We've got to do something about this bad taste.

　I've eaten the food of this world several times.
　I've eaten the food of this world several times, including at restaurants.
　And I've never rejected the taste of this world.
　But Godz's food is frankly disgusting. It reminds me of English food.
　It's good that they have salads with raw vegetables. It's good that it's drizzled with oil like olive oil.
　But it smells too oily. Rather than virgin olive oil, it's more like a salad that's been doused in a special kind of salad oil.
　Secondly, the meat is tough. The steak, which was cooked hard and still had some muscle left, was hard to chew, as if you were chewing on a pair of sandals. Of course, there is no saltiness, and the spices that are used only sparingly lose their flavor as you chew through them, and the rest is jaw training.
　The rest of the food is a jaw training exercise. The other dishes seem to claim that as long as they are nutritious, they will be fine, and do not try to tell you how good they taste.

"I think it would be better if Sila made it.
"The manager can't serve. And I only cook for myself to save money on the small things. ......

　I'm almost in tears.
　However, the fact that the restaurant is able to pay its employees without going out of business means that it must be able to survive on alcohol alone.
　I ask him to show me a rough inventory of the liquor.
　Yes, this is good.
　A sake cellar has been built at the bottom of the kitchen, and a lot of sake is displayed in the cool air.
　The smell of sake tickles your nostrils and certainly makes your throat want to drink.

Didn't you ever think of improving the food?
Sometimes I do, but I don't have anyone to learn from.
You should bow to the housewives. You'd make a lot of money doing it.
Hmm, with that face.
I've been pulled over a lot by new knights.

　I see. I guess it's the size and strength of my face.

All right, let's close the store for lunch. There won't be any customers anyway.
Oh, they do come once in a while!
It's only new customers who drop by. No repeat customers!
You're sharp!
You're too stupid to know.

　He seems to have already prepared for the evening, so he closes the store and takes them to the church.

Hey, brother, what's with the church?
"Well, because there's someone here who can make a good meal.

　When we visited Maja, she was having tea after lunch and had prepared some for us. 　

You've made a new friend, haven't you, boy?
"This is Godz, the manager of Dog Bone, and this is Saira, the waiter. I have a favor to ask you.

　"Godz, the manager of Dog Bone, and Sila, the waiter.
　But the two of them are so tightly packed.
　Oh, that's the pattern, isn't it?

Are you by any chance famous, Maja?
Yes, she used to bark to exorcise evil spirits.
"Buzzing, is that right, Godz?
Oh, yeah, of course!　Maaya is the head of the Tarzan branch of Yugra, the most numerous faith recognized by the Tarzan nation.
Are you serious?
I'm serious.

　Why are all of these people coming up with celebrity status after the fact?
　I've been asking for a lot of help, and I'm getting less and less comfortable with it.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one.
No, I'm not busy.
You're free?
Strictly speaking, I've finished reporting to headquarters and I'm waiting for their response. The other duties are being taken care of by the young one. It's been a while since I've done manual labor, so they're being kind.

　He didn't look old enough to have been whipping his old body into shape, but was it because the chief executive of the country had been fighting on the front lines, and the others were struggling to regain their positions?
　Or did they fight in a way that scared everyone, like the Iliad, and put the fear into them?
　I'll leave you to ponder. 　

I'll leave you to it.
Brother, do I have a choice?
No. I'm sure you'll be able to handle the tough guy, Maja.
I'm the one who's losing it.
You're sloppy. The boy's got the nerve to threaten me.
What are you doing, bro?

　I can't help you with the possession thing.

Let's leave it at that.
Can we leave it?
Maja. Don't they sell salt in this country?
Oh, you know how rare that is.
It's common in Japan, where I'm from.
I see. As you know, Taze is a country surrounded by forests and mountains. We don't produce it in our own country.


So you're saying the merchants are bringing it in?
Yes. They go through many countries, so they're very expensive. It's a luxury item for a few noblemen.
There's plenty of spices in the forest, but salt is like that, I bet salt and pepper sells well.

　The market price is indeed high.
　One gold coin per kilogram is 10,000 Japanese yen.
　It would not have cost that much even in the Sanriku region in the Edo period.
　Without the sea, direct production is almost hopeless, and salt lakes are also unlikely.
　The remaining method is to mine rock salt, which is more common in other countries.
　However, it seems that this method is not used.
　In the history of the world, salt has been closely related to gold since ancient times.
　Yet, even with the development of civilization, it has not been widely used.
　In the hunting era, salt was taken from animal organs and bones.
　The demand for salt increased as people began to eat more grains and vegetables.
　There were times when people were paid for salt, and wars were fought for salt.
　If there is such a thing as salt, it is not surprising that this world has the same history. But what is the low penetration of salt in this world?

In other countries, salt is refined in various ways as a necessary source of nutrition. Isn't that the case here?

　I tell Maja what I know about the history of salt on Earth.
　Hmm," she says with a thoughtful look on her face.

The only thing I can think of is the presence or absence of magical powers. Vegetables and grains that come from places with a lot of nature contain a certain amount of magic. There's a custom that the better the land, the healthier the food.

　I see, you can use minerals as magic power in .......
　Yeah, but it makes a little more sense.
　I'm not sure what to make of it.
　People in this world consume food that contains magical power on a daily basis. 　
　Magic power is also a good source of nutrition, and probably functions as a substitute for the nutrients necessary for human survival.
　In other words, there are no foodstuffs to be consumed, and it is enough to produce food that is easy to produce in the region.
　So salt has lost its necessity and is stuck in the position of a luxury item.
　That's right. Is it possible that there are rock salt deposits in the mountains near here on the continent of Tarsus?
　But we can't just pick up an ice axe and do something about it now.

If we had salt, the quality of our food would be much better.
If you want it so badly, you can talk to the trading post.　I'm sure they'll give you a small discount.
I'm grateful for that, but even if I buy it at a discount this time, the supply has to be stable. ...... No, wait, what?　Maja, can you tell me about the merchant form?

　After a brief lecture, I left the puppy-eyed, anxious Godz at the church and headed to the trading post with Cyra.
　When we arrived at the trading post, I showed Maja the letter of introduction she had given me, and she led me to a room in the back.
　It seemed to be a room to receive guests, and it was the most luxurious room I had seen since I came to this world.
　As I sat there for a while, an elderly man with a cheerful smile appeared.
　He was neatly dressed, with a full back.
　His face was full of confidence, and I could sense that he was an experienced merchant.

Nice to meet you, I'm Ban, the owner of this trading post.
"Well, my name is Cyra.

　Saira was nervous again, but this time it could not be helped.
　If I'm going to run a clothing store in the future, I'll have to deal with merchants, and I've been brought to a meeting with one of my future business partners who is in a high position.
　I introduced myself briefly.

"I have read your letter of introduction, Maja. You would like some salt, of course. I'm willing to learn more about the prices if Maaya asks me to.
"No, I'm fine with the market price for what I want. It's enough that you offer it to us.
"Oh, I see. What else do you want?
I'd like to lower the price of salt in this country.
May I ask you something in detail?
We want to increase the demand for salt. We want to increase the demand for salt, increase the supply and decrease the price.
"Well, if the demand increases, the amount of salt coming into this country will also increase. Then we will be able to purchase it at a lower price. But it's not that easy. The market price changes daily, but the changes are gradual. It would take a war or a famine to cause a sudden change.
There is no sign of war in this country, and there is little concern about famine. Besides, salt is not one of those things.

　In the world of Earth, salt is a necessity, but in this world, where salt is not required by magic, salt is only available in limited areas and is treated as a luxury item, so it is not affected by these factors.

Yes, but since you're suggesting it, you must have a plan, right?
"Well, I'm planning to offer salt in the restaurants that the people use, so that they will recognize its value.
"Well, if it tastes better and sales increase, more restaurants will follow suit. But not many people know how to handle salt. Do you think you can handle it?
Yes, in fact, my home country is a salt-producing region and salt is a common household item.
Oh, so you come from near the coast. No wonder you have such a strong attachment to salt.
"I think it will be enough for Mr. Van to be able to obtain salt to meet the increasing demand here. I don't think there will be much of an increase at first. Just keep making arrangements so that we don't run out of stock, would you?


"Yes, that's all right. I'm sure you'll be able to buy it, and even if it doesn't work out, the salt will last a long time, so you won't have to worry about it spoiling.

　This will eliminate the risk of running out of stock.
　Production costs will increase, but the price cannot be raised too high. There is a possibility that the profit from the meal will decrease, but the more customers there are, the more alcohol will be served.
　If you use only a small amount of salt, you will be able to more than make up for the loss.
　In the future, the cost will also come down.
　Now I'll tell you the rest of the idea.

I think it's best to keep it as a luxury item for now. We would like to increase demand within that range, and then lower it gradually. The ultimate goal is to lubricate the popularization of luxury goods.
"Well, that's a big goal.
But I think it's a good opportunity. The success in defeating the bandits will bring more merchants to Taze. The more merchants, the more goods will come. It is said that the king of this country is an excellent king who is highly regarded by his subjects. As the country becomes richer, the people will begin to have a desire to purchase various goods. There is already a precedent for this in the form of alcohol.
"I agree with you on that point. I've been thinking about expanding the market of luxury goods by taking the opportunity of this bandit defeat.
Among them, I'm thinking of popularizing salt, which I understand its value the most.
I understand. If you can get it off the ground, please let me help you. I have many contacts.
Thank you very much.

　This will advance the food culture of this country.
　And if you can be a part of it, you may be able to benefit from it in some way. ......!

And just for kicks, have you ever heard of rock salt, ......?
Yes, it's a salt that comes from the ocean, but sometimes you can get salt-bearing ores from mountain ranges, too.　But I've never heard of rock salt being extracted from the mines used in Tarz.
"Yes, but new caves have been discovered recently. There are many uncharted areas in the Taze mountains, so it is possible that we may be able to find some. I'm going to investigate this in the future.
"Hmm, hopefully it will be a useful resource for the country.
"It's unlikely in the mountains where the forest grows. I'm more interested in finding salt.
Mountain salt?　I've never heard of that.
"Mountain salt is made by boiling down salty hot spring water. It's not as plentiful as rock salt, but it's useful in some places because it can be obtained even in the mountains where there is no connection with the sea.
"Oh, so there is such a thing?
"If the mountain is rich in caves and rivers, there is a good chance that there is nutritious groundwater. If there is salt in the water, we can get it.

　If we can get salt in this country, it means that we can create a fad that originated in this country.
　If the trend comes from another country, it is easy to make it popular.
　But a fad that originates in one's own country has the side effect of flowing outward.
　The more means of turning the economy around, the better.

"Well, that's an interesting story.
But if you can find it, I would like to ask for your cooperation in handling it in the future, so don't expect anything more than a story.
"No, it's an interesting story. I'd be happy to invest in it if you want.
Well, that's very kind of you, but there's always the possibility that it might not work out.
"In the case of salt, yes. It's more likely that it won't work. But what I'm focusing on is the fact that we're going into uncharted territory.

　Mr. Vann's face lit up like a young boy on the verge of an unknown adventure.
　He is not a rationalistic merchant. He is also a competitive man with an adventurous spirit.
　It is true that a survey of the uncharted land could lead to the discovery of new and profitable mines.
　This would be a new business opportunity for Mr. Van.

There may be treasures still lying dormant in this country. I will explore the possibility of finding it. That kind of talk excites me as a merchant!
"But we can't risk losing a fortune. But we can't risk losing a lot of money. Until we see the possibilities, we'll keep it as a hobby.
"Yes, but I've heard good things about you. I never thought that a young man like you could excite me beyond my years. You've been introduced by Maja.
"That's just luck, I met you by chance and was able to take advantage of it.
"Luck is a skill, and I hope you will continue to use it.

　This is how I bought the salt. The market price was one gold coin for about one kilogram, but I was able to buy it for eight silver coins.
　He made me promise to keep Mr. Van's place as my favorite.
　But my pocket is getting colder and colder.
　But it's not a guarantee of success, so it's not fair to ask Godz to pay for the salt.
　If it doesn't work out, I'll just use it on my own in the future and dismiss it as a not bad purchase.

"Hey, hey, brother. Did you need me?
"Oh, Mr. Van saw Sila as a child he brought here to study. In this case, I would have looked like a man of business. That's why I believe that even someone in Mr. Ban's position was polite to a young man.
"Wow, I didn't know you were thinking about that.


It could just be that Mr. van was a genuinely good person. That's just luck.

　Personally, I thought it would be enough to get to the point where I could get an investment offer.
　My plan was to do my own research if I could get some know-how on how to do it, and negotiate if I could find something to persuade him. ...... I guess he has a keen sense of smell.
　We were not thinking only of mountain salt.
　Docola's map also contained information about unused caves.
　They were probably unused because they were not suitable as bases, but they were listed as landmarks.
　They had explored the uncharted land beforehand, and had left us a map of it.
　Don't tell anyone that I secretly kept a copy of the map in case I could use it for something.

"Well, we got the salt we came for. Let's get to God's as soon as possible. If possible, I'd like to come up with a dish or two using salt.
"Okay!

　And night is coming.
　The dog bones begin to attract a steady stream of customers looking for a drink.
　After a hard day's work, they drink a delicious drink to thank their bodies and reward themselves.
　The custom is the same even if the world has changed.
　Now, it's time to show off the new God's Cuisine!
　I'd like to say that the food is good, but of course there is a problem.
　No one will order God's food that they know is bad.
　I've seen a few people bring in yakitori from stalls as a snack.
　Bringing food into a restaurant is not normally desirable.
　However, if you know how bad the food is at this restaurant, it is understandable that you would bring it in, and Godz understands this well. Of course, it does not mean that he does not think about it.

"Here, have a drink!
"Oh, thank you, Cyra!　What the hell is this?　I didn't order this.
"Actually, this is the new menu of Dog Bone!　We're offering it for free as a tasting.

　A small amount is offered as an appetizer to let you try it.
　If you don't want to order it, just let them have it for free.

"Wow, but it's God's food, isn't it?　I don't feel like eating it.
But it smells pretty good, doesn't it?
Yeah, well, if it doesn't taste good, you can always wash it down with a drink. ...... Oh, my God!

　At first, the customers had a quizzical attitude, but then their eyes changed color and they took a second and third bite.

"Hey, this stuff is good!　"Hey, this stuff is good!
"Really!　Godz is dead?　Did someone else make the food?
"Don't kill me!

　Godz's angry voice echoed from the kitchen.
　The first thing I prepared was a potato vegetable, sliced thinly, fried in oil and sprinkled with salt.
　The rest were cut into long strips and cooked in the same way.
　In short, potato chips and potato fries.
　This is a standard junk food, but it can be seasoned with only salt, and it is an effective and easy food to understand the goodness of salt.
　I thought about making a "asazuke" (lightly pickled vegetables), but the cost would be too high considering the amount of salt consumed.
　The recipes I have prepared this time are mainly those that can be made with a small amount of salt.

"Saira, can I order more of this?
"Yes, sir.
Are there any other new dishes on the menu?　If there are, I want some!
We have a few!　I'll bring them to you!

　It was difficult to improve the salad with just salt, so I passed on it this time. Olive oil and salt is not a bad idea, but there are only men in the room, and it's a fine line between the two.
　I learned how to prepare the steak from Maja, so I was able to make it tender without overcooking it. Add some salt, hot spices and garlic, and you're good to go.
　The broth in which the meat on the bone and vegetables were stewed could be tasted well on its own, but a sprinkle of salt made it taste even better.
　For those of us who have lived far away from salt until now, this crispy taste will be refreshing.
　However, it would not be good to have a salty taste all of a sudden, since we have been used to a low-sodium taste. Personally, I would like it to be a little more than that.

"This yakitori is so good!　It's not as good as the one I brought!
What's with the soup? Godz is my mother? ......
The meat's good!　I'll have another drink!
Wait a minute!

　Saira rushes around the restaurant.
　She's also busy in the kitchen cutting vegetables and washing dishes.
　As for Godz, he's suddenly making a new dish, which inevitably slows down his work.
　So, I'll do my best as a temporary helper.
　I'm afraid of the consequences of physical labor. .......
　I guess the word got out as the customers were leaving. Visitors came one after another, and we ended the day very busy until just before closing time.

"Oh, we've run out of ingredients for the day after tomorrow.
"I'm so tired!

　After the last customer left, the two collapsed.
　The helper has already collapsed. I can't do it anymore.


　We didn't expect to be so busy on the first day.
　If we don't do something about the shortage of employees, it's going to be difficult to keep up with these two.

It might be a good idea to hire one or two more people who can do the prep work and serve at night. Today was especially difficult because we didn't have much time for prep, but if we can streamline it, it should be easier.
"Well, you'll have to bear with me until then, Sila. I'll give you an extra paycheck.
I'm happy, but not happy.

　Sales are good, we're consuming a lot of salt, but we're still profitable.
　I'm not sure if we'll have enough unless we buy more tomorrow.
　I left Sila in a daze, and after discussing the salt purchase with Godz, I made a plan to procure the ingredients for tomorrow and beyond.
　In the middle of the night, with muscle pains worsening and no energy to walk, the modern child went to sleep in the store space.

The time went back.

　Ilias was in front of his house that evening.
　Ilias was in front of his house.
　More than a day had passed since she had invited him to her house and left him there.
　It had been a long time since he had worked so hard that he had to stay at the castle, but his well-developed mind and body could handle a day or two without any trouble.
　The only thing I'm worried about is the man I left behind at home.
　Thinking back, I didn't give him a good tour of the city.
　I'm sure he's doing fine, but I'm curious about him.

I wonder how long it's been since I've been home with someone. ......

　When my parents were alive, they used to welcome me home. When my parents were alive, they welcomed me. When they were away on business, the butlers welcomed me.
　After my parents died, I decided that I didn't need to maintain the house and moved out, so I went home to a quiet, empty house.
　When I thought about it, I found myself taking more than a little pleasure in returning to a house where someone was waiting for me.
　By the way, I also told him that he could freely use my father's clothes that I had kept.
　They were similar in build, so the clothes would probably fit.
　Oh, I should tell him that Lord Ragdor has asked me to include him in the ceremony.
　This may come as a surprise to you, but it's only natural, considering his accomplishments.
　Besides, he's off tomorrow. I'll give him a good tour of the city.
　When was the last time you thought about your time outside of the office?
　He smiled a little at himself for being so frivolous.

I'm back now, sorry for leaving you so long.

　But there was no response.
　I look around the first floor, but don't see him.
　I look around to see if he's upstairs.
　It's been a long time since I've had this feeling.
　I go upstairs and knock on his room.
　There's no response. I open the door just in case, but he's not there.
He's out. You've cleaned up well. I'm impressed.
　I checked the other rooms, and they were all clean except for my room.
　The only thing that doesn't seem to have been cleaned is the armor, but the place where it was kept has been cleaned.

You're a smart guy, .......

　I'll have to thank him when he comes back.
　I'd better change my clothes first.

...... You're late.

　The sun is setting, but he hasn't come back.
　I thought about having dinner with him, but I wondered if he'd go out to eat.
　It's no use, I'll just eat first.
　However, the food was all dried food that would last for a long time. I tried to cook it, but it turned out to be a tasteless meal.

......

　When I finished cleaning up, he didn't come back.
　I was worried that he might have left, so I looked in his room, but seeing that his clothes were washed and folded carefully, I guessed he was just away.
　He'll be back tomorrow, I thought, and I'll go to bed.
　I let out a sigh and headed for the bedroom.