Chapter 707 – Yam and Ume Plum

One day of autumn.

I’m searching for the flying carpet and can’t find it.

Where did it go?

When I was thinking so, I found it wandering around the house.

The children are using it as their nap bed.

I was thinking of asking it to transport luggage but it looks like it’s impossible.

It can’t be helped.

Let’s call out some….

The spiderlings are raising their legs.

It’s a little far away, are you going to be okay?

Good.

Then, please.

Yeah, of course, I’ll go with you.

-0-

Leaving Big Tree Village, our destination is towards the west.

We’re not going to the river.

Thought it was near the lobster pond.

We advanced by walking.

The spiderlings, who are accompanying me, are scattered around, checking the surroundings.

Though they are scattered around, there are not many of them and it looks like black objects are dashing towards me.

Maa, I know who they are….

I am being guarded by the spiderlings alone, so the kuros rushed to me too.

When Kuroyon’s partner, Eris, saw him not leaving, she scolded him.

No, no, you don’t have to do that.

Eris and the others got big pacific saury heads from the oni maids and they were gnawing them happily so I thought I shouldn’t disturb you….

That was an excuse.

Sorry.

Next time, I’ll inform you immediately.

It looks like Eris was satisfied with my apology so she led the way along with some kuros.

I thought you’d stay by my side….you’ll give the spiderlings the honor?

You are so thoughtful.

I’ll make up for it next time.

Maa, it’s okay, just go straight.

I walked forward with the spiderlings.

-0-

We arrived at the lobster pond where Eris and the others were waiting.

This place looks like it has nothing but if you look closely, you can see ivy wrapping around the surrounding trees.

They are ivy of yam.

The purpose is exactly this yam.

Of course, they are not something that grew naturally.

The AFT was responsible for them.

If you plant something with the AFT, others will say that it is probably okay to plant them in the village.

I think so too.

However, this is the place where I came up with the idea of planting yam.

Since then, this area has become a yam production area.

Maa, it isn’t convenient to have to enter the forest first in order to harvest them but it is a good change of pace.

-0-

Now, in order for the spiderlings to carry them, I have to dig them out.

If I don’t mind breaking the yam, this wouldn’t be so difficult.

However, it is quite difficult to dig out yams without breaking them.

Physical strength and patience are required.

It’s not unusual that it takes several hours to dig out a single yam…..

I’ll dig them out using the AFT so I won’t struggle that much.

Also, because you will cut yam when you cook them, I think it’s fine if they break when they are being harvested.

However, the civil servant girls care about the appearance of yam especially when we are going to sell them. In addition, the high elves, the mountain elves, and the oni maids are happy for some reason if the yam is not broken so I should be careful in harvesting them.

-0-

It is also bad to keep the spiderlings waiting so I immediately dug out 50 of them.

The spiderlings tie up the yam I harvested with webs.

You can eat those small yams.

When I told them that, the spiderlings flocked to the small yams.

They disappeared in no time.

I wonder if I should harvest a little more.

I want to give some to Eris and the others who escorted me….

Ah, Eris, yam of that size will be brought home.

Wait a little longer.

It seems like I can only harvest small ones in this part.

Is it related to how the ivy grows?

Let’s try digging that one…..

Areh?

It’s very long.

………..

Alright, Eris’s group can eat this.

-0-

When the spiderlings were about to carry the yam I dug out, I immediately stopped them.

It should be on the opposite side of the lobster aquaculture pond.

If you walk a little further, you’ll find a big, flat rock. I dug a basement under it making the rock look like a roof.

Actually, I have hidden part of the alcohol and fermented food that I personally own here.

If I leave it in the village, it will be gone before I know it.

Especially alcohol.

It turns out that the culprit is the wine slime.

I knew it was definitely the culprit because I sometimes put a reward medal with them as bait.

Only the alcohol was lost which means the intelligence level of the culprit is just as much.

I can say that stealing my alcohol doesn’t really matter but sometimes, when I feel like drinking the alcohol I want and can’t, it’s kind of painful.

Also, it is painful that the alcohol that I need for my nightlife has disappeared.

Therefore, this basement is my vault outside this village.

Though being outside the village means there’s a possibility of being vandalized by monsters and demon beasts but it won’t be damaged since it is beside the lobster aquaculture pond and is enclosed by Big Tree Village, Village One, Village Two, and Village Three.

This place is also under the security network of the kuros.

What I want to take out of the vault is umeboshi.

I want to eat yam with ume plum.

There is also umeboshi in the village but it has already been consumed when I was making ramen a while ago.

Umeboshi goes well with salt ramen after all.

I have to replenish the amount I used.

Are we going to put the yam there….?

You want to bring them there now?

I see.

Sorry.

It’s not that far so just wait for me here.

-0-

Look, there’s the big, flat rock….areh?

There were several big, flat rocks.

I feel that something has changed.

And there was a strange thing beside the rock.

There is a roof and several pillars but there’s no wall.

At first glance, it looks like a bus stop but there’s no way it is a bus stop.

Because under the roof is not a bench for passengers to sit on while waiting for the bus but a bar counter.

The stains on the roof, pillars, and bar counter indicate that it was made quite recently.

Like a few minutes ago.

Heh.

My question was answered by the three dwarves hiding at the counter.

Why did you build a bar counter in a place like this?

No, I think I know the answer already.

I want to applaud you for using common sense of not taking alcohol out of the vault without permission.

When you saw me going to the forest in this direction, you brought out some timber to make a bar counter here.

From the vault under the rock, I took out a jar of plum wine that I hid for quite a bit and gave it to the dwarves.

Since we’re in the middle of the forest, don’t drink too much that you’ll lose your senses.

Also, don’t go immediately drink….have a break first and drink some water.

Don’t forget snacks too.

I want to accompany you but I can’t keep the spiderlings waiting.

I took out a jar of umeboshi from that vault.

……..

I gave the dwarves yam and umeboshi.

I call out to the spiderlings and the kuros and return to the village.

I’m looking forward to the yam with ume plum that will be served this dinner.