Jin and the others boarded the carriage they had left waiting at the boundary of the noble and commoner districts, returning to Marchioness Firenziano’s villa.
"Well, then."
Jin headed for the kitchen, carrying the topopo he had purchased. Inside, preparations for dinner were already underway.
However, given it was the marchioness's villa, preparing meals for Jin’s group wasn’t a significant burden, and the staff didn't seem overly busy.
"Oh? A guest? How can I help you?"
A middle-aged man, likely the head chef, noticed Jin.
"Ah, hello. I was hoping I could use the kitchen for just a bit."
Jin held up the bag in his hand. Upon seeing its contents, the cooks began to murmur.
"Is that... topopo? Why bring such commoner fare here?"
"One in every few of those is poisonous, you know."
Jin smiled as he explained.
"Poisonous? That's only in the sprouts. The toxin is concentrated around them. Since these haven’t sprouted yet, they’re perfectly safe. Oh, though if they turn green, the whole thing becomes toxic."
"What? Is that true...?"
"Hmm, now that you mention it, that sounds familiar."
"So, you're saying that if we use topopo that haven't turned green—or even if they have sprouted, if we gouge the sprouts out—they're safe to eat?"
Jin gave them a firm nod.
"Exactly. I was thinking of turning them into a tasty snack. Would you mind lending me a hand?"
At those words, the man who seemed to be the head chef stepped forward.
"If that is the case, I shall assist you myself."
First, they washed the topopo—the potatoes—thoroughly to remove the dirt. Jin sliced them thin and let them soak in water for a moment. After draining them, he deep-fried the slices in hot oil and seasoned them while they were still fresh and hot.
Jin was making potato chips.
True to his position, the head chef was quite skilled, slicing them so thin they were practically translucent. Jin had considered various seasonings, but he decided to start simple with salt. Since they used a pot normally reserved for deep-frying chicken, the prototype batch was finished in no time.
"Ho, that was surprisingly simple to make."
"Now, let's have a taste."
As Jin reached out to pick up a chip, Reiko quickly snatched it away and popped it into her own mouth.
"H-Hey, Reiko."
"Please, allow me to handle the poison testing."
Reiko’s mouth was equipped with an Analyze function that could detect toxic substances.
"No toxic components detected. The salt levels also seem appropriate."
"Alright then," Jin said, grabbing two or three chips and crunching them all at once. A nostalgic flavor spread through his mouth. "Yeah, they turned out well."
Watching this, the head chef tentatively picked up a chip and tried it.
"It's... it's delicious! That crisp snap, the light crunch... the way the oil and salt harmonize so perfectly!"
Hearing the head chef’s praise, the other cooks who were free followed suit and reached for the chips.
"So good!"
"To think something so cheap could be this delicious!"
"I suppose taste isn't determined by the quality of the ingredients alone!"
The prototype chips disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Well now, guest, I must tip my hat to you." The head chef reached out to shake Jin's hand. "This would be excellent as a light snack, and it seems like it would pair perfectly with ale."
"You can make them even better depending on the seasoning. I'll leave the rest to you."
With that, it was decided that the chips would be served as a side dish for dinner.
Then came dinner time. Tonight, Marchioness Firenziano joined them for the meal.
"First, let me tell you that the mass production system for the distiller is ready. Is a reward of two million Toll acceptable?"
"That is perfectly fine," Reinhard replied. Jin nodded as well, and the marchioness concluded the business talk there.
"Reinhard-kun, Lady Elsa, Jin-kun. Let’s dispense with formalities tonight. Now, cheers."
"Cheers."
Everyone raised their glasses. Tonight’s glassware was exceptionally clear and featured an engraving of a bird of prey—the crest of the house of Firenziano.
Just as the first glasses of wine were being emptied, the head chef arrived.
"A new dish," he said, setting down the chips from earlier.
"Oh, how interesting."
The marchioness immediately picked one up and tried it. Seeing that, Reinhard and Elsa followed suit.
"It’s delicious. As expected of Chef Matthias."
"Mm, it's good!"
"...Delicious."
Being praised, the chef spoke with blunt honesty.
"No, this is something I was taught by the guest."
Hearing that, Elsa gasped. "C-Could it be... topopo?"
"Eh? Topopo?"
"Topopo, you say? This?"
At Elsa’s remark, Reinhard and Marchioness Firenziano both cried out in surprise.
The chef nodded and spoke passionately about how there was no need to worry about poison and how delicious they could be when prepared correctly. Jin added his own explanation.
"It's not so much that topopo are poisonous, but rather that the sprouts contain the toxin. You could call it a self-defense mechanism to prevent animals from eating the precious sprouts."
The group nodded. Indeed, most stories about topopo poisoning occurred after spring—long after the harvest period.
More than anything, this dish—be it a snack or an appetizer...
"Topopo chips," Jin said, mentioning he had been eating them for a long time.
"I see. I feel like I finally understand what Reinhard-kun meant when he called Jin-kun a slightly special magi craftman."
The marchioness picked up another chip. "They're quite addictive." She popped another into her mouth.
"Marchioness, that's not fair." Reinhard reached for the topopo chips as well, and Jin began to eat.
Finally, even Elsa hesitantly reached out, picked one up, and tried it. From that point on, it was as if a dam had broken. She began eating them continuously, and the mountain of topopo chips on the plate was gone in an instant.
"Well now, seeing it all eaten so cleanly makes being a chef worthwhile." With a bow, the chef withdrew.
Marchioness Firenziano seemed lost in thought for a moment before turning to Jin.
"Jin-kun—no, Jin-dono. These 'topopo chips'... would it be alright if we made them here? No, throughout all of Borgia?"
Jin nodded with a smile.
"Yes, of course. Please consider it a token of my gratitude for your hospitality."
"I see. Thank you. Well then, let's have the rest of the meal brought out. Please enjoy yourselves tonight."
In the years that followed, topopo chips became a famous specialty of Borgia. The crop itself was re-evaluated and became widely cultivated, easing the lives of the farmers and increasing the nation's tax revenue. Derivative dishes like fried topopo and mashed topopo eventually joined the list of local delicacies, and Marchioness Firenziano was highly praised for these achievements in later history.
It should also be noted that refrigerators eventually became a household staple for food preservation. Throughout it all, Jin’s specific advice was strictly observed: when frying topopo, one must keep the cooking time short and ensure the oil does not reach excessive temperatures.