I Grow Crops with a System

”Butter Tree?”

Ethan asked in confusion.

”See the fruits on the tree, meow?” Pearl asked.

He looked in the direction Pearl was pointing, hanging from the branches were many white fruits, each about the size of a watermelon.

The Gorathun glanced at Ethan once more and then turned and left.

Once it had walked far away, Ethan brought Pearl over to the base of the Butter Tree.

”Let me see...”

He plucked one of the fruits, cut it open with his glass-stone dagger, and saw that the inside was filled with a viscous liquid, he dipped a finger into it and tasted it.

”A Butter Tree, just as the name implies, is a tree that yields butter, meow!”

”The butter from a Butter Tree is extremely delicious and used to be frequently used in cooking, meow!”

”You just have to put the cream into a container and shake it vigorously to make fluffy butter, meow~” Pearl explained.

’Butter for cooking, Pearl is right.’

Ethan plucked a few more fruits and put them into his leather bag.

”Meow? Do you want to plant a Butter Tree, meow?” Pearl asked.

”I’m not sure how to plant one, I’ll just take it back and study it first, if we can grow them, we’ll be able to eat well tonight,” Ethan said.

”Really, meow?!” Pearl asked excitedly.

”Of course,” Ethan answered affirmatively.

What an unexpected haul, Ethan memorized the path they took and then returned to the shelter with Pearl.

He set down the Spicy Onions and butter fruits, then poured the cream from the butter fruits into a jar.

”What are you doing, meow?” Pearl asked curiously.

”I’m making butter.”

Ethan replied that if this cream was the same as the cream on Earth, he could make butter out of it, he poured all the cream into the jar and began shaking it vigorously.

”Meow! Do your best, meow!” Pearl cheered from the sidelines.

After shaking for a long time, the cream inside the jar finally started making a sloshing sound, the cream began to separate, turning into butter and buttermilk.

”Phew, it’s finally done.” Ethan breathed a sigh of relief.

”Good job, meow...” Pearl said.

”Looks like I’ll need to build a machine...”

He decided that later on, he would use his Crafting skill to make a butter churner, he gathered the butter from the jar and kneaded it into a ball.

”Looks kind of weird, meow,” Pearl evaluated.

”It’s supposed to be washed with ice water, but since we don’t have ice, we’ll have to use river water.”

Ethan rinsed the butter a few times with cold river water and placed it in a cool spot to dry.

”Looks good.”

He picked up the butter, then grabbed the meat Zharok had brought that morning.

”Today we’re having butter-roasted meat!”

”Meow~! Yay, meow~!” Pearl cheered.

He placed a large chunk of butter onto a heated iron plate, then put the meat on top and began roasting, unlike before, when he used regular oil, this roast emitted a rich, milky aroma, both Ethan and Pearl couldn’t help but swallow hard.

The meat was done, they impatiently picked up a piece and popped it into their mouths.

”Meow-ahhh~! The meat is melting in my mouth, meow!!”

The taste was worlds apart from using regular oil, the rich fragrance of butter blended perfectly with the savory aroma of the roasted meat.

Neither Pearl nor Ethan cared about talking anymore — they just stuffed large mouthfuls into their faces, the meat melted the moment it entered their mouths, overflowing with savory juices and tasting incomparably delicious.

Whether it was Pearl or Ethan, neither of them had ever eaten roast meat this good, just simple butter-roasting could produce such an incredible dish.

’What would it taste like if I used butter for other recipes?’

Ethan carefully packed away the remaining butter.

”Tomorrow we’ll use the butter to make Omurice.”

”Meow? What’s that, meow?” Pearl asked curiously.

”It’s an egg dish, since Zharok brought over quite a few eggs, we can use those.”

”Meow-meow-meow~ I vote, meow~” Pearl expressed its agreement excitedly.

And there were the Moonlight Tomatoes, which could be used to make ketchup.

Pearl lay down beside him, pointed at the butter fruit, and said, ”Shouldn’t we plant the Butter Tree now, meow?”

”You’re right.”

Ethan picked up a butter fruit and observed it closely, the pit was large, fully the size of a plum, he didn’t know how to make it sprout.

Looking at the pit, Pearl said, ”I read in Lady Witch’s book that Butter Tree seeds need to be injected with mana in order to sprout, meow~”

”Mana again... Can’t we use Growth Acceleration and Soil Fortification?” Ethan asked.

”That should work, but it’s best to inject mana into it, meow~” Pearl replied.

It seemed he had to master mana as soon as possible.

He planted the seed in the soil, then used Growth Acceleration and Soil Fortification.

The seed quickly sprouted, growing into a small sapling.

Pearl also injected some mana into it and then said to Ethan, ”From now on, I’ll inject mana into it every day, meow~”

”Sorry to trouble you then, by the way, why do you think the Gorathun wanted to tell us where the Butter Tree was?” Ethan asked.

”True, meow.” Pearl also felt puzzled.

”If we run into it next time, let’s give it some Honey Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Beets, maybe it’ll tell us the location of other good things,” Ethan guessed.

”Meow-meow~ I can’t wait, meow~” Pearl anticipated excitedly.

...

The next morning, Ethan chopped up the Spicy Onions and sautéed them in a pot.

The fragrant scent filled the air. Pearl crawled out of bed, stretched lazily, and said, ”...Smells so good...”

”You’re awake?”

Pearl washed its face, jumped onto Ethan’s shoulder, looked at the Spicy Onions in the pot, and then hopped down and ran toward the river, it was going to check the fish trap.

”There’s nothing in the fish trap, meow~” Pearl shouted dejectedly.

”Lately, we barely catch anything in there.”

Ethan was also a bit disappointed, but he didn’t give up, he planned to find another spot and set out a few more fish traps.

He blanched the tomatoes, peeled them, then added the Elven spices and seasonings, along with Sweet Beet juice, salt, and pepper, letting it simmer.

”Long time no see.” A familiar voice came over.

”Ah, it’s you.” Ethan looked back and saw Walter.

”Smells amazing, what are you making?”

He had said he would visit often, but Ethan didn’t expect him to show up the very next day.

”I hunted a three-eyed wild boar yesterday and brought some meat over for you.” Walter handed a large chunk of meat to Ethan.

He looked somewhat anxious, Ethan pointed at the tomatoes in the pot. ”Perfect timing, you came just when I needed you, can you help me grind these tomatoes down?”

”No problem... Are you making some new dish again?” Walter asked curiously.

”I’m making Moonlight Tomato Ketchup.”

”Oh, sounds very good.”

Walter used the Shatter spell to grind the tomatoes in the pot into a smooth paste.

”Thanks.”

Now he just needed to let it simmer, Ethan left the pot on the fire and stirred it occasionally, seeing Walter fidgeting restlessly, he smiled. ”Once I finish making the ketchup, I’ll make you some Moonlight Tomato juice.”

”Haha, I wasn’t rushing you,” Walter hurriedly denied.

”I know.” Ethan smiled.

After simmering for a while, the ketchup thickened, he removed the pot from the fire and set it aside to cool, then made a glass of Moonlight Tomato juice for Walter and asked:

”Do you know if there’s a Gorathun around here?”

”A Gorathun? Are you talking about the four-horned Gorathun?” Walter seemed to recognize the creature, taking a sip of his juice, he said, ”I know that Gorathun, it has lived for a very long time.”

”It can practically be called a Spirit Beast!”