Chapter 75: A Syrup Grown from Care and Conversation

“When it comes to that, balloonflower is good. As the old saying goes, ‘autumn balloonflower is medicinal balloonflower.'”

Yujin’s mother continued as she handed me sikhye.

“Our Yumini, when he wasn’t feeling well, I’d dig up balloonflower from the mountain and make a syrup with pear and ginger. Drinking it as tea would completely soothe his sore throat.”

“I didn’t know balloonflower had that effect? I thought it was just for side dishes, didn’t realize it could be medicine.”

“The food we eat in daily life can sometimes be medicine and sometimes poison.”

It reminded me again how important it is to eat healthy food regularly.

Times like this make me feel the rewarding part of growing healthy crops.

“Oh! It’s Fabir hyung!”

Yumini, who had just returned home, ran over and hugged me tightly.

“Whoa~ When did you get this big?”

Yumini was growing day by day. He was already taller than my waist.

“I ate well and exercised hard, so I grew tall fast!”

“At this rate, you’ll surpass my height soon?”

“Hehehe.”

Yumini grinned at the praise.

“They say you can tell from the sprout. Yumini is sure to grow into a handsome young man.”

“Did you study hard at school?”

“Of course! Look at this!”

Yumini took out a test paper from his backpack and handed it to me.

“Oh, 100 points? Impressive!”

I patted Yumini’s head. He looked pleased.

“Yujin will finish farm work soon and come back. Wait and eat together.”

“I can’t refuse Mother’s table.”

Mother headed straight to the kitchen. Soon, the savory smell of rice wafted out.

“Oh! Hyung!”

Yujin, with a sack on his shoulder, waved at me.

“When did you get here?”

“Just a bit ago. You’ve become quite mature since I last saw you?”

“Haha, I’ll be an adult next year.”

Yujin scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.

Mother poked her head out from the kitchen.

“Yujin is here? Rice will be ready soon, so wait a minute. But what’s in that sack?”

“I got pears from the orchard. Let’s eat them together after the meal.”

Yujin placed the sack on the floor. Inside, sturdy golden fruits peeked out.

“…This is a pear?”

The pears in the sack looked completely different from the Western pears I knew.

They were bigger in size. And unlike the gourd-shaped Western pears, these were round.

“Not the pear I know?”

“It seems the variety is a bit different.”

“Interesting.”

“Since we’re talking about it, want to try one?”

“Sure, why not?”

I couldn’t hold back my curiosity.

Since it’s before the meal, just a little taste.

Crunch crunch.

Yujin sliced the pear with a knife and handed me a piece.

“Here, try it.”

“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”

A faint sweet aroma seeped into my nose. 

The white flesh looked delicious just by sight.

I immediately bit into the pear.

Crunch crunch.

“Mm! It’s much firmer and sweeter than Western pears!”

Unlike the soft and mushy Western pears, the texture was really crisp and fresh.

Moreover, this abundant juice—what is it?

“Pears are in season now, so they taste good.”

“This is amazing! If it’s okay, can I have the seeds?”

“Here.”

I carefully pocketed the small black seeds.

If I take them and plant them on the Floating Island, I can eat delicious pears to my heart’s content.

“Come sit down and eat, everyone.”

“Mother, I’ll carry the table.”

I dashed into the kitchen and lifted the table to the floor.

The table was full of autumn seasonal foods.

We all sat around the floor and chorused our thanks to Mother.

“”We’ll eat well!”” 

“Eat a lot.”

Mother smiled contentedly.

Slurp.

The savory sesame oil smell made my mouth water; I couldn’t hold back.

I hurriedly picked up my spoon.

“Delicious!”

Each side dish was so tasty.

My mouth was in ecstasy.

Chomp chomp.

Nom nom nom.

After mindlessly eating, my stomach was full.

“I feel like I eat too well every time I come.”

“Come anytime. Be careful on your way back.”

Ever since some point, coming here feels warm and comfortable.

If I had a hometown home, this is exactly how it would feel.

Yujin’s place in the East Continent had become a vital source that filled both my body and mind heartily.

Swish swish.

***

While tilling the garden, Elenia approached and asked.

“What are you planting this time?”

“Balloonflower and ginger. I’m going to make balloonflower syrup with them. It’s really good for the throat.”

“For that guest with the sore throat?”

“Yeah. She looked so desperate; I wanted to help. And it’s about time to release a new product at the Herb Shop.”

It was a bit regrettable not being able to hear her beautiful singing.

If her throat heals, maybe I can hear her song.

“The garden is good for now, next I need to plant this.”

I rummaged in my pocket and took out a seed.

“Ta-da, look at this.”

“Isn’t that a pear seed?”

Elenia, knowledgeable about plants, recognized it immediately.

“Not just any pear. East Continent pear.”

“Where did you get this?”

“From Yujin’s place. The pear was incredibly sweet?”

Slurp, “Hearing that makes my mouth water. What are you waiting for? Plant it now!”

I immediately dug in the orchard and planted the pear seed.

“Grow well.”

Pat pat.

I gently patted the soil and watered it generously.

“Elenia. Take good care of it so the pears grow well.”

“Don’t worry about that. Honey collection is my specialty.”

With this, all the ingredients for the long-named ‘pear balloonflower ginger syrup’ were prepared.

Now, just wait for them to grow well.

“Come to think of it, they say crops you pollinate yourself are special?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Ellis, the alchemist at our Herb Shop, said something like, what was it? Fairy’s blessing?”

“Pfft, fairy’s blessing?”

Elenia burst into laughter.

“What is that weird name? Humans love attaching strange names.”

“Hm? It’s not?”

“It’s not like a blessing. I just communicate with the plants.”

“Communicate?”

“Just like you can communicate with animals, I communicate with trees. Not just me, all fairies communicate with nature in their own ways.”

“I see.”

That must be why Elenia could grow the cypress tree freely.

The more I learn about fairies, the more fascinating they are.

“Then, what do these two trees say?”

I said, looking at the plum tree and persimmon tree.

“Hm… They’re enjoying our conversation.”

“Really? The trees are really listening to the conversation?”

“Yeah. Wait, the trees have something to say to you.”

Elenia perked up her ears.

“The plum tree says, stop hanging weird things on the branches.”

“Ah… Sorry.”

I’d been hanging everything from meju to dried persimmons on the plum branches all along.

“But there’s no better place to hang things?”

“Hm…. It says it’ll allow it as long as it’s not too heavy to make the branches sag.”

“Really?”

“In return, it wants some carbonated mineral water.”

“Carbonated mineral water?”

“It says it watched us drinking it last time. Groundwater is rich in minerals, so trees like it too.”

“Really? That’s not hard! Wait a sec.”

I went underground right away, filled a canteen with carbonated water, and returned.

“Here, chug it down coolly.”

I poured from two canteens onto each tree.

Tremble.

Suddenly, a breeze blew from somewhere, making the leaves shake.

It looked like the trees were shivering in delight.

“How is it?”

“They love it a lot. Cool and the taste is amazing.”

Elenia showed a big smile. She looked excited too.

“I’ll give more next time. In return, please bear delicious fruits.”

I placed my hand on the tree trunk.

At that moment.

“…Huh?”

Thump thump.

I was gripped by a strange feeling as if the tree was pulsing.

It suddenly occurred to me that this might be communication.

Ding.

[The happiness of the plum tree and persimmon tree has increased.]

[The Floating Island is overflowing with joy.]

And from somewhere, it seemed like the trees’ voices were heard.

Thank you sincerely for letting us take root here.

A few days later.

***

Before I knew it, the pear tree had grown, and sturdy pears hung in clusters.

“Hmm~ Mmm~”

I hummed unconsciously.

Harvesting is always fun.

Pluck.

Tremble.

Every time the leaves shook, it felt like the tree was whispering to eat deliciously.

“I’ll enjoy it.”

I picked the well-grown pears and neatly placed them in the basket.

Then I went to the field. 

In the field, purple balloonflower flowers were in full bloom.

“Beautiful.”

I admired the flowers for a moment.

Bringing my nose close, the fresh floral scent brought a smile to my lips.

It was a scent that warmed the heart.

Regrettably, flower viewing ends here; time to start harvesting.

“Let’s see. How well did they grow?”

I squatted in the field and dug with a hoe.

Swish swish.

Removing the fine soil revealed thick balloonflower roots.

“This is the balloonflower I planted a few days ago?”

The growth is insane?

It’s amazing every time I see it.

Pulling it straight out, the balloonflower came out with a whoosh.

“Wow. The size is enormous?”

It looked like it was easily over three years old. It even resembled ginseng at a glance.

Balloonflower, like ginseng, is packed with beneficial components and rich in nutrition.

“It’d be delicious mixed with gochujang.”

Spicy-sweet, eaten with rice, one bowl down easily.

Swallowing the saliva pooling in my mouth, I harvested a basket full of balloonflower.

Then I dug up the ginger planted right next to it.

“Why is the ginger so big? Fist-sized!”

I dug up plenty of heavy ginger and went straight to the well.

Scrub scrub.

Washing off the dirt in the well water, the yellowish color looked really nice.

Grate grate.

Next, I grated the ginger, pear, and balloonflower on a grater.

Then put them all in a pot and boiled.

Bubble bubble.

Even without adding sugar separately, a sweet aroma rose.

Dipping a finger to taste.

Slurp.

“Mm! Delicious!”

Especially, the unique pungent taste of balloonflower and ginger wasn’t strong.

“Drinking this as tea should warm the throat?”

“Honey is good for the throat. Might as well add some honey.”

“Should I?”

Elenia readily handed me a honey jar.

Finally, adding a spoonful of honey.

“Finally complete!”

I filled small glass jars with the heartfelt ‘pear balloonflower ginger syrup’ and sealed them well.

Packed with healthy and fresh ingredients, it’s sure to be effective.