Chapter 116
“Rako, please give it quickly. It’s almost dinner time.”
The gathered people were fidgeting with anticipation.
“Of course I’ll give it!”
Rako shouted and began distributing the potatoes, one by one, to the people in line.
“Wow, these are proper potatoes!”
Everyone filled the sacks they had brought and left, smiling.
The line gradually dwindled.
Finally, Rako handed out the last of the potatoes to the final person.
Even so, a lot of potatoes remained in the sack. Even accounting for Rako’s share, about three sacks seemed left.
Since each household had taken one sack, the villagers subtly suggested:
“Rako, there are still plenty left. Why not give a little more to the children?”
“Why should I give these to kids?”
“Well, they’re still growing….”
Rako stubbornly waved her hand.
“No, no! These are mine!”
Ignoring everyone’s gaze, she carried the sack of potatoes into her house.
Only after closing the door did the lingering looks of the villagers disappear.
Rako let out a sigh and poured the potatoes into a basket.
They were all either sprouted or blackened and rotten in places.
“Damned things.”
Those vile Carat merchants.
Before meeting them, life had been manageable enough.
Of course, the population was decreasing, but it hadn’t been this desperate.
Then, at some point, the crops stopped growing properly.
The land had always been difficult to farm, so initially, it was thought to be a temporary issue.
To solve the shortage immediately, they had traded with the Carat merchants who happened to appear.
But the crops continued to fail, and eventually even the regular visiting merchants stopped coming.
Only the Carat merchants remained.
The society had no choice but to depend on them.
Then the number of people leaving the region began to rise rapidly.
Some of those who left promised to return.
But none did.
The moment someone left this land, the existence of Bereda faded from memory.
Unless one consciously recalled it often, it was quickly forgotten.
If someone went outside… they might forget who they were and live a new life.
But…
“Hmph. Who’s going to blink an eye over this? I’m never leaving. Can’t leave. This is our land.”
Crunch. Rako bit into a rotten potato. With each chew, she cursed the Carat merchants, comparing them to dogs and dung.
Her noisy chewing gradually slowed.
“…Everyone must be cursing me.”
Calling her a greedy old woman who only looks out for herself, more than the children.
Rako paused in thought, then let out a forced giggle.
“Good, good. Curse me all you want.”
The way to avoid being cursed was simple.
If she revealed the state of the potatoes to everyone honestly, the good-hearted people of the society would all get angry. They’d resist the Carat merchants.
But what would happen then?
It had happened before.
Rako and the villagers had rebelled against the Carat merchants’ tyranny, but the merchants had responded with even more underhanded schemes.
For three months, the merchants didn’t come. No other merchants, no visitors.
When they returned after three months, they took even greater profits.
In the end, many of the people left their homes.
Rako could not bear to see that happen again.
Even if it meant everyone hated her.
Even if she had to step down as leader and be locked in the reflection room indefinitely, it was fine.
As long as she could hold on until the deputy returned.
“When the deputy comes back, even the Guardian Tree will open its heart…”
As a servant, Rako believed she could naturally recognize the deputy. Her heart would instinctively respond to them.
But no one like that had appeared yet…
“W-what? Have I gone senile? Why am I suddenly thinking of that little rascal?”
It was then.
Knock, knock, knock!
A small but lively knock sounded.
Knock, knock, knock, knock!
“Looks like the kids came for the potatoes.”
Rako, immediately scowling like a tiger, flung open the door.
“Hey, you brats! We’re eating, why are you—huh?”
It wasn’t the village children standing there.
Today, even more irritatingly grinning, was Cleric Allen. And…
“Granny! Let’s eat dinner together!”
It was the little rascal, Evi, that Rako had just been thinking of.
“What? Dinner?”
“Yes. I heard you took a lot of potatoes? Let’s eat together.”
Evi’s innocent words made Rako block the doorway like a guard.
“Why would I give you any because you’re cute? There’s nothing for me to eat. Go away!”
“No!”
Bang! Evi, transformed into a flying squirrel, zipped between Rako’s legs.
Rako’s eyes went wide.
“Ah, no… you…! That form!?”
“Excuse me.”
Frozen, Rako watched as Allen, Marco, and Olga trotted in behind Evi.
Even as the uninvited guests intruded brazenly, Rako’s sharp eyes stayed fixed on Evi, trembling slightly.
It was only when Evi reverted to human form and approached the table that Rako snapped out of it.
“Wait a minute!”
Rako hastily tried to cover the potatoes on the table, but it was too late.
Evi, holding potatoes in both hands, frowned at their condition.
“They’re all rotten!”
“I like rotten ones!”
“If you keep eating rotten ones, Granny’s face will get even worse than it is now…”
Evi flinched mid-sentence.
Rako raised her fists as if to press them against Evi’s temples.
Yet, for some reason, she didn’t.
Evi asked nervously,
“Are you going to hit me?”
“…”
“Are you going to hit me?”
“Sh-shut up. Just ask once!”
Finally, Rako lowered her fists.
She expected to be beaten but was allowed to pass unscathed!
…So maybe it was okay to challenge her a bit more?
“Granny, are you really going to eat all the rotten potatoes?”
She spoke casually! Was she going to hit her!?
Evi’s heart raced as she watched Rako’s reaction.
Rako’s nose twitched in disgust as she looked down at Evi.
But she snorted and ignored it.
“Of course I’ll eat them. I’ll just cut out the parts I can’t eat.”
“Oh!”
She allowed casual speech?
“…Why are you staring so strangely? Going to keep staring?”
“Hehe. Just wait, Granny.”
Evi lifted the basket of potatoes and hurried to the cutting board.
Allen quickly brought a low chair, which Evi used as a step. She rolled up her sleeves.
Rako asked, confused,
“What are you doing?”
“Cooking, obviously!”
Evi, with chubby cheeks and a faint blush, giggled.
“Food tastes better when we share it together.”
[Using the temporarily reserved blessing, “Hand of Gourmet.”]
When she had made a cake with this blessing, the chef tasted it and somehow cried angrily.
She didn’t know why, but the “Hand of Gourmet” had performed even better than before.
As Evi’s blessing grew, the temporarily reserved blessing could naturally be used more effectively.
“So even these rotten potatoes can be put to good use.”
Indeed, the moment she picked up the old knife, her hands moved swiftly.
Whirr! The potato skins were peeled in swirling motion in one go.
The rotten parts were cut away boldly.
The remaining pieces were chopped into bite-sized chunks.
Soon, the small kitchen filled with the bubbling sounds and the rich smell of cooked potatoes.
“Wow, it smells amazing!”
Marco, placing a plate on the table, licked his lips.
“Evi’s cooking… it’s too good to eat.”
Olga admired the food with delight.
“…”
Allen observed Evi with a strange look.
Evi urged Rako to sit and handed her a spoon.
“Try it, Granny!”
“Wait… How can a child cook like this? Weren’t you a noble’s daughter?”
“T-that doesn’t matter. Hurry.”
Rako scooped a bit of the potato soup.
She didn’t expect much from a child’s cooking, thinking it would be better than raw potatoes at least, enough for a compliment.
She took a bite.
“…!”
Rako’s eyes widened, and she scooped again. Again and again, she devoured it.
The buttered roasted potatoes beside her.
The soy-braised potatoes in front.
Even the raclette Marco was about to eat.
“Hey, my food!”
Marco looked aggrieved, but seeing Rako devour everything, he dared not complain.
Rako ate greedily but as if it were the most delicious food in the world.
“…”
Evi beamed proudly.
Finally, with the plates emptied, Rako let out a small burp.
Only then did she cover her mouth, realizing everyone was watching.
Rako turned her head.
“…Hmph. Not sure it’s that tasty.”
“You ate it all yourself.”
“Need to taste it again to be sure.”
Rako’s flushed face made Evi giggle.
Evi held out her hands.
“If you give me pocket money, I’ll do it again.”
“I wasn’t asking you to do it for free. How much do you want?”
Rummaging through coins, Rako asked.
“Yantis flower seeds!”
“Hah, this wicked little one.”
Rako looked at Evi in exasperation but not displeasure.
Instead, he stared quietly at her plump, proud cheeks, almost seeing someone else in her.
Evi, puzzled, called to Rako.
“Granny?”
“…Are you going to see the Guardian Tree?”
