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Chapter 5, Part 6. Yuuji, Hearing the Knowledge Request from the Peddler Kevin
Chapter 5, Part 6. Yuuji, Hearing the Knowledge Request from the Peddler Kevin
Chapter 5, Part 6. Yuuji, Hearing the Knowledge Request from the Peddler Kevin
Translator: Yukkuri Oniisan
Editor: So-Chintzy
?One million…… No, so it costs one gold coin?……?(Yuuji)
?Yes, that’s right. However, if I can produce goods using Yuuji-san’s knowledge, then I believe I could obtain it again. Of course, I will split half of the profits with Yuuji-san.?(Kevin)
?Y, yeah…… That’s right, right?……?(Yuuji)
Yuji looked overwhelmed by the heaviness of Kevin’s words. As a person who never entered society, this might be something inevitable for Yuuji. Even though he has a bank account with savings exceeding one gold coin.
?It seems that this has caused you to feel a bit nervous, so let’s have a talk about this world tomorrow. Now, let’s have a talk about the knowledge that I request. It wouldn’t be good if Yuuji-san couldn’t get peace of mind.?(Kevin)
?I-I understand……?(Yuuji)
Or rather, Yuuji had became relatively stiff.
In this exchange of goods and the information about this world, Yuuji would provide knowledge in return.
Then Kevin would produce it, and they will share the profits after being sold on the market.
In other words, the level of knowledge that Kevin wants to talk about after this and what Yuuji needed to taught. It’s not an exaggeration to say that this will decide Yuuji’s future.
So it couldn’t be helped if Yuuji was nervous.
?Yuuji-san, it’s alright, no need to be that tense. Although this is an opportunity, I wouldn’t request something big in the beginning. For now, please just hear this with a more calmer feeling.?(Kevin)
“Yeah”, Yuuji could only throw out a vague reply. His nervousness didn’t melt.
?Yuuji-san. This is something that I wished as a peddler, and had thought when I sold things from village to village…… Preserved food. Do you know the way to make them??(Kevin)
?Preserved food? Like the hard bread or jerky meat??(Yuuji)
?Yes, that’s right. Things that can be carried will be best, but as long as it can be preserved for a long time, then even things that cannot be carried will not be a problem. Something that not only can be sold to merchants like me or adventurers like them, but can be sold to the villages in the winter as well.?(Kevin)
Since the request was something relatively familiar to his knowledge, Yuuji felt a bit relieved.
?Preserved food…… There are some that come to mind……?(Yuuji)
?Oh! Oh! Is that true!??(Kevin)
Hearing Yuuji’s words, Kevin showed a smile on his face. He then continued his words.
?How should I say this, as a someone with a merchant occupation, of course I had to eat a lot of preserved food. So I had become bored by it. Ah that’s right, I will inform Yuuji-san about the preserved food that I had previously bought in Premie and the surrounding villages! Since I will hand it over little by little, please tell me if Yuuji-san knows something! Ah, that’s right, I will also give papers, pen and ink. I will be grateful if Yuuji-san could write down the production method if Yuuji-san knows about it.?(Kevin)
Although Yuuji was surprised by Kevin who spoek without hesitation, he received the paper, pen, and ink that Kevin handed over to him.
After handing over the goods, Kevin immediately spread a carpet on the ground, placed preserved foods atop of it and began explaining.
?First is this. The hard baked bread that I had given to Yuuji-san before. This is the staple food for merchants and travelers. At any rate, this is tough to bite into. Although it will be okay if you’re only eating this once or twice, but if it continues beyond three times then the jaw could break. This is the top reason peddlers would, since in the first place, people with weak teeth couldn’t even eat the hard bread.?(Kevin)
Although Kevin was smiling, there a hateful glint in his eyes while he glared at the hard bread. He really is a handy person.
?Really? That is the reason why a peddler would choose to retire? ……?(Yuuji)
?No, that’s only a joke.?(Kevin)
Yuuji was left his with jaw hanging opened and a stupid look on his face. He never imagined that Kevin would make a joke at a time like this.
?Then, there’s this jerky. This is not only hard, but salty, too. If there is a water source available, then it could be boiled into a soup in a pan, but it is not that tasty. If there is no water source, then this bare luxury couldn’t even be enjoyed. Also, this would become harder over time, too.?(Kevin)
While saying this, Kevin handed over the jerky that Yuuji had tasted before. As always, Kevin’s eyes glared at the jerky, looking as if he could throw it on the ground at any time.
?I-Is that so??(Yuuji)
Yuuji was a bit nervous due to Kevin’s menacing look. He wondered if this was Kevin’s true nature. However, food is one of the three big necessities. A peddler is a living creature with a cursed fate of being followed by unappetizing preserved foods no matter where they went.
?This is something that Yuuji-san might see for the first time. Since I will give it to you, please try to taste it properly later. This is dried fish. After being caught from a far away sea, it was then left to dry, becoming desiccated and harder over time until it ended up like this. Near the sea, it could be consumed deliciously in its fresh state. This is that same sea produce, dried scallop. This can be used to produce a delicious soup, however if there is no water, then it isn’t that useful. Also, this is expensive. Besides, if we went to a place near a water source, then all preserved foods would not be a problem……?(Kevin)
“Y-yeah”, Yuuji answered in weak voice. It seems that Yuuji had become an answering machine.
?Then, next is vegetables in salt, or pickles. Just like meat jerky, if it is stored for a long period of time, it would become saltier and more sour. What if there is no water source nearby? The saltiness and sourness would remain in the mouth for a long time. The lightly seasoned ones or the newly pickled ones taste alright, though. But then it would lose it preserving function. It’s the worst.?(Kevin)
Kevin gradually seems to be carried away in his vigor. Maybe because he had many dreadful experiences from real life?
?Then, these are various preserved foods. Jam made by boiling the juice of all sorts of fruits and nuts, and honey, too. These have delicious tastes so they’re not that bad, but they can’t fill the stomach. Furthermore, both the jam or the honey would attract insects. Normally, these would be stored in an earthenware pot with a wooden lid, but if it breaks while being carried…… It would become a big mess……?(Kevin)
Kevin began to talk about past failures with a distant look.
?Lastly…… Yuuji-san, please hold your nose tightly. Then, please step back a little bit. Yes, I think it will be okay like this. Here we go……?(Kevin)
Kevin put a small wooden flask on the ground, and warned Yuuji, with serious expression. Yuuji stepped back and held his nose tight.
After putting the small cask as far as possible, Kevin stretched his hand as far as he could and puled off the cask’s wooden lid.
*whoosh*
With a small sound, the surroundings were enveloped by an offensive smell.
*woof*woof*woof*!
Maybe because she sniffed the reeking stench, Kotarou rushed out from the house from the opened dog-door. But she was only standing in the entrance way while making sure that she wasn’t near it at all. Her endless barking was as if she was complaining,
“What is that thing? It has such an unpleasant smell!” (Kotarou)
The smell was so bad that it even made his eyes well up intears’ Yuuji turned his attention back to the small wooden cask.
Hazily, he could see that it was a fish pickled inside some liquid.
?Kevin-san, what is that…?... It has a really strong smell……?(Yuuji)
?This is also a preserved food. Pickled fish. It stinks. Nothing but stink. The preserved food around this area, is generally like this. Yuuji-san, do you now understand? A peddler’s suffering? But you know, even so we keep peddling, while having disgusting meals. It is also for our livelihood, but the villagers would meet with difficulties if we were not there. Especially the villages in this area, as they would immediately disappear if we didn’t trade with them. We peddle while holding this pride. But, you see, you see…… Shouldn’t we be able to have just a bit more delicious breakfast, right?! We can wish for it, right?!?(Kevin)
?Y-Yeah……?(Kevin)
While pinching his nose and also covering his mouth, Yuuji gave a response to Kevin with teary eyes. It wasn’t like Yuuji couldn’t understand what Kevin wanted to say, but Yuuji could only think about one thing: please dispose of that cask right here right now.
?Why preserved food was the first request wasn’t just because of this reason…… Even if we sold a new preserved food, the merchant firm or a rival peddler won’t become our competitors. Rather, they can become our allies. Well, although they might offer a friendly hand to study the manufacturing method. Also, after thinking how and where it’s produced, how many can be produced, and at what price it can be sold, the people who manufacture the current preserved foods also won’t become our competitor. We can ask them to make the new goods, or we can sell the new goods in limited amount as high class preserved foods. This is the general plan that I had come up with.?(Kevin)
?Ah…… Yes…… By the way, quickly, that……?(Yuuji)
Because of the bad smell’s damage to Yuuji’s head, Kevin’s words didn’t really register in his mind. Then, Yuujim who was straining his voice to ask Kevin to just dispose that wooden cask, heard the words of despair.
?Ah, Yuuji-san, please have a taste of this too.?(Kevin)
Yuuji had become frozen when he heard the death sentence proclaimed by Kevin.
There were only the sounds of Kotarou barking resonating in his surroundings.
Teach Kevin about the preserved foods that don’t exist in this world.
This was the knowledge that Kevin decided to receive at the start, but he also decided the dinner of despair.
Limited to Yuuji, that is.
Author Note: The cask didn’t really produce a sound when opened. It’s just a figure of speech.