028 高価な薬草を育てよう (1)
「サラサさん、今日の予定は?」
ダルナさんへの挨拶が予想以上に早く終わったため、開店はいつも通りの時間。
手早く開店作業を終えたところで、ロレアちゃんが私の今日の予定を訊ねてきた。
「......今日はまず、隣の薬草畑の確認と場合によっては指導かな?」
少し考えて答えた私に、ロレアちゃんがどこか嬉しそうにふむふむと頷く。
「順調みたいですね。マイケルさんから聞いています」
「一応は、ね。育てやすい物を主体にしてるから」
ロレアちゃんって、地味に事情通なんだよね、私に比べて。
まぁ、定期的に食料の買い出しに行くロレアちゃんに対し、私はこの家からほとんど出ないからねぇ。あんまり用事がないから。
正確に言うなら、時々は出るけど、村よりも森とかサウス・ストラグに行く機会の方が多いって感じかな? ロレアちゃんのおかげで、ディラルさんの所にご飯を食べに行く必要もなくなったから。
「その後は、放置気味になってる裏の薬草畑の処理をしようかな?」
「え、あの畑、潰しちゃうんですか?」
「違う、違う。育てる物を変えようと思って。マイケルさんでも育てられる薬草なら、私が育てる必要もないし」
「あ、そうですよね。同じのを作っても無駄ですよね」
「そういうこと。だから、育てるのが難しい物を植える予定なんだけど......それだけに、種も高いんだよねぇ」
「ということは?」
「失敗すると、大損害! 今の私でも、結構痛いんだよね」
ただ、それらの薬草があるのとないのとでは、作れる
ここの大樹海にも生えているはずだけど、今、村にいる採集者のレベルだと、命懸けになりそうなほど深い場所になるから、『採ってきて!』とも頼めない。
そもそも、余所から仕入れるよりはマシとはいえ、採ってきてもらってもお金が掛かることには違いがないし。
「なるほどです。でも、そういう薬草の栽培って、錬金術でもっと楽になったりはしないんですか?」
「一応、“完全育苗器”っていう、既知の植物であれば、魔力を注ぐだけで完璧に育ててくれる
あ、既知といっても、正確に言うなら『栽培方法が確立している既知の植物』ね。
植物に精通した錬金術師を以てしても、育てられない植物は対象外。
その代わり、栽培方法が確立していれば、水も肥料も太陽の光すら必要ない、なかなかにとんでもない
大金持ちの貴族なんかは、これに観葉植物を入れて、部屋に飾っていたりするらしい。
私からすると、ちょっと信じられないけど。
「え、凄いじゃないですか。それを用意すれば、薬草の問題は解決なんじゃ?」
「いやいや、そんな簡単だったら苦労しないよ。今の私じゃ作れないし、滅茶苦茶高価な
どのくらい高価かというと、小さな植木鉢が入るサイズで、庶民の家なら数軒建つようなレベル。
木から採取するような薬草に関しては、もはや非現実的でしかない。
そうやって育てて収穫する薬草の生産コストについては、言うまでもないだろう。
これに観葉植物を入れる貴族が信じられない私の気持ち、理解してくれるよね?
「はぁ~、そんな落とし穴が......。ちなみに、既知じゃない植物を入れると?」
「その場合は『完全』じゃなくて、『程々』に育ててくれる。上手く育つかどうかは......運?」
私も使ったことはないし、詳しくは知らないけど、ちょっとした品種の違いぐらいなら、良い感じに調整してくれるらしい。
ただし、既知の植物とはまったく種類の異なる、完全な新種を入れた場合の勝率は半々――よりも悪いとかなんとか。
新種の種苗なんて貴重だろうし、かなりリスキーだよね。
それなら普通の人は、自分で育てる方を選ぶ。
「ま、私には関係がない話だけど。買える物じゃないから」
「つまり、サラサさんが頑張って面倒を見るしかない、と」
「うん、基本的には。ただ、“育苗補助器”という
その後は畑に植えて、通常通りに栽培。
それでも普通に種を植えるよりは、大幅に成功率が高い。
育てるのが難しい植物って、まず発芽するかどうかが最初の関門だから。
ポットに根っこをしっかりと張れるぐらいになれば、あとは結構なんとかなったりする。
もちろん、畑に植え付けた後も、気温、霜、雪、乾燥、肥料、魔力など、気を付けないといけない要素はたくさんあるけどね。
「それでも便利ですねぇ。農家の人が喜びそうな
「お金が掛からなければ、ね。完全育苗器とは比較にならないとはいえ、十分に高いし、魔晶石を使うにしろ、自分の魔力を使うにしろ、普通の農家だと賄えないから。赤字になっちゃうよ」
「ははぁ、普通の農作物じゃ、役に立たないと」
「そーゆーこと。魔力に問題のない私だって、薬草栽培だけを目的に作ることはないと思うよ。ちょっとやそっとじゃ元が取れないもん」
錬金術大全に載っていて、作らないといけないから作るだけ。
買ってくれる人がいるなら売りたいところだけど、この村だとやっぱり無理だよね。
植物の研究者でもなければ、普通は用事のない
「ま、当分の予定はそんな感じかな? そんなわけで、私は出かけてくるね。ロレアちゃん、店番の方はよろしく」
「はい、任せてください。行ってらっしゃいませ」
お隣の畑では、今日もマイケルさんとイズーさんが頑張っていた。
以前、ガットさんが言っていた通り、マイケルさんたちはとても真面目で、教えたことはきっちりと、サボることなくやっている。
技術面ではまだまだなので、放置することはできないけれど、安心して作業を任せることはできていた。
「おはようございます。朝早くからご苦労様です」
「あ、サラサさん。おはようございます。良い天気ですね」
私が声を掛けると、イズーさんが顔を上げ、にっこりと挨拶を返してくれる。
遠くで作業をしていたマイケルさんも、私の姿に気付くと、やや早足でこちらにやってきた。
「調子はどうですか?」
「問題ないと思いますが......確認して頂けますか?」
少しだけ不安そうなマイケルさんに促され、私は畑の何カ所かで薬草を確認してみるけど......病気はないし、成長も問題なし。虫もついていないね。
「......はい、大丈夫そうですね。もう少し......霜が降りる前には収穫できますよ」
「ついにですか! いやー、初めての収穫だけに、楽しみです!」
「私の育てた物が......」
実家の手伝いをしていたマイケルさんはともかく、町育ちのイズーさんは正真正銘、これが初めて育てた作物。
それだけにどこか感慨深げに、しっかりと育った薬草を見つめている。
だが、ふと気付いたように私を見て、口を開いた。
「ところで、これを収穫した後は春までなにもなし、ですか? もう冬になりますが」
「私としては、それでも構いませんが......」
マイケルさんたちには、畑で収穫した薬草の一部の他、しばらくの間はエリンさんから給料が支払われる。
だからこそ、冬場に無理して働く必要はないんだけど、収穫が得られれば、それだけ収入も増えるわけで。
「できれば、何か植えられたら嬉しいです」
だからこそ、イズーさんからそんな提案があったことは、さほど不思議ではなかった。
110 028 Grow Expensive Herbs (1)
"Mr. Sarasa, what are your plans for today?
The opening time is as usual because the greeting to Mr. Darna ended earlier than expected.
Just finishing the shop early, Lorea asked about my plans for today.
"... first today, check the next herbal field and, in some cases, instruct?
I answered with a few thoughts, and Lorea nodded happily somewhere. Hmm.
"Sounds like things are going well. Michael tells me."
"For once, yeah. Because it's mainly easy to grow."
Lorea is plainly circumstantial, compared to me.
Well, compared to Lorea, who goes to buy out food on a regular basis, I barely get out of this house, so hey. Because I don't have much business.
If I'm being precise, do I sometimes leave, but do I feel more likely to go to the woods or South Strag than to go to the village? Because thanks to Lorea, I don't even have to go to Mr. Diral's for dinner anymore.
"After that, why don't we take care of the herbal fields behind you that are feeling left out?
"Oh, that field, will you crush it?
"No, no. Trying to change what I grow. If Michael could grow herbs, I wouldn't have to grow them."
"Oh, right. It's no use making the same one."
"That sort of thing. So I'm planning on planting something that's hard to grow... so the seeds are expensive too."
"What do you mean?
"If you fail, it will be devastating! Even now, it hurts a lot."
However, there is a huge difference between the types of smelters (potions) that can be made, so I need to get them anyway.
It should also be growing in the Great Tree Sea here, but now, at the level of gatherers in the village, it's going to be such a deep place that it's going to put your life on the line, 'Pick it up!' I can't even ask for it.
In the first place, even though it's better than purchasing from extra space, it doesn't make a difference that it costs money to have it picked.
"I see. But wouldn't cultivating herbs like that be easier with alchemy?
"For once, if it's a known plant called a" complete nursery, "there are smelters (artifacts) that grow perfectly just by instilling magic..."
Oh, even if it's known, 'known plants with established cultivation methods', to be exact.
Even plant-savvy alchemists do not cover plants that cannot be grown.
Instead, if cultivation methods are established, there is no need for water, fertilizer, or even sunlight, a rather absurd smelter (artifact).
The big rich aristocrats seem to put ornamental plants in this and decorate the room.
From me, it's a little hard to believe.
"Oh, isn't that awesome? With that in place, the problem with the herbs is solved, right?
"No, no, I wouldn't have a hard time if it was that simple. I can't make it now, and I don't have the funds to buy it from other alchemists because it's a tear-free expensive smelter (artifact). Finally, there are not many alchemists who can make them, and they are not cost-worthy"
How expensive is it, it's the size of a small plant pot that comes in, a level that would build a few houses for ordinary people.
With regard to herbs such as those to be collected from trees, it is no longer only unrealistic.
Needless to say about the cost of producing herbs that grow and harvest that way.
I can't believe the nobility who puts ornamental plants in this. You understand my feelings, right?
"Huh, such a pitfall...... By the way, when you put in an unknown plant?
"In that case, it's not 'complete', it raises me to 'moderate'. Whether or not you grow up well...... luck?
I've never used it either, and I don't know the details, but if it's about a little variety difference, they adjust it to look good.
However, the odds of winning if you put in a complete new species, completely different from the known plants, are half - worse than something like that.
What a precious new breed of seedlings, and it's pretty risky, isn't it?
Ordinary people choose to raise their own.
"Well, it's none of my business. Because it's not something you can buy."
"I mean, Mr. Sarasa has to work hard and take care of him," he said.
"Yeah, basically. However, there is also a smelter (artifact) called" nursery aid, "and I can make it here, so I'm going to use this."
Afterwards it is planted in the fields and cultivated as usual.
Still, it has a significantly higher success rate than planting seeds normally.
Because the first gateway to plants that are difficult to grow is whether they germinate.
As long as I can get my roots firmly in the pot, I can handle quite a bit of the rest.
Of course, even after planting in the field, there are many elements to be aware of, such as temperature, frost, snow, dryness, fertilizer and magic.
"Still convenient. It's an artifact that farmers are going to love."
"If it doesn't cost you money, yeah. Although it's not comparable to a complete nursery, it's expensive enough, because you can't bribe a normal farmer by using Demonic Crystal Stone, by using your own magic. You're gonna have a deficit."
"Ha ha, on a regular crop, it has to be useful"
"So-yu thing. I don't think I'd make it just for herb cultivation. I can't take it from you."
It's on all of the alchemy and I just make it because I have to make it.
If anyone wants to buy it, I'd love to sell it, but I still can't do it in this village.
If you're not a plant researcher, you're usually an errand-free smelter (artifact).
"Is that what you plan to do for the time being? That's why I'm going out. Lorea, say hello to the store number."
"Yes, I'll take care of it. You're not going."
In the neighboring fields, Michael and Izu were still working hard today.
As Mr. Gatt said before, Michael and the others are very serious and do exactly what they have taught, without skipping.
Not yet in terms of technology, so I couldn't leave it alone, but I could safely leave the work to it.
"Good morning. Thank you for your hard work early in the morning."
"Ah, Mr. Sarasa. Good morning. It's a beautiful day."
When I speak, Mr. Izu looks up and smiles back and greets me.
Michael, who was working far away, also came here slightly faster when he noticed what I looked like.
"How's it going?
"I don't think it's a problem...... can you confirm that?
Michael, who seems a little anxious, prompted me to check on the herbs in some parts of the field... but I'm not sick, and my growth is fine. You don't even have a bug.
"... Yes, that sounds fine. A little more... you can harvest it before it frosts."
"Finally! No, just for my first harvest, I'm looking forward to it!
"What I grew up with..."
Regardless of Michael, who was helping his parents, Izu, who grew up in town, is the real deal, this is the first crop I've ever grown.
So somewhere emotionally, I'm staring at a well-grown herb.
But he looked at me like he realized, and he opened his mouth.
"By the way, after harvesting this, nothing until spring, is it? It's winter now."
"As far as I'm concerned, I don't mind..."
Michael and the others are paid by Erin for a while in addition to some of the herbs harvested in the field.
That's why I don't have to work in the winter, but if I get a harvest, that's all I get.
"Hopefully, I'd be happy to plant something"
That is why it was not so surprising that Mr Izu had made such a proposal.
The Novice Alchemist’s Store
[Web版] 新米錬金術師の店舗経営
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-novice-alchemists-store/
Adventure Comedy Fantasy Shoujo Ai Slice of Life Supernatural
Adapted to Anime Adapted to Manga Alchemy Artifact Crafting Artifacts Business Management Carefree Protagonist Crafting Cute Story Fantasy World Heartwarming Herbalist Jack of All Trades Marriage of Convenience Orphans Protagonist Strong from the Start R-15 Store Owner Sword And Magic
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3174fc/
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