The second objective.
“Haa… how regrettable.”
“I should have secured it all beforehand… sorry.”
Sei apologized to me who sighed at the insignificant amount of umeboshi in my possession.
“No, I just wasn’t fated for it. I will just look around for another good buy.”
That’s right. Today’s objective wasn’t just the umeboshi.
I came to look for ingredients for my new product!
“Say, Sei? Do you perhaps have agar?”
“Agar?”
Right, today’s objective number two is to obtain agar. There is something I want to make if I can get my hands on it.
“Umm, if I’m not mistaken… it’s from algae… you dry a seaweed, soak it in water, filter it by boiling, then you dry the hardened layer on top…? I think?”
I feel like something had to be added in while boiling, but what was that again?
“… You are looking for something strange, aren’t you?”
I don’t have the slightest idea, what is it? Sei is making such an expression.
“You think so…? It looks probably like a whitish, smooth sponge… umm, it’s like a lump of soft texture…”
I could not explain it very well, so it appears that searching for it would be difficult…
“Oy, Lord. Isn’t it this thing?”
What Kurogane was holding was no doubt… agar!
“Yeah! That! That’s it!”
I rushed over to Kurogane and took the agar in my hands.
Yay… it was here, agar…!
I was at wits’ end as I would have to search for algae in the sea if it wasn’t here.
Going to the sea for a leisure swim is not a thing in this world after all… sea monsters live in there, so it can’t be helped though.
You are likely risking your life by going fishing. Sea trade is possible because there are no big monsters thanks to the periodic subjugation, but… there are apparently Krakens and Sirens in the open seas.
… I wonder if Krakens are edible? It looks like it could be prepared like a big squid, doesn’t it?
“You did well understanding that this is agar, Kurogane.”
A lump of soft texture, although I said it myself, what the hell was that supposed to be?
“Ah, I can use appraisal after all.”
Ha? To think Kurogane was a possessor of the appraisal skill! Kurogane’s worth is gradually increasing though!?
Gunuu… the appraisal skill which I desired… even though looking for ingredients would be so easier if I could use it!
… No, wait? Kurogane is now my contracted beast. Isn’t this almost the same as having my own appraisal skill!? (Is it not…?)
Alright, let’s appraise the mushrooms I was curious about the next time we go to the forest!
… Truffles, can we look for them?
Huh? Were pigs made to search for truffles? Why do I feel like I heard that doggies would eat them when they find them…? Let’s ask Kurogane not to eat them.