Winter has Begun
The month has changed, and on the calendar, winter has officially arrived, bringing an increase in cold weather.
It seems that the coldest period in Vardmoi is in the latter half of the second month of winter, and indeed, my body started feeling cold in a winter-like fashion.
It’s fine when I’m inside my shop, but once I step outside, the cold wind blows.
Winters are like this, aren’t they?
“Winter does make it chilly outside, doesn’t it? Maybe I should make thicker winter clothing?”
“Yes, that’s a good idea. Perhaps preparing some thicker clothing would be beneficial. Also, how about thin yet well-insulating winter clothing?”
“Thin clothing?”
“Adventurers may not necessarily want to wear heavy clothes.”
“I see. Thank you, Keuko.”
Taking into account the opinions of the adventurers that are the Wildcat Claws, and the children from the orphanage, the lineup of my shop was steadily expanding.
Thanks to that, even in this cold season, business was flourishing.
I wonder if new clothes sell better at times like these?
With various questions in mind, I decided to have lunch at the Spiderling’s Nest.
Even in the cold, there was a queue outside the restaurant.
We lined up at the end and waited for our turn to enter the store.
“Welcome. Ah, Big sis Lily!”
“Hello. Is there an available seat?”
“Yes! Please come this way.”
Guided by the receptionist girl, we took our seats in the restaurant.
Today’s daily special is… seafood pot-au-feu.
You might wonder what seafood pot-au-feu is, but it’s exactly what it sounds like—a pot-au-feu with fish in it.
Due to sourcing fresh sea fish from a port town nearby Vardmoi, this shop now offered the pleasure of enjoying fresh seafood.
While they also procured these foods in other shops, this one tended to have the best selection since they were the quickest to make purchases.
Although they often serve simple grilled or simmered fish, occasionally they have unique dishes like this.
While waiting for the food, I discussed future plans.
Managing the shop itself is within my decision-making, but the issue lies with gathering magic stones.
Previously, we used the territory beyond the cliff as a hunting ground for Ogres, but it seems the Ogres disappear during the winter.
In that case, we would need to choose between a slightly less efficient hunting ground or a one to two-day trip to hunting grounds, so we won’t be able to return the same day.
Keuko, however, recommended day trips and prefers to avoid camping even for an overnight stay.
The reason is simple; winter camping increases the risks compared to other seasons.
There’s a risk of the body getting chilly in the cold, freezing in a blizzard, and visibility becoming poor.
Therefore, even in a habitat of lower-ranked monsters, camping in a dangerous place during winter is not advisable, according to Keuko and the others.
Of course, I have no objections.
However, this brings up the issue of the quality of magic stones.
I asked the Adventurers’ Guild about good hunting grounds, including places that can be reached quickly by Talat, but there was no such information.
It’s the Trade Guilds that relies on information about dangerous areas, since they are not specialized in monsters.
We are currently working on identifying places near Vardmoi where novice adventurers could operate.
Oh, the seafood pot-au-feu turned out to be an actual seafood-style pot-au-feu.
It was a regular pot-au-feu with a seafood flavor, accompanied by a large lobster.
Apparently, these lobster-like crustaceans, especially the ones with fast legs, have never been eaten outside the local area.
However, now that the restaurant has started sourcing fish, they also seem to offer this item.
The supply is quite limited, and although it’s on the menu every day, it’s treated as a rare item that sells out quickly, so I guess I was quite lucky?