It seems that it was only inside the restaurant that was shaken by the doyaquake, and there was no sign of a commotion outside. Moreover, the inside of the restaurant was also completely normal, with no abnormalities happening in the dishes or the condiments.
Maybe the shaking we were just feeling was some kind of illusion…… Well, since Shiro-san can do anything she wants to, it wouldn’t be surprising if some mysterious power was at work……
[……At any rate, to get my mind back on track, I actually have another purpose for bringing Neun-san along this time.]
[Fumu, you mean?]
[Well, Neun-san is familiar with Japanese ingredients…… to be more specific, the Japanese ingredients that were present in this world, so I thought she might be able to help Kaori-san…… You know, Kaori-san did mention how there are some ingredients that you haven’t found yet……]
[Ahh, unnn. Knowing where certain ingredients are would certainly be helpful……]
Bringing Neun-san to Kaori-san’s restaurant this time wasn’t only to let Neun-san enjoy Japanese cuisine, but also to provide a hint for Kaori-san’s ingredient search…… is what I was thinking.
Neun-san is quite particular about Japanese cuisine, and based on her diary about her past travels, it seems she was searching for various Japanese ingredients, so it wouldn’t be surprising if she knew about ingredients that neither I nor Kaori-san are aware of.
[I see, I certainly have confidence in my knowledge in that area. I think I know quite a bit about the Japanese ingredients that exist here in Trinia.]
[Incidentally, Kaori-san has yuzu and sudachi, so Neun-san would also benefit———-]
[What!? Really!!!?]
[———-Eh? Ah, yes. I heard she received them from Eden-san.]
The fact that she clearly looked astonished at my words probably means that there really is no yuzu or sudachi in this world huh……
[By your reaction, does that mean there really is no yuzu or sudachi in this world, Neun-san?]
[Yes, as far as I know, there are no yuzu or sudachi in this world. There are some things that are close to that, so I have been using those as alternatives…… For example, when I want to use yuzu, I make use of this fruit, which is relatively close to it.]
While answering Kaori-san’s question, Neun-san took out a fruit from her magic box that seemed to be about the size of a melon.
[……That thing has quite the size.]
[That’s right. However, its taste and aroma are the closest to yuzu…… Well, there are some subtle differences though.]
[In other words, it’s yuzu-ish fruit…… It has a slightly different aroma.]
Taking a sniff of the fruit Neun-san brought out along with Kaori-san, it certainly did have a scent that’s kinda reminiscent of yuzu. However, it has this subtle difference from yuzu one might not notice without being told.
[Kaori-san, could you please give me some yuzu and sudachi? If I could acquire them, I think Raz-sama could grow them…… Of course, I will pay you for it.]
[Ahh, there’s no need for the money. There are plenty of them, and each plant bears 5 fruits each day…… In exchange though, can I ask if there’s a way to obtain matsutake mushrooms? I heard a bit from Kuromueina-sama that they do exist but……]
In exchange for handing over yuzu and sudachi, what Kaori-san asked was about matsutake mushrooms. Matsutake huh, that would be nice…… Come to think of it, didn’t Lanza-san mention how they have matsutake mushrooms?
Camellia-san said she’s always willing to make an arrangement, but I haven’t had any actual negotiations with her yet.
[To be honest, it’s pretty hard to get them.]
[Ahh, I guess it really would be hard to get them without the connections?]
[Yes, while it has a different name here, there are trees called Needle Trees that are like the Red Pines in our world. They grow in the frontier regions of the Demon Realm…… However, the Spirits that govern that land significantly limit the harvest, so only a few make it to the market each year.]
It didn’t seem that way when I talked to Camellia-san, but is it really that rare?
[I also heard from Kuro that it’s hard to get them without the connections, but isn’t that to preserve their market value?]
[No, it’s not like that. Many of the Spirits are apparently indifferent to money. Just like Lillywood-sama, they have a mindset that as long as they have enough money for their needs, that’s enough. Consequently, they only release the minimum amount to meet their needs in the market.]
[I see, we’d need to negotiate with them to obtain those huh.]
[That would indeed be the best approach, but obtaining matsutake mushrooms is challenging without strong connections. The forest where Needle Trees grow is protected by the Spirits of the Spear-branched Tree, so one must obtain permission from these Spirits…… The Spirits of the Spear-branched Tree are closed-off and not very inclined to interact with the outside though, making it challenging to establish connections with them…… Ahh~~ But I do recall hearing about the Spirit who became their new leader about a hundred years ago apparently aims to reach the top and is inclined to interact with the outside world.]
As I thought, or rather, just as Kuro had told me, Neun-san doesn’t have much interest in matsutake mushrooms, and was explaining about them in a casual manner.
[I see…… Then, I guess it would be best to ask for Kaito-kun on this one then.]
[Even Kaito-san would find it challenging without a clear pathway to connect with her though……]
[Ahh, no…… I’m already acquainted with that leader you mentioned.]
[………………]
Upon hearing my words, Neun-san looked as if she was a cat that was suddenly cast out into space.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [Arehh? Don’t Spirits basically become stronger over the years?]
? ? ? : [No, it’s just that their growth is extremely slow, but they can grow with training. Also, when it comes to growth over time, the point at which growth reaches its peak depends on talent, so Lanza-san is blessed with talent enough to surpass their previous leader.]
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