Isekai: Princess Marquess Becomes Entrepreneur of Tempe

Chapter 49. Mothballs

"Sister, really want to go home today?"

Elona asked Stefan with a sad look. Today was early in the morning, Stefan and Iris were getting ready to return to the capital. Piles of suitcases are neatly arranged in the yard, ready to be transported into the cabin of a horse carriage that has been prepared.

There are three horse-drawn carriages parked there. One was for transporting items, the other was for the escort servants they had brought from the capital, and the other was for Stefan and Iris themselves. The soldiers who will escort are ready with their own horses.

Stefan looked at his sister with a sad feeling of coming along. "You don't want to be like that, I don't have the heart. If not for the royal council calling me out for a job, I would still like to linger here."

Iris approached her sister-in-law and hugged her, "Go home to the capital once in a while, huh. Remember, take care of your health. Don't eat late, don't get too tired."

"Yes, Brother Iris..." Elona nodded her head.

Iris approached Elona's ear and whispered, "If there's anything, just ask your friend for help, yes."

Iris ended her whisper with a blink of an eye, making Elona blush in embarrassment.

"Sister, I'm the same Art is just friends!" refute Elona half yelled, and this provoked Stefan to listen.

"What's? What was? You guys whispering about what?"

"Ah, there is none! Come on, Stefan, we better get going now! We'll miss the ship!" Iris invites Stefan to quickly enter the cabin, as well as prevent him from being curious further.

"See you, brother! Be careful on the road!"

*****

The twilight has arrived. Elona went into her dimly lit room with candlelight after she returned from the factory. The atmosphere was so quiet after her two brothers returned home to the capital, after two more months of staying at Armelin.

Elona sat in a chair facing the window of her room. The girl sighed.

Quiet again... But, usually there are also no Stefan and Iris. But, there are usually...

A red hue suddenly appeared on both cheeks of Elona.

Why am I thinking about Art?!

The girl flicked her hands over her head, trying to remove Art's face from her mind. Since her brother stayed at Armelin, Art has not visited her at all at night.

The cause is known to Elona. The young man must have been afraid that if Stefan had caught him sneaking into a girl's room who was clearly his dearest sister. Moreover, Stefan seemed to hate his friend, even though he did not know the reason.

Art how are you? I've been too busy to even have time to chat in the fields with her since Stefan came.

He's gonna be here tonight, yeah...

Again Elona was surprised at his own thoughts and tried to disperse them by shaking his head.

Why do I keep thinking, anyway, just like him?!

Already, already! I'd better start thinking about a new product, a soy meat substitute!

For the sake of not thinking about that young man called Art anymore, Elona took out a piece of linen paper and a quill pen from inside the desk drawer. He sat back in the chair facing the window and wrote something down on the paper.

'Meats from soy, aka Tempe.'

Elona wrote the title on the top paper. Then, the girl tried to remember what was needed to make traditional tempe. For people who like or choose to be vegetarian or vegan, tempeh is often touted as a meat substitute because of its high protein content.

How to make tempeh is actually easy, which is just boil soy beans that have been peeled skin until tender. Then, put into the folds of banana leaves or waru, sprinkle tempe yeast evenly. Stay awaited 5 days and the yarn or commonly called mold will grow. The white-and-white mold is attached to the entire soybean seed, making it blend with each other. Then, ready to cook. That easy.

The problem is, there is no yeast tempe in this fantasy world.

Tempe is a food in the form of soybean seeds that blend with the white layer that appears due to the process of peragian using tempe yeast. The white layer is mold aka thread fungus. Of course because of that, tempeh yeast cannot be replaced by bread yeast for example, which serves to develop dough, not grow mold as in tempe.

And this is what makes Elona dizzy to think about it. Because, to make tempe requires tempe yeast, while tempe yeast can be made if there is tempe before.

Making tempeh yeast requires fresh tempeh ingredients that are stored and left for days, sliced thinly, then dried, then crushed. So, there must be tempe before to be able to become the mold that will become yeast. Elona recalled that the presence of tempe yeast could be replaced with tempe flour, but the manufacture of this flour also needs tempe before.

"Oh, dizzy!!"

Elona half screamed in her room. Then the girl slapped her face on the table.

*****

Geck!

There was the sound of window glass being stoned. Suddenly Elona turned to the source of the voice. The figure of a man perched on a tree branch in front of the window as usual.

Art...

Elona's lips revealed a smile without realizing it. A moment later, his face blushed.

Ah, this is all because of Sister Iris, I've been thinking too much about Art!

Geck!

The window was pelted with gravel again. Elona immediately got up from her seat and opened the window. The man immediately jumped into Elona's room deftly.

"Hi." said the man. Art seemed to rub his hair with one hand, trying to clean his hair from leaves and insects that might stick when he was still perching earlier.

Oh, what's wrong with me?

Elona asked herself in surprise. And the same question was uttered by Art a moment later.

"Why you?" ask the young man. Elona quickly nodded.

"Ah, it-it's okay..."

"So confused when I see me?" art asked again as he sat on the chair opposite Elona.

"Oh, we haven't seen each other in a long time, that's all..."

Art looked at Elona. Actually, he should be a little away from Elona at this time, as recommended by his cousin Iris. But he couldn't stand it. Especially when Stefan visited Armelin, he was increasingly unable to visit Elona's room at night. As soon as he heard that Stefan and Iris had returned home to the capital, Art immediately rushed to Locke's residence at Armelin as he had always done before.

And Elona's unusual reaction makes Art suspicious. They hadn't talked to each other in nearly three months since Stefan was at Armelin. Now her brother is home. Art hopes to be greeted with a smile of Elona as she visits the girl's room. But in reality, Elona doesn't talk much at the moment.

Whatisthis? Why is it that when I obey Iris, Elona is so awkward with me?! Don't tell me that Iris's advice has made her even further away from me!!

Although in his heart he had cursed his cousin, but Art was still not convinced. He tried to lure Elona once again.

"Tumben your tone is so nervous to me. What's up?" ask the young man. Elona was silent. His gaze only led to the paper on the table that was between them.

Growing curious, Art decided to ask a desperate question.

"Hey, don't tell me you're nervous because you miss me so much, huh? It's impossible, right?! Haha!"

Art noticed the change in Elona's face afterwards, no matter how small it was. The girl seemed to close her eyes tightly for a few seconds. Then, he suddenly nodded slowly.

"Yes..."

In that instant, Art felt as if his heart was about to escape from his chest cavity because it was so loud that it was beating. He looked flabbergasted, and his face was red like a crab boiled to the ears.

A moment later, Elona opened her eyes as if she had calmed herself down. He looked at Art fixedly. And the girl smiled, with a red hue still on her cheek.

"Yes, hehe, I miss you. You're my only friend here."

Art is now like being watered with cold water. He was so surprised that Elona's view of him still remained the same, just as a friend. Though earlier he had flattered Iris in his heart for his powerful advice. The flattery fortunately has not been heard to the person directly. Art's heart broke upon hearing that word 'friend.

"Friends...?" Art tried to make sure his ears might be misheard. But Elona nodded innocently.

"Yes, man!" Elona took the paper on the table and read it again. Then he wrote a few words on it.

"Elona, I. want more than that..." Art says it without energy. His shock that had just made him so limp. And of course Elona didn't listen to him.

"Eh, what?" Elona raised her innocent pretty face. Art shook his head and smiled.

"Ah, there's nothing..."

Hahh, maybe not tonight. There's plenty of other time. I can't give up! Art tried to encourage himself.

*****

Art realized that Elona was busy writing something.

"What are you working on?" asked the young man in curiosity.

"Oh, here..." Elona also shared his desire to make tempe as a substitute for meat, and obstacles in making it.

"I have to how, huh?" ask the girl for an opinion. Art also seemed to think hard.

"So the point is, you need that mold to make this tempe? Is there another way?"

"Hmm, ada. But I'm not sure about this one..."

"What's that?"

"I've read in books, if waru leaves that have been overgrown with mold before can also be used instead of this tempe yeast, but I never tried it." explained Elona while thinking hard.

"Oh, so. You want to find Waru leaves? It looks like it's in the woods near the lake" Art said, pointing out the window.

Elona gasped, "Creally?"

"True, there are many areas overgrown with waru trees in the forest. I can accompany you looking for him. But if I'm going to go there, I need to get ready to bring my sword first, and maybe some prepubescent people, um, my friends to help." explains Art. Elona scrunched her forehead confused.

"Why should I bring a sword?"

"Because in the forest there are many wild animals..."

*****

...\=\= original writing by @author.ryby \=\=...

...\=\= cover art by @fuheechi_ \=\=...

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