SWNOVELXO Chapter 133 - Divine Cat Mii-chan Drinks Miso Soup
133 Divine Cat Mii-chan Drinks Miso Soup
I returned to the inn and borrowed the kitchen from the manager. I didn’t plan on doing anything too elaborate.
I went to the kitchen and greeted the head chef, thanking him for always providing the best meals. Greetings are important.
The first thing I did was cook the rice. Adding a small amount of kudzu powder while cooking gives it a slightly chewy texture. I received some white fish from the head chef, filleted it into three pieces, and used the leftover parts to make dashi (broth). It’s a shame there’s no tofu, but I know how to make it, so I’ll try that next time. Nigari is plentiful here, after all.
I cut the filleted fish into thin slices and normal sashimi-sized pieces, arranging them on a plate. It’s hard to slice well with a different knife.
In a pot, I combined soy sauce, distilled liquor, black sugar, and water, bringing it to a boil. I chopped the chicken into small pieces and prepared some eggs—everything was ready.
While waiting for the rice to cook, I showed the head chef the soy sauce and miso balls, but he didn’t recognize them.
I skimmed off the scum from the broth, removed the fish parts, and gradually added the miso balls while tasting the soup. Once it reached the perfect flavor, I added wakame seaweed, and it was done. I really regret not having tofu.
Finally, the rice was cooked. Time to eat!
I had the head chef and other kitchen staff taste the dishes as well. We started with the sashimi, dipping it in soy sauce. Delicious.
“The thin slices taste better, nya.”
As Perro said, this fish is more delicate in flavor than I expected. If the slices are too thick, the soy sauce doesn’t stay on them. The head chef and the others seemed to agree. It’s a bit sad that there’s no wasabi.
Next, the miso soup—it was absolutely delicious. The broth made from fish and the miso complemented each other perfectly, creating a supreme taste. I served a slightly diluted version to Mii-chan in a small dish, and she licked it up, showing me a happy smile. Yes!
Finally, I put the prepared seasoning mixture into a large pot, added the chicken, and once it started boiling, I poured in the beaten eggs and let it steam a bit before finishing it off. When served over hot rice, it became an oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl). Usually, you’d make it one serving at a time in a small pot, but I made it all at once out of convenience.
This was also a huge hit!
“Yummy, nya!”
“Nya!”
“Grr!”
All the rice we had is now gone. It was a truly blissful moment that made me glad to have been born Japanese.
After the meal, I was bombarded with questions from the head chef and the others. I mentioned that I planned to visit the village where these ingredients are made soon, and they eagerly expressed their desire to trade with the Divine Cat Trading Company. Mii-chan, we did it!
“Mii~”
After drinking the miso soup, Mii-chan looked satisfied, as if saying, “All is well.” But we’ll have to visit the village before making any promises. I left a little soy sauce and miso balls with the head chef.
Back in the room, I decided to read a book. Everyone else seemed to be playing outside. Perro came in with the two maids. Ah, time for that. Let’s get ready. Ta-da! A cat toy! The maids’ faces seemed a bit stiff, but I pretended not to notice.
Although I opened my book on the veranda, I found myself thinking while petting Mii-chan, who was sleeping on my lap.
I think the Divine Cat Trading Company will take off thanks to the request from the Grand Duke. If we can spread soy sauce and miso around, it could be very profitable, even if it takes time.
Trade between the royal capital Beruna and Wilhelm City should also be lucrative, but it all depends on Mii-chan and Sumire. Without solving this, a slow life is out of the question.
So, what should I do? The simplest idea is to hire people and open shops in both cities to handle the trade. But I lack the manpower and funds. Perhaps it’s best to handle things myself for now. Moving large amounts of goods is tough.
When I looked outside, I saw two children had joined the maids. Perhaps they’re children of other guests? They seemed to be having fun, which was nice to see.
As dinnertime approached, the hungry horde returned. Despite eating so much earlier, dinner was another battlefield.
“It’s natural to get hungry after exercise, nya!”
“Nya!”
“Grr!”
What bottomless pits! Luckily, this is on the royal palace’s tab, so my wallet is safe.
Mii-chan is already enjoying dessert. She licked a spoonful of azuki ice cream and looked ecstatic, repeating the process and savoring the blissful moment. Summer is coming soon in the royal capital; perhaps it’s time to consider selling frozen treats.
I wrote down my thoughts in a notebook. Now I need to figure out how to make them a reality—that’s the hard part. Time for a bath.
I left the inn early the next morning to meet at the port by the nine o’clock bell. Of course, this was to buy fish at the market. Though it might be more accurate to say I was urged by everyone.
The port market was bustling with activity as fish were being unloaded from the boats. I bought the fish I wanted while showing my Commercial Guild certificate, and I also found crabs, shrimp, and shellfish that weren’t available last time, so I bought them in bulk. The sellers seemed a bit strained, but no problem—Mii-chan’s bag keeps everything fresh.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any squid or octopus. Perhaps they’re only sold dried, not fresh? I really wanted to have grilled squid with soy sauce…
As I walked around the market, buying fish and chatting with the vendors, I was treated to some grilled shellfish by the market ladies.
“Oh! When you pour soy sauce on them, the flavor and aroma are just amazing, nya!”
“Nya!”
“Grr!”
As the meeting time approached, I hurriedly dragged the hungry horde to the rendezvous point, promising that we’d return to the market tomorrow. Mii-chan, please help me out here!
“Mii~”