Chapter 24

    Are Tubers Really Inferior?

    The bonfire used for roasting the sweet potatoes had already burned out, leaving behind only pieces of ash-colored or unsightly blackened tubers. Yet, they emitted an irresistibly enticing aroma.

    The flesh inside was smooth and tender, with delicate fibers that were not at all rough on the throat. Its pale yellow hue, leaning towards white, made the textile and tailoring supply merchant lady scrutinize it with interest for a moment. Then, she peeled off the dirty skin and blew on it lightly to let it cool down.

    Even though the weather at the end of spring and the beginning of summer was warm, it was not so hot as to diminish the enjoyment of eating roasted food. The moment the sweet potato entered her mouth, its delicate sweetness and soft texture spread across her tongue. The merchant lady was so taken aback by its deliciousness that she fell silent. In just the blink of an eye, the large piece of sweet potato had vanished, leaving only a pair of hungry eyes fixed on the remaining tubers in the pile of ash.

    After a while, little Kit used a stick to poke the sweet potatoes out, peeled their skins, and distributed them to those interested. Once the first person dared to take a piece, the second, third, and more began to gather around, and in just a few moments, the first batch of tubers had disappeared into the mouths of the merchants. And so, the time for the little farmer to present his goods had finally arrived.

    “Our church has about ten large sacks of tubers available for sale. Is anyone interested?”

    “Mm... We really appreciate you introducing us to this delicious food, kid. However…” The leader of the merchants seemed troubled by something. “To be honest, no one has thought of eating this kind of food for so long that all the cooking methods have been completely forgotten. Even if we buy them, we wouldn’t be able to cook them as well as you do...”

    “That’s not difficult at all. You can roast them, boil them into stew with meat, or make soup. These things can be used in all sorts of dishes.” Kit continued to persuade them, but the skepticism and uncertainty in their eyes did not fade away just from words alone.

    “It’s still risky. I can tell that your precision in controlling the fire is quite high. You must have practiced roasting sweet potatoes for a long time, haven’t you?” The leather merchant narrowed his eyes, as if trying to catch any inconsistency. But when he found none, he smiled.

    This child still had a long way to go in becoming a merchant, but they would help him develop the right mindset. It was rare to find such an interesting and quick-witted kid. As they exchanged glances with their peers who shared similar thoughts, small smiles formed on their faces.

    “Why don’t you try selling cooked food instead? Well-prepared, delicious food—we’d be happy to buy it.”

    “I’d be willing to rent out a spot for just one silver coin a day. And I’ll even give you the first two days for free!”

    “If you can win us over, your trade will flourish in the future. More money will circulate, more trade routes will open, and there might even be people who become interested in these delicious crops and come to buy them directly from you. Then... Heh heh heh.” The overly greedy glint in the merchant leader’s eyes, along with his eerie grin, made Kit shudder.

    The young boy pondered. He could not deny that the far-sighted thinking of these merchants was something he had never considered before. He had never been a merchant, whether in this world or his previous one. His basic knowledge of market mechanisms like demand and supply still remained in his mind, but expanding a business to such a large scale… Could he really handle it?

    The little boy stood there, holding his chin in deep thought for a long moment before finally making a decision. Selling agricultural produce was the responsibility of a farmer anyway. Practicing early would not be a loss. Real-world experience was far more valuable than merely learning and being stuck in planting crops alone. Once he reached that conclusion, a familiar gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers to his nose.

    It seemed… The gods who were watching had given their approval.

    “Alright, I’ll do it. From now on, I’ll be relying on the guidance of my experienced seniors.”

    “Good boy. We’ll teach you everything, hee hee hee,” the elderly merchant leader chuckled while rubbing his round belly. “I’m Artis, the leader of the merchant caravan of Boraldia. In the coming days, we’ll be counting on you to feed us.”

    “Stop dawdling and roast some more sweet potatoes already. We each want another three or four.”

    “Yeah, yeah. My stomach is burning with hunger. Hurry up, little Kit. Hahaha.”

    There was only one and a half sacks of sweet potatoes left from what James had brought. It wouldn’t be enough for the merchants and their families, who totaled nearly twenty people. The ever-reliable elder brother had to run back to the church once more. Anna volunteered to go buy a pile of dry straw from the agricultural community and inform Sister Anne. Meanwhile, Kit ran off to buy red pine firewood from the neighboring houses.

    The first sum of money he received from Sister Anne was used wisely as initial capital to procure various supplies. The young boy also learned the basic prices of food items and determined the price for his first dish to sell.

    A roasted sweet potato nearly the size of a small child's forearm was priced modestly at 2 copper coins. Kit felt it was a bit expensive since it equaled the price of a meal at the end of the previous year, but the merchants thought it was reasonable.

    At the end of the previous year, a standard sack of dried grains cost only fifty copper coins. A sack of the same size could hold fewer tubers, with only around forty to fifty in total. With the prophecy issued by the Church of Landbruh, the price of a single sack of staple food was expected to rise to two silver coins.

    Thus, selling a sack of sweet potatoes—something no one in the kingdom wanted to eat—for a total of one silver coin was already more than Kit had anticipated. After deducting expenses, they still made a profit of ninety copper coins. It was quite a worthwhile investment.

    That half-day alone, the three children managed to sell another two sacks of sweet potatoes. Anna and James sat counting the copper coins that their little brother and they had worked hard to earn, their eyes gleaming with excitement. That first sum of money was about the same as the minimum annual support Mr. Gray had once provided to the church when he served as the village chief. The elder siblings couldn’t help but think of the two-acre sweet potato field that Kit and the younger children had planted.

    Not only did they now have food and supplies, but they also had extra income! Those who already had firm aspirations even started considering farming as a potential livelihood. At the same time, their capable younger brother remained completely unaware of just how much influence he had on his siblings and how significantly he had changed their lives.

    For nearly two weeks afterward, the menu of sweet potato dishes continued to rotate under the skilled hands of the young chef, with the help of the younger siblings who eagerly took turns assisting in service. Herbs from the front of the church were used to enhance the aroma, making the food even more appetizing. Seasoning powder made from dried mushrooms, dried minced meat, or roasted grains was created to keep the flavors varied. As a result, the makeshift food stall of Redwood Church became a popular spot where people constantly stopped by to buy food. Even the villagers dropped by to support them multiple times.

    No one could resist delicious food that added a splash of color to life. It was part of human nature—bodies required a variety of nutrients to stay strong and build resilience against illness. Fortunately, Kit only sold food during the day and had already learned to control the divine blessing he received to a certain extent. The extraordinary nature of the meals made by the little boy remained undiscovered.

    .....

    Life in the village had been simple and uneventful until an important supply convoy, sent by the Church in collaboration with the administrative division of the Seris Kingdom, finally arrived. Their journey had been delayed by a month and a half beyond the original schedule.

    The escorting soldiers, supply overseers, and all other members of the convoy bore exhausted and sorrowful expressions. They anticipated harsh scoldings from the villagers and the long-waiting church officials. The thought of the upcoming delivery day only deepened their gloom.

    "Captain, we've spotted the walls of Redwood Village," reported a soldier clad in light armor. Those who heard the news brightened for a brief moment before their expressions turned somber again, followed by a sigh.

    "Sigh... I wonder what kind of trouble awaits us this time. Hopefully, the Church won’t be so heartless as to make us sleep in the forest."

    "Oh, John, don't jinx it," his close comrade grumbled, frowning. "Sigh... As long as Redwood isn’t as bad as Blackwood or Sunwood, I’ll be content."

    "I'm afraid it might be worse. This is the northernmost frontier of the kingdom. Just think—Blackwood and Sunwood barely have anything left to eat. Their wheat fields haven’t even begun to sprout..." With that thought in mind, everyone started imagining just how many people in the village awaiting them might have already succumbed to starvation.

    "The forest of the Goddess Foris couldn’t be that cruel. Let’s not let dark thoughts disrupt the convoy."

    "If only those corrupt nobles hadn’t hoarded supplies, causing all these delays. At least Lord Audric pulled some strings to speed things up a little. Otherwise, the northern region would’ve been completely doomed..."

    For low-ranking soldiers like them, all they could do was vent their frustration. Their weary legs, however, still carried them forward toward their destination, as ordered.

    .....

    At last, they arrived at the village entrance, which stood tall amidst the distinctive red pinewood walls.

    But what they had expected was completely overturned by what they actually saw.

    The villagers of Redwood, along with the clergy who had arrived ahead of them, stood welcoming the supply convoy with bright smiles. Their faces radiated happiness. The soldiers, who had endured the arduous journey, felt deeply moved. Their weary and malnourished comrades were even given food that had been prepared in advance. Though surprised to see that it was entirely made from sweet potatoes with bits of meat mixed in, they understood the hardships the villagers must have faced.

    Captain John, the leader of the convoy, could only assume that the people had struggled so much that they had to forage from the forest just to welcome them. Though in everyone’s minds, tubers were a forbidden food according to ancient beliefs, they still ate without hesitation.

    What happened next was a familiar sight—one that everyone at the Redwood Church had seen many times before…

    The thoughts of this group had already changed. The beliefs ingrained in their minds had been corrected by the sheer deliciousness of Redwood’s sweet potatoes, under the blessings of Goddess Foris, God Landbruh, and the hard work of the church members.

    The benefits of sweet potatoes would spread rapidly through word of mouth from those who had tasted them.

    And so, everyone could only wonder… Was this crop truly something inferior?