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Now, the NINs.
On the night of the 12th, we were to stay at the house of Kyaw My Hens, the chief of the village of Kuent.
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Please come in.
Thank you for your hospitality.
Please make yourself at home.
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The chief's house was spacious and seemed to be able to accommodate all of Jin and the others comfortably.
It is said that the house is built in such a way that it can accommodate a group of tax collectors, inspecting officials, and even peddlers.
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"Well, they are our guests, aren't they?
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Jin and his group were greeted by a young woman who came out from the back.
This is my wife Nona.
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"Well, well, well. Welcome to the restaurant. You'll have to show off your skills tonight.
Nona said and went into the kitchen.
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Nona was in her early twenties, petite and stylish. Her chestnut hair and steeple-colored eyes give her a vivacious look.
Kyou is in his early thirties, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a calm atmosphere.
He told me that he had no children yet.
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"It's rare to see a traveler in such a remote area. Tell us all about yourself tonight.
Yes, of course.
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But this is the first time since I became chief that a scholar has visited our village.
Is that so?
"If I may say so myself, it's such a remote place."
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There is still some time left for dinner, so Jin and the others are talking with Village Chief Kyou in the cafeteria.
It seems that in this kind of environment, it is one of the pleasures of the village to hear what is going on outside.
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"This is coarse tea.
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Nona brewed us a cup of green tea, which was quite fragrant.
"Is it possible to grow tea around here?
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The village headman, Kyou, nodded.
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We can grow tea here to a certain extent. It is a highland area, so the mornings and evenings are cold, but that seems to be a good thing.
What is your main product?
"Tea leaves, vitis (grapes), yunos and honey.
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"......What is this yunos?"
Jin asked, the name unfamiliar to him.
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Yunos is a member of the citran family and is easy to make around here. The skin is used as an ingredient.
"Really?"
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After listening to his explanation, I learned that yunos is a kind of yuzu.
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"I see, so it is a rare fruit."
"Yes. Yes. That's why it is a local specialty.
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At this point Elsa spoke up.
"Do you make honey-dipped yunos?"
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"What?"
Judging from the mayor's reaction, it seems that they do not make it.
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"No, we ship the yunos as they are: ......"
"I think that would be a waste. If you sell it after processing, you can add value to it and increase your profit.
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"I see. ...... I've seen houses pickle them in liquor, but not in honey. ......"
"There is such a thing as ramon in honey. If you use yunos instead of ramon ......"
"Oh, I see. May I ...... ask you a little more about it?
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"Yes."
Elsa explains.
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It is not difficult.
Clean the yunos and ramons (or just give them a quick dip in boiling water), slice them thinly, put them in a container, add enough honey to cover them, and let them stand for at least a day and a night.
Maple syrup can be used instead of honey, but maple syrup does not seem to be available in this region.
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"Also, marmalade made from the peel of the yunos, and flavoring..."
"Kuhu, I can extract the flavoring for you."
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Yeah, Saki's good at that kind of thing.
That's right.
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Thus, Jin and his group came up with a plan on how to use yunos, a specialty of the village of Kuento.
The chief of the village was delighted.
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* * * * * * * * * * *
Dinner was served with many local specialties.
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Barley risotto, mountain deer steak, white stew with smoked sheep, and highland vegetable salad. And drinking water flavored with yunos.
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"Do you like it?"
"No, it's delicious."
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The seasoning was just right, and everyone enjoyed the taste of the village.
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After the meal, white water was served. It is said to be a tradition in this village.
(After all, the water is quite hard.)
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Since I did not say that I was an automata, Reiko was also served with white water, which I analyzed while drinking it.
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(calcium ions, magnesium ions ...... and a few aluminum ions seem to be present as well)
Magnesium is likely to be especially problematic, as it binds strongly to water molecules, making it difficult to be absorbed into the body and causing diarrhea if taken in large quantities.
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The problem with Jin's group is that they are flesh and blood, including Goh, Rubina, and Merce.
（The problem in Jin's group is the flesh-and-blood people such as Goh, Rubina, and Merce (but not so much that they suddenly get sick, perhaps due to the filter effect). (It may be the effect of the filter.)
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Reiko thinks that she will discuss this with Jin and Elsa later.
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* * * * * * * * * * *
"By the way, how is the water situation in this village?
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Jin opened his mouth.
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"There seems to be a lot of pumps installed.
The village head replied with a wry smile.
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"Ha-ha, did you notice? Yes, to be honest, it's not so good. It seems to be what is generally called
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Hard water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium as minerals, which precipitate as <
It also makes soaps less effective and interferes with the coloring of dyed goods.
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"We are used to it, but we serve carefully filtered water to our customers, do you understand?"
"...... unfortunately."
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This is Elsa.
"In the long run, it is not good for your health, even if you are <
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"Elsa is a healer, you know.
Is that so?
Yes, she is. Everyone, please drink filtered water as much as possible.
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"...... understand."
"But you can't even install a filter, can you?"
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Jin asked,
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"Yes, well, ......".
was the ambiguous reply.
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"Actually, we didn't install that filter.
"What?"
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"The people who live near this village put them on for us out of the kindness of their hearts."
...... is that right?
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We all thought that these people might be the ones we had come to look for.