Chapter 50

Summary of the previous episode ------------------------------------------------------

Natsuki pointed out that even with customers, the current prices do not yield a high profit margin, and the business is not going well. She suggested aiming for a slightly more upscale and relaxed café. Additionally, they decided to sell take-home items in the early morning as a form of advertising.

In the plate was a slightly thick liquid. Its color was quite close to black, but its thickness was similar to the okonomiyaki sauce I like. I put a little on my finger, and everyone licked it.

"…It's delicious."

"Yeah, it has a deep, rich flavor…"

"No, no, this is incredibly delicious?"

"Is that so? I'm a bit dissatisfied, though. Many ingredients are hard to come by, and my family's version is better. Still, I don't think it can match my mother's."

Aera said this with a slight tilt of her head, but honestly, this sauce seems to have a higher level of completion than the sauces developed by Japanese companies.

Whether it will appeal to everyone is a different issue, but I don't think it will become a huge hit in Japan. However, those who like it will really love it.

It has a slightly sweet taste, a smooth acidity, and a pleasant fruity aroma that fills the nose. Various spices add depth to the flavor, but they also create a bit of a habit-forming quality, which might be the reason for the divided preferences.

Still, among the seasonings I've eaten in this world, this is by far the best.

"Do you have a lot of this?"

"No, it's for my own use, so not much. I can't use it all even if I make a lot."

It seems like a good ingredient to use in the dishes served at the shop, but since it's a special Elven seasoning and a type of homemade pickled item, it's not something they sell.

"I think this could sell well?"

"If it's accepted by Yuki and Natsuki, then maybe?"

"Can you teach me how to make it? To be honest, I want it myself. If it's a secret recipe, I won't push for it."

"No, no, it's not that grand. It's something made in many Elven households."

Ah, I see. You were just being considerate because I didn't know about it. But I'm a fake Elf, so it's fine, right?

"First, prepare the Inspire Sauce."

"…That's a sudden roadblock."

I'm devastated!

It feels like being asked whether the egg or the chicken came first.

"Ah, no, of course I'll share mine with everyone."

"Thank you! Just this alone makes coming here today worth it!"

"No, no! Since you're taking your time to be here, it's the least I can do. Plus, I'm happy that you like my Inspire Sauce."

Aera smiled happily. It's probably something like homemade miso. We don't make it at home, but I remember my grandmother's homemade miso was quite popular among relatives, and she would make and distribute a large amount every year.

"So, you put your favorite fruits or vegetables into the prepared Inspire Sauce. You can leave them whole, but cutting them into small pieces will speed up the process, especially if you're in a hurry."

"Can you just put anything in?"

"Yes, as long as it's plant-based. There are some variations among households, but in ours, we throw in vegetable scraps, so it's quite casual. Some households add nuts, but I don't recommend it. It can be delicious if it works, but it's quite difficult."

Hmm, this sauce is more approximate than I thought. How does it produce this flavor?

"I recommend using fruit peels. They're usually discarded, and they add a good aroma. Then, you can add your favorite spices."

"Um… is the sweetness from the fruit?"

"No, the sweetness comes from adding potatoes. Our sauce is on the sweeter side. Some households make a sauce with almost no sweetness, so the impression of the Inspire Sauce can vary quite a bit."

"Potatoes… do they convert starch to sugar?"

Natsuki whispered, surprised.

The sweet sauces I know use dates to add sweetness, but this sauce uses potatoes. I remember learning that the enzyme amylase converts starch to sugar, so it might be something similar.

"If it can be easily increased, I think it would be good to sell the 'Katsu Sandwich' as Naoki suggested."

"It takes about a week to increase, but it's easy to do. However, if it's for the shop, there's the issue of the sauce's flavor not being consistent."

Basically, the style is to throw in whatever fruits and vegetables are available at the time, so there's quite a bit of flavor variation.

Furthermore, if you stop adding fruits, the aroma decreases, so you need to increase the amount a bit more in the fall to prepare for winter consumption.

In other words, if you want to serve it at the shop, you need to prepare a large amount in advance.

"To prepare a large amount, you need to buy a lot of fruits, which will cost a lot of money. And if it doesn't sell, you'll have to consider that… In the local area, you could gather them from the forest."

"Fruits, huh? They're expensive, aren't they? Especially when you buy them at the market."

Generally, the price of fruits in this world is high, even compared to Japan, so using fruits to prepare the sauce can be quite expensive. For personal use, you can use peels and scraps, but for the shop, you need to buy them specifically.

"Naoki, what about Dindles? You said the season is over, but…"

"No, I think we can still gather them… Aera, what do you think?"

"Dindles? When I lived locally, I used to gather them sometimes. They're delicious."

Aera seemed to recall the taste she had before, with a slightly dreamy expression. But that's not what I meant.

"If you put them in the Inspire Sauce…"

"Oh, right. Yes, it becomes very delicious. But the Dindles sold in this city are quite expensive, aren't they?"

"Yeah, they are. Thanks to that, I made a good profit."

"Should we go gather them? I've been gathering them until a few days ago, so I think we can still get some."

"Is that okay? I don't think I'll be much help…"

Aera, who looked a bit anxious, said this, and Yuki also tilted her head.

"Naoki, if we go, it will be four of us, including Yuki and Natsuki. Is it really safe without Toya and Haruka?"

Probably just goblins at most, and with Natsuki's spear skills, it shouldn't be dangerous. If we encounter a Vibe Bear, it might be tough without Toya, but we probably won't… right? I hope it doesn't turn into a flag.

"Probably safe, I hope."

"I think we should check with Haruka…."

Natsuki also said this.

Huh? Do I really lack that much trust? I feel a bit down.

"Okay… if Haruka confirms it's fine, we can take a day off from the shop and go gather them. Is that okay?"

"I don't mind… we won't have any customers anyway. But are you guys okay?"

"We're fine. The next day or two will be like a rest period."

The discussion was settled for now. After that, we chatted and ate some snacks Aera provided, and dispersed before noon.

Natsuki and I went back to the inn, and Yuki went with Aera to the carpenter's place to give a detailed explanation of the sign and to build a connection with the carpenter, making it easier for us to ask for repairs when we rent a house.

According to Yuki, "If Aera is recognized as an acquaintance who paid a lot, it will be easier to get things done." Quite shrewd.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Inspire Sauce, huh? Is it delicious?"

"Yeah. It's a taste of Elven households. Aera's sauce is closest to the Okonomiyaki sauce I know. It's a bit sweeter and has a stronger aroma of spices."

"That's amazing!? It's getting closer to a tonkatsu! A salted tonkatsu would be bland, after all."

That evening, we had a report session similar to the one from the previous day. Toya was the happiest about the existence of the Inspire Sauce. He had said he wanted to make a tonkatsu.

"But if the flavor changes significantly depending on what you put in, it will also expand the variety of meals. It's a bit surprising that the sweetness comes from potatoes."

Here, the potatoes are not sweet like sweet potatoes but more like potatoes with no sweetness. There are several types of potatoes available, and it seems any of them can be used.

"It's probably the conversion of starch to sugar, but at room temperature, it's not an enzyme, right? Maybe it's the work of yeast?"

"But if you just throw in spices, the bacteria should be active, right? They break down the vegetables and fruits in about a week. Maybe multiple bacteria coexist?"

"Spices… right, usually, adding spices would suppress bacterial activity."

The long-term preservation is thanks to that.

"Of course, there are bacteria that can be active even in such an environment, but I think the bacteria in this sauce are quite powerful."

"That's true… for koji, it takes 2-3 days to turn steamed rice into rice koji. Adding water and adjusting the temperature, it takes about half a day to convert it to sugar. Given the conditions, it's impressive that it can break down most plants in just a week."

"There's a possibility that room temperature is the optimal environment, but if such bacteria existed in nature, crops would suffer significant damage, wouldn't they?"

"Probably, there are some activity conditions. For example, anaerobic conditions or a certain concentration required for activity."

"If the sauce becomes smooth without filtering, there might be cellulose-degrading bacteria. Normally, the fibers of vegetables would remain."

"Indeed, it seems to contain a balanced mix of various bacteria."

"Given that, it makes sense that the first step is to 'prepare the Inspire Sauce.'"

The three intellectuals started discussing complex matters. In my case, I only know that "amylase converts starch to sugar."

"Whatever, it's 'The Fantasy.' If you can easily make a delicious sauce, that's fine."

"You! You cut it short!"

Typical Toya.

He ruined the discussion.

The three of them gave him a slightly exasperated look.

"Toya… considering the principles is quite important, even for magic."

"I can't use magic. I decided to go with the muscle character."

"Toya is turning out to be more disappointing than I thought!"

Quite a decisive choice.

Yuki is also surprised, but in a way, it makes sense.

Being a muscle character is better for the party's balance than using his brain.

"Alright. So, you want to go gather Dindles. I can't go tomorrow… what about Toya?"

"I'm almost done. I should be able to finish by tomorrow…"

Toya, who was looked at by Haruka, groaned and shook his head.

"Naoki is fine, but the two of you and Aera? If it's that area, we should have ordered chainmail for the two of you when we arrived in the city."

Since it was a kind of rest period, updating the two's equipment was put off, so they only had regular clothes and a cheap spear.

"If I lend mine to Yuki, and Toya borrows Natsuki's, it might fit."

"Hmm, I'm not sure if it's a good idea for everyone to have ill-fitting equipment… but let's try it on first."

We tried it on.

To be honest, I was reminded of the significant difference in shoulder width and chest size between Toya and me.

It's not falling off, but it's quite loose, and it might be a bit difficult to move around vigorously. Maybe we need to tie it with a rope or something.

"I'm surprisingly a good fit."

That was Natsuki, wearing my chainmail.

She's taller than me, but her slender Elven body and her chest size seem to match well.

"I might be a bit tight in the chest."

"Is it unbearable?"

"Not really. I can manage for a day."

Yuki, wearing Haruka's chainmail, seemed to not fit well due to Haruka's slender build.

It looked like… her chest was being compressed a bit?

I'll leave that to Haruka to handle. Yeah.

"Weapons… Yuki, you got the [Staff Mastery] skill, right?"

"Yeah, during this morning's training."

"Toya's sword is of higher quality, but it might be too much for you."

"Even if I could get the skill, I can't swing Toya's sword. It's too heavy for my height."

"No way! It's too heavy!"

Toya and Yuki have a 25 cm height difference.

The sword Toya uses is quite heavy, designed for the strength of a beastman.

It would be interesting if she could swing it, but that's a fantasy scenario.

"Then, you'll have to do your best with a staff. Be careful, okay? Natsuki, take care of her."

"Sure… wait, isn't it my job?"

Based on experience.

Natsuki has high stats, but she's only been in one battle, right?

"You'll be the calm one. Besides, you'll be hunting Task Boars, so don't overdo it."

"…Understood. I'll be careful. Aera will be there, too."

Haruka strongly emphasized, "Take care of your life," and I nodded solemnly.