The Doyaaa Quake appeared to have only affected the interior of the shop; outside, everything looked perfectly normal. Even inside, there wasn't so much as a chipped dish or a tipped seasoning bottle.
Maybe we had only imagined the shaking, some kind of shared hallucination... but since Shiro-san was involved, no display of supernatural power would have been out of character.
"Anyway," I said, trying to pull us back to the present. "I actually had another reason for bringing Noin-san here today."
"Oh? And what would that be?" Kaori-san asked.
"Well, Noin-san is an expert on Japanese ingredients—specifically, the ones found in this world. I thought she might be able to help you, Kaori-san. You mentioned before that there were several things you still hadn't been able to track down."
"Right. It would definitely be a huge help to learn more from her..."
My reason for bringing Noin-san to Kaori-san's Shop was partly to let her enjoy Japanese cooking, but I also hoped it would provide hints for Kaori-san’s search for ingredients. Noin-san was incredibly particular about Japanese food, and judging from her old travel diaries, she had spent a great deal of time searching for local equivalents. It was highly likely she knew about things that Kaori-san and I didn't.
"I see. I certainly have confidence in my knowledge of that area," Noin-san said. "I believe I know quite a lot about the Japanese ingredients that exist here in Trinia."
"By the way, Kaori-san has Yuzu and Sudachi, so there's a benefit for you too, Noin-san—"
"What was that?! Is that true?!"
"—Eh? Ah, yes. Apparently, she received them from Eden-san," I replied.
The fact that she wore a look of utter astonishment meant that, as expected, Yuzu and Sudachi were non-existent in this world.
"Based on your reaction, Noin-san, do they really not exist here?" Kaori-san asked.
"No, not to my knowledge. There are similar fruits, which I've used as substitutes until now... For instance, when it comes to Yuzu, this fruit is relatively close."
Answering Kaori-san's question, Noin-san pulled a fruit about the size of a melon out of her Magic Box.
"That's quite large," I remarked.
"I know. But its taste and aroma are the closest I've found... though they are still slightly different."
Kaori-san and I leaned in to sniff the fruit Noin-san had produced. It certainly had a scent that felt Yuzu-like if someone pointed it out, but it was just different enough that you might not realize it on your own.
"Kaori-san, would you be willing to part with some Yuzu and Sudachi?" Noin-san asked. "If I have even one of each, I believe Raz-sama will be able to cultivate them. Of course, I will pay you for them."
"Oh, don't worry about the money. I have plenty, and five grow every day. In exchange, though, do you know of any way to get some Matsutake? I heard a little from Kuromueina-sama that they exist here..."
What Kaori-san wanted in exchange for the citrus was information on Matsutake mushrooms. Matsutake, huh... that sounded great. Come to think of it, Lanza-san had some, didn't she? Camellia-san said she could introduce me at any time, but I hadn't followed up on that negotiation yet.
"Honestly, those are quite difficult to obtain," Noin-san admitted.
"So it's hard without a connection after all?"
"Yes. Although the name is different, there is a tree called the Needle Tree which corresponds to the Red Pine of our world. They grow in the remote regions of the Demon Realm. However, the Spirit who rules that land strictly limits the amount shipped, so only a few ever appear on the market each year."
The situation didn't seem quite that dire when I had spoken with Camellia-san, but were they really that rare?
"Kuro also said they were hard to get without a connection," I said. "Is that to maintain their market value?"
"No, that's not it. It's more that many members of the Spirit Race are indifferent to money. Much like Lilliwood-sama, many believe that as long as they have enough to cover their needs, that is fine. Thus, they only put the minimum number on the market required to earn what they need for the year."
"I see. So, the only way is to negotiate and have them give you some directly."
"That would be best, but it's difficult without a very strong connection. The forest where the Needle Trees grow is the Forest Guarded by the Spirits of the Spear-branch Tree, so you must get permission from them first. Unfortunately, those Spirits are insular and don't interact much with the outside world... Ah, but I do recall hearing that the Spirit who became the new leader about a hundred years ago is highly ambitious and is trying to establish connections with the outside."
As I expected—or rather, just as I had heard from Kuro—Noin-san didn't seem particularly interested in Matsutake herself and explained the situation matter-of-factly.
"I see... Then, in the end, it seems asking Kaito-kun is the best option," Kaori-san said.
"Even for Kaito-san, I imagine it would be difficult without a point of contact to meet them..." Noin-san started.
"Ah, well... I'm already acquainted with the person who seems to be their leader," I interrupted.
"..."
Upon hearing my words, Noin-san suddenly wore the expression of a cat that had been tossed into the vacuum of outer space.
Serious-senpai: "Wait, don't spirits usually just get stronger as they get older?"
???: "No, it's just that their natural growth is incredibly slow. They can still improve through training and the like. Plus, talent determines where their growth eventually plateaus. Lanza-san was just exceptionally gifted; she surpassed the previous leaders and took the top spot herself."