Chapter 70

(Quite long)

Well, as usual, I headed straight to the Veriello dining hall in the morning.

Chef Hugo was waiting with a smile as always. Of course, Chelina and Melvin were also there.

Today's breakfast is a bit of a change. Or rather, it's something that should have been done much earlier.

I need to approve a certain food.

【Cassava (2kg) = 1000 yen】

Yes, I had sold Chelina the cassava branches without any discussion, but I hadn't let her taste the actual tubers. I had forgotten about it, but Chelina, who bought them without checking, is also to blame.

So, today's menu is a cassava festival.

The most labor-intensive dish was left to Chef Hugo, and I only ate the relatively easy ones.

By the way, cassava actually contains a small amount of poison, but I had it approved with the condition that it should be "poison-free cassava that can grow well in this land." So, it's probably a different plant from the cassava I know. In other words, it's a perfect plant that only has the good qualities of cassava. The SHOP is really something. It's no wonder, given that it's a god's ability. I had Yararai check if it was poisonous, and he confirmed that it was fine.

So, I cooked it without worrying about removing the poison.

Cassava tubers themselves don't have much flavor, so it's best to treat them as starch. At least, it feels like it could challenge the situation where this country pays a lot of money to import flour from far away.

I made flavorless cassava okonomiyaki and a potato soup with vegetables. The seasoning was left to personal preference.

It's possible to make tapioca if you put in the effort, but I didn't feel like doing it. It's almost a luxury item, and I can't deny that it was a hassle.

As for the taste evaluation...

"Hmm... Well, it's ordinary..."

"Yeah, neither good nor bad, I guess."

"Simple, I like it."

"Compared to the poor-quality potatoes that have recently spread in the market, this is much more delicious. If it can be produced here, I would be very happy."

Hag and Chelina's evaluations were rather neutral, and Yararai seemed to like it. Hugo's evaluation, as always, was fair and sharp. He's definitely a top-notch chef and merchant.

"Well, if you think about it in terms of calories, it has very good cost performance, so I think it's suitable for this land."

"Calories?"

"Yeah, the minimum food needed for humans to survive... something like that. But if you only eat this, your nutrition will be unbalanced."

"I see. Can I think of it as a substitute for bread?"

"Yeah."

As Chelina mentioned before, the price of bread is rising day by day. If this spreads, it might help a bit. Besides, since I pushed it on Chelina, I hope it works out well.

I'll go with corn dishes for tomorrow's breakfast.

After finishing today's breakfast, I served everyone instant coffee. I had run out of beans, so I bought new ones.

Remaining funds: 98,833,880 yen.

When I entered the usual small conference room, there was already a guest.

It was Halogen from the Kourigu shop. Despite his simple ethnic clothing, he has a strong butler-like aura. He might as well call himself Sebastian.

"Good morning, Miss Chelina, Akira-sama."

"Yes, good morning. You're quite early."

"I finally completed the item, so I was so excited that I couldn't sleep at all."

Despite that, he had no dark circles.

"Is that so? Then please show me your masterpiece."

"With pleasure. Here it is."

Looking at the Kourigu, I couldn't help but say, "Wow."

They were about the size of slightly larger playing cards, with a thickness about twice that of a card. The texture felt like plastic.

They were a world apart from the box-shaped Kourigu from last time.

Furthermore, instead of the text that described what the Kourigu did, there were now simple illustrations.

The lighting Kourigu was depicted as a candle, the cleaning Kourigu as a broom, the wind Kourigu as leaves dancing in the wind, the fire Kourigu as a campfire, and the light sword Kourigu as a sword glowing.

"This is a good job. You used illustrations this time, didn't you?"

"Yes, at first I used decorative letters, but I thought they were a bit lonely, so I asked a sign painter to create the illustrations."

"Good job. I like it. Can I activate it?"

"Of course."

I held the lighting Kourigu between my fingers and touched it to the ink bottle (ceramic) on the table, imagining it to be a bit brighter than a candle.

But it didn't light up at all.

"Akira-sama, the lighting Kourigu only reacts to metal."

"Oh, right."

Embarrassing! I pretended to look for something metal in the room. The metal paperweight used to hold down the parchment worked, and the Kourigu emitted a warm, orange light as I had imagined.

"Wow, Halogen, this is perfect."

"Thank you for your kind words."

Halogen smiled more than his age suggested.

I then activated the cleaning Kourigu, which worked without any problems. I didn't activate the wind, fire, or light sword Kourigu in this small room.

"The rest should be tested outside."

"Yes, especially if Akira-sama is going to use them, we can't let them be used in this town."

"...Hey."

"Hehehe. You two seem to be quite close."

"Of course, as fellow merchants, we have a very good relationship."

"Who are you to say that..."

"Hehehe."

Damn, I got laughed at by Halogen.

"As promised, I will give all the prototypes to Akira-sama."

"Huh? I thought that was the contract, but these are the first prototypes, right? Is that okay?"

"Yes. Actually, the wind, fire, and light sword Kourigu don't have a Rikiryoku stone."

"Rikiryoku stone is like the core of the Kourigu, right?"

"Yes."

I remembered seeing a transparent stone the size of a grain of rice.

"I don't understand, but is the size of the Rikiryoku stone the issue, and the power depends on how the array is written?"

"Yes, you seem to have misunderstood. Rikiryoku stones are already made with specific abilities for their individual purposes. The array is necessary to maximize the stone's ability."

"I see... Can Halogen make Rikiryoku stones?"

"Unfortunately, no. The refinement of Rikiryoku stones is a state or religious secret. There are very few workshops that can make them."

Halogen shook his head as if to say, "Oh well," but it was probably intentional.

"Huh? Then how did you get the stone for this Kourigu?"

"I took the Rikiryoku stone from a Kourigu that was originally sold as a fire Kourigu and disassembled it. The typical Kourigu shop repairs, reprocesses, and sells these stones."

"I see. Then this is even more valuable, isn't it?"

"The test is already complete, and I don't know when the next batch will arrive. I heard that Akira-sama won't be staying in this country for long, so it's only right to give them to you."

"I see..."

I leaned in close to Chelina's ear.

"What do you think we should do?"

"We should accept them honestly."

"Okay... Then I will gratefully accept them."

"Yes, please use them on your journey."

I took out the cleaning Kourigu from my pocket. Not the card type I just received, but the candy-shaped one.

"Then I'll return this one."

"You can keep it if you like."

"No, this is enough."

"I see. You're not greedy."

"A week ago, I would have pretended to forget."

We all laughed together.

"Ah, right. I've been meaning to ask, but I thought you said that Kourigu could only be in the shape of a lollipop, right? But aren't item bags also Kourigu?"

"That's because only the followers of the God of Space, Kazmus, can make them. It's a complete mystery how they make them without using Rikiryoku stones. The Church of Kazmus calls these 'storage' Kourigu the miracles of God. Since Kourigu shops can't understand or repair them, they are not officially considered Kourigu."

"In other words, they are Kourigu in reality, right?"

"Yes, if they can be obtained, Kourigu shops will sell them."

"I see. But don't the churches of the God of Space, Kazmus, sell them?"

"Actually, the Church of Kazmus doesn't have physical churches. There is a main temple where they make item boxes, bags, and large shift rooms."

"Shift rooms?"

"Yes. It's the greatest secret technique of the Church of Kazmus. It instantly swaps the contents of two large rooms."

"Wait, isn't that teleportation?"

"Teleportation... Yes, you understand quickly, Akira-sama. Most people can't understand this explanation. To summarize it in just two words is impressive."

"Wow... But teleportation is incredible! Is there one around here?"

I got excited about the super technology that I wouldn't even see on Earth.

"No, it seems that only a few have been installed between major countries. A large donation is required for installation."

"Ah, that makes sense... But even if it's expensive, it should pay for itself quickly, right?"

As I was talking with Halogen, Chelina interrupted.

"Akira-sama, the only people who can understand that shift rooms generate wealth are those who have heard the story. About a dozen years ago, the first large-scale shift room was made and connected between the True Radiant Empire of Atlantis and the Carman Empire. The wealth generated by the tolls and trade was enormous. Since then, major countries have been rushing to install them."

"Of course, if it's that convenient, everyone would want one."

"But besides the high donation, there are few priests who can install them, so it's taking time to spread. ...However, the area south of the Midar Mountains is doing quite well, but only the country of Lakes and Mountains, Lakelel, has one installed north of the Midar Mountains."

"What's the Midar Mountains like?"

"Well, to put it simply, it's a mountain range that runs diagonally from the northeast to the southwest of the Great Midar Continent. The northern part is called the North Midar Mountains, and the southern part is called the South Midar Mountains. It's a straightforward name."

"That's easy to understand."

"Hehe."

She giggled.

"The Midar Mountains are not a single mountain but a collection of mountains. They are characterized by their steepness, length, and height. It's almost impossible to cross them properly, except for a few places."

Hmm, I should imagine the Himalayas. If the mountains are that steep and continue for a long distance, even with cars on Earth, it wouldn't be easy to cross them. It would be impossible with carriages or on foot. If they split the continent in two, it would be a real problem.

"So, you can't trade with the area south of the Midar Mountains?"

"Currently, it's almost impossible. There are some roads that run through the valleys, but the types of goods that can be transported are limited. Goods from the south of the Midar Mountains are generally very expensive."

"By the way, aren't potatoes from the south?"

"Originally, they were, but the successful cultivation was in a village just north of the South Midar Mountains. From there, they spread, but the further away from the mountains, the harder it is to grow them."

That's confusing...

"Sorry, I got off topic. So, are there other types of Kourigu besides the lollipop-shaped ones?"

"They do exist."

"Really?"

"But Kourigu made with current enchantment techniques are no longer called Kourigu."

"What do you mean?"

"Kourigu made with lost techniques are powerful and are generally considered legendary weapons, artifacts, or lost technologies, and are not the same as current Kourigu."

"Oh, those exist..."

Oh no, I sound like a second-rate otaku...

"Are there any famous ones?"

Crap, I asked without thinking.

"Well, the True Radiant Light Sword, Eckesachs, is famous. It's said that it never dulls, no matter how intense the battle."

"Wow, it's durable."

"However, no one has seen it used in actual combat..."

Of course. It's a national treasure, and only the king can hold it. If the king has to use the Eckesachs, it means he's in a desperate situation.

It's the end times...

"Does it even exist?"

"The True Radiant Light Sword, Eckesachs, is sometimes displayed at national ceremonies, but its authenticity is unknown."

"That makes sense."

"I have seen an artifact myself."

"I'm interested in that."

If there are artifacts that ordinary people can see, it would be proof that various legendary items actually exist.

"It's called the Infinite Water Bottle, and it's used in the central square fountain of the independent city of Sevites. The water flows down from a bottle hanging high on a chain, making a grand spectacle."

"Wow, I'd like to see that. But won't it be stolen if it's outside?"

"It's hung high up, and there are always soldiers on guard. There are many soldiers in the central square itself, and the water basin is deep and wide, so you can't get close from below. Plus, it's taken back to the fortress when the sun sets."

"I see. But it must be difficult to transport a bottle that constantly flows with water."

"The water flow can be stopped."

"Oh, I see. But an infinite water bottle would be a highly sought-after item in this city."

"Yes, but it's not something you can buy with money."

"That's true."

I believe what Chelina says, but if it's not a scam, it's an incredible tool. Truly a magical item.

"Also, storage Kourigu, like item bags, can only be made by followers of the God of Space, Kazmus."

"Right, those are completely different in shape."

"Yes, the manufacturing method is a closely guarded secret. The followers of the Church of Kazmus are all wanderers. They don't settle down and make and sell storage Kourigu as they travel. Only the priests at the main temple are allowed to settle, so there are few followers. Therefore, when they arrive in a town, they are often given special treatment."

"I see, that's very informative."

"You're welcome."

It felt good to clear up some of the things I had been wondering about.

"By the way, Chelina."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Can you make a small leather box to store these Kourigu cards?"

With a box, I can store them all in one container, which would be convenient.

"Yes, I can. Shall I have it made?"

"Sure, thanks. I'll pay for it."

"Understood. I'll have it made right away. Melvin!"

"Understood."

Melvin is really competent.

"It will be ready by evening if we don't add elaborate embroidery. What do you think?"

"Let's go with that."

"Understood."

It's just decoration. I don't understand the meaning.

"Shall we go to the usual place?"

"Sure."

I put the Kourigu cards in the container and checked the list