Chapter 285: Breakfast at the Stall
I woke up early to return from my morning stroll. Ash and the Butler were already up, planning to head to the bathhouse. Although it was still preparation time, they mentioned they could pay a little extra to get in early.
After sending Ash and the others off, I used [Teleportation]. My house was warmer than Kanum’s, but the mountaintop was just as cold as the Fortress City. Rishu seemed to prefer the chill, full of energy.
Leading the way was Pig-kun, searching for mushrooms. Well, he didn’t need to be so desperate; he had already lost interest in eating.
It seemed I wasn’t cut out for raising livestock. I could handle butchering hunted animals just fine, but the longer I looked at them, the more attached I became. Chickens laid eggs without rest, and goats, even without kids, somehow produced milk. Cows, too, would give milk even without a mate.
It was a pitiful evolution to avoid being eaten. —Wait, are they even normal animals anymore? A slight suspicion crossed my mind, but I had heard tales of spirits playing tricks that made cows suddenly start producing milk, so it was probably something like that. Yeah.
I found a bunch of black trumpet mushrooms and a few porcini. Pig-kun scratched at the ground, urging me to dig, so I decided to give it a try. This pattern probably meant truffles.
I stabbed my Ex-Staff into the ground a little away from where Pig-kun wanted me to dig, breaking up the soil. The unique, damp scent of the forest soil wafted strongly.
“Mmm, not bad. This soil is nice.”
The Ex-Staff was like a soil sommelier. There weren’t any roots growing, but it could tell the quality of the soil with its tip, and it seemed to be absorbing a bit too?
“Oh, a winter truffle!”
“Oh! Is it something good?”
I picked it up so the Ex-Staff could see it better.
“It’s a mud ball!”
The Ex-Staff chuckled. It did indeed look like a misshapen mud ball.
Winter truffles are more aromatic and pricier than summer truffles. I had always thought truffles were just one type, or maybe just a difference between white and black, but apparently, there’s more to it. I still couldn’t tell them apart, though!
Rishu, who had been digging around, came over and looked up at me.
“Do you want to see, Rishu?”
I offered it to him, and he sniffed it, sneezing slightly.
After taking care of Pig-kun, our forest stroll came to an end. I picked some figs, thinking it was probably the last harvest of the autumn fruit, and headed back home.
Time for a bath! Since the adventure was over and we were back in town, it was time to indulge in my usual routine. Finally, I could wash my body!
I left the shower running, scrubbing myself vigorously until I felt refreshed, then filled the bath — unable to wait for it to fill, I pulled out hot water from [Storage] and soaked in it.
I really couldn’t let go of this lifestyle. After soaking just right, I dove onto my bed. The clean, smooth sheets felt wonderful. I loved being home.
Today was the day for visiting the temple, so I couldn’t just lounge around forever. I changed into new clothes and returned to the inn in the Fortress City.
“Good morning.”
Ash and the others had returned, gathering in the room with the fireplace to enjoy some tea.
“What’s for breakfast?”
“I want to eat from the food stalls with Gene’s bread!”
Dinoss exclaimed.
“Eating from my bread?”
I imagined the scene of munching on bread while heading to the stalls.
As I followed along, I took out the bread and cut it into pieces, and the Butler wrapped them in paper. Only Kanum and I seemed a bit confused.
I was informed that here, it was trendy to buy bread from the bakery and have whatever toppings you liked added at the stalls.
When we left the inn and arrived at the area lined with stalls, I saw everyone wandering around with bread in hand. I had imagined sandwiches, but it seemed they were using large slices of bread as plates.
“The shops that handle bread have strict regulations on the amount of wheat they use and their locations,” the Butler explained, but my eyes were glued to the roast wild boar.
The stall owner was slicing off the charred bits from the surface and placing them atop the bread of waiting customers. The delicious aroma of roasting meat wafted through the area, making my mouth water.
Some were quickly placing skewered roast chicken on their bread, while others were getting onion slices or having spices sprinkled on top from a spice stall.
“Make sure you don’t get ripped off, okay?”
Retze warned me, bringing me back to my senses.
“Wait, Karn is already buying something.”
Karn was receiving meat from a stall that was grilling wild boar.
Karn was in the same boat regarding currency value, so getting ripped off… probably wouldn’t happen. No one would have the guts to overcharge that muscular, intimidating figure.
“I think I’ll go for eggs and bacon.”
Dinoss said, scanning the stalls.
The Butler whispered something to Ash.
“Gene, it seems that the roast over there is made using a Demon Beast. It’s just finishing up.”
“Oh?”
Ash tugged at my sleeve, leading me to the stall. Everything else looked delicious, but I rarely had the chance to roast something myself, so I couldn’t help but choose it.
Amidst the bustling noise, Ash and I bit into the bread topped with meat. The toppings were onions, and the seasoning was simple.
The meat was tender, with a hint of sweetness in the juices. The aroma was definitely working wonders on my hunger.