Volume 3 Behind the Scenes 2.1
Translator: Reflet
Editor: Weasalopes
１．Wulls and Ortem Village
Lately they had begun checking the soy sauce and miso storages in Ortem.
「What kind of thing is it eh?」
「Three artificial growth storages for miso, and two for soy sauce. That’s how much we can sell, eh.」
「Den it’s time to go to market.」
The forest giants listened to the guard elf’s answer as they carried the barrels for sale. The sight of the two giants carrying off the two meter high barrels was quite grand.
This wasn’t usually the best time to sell soy sauce or miso, but these storage containers (made by Hiroshi) sped up fermentation. The elves were still learning how to manage the process, so the quality was never all that good, but they always put enchantments on it to ensure it never went bad. They could only manage the process in three days’ time in order to even meet the bare requirements of the Japanese. Then again, it wasn’t like the enchantments were helping the quality to increase any more.
「S’the pure brew still not done, eh?」
「That’ll be three more months, guy.」
Foeldan and the storage guard did as they were taught without speeding up the fermentation process. The pure-brewed miso wasn’t made only with soy beans, but with wheat and rice as well.
「If we can do dat, den it’ll sell for higher.」
「Okay but I ain’t part of you an yer greedy plan. I’m happy nuff just by havin’ me some soy sauce ‘n miso.」
「Uh-yup, you right. How’s dat dere ponzu comin’ along?」
「We need a lil bit more time for da rest dood. We don’ even have all that many ingredients.」
「Mkay. Well, for the time bein’ we just need enough to put in the pot.」
The guard nodded in agreement with Foeldan and shut the storage door. The forest giants only did manual labor like stocking up, while the storage watch was left to the guards.
「Den I’mma go an get some more.」
「Thank ye much.」
The forest giants said their parting farewells and teleported one by one to the factory in Wulls, barrels on their shoulders. Ortem Village’s influence on Wulls’ food culture was not to be underestimated. And so yet another nonchalant day began in the merchant business.
「Is Trata here?」
Wulls Harbor, shortly before sunrise. The forest giants got on the first ferry across the waterway and made it to the fishing harbor, from which they called for the manager fisherman.
「Oho, Foeldan. Perfect timing.」
「Ye got enough miso and soy sauce?」
「Nope, not at all. Also, if you come back here tomorrow, bring some rice if you can.」
「Okay dood. Is three bags enough, dood?」
「A little bit more, I’d say. Also, for miso and soy sauce, leave one barrel each.」
Foeldan nodded and kept a straight face despite the manager’s rather manly tone. Lately in Wulls Harborm, fishermen had began to eat rice and miso. Hiroshi had taught them the way to make dashi from kelp and how to make miso broth. They truly began eating all of these things when Hiroshi had introduced Foeldan’s group and they had learned how to cook rice and make set meals with fish.
The kelp over here was known as “Hydra Kelp” with a strong life force and growth. Once it got to a certain size, it would split apart into a million pieces and float along the surface, snagging the rudders of ships and fishing tools. This caused the seaweed to be quite detested among fishermen.
The kelp reproduced a lot, yet it couldn’t garner a single cent. But when Hiroshi’s team spread cuisine containing kelp dashi, the demand had increased sharply, prompting people to gather more kelp, which reduced accidents and enriched the table.
With these hydra kelp, you could accumulate the hard-to-use ones in the boat and process it in order to have it alongside miso, soy sauce, salt, and rice, in addition to freshly caught fish for a tasty breakfast. And for the people who came in the morning to stock up, they brought out breakfast specials with botched fish that couldn’t compete but which used miso, soy sauce, and rice. Now, they didn’t just go through one barrel per day, but it definitely consumed a lot. Lately, new customers had surged in when they heard rumors of the specials. No amount of miso, soy sauce, or rice could be enough for this.
「Alright, here’s the payment. So what are you doing today?」
「As per usual, 100 kilograms of kelp. Also, what kinds of fish are here today dood?」
「I’d recommend a garyo bika. That’s the seasonal fish. Tastes great boiled in soy sauce. We hauled in a lot today, so there’s enough to give to everyone in your village.」
「Den how ‘bout three thousand servings ‘n five hundred small fish that can be used for dashi. I’d ‘preciate it if ye carried ‘em to Azuma Workshop.」
「Got it. Today’s market price is five tirols per person, so that’ll be 150 chrone. And I can give you a discount of a discount for small fish and kelp at 50 chrone.」
Not especially surprised at Foeldan’s hearty purchase estimation, Trata simply conveyed his understanding. The value of miso was set to decrease, and the growth promoted miso was lesser in quality so that was set to decrease even more. Even with all the discounts, the overall profit of the fishing harbor was greater. Fishermen had never been all that crazy about the prices, so even with the reduced quality, as long as the Japanese were content with that level of miso then there was no room to complain.
No one at the harbor could exactly afford the highest quality Azuma Workshop miso and soy sauce barrels anyway. Even the reasonably priced barrels that Foeldan’s team brought in this morning would net them a gigantic surplus. Still, by profiting bit by bit with the morning specials and whatnot, the fishermen could gain a decent amount. In fact, thanks to the morning specials, some of the unsellable fish could actually sell at a better price than normal, so it was more than just an appealing offer to the fishermen.
To add one more thing, Foeldan asking for only three thousand fish was both because not everyone in Ortem ate fish, as well as because several people tended to eat one fish. This held especially true for the fairies, who ate one fish in groups of four or six, so with fifty fish, an entire village could be fed.
When you combined the surrounding goblins and forest giants, Ortem Village’s population was barely short of ten thousand. With such a gigantic village of course came a variety of different tastes.
「So, you wanna eat breakfast here today?」
The forest giants nodded at Trata’s invitation, filling themselves with the breakfast special before heading back out.
「Do ye want some miso or soy sauce?」
Receiving the permit from the business guild, the forest giants went around the backside of a restaurant in the eastern district, calling out to passerby.
「Miso, about the same weight as this stone.」
「One cup of soy sauce in this bottle please.」
As they called out to people, orders came in droves. This fishing harbor method of using miso and soy sauce truly began to spread around the time of the slum region’s soil amelioration project. The pork miso they made for everyone during the winter procedure had ended up spreading the word around to the public about how good miso was. The main way through which soy sauce spread around was due to the buckwheat dumplings they made on certain days.
「Thanks so much for coming here to sell.」
「Cause the Wulls-made soy sauce or miso is usually either too high-quality or not good enough.」
「We’re grateful to ye peeps too. Ortem Village is in the middle of the forest and don’t have that much variety in foods.」
「Yup yup. “N we ain’t never had any dashi other than the chicken bone kind. Not havin’ a sea around has definitely been taxing, dood.」
As they chatted with the restaurant owners, the forest giants promptly measured out the amounts and sold them, taking the money in return. At the current moment, their peddling from both sides was a win-win relationship.
No one had hidden the recipe for miso or soy sauce. In fact, at the outset they had given guidance here and there, so the miso and soy sauce would probably become cheaper eventually, but as of right now, the supply had yet to catch up to the demand. All of Azuma Workshop’s good quality miso and soy sauce had already been swept away to the palace and to high class restaurants, so they were extremely grateful for the cheap miso and soy sauce with the minimum amount of quality. There was definitely a huge difference between being able or unable to use the new, groundbreaking seasoning.
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