“Selective breeding, huh? That sounds like a pain.”
Nara-kun, still not satisfied with the taste of the rice, said he wanted to talk to Jonas, a farmer who would likely know about selective breeding.
It was a real hassle, so I rejected him, but he bowed his head and begged, so I reluctantly used Teleportation Magic to bring him to Jonas’s farming village.
You might ask, if it’s such a hassle, why not just teach Nara-kun Teleportation Magic? But considering what might happen if Nara-kun ever betrayed us, I can’t teach it to him so easily.
Well, if the situation changes, I might teach him, but not now.
So, it’s a pain, but I’m here in the farming village with Nara-kun.
While Nara-kun is talking to Jonas, I’m off to the side, drinking tea and eating the pickles Jonas offered.
…Come to think of it, this is also Japanese-style, isn’t it?
The Summoners of the past really wanted to recreate Japanese food, huh?
And it never spread, only being passed down in this hidden village.
In my original world, Japanese food was a global boom, but I guess some things just don’t fit in some places.
As I relaxed with my tea, watching the two of them discuss selective breeding, I couldn’t help but think, looking at Nara-kun’s serious expression.
…Is Nara-kun planning to become a rice farmer in this other world?
As I was pondering that question, Nara-kun turned towards me.
“Maya-san!”
Just as I was worrying about Nara-kun’s future, he called my name.
“What is it?”
“…”
I answered him, but Nara-kun didn’t say anything else.
What is it? I thought, and then Nara-kun suddenly looked surprised and came closer to me.
“I forgot it was Maya-san. There’s no way you’d come just because I called.”
“Huh? Of course not.”
What’s he talking about?
“No, I know. That was my bad. So, Maya-san, can you use magic to help plants grow?”
“I can.”
There’s a magic that can accelerate plant growth, an application of Healing Magic.
It’s too complicated for living creatures, though.
Using it, plants grow several times faster than normal, and the fact that he called me at this timing means…
“I want you to help with selective breeding!”
“No.”
“Just as I expected!!”
Well, I expected that request too.
“Please? If we can make delicious rice, you’d be happy too, right, Maya-san?”
“Can you really do it?”
I looked at Jonas, and he crossed his arms and groaned, “Hmm.”
“We think this rice is good enough, so I don’t think we need selective breeding…”
“No, Jonas-san!! The real taste of rice isn’t like this!! Real rice is more chewy, sweet, and sticky…”
“Ah, Nara-kun.”
“Yes?”
“By the way, that’s what Japanese people think is delicious. I heard that some foreigners don’t like Japanese rice because it’s too sticky.”
“Really!?”
“Some people like rice that’s fluffy, and some like it sticky. It’s different for everyone. Don’t force your values on others.”
When I said that, Nara-kun groaned, “Ugh.”
“Even this rice, some people like it, and some people don’t like the smell.”
“…Wait a minute. Maya-san, what are you eating?”
“This? Takuan.”
“That’s not fair!! I want to eat takuan too!!”
That’s right, what I’ve been eating with my tea is pickled daikon radish, takuan.
Daikon radish is common in this world, and they make rice here, so they have rice bran.
All the conditions for making takuan are met, so it’s normal to have takuan.
And other nukazuke too.
“Oh, Nara-kun likes takuan too? Then try some. Pickles aren’t very popular in this world, so we have a lot left over.”
“I’ll eat it, I’ll eat it! Yay!”
While Jonas went back into the house to get the takuan, Nara-kun spoke to me.
“Still, it’s surprising that nukazuke isn’t popular.”
“I just told you, people in this world don’t like the smell of it.”
Many people in this world don’t like the unique smell of nukazuke.
Jonas and the others are probably fine with it because they’ve been eating it since they were kids.
Just like us.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here, takuan.”
“Yay! Thank you!”
Nara-kun said that and happily started munching on the takuan.
“Ah, it’s so good… If only the rice was delicious, it would be perfect.”
“Well, I can understand how you feel.”
Ah, I messed up.
That was a slip of the tongue.
I felt like Nara-kun’s eyes lit up.
“See! Maya-san also wants to eat delicious rice, right!? Then please help me!!”
He kept begging, so persistently that I couldn’t take it anymore and shouted.
“Alright, alright! I get it, so get away from me!!”
“Really!? Yes!!”
Nara-kun jumped away from me, doing a little dance.
Looking at Nara-kun, I sighed.
“Hah hah hah. Even the tyrannical Kenta-dono can’t win against a naive junior, huh?”
“Naive, huh?”
Seriously, when did he change so much? This guy.
As I watched Nara-kun happily jumping around, I was feeling depressed thinking about the days I’d be dragged around by him.
“By the way, Maya-san.”
“Huh? What is it?”
“Where should we grow the rice?”
“…”
You…
“Figure that out yourself!!”
Seriously, this brat!
I liked him ten thousand times better when he was gloomy and quiet when we first met!