Volume 5, Chapter 14: One Other Shadow (1/2)

They prefer to grow in barren well-drained soil. There wont be replant failure even if you plant them every year.

Maomao noted it down on paper.

The fields were expansive, dense with green leaves.

To improve the taste, make sure the vines dont get too thick. You can prune the roots that have grown vines. Rahans father gave Maomao a demonstration.

The neighbouring farmers come to help at the end of the rice planting season. They were paid with last years potatoes. He had said that he sold them after processing them, but seeing the size of the field, he was bound to get excess.

Why didnt you sell them all? she asked

That aint my strong suit. He gave an awkward reply. It seems the stock he processed and sold was originally grown for self-consumption, but he had sold them to spread the word to everyone when he realised they were more delicious than expected.

People liked it, but they thought it was pumpkin or chestnut rather than potato. And not just the potato, you can also eat the stem itself.

It certainly does resemble pumpkin as well. It was dry for pumpkin, sticky for chestnut. From the looks of the stem, would it taste like butterbur(, fuki. Petasites japonicus)?

Rather than getting a monopoly, it just seems that this man doesnt know greed.

Besides, Ill get noisy people if I sold them in a grand scale. It wont go well even if I get Rahans advice.

He said it indirectly, but he probably meant his relatives. She didnt know about Rahans brother but the elderly man and Rahans mother were completely against muddy work like this. And yet, they use the money earned from it so if he were to carelessly raise his profits, theres no knowing of what they would use that money for.

It seems he corresponded with Rahan regularly, but his relatives checked the contents of those letters.

So thats why you called us this way. Have you not thought about what to do? Rahan said in amazement. He was walking on tiptoes; he seemed to dislike getting his feet muddy.

You should know that Im not smart enough to go as far as to think about what to do. Otherwise, I wouldnt have moved to the countryside after my name got stained by Rakan-niisan.

Its a nuisance for the people dragged into this.

The weirdo tactician had driven the former family head and succeeding former family head, his father and half-brother, from the capital and succeed the family headship. Then he made his nephew, Rahan, his adopted son. That was all Maomao knew, but it had to be the case. However, it seems that it was good fortune for Rahans father to be driven out.

This place is good. The more you till the more fields you get. I could only grow potted plants in the capital.

Rahans father was smiling so brightly despite being a middle-aged man covered in a shiny sheen of sweat.

Isnt it great? I might even save starving people, right? Lets fill the country with potatoes!

He was extremely enthused.

Is that why you sold out Grandfather? Rahan asked.

What sold out. The clan will be ruined otherwise. That persons pride hasnt changed for ten years. The heck, were just continuing our usual lives. The daily life is boring for Father, its like he swallowed a bitter bug. Rahans fathers expression got strangely cold.

Grandfather is accumulating ugly numbers, Rahan said.

Maomao was between understanding and not understanding the meaning of Rahans words. She imagined that it was likely that it was just that man didnt really have a clean financial standing.

After noting down most of the cultivation method, she put away her stationery. Rahan calculated the size of the field and how many seedlings it can hold. The cut seedlings were already loaded onto the carriage. When they get watered, theyll grow vines in a couple of days.

Honestly, if they grow them now, theres no guarantee that they will get a good harvest this year. Like how theres no omnipotent medicine, policies are not perfect. Its only a weighing of the pros and cons and choosing whats more beneficial.

Maomao squinted at the carriage that was loaded with seedlings. How skilled.

Yeah, the manservant of Rokushoukan is truly skilled. Seems he borrowed horses from an acquaintance from the neighbouring village.

Rahan was in admiration. In other words, Ukyou had arranged for it, not Rahan.

Maomao put away her notes and left the field.

Ukyou was speaking to the horse lender before the doors of the estate. The man, who was speaking intimately to the other man as he stroked the horse, was an old timer of Rokushoukan who had been around ever since Maomao was aware of the things around her.

When the conversation ended, he noticed Maomao and waved at her. Doing well?

Yeah, doing well, she answered.

He pat the bunch of seedings. The horse-drawn carriage had a sun-cover canopy, normally used for travelling with others.

At any rate, is it fine to return Fox-dono while hes asleep? he asked.