Chapter 212: Suddenly We Got Potato!
As we continued our exploration of the so-called uninhabited island, we made our way through the forest, following a river inland. After some time, we found ourselves on what appeared to be a well-trodden path.
It wasn’t an animal trail; rather, it seemed to be a dirt road compacted by the passage of large animals—or perhaps even humans.
「Areh…」
「Could it be that people live here?」
Hold on, Rara-chan. It’s too early to jump to that conclusion.
It could just be a larger version of an animal trail. But as we moved forward, we spotted cultivated fields and even some huts.
This isn’t an uninhabited island at all, I realized.
It seems I was wrong.
「This is a village.」
「It’s a normal village, isn’t it?」 What’s more, the road continued past the village, leading up to a hill in the distance where a stone wall was visible. Behind the wall, I could make out several large buildings. It might be a castle, but it’s likely a town.
「Well, that’s how it is.」
「Yeah, that’s how it is.」
Rara-chan mimicked my tone.
So, it turns out this isn’t an uninhabited island. It might not even be an island at all but a part of a continent.
However, something feels off.
The reason I thought it might be an uninhabited island was that it seemed strange that a place with such abundant resources, like flowing rivers and coconut palms, would be untouched by humans.
The huts in the village looked like they had been recently built, as if the settlement was new. But there was also a stone wall—either a castle wall or a city wall—indicating a level of civilization that could construct such a thing. The village even had cultivated fields.
So why hasn’t the coastal area been developed? Sure, cultivating fields is important, but why not also fish or harvest coconuts?
There are many possible explanations, but it would be quicker to just ask the people living here.
「Oh, look, we’ve found our first villager.」
As we headed towards the direction with more huts and people, we encountered a villager working in the fields.
She was just a regular old lady, the kind you’d find anywhere.
「My, my, what strange clothes you’re wearing. That shiny armor—are you a knight from the castle?」
「Hello there!」
Indeed, I’m wearing my ‘Mithril Armor’, so it’s not surprising that she finds my outfit strange. But the villager’s attire is also quite peculiar. She’s wearing a fur tunic, sturdy leather pants, and leather shoes.
If she were from the Kingdom of Silesia, she’d be wearing woolen clothes. Of course, it’s only natural for clothing to differ by region, but the only difference seems to be the material.
The design feels a bit old-fashioned, yet it looks too similar to the styles from the Eura Continent. The wooden hoe she’s holding even has a metal blade attached.
This isn’t a primitive tribe; they’re civilized people.
The fact that I’m on an entirely different continent and yet find myself speaking to an elderly white woman who looks like a typical villager from the old world—there’s something strange about this.
Could it be that we were swept back to the Eura Continent during that storm?
It seems unlikely, but the thought does cross my mind.
「Excuse me, but could you tell me where we are?」
「Where? This is Antil Island, of course. What a strange thing to ask—it couldn’t be anywhere else.」
The old lady looked at me with a puzzled expression.
I don’t think it’s strange for a traveler to ask about their location, though.
So, it is an island after all. And the name is completely unfamiliar to me. It seems we really are on a new continent.
「We came from outside the island.」
I said this cautiously, thinking it might shock her if I told her we had crossed the vast Siren Sea.
「You mustn’t tease an old woman like me. There’s no way you could have come from outside the island!」
「Huh? Why not?」
「Because there are sea dragons out there! It’s impossible to sail, and even getting close to the coast is dangerous!」
「Ah, so those monsters are common around here.」
I wondered how they managed to survive in such an environment.
It seems the inhabitants of Antil Island have been living in isolation, unable to leave the island due to the sea dragons.
「I’m sorry knight-sama, but I have work to do. I’m quite busy, you know.」
It seems my words didn’t make much sense to the old lady, and now she was starting to look at me with pity, as if I were a poor, confused soul.
Maybe I should ask someone else. But as I glanced at the field, I spotted something incredible.
In the field, I saw lush green leaves and white flowers blooming. I crouched down to examine them closely, and the shape of the leaves seemed familiar.
「Could this be… a potato plant?」
「That’s right. Potatoes grow quickly, so they’re great. It’s already harvest time here.」
The old lady handed me a potato she had just dug up, and I held it in my hands to examine it.
It was the potato I had dreamed of. I had searched for it for so long…
Potato chips, croquettes, boiled potatoes, meat and potatoes, jaman potatoes, mashed potatoes…
Just thinking about it made my mouth water.
How many years has it been since I last ate potatoes? No, before I eat any, I must secure these precious seed potatoes… but still…
Thinking about it, my diet has been severely lacking in potatoes. As someone who always added potatoes to curry, this was a joyous occasion.
「Wh-where can I buy more of these?」
「Hugging a potato—what a strange person you are. You can have a potato or two if you want.」
How could this be strange?
It’s not just about making my meals richer. With these, I could save the starving people on the outskirts of the Eura Continent.
These seed potatoes are more valuable to me than gold of the same weight.
I absolutely must secure them. Seeing these potatoes confirmed that this was indeed the new continent I had been searching for.
I have a feeling I’ll find many other promising crops here as well.
But to achieve one of my goals so quickly—how lucky is that?
「If possible, I’d like to buy a lot of potatoes. And other crops too, if you have them.」
「If that’s the case, you should go to the market in the town. You can buy as much as you want there. If you’re hungry, there are places that’ll cook for you too. But I still have a lot of work to do, so I’ll be on my way now, okay?」
The old lady stopped talking to me and went back to working on the new field.
It seems she won’t talk to me anymore since I’m interrupting her work.
But even one seed potato is a huge find.
I took out my wallet from my backpack and handed her a gold coin.
「This is a token of my thanks.」
「Oh my, this is a gold coin! Just who are you, sir?」
Not wanting to disturb her work any further, I left the old lady, who was still in shock, and continued down the gravel path toward the stone wall on the hill.
As I got closer, I noticed a proper gate with guards stationed there.
The old lady’s words were vague, but it seems there’s a castle or a town beyond those walls.
And if there’s a market, I’m sure I’ll find the new crops I’m looking for.
When I reached the gate of the old stone wall, I got a strange feeling.
The stone wall, with its noticeable cracks, appeared ancient, yet the wooden watchtowers standing at regular intervals along the wall seemed unusually new.
There were even lookouts with bows on the watchtowers. What’s with this defensive posture?
I thought I’d ask about the situation, but one of the gate guards called out to me first.
Like the old lady, the town guards were dressed in fur and leather.
It seems wool isn’t available here, which explains why there are so many fur and leather clothes.
「Hey, you there, knight. You’re not a familiar face, are you?」
「We’ve come from outside the island.」
Unlike the old lady, the guards were actually looking at our faces.
It could be that the old lady was only interested in what caught her attention, but it’s only natural for gatekeepers to be more vigilant.
My Eastern features seem to be rare in this land.
Or maybe it’s just that my ‘Mithril Armor’ stands out too much.
「From outside the island, you say? But the sea routes should be completely cut off by the sea dragons sent by our enemies. Where exactly did you come from?」
While the younger guard was lost in thought, the older guard next to him raised his voice.
「Hey, this little one… isn’t human.」
「What?! Whoa, you’re right! She’s got a tail! I’ve never seen a lizard-type demon before—is she a new species? Are you a traitor who’s joined forces with the demon nation? What’s your purpose here in Antil Town?!」
The guards, now on high alert, pointed their spears at us.
What’s this? Are demons considered enemies here?
Even if they attacked me with spears, I wouldn’t be hurt, but such harsh words could wound Rara-chan’s feelings.
I stood in front of Rara-chan, shielding her with my back.
「Are you alright, Rara-chan?」
「I’m okay…」
If she were with me in Silesie, Rara-chan wouldn’t be treated like this. But in an unfamiliar land, it seems this is the kind of treatment we might face.
This really shows how deep the divide between demons and humans runs. It’s something to learn from, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stay quiet about it.
「Hey, Rara-chan isn’t a demon! She’s a half-blood, part human and part demon, so she should be considered human.」
「Don’t lie! There’s no way someone with a tail that big is just a half-blood! You must be a traitor who sided with the Demon Kingdom!」
「Hey, Rantz, why are you wasting time arguing with the enemy? Close the gate!」
「Wait, hold on!」
The young soldier named Rantz, with a panicked look, rushed inside the gate, which was promptly shut with a loud bang.
「Hey, I’m not with the Demon Kingdom or anything like that! Just listen to me!」
I tried calling out to them, but the two soldiers had already decided I was a traitor aligned with the Demon Kingdom and refused to listen. I could hear them talking on the other side of the gate.
「What do we do? Is the demon nation finally attacking us? What should we do, Sergeant Renton?」
「Calm down, Rantz. First, we need to inform Knight Commander Barland.」
This is frustrating, but it’s not entirely unexpected.
Things seemed to be going too smoothly up until now.
Now, how do I clear up this misunderstanding?
I suppose it’s best to wait for their commanding officer to arrive.