◆ Domestic Reform (Part 2)
For the inspection, I was accompanied by Sharon and Conrad as we visited a village located near the city of Salem, just south of the capital.
Famine-resistant crops are plants that can easily grow in environments with unfavorable climates. Modern examples include potatoes and sweet potatoes. In this country, a conical-shaped tuber called "Kuraga-imo" is used, though it’s rarely seen in other countries, likely because it thrives in cold regions. It grows well even in barren lands, making it perfect for famine-resistant crops.
"Village chief. I’ll take some Kuraga-imo seed potatoes."
"…I hate to ask, but what do you plan to do with them?"
"Eat them."
"You’re going to eat that?!"
The village chief opened his eyes in disbelief.
The surface of the Kuraga-imo tuber was rough and looked as though it had been infected by some sort of pathogen. In fact, it was toxic, which is why it had never been used as food until now.
I had instructed Conrad to procure some in advance, but they looked even stranger than I had anticipated. The flesh had bluish-green spots scattered throughout, and in its raw state, it was quite off-putting. Even when heat was applied, the poison remained, and anyone who ate it would suffer from stomach pains and high fever for about two weeks.
"The people who got poisoned did so because they didn’t properly prepare it beforehand."
"Proper preparation, you say?"
I knew the Kuraga-imo was toxic, so I had conducted an experiment on detoxification before the inspection, using the method for cassava as a reference. First, I removed the skin completely, soaked it in clean water, and then cooked it with heat.
When I tried to taste it, Conrad immediately stopped me, so I offered a substantial reward to find a substitute taster and proceeded with the experiment.
The result showed that it took eight days of soaking in water to remove the poison. As a precaution, I set the detoxification deadline to ten days.
"At this point, the quickest way to know is to taste it. Hey, is everything I asked for ready?"
"Yes, it’s all prepared."
Sharon handed me a large wooden box. Inside were the detoxified Kuraga-imo tubers along with oil, seasonings, and other items.
"Even after detoxification, you can’t eat this tuber as it is. Cooking is a must."
"...Are you going to cook it, Your Highness?"
"Do you think it’s strange for me to make it?"
When I started preparing it myself, Sharon gave me a genuinely surprised look.
Of course, it was true that Sharon could probably cook it better if I gave her instructions. But since it was a relatively simple dish, I wanted to try making it myself. There were many ways to cook it, and while frying came to mind first, it would be unsuitable given the rarity of the oil. Steaming seemed like the best option.
I placed the Kuraga-imo in the steamer I had prepared beforehand and took it out once it had cooked through.
"Try it."
I urged everyone to eat. The village chief showed some hesitation, but after seeing the other two bite into it without a second thought, he made up his mind and put it in his mouth.
"I’ve never eaten it before because I’d heard it was toxic, but this is delicious!"
Conrad, amazed, brought the tuber to his mouth again.
"You're right. It’s sweet and tasty."
Sharon also chewed delicately, covering her mouth gracefully, her eyes widening at the taste.
I followed suit and tried it as well. At first, the texture felt somewhat firm and crisp, which stood out, but a faint sweetness spread across my palate. However, I had hoped that, like sweet potatoes, the sweetness would be much more pronounced when steamed, but the impression was rather subtle.
"…This is disappointing. I thought it would be sweeter."
Unintentionally, a sense of dissatisfaction spilled out from the corner of my mouth, and Sharon, looking at me with suspicion, inquired,
"Your Highness?"
She must have heard my muttering.
Truly, her hearing is sharp...
"No, it's nothing."
Of course, it was still perfectly edible, and considering it a famine-resistant crop, the taste was more than acceptable.
Still, I had hoped it could be enjoyed in a more delicious way. Compared to modern times, there’s a severe lack of seasonings here, and the methods of preparation are highly limited, which is a shame.
"Do you like sweet things, Your Highness?"
"...I’m not sure."
I had intended to mutter that under my breath, but Sharon clearly caught it. I struggled to respond, and ended up giving an awkward reply.
Well, sweet things are definitely my favorite. However, it felt somewhat inappropriate to admit it, perhaps due to Henrik’s personality. Since sugar was a rare commodity, I had never requested sweet foods and, rather than indulging, I had always preferred to save the resources for later use.
"My apologies. I never thought you liked sweets... But when it comes to adding them to a meal, the budget is a bit tight..."
Not just in the Duke's family, but across this continent, many nobles spend a lot on their meals. I didn’t want my own meals to strain the finances, so I had set a budget for food and instructed to stick to that limit.
"That’s not what I said, though."
"No, I could tell from the start that you were expecting something sweet. And when you ate it, I saw you frown in disappointment. If you didn’t like it, you would have outright rejected my question."
For someone like me, whose emotional expressions are typically minimal, it was impressive that Sharon was able to read my reactions so accurately. This spoke volumes about her sharp observational skills.
I had known for some time that Sharon was highly skilled in conversation. She could exploit any opening immediately, and this keen insight would surely serve her well in negotiations.
"As a servant, it’s my duty to provide what my master desires. Although my mother warned me not to tell anyone, she once made something called sugar sap."
"Sugar sap?"
"You’re probably aware that the Ardennes Forest stretches across the northern part of the country, and it’s filled with trees called Shufian. In Lapto Village, they would process the sweet water that flows from these trees and use it as a valuable source of sugar. If it can be of use to Your Highness, please feel free to use it."
Saying this, Sharon took a small pouch from her pocket and handed me an old, folded note from within. From what Sharon had described, I could guess that the "sugar sap" was something similar to maple syrup. This meant there was something comparable in this country.
The sap contains 98% water, and only the remaining 2% is made up of the syrup’s sugary components. By concentrating and processing this sap, a sweet syrup is created. The sap can only be collected for a brief period of just a few days toward the end of winter.
"That’s a thoughtful gesture. According to this note, it seems the sweet water can be collected at the end of winter?"
At the end of winter, when the temperature differences are the most extreme, the sap starts to flow, but in this country, it would only happen for a brief period in the month of May. The method for collecting the syrup is very simple: by boring a hole into the tree, the sap naturally flows out. By boiling and concentrating it, the sap turns into a thick, sweet syrup. The syrup can also be transformed into solid sugar by evaporating the moisture.
Sugar is still a luxury in this world, a delicacy enjoyed mostly by the upper-class citizens. If sugar were to be exported to other countries, it could become an important industry for this country.
As for the Ardennes Forest, it is considered part of the Duchy’s territory, but only nominally. The northern part of the forest has become a permanently frozen land due to climate change, and the cold is so extreme that people don’t venture into it. Sharon’s mother was forced to leave her village due to the changing climate.
"However, because sugar sap requires a large amount of tree sap to be concentrated, it would be difficult to transport it as is," Sharon added.
As Sharon said, there are several obstacles to mass production. The first is the transport route.
To enter the Ardennes Forest, one must climb a steep cliff, and it is widely known as a place that is not easily accessible. This is likely why the existence of sugar sap is known only to the Lapto tribe. The raw sap is abundant, but transporting it manually would require enormous time and labor.
"Do we have a map?"
"Y-Yes."
I received a map from Sharon showing the geography of the entire Duchy. Since it’s not possible to accurately map out terrain like in modern times with satellites, the map is only a rough guide, but there might be a route somewhere that can be used for transportation.
As I studied the map, my eyes caught sight of the silver mines.
"Ah, the silver mines."
"The silver mines?" Sharon appeared confused by the unexpected mention.
"The silver mines have tunnels deep underground. I believe there’s an elevator system that transports people down into the mines."
This was a unique advantage of this country. The elevator system had been created to support the silver mines. Of course, it was nothing like the modern elevators, or even the ones from the Meiji era; it was a far more rudimentary system.
But there was indeed a simple elevator that could carry a person.
"How high is the cliff?"
"About thirty lengths, I think."
In this world, one length (renchi) is approximately the height of a person, though the exact measurement varies with each person. It’s probably about fifty meters.
"At that height, it shouldn’t be impossible to install something like this on the cliff."
"I see. So we would use the elevator to transport the sap collected from the forest to a factory built at the base of the cliff for processing," Sharon said, nodding thoughtfully.
"Exactly. There’s still some time before the sap collection season. We’ll need to order the construction of the elevator system and make progress on building the factory. We’ll also need to hire and train workers. There’s a lot to do."
"I understand."
Sharon smiled, clearly pleased with the plan. After a moment, I beckoned the village chief, who was standing a little further away.
"Village chief, I trust you understand the usefulness of the Kuraga-imo now. Have them grow a large quantity in this village as well. Understood?"
The village chief, who had approached, nodded vigorously and bowed low.
"Y-Yes, understood!"
The village chief stiffened and bowed deeply.
◆
"Your Highness, where are we?"
"This is the brewery."
"Why beer?"
As soon as we returned to Eldoria, we immediately set off again, this time traveling by carriage for two days to reach a relatively large village located upstream along the Frenu River, east of Albaren.
This village is known for the production of a type of alcohol called ale. The reason for this is that a plant very similar to hops, which grows naturally in the area, is used as the main ingredient.
Most of the ale produced throughout the continent is made from herbs, but the ale in this country is distinct, with a bitterness and aroma similar to beer, making it completely different in flavor from both the Empire’s and the Kingdom’s ales.
"It’s to circulate ale abroad."
When I opened the door to the brewery, all the workers inside turned their attention to us. One of them hurried over.
"Could it be... Prince Henrik?!"
"I thought I had already sent him ahead."
I glanced at Conrad, who had been behind me.
"After all, this is a rural area far from the capital, so I never imagined the Prince would personally come."
"Even so, there’s no problem. In fact, it would be better for you to avoid worrying if I came myself. Are you the one in charge here?"
It’s much better to be directly instructed by someone I can see than by some unseen figure.
"Yes. I am the one managing this brewery."
"Most of the ale circulating in this country is made by you all, correct?"
"Yes, that’s correct."
"Conrad, I want you to try the ale here."
"Your Highness!?! I don’t drink much alcohol..."
"Don’t lie. Your grandfather often spoke of how you were quite the heavy drinker, and he was troubled by it."
Conrad had told me that alcohol was bad for his health and made it hard to concentrate, so he had refrained from drinking for many years. However, he had also shared that in the past, he drank so much every night that his grandfather would often have to go to the tavern to apologize for Conrad’s drunken behavior, as he’d destroy things in a drunken stupor. I was curious how Conrad, who had once loved alcohol so much, would react to the ale of this country.
"That was just youthful folly...!"
"Listen here, Conrad. You might be refraining from drinking for my sake, but there’s no need to be so considerate. You like it, right? If so, there’s no harm in occasionally drinking as a treat to yourself. Of course, if you come home every day completely drunk, that’s a different story. But now, you’ve got enough self-control, right?"
Upon hearing my words, Conrad’s eyes widened in surprise.
"…Your Highness, you’ve changed."
"Huh? Changed, how?"
"Well, I just thought that the old Prince wouldn’t have said something like that to me."
"…Hmph. You’re mistaken. Now hurry up and drink. Then tell me what you think."
Conrad, looking at me with a slightly warm gaze, took the wooden cup offered to him. After smelling it seriously, he drank it all in one gulp.
"How is it, Conrad?"
"Well, this is delicious! Honestly, I’m surprised. It’s definitely different from the Empire’s ale. The aftertaste and aroma are distinct, and this unique bitterness is quite addictive."
Perhaps due to the alcohol, Conrad was clearly more cheerful than usual.
Why hadn’t the ale from this country spread abroad? The reason is that ale made from herbs, which is common across the continent, is difficult to preserve for long periods. As a result, it is usually distributed only in the areas near where it is produced and is not typically exported to other countries.
However, if the hop-like plant used as the ingredient for this country’s ale shares the same characteristics as the one from my previous life, then the ale would have high antibacterial properties and excellent preservation. Therefore, I believed that it would be possible to export ale made in this country to other nations.
Still, I was hesitant to proceed solely on my own judgment, so I brought Conrad along to taste it and confirm my thoughts.
"This country’s ale has a clear distinctive flavor, and it should also have excellent preservation qualities. That’s why I believe it can be exported abroad. Director, do you have any concerns about exporting it?"
"Indeed, I haven’t heard of this ale going bad. However, during warmer seasons, it tends to develop a strong sourness after some time."
As Sharon pointed out, even though it has high preservation qualities, it’s meaningless if it isn’t stored properly. But the Director must understand that as well. The ale is likely shielded from light, as it should be. Without light protection, the ale would eventually develop a stronger bitterness. However, even with protection from direct sunlight and high temperatures, the flavor will degrade over time. That was something I had been concerned about too. Transport conditions are influenced by climate, and in hotter places, the quality will inevitably decline. While it’s unrealistic to expect perfect consistency, it is possible to slow down the degradation.
"Right now, you’re transporting the ale in wooden barrels, correct?"
"Y-Yes. Why do you ask?"
"If you replace that with a container that has better sealing, you should be able to prevent the quality from deteriorating."
"A container with better sealing?"
"Yes. With porcelain, you can reduce exposure to air significantly. Compared to ceramic, it’s less likely to break, and it doesn’t absorb moisture at all."
By sealing the container with wax, like the type used for sealing letters, we could ensure a high level of airtightness.
By preventing oxidation, we should be able to suppress the sourness.
"However, isn’t it difficult to make large containers like wooden barrels?"
Considering the transportation environment, where the carriage tends to shake, even if the containers are more durable, the risk of damage would be high if they were to break.
"Yes. That’s why, in order to minimize the risk of breakage, we will make the containers smaller and increase the unit price accordingly."
It would be similar to bottled beer.
"So, you’re planning to market it as a premium product?"
"Exactly. Since we’re transporting it from such a faraway place, it would be unprofitable otherwise."
"I see. That makes sense."
"I’ve already identified a craftsman who can make these containers."
"Really? A highly renowned craftsman, I presume?"
"No, just a dirty man from the lower districts. But that’s beside the point. You need to focus on quickly expanding the production line. I’ll provide the money and manpower."
"Understood!"
"Sharon, I’m leaving the distribution routes, setting up wholesalers, and everything else in your hands."
"Me?"
"Isn’t this something you’re good at?"
I spoke with complete sincerity, and Sharon seemed momentarily taken aback by my straightforward words.
Sharon has an exceptional ability to observe people, a sharp mind, and dexterity with her hands. She excels at whatever she does, and on top of that, she is beautiful and can use magic—there seems to be no flaw in her. I was confident she would fulfill her duties perfectly.
"I will do my best to live up to your expectations."
Sharon’s face was full of determination as she clenched her fist.
◆
T/N: Part 3 will be out next week!