handle on the top turning while pressing down, and an edged tool attached to the bottom.

「Hou, this structure might be interesting. So, you want me to make this?」

「That’s not it nee, I didn’t say such a thing. I only said it would be easier to make shaved ice if I had this.」

「Hmph, well let’s just pretend it was like that. Aight then, I can’t say I’ll be able to immediately make it but, I’ll have a try and make it as an experiment.」

Oh? Did Garam-san actually really like the shaved ice?

「Ah, I’ll also be leaving for a commission after the 30th for four days.」

「If that’s the case, I’ll create a prototype before you come back.」

Ooh, I’ll have something to look forward to when I come back.

Garam-san returned with high spirits.

When I continued with the dinner preparations after Garam-san left, the Prince turned up as usual.

Finished with dinner, while drinking some after meal tea, I reported to the Prince about the commission on the 30th~ lasting for four days and I’d be absent.

The Prince grumbled about losing something to look forward to for five days but, to begin with, the Prince only decided on his own to come and eat.

Well, when I said I should return by evening on the fourth day, he became a little better.

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