ALL NOVEL 54: Autumn Sky and Sweet Potatoes
As the summer heat subsided, the mornings and evenings became cooler, and the days grew shorter.
Seeing off the summer and feeling the touch of autumn brings a slightly sentimental mood.
Hmm, it almost makes you feel like you could become a poet.
Or maybe not.
Yeah, which is it?
This autumn, the engagement ceremony for Lord Oscar, the eldest son of the Lagunard Marquis family, will be held at the royal capital’s mansion.
An invitation has arrived for my father, so preparations are underway for him to attend.
Although, throwing formal wear into the magic bag suffices for the luggage (it doesn’t really), he will also be filing tax returns.
Hey, you there, thinking “He hasn’t gone in two years, right?”
Dad is quite capable, so while I was lounging around in the garden or field, he dashed there and back!
I just didn’t mention it because it doesn’t affect my life as a child!
Ahem.
“…Are you stupid?”
Mee-Mee is saying something, but I don’t care!
And so, my father and Victor were busy checking documents.
This time, along with the engagement ceremony, there’s also Ren-nii’s debut into society! So, my father will be working hard after a long time.
The morning of departure after all preparations are complete.
“Father, do your best. I packed lots of snacks in the magic bag, so please eat them on the way.”
Just like for my brothers, I packed a lot.
“I’ll try to return as soon as possible, so be a good boy and listen to Burton and Martha.”
“Yes.”
Father hugged me tightly, and I hugged him back.
“I’ll be here too, so rest assured.”
Grandfather Al also smiled and joined the farewell line.
“Please take care, Lord Arsheleed.”
Father bowed deeply.
Grandfather Al nodded proudly.
Oh yes, I also prepared snacks for Victor, Michele, Hugo, and Kevin who are accompanying him. This time, Michele is going to the royal capital as part of his training.
He’s supposed to gain various experiences from now on.
It must be tough for him, being younger than Riol-nii.
Since the journey will be on horseback, he looked very tense.
Of course, Michele will ride with Victor.
He can’t handle long distances alone yet.
“Well then, we’re off! I’ll leave the rest to you, Burton.”
“Understood. We await your safe return.”
Burton bowed respectfully with the highest etiquette of a butler.
Good luck, everyone.
Take care.
After that, I planted radberry seedlings in the empty melon field.
I’ll also tidy up the flower garden.
I’ll store away the finished or damaged flowers from the spring sowing in the skill storage.
For those still blooming, I’ll add fertilizer and trim the leaves, giving them one more effort until late autumn.
I’ll purify the soil in the empty spots, add wood ash and compost, and have Poko and the others till it. Then I’ll sow seeds of Chinese milk vetch and baby blue eyes for spring and cover them with soil.
I also sowed crimson clover and white clover seeds in round partitions.
Once the current flowers finish blooming, I’ll plant different flowers there next year.
Sage, chamomile, and echinacea are also liked by the bees.
It might be nice to place animal ornaments too!
It’s going to be fun!
And autumn means it’s sweet potato harvesting season!
It’s time to harvest the red-purple sweet potatoes (satsumaimo) planted behind the mansion.
Everyone who was free, including the spirits, gathered to dig up the sweet potatoes.
I tried my best to pull them out, but I only ended up rolling backward with the leaves, and the sweet potatoes didn’t come out.
Why?
While I was staring blankly at the sky, Billy came over swiftly and loosened the soil around the sweet potatoes with a shovel!
“Haku, I think it should be easier to dig now.”
Billy moved forward, loosening the soil smoothly.
I see.
You can’t just pull them out with force because the roots are holding them!
I was careless!
Alright, one more time!
“Take that!”
Thunk.
All I had in my hand was a torn leaf…
The autumn sky is so high.
I wonder if the horses have gained weight?
“Young master, you’re in the way, so please go rest over there.”
Isaac, looking exasperated, lifted me up and carried me out of the field.
“Isaac, sweet potatoes have a lot of perseverance, don’t they?”
“Young master, you don’t even have a speck of perseverance.”
Isaac’s cold retort left me feeling down.
“Well, young master has his own good points, so just do your best at what you can.”
Isaac placed me on a mat by the protective wall and gently brushed the dirt off my clothes. As expected of a dad, he’s good at this.
Then Kuu came over and sat beside me.
Maybe Kuu had nothing to do today too?
“Together, stay.”
Kuu muttered softly and snuggled up to me.
Kuu’s mouth was a little pouty, but her cheeks were slightly red.
Usually, Guri and Poko are nearby, so maybe she’s being considerate?
Kuu is so cute.
I hugged her tightly.
Kuu hugged me back too.
“Haku, weak, together, protect.”
Ah, yes, sorry for being the weakest.
I appreciate your trouble.
Thank you for taking care of me.
Isaac watched us with a smirk.
“Well, I’ll leave the young master’s protection to you.”
He patted Kuu on the head and returned to digging sweet potatoes.
I’m totally underestimated by my attendants.
The harvested sweet potatoes are dried in a shady place and then stored in a cool, dark place for two weeks to a month, taking care not to let them dry out too much.
It’s a bit of a hassle, but the sweetness increases if you wait rather than eating them right after harvesting.
Though, that’s just my vague memory!
By that time, let’s have a bonfire and roast sweet potatoes!
Wait, was it aluminum foil?
Is there any substitute?
I don’t know how to roast them, so I’ll leave that to Jeff.
I’m looking forward to it.
I’m sure it will be delicious!
Thinking about that, I realized steamed sweet potatoes are more common in this world.
Thanks to Mee-Mee’s advice, we switched to making stone-roasted sweet potatoes.
In an old, thick pot that we no longer use, we put clean stones and heat them. When the moisture from the stones evaporates, we place the sweet potatoes on top, cover the pot, and heat it slowly on low heat.
Don’t forget to turn the sweet potatoes occasionally.
They’re ready when a skewer easily pierces the thickest part.
Will this really work?
As long as they’re cooked, it should be fine.
Time to taste!
Although I was skeptical, we made delicious stone-roasted sweet potatoes!
The inside was a deep yellow with a moist texture.
Stone-roasted sweet potatoes are the best!
The power of far-infrared rays.
After that, it became a new craze at our house!