Chapter 240: Cucumber
The next day, I went for a walk just before dawn, when the world was still dimly lit. By the time the sun peeked over the horizon, it seemed like Rishu was already feeling the heat. I found myself climbing higher on the mountain trails, seeking the coolness of the higher elevations.
Within the mountains, there were blueberries, mulberry trees, Japanese plums, and other wild fruits—I had also sown some seeds of that peculiar melon. Well, when I say “sown,” I really just tossed some seeds into mud balls and threw them in spots that looked promising.
Even this simple act increased the chances of the seeds sprouting without being pecked at by birds.
Lost in thought, I spotted a pheasant. It seemed to think it was hidden in the bushes, completely still. I had no intention of hunting it since I had enough meat from domesticated animals and demon beasts.
In the fields, the green beans were growing rapidly, and if I wasn’t careful, the cucumbers would swell up in no time. Tomatoes, chili peppers, round peperoncinos, and plenty of red produce were also thriving. It was the harvest season for potatoes as well.
I wondered how the potatoes I sold in Naruadeid were doing. By the time they hit the market and Kanum could buy them, I planned to introduce a new variety—essentially a second generation mixed with the potatoes from the Pantry.
I diligently harvested and stored the crops. Even if I picked them every morning, by evening, the small fruits would have grown significantly, so I had to stay vigilant. Rishu was waiting in the shade on a chilling plate.
As the sun rose and the heat began to set in, it was time for breakfast. I sat next to Rishu and took a crisp cucumber that I had chilled in the stream.
Today’s meal was chimaki, with two types of filling: seafood and braised pork belly. Once wrapped in bamboo leaves, they looked indistinguishable. Which one was which?
In the center of the lightly brown rice, soaked in sauce, were shrimp, clams, and beautifully green edamame. The fluffy, sticky rice had a nice flavor from the clam broth. The pork belly chimaki had a hint of ginger aroma in the rice.
I savored it while munching on the cucumber.
“Oh, Pal, Ish. Want some?”
“Yeah, I’ll have some.”
“Sure, I’ll take it.”
I handed the cucumber to Pal as he appeared, and sprinkled some salt on the one I gave to Ish.
Pal said that vegetables grown in this land had flavor, and Ish claimed that vegetables nurtured by the local water tasted good too. Ish especially loved cucumbers.
Cucumbers are 97% water, right? He also liked tomatoes, so he probably enjoyed radishes too. It was a good thing that his preferences were expanding, as too much salt could be bad for the heart.
“Refreshing and good, very good,” Pal said happily. Is cucumber really that refreshing? Now that I think about it, in Europe, they were so fond of its scent that it became a perfume.
I was glad I fought against the cucumbers that, despite being supported by stakes, would crawl on the ground or entangle themselves with other vines. I had decided to not only use stakes next year but also set up nets.
“Cucumbers here are delicious. I saw some in other lands, but they looked pale and lacked moisture,” Ish remarked.
That was because the cucumbers from the Pantry had undergone significant breeding improvements. The vegetables grown in this field, cucumbers included, had a richer flavor. However, some had a grassy or earthy taste, so I was saving seeds only from the better plants.
Next time, I’ll aim for even better ones!
“By the way, Pal, is this the black ledge you told me about? Or is it this one?” I pulled out some crushed black rocks and shells of land anemones from [Storage] to show him. I was lucky to run into him before heading to the Library to do some research.
“Ah, both are correct. Mix one part of that black soil with twenty parts of the shells when you use them. The shells crumble easily when water is applied,” he explained.
“Thanks, I’ll give it a try.”
I expressed my gratitude to Ish for the water and resumed my work. I felt happy that when the two of them came, the crops in the fields and orchards seemed to thrive and crossbreed successfully.
Van, Haralfa, and Mishto seemed to pursue their own interests, while Pal, Ish, and Kadal had a more relaxed but widespread influence? Rudil rarely came by, but when he did, it seemed he was interested in something.
It was probably a matter of personality or conscious intent.
Still, I couldn’t help but notice that when Rishu rested his face on my knee, both of them suddenly fell silent. What was that about?
After noon, I wrapped up during the hottest part of the day. Even though it was dry, the heat still felt intense. Heatstroke could be terrible; it could even cause the liver to boil and proteins to denature—dangerous, dangerous.
Next, I headed to Kanum, where I poked my finger into Daifuku, who was in the box with the chilling plate in the attic, much to his annoyance. I delivered peach jam and peach syrup to Ash, and finally, I made my way to the Dinoss Mansion.
I crept in quietly, trying not to be noticed by the children.
“Here, the human experiment has been completed,” I said, presenting the syrup and jam to Shiva.
“Oh my, how lovely!”
“One spoonful a day, one bite is effective,” I said, trying to sound like a late-night beauty supplement commercial.
“Hey, don’t give my wife anything weird!” Dinoss exclaimed.
“It’s fine. I gave some to Ash too, and one spoonful won’t cause any major transformations. It’s delicious!” I reassured him, but Dinoss was still fussing. The human experiment had already been completed, and the taste was guaranteed.
“What do you mean by major transformations?!” he shouted.
“It’s okay, dear. I’ve heard from Dean and Retze about its effects. They said it’s moist and chewy,” Shiva said with a smile. It was impressive that she had verified it with both Dean and Retze.
But it was a secret that I had gifted Ash an extra jar of peach jam.
Now, Dinoss! Go ahead and try to take the peach syrup and jam from Shiva!
I left with a triumphant grin. Just kidding, Dinoss started to ramble about how Shiva’s chest was better now and whether it was bragging or not, the atmosphere turned pink, so I decided to retreat. What a lovely couple!
I wondered what they would do. Would it be just one lick a day without changing the shape…?
I had to leave Ash’s place quickly too, as the butler gave me a warm smile, and I ended up finishing my deliveries earlier than planned.