Chapter 51: Welcome

The pact with the Earth Mushroom Folk was thus smoothly established.

As a contract made with an entire tribe, once the agreement was signed with Dark Star, the clan leader, Chisui could freely communicate with his tribe. Now, at last, Chisui could understand what Gudu’s "wumo" meant.

If more Earth Mushroom Folk later joined the Dark Star tribe, Chisui could still communicate without any obstacles. As long as the clan leader remained unchanged, this tribe would continue to serve Chisui, although the Dark Star tribe was rather small.

Though both are social creatures, the Earth Mushroom Folk differ from the Pink Ring Bee Swarm. In a bee swarm, the queen bee is the highest intelligence unit; all Pink Ring Bees obey her commands, and even their birth is controlled by her.

The Earth Mushroom Folk’s tribe is different — a small village with its own unique civilization. They listen to their leader on major issues but decide minor matters on their own.

Of course, the greatest difference lies in the responsibility Chisui bears. For the bee swarm, Chisui only needs to provide the daily energy required by Lolo; the other bees sustain themselves and even supply energy to the queen. For the Earth Mushroom Folk tribe, Chisui must cover the daily needs of every member.

Currently, Peaceful Pasture’s production capacity consists of twenty plots of farmland, growing white radishes, tomatoes, corn, and lettuce.

Yes, those mysterious vegetable seeds that no one could identify have finally sprouted. Their growth cycle is incredibly fast—faster even than the earlier-planted white radishes—while the tomatoes planted at the same time have yet to bloom.

It is precisely because of this rapid growth that the mystery surrounding them in Chisui’s eyes is finally unveiled.

Thanks to Green Fang’s characteristics, Chisui need not worry about saving seeds; once the crops mature, Green Fang can find ways to nurture them to harvestable levels.

Underground, what was once a mushroom field has been transformed into a vertically connected passage, which will likely become the Pink Ring Bees’ honey storage. Aside from that plot, the first level is entirely flower beds for the bees to gather nectar.

The pasture still hosts three animals, but monsters continue to increase relentlessly.

There are the Mountain Hedgehog Rats, Leaping Rock Beetles, Pink Ring Bee Queen, Green Fang Python, and the Earth Mushroom Folk tribe.

All are heavy consumers of food. If Chisui doesn’t turn their raw materials into dishes, the current stock in the pasture would be depleted within a week.

Peaceful Pasture’s output remains insufficient; relying solely on the present resources is simply unsustainable.

Therefore, Chisui’s long-planned money-making scheme is finally set to begin.

She is going to open a restaurant!

Since learning that the Earth Mushroom Folk had transformed the cave and could live inside it, Chisui began negotiating a business deal with Mayor Ella.

She has leased the cave outside the pasture.

The cave’s decor is simple, using glowing moss for lighting and stargrass for accents.

For the restaurant’s tables, chairs, and open kitchen, Chisui only needs to provide the designs; everything else is left to the Earth Mushroom Folk.

Considering the cave’s ventilation, Chisui had Gudu help install a small chimney in the kitchen.

Thanks to the Earth Mushroom Folk’s astonishing construction speed, the entire cave restaurant was completed in less than three days.

There are only five tables, specially made mushroom-shaped tables built by the Earth Mushroom Folk to resemble oyster mushrooms, while the stools resemble wooden barrels. The stone seats are somewhat uncomfortable, but the unique style is the main attraction.

What Chisui needs to focus on now is the opening menu and, once finalized, getting it appraised and promoted by the Merchants’ Association.

The rest is easy; Chia is a professional at that.

The menu is what troubles Chisui most—she can cook so many dishes that choosing becomes difficult.

The somewhat famous radish cake must be included. Corn offers more possibilities: as she had tried before, with special tools, she could quickly make popcorn, or for more skilled cooks, honeycomb corn.

Corn kernels can be combined with minced pork for a quick dish, cut into sections to stew with pork bones for soup, or ground into flour for sweet corn pancakes.

Considering preparation time and pairing, Chisui ultimately decided to put corn rib soup on the menu.

Lettuce is simpler: just a quick stir-fry making a refreshing vegetarian dish.

As for the still unripe tomatoes, the classic tomato scrambled eggs will definitely have a place.

It will be five days before the tomatoes mature, and with Green Fang’s energy boost, this could be shortened.

But given Green Fang’s relentless, non-stop work schedule, Chisui decided to wait.

Green Fang is already so irritable that no amount of pickled radish can soothe him.

Since the gold coins in Chisui’s hands were nearly depleted after leasing the cave—although she didn’t quite understand why, since the cave was originally excavated by Chiyu and had become town property, and the pasture she inherited didn’t include the cave passage—the rest of her money was all spent on buying fabric.

Her little waitstaff simply couldn’t show up to work in tattered clothes.

Naturally, the Earth Mushroom Folk of the Dark Star tribe wouldn’t serve as waiters.

Though the restaurant is dimmer compared to outside, it’s still too bright for the Dark Star tribe.

Their activity range had shrunk from the second and third floors to only the first through third basement levels.

Living underground long-term with scarce resources, Chisui had long been displeased with their ragged clothes.

Finally, she found an opportunity to replace them.

The Earth Mushroom Folk are small in stature, so only children’s clothing fits them. Chisui went to neighboring Windbell Town to look for children’s clothes but found no specialty stores. Regular clothing shops had limited styles and sizes that might not fit.

Chisui boldly bought only fabric. She had no experience making clothes for herself but had once made doll clothes from old garments, so she was quite skilled at coaxing children.

Once she made up her mind, Chisui acted swiftly, sketching many designs overnight.

She originally planned to make both boys’ and girls’ styles, dressing Gudu in a little skirt, but was rejected.

The reason? Skirts were inconvenient for digging tunnels and building, and Gudu asked her to treat everyone equally.

Chisui had no choice but to respect their wishes.

In the end, the waitstaff all wore matching short-sleeved shirts with suspenders.

The Earth Mushroom Folk’s joy was unmistakable.

As the clothes were made, time flowed steadily onward.

Unconsciously, it was already mid-summer, and the restaurant’s grand opening date drew ever closer.

...

“Listen, when someone comes in, you all shout ‘Welcome!’ together.”

Chisui, wearing an apron and tidying the kitchen, gave instructions.

Guli nervously tugged at the hem of his shirt, his face flushed red. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before finally whispering, “Welcome.”

“Slap!”

Gudu smacked Guli’s mushroom cap.

“Louder! Who’s going to hear you like that?”

“Come on, follow me: Welcome!”

Startled by Gudu’s slap, Guli immediately straightened up.

He shouted out a loud, “Welcome!”

Chia, who had just entered, tilted his head in confusion.

The increasingly loud chorus of “wumo” made him hesitate before asking,

“Are they… practicing singing?”