Chapter 261

The taste of Trent’s sap that Hans swallowed without any expectation.

But the taste was shocking.

It was a sweetness comparable to the honey his mother had hidden to use as medicine when Hans was sick with a fever as a child.

A violent taste that seemed to suck all the moisture from his mouth just by putting it in.

No, it wasn’t the violence of taste, but rather the taste of violence.

An intense sweetness that numbed every part of his tongue, starting from the tip, as if declaring that no taste other than sweetness would be felt by any taste bud.

“Cough, cough…! Gulp! Gulp!”

“…If you put that much in at once, it’s going to be really sweet. Here, have some water.”

“Th-thank you.”

Only after drinking the water Kurt handed him did Hans finally regain his senses.

The first thing Hans did after regaining his senses was, ironically, to be shocked.

It seemed somewhat contradictory to fall into shock immediately after escaping from shock, but Hans couldn’t express his feelings in any other way.

“Sweetness…! How can tree sap be this sweet…!”

Sweetness is, after all, the rarest and most precious taste in nature.

To feel such sweetness as intensely as if it were on sale…

Hans carefully dipped the tip of his fork into the Trent syrup and tasted it again.

But of course, the sweetness wasn’t an illusion, and the taste remained unchanged.

“Among trees, there are some that contain sweetness unlike ordinary sap. The sap from such trees can be boiled down to produce a sweetness like honey.”

“I had no idea. I never knew tree sap held such a secret.”

“Well, not all trees are like that. It’s limited to a few special ones. Anyway, now that you know, feel free to enjoy it.”

“I see. Understood.”

For Hans, this was a delightful mistake.

He had planned to endure the taste for the sake of his benefactors, even if it was terrible, but to find such a sweetness that would normally cost a fortune…

With lighter hands, he dipped a pancake into the Trent syrup and tasted it.

Instead of greedily scooping up the syrup like before, he used just enough to moisten the pancake, and soon the sweet harmony of the pancake and Trent syrup filled his mouth.

Originally, some pancakes were made with added sugar to naturally bring out their sweetness, but Kurt had intentionally omitted sugar this time.

This was partly because pancakes were originally a staple food, not a dessert, and thus should be savory rather than sweet, but also because he believed that omitting sugar would maximize the combination with the Trent syrup.

For the record, Kurt didn’t spare a single thought about the cost of sugar.

And his calculation hit the mark perfectly.

The soft, savory, and flavorful pancake, with its mild yet rich taste, paired perfectly with the Trent syrup, which was purely sweet without any saltiness or spiciness, creating a harmonious dish that seemed destined to be together.

At first, Hans thought the pancake alone was delicious enough to eat endlessly, but now, with the Trent syrup, he realized.

The pancake alone was too plain.

The Trent syrup alone was too sweet, overpowering any other taste.

But by combining the pancake and Trent syrup appropriately, the pancake gained the stimulation it lacked, and the syrup found a mediator for its sweetness, complementing each other perfectly.

Only then did the aroma of the Trent syrup truly emerge.

It wasn’t just sweetness; it carried the unique scent of the Imitator Trent itself.

A natural spice so complex that no other spices were needed…

A deep, profound flavor that could only be described as the essence of the forest.

And the Frozen Herb leaves, added to purify the toxicity of the Trent sap, added a refreshing finish to the otherwise deep and rich forest flavor.

“Indeed, I was only eating half a pancake until now. This pancake truly becomes a complete dish only with this syrup.”

“Oh, you get it? Good. Eat to your heart’s content. If you need more, just say so! Hahaha.”

Kurt laughed, pleased that Hans appreciated his cooking.

The atmosphere at the table remained warm and cheerful as the meal continued, and Hans, seeing his savior enjoying the meal, felt his own mood lift and focused on the pancakes again.

“Hmm. This pancake and Trent syrup are truly a perfect pair. Just like me and Ruri.”

But

“Me and… us…”

Hans’s joy didn’t last long.

He stared blankly at the pancake and then cautiously spoke to Kurt.

“Um… Adventurer.”

“What’s wrong? Need more pancakes?”

“No, it’s not that… Could I take some pancakes home?”

“Huh?”

Hans’s request could have been seen as somewhat rude.

Someone had kindly offered him food, and after enjoying it, he was asking for more to take away.

It was akin to a senior offering to buy chicken, and immediately calling the owner to order an extra chicken to go.

Realizing this, Hans quickly waved his hands and added an explanation.

“I-I don’t need to eat more here. It’s just that eating this pancake made me think of my wife at home…”

What Hans remembered was Ruri’s face, waiting alone at home for him at this very moment.

Thinking of Ruri, who, due to their poverty, considered plain white bread made only with flour to be the most delicious, the pancake he had just thought was the most delicious food in the world suddenly felt stuck in his throat.

So Hans pleaded with Kurt.

He wouldn’t eat another bite here, he would give all the wood he had chopped today, if only he could take a single pancake home for his wife.

“I’ll give you all the firewood. If I could just give my pregnant wife one pancake as a gift…”

“Hmm. I understand your story.”

And of course, Kurt wasn’t heartless enough to refuse such a request.

In fact, no one in his party would have been so cold-hearted after hearing such a story.

“Then I can’t refuse your request.”

Kurt, impressed by Hans’s attitude, immediately used all the remaining flour, eggs, and butter to make dozens of pancakes, and also generously packed Trent sap.

“Sniff… What a touching story. To risk danger for the one you love…!”

“Here. Take this Trent’s corpse. Sell it and spend a warm winter with your loved one.”

Hearing that Hans had ventured deep into the forest to ensure his pregnant wife could have a warm winter, Mari’s eyes welled up with tears, and Karina, with moist eyes, handed the Trent’s corpse to Hans.

“B-but can I really accept this…?”

“Don’t worry about it! We three—me, Karina, and Mari—defeated this monster! It’s our freedom to decide what to do with its corpse! Right, Kurt?”

“Do as you please. I didn’t contribute to defeating the monster, and I have no interest in a monster’s corpse I can’t eat.”

Serena, with a reddened nose, forcibly handed the Trent’s corpse to the reluctant Hans.

“Th-thank you so much!”

Deeply moved by the kind adventurers, Hans bowed repeatedly.

.

.

.

And so, the kind-hearted lumberjack Hans, saved by a passing adventurer party and gifted with various presents, was able to leave the forest.

Returning home, Hans hugged Ruri, who had been anxiously waiting for him, and whispered words of love.

They shared the pancakes gifted by the adventurers, enjoying a happy night, and sold the Trent’s corpse to spend a warm winter.

If Hans hadn’t loved his wife enough to venture deep into the forest,

If he hadn’t hesitated to flee while thinking of his wife spending a warm winter when chased by the Trent,

If he hadn’t thought of his wife waiting at home and asked the adventurers for a favor while being treated to a meal,

This story might have had a different ending.

But because Hans always had love for his wife Ruri in his heart, perhaps the heavens were moved by his warm heart and bestowed this gift.

Perhaps those adventurers, who wielded heroic strength and magical cooking skills, were spirits moved by Hans’s love for his wife, appearing in the form of adventurers.

—From the folk tale “The Kind-Hearted Lumberjack Hans,” told in villages near Astram.