A good tree that purifies impurities. It emits a subtle floral fragrance.
Status: Sapling
Time until fruit ripens: 6 months]
6 months?
What, 6 months?
Well, 6 months isn't a long time for a regular tree to bear fruit.
But why does this one take 6 months when the branches of Yggdrasil and the dungeon sugarcane grew in just a day!
It's a quest, but if this continues, I won't be able to serve the new menu to that customer. Is there any way...?
Ding.
[A new entry has been updated on Aether-Wiki.]
At that moment, the system notification rang out promptly. Since it's giving me a hint, I'll accept it willingly.
I accessed Aether-Wiki and checked the 'Latest Updates' section, where a new entry appeared.
"How to Promote Crop Growth"
You want your crops to grow faster. You're a K-gamer who can't be satisfied unless things progress quickly. You need to skip every single word to feel satisfied.
[Read More]
Is it just me, or does the encyclopedia's explanation have a hint of resentment?
Anyway, I calmly pressed [Read More].
Hello~ This is Aether-Wiki.
Today, I bring you information on how to promote crop growth.
I'm delivering essential information to you, so please read it to the end.
It's natural for fruit to take time to ripen!
Did you know?
But you want to complete the quest as soon as possible, right?
So today!
For the eligible user who wants to grow crops quickly, we will introduce how to make special fertilizer...
(Excerpt)
That's how we learned how to make special fertilizer today~
If this was helpful, please visit Aether-Wiki more often. ^^
Is this a viral blog...?
Amidst the long, uninspired text, there was just one line with the information I needed.
Lucky me. I can prepare it right away.
Anyway, it seems that Aether-Wiki updates information based on my actions. The way it keeps popping up notifications suggests that.
I think there was an explanation like that when I first accessed it...
Can I find out how to save the blue Serano flower through this wiki?
I recalled the appearance of Choi Cedric, whom I met at the farm yesterday.
He pretended to be fine when I appeared, but his depressed expression and the flower on the verge of withering.
It's none of my business. It is, but...
He said his family was sick, so I'm worried.
If things continue as they have, the system might tell me. Hmm, let's start with what I can do.
I left the space and took out a paper box that had been stored in the warehouse. The box was quite heavy due to the accumulated contents.
"What's this, Choi?"
I was moving the box when Choi Eui-chan arrived.
"Huh? Oh, I'm going to use it as fertilizer."
"This?"
The material for the fertilizer, as told by Aether-Wiki, was coffee grounds. I had been collecting them because I ran out of garbage bags, and it was just in time.
"Give it to me. I'll move it."
Choi Eui-chan took the box and asked where to go.
However, we soon encountered a problem. The entrance to the blue space on the wall was invisible to Choi Eui-chan.
"Whyyyyy (Of course not, do you think anyone can enter here)?!"
"......Is that it?"
I thought anyone could enter.
"Kyaooong (This is a space only accessible to those approved by the system agent)!"
"Then approve me."
"Whyuuu (That... it's not that easy)..."
I knew it. That's what I thought.
"Whyyyyy (Don't look at me with those eyes that say 'useless but somewhat decent and pitiful, so let's take him in')!"
"Ah, you caught me."
"Kyaahh!"
So I told Choi Eui-chan to wait and tried to take the box.
"I'm sorry. I'm not much help."
"What? That's not true. You've helped a lot."
I patted his shoulder and told him not to worry, but Choi Eui-chan seemed down.
"I thought... I could be more helpful to you."
His words were swallowed by a sigh.
"Is something wrong?"
Choi Eui-chan shook his head to the side. His tousled hair, reminiscent of a dog, swayed.
"I'll wait here. Go ahead."
His smile seemed to have no shadow, but...
I told him to cheer up and entered the space.
I gently sprinkled the coffee grounds around the sapling. A faint light from the soil was absorbed by the sapling, and the status window updated.
[Item: Purifying Tree (â â âââ)
Type: Tree
A good tree with the power to purify impurities. It emits a subtle floral fragrance.
Status: Growing
Time until fruit ripens: 1 day]
That's it, right?
The next day, I successfully put the lemon... no, the fruit of the Purifying Tree into the menu.
Yellow in color, fitting in one hand, round, and with a tangy aroma. It looks exactly like a lemon. Maybe I'll call it a fake lemon.
The tree had grown quite a bit overnight, and after picking all the fake lemons, I had a considerable amount.
A large bowl was piled high with fake lemons. The shop was filled with a tangy scent.
Holding a fake lemon in one hand and baking soda in the other, I declared in a serious voice.
"Alright, everything is ready?"
"Yep, it's ready."
"Meow (Of course)!"
"Quack!"
The temporary part-timer (characteristic: S-rank Hunter) and two extras responded energetically.
We decided to make lemon syrup with all the fake lemons.
They would just rot if left alone.
Besides, we need lemon syrup to make lemonade, so it's good to make a lot and store it.
So today, we plan to process this mountain of fake lemons together.
The method to make lemon syrup is not difficult, though the amount is cumbersome. The first step is to clean the fake lemons thoroughly.
"Alright, do it like this."
I soaked the fake lemons in water with baking soda and washed them by hand, making a squeaky sound. Choi Eui-chan, watching me, also soaked a fake lemon in water.
"Yep, like this..."
Squish.
He squeezed the fake lemon too hard, and it squished in his palm.
"Ah!"
The juice from the fake lemon splashed directly into Choi Eui-chan's eyes.
"Ah, Eui-chan, are you okay?"
"Ugh, it stings, ah."
"Here, rinse it with water. Quickly."
Thanks to his sturdy S-rank body, he recovered quickly, but...
"Alright, let's try again. Use less force and wash gently. Gently."
"Okay, gently..."
Squish.
"Ah!"
...
The same thing kept happening, and Choi Eui-chan gave up on washing lemons after both his eyes turned red.
It seems he still can't control his strength. Being S-rank isn't easy.
"Haha... I'm sorry."
His dejected expression and drooping head.
I pushed his back, worried he might get depressed again like yesterday.
"It's okay, you can help with something else. Just go rest over there, okay?"
After sending off Choi Eui-chan, who had retired.
The remaining labor force was...
"Why, whyyyyy (The smell is good)!"
A cat playing with a fake lemon with its paws.
"Quack!"
A slime that spread its body like a blanket, swallowed the fake lemon, and spat out only the seeds.
I'll just do it myself...
Now, it's just one F-rank cafe owner, one extra, and two creatures.
Strange. I clearly decided to live a life of working less and resting more, specifically working two days a week and resting five.
Why am I in a situation where I'm picking and washing a large number of fake lemons from morning?
I feel like I'm getting more and more entangled in this system and quests.
'Could I be the problem...?'
After washing the fake lemons thoroughly in water with baking soda and rinsing them with water, the cleaning was complete.
If they were fresh lemons, they would need more washing, but these are freshly picked, so this is enough.
Next, it was time to slice the fake lemons.
After drying the fake lemons and cutting off the stems, I sliced them thinly, about 0.3 cm thick.
Choi Eui-chan, looking for a chance to help, quickly offered to assist. But.
Thud!
He mashed the fake lemon instead of slicing it, so I had to give up.
Well, he can probably slice monsters well, so maybe it's a good thing?
"I'm sorry, this time too..."
"It's okay, can you play with Meeum and Lime?"
The BGM of slicing lemons played in the background.
Ding, ding, ding.
"Meow!"
"Quack! Quack!"
"Ahaha, one at a time, guys."
Beyond the window, the massive stone wall of the Abyss dungeon was visible, and behind it, the lively sounds of play. On the cutting board, the sound of slicing lemons.
It's really peaceful...
To avoid any misunderstanding, I don't mean I hate peace.
A life of eating well, resting well, and thinly slicing fake lemons. That's a life fitting for a regressed person. An F-rank regressed person wants to rest.
After slicing the fake lemons and removing the seeds, I placed them in a large bowl. I then added an equal weight of sugar and mixed them well. It took quite a while to finish due to the large amount.
While waiting for the sugar to dissolve, I felt a bit hungry.
Hmm, should I try one?
I picked up a slice of fake lemon mixed with sugar and brought it to my mouth.
"......!"
The first thing I felt was a sharp tang. Then, the sweetness neutralized the tang, filling my mouth, and the rich citrus aroma cleared my head.
It's delicious even like this, but it will be even better after aging.
After boiling and sterilizing the jars with hot water and drying them, I filled them with the sugar-coated fake lemons, completing the lemon syrup.
I looked at the jars of lemon syrup neatly lined up on the shelf. The jars, shimmering gold in the midday light, made me feel at ease.
It's peaceful. Really.
* * *
On the evening I had promised to let a regular customer try the new menu, I was alone in the shop.
Choi Eui-chan, who had been here just a moment ago, had left.
"Leaving now? Where are you going?"
"Hahaha! No, it's fine! I have a place to stay!"
"What? You said you were still looking for a place to live. Where are you staying now?"
"This land, this wind is with me! Don't worry."
"Wait, don't say weird things. Where are you really staying? Eui-chan?"
"I'm going, see you tomorrow!"
But he left, leaving only a hearty laugh.
Is he really okay? He seems a bit strange lately...
What should I do if my friend, who recently became an S-rank Hunter, suddenly starts acting weird?
I'll ask him more about it tomorrow, but for now.
"Welcome."
"That, give me what we talked about before."
The customer in a fishing vest appeared on time. He sat down without a word and asked for a drink.
Did he expect a lot? If so, I have to meet his expectations.