Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
Advance chapters available for patrons on Patreon. And a chapter can be sponsored by buying me a ko-fi.
One-on-one combat… Those words cross my mind.
Yes, this is a one-on-one battle. I think it’s a mantra contest between me and Sylphy. If I can convince Sylphy, maybe I’ll be able to sell it at the guild. So I have no choice but to do it, with this jam bun!
However, when I tried to take out the jam bun in front of the elf receptionist, Sylphy, my hand hesitated for just a moment.
Can you win…? With “Jam Bread”…?
My opponent is an elf… She must know the secret recipe for the elf jam known as “Elf Jam.” Sometimes, a single jar can be worth a pile of gold coins. Will the jam bread I’ve brought with me be able to win against someone who knows this jam…?
Devise a strategy… a strategy to not lose… That’s it!
“Sylphy-san, if the two receptionists are able to spare some time, could they also please join us in tasting the food?”
That’s what I suggested to Sylphy.
….
“Sorry to bother you, I’d like to ask if you could sample some bread.”
The two receptionists came over, wondering why they had been called.
Since Sylphy had taken over the conversation, Femi seemed to have realized that it wasn’t just bread and was watching my reaction. The other person was a determined-looking woman with short, cropped red hair, and I got the impression that she’d just come anyway…
When I asked the three to bring me a cup, the receptionist brought me a cup of water from the reception counter, probably because talking often made her thirsty. Maon-san also always carried a cup with her. This was because, unlike modern Japan, where water systems were installed and water was relatively easy to obtain in town, obtaining water in this other world was quite a hassle. Wells were not found everywhere, so when you got thirsty in town, it was common to buy water from people selling it with buckets on their backs (as in Japan, they used to walk around).
Maon, whose glass was empty, took out a plastic bottle from her backpack and poured herself a strong green tea drink. I suggested to the three receptionists that they should try this too, and they emptied their glasses of water and we poured some for them too.
First, I served them a jam bun and asked them to divide it into three equal parts. When I told them it was a bun with jam, quite a few of them came later.
The two receptionists looked surprised, but being an elf receptionist, Sylphy seemed to have guessed that it was Jam Bread.
“I could smell a slight sweet fruit scent.”
Sylphy explained the reason.
The reason I asked the other two receptionists to come over was because they were both “humans.” By the way, in this other world, that’s what they say. Maon commented that this jam bun could be sold for a single silver coin at the merchant guild.
If that’s the case, then maybe the two of them will respond favorably to the jam buns. That way, even if Sylphy, an elf who was expected to have had many opportunities to come into contact with jam in this world, only responds so-so, if the two humans push for it, maybe they’ll be able to deliver it. But I still have some worries. The jam buns might not be strong enough on their own… That’s the worry.
So I also prepared an ‘anpan’ (sweet bean bun)[1]. This is the so-called ‘ni’ (second choice). Even if the jam bun is unpopular, I thought that there is no such thing as anko (sweet bean paste) in this world… I thought that no one would have ever tried the so-called ‘ogura anko’ (red bean paste). This would also go well with green tea… That’s what I was thinking, but… I wonder what will happen.
I watched with bated breath as the receptionists began to eat the jam buns.
….
Femi was the first to put the jam bun in her mouth, followed by the woman with short hair. Femi exclaimed, “Mmmmm!”
She kicked her legs and rubbed her head which showed that the bread seemed to have made a good impression.
The other receptionist, who was wearing shorts, let out a small “Oh…” sound. She seemed surprised by the jam bun… and also seemed to enjoy it. This also made a good impression.
And lastly, there was the elf Sylphy. She was the one of the three receptionists.
After checking the others’ reaction, she slowly put the jam bun into her mouth… So, what do you think…? What will the reaction of the real elf who knows jam be…?
Ah, she took a bite… What will happen? What will happen!?
The next moment… Sylphy’s eyes widened behind her glasses so wide that it looked like she was about to let out a “Crack!”
….
“Th-this is…”
It was Sylphy who spoke. Her eyes remained wide. She continued to eat the jam bun, taking two, then three bites as if contemplating something, and seemed to be thinking about something. The other two had already finished their jam buns. They were both smiling, so it seemed they had made a good impression.
“I’ve never tasted jam like this before.”
Sylphy’s first words.
“Well, what did you think?”
“No, it’s a very sweet and delicious jam.”
She spoke with wide-open eyes. She looked good with a sullen look, but this expression was also good. She was a beautiful woman with big eyes… Elves were amazing after all.
“That’s right! I lost my composure and ate it all!”
“Oh, wow. I’ve never eaten anything like this.”
The remaining two receptionists unanimously expressed their thoughts.
“I guess so. I’m an elf too, and I pride myself on knowing a lot about fruit, but I don’t know what this fruit is. What is this fruit? It’s close, but it’s not (currant) is different too. This fruit…it also has a clearly different flavor. It may not have grown on the tree in the first place. If I had to choose… “
“Raspberry? Blackberries? Cranberry? Gooseberry? Mulberry?.”
“Snake strawberries?! That’s a terrible joke! You shouldn’t eat those in the first place. I tried them as a joke when I was a kid, but they had almost no taste, or if there was any, it was just sour.”
“That’s right. It’s just grass that gets in the way on mountain paths.”
Raspberries and mulberry… I grew up in the mountains, so I’ve eaten them before. I don’t have any, though… However, Sylphy noticed that the jam in this jam bun was not ripe.
“Well done, Sylphy. I’m impressed, to think you could tell so quickly that it wasn’t fruit…”
“Huh!?”
The two receptionists and Maon-san were all surprised by my statement.
“First of all… this is not a snakeberry… but it is a plant that looks similar. As you said, this is not a tree-grown fruit, but rather comes from a fruit-bearing plant, so it is a type of ‘vegetable’ so to speak.”
“Vegetables…”
Sylphy-san seemed to have predicted this to some extent, but she still couldn’t hide her surprise.
Guys, ads are my only source of revenue, so please do not turn on the AdBlock when you are accessing this website…. Thank you, this would be a great help…
You can buy me a ko-fi and sponsor a chapter on: https://ko-fi.com/midnightrambles
Or become a Patron on: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=45665005
If you support me, I would be able to provide more chapters….
Previous • Table of Contents • Next