285-Episode 197 There's soybeans.




''These are the soybeans that have been soaked overnight.
''Oh~......!

Estella and Assunto exclaimed when they saw the soybeans that had swollen to twice their original size.
I was also surprised when I first saw it. 'How dry were those beans? I was about to say. I miss the social studies field trip in elementary school.

I mean, Assunto's voice was so deliberate.

'I didn't know they could grow this big!I was so surprised!
'............ You don't have to do this. You know what you're doing, anyway.
'No, no!I was not aware of this process. I'm ashamed of my lack of study!
'............ The worst thing you can do is to do everything half-heartedly. I'm sure you've heard of it, but
'............I'll keep that in mind ............'.

You're spinning out of control.
Or rather, Rebecca's opinion of Assunto is plummeting.
I think anything you say now will have the opposite effect. Shut up for a minute.

'So, Estella. These soybeans are now boiled again in plenty of water, and after four hours of boiling, they become soft enough to be crushed with your thumb and pinky finger. ......'

Rebeka explains the process of making miso to Estella, using gestures.
I'm sure you'll like it. Estella responds with the kind of response that a child would like. I wonder if she has a natural talent for listening.

'Rebeka-sama. Aside from miso, let's talk about soybean paste now. The people here are not busy.

Bertha said crisply and looked at me quietly.
I'm not sure if you know that we're going to meet the lords of the 24th district after this,......, or if you simply think that we can't keep the lords of other districts around for long,.......... ...Do you want Rebekah to go back to work for good? .................. The last one is a strong candidate.

I'm sorry. I know you all enjoyed my quiz, but ......?
'Well then, shall we have a leisurely quiz contest some other time?
'Oh, a tournament!That sounds interesting, that is!That's Estella-chan!

Estella's cheeks twitch slightly every time her name is called.
She doesn't seem to mind it, though.
I'll let Estella take care of the noisy children and we'll go on with our conversation.

'Assunto. Did you bring what I asked you to bring?
'Yes, of course!

As soon as he enters his domain, Assunto begins to come alive.
I guess he feels more comfortable here than dealing with children who don't know how to touch him.

'I told the merchants in the 24th district to prepare something of high quality for you.

With that, he presented me with a beautifully thick cucumber.
Fresh cucumbers with spines so firm that they hurt when you touch them.
It was a good way to taste the bean sauce.

'Would you like a small plate of it?
'Oh, yes, please. Please.'
'Well, ......'

Bertha scoops up some bean sauce from a small jar.
A nice shade of reddish brown bean sauce is served on a small plate. A deep aroma tickles your nostrils. It's still not fully matured, but the aroma is rich.

The jar Bertha brought is small enough to be held in one hand.
She must have brought it in small portions from the bean sauce stored elsewhere. It's not a good idea to expose such things to the air.

'Master Yashiro. I've cut it into small pieces for you to eat.

While Bertha was pouring the soy sauce, Natalia was cutting the cucumber into long strips.
She removed the spines that might have stung my tongue. I don't mind spines on cucumbers, but she was so meticulous.

Then, I dipped the cucumber in soy sauce and bit into it.

'Hot!

The stinging pungency hits your taste buds.
The back and sides of my tongue tingle.
The more the bean sauce matures, the more the stinging spiciness mellows out, but it's still too stimulating.

But it's still good.

'Yes. It's definitely spicy ......, but it's delicious.'
'Yes, it is. It has a deep, complex flavor.'

Estella and Natalia frowned as they gave their impressions.
No, it's spicy, really. They are not frowning because it tastes bad.

'If you let it mature like this, you should be able to make a pretty good bean sauce. You're indeed a craftsman, Riveka.''
'Mmm-hmm!It's only natural. Now, don't be shy to praise me more.



I'm not sure if I'll be able to get this taste the first time.
If you can get this kind of flavor the first time, you should be very happy.

I'd like to go home with some of this immature bean sauce.
With it, I might be able to make a prototype of what I'm planning to add to the restaurant.
A very popular dish using bean sauce.
One of the most popular Chinese dishes of all time.

Ma-po tofu.

If we can make that, it'll be a hit for sure.

Hey, Rebecca, ......'.

I have a favor to ask you,............, and while I was saying it, Rebeka approached me.

'No, my knight. There's one thing I need you to do for me.

It was a request made in a hushed whisper, as quiet as possible, but still earnest, as if appealing only to me.

'I want you to make a dish with this.

Cooking.
Hmm, well, I know you're interested in cooking with real bean sauce, not the 'pseudo bean sauce' that I entrusted to Assunto before. I understand, but ...... why are you whispering?

'Dear Rebekah. Why don't you speak louder?'
'No, it's too loud!This is a private consultation between me and my knight!

A knowing look on Bertha's face.
I think he knows the reason for Rebeka's mysterious behavior.
A request made surreptitiously and in secret. What does that mean?

'I'd like to taste the bean sauce, but it's so spicy that I'm going to cry, so please ask if there's anything that can be eaten by children.
'No, I'm not crying!And I'm not a child either!
And I'm not a child!' 'Your obstinacy like that is proof that you are.
'No, no, no!I'm a mature lady!
I am a mature lady!' 'Your ending and first person are just things you forced yourself to do in order to look mature.
'No!Don't let go of me!

He pounced on Bertha and pounded her with his small fists.
Bertha doesn't react, as if the wind is blowing in the willows. I'm sure the Rebeka punch didn't hurt her at all.

I'm sure the Rebekah punch doesn't hurt at all. ............ I wonder if those 'ew' and '~ja' were meant to make you look more mature, but you've gone beyond mature and become more like an old lady.

I'm not sure.Bertha is mean!It's not fair that you're the only one getting older!

No, we all age equally. ...... I'm young again, but...

'Please stop competing with me. There's no way to change your age.
'That's not true!'Everyone in the factory says you'll always be young!Bertha is a child!

No, that's just a compliment, Rebekah.

'No, sir!She's an old woman!

You said it!I never thought I'd say that.

'I'm young!
'I'm an old woman, even if I talk like a young man and try to wear a mini-skirt!

Did you try it, Bertha?

'Hmm ~~~~!You're young, Bertha!She's no different than me!
'No!Three hundred and sixty degrees, for all intents and purposes, you're an old woman!You're an old woman to everyone, young and old, man and woman!You're the same old hag for twenty-four hours a day!
It's not fair!

...... I don't know what your values are, man.

'Oh, um, ...... Mr. Bertha.'
'Oh, I'm sorry. I beg your pardon. I didn't mean to make you look bad in front of the others. ......'
'No, I don't mind, but ............ Mr. Bertha is young.'
'Thank you, sir.'

The condescending Bertha.
Well, I guess it's Estella's job to keep these things in check. Talking about age is not a thorn in her side.

But what the heck, ............ this Bertha looks just like Natalia. The way she treats the Lord.

So, if you know of a dish using soy sauce that can be eaten by Rebekah, I'd like to know about it. It would be a great motivation for Rebeka to know that the food she is growing is delicious.

What do you mean by a boost? ......
However, it is better to be familiar with something than with something that you don't know is from the sea or from the mountains.

But, 'grow'...



Koji is a living thing. Miso, soy sauce, and soybean paste made from koji may indeed be closer to 'growing' than 'making'.
Even in such a single expression, you can see the attitude of these people toward their work.
They're good craftsmen, aren't they?

I want to distribute bean sauce no matter what.
If we leave it to these guys, they'll make something delicious.

It's .......
I'll help you out this one time, so be most grateful, Assunto.

'Suppressing the spiciness? ...... Hmmm.'
'What?How hard can it be?Why don't you try adding sugar or something?
'No, I can make it if I can get a certain thing. ...... It might be difficult at this time of night. ......'

He said, glancing at Assunto.

......Wow, you've got a really happy look on your face. Both eyes began to glitter. ...... You're so predictable it's annoying.

I'm sorry.You've got me!I'll do everything in my power to prepare you!I'm not sure what to do.I'll do my best!

...... They're trying to appeal to me as much as they can.
You're probably thinking that since I sent the signal, it must be something that can be prepared with effort. Well, you're right.

You'll get your points.

'Okay, Assunto. Get me some yogurt.'
'Yogurt, sir?
'Oh, I see.'

Next to Assunto, who tilted his head, Estella looked refreshed as if she understood.
Because Estella was there before in the 'Sunlit Pavilion Curry Tragedy Incident'.
She must have remembered that dairy products can soften the spiciness of capsaicin.

However, it's not enough to use dairy products, you have to be careful how you use them.
Kaizen, which reduces the spiciness of capsaicin, is weak against heat, so it is better to mix it just before eating.
There are other ways to make it, such as tossing it with an egg or diluting it with chicken broth,......, but since Jeannette isn't around, I'll stick with the easy way.

'All right!Then I'll go get some yogurt!
'Oh, and. Can you order some tofu?
'Tofu......?

Huh?
What's that response?
Don't tell me you don't have any?

'I miss tofu.
'...... nostalgic?
'How can you even know about such old food? That's Mr. Yashiro, isn't it?

No, no, wait a minute.
What do you mean by 'old food'?

Estella and Rebeka are puzzled, and Bertha has a strange glittering expression on her face.
............ This reaction is just like the generation gap in the tea room where the Showa era songs are played.
It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your time with your family and friends.

...... No tofu?

'I'm sorry, Mr. Yashiro. We can't get tofu. There is no place that manufactures it.
'Why is that?There is such a wide variety of processed soybean products, you can at least get tofu at .............'

I was about to say that much, when I realized it myself.
I see. So that's why.

Bertha nodded her head slowly, as if to prove that my guess was correct.

'Yes, sir. Yes, sir. All of the soybeans currently harvested are used to make miso and soy sauce. Hence, tofu production was discontinued about twenty years ago.

Oh, ...... holy crap ............

You can't make mapo tofu with this. ............ Even the soybean paste was made 80% for mapo tofu. ......

'...... Rebecca. I'm sure you'll be happy with the results.
'It's impossible. Everywhere is asking for soybeans. There are no extra soybeans anywhere.
'Then why don't we just produce more in large quantities?
'Then we won't be able to produce enough legumes and peanuts.

So why don't you just abolish that stupid "BU" rule?
............ d*mn. What a stupid policy. An assortment of uselessness and nonsense.

'............I'm going to destroy the BU's stupid bean rule. ......'


'Yashiro. Aside from your grand ambitions, your first priority is to dismiss the compensation claimed against the 42nd district. Don't forget that.

Oh, God!
There's a dish in front of us that's sure to be a big hit!
BU is really nothing but a hindrance!

'...... I won't give up. ............ I'll definitely make tofu. ...... ...... Even if I have to dismantle the BU!
'So, Yashiro, ...... don't lose sight of your goal and make the problem bigger than it is. The first priority is to avoid a crisis in the 42nd district.

You're an idiot!
You can't just sit back and let the seeds of a money-making scheme dangle in front of you!

'But it's not really possible to do anything about it right now. ............'
'I'd like to make one for you too, if I could.

Bertha bows her head with a slightly sad smile on her face.

'It's a rule, please understand.
'The way you talk ......, can Bertha make tofu?'
'Yes, sir. I have experience.

You said earlier that it was discontinued twenty years ago, but you must have made it before that.
I wonder why they let it die out, such a delicious food.

'No, no, my knight ............, could it be that you can't make a good bean sauce dish without that 'tofu' or something?
'No, not at all. ............'

All I could think of was Mapo Tofu. ............ Oh, I see. You have that?

'Well, Assunto. Get me some eggplant.'
'Na, eggplant ......?
'What?You have eggplants, right?'

He looked so puzzled that I felt a little uneasy.
Eggplants must still be grown today.
I've seen it in Momat's field, and it's also used at the Sundaari-tei. ...... Miso dengaku, it's delicious. ......

'I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's just that the ingredients are so far removed from tofu. ...... I hope that means you've changed direction.
'No, the direction hasn't changed one millimeter.

After all, I make mapo eggplant.
That's good too!

'If it's eggplant, I have an idea!Wait for a moment!Go get it now!

As quickly as she could say it, Rebekah ran out the door.
...... What is it?

'...... Lady Rebeka ............ again.'
'"Again"?
'Oh, no, I mean ...... here, sir.'

Bertha muttered to herself as she stared at the door through which Rebeka had run out.
I don't think it's the ...... kind of thing that hurts my head, but it's not ...... the kind of thing that hurts my head.

I'm not going to say anything.
As you stare at his profile, Rebekah comes back, only to peek through the door.

'It's Assunto. It's a race to see who can get the food and come back faster.
'What?
'All right, then!
'What?What?

And with that, Rebeka ran down the corridor with all the power of a child again.
Assunto showed a great deal of impatience.

'Oh, no!What is the right thing to do in a situation like this?

He seems to have become a bit timid after his blunder in the quiz.
No matter what he does, he feels like he's going to get angry and shrinks. ...... You're like Nene from Tracy's family.
If you shrink, you'll make a lot of mistakes in unimportant places.

'Go get the yogurt as fast as you can.
'Oh, I see!I should win, right?
'No, you should lose.
'You want me to lose?
'Only by a touch.'
'By a touch!
'That, too, you'll be in the lead until just before the site, and then you'll be running at full speed, but you'll be overtaken in the middle, and after a dead heat, you'll lose by a touch.'
'Isn't that extremely demanding!
'That would be the most exciting part.'
'I'm sure that's ...... true, but ......'.

If you don't do that, you'll never make up for your loss.

'Then, I will accompany Lady Rebekah to sabotage the situation.

Quietly, Bertha begins to walk.

'We can hold them off for about twenty minutes. ............ Assunto, please consider it.
'To, Jupun............'

Looking upward, Assunto must have developed his own formula in his brain.
In just a few seconds, the answer seemed to come out, and Assunto's eyes and nostrils widened to the limit.



'I'm dying to rush, but I'm just barely there!I can't stay like this!

And so, belatedly, he runs out of the room.
At Assunto's back, I give him a word of encouragement.

'Hang in there, Assunto~, let's redeem your name~!

As I listen to the sound of distant footsteps, one hectic footstep comes back.

'You have to get your name back!

From the other side of the door, there was a look as if to say, 'Don't waste your time with this! He turns on his heel and starts running again.
...... You're so polite.

No, I'm sure he didn't want to leave a bad omen behind, even if it was a lie or a joke.
I'm sure he didn't want to leave a bad omen behind, whether it was a lie or a joke.

'Bully'.

From behind me, Estella calls out in a dumbfounded voice.

'What the hell, I don't like it. A pep talk, right?'
'Well, sure. If you can get around here, you might be able to clear your name.

He chuckles happily.
You're quite the bully yourself, aren't you?

'But, Natalia. You know how to handle kids. I'm a little surprised.

Natalia was making a good impression with Rebeka.
It was a bit surprising, since she didn't seem to have an image of playing with kids.

'That's because I've raised one ............ very troublesome child.

He said, looking at Estella's face as if he was about to open a hole.
Oh, I see.
If you've been babysitting Estella for a long time, you've learned how to treat her well.

'Bo, I'm sure I wasn't that much of a handful!And I was never selfish!
'You're right, let's correct that part.

Breathing in, Natalia corrected her earlier words in a beautiful, flowing manner.

'No matter how much I tried, only one part of the plant would not grow, but I was able to grow the rest of the plant almost perfectly.
'All right, then, I'll re-educate you!I'll make you a righteous head waiter who can respect his master properly!

Don't make a fuss, don't make a fuss.
It's the same as always.

'Hey... Did you guys know about Rebeka?
'Huh?No, we've never met him before.

I can tell that from your reactions.
That's not what I meant. ......

'It's the one named Whitehead. I thought it sounded like he had a lot of power.'
'I've heard of the Koji Maker Whitehead, he's quite famous. But I didn't know that it was a young man like him.
'Hey, Natalia. Don't say what you just said, okay?Even I can't defend that.'

The fact that Whitehead is famous suggests that the Koji makers are hereditary.
A little kid like him is called the head of this place.
Koji maker is not something you can become by natural talent, so he must have learned his craft from an early age.
It may have been his talent that enabled him to reach the top at the age of nine, though.

'But I'm not a nobleman, am I?
'Well...'

I may have been a bit harsh in my speech.
Estella raised her eyebrows slightly.

Beastmen could never be noble.
No matter how powerful they are.

If Rebekah were to take a human man as a son-in-law and he were to take over the Whitehead family, there might be a chance that he could become a nobleman. ......
When I asked him what he thought, he simply denied it, saying 'I don't think so.

It seems that not everything is OK with humans.

However, she probably doesn't care about such a framework. In fact, koji craftsmen are given more privileges than the nobility.

Natalia's point is correct, even the noble Mahr had to devote a percentage of the food he served to his guests to beans due to the BU's bean rule.
However, Rebekah is exempted from this obligation.
This means that koji craftsmen are treated more favorably than nobles.

It is also possible that they are not so particular about 'what they do because they are nobles.
...... means...

'Maybe it's a bit of a hurdle. ......'
'Hurdle?'

Estella looks at me with round eyes like a hamster interested in the first bait she sees.

'I'm talking about going out with Rebekah.'
'You're not going the same way as Javier, are you?
'No, a**h*le!

You usually say 'don't be rude' to me, but in the end you're looking at Estella that way too. I'm going to tell you about it because you don't seem to be aware of it,.......
Well, it's not important information, so just go with it.

'What was Rebeka wearing?
'What was she wearing: ...... a linen-colored jacket and a white shirt ...... and then...'



The word "craftsman" is a perfect description of Rebeka, who was dressed in a very Japanese style.
Her clothes were reminiscent of Japanese potters and looked like samue.

'Ah!...... half-length pants'.

Yes.
And of all the people I saw on the grounds, Rebeka was the only one dressed like that.

In other words.

'So the boy I met at the gate's girlfriend is that Rebeka.'

I tell her with certainty.
I am sure that ...... the boy is already too late, and I pity him.

Javier's temperament and Percy's reserve is ............ a shame for the boy.