The members chattered excitedly, finally taking a break from their long mission. Denis, with an intrigued expression, asked Hubert, “Do they sell things like this in Carpasinus Castle?”
“Ah, yes. It seems she’s doing very well there.”
“I suppose so. It seems like something we’ve never heard of in the Kingdom of Capitis.”
“Well, that’s true.”
As they reminisced about their hometown, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of regret. However, Felix’s image, struggling and enduring hardships, came to their minds first.
“So, that woman became the king?”
Denis shared the secret news, and Hubert’s voice turned stern and somber.
“Yes, she ascended the throne six months ago.”
“Those damn nobles. They only think of their own interests and seem to have forgotten who the true successor to the throne is.”
“She’s officially declared His Majesty missing, so there’s nothing we can do about the situation.”
While it wasn’t a wrong statement, irritation surged within Hubert.
“Our top priority should always be His Majesty.”
In response to Hubert’s resolute words, Denis responded with the stance of a knight of the Capitis royal family, beating his chest in a knightly salute.
“That goes without saying.”
Hubert may hold a higher rank among the mercenaries, but Denis was originally the captain of the Capitis royal knights.
They couldn’t help but suspect the sudden ascension of the king. Ever since then, even the loyal subjects couldn’t properly meet the prince. Felix’s parents always favored individuals based on their abilities rather than social status. As a result, many members of the prince’s knight order were either low-ranking nobles or commoners with exceptional skills.
However, it wasn’t as if their skills were lacking; on the contrary, many high-born noble heirs were weak and lacked loyalty. It’s unclear whether Felix’s parents knew this and intentionally assigned them to their son.
But because of their social status, they couldn’t meet their lord and had to go out and subdue monsters instead.
They only learned much later that everything had been a scheme by the new queen.
Having endured years alone, constantly thinking of their lord, sometimes they would wake up from sleep with the desire to strike down the queen and some of the nobles.
“By the way, is our lord eating properly?”
Denis asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice. Upon hearing his question, Hubert nodded firmly with a relieved expression, something rare for him.
“It seems that our lord enjoys the fruits from this newly frequented place.”
“Indeed, things are going well.”
He wouldn’t touch meat at all and never ate anything brought by others, not because he didn’t trust them, but it still bothered Hubert whenever it happened.
“From now on, we’ll come here to gather supplies. We need to reorganize the routes for monster subjugation.”
“Understood!”
★★12. Jam, Jam, What Kind of Jam★★
Sylvia was deeply absorbed in her thoughts as she diligently used her magic to turn the fruits in the kitchen into juice.
The fruit juices were selling well, but she couldn’t help but notice that the weather had been a bit peculiar lately. Just yesterday, it was hot and she was sweating, but this morning it was unusually cool and refreshing.
And it had been like this for a whole week.
“Hmm.”
She tilted her head while lost in her thoughts. Eryngium noticed her contemplative expression and approached curiously.
[Why?]
With a face that clearly said, “I’m in the middle of a dilemma!” the fairy couldn’t resist asking.
“Eryngium.”
[Yes?]
“The weather has been getting cooler lately, don’t you think? Shouldn’t it be autumn here too?”
[Oh, maybe winter is coming.]
“Winter?”
Setting aside the magic-infused juice she was making, Sylvia motioned for Eryngium to continue explaining. The fairy flew up and began to elaborate.
[On the mainland, there are summer and winter.]
“But right now, it feels more like autumn.”
At Sylvia’s response, Eryngium tilted her head in thought before replying.
[What is autumn?]
“Spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Where I used to live, we had these four distinct seasons.”
[Wow, that’s fascinating. But this place doesn’t have that. It’s probably transitioning from summer to winter now.]
So, it might not be autumn? That thought initially crossed Sylvia’s mind, but she changed her mind after hearing the fairy’s explanation.
[Since it’s been a week without it being hot or cold, it means the season is changing. From tomorrow or the day after, it will be winter.]
“What?”
[It’s like a signal that the season is changing. If it’s neither hot nor cold for a week, it indicates that the next season is coming. Normally, it’s three months of summer and one month of winter, like that.]
The drastic change in weather, so different from what she was used to in Korea, made Sylvia clap her hands in surprise.
“Then, I can’t sell fruit juice anymore! What should I do? I made so much!”
She felt a little disappointed thinking that all the hard work she put into making the fruit juice would now fill only her and the fairy’s bellies.
Of course, Sylvia had the magic to grow fruit whenever she wanted, so she didn’t feel too upset about it. However, she couldn’t help but wonder if the two of them could finish such a large quantity of fruit juice.
“Oh no, this is a problem. What should I sell when it gets cold?”
Sylvia mumbled while sitting on a chair in the kitchen, rubbing her chin in contemplation. After a moment, she turned to Eryngium with a question.
“By the way, I haven’t seen any sugar here. Last time when I went to the market, I didn’t see any sugar being sold. Is there no sugar? I mean, the sweet powder.”
[Sugar, you say? We have that. When I was in the palace, I saw them using it to make some kind of tea.]
“Oh, really? But why don’t they sell it in the market? Do I have to go all the way to the noble district? I have a feeling that place makes me uncomfortable, I don’t like it…”
Sylvia frowned, recalling the noble-exclusive alley she had visited to buy fruits. They glared at her so sharply; she almost felt like they were going to stab her in the back.
[Sugar is probably hard to come by. You know it too now. Vegetables and fruits were already hard to find, and sugar was considered a luxury food only for the nobility.]
Listening to the fairy’s words, Sylvia nodded in agreement.
“Yes, you’re probably right. Well, if I look at historical records, cookies or cakes filled with lots of sugar were only eaten by the nobility.”
As she pondered about what to do with sugar, Sylvia murmured.
“Sugar cane, sugar beets, what other ingredients can be used to make sugar?”
She decided to try making everything she could think of.
“Alright, let’s try everything. It won’t hurt to try, right?”
She must have accumulated a decent amount of money by now. She should start using some of it to create more magic circles and do some maintenance. The habit of saving money as a precaution, just like she did in Korea, remained intact even in this world.
With that in mind, Sylvia headed towards her small garden, and Eryngium followed her, fluttering alongside.
“When winter comes, will it affect plant magic too?”
Sylvia mumbled the thought that came to her mind.
[Fire magic is stronger, so it affects water magic. It seems that when elements are polar opposites, they can influence each other. I’ve never seen a plant mage before, so I’m not entirely sure.]
While it wasn’t the question she intended to ask, it was somewhat helpful.
Grateful for the answer, Sylvia lightly tapped her forehead with her finger. Eryngium understood her gesture and came down to sit on her shoulder, wagging her tail happily.
[Well, if you have any more curious questions, feel free to ask.]
Sylvia, with Eryngium on her head, stood in the middle of the garden and smiled as she replied.
“Sure, if our smart little fairy wishes, I’ll ask whenever you want.”
At her words, Eryngium made an indignant noise.
[It’s not about what I want, I’m just telling you because you don’t know!]
Pulling a few strands of its cyan hair, the fairy protested, and Sylvia gently tapped it with her finger to appease it.
“Yes, yes.”
With thoughts of sugar cane in her mind, Sylvia infused magic into her ring and the plant magic circle. The magic circle grew bigger than before, and a waterfall-like surge of magic poured into it.
In an instant, sugar cane taller than Sylvia filled the garden.
Now accustomed to it, the moment when magic is activated still brings her immense joy and ecstasy. It was especially true when it was a newly created magic circle.
Moving dynamically, like an offensive mage, Sylvia grew and cut the sugar cane, carrying it to the kitchen. Inside her body, it felt like the dragon’s magic was filling her more and more.
Like a conductor leading an orchestra, she moved her hands to prepare for winter. She planned to make plenty of preserved food.
Corn, sugar beets, barley, wheat, rice, apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, apricots, mangoes, peaches, grapes, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, and countless other types of fruits, along with cinnamon and various nuts, were overflowing in the living room.
She also cut logs and pine trees in advance to prepare firewood for winter, stacking them near the fireplace. Using wind magic, she opened the windows and swept away all the dust in the entire house up to the second floor.
After thorough cleaning, she peeled the sugar cane and used wind magic to extract the juice, drinking it as it floated in the air.
“Wow, it’s delicious.”
Since it was her first time tasting sugar cane juice, Sylvia found it fascinating. It was incredibly sweet. She regretted not trying it when she had the chance to buy it from places where sugar cane juice was sold.
Having only taken a small amount, Sylvia giggled as Eryngium opened her mouth wide and exclaimed, [Me too! Give me some!]
Sylvia gestured and sent the remaining juice to Eryngium. It happily received the gift, and its indigo eyes widened in excitement.
[So sweet! How can something like this taste so amazing?]
Eryngium had never known that a plant, which looked like a tree, could be so sweet. Sylvia’s magic allowed her to cultivate all the ingredients she had seen during her time in the modern world, even if she had never personally tasted them.
Even though she had never personally tasted them, Sylvia could easily cultivate various plants through her imagination. Her creativity and knowledge from the modern world proved to be extremely useful in this world where magic was based on imagination and the magic circle.
Using whatever knowledge she had, Sylvia proceeded to extract all the sugar cane juice and then heated it. Watching the process of making salt, she vaguely remembered not drying it in the sun. She was improvising and making use of all the knowledge she had accumulated. Fortunately, when it came to eating, Sylvia was quite knowledgeable.
As she continued the heating process, the juice took on a caramel-like color and thickened like toffee.
“Wow.”
Amazed by the result, she moved her hands faster. With wind magic, she quickly dried and solidified the substance.
[I want to taste it.]
Eryngium, who had developed a sense of taste during her time with Sylvia, felt awkward with this newfound appetite. Somehow, the food Sylvia made always managed to whet her appetite. Sylvia carefully took a small piece of the warm toffee and put it in Eryngium’s mouth, and then she had some herself.
[Wow!]
“Now it finally tastes a bit like sugar. Well, it’s not exactly the same as refined sugar, but it’s delicious.”
Analyzing the taste with a nod, Sylvia continued to work diligently.
“Before winter arrives, I need to check the market again.”
She laid out the prepared sugar on a large tray and brought a spacious magic bag with her as she stepped outside. Eryngium followed behind, perching on Sylvia’s shoulder and holding onto her turquoise hair.
Hastily making her way, Sylvia arrived at the bustling market, just as she had expected—it was filled with people.
“Winter is coming! To prepare for hibernation, you need these gemstone brooches engraved with insulation magic! Gemstone-like stones are available for just one gold coin and one nip!”
“Wow, they’re so expensive.”
The idea of paying so much for just a gemstone made Sylvia stick out her tongue.
“Do they have to be gemstones?”
She couldn’t understand why they had to use gemstones for the magic circle. It was nice to engrave the magic circle directly on her body for the most critical aspects, but for other things, it seemed like they were draining her money.
From the magic bag to the insulating brooches and boxes with long-term storage capabilities, while they weren’t the best in performance, Sylvia still appreciated the convenience they offered in daily life.
Confidently entering the chicken shop, Sylvia called out in a spirited voice.
“Uncle, give me five chickens and thirty eggs, please!”
“Oh, Sylvia. Why did you come so late? Everyone’s buying a lot of meat for winter preparation.”
His ominous words made Sylvia stop in her tracks.
“Could it be that everything’s sold out?”
How could she survive winter without meat? In a brief moment, many thoughts rushed through her mind.
The chicken shop owner chuckled and gestured.
“That’s why I set aside your portion, Sylvia. But there are only three chickens left.”
Ah, this is how you keep loyal customers!
“Where are they? Here, take the money first and put them in my magic bag. Also, this is my gift to you.”
Sylvia took out a present for the boss, whom she had become close to since she had been in and out frequently in a short period of time.
The members chattered excitedly, finally taking a break from their long mission. Denis, with an intrigued expression, asked Hubert, “Do they sell things like this in Carpasinus Castle?”
“Ah, yes. It seems she’s doing very well there.”
“I suppose so. It seems like something we’ve never heard of in the Kingdom of Capitis.”
“Well, that’s true.”
As they reminisced about their hometown, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of regret. However, Felix’s image, struggling and enduring hardships, came to their minds first.
“So, that woman became the king?”
Denis shared the secret news, and Hubert’s voice turned stern and somber.
“Yes, she ascended the throne six months ago.”
“Those damn nobles. They only think of their own interests and seem to have forgotten who the true successor to the throne is.”
“She’s officially declared His Majesty missing, so there’s nothing we can do about the situation.”
While it wasn’t a wrong statement, irritation surged within Hubert.
“Our top priority should always be His Majesty.”
In response to Hubert’s resolute words, Denis responded with the stance of a knight of the Capitis royal family, beating his chest in a knightly salute.
“That goes without saying.”
Hubert may hold a higher rank among the mercenaries, but Denis was originally the captain of the Capitis royal knights.
They couldn’t help but suspect the sudden ascension of the king. Ever since then, even the loyal subjects couldn’t properly meet the prince. Felix’s parents always favored individuals based on their abilities rather than social status. As a result, many members of the prince’s knight order were either low-ranking nobles or commoners with exceptional skills.
However, it wasn’t as if their skills were lacking; on the contrary, many high-born noble heirs were weak and lacked loyalty. It’s unclear whether Felix’s parents knew this and intentionally assigned them to their son.
But because of their social status, they couldn’t meet their lord and had to go out and subdue monsters instead.
They only learned much later that everything had been a scheme by the new queen.
Having endured years alone, constantly thinking of their lord, sometimes they would wake up from sleep with the desire to strike down the queen and some of the nobles.
“By the way, is our lord eating properly?”
Denis asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice. Upon hearing his question, Hubert nodded firmly with a relieved expression, something rare for him.
“It seems that our lord enjoys the fruits from this newly frequented place.”
“Indeed, things are going well.”
He wouldn’t touch meat at all and never ate anything brought by others, not because he didn’t trust them, but it still bothered Hubert whenever it happened.
“From now on, we’ll come here to gather supplies. We need to reorganize the routes for monster subjugation.”
“Understood!”
★★12. Jam, Jam, What Kind of Jam★★
Sylvia was deeply absorbed in her thoughts as she diligently used her magic to turn the fruits in the kitchen into juice.
The fruit juices were selling well, but she couldn’t help but notice that the weather had been a bit peculiar lately. Just yesterday, it was hot and she was sweating, but this morning it was unusually cool and refreshing.
And it had been like this for a whole week.
“Hmm.”
She tilted her head while lost in her thoughts. Eryngium noticed her contemplative expression and approached curiously.
[Why?]
With a face that clearly said, “I’m in the middle of a dilemma!” the fairy couldn’t resist asking.
“Eryngium.”
[Yes?]
“The weather has been getting cooler lately, don’t you think? Shouldn’t it be autumn here too?”
[Oh, maybe winter is coming.]
“Winter?”
Setting aside the magic-infused juice she was making, Sylvia motioned for Eryngium to continue explaining. The fairy flew up and began to elaborate.
[On the mainland, there are summer and winter.]
“But right now, it feels more like autumn.”
At Sylvia’s response, Eryngium tilted her head in thought before replying.
[What is autumn?]
“Spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Where I used to live, we had these four distinct seasons.”
[Wow, that’s fascinating. But this place doesn’t have that. It’s probably transitioning from summer to winter now.]
So, it might not be autumn? That thought initially crossed Sylvia’s mind, but she changed her mind after hearing the fairy’s explanation.
[Since it’s been a week without it being hot or cold, it means the season is changing. From tomorrow or the day after, it will be winter.]
“What?”
[It’s like a signal that the season is changing. If it’s neither hot nor cold for a week, it indicates that the next season is coming. Normally, it’s three months of summer and one month of winter, like that.]
The drastic change in weather, so different from what she was used to in Korea, made Sylvia clap her hands in surprise.
“Then, I can’t sell fruit juice anymore! What should I do? I made so much!”
She felt a little disappointed thinking that all the hard work she put into making the fruit juice would now fill only her and the fairy’s bellies.
Of course, Sylvia had the magic to grow fruit whenever she wanted, so she didn’t feel too upset about it. However, she couldn’t help but wonder if the two of them could finish such a large quantity of fruit juice.
“Oh no, this is a problem. What should I sell when it gets cold?”
Sylvia mumbled while sitting on a chair in the kitchen, rubbing her chin in contemplation. After a moment, she turned to Eryngium with a question.
“By the way, I haven’t seen any sugar here. Last time when I went to the market, I didn’t see any sugar being sold. Is there no sugar? I mean, the sweet powder.”
[Sugar, you say? We have that. When I was in the palace, I saw them using it to make some kind of tea.]
“Oh, really? But why don’t they sell it in the market? Do I have to go all the way to the noble district? I have a feeling that place makes me uncomfortable, I don’t like it…”
Sylvia frowned, recalling the noble-exclusive alley she had visited to buy fruits. They glared at her so sharply; she almost felt like they were going to stab her in the back.
[Sugar is probably hard to come by. You know it too now. Vegetables and fruits were already hard to find, and sugar was considered a luxury food only for the nobility.]
Listening to the fairy’s words, Sylvia nodded in agreement.
“Yes, you’re probably right. Well, if I look at historical records, cookies or cakes filled with lots of sugar were only eaten by the nobility.”
As she pondered about what to do with sugar, Sylvia murmured.
“Sugar cane, sugar beets, what other ingredients can be used to make sugar?”
She decided to try making everything she could think of.
“Alright, let’s try everything. It won’t hurt to try, right?”
She must have accumulated a decent amount of money by now. She should start using some of it to create more magic circles and do some maintenance. The habit of saving money as a precaution, just like she did in Korea, remained intact even in this world.
With that in mind, Sylvia headed towards her small garden, and Eryngium followed her, fluttering alongside.
“When winter comes, will it affect plant magic too?”
Sylvia mumbled the thought that came to her mind.
[Fire magic is stronger, so it affects water magic. It seems that when elements are polar opposites, they can influence each other. I’ve never seen a plant mage before, so I’m not entirely sure.]
While it wasn’t the question she intended to ask, it was somewhat helpful.
Grateful for the answer, Sylvia lightly tapped her forehead with her finger. Eryngium understood her gesture and came down to sit on her shoulder, wagging her tail happily.
[Well, if you have any more curious questions, feel free to ask.]
Sylvia, with Eryngium on her head, stood in the middle of the garden and smiled as she replied.
“Sure, if our smart little fairy wishes, I’ll ask whenever you want.”
At her words, Eryngium made an indignant noise.
[It’s not about what I want, I’m just telling you because you don’t know!]
Pulling a few strands of its cyan hair, the fairy protested, and Sylvia gently tapped it with her finger to appease it.
“Yes, yes.”
With thoughts of sugar cane in her mind, Sylvia infused magic into her ring and the plant magic circle. The magic circle grew bigger than before, and a waterfall-like surge of magic poured into it.
In an instant, sugar cane taller than Sylvia filled the garden.
Now accustomed to it, the moment when magic is activated still brings her immense joy and ecstasy. It was especially true when it was a newly created magic circle.
Moving dynamically, like an offensive mage, Sylvia grew and cut the sugar cane, carrying it to the kitchen. Inside her body, it felt like the dragon’s magic was filling her more and more.
Like a conductor leading an orchestra, she moved her hands to prepare for winter. She planned to make plenty of preserved food.
Corn, sugar beets, barley, wheat, rice, apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, apricots, mangoes, peaches, grapes, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, and countless other types of fruits, along with cinnamon and various nuts, were overflowing in the living room.
She also cut logs and pine trees in advance to prepare firewood for winter, stacking them near the fireplace. Using wind magic, she opened the windows and swept away all the dust in the entire house up to the second floor.
After thorough cleaning, she peeled the sugar cane and used wind magic to extract the juice, drinking it as it floated in the air.
“Wow, it’s delicious.”
Since it was her first time tasting sugar cane juice, Sylvia found it fascinating. It was incredibly sweet. She regretted not trying it when she had the chance to buy it from places where sugar cane juice was sold.
Having only taken a small amount, Sylvia giggled as Eryngium opened her mouth wide and exclaimed, [Me too! Give me some!]
Sylvia gestured and sent the remaining juice to Eryngium. It happily received the gift, and its indigo eyes widened in excitement.
[So sweet! How can something like this taste so amazing?]
Eryngium had never known that a plant, which looked like a tree, could be so sweet. Sylvia’s magic allowed her to cultivate all the ingredients she had seen during her time in the modern world, even if she had never personally tasted them.
Even though she had never personally tasted them, Sylvia could easily cultivate various plants through her imagination. Her creativity and knowledge from the modern world proved to be extremely useful in this world where magic was based on imagination and the magic circle.
Using whatever knowledge she had, Sylvia proceeded to extract all the sugar cane juice and then heated it. Watching the process of making salt, she vaguely remembered not drying it in the sun. She was improvising and making use of all the knowledge she had accumulated. Fortunately, when it came to eating, Sylvia was quite knowledgeable.
As she continued the heating process, the juice took on a caramel-like color and thickened like toffee.
“Wow.”
Amazed by the result, she moved her hands faster. With wind magic, she quickly dried and solidified the substance.
[I want to taste it.]
Eryngium, who had developed a sense of taste during her time with Sylvia, felt awkward with this newfound appetite. Somehow, the food Sylvia made always managed to whet her appetite. Sylvia carefully took a small piece of the warm toffee and put it in Eryngium’s mouth, and then she had some herself.
[Wow!]
“Now it finally tastes a bit like sugar. Well, it’s not exactly the same as refined sugar, but it’s delicious.”
Analyzing the taste with a nod, Sylvia continued to work diligently.
“Before winter arrives, I need to check the market again.”
She laid out the prepared sugar on a large tray and brought a spacious magic bag with her as she stepped outside. Eryngium followed behind, perching on Sylvia’s shoulder and holding onto her turquoise hair.
Hastily making her way, Sylvia arrived at the bustling market, just as she had expected—it was filled with people.
“Winter is coming! To prepare for hibernation, you need these gemstone brooches engraved with insulation magic! Gemstone-like stones are available for just one gold coin and one nip!”
“Wow, they’re so expensive.”
The idea of paying so much for just a gemstone made Sylvia stick out her tongue.
“Do they have to be gemstones?”
She couldn’t understand why they had to use gemstones for the magic circle. It was nice to engrave the magic circle directly on her body for the most critical aspects, but for other things, it seemed like they were draining her money.
From the magic bag to the insulating brooches and boxes with long-term storage capabilities, while they weren’t the best in performance, Sylvia still appreciated the convenience they offered in daily life.
Confidently entering the chicken shop, Sylvia called out in a spirited voice.
“Uncle, give me five chickens and thirty eggs, please!”
“Oh, Sylvia. Why did you come so late? Everyone’s buying a lot of meat for winter preparation.”
His ominous words made Sylvia stop in her tracks.
“Could it be that everything’s sold out?”
How could she survive winter without meat? In a brief moment, many thoughts rushed through her mind.
The chicken shop owner chuckled and gestured.
“That’s why I set aside your portion, Sylvia. But there are only three chickens left.”
Ah, this is how you keep loyal customers!
“Where are they? Here, take the money first and put them in my magic bag. Also, this is my gift to you.”
Sylvia took out a present for the boss, whom she had become close to since she had been in and out frequently in a short period of time.
