NOVEL NEXT Chapter 406
As the seasons changed in Iceland, the sections of the greenhouse also welcomed different seasons.
Some places had already begun to snow, while others had shed their leaves, and there were even regions hotter than the peak of summer in central Europa.
Managing all those areas was the enormous crow monster.
“Hmm? Are you talking about watermelon?”
Corvus paused his pitchfork at the visitor’s suggestion.
His large black crow head, adorned with button-like eyes, tilted curiously.
“Well, there is one that’s grown for ornamental purposes.”
“Oh, so can I have a bite?”
“That’s beyond my authority.”
“Oh, really?”
“Because it’s expensive imported fruit.”
Indeed.
Like Karem’s previous life, the origin of watermelons in Europa was also south of the Kingdom of Adobice.
Geographically, it belonged near the African continent.
Although it was treated as fruit, it was cultivated not for pleasure but for survival.
The plants of deserts and wastelands are barren, hot, and possess characteristics that allow them to survive in low-moisture environments by storing water or using it sparingly.
Thus, watermelons were commonly used as emergency hydration sources.
In the origin, they were as common as ordinary vegetables.
Of course, since such ordinary items had to be dealt with monsters and bandits across the desert, their prices fluctuated wildly.
Let alone, as fruit, they were prone to going bad, making them as costly as any other spices.
“Thanks to that, the watermelons in the greenhouse are grown entirely for ornamental purposes.”
“I see, ah. Wait, you have them? How did you come to grow them?”
“Princess Alicia mentioned she wanted to try some.”
“Ah, I see. So then the remaining ornamental ones—”
“Even though she is a princess, it seems unlikely she could consume a bitter and astringent fruit lacking any sweetness.”
Corvus, halting his steps, spread his wings and pointed to the side.
In the fine sandy desert, akin to flour, stood a cactus the height of a person and a dwarf cactus.
A blue stem breaking through the desert, with chicory-like leaves, and elongated green-striped pale green background stood there.
“This is… watermelon?”
It was small.
To be specific, it was slightly bigger than an adult man’s head.
Probably around 2kg, at best 3kg.
“It seems you’re disappointed.”
“How should I put it… I expected it to be larger than that.”
“Though it appears like that, they say if you eat just one of that size, you won’t have to worry about thirst for a day. Of course, if you can eat it. You can come closer to take a look.”
At that, Karem plopped down on the sunken sand, right in front of the watermelon.
Holding the watermelon by its stem, he looked around and gently tapped it with his finger.
According to the traditional method of checking watermelon ripeness, a good watermelon gives a bright, sound while an under-ripe one makes a dull thud.
Thud—
“What’s that ambiguous sound?”
“That means it’s ripe. If that’s the case, there might be a way.”
“Huh? What do you mean? Watermelon?”
“Yes, watermelon.”
Rustling—Corvus came closer and spoke in a way that suggested it was a secret only he knew.
“It’s on the lower end of the flavor spectrum for a fruit, hence it’s grown only ornamentally. However, it still counts as a fruit. Generally, it’s harvested before it rots and is regrown.”
Corvus, tilting his head, closely examined his claws. Clank, clashing like sharpening a knife.
Rustle—
The stem of the watermelon was severed in one swift motion.
What was revealed was indeed as disappointing as it sounded.
It was completely hollow inside, what on earth…?
“The harvested fruit is used ornamentally and then left to decay for fertilizer. Taking a few won’t change the outcome.”
“But you said it’s for ornamental use. Is it okay to use it recklessly?”
“Even if a couple go missing, no one would care. You’ve never seen decorated watermelons, have you?”
Of course, Karem hadn’t seen any for years.
It was simply because he was holed up in the tower and hadn’t the occasion to see decorative interiors.
“Of course, I’ll have to report to the Duke later.”
“Then, can I taste it now?”
“Of course.”
With the administrator’s permission, Karem quickly moved.
Setting his hands on either side of the watermelon stem, he applied pressure—
Crack—squash—
The watermelon split unevenly in half.
Corvus, watching from the side, gaped in disbelief.
“…No way, what kind of strength is that?”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
With a shrug, Karem placed one half of the watermelon on the ground and carefully held the other half, concentrating as he squeezed.
Though it was hollow inside, the flesh that existed was spirally twisted, yet with each tear, it made a crunching sound, revealing its red flesh and black seeds—it was undoubtedly watermelon.
The taste—
“Bitter!? Ack! What is this!”
“That’s also why expensive watermelons are left for ornamental use instead of being gifted to other nobles.”
Pieces of watermelon and red juice spilled from Karem’s mouth.
Corvus’s beak bobbed up and down, as though saying he expected nothing less.
“Who in their right mind would want something so bitter and astringent?”
Karem wholeheartedly understood that.
While it wasn’t comparable to the watermelons he’d eaten in his previous life, it was rather dense in texture due to the low moisture, making it feel slightly firm.
However, that slight crunchiness merged into a bitter taste that penetrated beyond his taste buds, hitting every cell in his mouth.
It was a horrific flavor that felt like being thumped by a brush densely packed with needles, and the aftermath was worse than having his mouth coated with hot broth.
And if that wasn’t enough, even after spitting out all the flesh and juice, a bitterness felt like a concentrated essence of lime peel lingered, each breath reminding him.
“This is insane. How am I supposed to eat this?”
“That’s why I clearly mentioned it. Yet it seems to be a staple for emergencies in both the origin and the Kingdom of Adobice.”
“No, this is insane. Eating this monstrous aberration as an emergency ration?”
“Well, it’s a region where it’s too hot to die. It’s better than dying.”
The excessive bitterness and tenacious astringency.
Perhaps that was why saliva streamed from his mouth like a flood.
The problem was, he could taste that flavor even in his saliva.
For any living creature that can properly discern five tastes, enduring this was nonsensical.
Karem instinctively spat out saliva, which landed on the remnants of the juice and flesh he’d previously expelled.
“Gwaaaah—”
“Did your thoughts change a bit?”
However, contrary to Corvus’s thoughts, Karem barely managed to hold back his retching and lifted the watermelon again.
“If I leave it, it’ll feel like I’m playing with food.”
Leaving food was something he couldn’t accept.
*
*
*
Karem who finally laid his hands on a watermelon, gulped it down completely in one go, astonishing Corvus.
Of course, he did it in a way to avoid letting it touch his tongue, swallowing it without chewing, but it was still shocking enough.
What was more, he held two watermelons in each hand, making it unbelievable.
How could he eat something so bitter and astringent after experiencing it?
Of course, Karem had his ways.
‘First, soak it in syrup.’
Of course, just that wouldn’t be enough to eliminate the bitterness, so he’d take additional action. Such as adding vanilla.
It seemed excessive to go through a lot of trouble just to have a punch, but now that he had proposed it, he thought he might as well try something.
If it had been difficult to obtain watermelons from the start, there would have been no option to not act now that they were definitely in hand.
If possible, it would have been much tastier if the weather was as hot as possible.
As he walked, Karem’s eyes caught a glimpse of white flower petals falling.
The first snow that fell while autumn was nearing its end.
The moment he saw it, a good idea struck him.
‘I can just eat it later at the villa.’
Thinking about eating ice-cold and refreshing punch while soaking in a hot spring already made his mouth water in a different sense than before.
It’s like getting into winter blankets while having the air conditioner on full blast in the summer.
Or opening all the windows in midwinter and wrapping oneself in heated blankets.
Eating punch in a hot spring would be hard to compare to either.
If snow even fell during it, that would be the icing on the cake.
“I’ll give one to the kikimoras, and maybe gather the seeds to send to Flora. But if that’s the case, I’ll really have to come up with a recipe.”
“Oh, Karem. Are you on your way back to the Wizard’s Tower?”
A middle-aged man waved lightly as he crossed the yard in the corridor. It was Viktor, with his neatly trimmed gray beard and hair.
“Yes. But what about His Highness the First Prince?”
“He’s on his way to the tower because of something he instructed.”
“Something he instructed?”
“I was asked to deliver a letter.”
Viktor gently thumped his chest and then crossed his arms behind his back. As they walked in silence for a while, Viktor tilted his head to look at Karem and then at the watermelon.
“So, what’s the deal with the watermelon? I don’t think Sir Atanitas would be particularly interested in interior decoration.”
“Oh, it’s nothing major. I’m thinking of making a dessert.”
“A dessert?”
Viktor’s face scrunched up as he frowned at the idea of using that for dessert, then his expression suddenly brightened as if he recalled something.
“Come to think of it, I heard the traditional way of eating watermelon with Palatino wine is trending in Servianus. Though it’s been some time.”
“Huh? You put watermelon in wine?”
Viktor nodded silently. Karem tilted his head for a moment before asking.
“I’m not really a wine person, but won’t that completely ruin the taste of the grape wine?”
“Oh, Palatino wine is not just a drink, it’s more like a concentrated wine extract made from strong spirits and grape juice.”
Viktor loosened his arms and lightly tapped the watermelon in Karem’s grip.
“Usually, when eating that, it’s diluted with water, but it’s a method of eating where you soak the watermelon in a heavily concentrated form of it.”
“Hmm… So Palatino wine must be really rich and strong?”
“Yes… it’s thicker than balsamic vinegar. If someone is sensitive to alcohol, just smelling it could make them drunk. So, in the old empire, it was treated as barbaric to drink it straight.”
At that moment, Karem finally grasped the method of soaking it in wine.
A thick liquor thicker than syrup. If it’s that strong, it could very well mask the bitterness and astringency of the watermelon.
Curious about how Palatino wine extract would taste, he decided to figure out how to get some later.
“Is the letter being sent to Catherine?”
“Yes. The contents will be something to ask the prince about later.”
“It doesn’t seem like it’s a confidential matter.”
“If the prince agrees to the proposal, soon it’ll also become your business.”
With that, Viktor handed the letter to Mary, who was majestically gazing up at the sky outside, and without hesitation turned away.
Receiving the letter, Mary finished admiring the sky before going inside. Following her in, Karem heard the commotion in the bustling lobby.
“By the way, why were you staring at the sky so intently?”
“I was gauging the amount of snow expected to fall later.”
“Can you really gauge that?”
“Just a hunch.”
Since the party said so, Karem accepted it.
He thought it was similar to a house fairy’s magic, but which, contrary to Karem’s thoughts, was purely Mary’s instinct.
When Karem arrived at the office after placing the watermelon in the refrigerator, Catherine was sprawled on the sofa, unfolding the letter.
“What does it say?”
“It seems it’s a letter asking if I could accompany the task assigned by my lord for a bit.”
“Huh? It’s almost winter, isn’t it?”
Though there were many implications hidden within, the content of the letter remained unchanged.