479 Staple, Processing and Research Results
I was led to a field of green. Various plants are growing naturally in what looks to be a forest. Yep, it's nothing like your usual field, much less Waking Grass's.
It's hard to believe they have withering issues with how much greenery there is.
"What is this place? I don't see a single Waking Grass anywhere though?"
I had closely observed the blooming leaves inside that teapot. I don't see any plant with those leaves here.
"This is a Waking Grass field. We're promoting their growth while leaving them grow in the wilds. One time we did make an attempt to create an exclusive zone for Waking Grass alone but it didn't go well. We know it has to do with environments and surrounding states, but nobody has been able to determine what those are precisely. It's what makes this plant so interesting."
(As someone who'd just lump it up as fantasy. The research on this thing sounds like a huge pain in the arse.)
"Look over here. We've confirmed that this little tree here is important to Waking Grass.. And near the root... there it is. Here, have a bite. It's tasty."
She casually plucked a Waking Grass's leaf and handed it to me. The plant looks like a Poaceae with three centimeter-long leaves.
I followed Chief Raie's instruction, she didn't even bother to hide her mischievous face, and bit on the leaf.
"...I don't get it... It's tasteless? Like there's not even a grassy flavor when I chew on this... How?"
This grass is full of mysteries. The chief seemed satisfied at my reaction and spoke.
"Yep, all the mysteries around this plant is what makes it so interesting. How about it, interested in researching Waking Grass with me?"
"No, I don't think so. I just wanted to know how is such a good tea grown. I'm not suited for difficult riddle solving."
"My, that's a shame. Next will be, there. To the site where we process the plucked leaves into tea leaves."
There's a huge stove in the corner of a building, on top of it is an iron plate, and further top are the processed Waking Grass leaves.
"Oh you are you already done with the hand crumpling? And here I was thinking of letting our guest watch."
A lone lanky man with a sharp gaze quietly standing in front of the stove murmured to reply chief Raie.
"One more left. You can watch."
The man seems to be the perfect worker. He put the finished leaves away in a rack before placing a new iron plate on the stove.
He then just tossed unprocessed Waking Grass leaves on it and started moving both his hands on the plate like drawing circles.
The leaves gradually got rolled up.
It was over so fast like I was watching a magic trick.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
The worker put the finished leaves on another rack and left the place.
"Once these leaves sleep for a week, they're ready for the market. See? Interesting right?
"It's been quite a shock. No really. I had no idea that tea required so much hard work. You could readily tell looking at the field and workplace. And isn't this worker really good at this stuff? Almost got me thinking you could ask for a higher price even."
"My, thank you. But we managed to lower the price after we learned how to mass produce this tea. We worked really hard to make that happen. It's the fruit of our research. But that will have to wait until we could solve the issue at hands. Ha~, there's this griffon near a nearby woods, you see."
(Here comes Griffon! A staple monster! Griffon right after Chimera huh!)
"Can you tell me more about that? I might be able to lend you a hand."
"...What are you talking about? Are you really here just to observe our site? What's your goal?"
She got wary of me for some reason. Her droopy eyes turned narrow as she dubiously looked at me.
(...What the heck? I don't get it... Isn't all you need to do drive that griffon away, or not...?)
The mood earlier got blown away as tension ran in the air, meanwhile I found myself unable to grasp the situation here.
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