#1178 Mint War

Shocking!!!

It seems my kids didn’t like the chocolate mint ice cream I put all my heart into making!
Why?!
Did I not mix the ice cream well enough to make sure the ingredients were evenly distributed?!

"Uh, isn’t that kind of beside the point?"

Here comes my wife, Platy, with her know-it-all attitude.
Have you finished tending to your herb garden?

"I got bored halfway through, so I just stopped. But more importantly, Dear, it looks like you got a bit carried away with your plan."

Wh-What?

"Sure, this new ice cream is fresh and innovative, with both appearance and flavor that are completely new. It’s a bold creation. The minty freshness with the rich sweetness of the chocolate complement each other, highlighting both flavors. It’s a perfect combination."

Wait, really?!
Thank you for the compliment! You’ve really boosted my self-esteem and I’m feeling so much better now!

"The way the minty freshness rushes up your nose while the chocolate sweetness lingers in your mouth...! The mint clears the chocolate away...! Guoooohhhh! I could eat this all day!!!"

You’re devouring it like that?!
The more dramatic Platy’s reactions get, the more my self-esteem is healing!
Thank you!!!

"Burp... But Dear, you got too caught up in the novelty and missed the obvious point! No matter how fresh something is, if people don’t accept it, it’s pointless!"

Urk...
That’s true…!

"The mint flavor is probably too much for kids. Mint is a herb, and herbs are basically medicinal plants. As a seasoned parent, you must know how bad of a combo kids and medicine can be."
“Wike a pot and its widdd."

No, not quite like that...!

But Platy has a point.
Good medicine does tend to taste bitter.
And kids absolutely hate bitter flavors. Their senses are still sharp, and their taste buds are even sharper. Bitterness is such a strong sensation for them.

Junior and Norito’s tastes are nothing like ours, dull and worn-out from age.
They have fresh, sharp taste buds.

So, I guess the mint was just too intense for them.

"And the bright green color didn’t help either. They’ve never seen food like this, have they? Kids are naturally wary of strange colors."

That reminds me of something!
When I was a kid, I was too scared to eat the mugwort rice cakes my grandma made. 

I mean, they were green!
Rice cakes should be white, right? The green ones just seemed wrong!

Sorry, Grandma!
But now, I love mugwort rice cakes! I can enjoy them as an adult now!

Taste, appearance...
When you think about it from all angles, the mint ice cream was just too soon for the kids…!

"A fwavor I hated when I was littleee."
"I was all about those weckless days back thennn."

Guhhhhhh!
I didn’t put myself in their shoes! I’m a terrible fatherrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

"Come on, don’t take it that seriously...!"

If you really think about it, mint does taste like an herb.
And herbs, at the end of the day, taste like medicine.

Mint has always been one of those foods that people either love or hate.

There’s a never-ending battle between the chocolate mint lovers and haters.
Maybe mint is like the golden apple, a symbol of conflict rather than a delicious treat...?!

So, does that mean in this world, mint will never be accepted and remain in the shadows…?
...No!

Mint shall not perish! It will rise again!
(Even in a gardening sense.)

The reason Junior and Norito didn’t like it was just that mint didn’t match their young taste buds!
Mint, with its medicinal taste and strong refreshing sensation, is difficult for everyone to enjoy—young or old.

That’s why, let’s introduce it to the adults who can appreciate its unique flavor!
Let’s revive mint’s glory!
Fwoooaaarrrghhhhhhhh!!!

"Mommy, snacksss.”
"How about we have some curry crackers together?"

***

And so, we ended up with…

"You want me to try this?"

Yes, please, Sensei!!!
I really want you to try this chocolate mint ice cream!!!

If mint is supposed to be a grown-up flavor, then you, being the oldest and most experienced adult on the farm, are the perfect person to give it a shot!

Please, Sensei, enjoy the adult taste!

"I’m flattered you trust me, but... I prefer pickled vegetables or natto. I'm not really into anything too sweet..."

Yes! That’s exactly why I’m asking you!

I thought someone with your mature palate would appreciate the chocolate mint flavor!!!

Just as I was enthusiastically pushing the mint, suddenly, an intruder appeared.

"Meow, meow, meow! If we're talking about age, I should be included too, meow!!!"

Ah, it’s a cat.
Or rather, it's the Professor.
A different immortal king than Sensei.

"Meow is the oldest of all the Lifeless King! I’m an impressive 4,000 years old! You can count on me to give you my honest opinion, meow!"

Okay, here’s the mint leaf.

"GYAAAHHHH! The smell is too strong, meowwwwwwwwwww!!!"

The Professor, who’s lived so long that even his "immortal" body was starting to break down, is now borrowing a cat’s body to move around.

He's using the cat’s senses, too.
So, when he smelled the strong mint scent...

"Meowwwwww!! My nose is being blown away, meowwww! It’s like my senses are being overloaded, meowwwwwwwwwww!!!"

And then, in a flash, he bolted away.
Seems like mint isn’t just a no-go for kids, it’s also not great for certain immortals.

"Hmm... it is quite a stimulating flavor as you say."

Meanwhile, Sensei is casually enjoying the mint ice cream, taking his time.

"Mint is an herb, herbs are medicinal plants, and medicinal plants are good for the body. When you believe something is good for you, you can handle the bitterness or spiciness. That’s what it means to be an adult."

Sensei laughs heartily.
That’s exactly the kind of reaction I was hoping for!

I’m so glad. Thanks to Sensei, I’ve regained my confidence.
With this spirit, I’ll spread chocolate mint ice cream across this world!!!

***

A few days later…

"Mint? That stuff tastes like medicine! It’s gross!"
"What?! You’re just saying that because your taste buds are still childish! The refreshing minty sensation is perfect for clearing your mind and waking you up! Don’t underestimate mint, damn ittttttttttttttttttttttt!"

That’s weird.
I only spread the chocolate mint ice cream around the farm, and now people are splitting into two camps—the chocolate mint lovers and the non-chocolate mint lovers.

Is mint always going to cause conflict, no matter what?
Considering everything, I decided to stop trying to spread chocolate mint ice cream to the entire world.

Maybe humanity just isn’t ready for it yet…!

Just then, I heard flapping sounds from above.
It was Veil, transformed into a dragon.

Whenever there’s a new dessert, she always shows up…
But it’s unusual for her to show up at the end.

"I sensed a dangerous presence. Dragons are cautious creatures!"

But your kind is the most dangerous creature in the world…

Veil quickly shifts back into human form and says, "So, this is the new creation everyone’s talking about, huh? I’ve been waiting for this! Time for a taste!"

She takes a bite of the chocolate mint ice cream.

"Kwwoooohhh!!!"

It was so good that she quickly transformed back into dragon form.

"My mouth is sooooo cool! The breeze feels so nice! If I keep this up, I could probably breathe ice, too!!!"

Veil’s getting a new technique because of the chocolate mint?
The possibilities of mint are endless.