Maple Sugar Valley — a valley where maple trees of varying shapes and leaf colors grew. The maples here were called Tricolor Sugar Maples, primarily because the maple syrup they produced came in three colors depending on the variety.
The first and most common variety throughout the valley was the blue-leafed Tricolor Sugar Maple. It produced a pale blue maple syrup with a light flavor accented by notes of lavender, typically used in the most basic dessert recipes.
The second was the red-leafed Tricolor Sugar Maple, which produced a wine-red maple syrup with a rich, caramel-like flavor. Many breweries would add this syrup to their liquors to enhance the flavor.
The third was the orange-leafed Tricolor Sugar Maple, which produced a golden-yellow maple syrup. Because of its intense flavor, it was called Sun Maple Syrup, and it was used as an ingredient in healing potions and cold-resistance potions.
After listening to Pecorine's explanation, Megumin was puzzled. Why not just use maple syrup as the ingredient to neutralize the sour, astringent taste, instead of those three hard-to-obtain ingredients?
When she voiced her question, Jhin answered her like this: "Maple syrups all have their own distinctive flavors, which makes them unsuitable as a neutralizing base. But once the cola is finished, we could consider adding these syrups to develop different flavor variations."
In any case, Jhin was the one making the final calls, so Megumin didn't press any further. She only needed to wait until she could drink the cola.
Pecorine, map in hand, leaned in close to Jhin. "Right now we're on the plains around the Royal Capital. To get to Maple Sugar Valley will take a little over a week, passing through here, here, and here."
"Is there something special about those three places you specifically marked?" Jhin had noticed three locations circled in red on the map and was intrigued. "Don't tell me — they're places where special ingredients can be found?"
"Hehe, you guessed it. They really are special ingredients. It's just that their flavors and effects aren't very clear yet."
"What kinds of special ingredients are there?"
"The red fruit on the back of a Bubble Frog, the onsen eggs from the Music Hot Spring, and Explosive Potatoes."
"Hm?" Jhin pulled out from his Storage Space the few monster-ingredient encyclopedias that Pecorine often flipped through, and carefully paged through them. He discovered that the pages bearing those ingredients' names contained only the briefest introductions and descriptions — there weren't even any pictures. He grumbled in dissatisfaction, "What's wrong with this author? Not even providing pictures, just leaving them blank."
Pecorine laughed sheepishly. "Heheh~ That's because I haven't actually seen those ingredients either."
"Huh?! You — you wrote these books?"
"Yep. They're actually my travel notes."
"No wonder..." That explained why Jhin had never been able to find anything similar back in Landosol. He'd assumed Pecorine had bought some limited-edition books in another region, but now the truth was out — the author was right beside him. Who could have guessed that?
With admiration, he closed the books and put them back into his Storage Space, then gave her a thumbs up. "Impressive. You wrote several books — looks like on your previous travels you ate even more than I imagined. But how did you get the photographs of the monsters?"
"Ah... that. I happened to acquire a magical tool called an Image Recorder, and used it to take the pictures. Unfortunately, it broke down completely on the way to Landosol. All the repair shops in the Royal Capital said it couldn't be fixed."
"I see. Well, from now on, leave the photos to me. I have a similar tool."
"Really?!" Pecorine excitedly clasped Jhin's hands, her eyes sparkling.
After all, encountering a special ingredient without being able to preserve its appearance was something genuinely painful for her. So the fact that Jhin had a similar tool — how could she not be delighted?
"See that over there? There's a little flower, right?" Jhin pointed at a wildflower by the side of the road, then took a picture of it with his personal terminal. He selected print, and a laminated photo appeared in his hand. He waved it in front of Pecorine. "Look — its photo."
"Whoa! That's amazing! How did you do that?"
"Mm... I don't really understand the exact principles myself. Just think of it as Synapse's cutting-edge tech."
Seeing this incredible scene, the other girls all crowded around to look at the photo too.
Gazing at the crystal-clear photo, Pecorine said to Jhin, "I'm growing more and more curious about what your world is like. Being able to produce a photo out of thin air — that technology you call 'cutting-edge tech' is really something!"
"If the chance arises someday, you'll see it for yourself." Jhin himself wasn't sure whether, after the mission was complete, this world would be merged into the Main World. After all, he had come here to clear out a virus, not to handle merger problems.
If it didn't end up merging into the Main World, then he could ask the Boss for a dimensional-travel clearance and bring them over for a tour. The Main World had originally been designed as a bridge connecting all the other worlds anyway.
Hearing this, Pecorine cast him a meaningful glance, then quickly looked away again. "Mm. I look forward to that day."
After finishing with the photo, Megumin ran over to Jhin and tugged at his sleeve. "Jhin, Jhin! Can you take one of me too?"
"No problem. What kind of photo do you want?"
"Obviously the dashing pose of me unleashing Explosion magic!"
As she finished speaking, she raised the [True Crimson Flame Staff] and was about to chant Explosion magic to release at some distant target — fortunately, Kyaru was quick on the draw and clapped a hand over her mouth.
"This is a major thoroughfare! If you fire off Explosion magic nearby and wreck the road, the Adventurer's Guild will put a bounty on you. Are you trying to get all of us thrown in jail with you?!"
"Mmf mmf mmf!!!" Megumin nodded repeatedly, signaling that she understood.
Jhin sighed helplessly. "Just strike a pose of casting the spell. Kyaru, thanks for stopping this idiot in time."
"Who... who are you calling an idiot?"
"Whoever almost got herself put on the wanted list — she's the idiot."
"Urgh..." Megumin puffed out her cheeks like a steamed bun. "I... I just got carried away in the moment. I definitely won't do it again next time."
Kyaru fixed her with those emerald-green eyes. "You're already thinking there'll be a next time?"
"There won't be a next time... I swear!" Once she'd finished speaking, Megumin hurriedly found a large boulder nearby, climbed up onto it, and held her staff aloft, pointing it forward. "Jhin, quick! This is the pose — hurry and take the shot!"
"Alright, don't talk, get your expression right." Jhin lined up the camera at her, as she did her best to look majestic and imposing, and pressed the shutter. "Mm, got it."
"Whoo!" Megumin hopped down from the rock and happily took the photo, admiring her own commanding figure in her eyes.
"Master, this is a rare opportunity. Why don't we all take a group photo?"
"Great idea, Kokkoro!" Pecorine was the first to agree. Without the slightest hesitation, she grabbed Kyaru and walked over to Jhin's side. "Megumin, come on over for the group photo!"
"Coming, coming!"
"I said... could you please let go of my hand..." Kyaru wasn't used to being clung to so affectionately by her.
"Everyone look forward, I'm about to take it... 3, 2, 1!"
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