Chapter 387: Clearer than day (1/2)
I decided to help the two who were going to participate in some sort of food stall competition of the Batoma Company. Before being brought to their office, I went around checking the rice that’s coming to Tsige.
Some would be thin and long grains, others would be gigantic like a dango, there’s also some who are selling sham rice that’s clearly more like quinoa even though they are advertising it as rice; it was quite the chaotic market situation to the point that it made me wanna laugh.
I bought a number of the Asora breed that’s similar to the japonica rice while accompanying Orosha, and arrived at the base of the Silly Company.
Hmm, it looks like they at least have the minimum required cooking equipment.
But if it is to develop something new, it is honestly unreliable.
They said there’s a good amount of food stalls, so they probably were thinking about steal—imitating and arranging the menus they think are good.
It is too cramped to begin from zero, and there’s not enough tools, but this cooking facility feels like the kind of place to somehow make-do even with all that.
“I didn’t know there was that much variety in rice-ssu.” (Orosha)
“There were even some who were selling things that were not rice despite being advertised as such.” (Makoto)
“About that, it is about whether you can judge it as so, I suppose. If it were a local specialty it would be one thing, but rice is a grain that was rarely seen and has only shown up recently.” (Orosha)
It could be that they got their hands on something similar since it seemed like it would sell, or got them believing the lies of someone else saying it is rice.
That does sound plausible.
Thinking about the standing of the people who bring stuff to Tsige, most don’t have leeway in their cargo.
If there’s space, they would jam something there too.
It is natural for them to put things that they themselves have knowledge of, but there’s times when it just can’t go that way.
…Rice is still being treated as a low priority cargo, so of course the state of it would be chaotic.
I think it would slowly get better if they were to have a proper talk with Lorel and procure rice from them, so I guess I should put my expectations there.
In the first place, leaving aside the fake ones, the ones that are a different kind have different cooking methods, and if they were to know that, the story would be different too.
For example; chinese fried rice, nasi goreng, fried rice. Quite a lot of variety.
For that part, I will have to look forward to the curiosity and desire to make new things of cooks.
Tsige doesn’t have a large scale library like Rotsgard, so the way to spread knowledge is restrictive too.
“Knowledge… If there were a library in Tsige too, it could make a difference…” (Makoto)
“Library?” (Orosha)
“It is a facility that gathers many books in one place like in Rotsgard.” (Makoto)
“Gathered books… I see, that’s interesting-ssu ne.” (Orosha)
“Well, can’t rely on something we don’t have. Now then, I will instruct you on the way to prepare rice.” (Makoto)
“Please do-ssu, Rai…ma-san!” (Orosha)
?
If I remember correctly, I was called Rama-san.
No, it was originally Raimagostock? Eh? Rama…mago…yeah, let’s just stop.
I will cook the four types I bought with the japanese process.
Judging from the state of the facility, I can’t do all 4, so I will do two at a time.
First will be the sweet corn that has the shape of rice.
The second one is like a japanese chestnut.
The third one is like fragrant wood.
Seriously?! This is sandalwood!
The scent is way too strong and it seems to be slightly sweet, but it didn’t really stay in my mind.
The fourth one was slightly soft, but it was rice without any traits.
As someone who has gotten used to eating rice, this rice that has almost no taste is…the one that resembles rice the most as of now, but I don’t know…
“The last one was the one that resembled it the most, but…I feel like there was no scent or taste.” (Orosha)
Looks like Orosha’s taste buds were mostly the same as mine.
The onigiri in Mio’s store cannot be made with this rice at all.
If I remember correctly, there’s a way to eat old rice, but…nope, can’t remember it.
In the first place, I don’t know if it lost flavor because it is old, or it tasted like this from the very beginning.
Maybe if we sprinkle salt and fill it in, we might be able to make something that resembles the onigiri?
“Yeah, the last one can narrowly be used in onigiri.” (Makoto)
“Wonder where Mio-san from the Kuzunoha Company gets her rice. At the very least, we now know that it isn’t going around in the market.” (Orosha)
I see.
The place of Mio does get rice pretty stably in Tsige.
Orosha must be thinking that there’s some place where she can stably get rice.
If he were to search, there would be eateries in Tsige that would use rice, but our place is the one that stands out the most.
“Lorel…” (Makoto)
Must be the place they say they get it.
I say that, but there’s currently no company that’s stably trading with Lorel directly.
I heard from Rembrandt-san that it was just after several business discussions that they are finally on the stage where they are beginning to move.
It is something pretty recent.
His way of saying ‘not yet’ felt like he was suggesting something there, so that must mean they are moving on the surface.
But it is still in the ‘not yet’ phase.
“It must be that place-ssu ka ne. It seems like the Kuzunoha Company-san is often using the Golden Highway and getting a massive amount of cargo, so does that mean there’s rice there as well?” (Orosha)
“…”
“Rama-san?” (Orosha)
Right, there was that.
Several wagons with giant cargos that stand out.
The inside would normally be completely empty or have fake bottoms. There hasn’t been a single time when those things have had any actual cargo.
“Aah, it is nothing. First let’s keep these four. There’s the option of resolving yourself and going to the place of Mio…-san to ask about the rice.” (Makoto)
“That’s super straight. Will it work?” (Orosha)
“If you want to sell them at the stations, you two won’t be competing that much, so there might be a chance.” (Makoto)