“The rich umami and crispy squid... They go beautifully with the potato. It is like a fateful encounter between the sea and the land,” Gnome said with a smile as he loaded his meal with shiokara.
His words struck me at my very core. “That’s a lovely way of putting it!” I said. “Two ingredients that have been developed in completely different environments creating a combination that’s utterly divine!”
A fateful encounter—how quaint! And speaking of fateful encounters, how about the little group we had formed, hm?
“Mmm! This is the other variety of potato!” I said. “They’re a deeper yellow than the ‘orange’ ones.”
The inside of this potato was closer to the color of a vibrant sunflower. A highly appetizing hue indeed! Stabbing it with my fork revealed a completely different texture than the other ones too. These were more moist...or perhaps more glutinous? Either way, they felt more viscous. I had the feeling that they would go well with a simple combination of butter and salt.
I loudly hummed my approval. “These have such a rich taste! A simple combination, but so delightful...”
Teiren told me these were also called “chestnut potatoes.”
Chestnuts...
I was fairly sure I’d once tried roasted chestnuts when visiting a town incognito with my grandfather, but my memories were a little too unreliable for me to make any comparisons. These potatoes, however, had a plump, dense texture, not to mention their lovely, rich sweetness! Shiokara wouldn’t suit these—adding it might’ve led to a slight clash between the flavors.
While I was busy enjoying a mouthful of bliss, a shadow fell over my plate. I looked up to see Alk. He’d eaten his butter-laden potato, skin and all, and it seemed he had become curious about what I was eating now.
“There are different varieties of potatoes?” he asked.
“That’s right. I ordered three separate ones this time.”
His eyes lit up. Apparently, this was news to him. The ordinary sweet potatoes aside, we had fluffy orange sweet potatoes and moist chestnut potatoes. One of the latter was currently on my plate.
“Would you like to try one of these? It ought to be one of the smaller wrapped ones...” I then looked for the platter, which contained both types of potatoes.
“No, I shall have that one,” Alk declared. He opened his mouth and pointed at my plate instead.
He looked like a chick begging for food! The thought made my hands move automatically. I stabbed my fork into the remaining potato on my plate and brought it to Alk’s mouth. He snatched it away with his jaws before I fully realized what uncouth behavior I was taking part in!
“Hmm, yes...” he said. “I suppose the texture is different. And this one has a deeper flavor.”
“E-Exactly! I believe it is a variety that works well in a stew, but it’s enjoyable to eat it with just a few additions like this too.”
Alk seemed to be composed as I panicked. If our poor display of manners hadn’t bothered him, perhaps I shouldn’t have been flustered either. I didn’t want to be the only one making a fuss and putting a damper on everything...
“‘Stew,’ you say? With your skills as they are now, I would hesitate to ask you to make such a thing.”
“Oh, will you stop criticizing my lack of cooking ability?! I shall be making stews before you even know it, you’ll see!” I shot back.
At least his smile seemed to suggest that he had enjoyed the potato. Hopefully now he would look forward to our growing them. Anyway, I did think that adding these chestnut potatoes to a soup or stew would result in something wonderfully delicious. The plump starch would absorb so much umami from the meat and vegetables too! And then it would crumble apart in your mouth, and the soup’s flavor would ooze over your tongue... Oh, just imagining it made me want to try some right away!
I giggled to myself. “Even the ordinary sweet potatoes are delicious enough with nothing on them! They’re like a dessert in their own right!” The rich, viscous flesh of the sweet potato clung to my tongue before melting like warm cream. It hadn’t needed the addition of sugar or anything to fill my mouth with sweetness.
“And now try addin’ a li’l butter and see how good that is!” Salamander exclaimed.
Alk shot me a teasing glance. “The potatoes are indeed delicious. Now, the question remains whether you would be able to grow them for yourself.”
“I will succeed!” I said. “I shall keep trying until we can enjoy roasted potatoes just like these again.” I was capable of more than he knew! I wasn’t that low-spec. At least, I hoped not.
I pouted and looked away from Alk, which was when I noted that our platter was now empty. It seemed like the spirits had enjoyed the potatoes as much as we had.
Gnome let out a satisfied sigh and smiled brightly. “Those were delightful, Fran. I am tremendously looking forward to the specimens grown in this field.”
“I’m overjoyed to hear it! With your assistance, I am sure that the potatoes I cultivate here will be delicious!”
He chuckled. “It seems I bear a weighty responsibility! But I am sure you will be able to produce something of high quality, given the mana in the soil here.”
His words were indeed a relief. Surmising that the potatoes had gone over well was one thing, but having that verbally confirmed provided me with a wholly different sense of reassurance.
And as for the field’s mana, perhaps it really was the case that its presence would make all the difference. Gnome seemed to be suggesting that it could influence the development of the crops we’d grow.
I wondered whether it was possible to increase the quality and yield of wheat and vegetables by learning how to imbue soil with mana by oneself. It would then be possible to keep some aside for tax while eating or selling the rest. Either way, one wouldn’t go hungry. A higher yield meant more to keep for oneself, and high-quality crops would fetch better prices.
Having said that, I was struggling to think of a way to infuse soil with mana. Besides, a higher yield meant more crops on the market, which could push their prices down. It would be a bit of a balancing act.
Oh dear. There I go, wasting thoughts on something that won’t be happening anyway...
“I decided I’m going to live freely, and that’s that...”
“What’s the matter, Fran? You look rather disheartened.” Alk was frowning at me.
I knew my smile wasn’t convincing, but I tried anyway. “Oh, no, I was just pondering how much effect the field’s mana will have on the crops and their growth.”
“You certainly ponder some strange topics.”
Perhaps it was his kind heart that prevented Alk from pushing the matter further, or maybe it was arrogance. Were the thoughts of a lowly human not worth his time? I supposed it must’ve been a little bit of both, but I decided to interpret it as kindness. And at that moment, I was most grateful for the space he was giving me.
“Oh, that’s right! Alk, there’s a snack that uses potatoes that I think you’d really enjoy!”
“A snack made from potatoes?”
“Yes!” I said. “In fact, I’m sure you will like it, though I can’t say it has much nutritional value...”
I presented the intrigued dragon with a large colorful bag. Inside were small snacks known as “potato chips.” According to Teiren, they were oil-fried, had a fun texture, and possessed a flavor that packed a punch—all things that made me think Alk would like them. The moment I opened the bag, an appetizing fragrance burst out of it, making my mouth water all over again.