Rising from the Slum City of Reincarnation in Another World ~ Gathering, Hunting, and Living a Slow Life by Eating

Chapter 34 Wild strawberry

Thursday.

Once again, after having breakfast, it’s time to set off.

I take Mīnya with me and pass through the slums to go see the state of the grasslands.

“Oh, they’re growing, just as I expected.”

In the grasslands, red fruits were scattered with some intervals.

【Wild Strawberry (Noichigo) – Plant – Edible】

Two weeks ago, they were still white flowers.

Now, they are all starting to bear fruit at once.

They are just beginning to ripen, and it seems like we can start harvesting them today or in the coming days.

The problem is that the grasslands in the slums are the children’s territory, and there is a tradition of everyone picking and eating the Noichigo every year.

If we gather these Noichigo and turn them into jam, it could be quite profitable.

However, if I inform everyone, the jam-making will be exposed, and we’ll have to deal with the distribution of profits.

If I selfishly take them all for myself, it’s certain to cause a big backlash.

That’s why I’m thinking of giving up on the grasslands Noichigo.

However, for some reason, there is a way out.

Across the road, on the flatland by the riverside, there are also Noichigo growing, although not as many as in the grasslands.

The children want to eat them, but for some reason, they don’t bother to go and pick them on this side.

“We’ll quietly gather the Noichigo from the riverside flatland.”

“Yes.”

Since that’s decided, let’s go and find Lānia.

“Lānīā-chan!”

“Yes, I’m here.”

“We’re going to gather Noichigo by the riverside and make jam. Let’s do it quickly and make sure the children don’t find out.”

“Understood.”

With that, we pass through the slums and cross the main road towards the southern riverside.

“If we’re talking about them growing, they certainly are.”

Indeed, they are not as abundant as in the grasslands.

However, if we collect them, there will still be a considerable number.

The riverside area is wider than the grassland.

Thanks to my past life, I’m good at math.

In my mind, I visualize an abacus.

We arrive at a cluster of strawberry shrubs.

Without delay, we start picking them.

Since they bear multiple fruits in one spot, once you find them, you can gather a decent amount.

Then, we move to the next cluster of strawberry shrubs and continue picking.

In between, we also collect dandelion leaves and other plants.

We make sure to gather Mīnya and Lānia’s portion before they become overwhelmed.

“Here, Ed.”

“Ed-kun, please take it.”

“Thank you.”

Although I’m not the one receiving, I express my gratitude for some reason. Mīnya seems delighted that I appreciate her gesture, and she looks incredibly happy. Even Lānia seems to have a similar feeling to some extent. It’s probably because it will be profitable and turn into jam once it’s gathered, which brings them joy.

A large quantity of red and orange Noichigo has been gathered. Despite the color difference, they will be mixed together.

We managed to gather today’s portion just before noon, filling it to the brim. I think we collected quite a lot. The remaining capacity of the item box has also decreased.

“Here, Mīnya, thank you. Let’s call it a day.”

“Meow.”

“Lānia, thank you. We’re done.”

“Yes.”

Each of them is acknowledged with these words.

“After returning home and having lunch, let’s make jam.”

“Yay!”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Oh, jam is truly something special. And we already know it’s delicious—it’s made with strawberries. It may be closer to raspberry than strawberry, but the compatibility between strawberry jam and bread is already guaranteed, even from our past lives.

Upon arriving home, we prepare our usual wild herb lunch.

“Now, let’s make the jam.”

“Yes!”

“Finally, the time has come.”

We add the strawberries to the pot along with a small amount of salt and water.

The strawberries emit a delightful aroma.

The red color of the strawberries looks so appetizing.

Gulping sounds

Both of them have an irresistible expression on their faces, eagerly watching. It’s still a bit early, just a little more time.

“It’s ready!”

“Yay!”

Suddenly, the bread is already prepared. I slice it with a knife.

Then, I spread the thinly sliced bread with strawberry jam and take a bite.

“Mmm, delicious!”

“Oh, it’s tasty!”

Indeed, it’s quite delightful. The sweetness is just right, and the slight acidity enhances the flavor even more. The balance is superb. And the aroma, it’s filled with the wonderful scent of strawberries.

When it comes to jam, it’s always strawberries. And when you think of strawberries, it’s jam.

While the two are still looking eager to eat, I shift my focus to making the next batch of strawberry jam.

And so, the first batch of strawberry jam is completed.

After bottling it up, I head to Dridon’s General Store.

“Hey, Dridon-san.”

“Oh, what is it, Ed?”

“Strawberry jam.”

“Oh? It’s about time for that, indeed. It used to be a snack for kids, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. But we didn’t collect them from the grassland.”

“I see. So, how many jars do you have?”

“About 20, I think.”

“Can I taste it?”