jade leech [ lab uniform ] sr "it just means i love them"

[mandytl]

Location: Octavinelle Dorm - Jade’s Room

Jade: Phew. Today’s trip through the mountains brought such tremendous discoveries.

Compared to yesterday, there were different budding plants and even living organisms I hadn’t seen before...

This is why mountains are so fascinating. I could traverse them literally everyday and never tire of it.

Floyd: Ah. Welcome back, Jade. What’d you bring with—

… !

Geh. You gathered a bunch of weird crap again.

Jade: They’re not weird. They’re totally genuine, edible mushrooms.

Floyd: Toss ‘em. Now.

I mean, you do know I hate shiitake, right? So why’re you still collecting this stuff?

Jade: Except these aren’t shiitake. They’re a completely different variety of mushroom.

Floyd: Doesn’t matter.

All you ever cook for a midnight snack lately are mushroom dishes and I’m sick of it.

Jade: Sick of it? Hasn’t it only been, oh… ten days now?

I’ve still have a long ways to go when it comes to conveying the appeal of mountain vegetables.

Floyd: I said, no more. I’ve had it!

What was it again? The Mountain Lovers’ Club? Quit dragging me into your stupid club activities.

There’s no way I’m eating anymore.

Jade: That’s a shame… and after I picked such a great deal. What to do with them now?

Floyd: Put them right back where you found them.

Jade: Oh, my… and just leave the poor things all the way up on the mountain? I can’t.

Floyd: You can. Spending the rest of their lives up there’ll make ‘em happy.

Jade: I could never do something as blasphemous as that. Absolutely not.

… I know. I’ll offer them up to the cafeteria so they can cook them.

Floyd: Huh? Isn’t that like, way more cruel?

Jade: It just means I love them enough to devour them.

Floyd: Sometimes I’m not so sure about the stuff that comes out your mouth.

Location: Cafeteria

—The following day.

Mumble, mumble…

Floyd: Food time, food time~.

We finally got to kiss all those nasty ingredients goodbye. Today I’m having tons of stuff without mushrooms.

Jade: Even I’ll get a little hurt if you go that far, you know.

Floyd: Sure, liar. It doesn’t bother you at all.

Jade: Fufufu.

Let’s see. Today’s lunch buffet menu has… exactly one mushroom-related dish.

It seems they made a risotto out of everything I donated.

Floyd: Then that’s the one I’m never gonna eat.

Jade: How truly sad. … Now, let’s take a seat and eat.

Lilia: … What’s this? You’re having the risotto again, Silver?

Silver: Yes.

Lilia: Same old, same old, then.

Why not enjoy your food a little more now that we’re in the outside world?

Silver: Making decisions is a hassle.

And besides, I like risotto. I don’t mind eating the same thing everyday.

Lilia: But there are so many other delicious dishes out there… Well, suit yourself. Let us eat.

Silver: Thanks for the meal.

……

……?

Lilia: … Hm? What’s wrong? You’re staring into space with your spoon.

Silver: Th-This risotto…

Lilia: What’s happened, Silver? … Don’t tell me it was poisoned?!

Silver: I-It… it’s…

Lilia: Pull yourself together, Silver!

Silver: It’s…

Delicious!!!

Lilia: That’s all?!

Quite the dramatic reaction for something so ordinary. Did they change up the spices?

Silver: No, not that I can tell. It’s more of the same, just… the mushrooms are firmer than usual.

They’re different from yesterday’s. Are they from a fresher batch…?

Lilia: How would I know? Are you sure you aren’t imagining things?

Silver: Something’s definitely off.

The quality of the ingredients is extraordinary. Anyway, it’s delicious.

Pans to Octavinelle.

Floyd: … ade… Jade. Hey, Jade!

Jade: … Huh?

Floyd: Did you hear what I just said?

Jade: Ah, forgive me. Where were we again?

Floyd: Nevermind. It wasn’t that big a deal.

It just spooks me when you get all stiff and quiet like that. What’s up?

Jade: Oh, it’s nothing.

Floyd: When you were grinning like a cat the whole time? You sure looked happy about something to me.

Something good happened, right? Like what? Is it neat? Come on, tell me~.

Jade: I guess if I were to say whether it’s something good or neat…

… On second thought, it doesn't matter. I was merely having a bit of fun.

PART 2.

Location: Alchemy Workshop

Jade: While lightning strikes can certainly encourage mushroom growth, the mechanics of such are still unclear…

I had my doubts when reading the reference material, but they truly do grow faster with some electrical stimulation.

To think the leading cause of wildfires could encourage such developments. The mountains are wondrous indeed!

How fascinating. I’ll have to pay attention to the weather next time I visit.

Azul: There you are, Jade.

Honestly… I looked all over for you. Do try not to waste my time like this.

Jade: My, look at the time.

I’d better get ready to open the Mostro Lounge.

Azul: Good. Now, about today’s shopping list… —wait a minute.

Jade: What’s the matter?

Azul: Are those… mushrooms, that you’re carrying?

Jade: Yes, they are. They’re edible mushrooms I painstakingly cultivated on my own.

Azul: We’ve no need for those anymore!

Jade: Huh?

If I recall correctly, we had plans to use them in quick meals today at the Mostro Lounge.

Didn’t you say with delight that we were privileged to come by such fine ingredients for free?

Azul: And I was glad at first, for they were a hit.

But now I’ve grown sick of it. Day in, day out, nothing but mushrooms… you went overboard.

Jade: You also said, “mushrooms are good since they’re low in calories”.

Azul: There’s a limit to everything.

It's been two whole weeks of your mushroom-oriented menu. Two! Whole! Weeks! I won’t be eating anymore.

On top of that, letting our customers grow tired of the Mostro Lounge is entirely out of the question.

Jade: Still, throwing away the mushrooms I so intimately raised makes me so very, very…

Azul: I’m not saying you should toss them. The cafeteria, the campus store: sell them off wherever you like.

Jade: Sell them… ?

Well, I’m sure the cafeteria would be willing after last time’s results.

Azul: Last time?

Jade: Oh, it’s nothing. Simply talking to myself. I’ll do exactly as you asked.

It’d make me happy to see someone enjoying them after all that effort.

Location: Cafeteria

—The next day.

Mutter mutter…

Floyd: Time to eat a buncha stuff that doesn’t have shiitake.

Azul: I’ll also be eating anything that doesn’t have mushrooms in it.

Floyd: Jade always comes back to our room smelling like dirt lately and it makes me nauseous.

Azul: You’re enduring a great deal of hardship as well.

It must be rough, having a brother who participates in such strange activities as part of the Mountain Lovers’ Club.

Jade: Neither of you are holding back at all… Well, not that it bothers me.

Now, where is he… —ah, there.

Fufu…

Azul: What’s that challenging smile for, Jade?

Jade: It’s nothing serious. Let’s have lunch.

Pans away.

Lilia: You're having risotto for lunch yet again, Silver?

Silver: Yes.

Lilia: Come to think, you did say the mushroom risotto was tastier than usual before. Are you truly that obsessed?

Silver: No, not exactly…

Everyday I eat it in pursuit of that taste, though by now it’s back to the usual.

The risotto that day was especially delicious, but… it must’ve been some sort of accident. It’s a shame.

Lilia: You never know, there may come a day when you encounter that fabled dish again. Now, let’s help ourselves and hope for the best.

Silver: Right. Let’s eat.

……—!

Lilia: What’s the matter, Silver? You froze up again.

Silver: This, risotto…

Lilia: I-Is it actually poisoned this time? Is that it?!

Silver: It’s…

Lilia: Silver!

Silver: De…

Delicious!!!

Lilia: Of course.

Enough with this series of events; it’s bad for this old man’s heart.

Silver: It's just like the risotto from that day… —no, it’s even better.

The thick texture of the mushroom’s flesh brings out a wealth of flavors. The umami flavor of it permeates through the entire dish!

Lilia: I-I see.

It must truly be something to make someone as silent as you get all chatty.

Silver: Actually, this is the tastiest thing I’ve ever had. Who knew flavor could make such a difference.

Where did they get the ingredients for this…? These mushrooms must be expensive.

You’ve got to try some of this, Old Man!

Pans away.

Jade: ……

Azul: … ade… Jade! Aren’t you listening?

Floyd: He’s doing that silent smile thing again. I don’t get it…

Azul: Do you think he ate a strange mushroom or something…?

Floyd: Eugh… Freaky…