"It isn't meant to be banged against things," a voice called out.
Laozi replied with a faint smile. "My apologies. One should never treat food with such disrespect."
The owner of the voice looked genuinely taken aback. "Well, that's a surprise! You’re the first customer I’ve ever had who correctly identified this as food!"
The man who emerged from the back appeared to be around thirty, with light brown hair and gray eyes. Laozi surmised this was the proprietor, Oliver.
"Are you the shopkeeper?"
"Yes, I’m the owner, Oliver. And you… have you traveled from quite a distance?"
Observing Laozi’s attire—the standard butler’s livery of the Allied Kingdoms—Oliver seemed to realize he wasn't a local.
"Indeed. I have been sent here on my master's orders."
This was no lie. It was an ingredient Jin had been desperately seeking.
"So you know that what you're holding is food?"
"Of course. This is katsuobushi, is it not? One shaves it thin, places it in hot water to extract the essence, and uses it as a base for soups and other dishes."
The moment Laozi said this, Oliver practically jumped.
"What! Is that how it’s eaten?!"
"Pardon? You didn't know?"
"Well, yes… to my shame…"
Oliver admitted that he had tried crushing it into small pieces and sucking on them, but they hadn't been very tasty.
"Your master is certainly well-informed! I stocked it because I knew the name, but I had no idea how to use it. It was becoming quite a headache."
"Yes, well, it is apparently an oral tradition passed down through my master’s family for generations."
There was no need to lie, but Laozi saw no reason to tell the whole truth, so he offered a vague explanation.
"In short, it is an ingredient used for the extraction of 'umami.' Since it's made from fish, it pairs wonderfully with simmered vegetables."
"I see, I see!…If you wouldn't mind, could you teach me how to prepare a dish with it? If you do, I’ll give you one of those katsuobushi for free."
Oliver realized that if he understood how to use it, this katsuobushi might actually start selling. Knowing that Jin was more than willing to spread the joys of Japanese cuisine and culture, Laozi accepted the offer.
"Understood."
"Oh, thank you! Would you like to use the kitchen?"
Laozi followed Oliver to the back of the shop.
"First, we must make 'shaved flakes.'"
Since there was no dedicated katsuobushi shaver, Laozi produced a self-defense knife and began shaving the block Oliver provided. It was slightly chipped, likely from Oliver's previous attempts to crush and suck on it.
"Ho ho, so you shave it that thin!"
Laozi placed the shavings into a pot of water and set it over the fire.
"Depending on the dish, you either stop the heat just before it boils or let it simmer for a short while. Boiling it too long can bring out a fishier aroma."
Laozi continued his explanation, drawing upon the database of culinary knowledge compiled by Perido Leader.
"Once you've extracted the essence, you strain the flakes out. These can even be fed to certain livestock."
In Japan's Edo period, they were apparently often fed to cats.
"This is bonito dashi."
"I see… and this is what you use for soup?"
"Indeed.…What vegetables do you have on hand?"
"Vegetables are a luxury in these parts, so I only have a small supply of dried ones."
However, Laozi noticed several eggs on a nearby shelf.
"May I use these eggs?"
"Ah, those are Sand Bird eggs. Please, help yourself."
The Sand Bird was a medium-sized bird inhabiting the Harihari Desert that preyed on Scorpia. Oliver explained that while their meat was too foul to eat, the eggs were quite edible.
Laozi set out to make an egg soup.
He brought the dashi to a simmer, whisked the eggs and drizzled them in until they bloomed into ribbons, then seasoned the mixture with salt. He finished it off by adding a few of the dried leafy vegetables.
"Here, please try it."
After tasting it himself to check the seasoning, Laozi handed a bowl of the soup to Oliver.
Oliver took a sip and his eyes went wide. "This is delicious!"
"I can't believe you improved the flavor so significantly with such a simple process!"
However, Laozi shook his head.
"No, while the application is simple, an extraordinary amount of labor went into the creation of the katsuobushi itself."
This was knowledge he had received from Jin. Jin himself had likely acquired it from a manga, but the sentiment nonetheless impressed Oliver.
"That's certainly true. Well, thank you very much. Now that I understand the use, I'll only charge you for one, as promised."
The price for one was 400 Toll, roughly 4,000 yen.
Laozi felt that even with the discount, it was a bargain for Oliver to have gained such knowledge. The information was worth far more than 400 Toll. However, in terms of establishing a connection with the merchant, Laozi considered it a great success.
"I’ll be sure to keep it in stock, so please come by again," Oliver said as Laozi prepared to leave.
Laozi casually probed further. "When do you expect the next shipment?"
Oliver hesitated for a heartbeat, then broke into a smile. "I believe it will be in about five days."
"I see. I shall still be in town then. I will drop by again."
"Please do! I look forward to your patronage."
Though it had happened in an unexpected way, Laozi was satisfied with the connection he had forged.
Now, all that remains is the matter of the foreign tribes.
Laozi surmised that Oliver would undoubtedly meet with his supplier—the one providing the katsuobushi—within the next five days. There was a high probability that the supplier belonged to the foreign tribes.
However, the trade likely skirted the edge of legality. They were surely acting with enough caution to avoid even the spies of the Shouro Empire. Laozi reminded himself not to be impatient.
"How shall we make use of this opportunity…?"
Laojun, the magi-brain on Hourai Island directing Laozi’s actions, concluded that this warranted a report to Jin. He instructed Laozi to send the two pieces of katsuobushi back via Warp Gate immediately.
Laojun knew that the arrival of the katsuobushi would be a more than sufficient reason to wake his master.
"My Lord, katsuobushi has been found."
Upon hearing the news, Jin practically jumped for joy, exactly as Laojun had predicted.
"You found katsuobushi!?"
His exhaustion vanished instantly.
"Yes, it was just sent over by Laozi."
"I'm going right now!"
Jin sprinted from the workshop to the command room, with Reiko close behind.
"Oh!"
There, sitting on the table in the command room, were the two blocks of katsuobushi Jin had been searching for.
"I’d love to have some miso soup made with this…"
At Jin’s murmur, Perido Leader, who was standing by, responded.
"Understood. I shall prepare it immediately. Also, Master, may I use one piece for cooking and the other for research?"
Katsuobushi was created by introducing specific molds that converted proteins into amino acids to produce umami. She wanted a sample to identify the mold strains and study the production process.
"Yeah, go ahead. According to Laojun, we should be getting more soon anyway."
"Thank you. At what time shall I serve the meal?"
"Let's see… in one hour."
Knowing that Jin was sleep-deprived, Reiko wanted him to take a nap for at least an hour.
"Right. Elsa and Hanna should be back by then, so make enough for the three of us."
"As you wish."
Perido Leader took the two pieces of katsuobushi and withdrew.
Jin then headed back to the Mansion, where he laid out a futon and settled in for a much-needed nap.