Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Grow Muscles Instead of a Baby!
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The nurse lingered for a moment, savoring the tomato flavor still on her tongue, then peered at the jarred tomatoes in wide-eyed wonder.
"Isn't it amazing? Pretty tasty, right?"
While I was at it, I waved at the maids standing nearby, eager to hear more opinions from the common folk.
I popped one into the mouths of the maids Joachim and Emily had brought along, and they immediately started chattering excitedly after tasting it.
"It's sweeter than I expected and actually pretty good!"
"Hey, have you ever tried tomatoes at home before?"
"No way. I grew up dirt poor, so I never even got to see something that spoils easily like tomatoes."
One of the maids nearby gave a wry smile and chimed in.
"I've had them, but only the mushy kind, way softer than this jarred stuff. I used to live out in the borderlands, supported by the duke's family."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I always thought tomatoes were supposed to taste rotten like that... Do you think we could get more of these jars? I'd love to send some home."
"I'll make lots and lots later and send some your way!"
The maids exchanged glances and smiled warmly.
They must have thought it was just cute baby bluster, but I had never been more serious.
The nurse beamed proudly and stroked my head.
"It's incredible. They've been sitting out for so long, but not a single one has spoiled."
"Walter said if you pack it full of Vesper blood like this, it won't go bad even by the time it reaches the south."
"Tomatoes aren't Vesper blood, though..."
"M-Me too! I wanna try one!"
Joachim, who had been sitting beside me, opened his mouth wide like a baby bird.
His antics were so funny that I giggled a little before popping a tomato in. He started munching away, working his mouth busily.
Emily, watching her little brother, primly opened her mouth too.
Times like this, she was the spitting image of Joachim's big sister.
Right there at the table, we polished off an entire jar of tomatoes.
It wasn't anything extraordinary, but everyone seemed fascinated by the tomatoes prepared in this new way.
"There's lotsa peaches left too. I'll make peach jars later and give 'em as gifts!"
Joachim smacked his lips at my words, eyeing the remaining peaches in the basket. He must really like them enough to take some as a gift.
I tucked one jar each into the arms of the Verbain siblings.
"Gotta share with Grandpa Chairman."
We both needed Count Verbain's family on our side for things to get easier.
"Thanks."
"Don't worry too much. Emily's still little too, y'know."
If this all worked out, we'd never have to bow to threats from trash like Count Dvayer again.
I couldn't tell her that yet, but I wanted to ease her worries even a little.
Emily stared at me blankly for a moment, then her lips twitched upward.
For someone who rarely smiled, it was a pretty bright one.
I beamed back at her, delighted.
The very next day after seeing Emily and Joachim off with their jars, a summons came from Grandpa's study.
I snuck the two remaining jars from my toy basket and headed there.
Chairman Grandpa had arrived before me.
'Nice vibe.'
A subtle energy crackled between Grandpa and Chairman Grandpa.
It didn't seem like Chairman Grandpa had said anything drastic, like resigning his position.
I dashed over with a bright, innocent smile and hugged Chairman Grandpa's leg tight.
"Chairman Grandpa!"
At that moment, Grandpa's eyebrow twitched violently upward in a fierce glare.
His aura was so intimidating that I clamped my mouth shut with a gasp.
Grandpa held that savage stare for a long while before finally raising and lowering his brow, then spoke.
"Why do you only call him grandpa?"
"Huh?"
"I said answer me. Who told you to go all wide-eyed like a bunny rabbit?"
...Was he mad, or charmed?
"Chairman Grandpa's hair is all white. So he's grandpa...?"
"He's younger than me."
"Th-then... Chairman Uncle?"
I asked tentatively, half hoping, and Chairman Grandpa burst into muffled laughter, covering his face like he couldn't hold it in.
Grandpa ground his teeth at him, then turned back to me.
"That's not it. I'm asking why I'm 'Your Grace' and he's grandpa."
What was he going on about?
He met my lukewarm gaze and, apparently deciding to air all his grievances at once, added more.
"You've been hanging around the kitchen staff for days, not even showing your face here!"
Ah, so that was what bothered him.
Oh... right...
I'd only called Chairman Grandpa "grandpa" because he was one, but Grandpa latched onto it like it was a personal slight. Chairman Grandpa came to my rescue.
"Shall we get to why you summoned us today, Your Grace?"
Even then, Grandpa glared at him icily for a good long while.
Finally, he relented with a sigh.
"Count Verbain brought something amusing."
"What is it?"
"Tomato preserves, was it? He said you made them. True?"
"Yup!"
Grandpa's eyebrow twitched again at my proud reply.
"We do it like at the Vesper slaughterhouse. Pack the red stuff full like this."
"She must have seen how we handle Vesper blood and copied it."
"Exactly!"
Grandpa and Chairman Grandpa sighed almost in unison.
Grandpa leaned back deeply in his chair, rubbing his forehead with his fingertips. His expression was hard to read.
"If even easily spoiling tomatoes can stay fresh for days like this, we could preserve other things even longer."
"Yes, indeed. I can't believe we never thought of it before."
"I heard you already preserved jams in jars."
"The key seems to be boiling the jars first before filling them. We just stored the jam plain before, so it never lasted a week. Had to make fresh batches constantly."
"Such a simple method..."
I listened quietly to the adults' conversation, then pulled a jar from my toy basket and set it on Grandpa's desk.
His eyes swept over the glistening jar.
"A gift for Your Grace!"
"...Some things only look that way to a child's innocent eyes."
Grandpa's large, warm hand came down to ruffle my hair fondly. He nodded toward the door, and his secretary, who had been hovering like a shadow, approached cautiously.
That was Oliver, the one dating the nurse?
He gave me a small bow and a gentle, reassuring smile.
"Oliver, go fetch Merica from the workshop."
In the meantime, we cracked open one of the jars.
As we sat side by side, sharing the tangy, sweet-scented tomatoes, a woman named Merica arrived promptly.
Fresh from the workshop, she carried the scents of iron and fire.
Her soot-darkened face showed a hint of tension.
"As head of the workshop, you must know glass production well."
"Yes, Your Grace."
"How many jars this size can you produce right away?"
"A few days ago, Your Grace ordered us to halt all byproducts for the south in a rage, so we have spare capacity... We could make about a thousand in a week."
"Ahem!"
Why are you looking at me...?
The moment Merica spoke, Grandpa shot me a smug, proud look. I tilted my head quizzically.
Realizing I had no clue, he turned away, looking a bit deflated.
"Then produce a thousand glass jars and work with the kitchens to figure out long-term food storage."
"Food storage?"
"Vegetables, fruits, meat—whatever. Try preserved dishes too. We're going to solve the borderlands' chronic food preservation issues with these jars."
"But Your Grace, if you pack food or cooked meals, they'll spoil before they arrive..."
"Boiling the jars and food before sealing extends the shelf life dramatically. Just like with Vesper blood."
Merica's eyes widened hugely.