NOVEL WEB Chapter 136.1
Firm Tomatoes Can Be Softened And Made Delicious With Noodle Sauce
“Hello, Yuuri-kun.”
“Hello… huh? Arga-san?”
“Why are you so wide-eyed, you?”
“Well, it’s just that, while it’s one thing if it were Sheila-san, it’s rare for Arga-san to come here, isn’t it?”
Under the dazzling sunlight of a clear day, Yuuri, who was airing out cushions on a large sheet spread outside, was about to greet the suddenly appeared person but was surprised. The person there was Arga, the childhood friend of Tifana, the son of the owner of the popular eatery Sunshine Pavilion, and the son of the innkeeper of the adventurer-frequented inn Cicada Pavilion. Yuuri rarely went to play at the inn, so he didn’t meet Arga as often as he did Darius, Arga’s father, or Sheila, the popular waitress at Sunshine Pavilion and Arga’s sister.
Moreover, it was so unusual for him to visit the Scarlet Lynx’s hideout like this that Yuuri couldn’t help but be astonished. But then again, it’s probably not Yuuri’s fault. Arga hardly ever comes here.
“Well, it’s true that it’s rare. A delivery from my old man.”
“From Darius-san?”
Yuuri tilted his head in puzzlement, and Arga showed him a cloth bag he was holding in both hands. It was quite a large bag, and you could tell there were round objects inside.
Yuuri, who was in the middle of airing out the cushions, was holding a cushion in one hand and froze in confusion. Then, Camille took the cushion from the side with a quick motion. Turning around, Yuuri saw Camille and the other apprentices behind him smiling.
“All that’s left is to lay them out to dry, so we’ll take care of it.”
“But Camille…”
“It’s worse to keep a guest waiting, right? Arga-san has work at the inn too.”
“…That’s true. Well then, everyone, please.”
“”Yeah!””
Gratefully accepting Camille’s offer, Yuuri turned to Arga, who had been waiting without interrupting the conversation. Arga didn’t seem to be in a hurry, but perhaps he was pleased by the boys’ consideration, as his face showed a soft smile. The refreshing smile of the innkeeper’s son. …Incidentally, this smile was quite popular among the neighborhood aunties.
“Arga-san, sorry to keep you waiting. From Darius-san, it’s ingredients, right? Can I have you carry them to the kitchen?”
“Of course. If I let Yuuri-kun carry something heavy, everyone would get mad at me.”
“Haha, that’s not true.”
“No, it is. If you hurt your hand, I’d definitely get scolded by Tifa.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. …Tifa is scary when she gets angry.”
“I see.”
Arga added in a whisper as if to keep it a secret, and Yuuri nodded seriously. Yuuri had never been scolded by her, but indeed, Tifana was a terrifying older sister when angered. Given her usual calm and ladylike image, the horror of her smiling while a blizzard raged behind her was no ordinary matter. If she were to hold her beloved dagger with that smile, it would be unbearable. Too scary.
Being childhood friends, Arga must have had various interactions with Tifana. Even knowing her usual calm and gentle nature, he fully understood how terrifying she could be when angered. And yet, he teased Yuuri to that extent, showing his playful side. They were that close, childhood friends with a short distance between them.
As they chatted and reached the kitchen, Arga opened the bag he was carrying wide. Inside were plenty of tomatoes.
“Why so many?”
“An acquaintance of my old man grows them, but the seedlings got damaged by the rain, so they harvested them before they fully ripened.”
“I see.”
“So, they’re still a bit firm and not fully sweet. My old man’s been making sauce, but he can’t keep up. …He thought you guys here would use them without letting them go bad.”
“That’s right. Tomatoes are nutritious, so I’m happy.”
Yuuri smiled happily, and Arga seemed somewhat relieved. Yuuri looked at him curiously, and Arga made a slightly troubled face.
“Well, it feels like I’m pushing a troublesome task onto you.”
“Not at all. They’re just not fully ripe, but they’re still edible, right?”
“Yeah. But they’re a bit firm and lack sweetness. Making sauce is a hassle.”
“I wasn’t planning to make sauce.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
At that point, Yuuri and Arga realized their thoughts were misaligned.
In Arga’s mind, the only use for underripe tomatoes was to make tomato sauce. Essentially, if you stewed them, you could season them, and their original form would disappear, so it wouldn’t matter if they were firm or lacked flavor.
However, Yuuri had something else in mind. Tomato sauce is indeed delicious, but in this hot season, he was thinking of a different menu. A dish simpler than tomato sauce that could be made in large quantities.
“If not sauce, what will you do?”
“Soak them in noodle sauce.”
“…Huh? Noodle sauce, that mixed seasoning Harozu-san has been selling lately? My old man bought some too.”
“Yes. Firm tomatoes soften when soaked in noodle sauce, and they absorb the flavor nicely.”
“…I see.”