DWBS SS1: Making Miso and Soy Sauce

「I want to eat sashimi」

Haruto suddenly muttered.

「Is it raw fish again? I think that you shouldn’t eat such things」
Roa is frowning her eyebrows. In the west, there is no habit of eating raw fish. There is no idea of eating such things in the first place.

「Ma~ma, ma~ma, cooked rice (manma)」
A lovely voice is heard from Roa’s knee. It was Rea. Recently, she finally remembered some words. She was able to say ma~ma, mama, and manma. Even so, she can’t say pa~pa or papa yet. Haruto, who is being treated below rice, is crying.

「Yes, yes」
Roa opened her clothes and pushed out her breast. Rea sucked Roa’s nipple and began to drink milk.

「If you’re going to eat raw fish, make sure to bring a doctor. Please hide if you’re going to eat it because it’ll become a problem if it gets out that Asuma Shokai’s president is eating raw fish」
「It’s sashimi, not raw fish. Soy sauce is essential for sashimi」
Sashimi without soy sauce cannot be said to be delicious even with flattery. One time, as a substitute for soy sauce, salt water was eaten with sashimi, and it just became a salty raw fish.

「If I have soy sauce or miso, we can make Japanese cuisine to some extent……I’m troubled since there’s no such thing」
Haruto puts his arms together, worrying.
「You’ve been talking about rotten beans and decaying something since a while ago, just what are you saying? 」
Roa said while disagreeing. Haruto’s blessing is activated at all times. It will be in proper nouns if he’s aware that it’s proper nouns. Otherwise, it would be replaced with other words to those who heard it.

「Sorry, it’s a proper noun. It’s not something like rotten beans, it’s soy sauce and miso. And it’s not decaying, it’s fermenting」
「Isn’t it the same」
「Well then for you, would you say that cheese is made from rotten milk? See, it’s different. It’s the fermented one」
「Well, that’s true」
Rotten things are harmful to humans. But fermented foods are beneficial. Unexpectedly, the words used should be appropriate.

「Is it delicious? 」
Roa has a face that seems to say she’s a little interested. Also, Rea who finished drinking breast milk, tilted her neck to look at Haruto. Even though she still wasn’t able to call his name, her eyes responded with a little zeal.
「Aahh. It’s not the same as salt though it’s somewhat salty, it has a completely different taste from salt. It tastes like no other seasoning in the West, once it’s reproduced, it’ll cause a revolution」
Haruto replied with a proud chest. When it’s said like that, Roa wants to taste it too.

「He~, what does it look like? 」
「Soy sauce is a black liquid. I think miso is like brown clay? 」
「Eh!? What is that, that thing. Can you eat it? Somehow, it has a feeling of insanity……」
Roa once again lowered the tension.

「No, if you think calmly, it’ll have a very delicious look」
「Is that so? So, how do you make it? 」
「Dunno」
「Ha? 」

Haruto looks at Roa’s expression as if saying「What is this guy talking about」, supplemented.

「No, if I knew I would have made it already. I guess it can’t be helped. Even if you’re eating cheese and bread on a daily basis, you can’t make it if you’re suddenly told to make it. It’s the same thing. It is usually made by a professional, and I just buy it from them. There’s no necessity of making it. I mean, no one would be able to make soy sauce and miso」
「Haa. So, what will you do」
「I don’t know how to make it specifically, but I do know the materials used. I can do it by trial and error. I also have a lot of money. Why don’t I ask the desert people to cultivate the soybeans」
Haruto said so and headed to Aisha’s place.
＿＿＿＿＿＿

Six months later, looking at the mountain of soybeans sent by the desert people, Haruto muttered.

「It took longer than I expected……」
「Well, it’s a crop not known to the desert or the west. People told me that it was terribly hard to cultivate」
Aisha says bitterly. The desert people do not seem able to raise their heads.
「So, what next? 」
「U~n, what to do next. Somehow, I know I need some bacteria……but how many bacteria? In the first place, how do you cultivate bacteria」
Haruto is troubled. He simply doesn’t know about things he doesn’t understand.
「Oh right, bittern! ……are? Is it bacteria or bittern? In the first place, it should be like tofu……aahh, I don’t get it! For the time being, I’ll know after trying it」

「I wonder if that’s fine? 」
Roa uneasily muttered.

＿＿＿＿＿
About two weeks later, Haruto opens the lid of the pot to check the soybeans left after boiling. And closed it immediately.

「How was it? Well, I can guess to some extent from the offensive odor that escaped from the gap」
「It shouldn’t be rotten. It’s no good. Well, failure is the source of success, we’re gonna do something」
He can’t die without miso and soy sauce. He should do it patiently.
「Let’s put salt in the next one and let it decay. The seasoning is salt, I’m sure of that」
Haruto started preparing after saying so.

About two weeks passed.
「Well, it’s no good」
「Well, I just added salt. It should not have become like this. As expected, I need bacteria. Do you know of it? 」
「Even if you say so……」
They don’t know what they don’t know. That’s the truth.
「Haa, I don’t get it. Is it impossible for me after all……」
Edison also said that. As long as there’s no flash of inspiration, trying to invent something is meaningless no matter how hard you try.

「If you have to use it, I think the bacteria from other food that you’re familiar with should be possible. Is there anything else? 」
Roa said that and Haruto twists his head. The most familiar ingredients for Japanese people. That is……

「That’s it! Salted koji! I’m sure that the raw material is rice! 」
When he thinks calmly, there’s a wide range of uses for koji. There should also be soy sauce and miso in it. Why didn’t he remember it until now?

「Immediately, let’s try fermenting the rice! 」
「Isn’t it the same principle as spoiling it……」

Thus, making koji began this way.
＿＿＿＿＿＿

The two people, for the time being, fermented rice, took the molds and started culturing it. They don’t know which mold is the right one.

「The problem is which one is koji……」
「I think they said that you can eat the molds with koji? Then let’s have someone test it」
「You’re right. But if someone dies it’ll leave a bad feeling……how about feeding it to the dogs」
Although outrageous, it’s a necessary sacrifice for the sake of food development. Since stray dogs are dangerous in the first place, no one would be bothered if they died. Instead, they would be appreciated. Haruto became serious.

With the precious sacrifice of the dogs, the careful selection of koji was completed. Although it can’t be said that its something that can be eaten peacefully. It’s premature to judge that human beings would be alright if the dogs are alright. They still have to test it out on people.

「So, why don’t you try eating it? I’ll give you 10 gold coins」
「Eh! ? 10 gold coins! ……but there is a danger of dying? Then I’ll pass」
Haruto tried asking the slaves but, all refused. The recognition that life ≧ money does not change. Even with such a large amount of money in the first place, if they work under Haruto, they would not have to go on betting since they’ll eventually be free someday.

「Damn. Is there a stupid guy somewhere who sees gold ≧ life……」
It was when Haruto muttered so.
「I’m here, President. Please give it to me! 」
It was Serius.

「No, I don’t want to gather data from a non-human like you. I want data from an ordinary human」
Serius is a monster that can even sumo wrestle with an elephant. Naturally, you don’t have to think to know that his stomach would be the same.
「No, our blessing only works on our muscles and five senses, you know? The stomach is the same as ordinary people. In fact, when I first came to the Imperial Capital, I got a stomach ache from overeating food made with olives」
In short, he seems weak to poison. Haruto was a little relieved that Serius has a weakness.
「I see. Then, do your best. Eat a lot since you might die」

Thus, with cooperation from Serius, they were able to narrow the bacteria to three.

「There are three……which one is it? 」
「I think all three are koji? 」
Haruto thought so and used the bacteria the is most numerous and looks good.

Pour koji into boiled soybeans, divide into twelve pots and season with salt. And then open it every month. Then they’ll know the proper fermentation period.

Every month, the soybean gradually changes. From the smell and color, you can see that it’s not moldy. Finally, Haruto opened the 12th pot.

「Good, it should be around this time. Serius, I’ll leave it to you」
「Yes! 」

Serius scooped it with a spoon, after licking it with his tongue, he put it in his mouth.
「Un. I’m still fine! 」
「Really! But I’m still worried. Let’s observe for three more days」
Three days later, if Serius did not die, it means that Haruto can also eat it.

Three days later, Serius did not die. Haruto is nervous, putting the finished miso in his mouth.
「Oohhh! It’s miso. ……but it’s not there yet」

It was certainly miso. However, it’s unpleasant. He will need trial and error to make it delicious.

「But soy sauce is not done yet……I’m getting excited」
After all, it took six years to reach this step. Also, after developing soy sauce, it would take time to make it delicious.
「There there, isn’t it okay to do it step by step」
「Right right. And it’s quite tasty, isn’t it? Can I have some? 」
Roa and Aisha encouraged Haruto.
＿＿＿＿＿

Miso was completed. He only needed to adjust the temperature and humidity, next is the development of soy sauce.

「Soy sauce is a liquid. So I’ll try to do it with salt water」
Haruto had soybeans and koji combined and fermented in salt water.

「This is indeed liquid but……it looks like miso melted in water? Do I need to add another seasoning? 」
Roa licked the finished quasi-soy sauce. If you think calmly, there won’t be any difference in taste if you only add water.

「There there, calm down. It’s trial and error」
Once the miso is finished, Haruto can afford to be patient. He can change the temperature, humidity, and koji in various ways.

……And time flows, seven years since the miso was completed, Haruto became 36 years old.
＿＿＿＿＿

「Damn, what’s the difference……」
The soy sauce is not yet complete. No matter how hard he tries, it always becomes watery miso. Perhaps something is missing. Something important. There’s a possibility that bacteria other than Aspergillus is needed.

Although, it doesn’t seem like he’d advanced at all. Miso is nearing completion, it’s at a level that he can make enough to sell it. It’s popular among children. Koji can also be mixed with wood ash, killing other molds other than koji, and it became possible to only cultivate koji. Because it is troublesome to purchase rice and soybeans, he began growing it in the garden.

「I don’t get it……I don’t get it……」
Haruto grumbled to himself.

「Papa, what are you doing? 」
A beautiful girl with red hair like ruby called out to Haruto, it was Rea. Fortunately, the face and hair resemble Roa. But her personality is similar to Haruto, their facial expression and behavior is exactly alike. She will soon be 14 years old, it’s rumored that many men are becoming interested since she’s become more feminine. Why is it rumors? It’s because it’s hard to talk about it. Perhaps she’s at that awkward age. He is concerned as a father, so he asked a lot of people around.

「Nothing. Same as usual. Why can’t I finish it……」
「How about try changing the idea? If it’s not the bacteria or temperature, then maybe the other ingredients is not enough? 」
「Other ingredients? 」
As he was told that, he had never thought of anything other than soybeans, salt, and bacteria. Miso has also been completed with just three of them, it was because of prejudice that he didn’t need other materials.

Haruto closed his eyes. He recalled the ingredients on the label of a bottle of soy sauce. What was written other than soybeans……because it was a long time ago, he does not remember it. If he remembers it correctly……

Raw materials: Wheat・・, soybeans, salt, rice

「Ah! 」
Haruto unexpectedly raised a voice. There’s wheat. There was wheat.

「What’s wrong? 」
Suddenly raising a voice after Haruto who suddenly became silent, Rea anxiously looked at Haruto. Haruto unconsciously hugged Rea.

「Thank you! As expected of my daughter. You’re a genius! 」
「No, wait. Let go. You smell of miso. Don’t rub my hair! 」
Rea is glad, but she pushed Haruto away with an annoyed expression in her delicate face. Haruto says with a smile.
「I will make it at once! 」

And so, soy sauce was finally finished.

By the way, it took four years before soy sauce can be reliably sold, and it took five years to establish a large-scale facility that can manufacture miso and soy sauce as well as develop wide-scale cultivation of rice and soybeans.