Ascendance of a Bookworm

Alright, before the azure priest returns, let's quickly finish the smelly tasks all at once.

The day after processing the pork, Lutz said the main tasks would be making salting out glue and candles, and also making cheese.

At my home, we’ve only ever made cottage cheese by adding vinegar to the milk bought from families who raise cows, but Lutz’s family, exchanging eggs for milk regularly, also makes natural cheese through fermentation and aging.

“That’s better for preservation, so it should be more suitable for the orphanage, right?”

“…I don’t really get it, but I think having more winter food is good.”

I could see Lutz and Gil chatting like that while working. I had practice with Fischpiel until the third bell rang, so I arrived at the workshop late, but the work seemed to be progressing smoothly.

Inside the workshop where Fran was accompanying me, priests and apprentices were dividing various tasks. Since I usually help the high priest, I rarely look around the workshop, so this felt fresh and enjoyable.

“Lutz, Gil, how’s the progress?”

“Myne-sama!?”

“So far, it’s going well. The pigskin is here, candle making over there, and we’re currently melting and filtering to remove meat residue. The salting out? We haven’t started that yet.”

In the pot before Lutz and Gil, I could see the inner skin, with the outer layer already peeled off, floating in limewater. They had just started soaking it, so it was far from mushy. Lutz pointed to where three gray priests were filtering melted beef tallow.

“The skins need to be left a bit longer. Salting out might be a hassle, but it really reduces the stench and makes good quality oil, so I want you to do your best.”

Apparently, Lutz’s family doesn’t bother with salting out. At my home, I insisted on it, and since it really reduced the smell, it became accepted, but around here, it’s not very common.

Probably because the area I know is mostly poor neighborhoods, and although salt is better than other spices, it’s not cheap.

“Also, if you finely chop Dienb and Rumosa herbs and mix them into the melted wax, it helps eliminate the smell. But never use Gieri or Sarcollero. They actually double the stink, so be careful.”

When I taught Lutz how to reduce the animal smell in the candles, he widened his eyes a bit, then chuckled while shaking his shoulders.

“Ah, it must be one of Myne’s failure stories.”

“Ugh… failures are the mother of success. Success is born from many failures.”

“Hmm, I see. Amazing, Myne-sama.”

Gil nodded honestly, eyes shining at my words. Our attendants are adorable. I hope they keep growing up honestly like this.

“By the way, Myne-sama, what’s salting out? Is it difficult?”

“It’s extra work and a bit troublesome, but not difficult. Simply put, you add saltwater, simmer over low heat for a while, and filter the impurities several times. Then, you leave it alone, and as it cools, the oil separates on top, saltwater settles below, and it solidifies like that. Once it solidifies pure white, you drain the water below and use only the oil on top.”

As I briefly explained the process, Gil nodded thoughtfully. Lutz nodded as well but suddenly blinked.

“Hey, Myne. Don’t we need to consider soap making here?”

“We get that from divine blessing, so it’s okay to use all the oil for candles.”

At my home, we make soap in spring, so we save some oil for it, but here, soap is supplied as divine blessing. Since it’s important for gray priests to cleanse their clothes and bodies, soap was generously provided. I want food more than soap, but the azure priests seem to have different priorities.

“Oh, by the way, Gil, there are probably lots of small pieces of meat stuck to the cloth you’re filtering now, so if you put them in tonight’s soup, it’ll taste better. Please let the gray priests know.”

Gil nodded enthusiastically and ran to tell the priests filtering the cloth. I peeked inside the cloth they had just opened, and heard one priest excitedly say, “Meat!” Lutz and I exchanged glances and quietly chuckled.