Chapter 235: The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side
Knowing they would be sour, I decided to try one or two of the fruits right there. The pears weren’t the soft kind I was familiar with; instead, they had a firm texture, yet a smooth mouthfeel. When I bit into one, the juice burst forth, filling my mouth with flavor and aroma.
The pears available in Kanum were yellowish, but these red ones were much sweeter and delicious enough to eat as they were. They didn’t leave a lingering sweetness in my mouth, making them easy to eat in large quantities.
The small peaches and the flat peaches were firmer. Compared to the fruits I knew, they had a stronger acidity and less sweetness, but they had a refreshing taste. Still, I wondered if they would taste better when processed.
“You look happy,” Karn said.
“There’s a bounty of ripe fruit,” I replied with a smile.
“You seem happier than when you got your hands on the treasures from the Temple,” Karn noted, his speech becoming more animated!
“Give it up. Jean’s interests lie in seasonal foods, local dishes, unique crafts, and staves,” Retze chimed in.
“I also enjoy wandering around and exploring,” I added. Whether it was strolling through bustling tourist spots or visiting desolate borderlands devoid of people, both were enjoyable in their own right.
“…”
Karn stopped giving me that ambiguous look.
Karn, who had little interest in fruit, seemed to be more focused on the walk through the forest itself. He only wanted enough to eat right there. The small peach had turned out to be sour, and he grimaced dramatically.
While I casually picked fruits within reach, I felt Retze was explaining the forest’s vegetation and how to utilize those plants. I decided to join in on the learning.
“If you really want to know, hire someone from the Apothecary Guild. Also, Jean is close,” Retze suggested.
“The ones you found look riper,” I said. “Please share your tips!”
“It’s the same,” he insisted.
“It seems you have a knack for finding the right things and using them appropriately,” Karn remarked.
“Exactly!” I agreed wholeheartedly. Now, tell me how to distinguish delicious fruits!
“How does that even happen? It’s the same!”
As I struggled to steal Retze’s techniques, a rabbit got burnt. I trimmed off the charred parts with a knife, pairing the rabbit meat with bread smeared with peach jam, cheese, and wine. Plus, a large sausage—Karn was a big guy after all.
The peach jam was made from the small peaches we picked here, chopped up and tossed into a small enamel pot with a splash of brandy, a bit of lemon for color preservation, and a generous amount of sugar. I even brought the small pot specifically for this purpose.
“Wow, it turns pink when you add the skin,” Retze peered into the pot.
While Retze didn’t seem to cook much at home, perhaps he wanted to accumulate knowledge? I suddenly realized that despite the lovely color, all of us eating were men.
I handed Karn a piece of bread topped with the jam—though it wasn’t cooked down much and had less sugar than typical jam, it might just be more like stewed peaches. His face stiffened for a moment, but he accepted it and took a bite. Ah, so he’s the type who eats whatever is served without picky preferences. Tough luck for a king.
“I didn’t think it would be edible, but it’s delicious when cooked,” Karn said, his expression surprised as he tasted it. So, it seems he just doesn’t like the sourness of the peaches?
The peach jam, with its fruit flesh intact, turned out quite well. The brandy added a nice flavor, but the original peach aroma was still delightful.
Karn topped a piece of cheese with the jam and sipped his wine. Meanwhile, Retze checked the sausage’s cooking progress, flipping it over while taking small sips of his wine.
I enjoyed my tea while watching them. It was fine since it paired well with the bread. I was almost twenty, and soon I could drink not only the alcohol from this world but also the drinks from my original world without hesitation.
After gathering the fruits that Karn had collected, I returned to Kanum with an abundance. The fruits here were a bit sour to eat raw, so it was common to make them into candied treats or jams before sharing them as souvenirs.
Retze seemed to distribute them raw to various people. I wondered if he had someone special in mind, but it turned out he was just giving them to informants and craftsmen. By gifting seasonal items that brought joy each year, even without frequent face-to-face interactions, they would remember him.
Oh, would Shiva prefer them raw?