Though it was only a simple lunch, with ordinary food on the table,
Yupa and the two guests found it tasted unlike anything else.
Take the wheat flatbread on the table. Normally, it was made by mixing flour and water, shaping the dough into flat rounds, and baking them in an oven. It was a basic staple with almost no flavor.
But the flatbread they tasted had a rich aroma and a natural sweetness like that of fresh wheat kernels.
The mashed potatoes served alongside it contained neither milk nor butter, yet they had a hearty, rich texture all their own.
And the platter of roasted vegetables, which looked crude and had been seasoned with nothing but salt and olive oil, tasted downright heavenly.
Onions, tomatoes, and sweet peppers had been chopped and arranged on the platter, their juices and aromas concentrated by roasting. With every bite, the sweet, savory juices and roasted aroma surpassed the finest spices.
Even Yupa, who had enjoyed many luxurious meals, could not stop praising it.
After the meal, Eliana gracefully dabbed at the corners of her mouth and addressed Nausicaä.
"Thank you for your generous hospitality, Chief Nausicaä. To enjoy such delicious food in these difficult times is truly an honor."
What she had seen and heard along the way had prepared her to subsist on bran and vegetables. She had not expected the young chief to have "made a special effort" to bring out the best food for her and her son.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Nausicaä smiled back.
After the two "outsiders" returned to their room to rest, only the leaders of the Valley of the Wind remained in the hall.
Beside them, Mito could not wait to ask, "Lord Yupa, how did the meal taste? Surely it couldn't compare to the luxurious delicacies you've tried on your travels through other countries?"
"Hmm... Actually, it's the most delicious meal I've had recently. Those vegetables in particular-I doubt even the emperors of Tolmekia or Dorok have tasted anything so delicious."
Seeing Beruto trying to suppress a laugh across the table, Yupa seemed to understand something.
Mito's shoulders slumped the moment he heard Yupa's assessment.
"Tch, a bet's a bet. Here!"
He flicked a shiny gold coin engraved with a pair of entwined snakes onto the table in annoyance. Beruto chuckled and swiftly scooped it up.
Though the Valley of the Wind was self-sufficient and had no use for such things within its borders, Tolmekian gold coins could still be exchanged for plenty of good things when the caravans came.
"Now, can you tell me," Yupa asked, turning his gaze to the smug-looking Beruto, "what exactly was the secret behind that meal?"
"Hehe, it's simple. Naturally, it was a blessing from Lord Erdtree." Beruto smugly tucked the gold coin into his pocket. "That old fellow Mito was fretting over what to serve you, and I happened to overhear him, so..."
Naturally, the Valley of the Wind grew more than just staples such as wheat, potatoes, and soybeans, or "cash crops" like grapes for trade.
Needless to say, there were ancient crops like carrots and onions. Even tomatoes and sweet peppers, which had only arrived through trade during the old civilization's period of rapid development, had miraculously survived the Seven Days of Fire and lived on.
But most vegetables had low yields and did not keep well, so they could usually only be eaten fresh at certain times of the year.
Beruto had a sudden idea: since the growth-accelerating effects of Erdtree's Favor were so convenient, why limit it to a few staple crops?
He acted at once, taking vegetable seeds from storage and planting them.
Sure enough, giant vegetables several times their normal size and incomparably fresh and sweet were born.
There were tomatoes that took both hands to hold and carrots as thick as a forearm. Even the once-pungent onions had become as sweet and refreshing as fruit, while retaining their distinctive flavor.
When Yupa first arrived, Mito, who was responsible for managing the castle, had been at a loss.
All the livestock had been seized by Tolmekia, and the vineyards had been destroyed in the spore contamination, leaving them with no fruit wine for the year.
Without meat or wine, how was he supposed to hold a proper banquet for their guests?
Beruto, who had come to deliver grain, heard about his troubles and volunteered to show off his skills.
But Mito simply did not believe Beruto's humble "farmhouse cooking" was fit to serve, and Beruto strongly objected.
The two immediately made a bet on what Yupa would think of the table of "special dishes."
The result was clear: Beruto's recipes won unanimous praise.
When Nausicaä heard that Beruto had made all the dishes himself, her face lit up.
"Uncle Beruto, can these vegetables be grown in large quantities?"
"Yes. There are still plenty of vegetable seeds saved for planting this year. I was planning to grow more vegetables once we had enough grain in storage, so everyone could eat better..."
"That's wonderful! I'll leave the food for the celebration banquet to you!"
"A celebration?"
The three elders, Mito, Gol, and Beruto, looked at one another.
There were no traditional Valley of the Wind festivals coming up, and even welcoming Yupa home hardly seemed to warrant a "celebration" of that scale.
None of them had any idea that the Valley of the Wind was about to hold a celebration.
However, this really was an oversight on Nausicaä and Mu En's part.
Over the past few days, almost all their discussions and planning for reforming the Valley of the Wind had taken place through their mental connection.
Until today, Nausicaä herself had still been unsure whether to implement the reforms, much less inform the elders in advance.
"I understand! Your Highness, you're a genius!" Only Beruto seemed to have caught on. He slapped his thigh. "You told me not to distribute the grain yet so we could prepare a celebration for the end of the famine, didn't you?"
He had been wondering why they had not lifted rationing when the grain grown over the past few days was nearly as much as they would normally harvest in half a year.
So it turned out Her Highness had been planning a celebration!
"That's part of it, but it isn't the main reason," Nausicaä explained with a smile. "First, we want to reveal the Erdtree's existence, so all the valley's people know that Mr. Tree saved the Valley of the Wind."
"Second, we want to recognize those who made outstanding contributions to the Valley of the Wind during these recent difficult times, and encourage the other villagers to follow their example and protect our home together."
Mito looked puzzled and worried when he heard this.
"But Your Highness, you know the valley's customs. We don't give out special commendations like these because we fear they'll cause division and unfairness among people. If you suddenly change tradition in public, won't that..."
He was worried that the princess's decision to break with tradition would make those rumors spread even more wildly.
"This concerns the survival of the Valley of the Wind."
At Nausicaä's words, they all grew serious at once.
They knew their young chief never exaggerated dangers and would never joke about the future of the Valley of the Wind.
"To explain, I have to start with the news Master Yupa brought back..."
In the castle hall that had witnessed countless momentous decisions, the girl recounted the tragedy of the Kingdom of Pejite.
The three elders turned pale and sat as though on pins and needles.
Someone was secretly striking at the northern nations and seizing their homes?