Chapter 105: Preparation
For now, it’s confirmed that the Dinoss Family will be moving in, so I headed to the inn to gather my belongings. I sold Uma and bought some necessary items, but since I have bedding, it seems we can move today if I can arrange for firewood.
The butler decided to accompany me to guide the way, and after promising to deliver bread and soup to both families, we parted ways for the moment.
What should I do now? It’s still too early for dinner preparations, and the timing feels a bit awkward. The weather isn’t great for heading into the Forest. With more people around, I might as well start prepping some dishes.
I’ll whip up some bread dough, pastry sheets, and a basic soup. As for the fish wrapped in kelp… it might be a bit too early for that. Fresh ingredients might not sit well with everyone. I’ll prepare some marinated meat instead.
Cooking the soup is easy since the fireplace has been kept warm, but for consomme, I’ll need to skim off the scum endlessly. Onion soup and vegetable soup can be made in advance and used for other dishes later.
I’ll make several types of bread dough, rolling them out to let them rise. For croissant dough and pastry dough, I’ll diligently fold and roll them out, resting them in between to create layers.
The kitchen is cramped, so I’ll work in the room with the fireplace.
“Hey, what are you making?”
“Bread?”
“It’s bread and pastry dough. Are you just getting back?”
I respond to Dean and Retze, who called out to me.
I’ve opened the large door meant for the cart to let in light, making it easy for anyone outside to see what I’m doing. Though, since it’s in the back alley, only Ash and the folks from the rental house are likely to come by.
“Where’s Chris? And what happened to your face? You’re covered in scratches!”
Dean’s face and arms are all scratched up.
“I ran into Retze at the Guild, so we came back together. It’s not like we often get requests for all three of us. The scratches are from Puru.”
Dean hands me a bag.
“I picked some Pio since I saw it growing on my way back.”
Retze says as he offers me his own bag.
Curious, I open them up to find both bags contain mushrooms. The Pio from Retze has a brown cap and a long stem, while the one Dean has is pale and has a strong aroma.
After using [Appraisal], I find that Pio grows on trees like willows and poplars, with a crisp texture. Puru grows under the thorny Japanese plum bushes and has a pleasant scent. It seems Dean’s scratches are from the thorny plums.
“Puru needs to be eaten today, or the aroma will fade. I’ll make something for dinner, so come eat.”
“Awesome!”
“Next time, I’ll bring back Riyu.”
Dean and Retze smile brightly.
I call out to the two as they head back, telling them to invite Chris along.
I wonder if Riyu is a mushroom too? In Japan, it’s the season for foraging wild vegetables, but here, people seem to get excited about mushrooms with each change of season. The taste might not be that special, but it seems they enjoy the aroma and texture? Or maybe they’re just enjoying the season.
They’ve brought back way more mushrooms than needed for three people. It feels like they gathered enough for Ash, the butler, and Chris too.
I pull out the salted pork that’s been marinating overnight. I rub in sugar and coarsely ground black pepper, then add salt koji and rosemary, mixing it all together.
I toss the chopped salted pork and green beans into the vegetable soup, simmering it with garlic, white wine, and bay leaves. I add cabbage midway through. It’s not the deep green cabbage they have here, but the familiar light green one. I want them to gradually get used to various ingredients.
That’s two pots of soup. I’ll leave the rest to the fireplace; it should turn out nicely. With the preparations done and some time until dinner, I’ll head back home and ask Rishu about something.
And so, I use [Teleportation] to return home.
As I step inside, Rishu rushes over. She sniffs around my feet, checking where I’ve been, and once satisfied, she sits down and looks up at me.
I wait until she’s done sniffing, and once she sits, I give her a gentle pat, a routine I always follow when I return. She’s adorable in the morning and just as cute in the evening.
“Rishu, do you want to come outside with me, not just to the Forest? There are a lot of people, though.”
She tilts her head, pondering.
It’s not so much that she doesn’t understand, but more like she’s considering what to do. She doesn’t seem to like people or other spirits much, including the Sacred Beasts.
“If it seems like a hassle, we can try leaving you behind next time.”
She nudges her face between my legs, so I take that as a yes and use [Teleportation] again.
Upon arriving at Kanum’s House, Rishu begins to sniff around, particularly near the door, checking out the various scents from different people. I’ll let her do her thing until she’s satisfied.
I prepare a water bowl for Rishu and start getting ready for dinner.
She’s smart enough that the fireplace isn’t a danger, which is reassuring. Her slightly long fur is glossy, and her chest and belly fur are fluffy. Of course, her eyes are wide open, and her sturdy limbs are adorable.
It really makes me happy to have her by my side. I wouldn’t force her to join if she didn’t want to.
“Whoa! There’s a dog!”
“A dog…?”
“What an adorable creature…!”
The first to arrive are Dean, Retze, and then Chris.
“This is Rishu. No touching allowed.”
As Dean reaches out to pet her, Rishu jumps back, so I give him a warning.
“Such a shame.”
When Dean pulls back his hand, Rishu seems to understand she won’t be touched and approaches again, sniffing curiously.
“Ugh… I can’t believe I can’t touch this adorable creature…!”
“A dog…?”
Next to a swooning Chris, Retze tilts his head in confusion.