SH_C28_CHAPTER 28: STRENGTH FOR TOMORROW

28. Strength for Tomorrow

“What do you mean?”

Eager for answers, I leaned in as Roland explained that after my father dropped off Regulus at the manor, he apparently stayed for a while at the magistrate’s estate.

It seems he had found some shady dealings in the tax records from the capital, and once he got a firm lead, he ousted the previous magistrate.

“And then, get this—he tells me to ‘do something to make the adventurers spend money in Kikunoi territory,’ now that he’s lowered taxes.”

“That’s… incredibly vague!”

Wait, is he just dumping the entire problem on someone else!?

My mouth fell open, and Roland chuckled while rubbing his jaw.

“That’s what I said! So I hit him with some [Intimidation].”

“Ah, that explains it... If he only turned pale from your [Intimidation], he might actually be worth something?”

“Maybe. But hey, his kid resisted it completely.”

“Well, this child’s a bit of an anomaly,” Romanov-sensei said as he pinched my cheek.

It didn’t hurt, but… was Sensei secretly obsessed with squishy skin?

Worried that my cheeks might stretch too far if this kept up, I looked up at Roland with pleading eyes.

He cleared his throat and continued.

“He also said, ‘Once we get a competent new magistrate, I’ll focus seriously on local development, so help me out.’ It’s a big change from someone who used to show up once a year—shopkeepers here noticed it too.”

“Ah… He probably has to pay alimony now…”

“So that’s it, huh? Damn, you really stirred things up, Agaha.”

“That’s right. Agaha-kun can do all kinds of amazing things.”

No, no—I’m a total fraud using pseudo-cheats.

Not that I could say that aloud. So I just thanked them for the praise, guilt weighing heavy on my heart.

Fidgeting with the hem of my blouse, I was caught off guard when a warm hand gently stroked my head.

“You’re not used to being praised, are you?”

“...Sorry.”

It just felt wrong to enjoy praise when I knew I’d basically cheated. If I got too comfortable with that, it would be the beginning of the end.

As Sensei and I spoke, Roland took a sip of the fizzy drink I had brought.

“Whoa—carbonated water with frozen raspberries and honey? You nobles sure drink soda differently from the rest of us.”

“Ah—was it not to your liking…?”

“No, it’s good! Just a little sweet for me.”

“I like it just as it is,” Sensei chimed in.

Maybe I’ll make a version with plain water for Regulus next time.

“If you like it less sweet, try swapping the raspberries for lemon and using less honey. That’s tasty too.”

“Huh. So you can switch up the fruit? Neat.”

“Yes, and freezing the fruit keeps the drink cold longer—acts like ice.”

Roland nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly gave a sly grin.

“Say, what do you think adventurers really spend money on?”

“Weapons and armor…?”

“That’s part of it, sure. But those are expensive, and people don’t replace them often. So they’re not great for daily profits.”

When I guessed medicine and bandages, he shook his head.

“Every party’s got a healer, and healing herbs sell well, but they’re dirt cheap.”

That left the things everyone needs to live.

“So… food and lodging?”

“Bingo.”

So the key was inns and eateries.

But weren’t there already inns and eateries in this shopping district?

“We don’t need to build new ones. Just boost the ones we already have, and money will start flowing.”

“Makes sense. If the existing ones aren’t full, there’s no point in adding more.”

“Exactly. But the problem is… those places don’t have anything special to offer.”

“Right. Lower taxes alone won’t attract people if nothing else changes.”

“So we give them a reason.”

Something unique to Kikunoi inns and restaurants. Even if others imitate us later, if we’re the originators, we’ll still have that brand recognition.

The most likely option? Food. Something so tasty and easy to produce that people would want it again and again—cheap in both ingredients and pricing.

“A local specialty dish, maybe…”

“Yeah, if it’s good, it’ll make people want to come back alive just to eat it again.”

“That makes sense.”

As the saying goes, “Food is the strength for tomorrow.”

If I could come up with something delicious…

Just thinking about it made my stomach growl.

I pulled out my bento and laid everything out neatly.

Thanks to the time-freezing enchantment in my pouch, it still tasted freshly made.

I handed Roland a sandwich—ham, cucumber, tomato, and omelet.

He stared at it for a moment, then took a big bite.

“Hey, this is good.”

“The chef made it.”

The cucumbers and tomatoes were freshly picked from the garden—rich in flavor and full of summer freshness. The ham's saltiness and the fluffy omelet brought it all together beautifully. Our chef really knew what he was doing.

Sensei, also eating a sandwich, looked up and said:

“Could we use Kikunoi’s recipes for a signature dish?”

“Kikunoi’s recipes?”

“Yes, some of them are quite novel. For instance, ‘soufflé omelet’ or ‘steamed egg in dashi.’”

“What the heck is that?”

Curious, Roland leaned forward as Sensei gestured animatedly, explaining the dishes I’d helped create with the chef.

Roland hummed thoughtfully.

“Could we maybe test that out at one of the nearby eateries?”

“Well… if the chef gives permission.”

“Right. Makes sense to ask the person who made it. Got anything else?”

“Hmm… depends. What kind of thing are you looking for?”

“Let’s see… Adventurers need stamina, right? So something meat-heavy?”

“Meat…”

Let’s think. This world has seasonings like miso, soy sauce, sake, and mirin—pretty close to my previous life. What it doesn’t have, as far as I’ve seen, are curry powder, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, or ketchup.

Meats include pork, chicken, and beef, along with exotic monster meats like orc, rockbird, and even minotaur.

Our chef told me those monster meats are all quite tasty—same with dragon and wyvern, apparently.

Right, back on track.

A meat dish that embodies the spirit of victory and defeat… sounds like the perfect time for—

“How about… tonkatsu?”

“Ton… what?”

Both of them looked puzzled.

Oh no. Don’t tell me tonkatsu doesn’t exist here!?

Times like this, I’m painfully reminded how little I know of the outside world.

Or maybe they just don’t know it—doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

“Um… Tonkatsu is a dish where you take a thick cut of pork, dust it with flour, dip it in egg, coat it in breadcrumbs, and fry it.”

“Is it good?”

“I think it’s delicious.”

Sensei’s eyes sparkled with interest.

Then both men nodded, breaking into matching grins.

“Shall we try making it?”

“Uh… who, and where?”

“You, of course. And the place is────”

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Eunie here: 5/5 + 1st extra chapter for today 06/13/25

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