The Elm Table Item Appraisal #1
The round table crafted from elm wood was sturdy, expensive, and remarkably solid.
Descriptions of objects or items were originally only available when placed inside the item window, or in other words, the inventory.
But after experiencing this damned reincarnation, all he had to do was reach out and touch them directly to know everything.
For an entire week he had been idle as a guest, merely sitting in his seat without stirring.
Feeling restless was becoming difficult.
Especially since his body was now completely healed.
That must have been the reason.
Edgar finally rose from his seat, dusted himself off, and opened the door to leave.
As a guest he had no personal maid to serve him.
He could only meet her face when food was brought.
He was never looked down upon, but he was also not worthy of being pampered.
Stepping out into the open, he was greeted by the grandeur and beauty of the buildings and walls.
Edgar thought it was exactly like the sight of Changdeokgung Palace from the elementary school group trip he had attended.
Walking calmly along the paved path without any disturbance,
“Are you leaving?”
The guard on duty met his eyes.
Like other yokai, he was a robust man with small horns on his head.
His spear looked very sturdy in his hand, and sharp light glinted from the blade.
“Yes. I’m going out.”
In this palace there was only one human—Edgar.
And Edgar was a guest that Freesia and Iris treated with respect.
It was only natural that the guard showed courteous behavior.
“Should I inform the inside and arrange an escort for you?”
“No need. Thank you for your consideration.”
“Understood. However, I may ask where you are going….”
The guard cautiously inquired about his destination.
After all, knowing the place made it easier to search or visit.
Edgar read his intention and answered with a calm voice.
“There’s a mountain nearby. I think I’ll go there.”
“Understood.”
The guard bowed his head in greeting, and Edgar returned the bow.
The synchronized bowing looked genuinely courteous.
“What should I do now….”
Edgar left the palace, walked through the well-developed village, and continued thinking.
It was a city with a strong folk-village atmosphere, yet all the roofs were tiled.
Not a single house used thatch, no matter how small.
That was why the structures appeared distinctly angular.
The fortress surrounding the city with the palace was no different from the human cities.
The imposing gray-brick walls were familiar in both grandeur and durability.
Because it had become too familiar, the absence of walls made Edgar feel strangely out of place.
The sound of people murmuring drifted from all directions as he walked.
Men on the road.
Women guarding stalls.
Everyone—regardless of age or gender—had turned their eyes toward him.
A single drop of ink mixed into a yokai city could never go unnoticed.
Yet none of them spoke to him.
Thanks to the gray two-robe he wore, which stood as tall as a massive fortress.
The robe woven from high-grade gray silk could only be worn by the nobility.
Finally reaching the foot of the front mountain, Edgar began to climb it slowly.
Thanks to the body that had endured countless journeys under the curse, his stamina was exceptionally high.
And now that the curse had been lifted, there was no reason he could not sprint up the mountain like a seasoned herb collector.
[Elm: Elm. Condition is good. Excellent wood.]
[Bear’s Foot: One variety of wild plant. Eating it makes your mouth water.]
Edgar reached the middle of the mountain and touched all the trees and herbs there.
If only he had brought a cart, he thought regretfully.
Edgar squatted down, sighing as he regretted he could not carry away many wild plants.
He would leave his regret for later, but tomorrow he decided he would bring a bag or cart.
“Should I head down….”
Edgar straightened his squatting legs.
From now on he would descend the mountain and reach the palace without getting lost.
After all, the mountain at night was like a vast labyrinth.
Yet, in the midst of it all, he accidentally brushed against a beautiful green leaf.
Information about the leaf suddenly appeared in his mind.
[Dangge: 50-year-old dangge. Affected by the influence of the Yo territory.]
50 years?
Edgar’s eyes widened as he looked down at the leaf he had touched.
It was unbelievable that a 50-year-old dangge would be found in this mountain, and the level word bothered him even more.
It seemed like the actual age wasn’t 50.
He immediately canceled his decision to go down the mountain and squatted down on the dirt again.
Then he began carefully digging around the soil where the dangge was buried.
Since he had no proper tool, he had to dig with his bare hands.
His hands naturally became covered in dirt, and splatters of soil flew onto his clothes.
His robe’s hem had already been dirtied from climbing the mountain, and now even the sleeves were dirty.
If the Yo clan’s elders had seen him, they would have widened their eyes and stuck out their tongues.
Digging in the earth while wearing such precious clothes.
“Huu….”
Finally, a magnificent root was revealed inside the large pit.
Edgar wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and carefully pulled out the dangge with the root fully exposed.
His movements were those of a complete beginner, yet the careful gestures left no wound on the root.
Feeling satisfied, he carried it down the mountain with light footsteps toward the palace.
Luckily, since he had left early in the morning, he arrived at the palace before sunset.
The sun, now a deep red, was slowly sinking below the horizon.
“What is that…?”
The other guard who had greeted him earlier asked in astonishment.
He had learned through handover that Edgar had gone out, but he never imagined he would return carrying a root covered in dirt.
“It’s dangge. A 50-year-old one.”
“Dangge…?”
Even in the East there is herbal medicine, and in the West too.
Curse treatment using decoctions was based on that medical knowledge.
Yet dangge, bellflower, burdock, and ginseng—the root vegetables—were treated as mere weeds.
Unlike carrots or potatoes, which are also root vegetables, they only gave a fresh, intensely bitter taste.
“Yes. Then I’ll take my leave.”
Edgar knew about this situation as well.
That was why he could say such things and lightly bowed before continuing his walk.
His knowledge was too shallow to explain in detail.
Inside the palace grounds, the atmosphere was bustling unlike the morning.
People were heading to light lamps in various places, and others were carrying ingredients diligently.
All of them were busy with their own tasks and did not even glance at Edgar.
Edgar carefully noted every one of the many people, then continued toward the room he was staying in.
The moment he returned to his room, he pulled out the box from under the bed.
He took out the old cloth he had carefully folded inside and spread it on the floor.
Then he placed the dangge on it.
Today he would leave it, and tomorrow he would hand it over to Freesia or the maid.
It was repayment for the grace he had received until now, though it was insufficient.
“Excuse me. I came to light the fire.”
While changing out of his dirty clothes, the maid opened the door and entered.
Originally she would have needed permission to enter a closed door, but because Edgar had asked her not to, she did so freely.
“Ah…! I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were changing….”
Even if humans were wary of her, he was a guest.
And if she made a guest feel embarrassed, she deserved punishment.
That was why the maid hurriedly bowed her waist in apology.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you for forgiving my rudeness.”
While Edgar was hurriedly picking up his clothes, the maid’s waist never straightened.
Only after he told her to raise her head did she stand up straight.
“I heard you went out earlier. Should I prepare bathwater?”
For Edgar, who was still sticky with sweat, this was a very welcome suggestion.
That was why his voice sounded especially bright as he answered.
“That would be truly appreciated.”
“No. But… what is that thing you laid on the ground? Is it a tree root?”
The maid looked at the dangge on the floor and asked.
Because she had never seen dangge before, she looked extremely doubtful.
“No. It’s dangge. It’s edible.”
“You eat that?”
“Yes. It is correct to eat it.”
Could she be teasing him?
The maid asked while still doubting.
Edgar felt the same vibe, but he answered with strength in his voice.
The maid hesitated for a moment, then used the tool she had brought to light the fire.
She placed candles on the walls or desk and lit them.
Edgar quietly watched her, then pointed at the dangge on the cloth and said,
“Sorry, but please bring this dangge to the kitchen. It really can be eaten. It’s good for the body too. Truly.”
“A tree root… is good for the body?”
The maid who had finished her task tilted her head.
She found it hard to believe such an absurd claim that tree roots were good for the body.
“Is it possible that humans eat tree roots…?”
The maid carried the dangge to the kitchen without clearing her doubts.
She would prepare the bathwater for Edgar afterward.
*
“You’re going to eat this?”
In the kitchen, the male yokai lifted the wide sleeve of his robe while asking.
The man was the chef.
He often stayed in the kitchen even after dinner because there were sometimes people who requested food made even at night.
“Yes. The guest said it can be eaten.”
“The guest… you mean that human?”
“Yes.”
Wow.
The man stared at the large dangge on the cutting board with suspicion.
No matter how he looked, it only looked like a tree root.
“But if the words are true….”
Doubt was doubt, but his interest in new ingredients grew stronger.
First he brushed off the dirt on the dangge and washed it with water.
Then he cut the end with his thick kitchen knife and put the small pieces into his mouth.
The texture was firm yet refreshing, and the thick earthy scent vibrated in his mouth.
“How is it?”
The maid, who had been watching quietly, asked with a hand on her racing heart.
The man chewed the dangge silently for a moment, then said shortly,
“It seems we should peel the skin before eating.”
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