Chương 33: Bonus story : The Druids' Guild: Part 3 : Plant Relics

After leaving the dietary supplements aisle, Emma picked up her basket again and headed toward the fruit and vegetable section. Aldric followed close behind. Nothing resembled an ordinary market. The vegetables were arranged with remarkable precision, not a single one sticking out or disrupting the harmony of the display. In front of every crate, a small handwritten chalkboard listed the product's name, its origin, the grower's name, and sometimes a few additional details about how it had been cultivated.

Aldric even noticed an employee removing a bruised apple before replacing it with a flawless one. In his kingdom, vegetable merchants simply piled their harvests onto tables or into baskets. Here, every single vegetable seemed to be treated like a collector's item. Even the customers handled them carefully before gently returning them to their place. His attention was soon drawn to several varieties he had never encountered before.

Nearly black tomatoes sat beside yellow ones, while others were streaked with long green stripes. Farther down, purple carrots shared the display with red, white, and golden beets, while an entire stand was devoted to different varieties of apples, some of them labeled Heirloom.

"Do these species occur naturally?"

"Yes. Many of them are heirloom varieties that people have started growing again. They almost disappeared for a while, but some farmers are bringing them back." In his world, anything that survived the passage of centuries acquired special significance. Ancient weapons became relics, old grimoires preserved the most precious knowledge, and heirloom seeds were carefully protected by druids to prevent them from disappearing forever.

He studied the different varieties before him, already imagining those seeds being passed down from one generation to the next by a brotherhood of guardians devoted to nature. The longer he looked at the vegetables, the more extraordinary they seemed. None resembled those he had seen before, and each appeared to tell a different story. Then his gaze dropped to the price tags. He read one price once. Then a second time. Then a third. A single heirloom tomato cost several euros.

He checked whether the price was for an entire batch, then read the sign again before turning to Emma.

"Is this variety endangered?"

"No. It's just rarer than the ones you find everywhere." Aldric immediately looked back at the tomato. Its unusual color, irregular shape, and above all its price confirmed exactly what he had begun to suspect. No one would sell a vegetable for such a high price unless it possessed exceptional value. It was an ancient variety, preserved for generations by druids and cultivated with enough care to justify such a cost. He continued inspecting the displays. Every new variety only reinforced that impression.

Purple carrots, multicolored beets, and heirloom apples were all presented with the same reverence reserved for rare treasures. Emma continued filling her basket without paying much attention to the knight's behavior. As far as she could tell, he was simply stopping in front of every crate, examining the produce from every angle, and reading each little chalkboard. As he was about to catch up with Emma, his attention was drawn to a few small containers on a refrigerated shelf.

Each held a handful of tiny, deep-blue berries. His eyes shifted from the fruit to the price. Nine euros. He lifted one of the containers closer to his face, read the label more carefully, then checked to make sure the price wasn't for several containers. Yet everything indicated that this tiny box really did cost that much. In his kingdom, such a sum would have been enough to buy several sacks of grain, meat, bread, and enough provisions to feed a family for days.

Here, it bought nothing more than a handful of tiny berries.

"Do these fruits possess exceptional medicinal properties?"

"Not really. Blueberries are mostly known for being rich in antioxidants." He had never heard such a word before. Yet it sounded to him like the name of a complex compound that only experienced alchemists could extract from a rare plant. He carefully returned the container to its place.

"I understand now."

"See? It's not that complicated."

"If these fruits contain antioxidants, it is only natural that they should be so valuable." You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"That's... not exactly what I meant." But the knight had already resumed his exploration. A few yards farther on, another display caught his attention. Several crates showcased different varieties of mushrooms. Porcini stood beside chanterelles, while oyster mushrooms shared the display with strangely shaped shiitakes.

"These are rare as well."

"Some are only available in season. Others are much harder to grow or harvest."

"So you must venture into the forests at precisely the right time to gather them."

"For wild mushrooms... yes."

"And some species are difficult to find, while others require specialized knowledge to cultivate."

"Exactly. That's why they're so expensive." They continued through the shop until they reached another row of shelves lined with countless bottles. Some were tall and slender, while others were shorter and broader. The glass was thick, and some of the corks were even sealed with wax. He approached the first bottle. Olive oil infused with basil. The second: truffle-infused olive oil. Then a third: Oak-aged vinegar.

Every product came with a lengthy description detailing its origin, production method, unique characteristics, and, quite often, the exact name of the producer. Some labels even told the story of the family estate or described techniques that had been passed down for generations. The farther he walked, the more he recognized the traditions of the master craftsmen from his former world. The finest blacksmiths engraved their names onto their blades. Enchanters certified the origin of the magical stones they used.

Alchemists always recorded the source of their rarest ingredients to guarantee their authenticity. These bottles seemed to follow the very same principle. He picked one up.

"Origin... extraction method... producer's name... Your craftsmen even provide certificates of authenticity with their creations..." Aldric continued exploring the shelves. Oils and vinegars filled several entire sections, but the most refined products had been gathered inside a small illuminated display case. There were fewer bottles there, their labels were more elegant, and their designs noticeably more sophisticated. His gaze moved from one bottle to the next before settling on the smallest of them.

The bottle was barely larger than his hand and contained so little oil that it would hardly have been enough to prepare a few meals. Yet its price exceeded that of every other bottle displayed around it. Thirty-two euros. He examined the price once, looked up at the bottle, then looked back at the number. Nothing changed. The tiny bottle truly cost thirty-two euros. Aldric opened the glass cabinet and carefully took the bottle into his hands.

He examined it from several angles, searching for a symbol, a seal, or an inscription that might explain why such a tiny amount of oil commanded such an extraordinary price. Emma had just placed a bottle of vinegar into her basket when she noticed he was no longer following her. She turned around and immediately spotted the little bottle in his hands.

"Don't tell me you're about to spend another ten minutes studying the label."

"Why is this oil worth more than all the others?" Emma stepped closer to read the description.

"It's extra virgin olive oil. It comes from a small artisanal producer. The olives are harvested in limited quantities and cold-pressed immediately after picking. And it's organic."

"A limited harvest?"

"Yes. The producer doesn't make very much of it."

"Because the fruit is rare?"

"Not necessarily rare. There's just less of it."

"So only a limited quantity of fruit is available each year."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean it's endangered." Aldric continued reading.

"Artisanal production."

"It means the oil is produced in small batches using more traditional methods."

"An ancient technique passed down by the old masters..." He continued examining the label until another line caught his eye.

"First cold pressing..."

"It means the olives are pressed without being heated so they retain their qualities."

"So the extraction is performed without fire to preserve the oil's properties. And only the first pressing is kept. Such a method must require extraordinary precision."

"I suppose so."

"So excessive heat would destroy some of its properties."

"Probably."

"You can put it back now. It's not a relic."

"Its price suggests otherwise."

"The price mostly means that some people are willing to pay a lot for good olive oil."

"Because it possesses exceptional qualities."

"Because it tastes better."

"The label mentions notes of fresh grass, almonds, and ripe fruit."

"Those are tasting notes."

"So it contains the essences of several plants."

"They're flavors you can recognize when you taste it."

"An oil capable of naturally reproducing the flavors of several different plants must be extraordinary. It must come from a sacred tree."

"It's... organic."

"So that is the name of the tree."

"Not at all."

"You just told me this oil came from an organic."

"I said it's organic. That means it was produced according to specific standards without using certain chemical products."

"So the organic tree is cultivated without artificial substances to preserve its purity."

"It's not an organic tree. There's no tree called that. Organic is a method of producing food."

"A technique reserved for this guild."

"No. Lots of producers can be organic."

"Provided they follow strict rules and obtain certification."

"So this symbol guarantees the authenticity of the harvest."

"It guarantees that the product meets the standards of organic farming."

"So a brotherhood establishes the rules, inspects the crops, and grants its seal only to producers who uphold its traditions." At last, Aldric returned the bottle to the display case. He took the time to make sure it rested perfectly in the center of its place before closing the glass door. Emma pushed her basket farther down the aisle with a shake of her head, while Aldric cast one last glance toward the small display case.

"So your kingdom still protects certain sacred species."

"Of course, Aldric..."

"I'm relieved to see that your druids haven't completely abandoned their ancient responsibilities."