Chapter 55, Seasonal Flavors

Translator: Barnnn

 

When they both murmured the object’s name at the same time, the shopkeeper glanced up, his gaze shifting between them.

 

“You recognize this?”

“Not exactly,” Hal admitted. “But it closely resembles an ingredient we used to eat back home.”

“An ingredient…?”

“Yeah. It’s food.”

“Food…”

 

Ize caught it instantly — the slight twitch at the corner of the shopkeeper’s mouth. Or rather, his whole body was trembling.

 

“If you want to laugh, go ahead. We don’t mind,” she said.

“Guh… I-I’m… pfft. Ahem. No, no, I’m fine. Pardon me.” the shopkeeper cleared his throat and gestured toward the item in question. “This is a plant called Bambush. It grows on the eighteenth floor.”

“Bamboo?”

“Bambush,” he corrected. “It sprouts in knee-high thickets and grows at an astonishing rate. If an adventurer steps into a patch unawares, it can shoot up past an adult’s height in an instant, with a loud bang. In the worst case, it impales you. Quite the dangerous Mystic Plant.”

“Ooooh, soooo scary,” Ize deadpanned.

“…And why are you showing this to us?” Hal asked.

 

The shopkeeper’s lips formed a faint smile.

 

“Once peeled, the inner material of a Bambush is incredibly light and flexible — ideal for armor. But because of the danger involved, few adventurers are willing to harvest it. That said, there is a very simple way to collect it.”

“If it’s so simple, why doesn’t anyone take the job?”

“Well… let’s just say it’s simple for HIGH-ranking adventurers. But at the same time, high-ranking adventurers don’t consider it worth their time.”

 

Impatience grew between Hal and Ize as they waited for him to get to the point.

 

“To harvest Bambush safely, two things are required: first, the ability to distinguish non-hostile Mystic Plants from the dangerous ones. Second, a Magic Bag.”

 

Both of them stiffened slightly.

 

“So what I’m saying is, judging from your earlier remarks, you at least could tell Chestnut Bombers apart…”

“…And Ize just used a Magic Bag, so we have all we need.”

 

Hal gave a light pat on the top of Ize’s head.

 

“So, how exactly do you harvest it?”

“If you accept the job, I’ll gladly explain it to you.”

“Would this be an official request through the Adventurers’ Guild?”

“That’s up to you,” the shopkeeper said. “But if I go through the Guild, they’ll take note of your skillset and the Magic Bag you possess — if they haven’t already. If that’s not a concern, I can file it formally.”

“I see… Well, we probably won’t reach the eighteenth floor for a while. Is there a deadline?”

“None. It’s rare enough that having any at all in stock is considered lucky.”

“Got it. We’ll decide when we get closer to tackling the eighteenth floor and let you know then.”

“I look forward to your answer.”

“And when that time comes, I’ll tell you if Chestnut Bombers were edible!” Ize declared.

“Pffft! I-I’ll… be waiting… w-with… ahem… great… anticipation…”

 

This time, it was Ize who burst into laughter at the shopkeeper’s complete failure to output a normal response.

While she struggled to breathe, Hal calmly took care of the bill. Thanks to a decent payout from the Adventurers’ Guild, picking up a few small pieces of equipment wasn’t much of a burden. As long as they maintained steady progress in the Dungeon, money wouldn’t be an issue.

As a small bonus, the shopkeeper threw in a few thin bags for wrapping Mystic Beast meat before they left the shop.

As they stepped outside, they caught one last glimpse of the shopkeeper, his words of thanks echoing as he bowed deeply — his shoulders trembling all the while.

 

“That last comment you made… it was on purpose, wasn’t it?” Hal muttered.

“Ehh, maybe,” Ize said with an impish grin. “If we do get those chestnuts, I’d love to have him try them!”

“Might as well cook up some bamboo shoots while we’re at it.”

“Sounds good!”

 

Three days later, Ize would return to his shop, Origin of Thievery, wearing an utterly satisfied smile, her arms laden with a massive haul of freshly boiled chestnuts.

At this moment, however, the shopkeeper had no idea. No idea that, throughout the winter, she and Hal would repeatedly push him to the brink of laughing himself to death.

 

◆

 

After leaving the artisan’s district, they spent the rest of the afternoon picking up glass bottles and stylish winter coats before returning to the inn just before nightfall.

 

“Welcome back, Hal, Ize,” Etta greeted them warmly. “You two were out looking quite fashionable today.”

“Yes, it’s part of our schedule — two days in the Dungeon, then a day of rest,” Hal explained.

“Miss Etta! The deer cutlet place was amazing! Let us know if you find more good places to eat,” Ize chimed in. “Though, your cooking is still the best!”

“Oh my!” Etta blushed with delight. “Ize, you’re such a sweetheart. I’ll think of some recommendations for you.”

 

As Etta basked in the praise, they took their seats in the dining hall to wait for dinner.

They could have eaten out, but Ize’s words weren’t mere flattery — Etta’s cooking was so exceptional that eating elsewhere felt like a waste.

 

“So… we should have six more days until Fieda arrives, right?” Ize asked.

“Yeah. That’s two more cycles of exploring and resting,” Hal confirmed.

“And we’re waiting for Fieda before pushing past the fifteenth floor?”

“That’s the plan. We’ve only done a single full run to the fifteenth floor so far.”

“Then for now, we’ll focus on looting floors eight through eleven?”

“Brown Boars, Chestnut Bombers, Twisthorn Deer, Orcs… yeah. And the Blood Bear on the fifteenth floor — it’s easy to lure out, so it’s good for hunting.”

“So where do we shoot for tomorrow? Down to the tenth floor, maybe?”

“Hmm… sounds good. The day after, we’ll try going in reverse, then two days after that, we hit the fifteenth floor.”

“All right. I’m looking forward to the Chestnut Bomber fight.”

 

At that moment, their meal arrived — the Orc belly meat they had provided, now transformed into a stunning dish.

The glistening brown meat lay atop the plate, its caramelized surface offset by creamy white layers of fat, creating a striking contrast.

When they lifted a piece with their chopsticks, it wobbled enticingly, more alluring than even the softest curves of a woman.

Then came the first bite. The meat melted apart — tender, fleeting — yet the richness lingered, coating their lips with an addictive depth of flavor that left them craving more.

 

“This is amazing!”

“Guuhh… Miss Etta, you’re a genius!”

 

The pork belly had been simmered in soy sauce, sugar, and sake, striking a perfect balance of sweet and savory.

It was, unmistakably, the braised pork they had eaten in Japan.

 

“How is it? The smell alone had customers asking about it nonstop while I was cooking.”

“It’s phenomenal! I could cry from how good this is!”

“I’m so glad to hear that, Ize. Actually, I’ve been talking to the Merchants’ Guild about selling Sages’ seasonings here in Jasted.”

“You should just take this dish to them. That’ll convince them for sure — it could even become Jasted’s signature cuisine!”

“You really think it’s that good? Hmm… Maybe I should let those stubborn Guild bureaucrats have a taste…”

“Absolutely!” Hal added. “There are so many incredible Dungeon ingredients — it’d be a waste not to use them.”

Etta chuckled. “Maybe you’re right. Thank you, Hal.”

 

That night, an intense arm-wrestling tournament broke out among the inn’s guests, the prize being the last scraps of meat and broth.

Hal, blissfully unaware, drifted into a peaceful sleep. Ize, on the other hand, lay in bed, listening in with a wide grin.

 

◆

 

The next day, in the ninth floor of the Dungeon, Ize stood motionless, staring at the soaked patch of ground before her.

Hal, shifting awkwardly under her gaze, offered an apologetic smile.

 

“Hal…”

“I’m sorry. I had no idea–”

“I understand, but this is just…”

“I mean, it’s practically a bomb, right?”

“Yes.”

“So I figured water might stop it from exploding.”

“Yes.”

“Which is why I–”

“Hal.” Ize took a slow, deep breath. “Look at me. What am I wearing?”

“Uh… full protective gear?”

“That’s right. I put aside my dignity. Endured the humiliation. Even when you laughed and said I looked like that yellow theme park mascot, I still wore this outfit… for Chestnut Bombers!”

“Ah… Yeah. My bad?”

“Someone REALLY should have told us sooner that soaking Chestnut Bombers in water completely defused them!”

 

The discovery had been quite unexpected.

Their original plan was for Hal to use weak wind magic to knock the Chestnut Bombers from the trees, and Ize, using Fleet Foot, would snatch the chestnuts from their shells.

But the moment Hal tried using water magic instead, the Chestnut Bomber’s shell split open on its own. With a wet plop, it tumbled harmlessly to the ground.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, to be sure, Ize transformed her bangle-shaped staff into a long rod and gave the fallen Chestnut Bomber a tentative poke.

 

–Poke, poke.

–Poke, poke.

 

No explosion.

 

Next, she picked it up — spiky husk and all — and pried out the chestnut inside with her gloved fingers.

 

“…It didn’t explode,” Hal murmured.

“It didn’t.”

 

Once the initial shock passed, they wasted no time gathering every Chestnut Bomber they could find.

Each one held a glossy, plump chestnut — just as they remembered from home.

After venting her emotions for a bit, Ize pulled down her goggles, tugged off her snood, and murmured,

 

“They’re beautiful.”

“Nice shape, too. Let’s soak them overnight at the inn.”

“Can’t we just boil them as is?”

“Soaking makes the shells easier to peel. And if there are any bugs inside, we’ll know.” He paused. “Not that I expect Dungeon chestnuts to have bugs.”

“That means we can enjoy them tomorrow, then.”

“Yeah. Before we head out, we’ll ask Miss Etta to boil them for us. It’ll be something to look forward to when we get back.”

“All right!”

“We’ve gathered all the ones around here. Do you detect any more Chestnut Bomber trees?”

“I do. Should we harvest them too?”

“Let’s do it. I’d like to figure out their respawn cycle, too.”

“Got it!”

 

Despite being completely out of season, here in the Dungeon, they could indulge in an all-you-can-gather chestnut spree.

By the time they wrapped up their exploration for the day, they had collected over a hundred chestnuts, their grins stretching ear to ear.

 

A new ingredient was about to take Jasted by storm.

…Maybe.