Chapter 24

Desperate Financial Situation

In a room made from stone and illuminated by candle light, Nelson was sitting on a chair as he stared intensely at the large map of his domain that was unrolled atop of his desk work.On the left side of the desk, his wife Zirconia scanned the parchment she held in her right hand.Zirconia was wearing only a light red tunic in a relaxed manner, while Nelson was wearing a collared patterned s.h.i.+rt and high quality trousers, furthermore a pale brown mantle. This was his attire that he always put on when he was dealing with a visitor.

This room was Nelson’s office. It was the same room where he received the report about Grisea Village from Isaac a few days ago.It was just past noon, outside the sun violently a.s.serted its place in the sky however, since this room didn’t have windows, the sunlight couldn’t be felt.On the corner of the desk were several unfolded sheets of doc.u.ments containing things like the latest information within the territory or the report on the trend of another country that Zirconia had pulled off from the shelf.

The Feudal Lord Nelson, and his wife Zirconia

Nelson stared at the door that Zirconia pa.s.sed when she left the room for awhile, took a deep breath for a moment to psyche himself, and began to write instructional doc.u.ments for his subordinates. ✦✧✦✧ At the time Nelson and Zirconia were busy with their work, Kazura and Valetta were squatting down together in the residence’s garden. They were giving fertilizer to the peppermint seedling plant pots.Nearby those two were paper bags of empty plant pots and herb seed bags that Kazura had purchased in j.a.pan. 「Before it was dried, it already had a nice scent. It’s different from the herb tea that we drank yesterday, this is somehow cool and refres.h.i.+ng.」(Valetta) While Valetta was putting fertilizer with gardening shovel in the peppermint plant pots her nose twitched from their unique scent. 「Even if they are not dried, they can already be used to make tea as is. The tea made from this is also delicious.」(Kazura) For confirming if there was transformation on the fertilizer effect, he orchased 2 types of herbs. Only the peppermints received fertilizer, while the lemongra.s.ses were left as they were.With doing so, he could compare each growth to the other.Kazura confirmed that Valetta had finished putting the fertilizer on the peppermint, and then he took out empty plant pots and herb seed bags from the paper bag. 「Now then, the next work is planting these seeds.」(Kazura) 「Ah, let me put the soil.」(Valetta) Although for the growth condition experiment using only seedlings were sufficient, but since he had bought a lot of seeds, he decided to raise them all at the same time in this place.There were different kinds of seeds; the ones that were raised in the pot would receive fertilizer, while the ones that were planted on the ground wouldn’t.a.s.suming that if by any chance the seeds, which were planted in the ground, had ma.s.sive growth, he had make some kind of flower bed with wood boards so they wouldn’t spread out excessively. The more he raised it the more he could harvest. So, if it had explosive growth, Kazura would feel happy, since if it was possible he wanted to share the harvest with the other villagers. 「Hmm... There are few seeds that could be planted in the summer. Only basil and arugula[7], huh?」(Kazura) He look at the reference chart of planting season description on the seed bags while sorting the seed bags that could be planted.Most of the seeds had planting season of between April to May, or from September to October. There were few seeds that could be planted on August. 「Kazura-san, it was written on this paper that Rosemary or Lemongra.s.s can be planted in summer as long as they are under the cool shade.」(Valetta) When Kazura was going to open the basil seeds bag, Valetta who had read the paper that mentioned the herb raising method that she took from the paper bag, picked up the rosemary and lemongra.s.s seed bags on the ground. 「Eh, seriously?」(Kazura) 「Yes, it’s written in here.」(Valetta) He took a peek on the paper from beside Valetta, surely enough it was written in beautiful handwritten letter 「It’s a seed that can grow in the summer as long as they are under cool shade.」 「Oh, it’s true..... How should I put it, since when was Valetta-san able to read my country letter so well like this? Isn’t it just 10 days after you started to begin learning it?」(Kazura) 「Fufu[8], the more I learn it the more I remember, because it will be enjoyable to be able read books that Kazura-san brought, I stay up during the night a little to learn. Are you surprised?」(Valetta) Hearing Valetta’s words, Kazura was astonished in his heart.What an awe-inspiring learning ability, to be able read the letters she never seen before in just 10 days.Anyhow, j.a.panese language’s was written with a mixed of hiragana, Kanji and katakana, so it was difficult to understand.[9]If she didn’t had a very good memory and on top of that, a motivation to learn, then it wouldn’t be possible for her to learn it on such short time. 「Ah, it maybe that, your motivation is higher than others, huh?」(Kazura)

「My motivation

is

higher than others.」(Valetta) Although they were talking over this, those 2 people side by side diligently put the fertilizer on the plant pots. They also till the dug up soil on the shaded part of garden.While they were talking about herbs or village, they continued their work leisurely. In the middle of their talk, incidentally Valetta turned her face to Kazura. 「Kazura-san」(Valetta) 「Hm?」(Kazura) 「Somehow, this is very fun.」(Valetta) 「Yes, this is fun.」(Kazura) And like that, those 2 people smiled together, once again they were talking while continued their work planting the seed. ✦✧✦✧ On the night of the same day.Like usual Kazura was together with Valin and Valetta surrounding the hearth for dinner.The menu for this evening was rice with dried plum, and stir fried vegetables, mushroom, and sausage (from the canned food that Kazura brought).The meal companion was a beverage of herb tea with German chamomile as the base. 「Then, I wonder if by any chance the herbs planted today will greatly grown?」(Valin) 「If it matched with this country soil then I think perhaps it will grow with amazing vigor. But well, since it’s just like gra.s.s I believe it will grow normally.」(Kazura) The subject of the conversation was the herbs that Kazura and Valetta had planted this noon.Last night, Valin didn’t received a detailed explanation about planting herbs, so while they were eating, they were also talking about it. 「Since it was something that Kazura brought, I think it will grow splendidly.」(Valetta) 「Yes, that’s true.」(Valin) As he looked at two people who enjoyed drinking herb tea, Kazura made a wry smile.Although Kazura was certain that the crops that received the fertilizer he had brought would have sudden growth, it doesn’t mean that it would certainly apply to the herbs that he had brought over his time.However, well, even if the herbs had sudden growth like the crops in this world, since herbs weren’t that different from common gra.s.s they could easily grow up. 「Ah, that’s right, I brought something good for Valin-san. Please wait a moment.」(Kazura) Kazura said that and then stood up, before returning to his room.Then he quickly came back with his objective item in his hand, the sake.The label was written with 「Masumi – Pure Rice, Very Special Brew.」[10]Masumi is a local sake from the Nagano prefecture, but somehow it was sold at a supermarket in Gunma, so Kazura bought it.[11]Kazura wasn’t really that strong in drinking alcohol, so he chose Masumi that was relatively easy to drink. 「Thank you for waiting. This is an alcoholic drink from my country, but can Valin-san drink alcohol?」(Kazura) 「Oow, it’s alcohol! Of course I can drink it!」(Valin) Hearing the word “alcoholic drink”, the delighted Valin had a very wide smile.It seemed like he really loved alcoholic drink.

「That’s good. I’m sorry if it doesn’t suit your taste, but how about we drink a little bit first?」(Kazura) Hearing what Kazura had said, the water inside Valin’s cup was emptied in one gulp.Kazura opened the bottles cap, made a small smile to Valin who quickly presented his cup, and poured down the sake in an amount just enough for one gulp in the cup. 「Because it will be dangerous if it had undesirable effect on the body, for now please drink only one gulp. If there is no problem then we can continue drinking.」(Kazura) 「Yea, is that so? Them just one gulp..... Hm! This is tasty!!」(Valin) Valin who taste the sake, he suddenly perceived and thought highly of the taste with great joy. 「Oh, is it tasty? Then that’s good. Well then, let’s observe if there is a chance for awhile.」 Kazura said this while withdrawing the bottle. Valin had an expression of someone who completely dissatisfied. 「No, I’m fine. Absolutely fine. I’m certainly fine so then please another cup....」(Valin) 「Father, no!」(Valetta) 「No, but...」(Valin) 「No.」(Valetta) 「....... Uuuh....」 (Valin) Valin became sulky after being flatly denied by Valetta’s words. Seeing this spectacle, Kazura who frantically endured the urge to burst into laughter, distracted himself by drinking herb tea. 「By the way, what kind of alcoholic drink is drunk in this village?」 The one who answered Kazura’s question was Valetta instead of Valin who was staring at the bottle beside Kazura. 「Although I don’t drink alcohol since I will feeling sick after just drinking a little, there is an alcoholic drink that’s gentle and has a good smell. If it’s a festival, then everyone will drink the ones that are purchased from the city.」(Valetta) 「Yes, although it’s different from alcoholic drink that Kazura brought, the alcohol that we drink isn’t white colored. This is also tastier. In addition, I heard about alcoholic drinks that are made from fruit that consumed by the n.o.bles.」(Valin) Kazura nodded in comprehension about their stories.Though he had already thought that this world also had alcoholic beverages, it appeared that unrefined alcoholic drink and brewed liquor did exist.As to what had been describe before, Kazura was not really strong in drinking alcohol, but if there was an opportunity he liked to taste a gulp of them. 「I see, if there is an opportunity I’d like to taste a gulp.」(Kazura) 「Yes, if that time comes, certainly Kazura-san could drink it..... Then, is the time good now? One more cup.....」 (Valin) 「Still, no!」(Valetta) 「......」 (Valin) Thus, Kazura saw Valetta and Valin arguing back and forth like this that was repeating about every minute until the 60th times. At the last moment when Valin was getting teary eyes, the ban was lifed. Now, Valin finally could be able to receive a half cup of sake.However, while seeing Valin drinking sake delightfully,.... 「(I think half a cup is enough, after this let’s wait for about 2 hours.)」(Kazura) Kazura had decided to set this devilishly long interval, but Valin, who was entranced by sake, didn’t know about this.