NOVEL NEXT Chapter 177 - Divine Cat Mii-chan your special azuki ice cream is three times richer.
177 Divine Cat Mii-chan your special azuki ice cream is three times richer.
When we arrived home, it was already past noon. Yuri and Kai had lunch first and headed to work at the Hunter Guild.
We also had lunch together. Letty came down for lunch, but the Yang family seemed a bit stiff. I introduced her as part of the Divine Cat Trading Company’s security team to break the ice. Letty didn’t seem to mind, saying she was hungry, and in that moment, I couldn’t help but think she looked just like Perro and Sera.
After lunch, it was time for Kaya’s water skill training. I taught Ilze how to make sweet red bean paste and soy sauce glaze for dumplings. I also had Lu and the others pound mochi. Letty, who seemed to have free time, was also roped into helping, though she grumbled a bit.
By the evening, we had all the ingredients ready, so I gave a demonstration. Our group was already gathered, seated and waiting, even though I hadn’t called for them.
For the mochi, I used pre-cut mochi from Mii-chan’s bag, though we also enjoyed the freshly pounded mochi. Fresh mochi is always the best.
We grilled the mochi on the stall’s stove, put it on skewers, and generously added red bean paste. We then brushed it with soy sauce glaze and grilled it again, filling the air with a savory aroma. Lu was drooling at this point.
When everyone tasted it, they all looked so happy. Even Letty, who had been grumbling, fell silent after her first bite.
“Mii-chan, no matter how many times I eat this, it’s still delicious!”
“Mii~”
“Grr~”
“Kyu~”
“This is… truly excellent.”
“I finally understand the significance of Wilhelm’s ledger.”
“It’s delicious~!”
“This is quite filling too.”
“…Can I have seconds?”
Of course, of course. I believe this will sell well in the royal capital of Beruna. It’s much larger and more populous than Wilhelm, so we have high hopes.
But, why is the Yang family so quiet? They’re eating in complete silence. Why?
Next, I prepared frozen treats and unsweetened iced tea for everyone to choose from.
Perro held an ice pop in each hand, licking them to compare the flavors, while Letty, beside him, was doing the exact same thing. Déjà vu?
Yang and Kaya were wide-eyed as they licked their ice pops.
Mii-chan, of course, was engrossed in her usual azuki ice cream. According to her, it’s three times richer than the ones we sell.
“Mii~”
“So, we’re going to be selling this, right?”
“Yes, we’ll use this Divine Cat stall.”
“Mom, let’s do our best!”
“Yes, of course…”
Now that I think about it, I’ll need to ask Lara and the others to make us some aprons later.
“Katia, aren’t you planning on opening a shop in Beruna?” she asked.
“I’d love to, but we don’t have enough capital at the moment.”
“With the current success of Divine Cat Trading, we could borrow from the Commercial Guild, you know?”
“I don’t think it’s necessary. We should operate within our means. Once we’re more financially stable, we can think about opening a store. Wilhelm already has a branch, so we can use this mansion as our Beruna office and conduct trading using horse-drawn wagons.”
“So, you’re thinking of trading by wagon train?”
“Yes, I’m planning on doing it once every two months or so, using the route over Brocken Mountain.”
“I heard Brocken Mountain is currently impassable though…”
“It’ll be open again soon. Divine Cat Trading could pass through even now.”
“Grr.”
“Mii.”
The real issue is manpower. That’s going to be the toughest part.
“I’ll lead the security for the wagon train when the time comes,” Lu said confidently.
“If Lu does it, Perro will join too!”
“Mii!”
That’s reassuring. I’ll count on you when the time comes.
“Isn’t the badass lady joining too?”
“Munch… I’ll pass… Munch… Hildeburg is too hot… Munch…”
“I see. That’s too bad…”
Letty, while petting Perro’s head with a sympathetic look, showed no signs of giving up her dumplings.
“By the way, I saw a request for an exploration of the Quint Flow Labyrinth.”
“Do we really have the resources to deal with that when the goblin war has just started?”
“That’s exactly why. You can collect valuable materials on the lower levels. The deeper you go, the better the materials. These could be used to make weapons and armor to aid in the fight against the goblins.”
“Why is the request being issued in the royal capital?”
“Probably because there’s someone with map skills, and mid-level hunters are gathering around the capital right now, waiting for a guild call.”
“Do you want to take it on, Lu?”
“I do! But, only if Nero comes with me.”
“A labyrinth? Perro wants to go too!”
“Mii!”
“Hmm, not right now. I can’t leave until the royal capital’s situation settles down. If we had a base over there, it’d be different…”
“If it’s a base you need, that’s easy. The house used by the Blue Dragon’s Roar is still intact. We can use that.”
“What about the members?”
“You, me, Perro, Sera, and we’ll need about three more people.”
“Can I come?” Yang asked.
“That labyrinth would be too tough for you, Yang. You’ll have to sit this one out.”
“That’s a shame.”
“Let’s include Letty.”
“Hm? I’ll pass.”
“No way. Since Mii-chan and I are going, you’ll be accompanying us as the Divine Cat Trading Company’s security team. The labyrinth is cool inside, so you’ll be comfortable.”
“Grr…”
“Now we just need two more people. A tank and someone for the backline. I’ll start looking.”
I think if we send Perro ahead to place the teleportation plate at the base, we can handle travel easily if we’re careful. Besides, I’m quite interested in the labyrinth myself.
“Mii~”