The Cooking Culture Group’s research had yielded several new seasonings.
Whenever these seasonings were derived from plants, I had the group collect the source flora as well. It would have been ideal if they were already available in Village Five, but since they weren't, we had to grow them ourselves. I also asked them to gather any rare plants they encountered across the various regions, regardless of whether they were used for seasonings.
The fact that these plants were considered rare meant they weren't widespread, which suggested that growing them in a different environment might be quite difficult. However, I had the Universal Farming Tool. Moreover, having the actual physical specimens made it easier to visualize what I wanted to grow. I figured the Universal Farming Tool would find a way to make it work.
I chose the aerial gardens of Village Four for the planting site. Since it was already autumn, I wasn't sure how long they would take to mature, even with the Universal Farming Tool accelerating their growth. The aerial gardens were practically a greenhouse, so I could rest easy knowing they would be safe even if they grew slowly.
Without hesitation, I planted dozens of varieties all at once. Many of the plants bore a resemblance to ones I knew from my past life—they had a familiar air about them. There were slender lilies, roses that weren't particularly pretty, and turnips that looked like daikons. I couldn't tell if that was just how they were supposed to look or if they were the result of poor growth in the wild, but I supposed I would find out once they matured. I was looking forward to it.
The cooking tools the group brought back were usable to a degree, but they weren't especially convenient. It made sense when I thought about it; tools evolve over time, and the ones we currently used were the end result of that evolution. One could say that the rare cooking tools found in outlying regions were simply those left behind by the times. They were inconvenient and required a lot of extra effort.
I wondered if they had any value as antiques. If Prada, our local art enthusiast, had been around, I could have asked her, but she was currently away accompanying a caravan. I decided to show them to her once she returned.
On the bright side, I was happy to find several tools used for brewing black tea. I was currently in the process of having the Village Five artisans create replicas of them.
Among the tools introduced by the Cooking Culture Group, some existed only as records. These were cases where the team had found a tool but found it impossible to acquire or transport. I summoned the High Elves, the Mountain Elves, and blacksmiths like Gatto to Village Five, handed them the records, and had them reproduce the items. Since members of the Cooking Culture Group had seen the originals firsthand, the reproduction process wasn't that difficult.
Whether those tools were actually practical for cooking, however, was a separate issue. Quite often, I suspected that these "cooking tools" were actually objects originally intended for entirely different purposes. I supposed it was a way of effectively utilizing limited resources, which isn't a bad thing in principle.
However, I was a bit troubled when they proudly announced that a torture device was actually a cooking tool.
Wait, what? It wasn't even for torture, but for executions?
I really didn't need to know that.
After a consultation between myself, Yoko, the Civil Official Girls, and several of the High Ogre Maids, we evaluated the results of the Cooking Culture Group as mediocre relative to our investment. The main reason was simple: there wasn't any delicious food.
That didn't mean I intended to cut off their funding, though. I wanted them to continue researching regional cuisines. It was entirely possible that they just hadn't found the good stuff yet. The important thing was to keep searching.
I decided to build a structure to display the seasonings and tools they had collected, making it free for anyone to view. I kept to myself the thought that no one would probably come if I charged admission. I also considered holding periodic dinner parties as events, using the displayed tools to prepare meals. I knew what needed to be done; I would have to refine the recipes to ensure the food was actually delicious. Preserving regional flavors was important, but we couldn't forget the pursuit of taste. Delicious food is justice, after all.
On a fine autumn day, I decided to roast sweet potatoes at the edge of the village. These were potatoes we had harvested at the end of summer. It was a bit early in the season, but they were ready, and I wanted to enjoy them.
When I first started roasting them, only Kuro and Yuki were by my side. By the time I thought I was almost finished, I found myself surrounded by a large crowd of Kuro’s children. Zabuton and her children were there too, along with Lu, Tia, Ria, and the rest.
It was... fine. I had plenty of sweet potatoes left. I just had to roast more. There weren't many fallen leaves around, so I started to suggest gathering some wood, only to find that everyone had already piled it up.
"Understood," I said.
In the end, the roast ended up on such a massive scale that it looked like a brush fire, but they turned out perfectly. We all enjoyed the sweet potatoes together.
A few days later, Yoko came to me with a proposal. She wanted to make the sale of White Swan Race merchandise a licensed business in Village Five, allowing other shops to sell the goods as well. I had no desire to monopolize the market, so I gave her my permission.
"Very well," she said. "In that case, I would like you to provide a name for the shop the Village Head is currently running."
I realized that if other shops started selling similar goods, it would be confusing if my own stall didn't have a name. I thought about it for a moment and made my decision.
The Village Five goods shop would be called "Kugui."
Kugui was an ancient name for a swan. Technically, it was supposed to be pronounced "Kuguhi," but that was a bit of a mouthful, so I went with Kugui. Odette and Odile, the Messengers of the Swan God, said they had no issues with the name.
The shop’s inventory was expanded to include stuffed toys of ducks and domestic ducks. Since the ducks had been working so hard in the shows and races, I figured this could be their reward.
Actually, would they even consider that a reward? It would certainly help their popularity, but it wasn't a direct benefit to them. I made a mental note to bring them some treats later.
As an aside, the poseable swan dolls created by the Mountain Elves were also added to the lineup. However, since the supply was small and the arrivals were irregular, they were treated as "phantom items." Apparently, the moment they were placed on the shelves, they sold out instantly. I wondered if people were literally staked out at the storefront waiting for them. Regardless, I was happy to see them selling well.
When I returned to the Village of the Great Tree, the Demon King bragged to me about his own poseable swan doll.
I hesitated. Should I tell him that the Mountain Elves standing right over there were the ones who made it? Oh, he already knew? That was a relief. I hadn't known how to react.
So, knowing that, the reason he was bragging was...
"Look at the bottom of the doll's foot," he urged.
It was a swan's foot, but... wait. Were those numbers? A serial number?
"Oh! It’s a low, single-digit number!"
I recalled that only about thirty of these dolls had been sold so far. I was impressed he had managed to get his hands on one. I asked if it had been a tribute, but he shook his head. He had apparently gone to watch the White Swan Races and happened to be at the shop right when they were stocking the shelves.
I realized that must have happened quite a while ago. He explained that his subordinates had kept pestering him to see it, so he hadn't been able to bring it here until now. His dedication to his subordinates was truly impressive. I felt I could learn a thing or two from him.
After our chat, I returned to my room and checked my cupboard. There sat a poseable swan doll that the Mountain Elves had given to me before the items went on sale.
I looked at the bottom of its foot.
...
Hmm. They were being very considerate of me. I really should find a way to reward the Mountain Elves.