“Alright then, I’ll start grilling the meat now!”
“Yeah! Man, I never thought I’d get to eat your cooking, young lady!”
“This time, it’s just a simple grill-and-eat menu, though.”
The crackling sound of burning firewood echoes around us.
After that, under Mr. Tori’s direction, the men brought some unused desks and chairs from the guild warehouse, so I’m currently using those as makeshift prep tables for cooking.
Besides my portable fire grill, the guild also has something like a simple stove they use for large-scale expedition missions, so I’m borrowing that as well. It’s about the size of an eighteen-liter can, and it’s an excellent piece of equipment with a double-layered bottom so it doesn’t leave burn marks on the ground. If there’s a problem, it’s that it’s heavy and can’t be folded because it’s cast iron… but well, I guess that’s not an issue for today, right?
I place a borrowed wire rack on top of that simple stove to secure a grilling space.
“Ms. Rin, do we have enough firewood?”
“We brought a bit more!”
“Thank you so much for everything, Ms. Sheila. With this, I think we can grill the meat and other things too!”
When I turn around at the bell-like voice, Ms. Sheila and Ms. Aria stand there smiling, their arms full of firewood. They must have gotten additional firewood from the guild cafeteria.
After Ms. Sheila sets down the bundled firewood and stands neatly to my left, watching me grill the orc ribs, Ms. Aria does the same, placing her firewood down and positioning herself to my right.
Oh my…! I have a beauty on each side!?
I scold my cheeks that are about to go all mushy, and when I see the fire has stabilized, I place the wire rack for cooking on top.
By the way, Gomamiso remains in Ms. Aria’s arms the whole time. Well, I have to cook, after all.
“…Come to think of it, I used onions to season this meat… Ms. Sheila, are onions okay for you?”
“Geez! People ask me that all the time, but ‘kobolds’ are ‘kobolds’—we’re not doggies! It’s fine!”
“That’s a relief! Now I can grill the meat with peace of mind!”
As I reached for the meat beside me and asked about something that’d been on my mind… Ms. Sheila beside me turned away with a huff. Still, the way she puffs out her cheeks is just so adorable, so adorable…!
But even Ms. Sheila can’t seem to resist the temptation of meat… When I pick up the meat that’s been thoroughly marinated in the sauce with tongs, her jet-black nose twitches.
…Ah… I wonder if she’s about to surrender soon?
Sure enough, when the meat lands on the heated wire rack with a sizzling sound, her face finally turns toward me.
Of course, Ms. Aria’s eyes to my right are also sparkling as she gazes this way.
“Amazing…! It smells like oranges! What a wonderful aroma…!”
“The meat looks so good, such a nice color…!”
“It’s already cooked through, so once the surface gets crispy, it’ll be done.”
Ms. Sheila twitches her nose while Ms. Aria clasps her hands in front of her chest, both wearing melting smiles as they watch the meat turn a golden brown.
From the parboiled meat, clear fat and juices already drip down, hissing as smoke curls upward.
This smoke, you see… it kind of gives it a lightly smoked feel… as long as you don’t overdo it, it becomes deliciously smoky. If you go too far, it just ends up tasting like smoke, though.
While I’m diligently flipping the orc ribs so the meat doesn’t stick to the wire rack, it seems the people with free hands have prepared drinks and plates.
When someone taps me lightly on the shoulder, and I turn around, Mr. Ville has brought me a glass of the usual barley tea.
“Thank you, Mr. Ville!”
“I really want to drink alcohol, but… it’s still lunchtime…”
“Yeah, true enough… it is still a bit early to start drinking.”
Ms. Aria’s eyebrows droop disappointedly, but I think there’s nothing to be done about drinking… Besides, Mr. Tori and Ms. Sheila are on duty.
After confirming that everyone has received their glasses, Mr. Tori clears his throat with a small cough while glancing this way. When I think "huh?" and look at Mr. Ville, he’s also staring at me while nodding slowly.
…Oh, right! I haven’t explained today’s meal plan yet!
No wonder they cannot bring themselves to start eating.
“Ah—sorry, I forgot to explain! Today I’ll keep adding ingredients to the table, so grill whatever you like, as much as you like, and eat it as soon as it’s done!”
“We’re grateful, Rin!”
“Mm! Thanks!”
The moment permission from the cook comes out, the hungry crowd—who rapidly recite their pre-meal prayers—rushes toward the grill.
They express their thanks to me one after another while pointing their forks at the golden-brown meat.
Mr. Tori and Ms. Sheila stare blankly at this, making no attempt to hide their astonishment, just standing there dumbfounded before that commotion. They probably don’t know what to do.
“…Amazing, young lady… Do you always handle that…?”
“Everyone’s moving at such incredible speed…”
“I think they’re hungrier than usual after coming back from the dungeon. If you and Ms. Sheila don’t go, it’ll all be gone, you know?”
“Yeah! Thanks, young lady! I’ll partake!”
“Thank you, Ms. Rin! I’ll go get some!”
I gently pushed the backs of Mr. Tori and Ms. Sheila—who finally opened their mouths—toward the hungry group. At that pace, if they don’t eat quickly, it’ll all disappear…
Brought back to their senses by the stimulus of being pushed, Mr. Tori and Ms. Sheila throw themselves into the grilled-meat war with smiles.
By the way, I’ve already set aside my portion before grilling. I plan to grill it together with a “secret treat.”
When I head toward the desk serving as a prep table to do some work, I feel a light impact around my shin.
‘Hey—what about mine?’
“I have some unseasoned orc ribs. They’re lightly cooked, so I think parasites and such should be fine.”
‘Me, a tough one! Pawasites are no problem!’
Probably because everyone’s engrossed in eating, there’s no one to play with, and it gets lonely.
I place the boiled orc ribs in front of Gomamiso, who’s rubbing—or rather headbutting—my shin. Its eyes light up immediately as it bites into the meat, looking absolutely delighted.
“Rin! Rin! This is delicious! Orc ribs are delicious!”
“The fat just melts, and the flavor soaks right into it…!”
“The contrast between the crispy grilled meat parts and the melting fat’s texture is irresistible…!”
While watching Gomamiso happily chomping on meat at my feet, I hear the constant stream of joyful voices rising from the portable grill over there.
Yup. I’m glad it’s well received!
As I nod with satisfaction at my work, the aroma of grilled meat suddenly grows stronger.
When I lift my gaze, in the open view, Mr. Ville—who has escaped the commotion of the meat scramble—appears to have brought me some meat he must have snatched.
“Rin! Are you okay just cooking? Are you eating properly?”
“Thank you, Mr. Ville. I was just about to grill that thing, so I thought I’d grill my portion together with it.”
“Ah, we finally get to eat that! After being subjected to that wonderful smell, I’ve been curious about how it would turn out!”
What Mr. Ville and I are looking at isn’t the orc meat with its nice color from the marinade… but what lies beside it.
That thing with the vivid contrast between pure white flesh and bluish-gray skin… the storm eel meat, and a small pot placed at the edge of the grill.
In the pot, set over the fire to reduce the kabayaki sauce—a liquid made by mixing soy sauce, sake, and mirin in appropriate amounts and adjusting it to the right flavor—simmers quietly with a sweet, fragrant smell spreading around.
…Still, this storm eel meat… When I saw it in the dungeon, it didn’t seem like much, but looking at it in the real world like this, it’s very, well…
“…Looking at it like this, it really is huge…”
“Indeed… I’m truly glad it dropped as chunks…!”
Still writhing and squirming when touched, I firmly grasp it with my work gloves on and slice into it from the back. That’s what they call back-cutting, I suppose. The skin, which looks extremely thick, parts with a dull snap under the knife. Thankfully, it takes less force than expected.
As I continue cutting and guide the knife along the backbone, I feel the fibers popping and springing under the blade. This… this gives off a very strong “tasty” vibe!
I carefully advance the knife so no flesh remains on the bone and peel open the flesh. The internal organs… I don’t see any… Since it’s a drop item, I wonder if it’s been somewhat processed?
All that’s left is removing the remaining pin bones, but… once it’s opened up like this, I can’t help sighing at its size. The width of the fillet is about as long as the long edge of an A3 sheet. The closest image is like lining up three thick stacks of A3 paper flat on a desk. And yes, they’re chunky stacks, at that!
“I fully expected it to reek of mud, but… it actually doesn’t.”
“If anything, this smells like a delicious fish!”
Beside me as I busily moved the knife, Mr. Ville twitched his nose and muttered.
Indeed, despite being in such murky black water, there’s no fishy or muddy smell at all as I process it. The flesh is pure white and clean too—I wonder if all the edible monsters in this world are like this?
While imagining this and that about food ingredients… or rather, monsters I haven’t encountered yet, I insert the blade between the flesh and pin bones, scraping off bones that must be as thick as two of my fingers.
It’s my first time filleting an eel, but since I’ve filleted trout and other fish from time to time, I can predict how to handle it reasonably well, which helps the work progress. Basically, I just need to do it like usual fish filleting, but without flipping it over, right?
Wow… this is going to be very satisfying to eat. If there’s any left, I could white-grill it and freeze it, and I won’t have to worry about meals for a while… No, well. I don’t even know if there’ll be any left in the first place.
As a final touch, I make several cuts to slice through the rib bones. I feel something thin snapping through the knife. Despite its size, neither the skin nor the bones are particularly hard. Compared to this, I feel like the yellowtail and sea bream I once caught at a sea fishing pond had tougher pin bones and rib bones…? Like with Gomamiso, maybe because their movement is supported by magical power or mana, they can move even without much physical strength?
“For now, I’ll start by slowly grilling it as white-grilled eel!”
Since neither my portable grill nor the simple stove is big enough to grill A3-sized pieces, I cut it into portions slightly larger than the eel skewers commonly seen at supermarkets.
Even so, because the flesh is thick, just lifting a piece of that storm eel feels hefty, and I plop it flesh-side down onto the wire rack of the simple stove. I heard if you grill it skin-side first, it shrinks and curls up.
The moment I do, the white flesh sizzles and contracts, and fat oozes out from wherever it was hidden.
Ah… this is that. It’s definitely delicious already at this point.
“White-grilling… basically grilling it without seasoning?”
“Yes. I’ve heard that if you don’t cook it thoroughly, the muddy smell remains…”
Mr. Ville twitches his nose at the savory smell of fresh fish grilling and watches the storm eel flesh turning white on the grill.
Since it has a lot of fat, the flesh is soft, so I’d better not touch this one carelessly. I really wanted to grill it on skewers, but we didn’t have enough grilling skewers!
“…Looking at it like this… It’s no different from an ordinary fish.”
“It looks like a tasty white fish, doesn’t it? Oh, I’ll have some meat!”
The fat bubbling between the pure white flesh and skin drips into the flames, scattering smoke and a savory aroma with a sizzling sound.
While watching Mr. Ville’s throat move up and down with a gulp, I bite into the meat he brought me.
The saltiness and savoriness of soy sauce, the light refreshing aroma and sweetness of orange, the rich depth and umami of onion… rich meat juices soaked with sauce like a lump of deliciousness overflow into my mouth all at once when I bite into the meat. Since I only boiled it enough for it to cook through, it doesn’t separate easily from the bone, but the sensation of biting hard into the chewy meat and tearing it off bit by bit isn’t bad at all. No, I’d even say that’s what makes it delicious.
“Wow… what incredible meat I’ve made…!”
“Yeah. It was quite a brutal scramble for it. I never thought orc meat could become this delicious! When you eat it at a bad restaurant, it’s too hard and smelly to be edible…”
Beside me, Mr. Ville bites into the remaining meat and licks the sauce on his fingers with the tip of his tongue.
Yes! This sauce, you see…! Thanks to the refreshing citrus, it neutralizes the heaviness of the meat.
Really, I could eat this forever!
I peel off even the membrane from the bone along with the meat… ah… why is the meat near the bone always so delicious… I’m overcome with the urge to keep sucking on it, but I’d better flip the storm eel soon.
When I flip over the storm eel flesh with the tongs, I can see it’s grilled to a golden fox color in its own fat.
“Yes, just right!”
“Oh! You flip it flawlessly! As expected of you, Rin, such a skill.”
“Only when it comes to cooking, though.”
Being careful not to break up the flesh, I flip the storm eel fillet over in one go as much as possible. The dripping fat intensifies the flames, and fire leaps through the gaps in the grill, but I don’t care!
The white flesh, bubbling vigorously while shooting up white steam, is grilled crispy and crunchy. There are no burnt parts either, so this turned out well, if I do say so myself.
“Oh… by the way, we’re heading to the royal capital next. Is there anything you need to buy?”
“Let’s see… for now, I don’t think there’s anything in particular. I still have what I bought this time and drop items as well…”
“Ah… I see… then we don’t need to set aside time for shopping…”
Perhaps noticing I suddenly have nothing to do, Mr. Ville changed the topic. He really is a master of consideration, yup.
Still, I’m sorry, but as for shopping… I think I’m fine for now… The reason is our party’s “we collect way too much meat” problem. Based on my experience in the dungeon, I think our party might make meat drop more than I imagined…
If I think about it carefully, I got meat even in my first combat experience, and I’ve encountered various edible monsters and magical creatures during gathering in the first place… so considering that, I’m betting we can procure meat locally when it comes to meat-related things, yup.
As a result, the processed meat I bought remains almost untouched. As for vegetables, I still have the long-lasting root vegetables I bought for the dungeon run, so for this trip, I think just buying perishable leafy vegetables and milk will suffice.
“That said, it might be nice to have some small add-on seasonings to change the flavor on the spot. If the taste shifts, we can keep eating the same dishes without getting bored.”
“Yeah, that’s certainly convenient. Not getting tired of eating is a big advantage on a journey.”
For example, even if we drink consommé-based soup every day, we can add curry powder one day for a curry style, sesame seeds the next for a nutty aroma, ketchup another day for a tomato twist… that way we don’t have to think, “This soup again…” right?
While placing the remaining orc ribs on the empty space on the grill, I glance sideways at the contents of the spice box on the prep table. I have most of the major spices, but there might be spices and condiments unique to this other world!
“Well, to begin with, will this trip even be long enough to require proper shopping?”
“…Personally, I almost hope it does become long enough to need it… I know in my head that this discussion has to happen, but when it comes to actually going…”
“Ah… come to think of it, you seemed reluctant even at the planning stage…”
Mr. Ville’s face, which had been in high spirits petting Gomamiso until now, clouds over all at once.
…I’m thinking it’s not my place to butt in when I don’t know the circumstances… so I won’t press too hard, but I really wonder what’s going on…
Even the usually thick-skinned Gomamiso, perhaps sensing Mr. Ville’s change, looks up at Mr. Ville—whose petting hand has stopped—with curious… yet somehow worried eyes. At the force of Gomamiso pressing its head against him, Mr. Ville’s head, which had been hanging down, slowly lifts, and strawberry-colored eyes capture me.
“…The person we’re going to meet… is my older brother…”
“…Your older… brother…”
“Yeah. We have different mothers.”
“Oof!”
A strange sound escaped me involuntarily. So that was the cause—they’re brothers!
And half-brothers at that…! W-Well, that certainly explains why he’d be reluctant to go…
I never expected such a bombshell to drop here, Mr. Ville!
The movement of my throat, swallowing hard, brings my consciousness back up from the whirlpool of confused thoughts. My tongue unconsciously licks my dry lips.
The fact that he’s telling me this story means he must trust me at least somewhat, I think, but I have no idea how to respond…
“…Um… I don’t know if it’s okay for an outsider to butt in, but… are you on bad terms with your brother?”
“I don’t think our relationship as brothers was bad. To begin with, my brother had an excellent character… He was kind even to me when I was a little brat.”
“He sounds like a wonderful older brother… I was always fighting with my younger brothers.”
My voice that finally came out still trembled slightly. Mr. Ville’s voice in response wasn’t his usual cheerful one either—it was tinged with a hint of shadow and… something like nostalgia.
…His brother sounds like a good person. Anyone who’s kind to their younger sibling is a good older brother.
Partly because we were close in age, but I held Great Brawl Snack Contest tournaments with my younger brothers practically every day, yup…
…But in that case, it doesn’t seem like they’re on bad terms and don’t want to see each other…
“My brother, who was a man of virtue and perfectly suited to be the heir, was supposed to become the head of our family, but there were many who wanted to prop me up instead…”
“Huh? From what you say, shouldn’t your brother being the heir be perfectly fine, Mr. Ville?”
“…It’s probably because my brother was born to a concubine and I was born to the legitimate wife. In the end, I got fed up with all that fuss and left home on my own… so now I don’t know what kind of face I should make when I go back…”
“Whoa!”
His brother seemed kind, their relationship as brothers wasn’t bad… so why would there be a situation that made him reluctant to go? As I tilted my head in confusion, Mr. Ville slumped his shoulders dejectedly and told me the circumstances, all I could do was mentally laugh it off (though I’m not actually laughing).
What is with these bombshell statements being dropped one after another!? They just keep landing! My mental state is completely wrecked, wrecked! I mean, that story is exactly like those family succession disputes you see in period dramas—how terrible! The word "heir" just rolls off his tongue so casually… Is his family in business, or is he from some kind of master craftsman lineage… or perhaps someone quite important…? And for such a family dispute to arise, Mr. Ville must have been quite the young master from a good family…!?
…Huh? Wait, does this mean this world is a Western-style period drama world!? Not a European fantasy world, but I’ve been summoned to a European period drama world!? If that’s the case, I want to be the gluttonous, absent-minded comic relief character! I want to say things like, "Let’s take a break and eat some local specialties, my lord!”
…But wait a minute? If that’s the case… what kind of role would a saintess summoned from another world be…? Maybe… a beauty who secretly came over from the southern barbarian lands along with forbidden cargo and can perform miracles…?
…
…
…Yup. No matter how I think about it, I’d be on the side that gets condemned by the lord or some elderly nobleman, thank you very much.
“…”
“…What’s wrong, Rin? Did something happen?”
“Oh, no… um… It’s nothing…”
I have so many things I want to say and ask, but I can’t put them into words…
Perhaps noticing me just silently letting my gaze wander, Mr. Ville asked me, but in the end, I couldn’t ask anything, Mom…
An awkward silence flows. At this rate, maybe I should just ask about the one thing I’m most curious about… Just as I’m about to open my mouth…
“That’s amazing, young lady! What’s with how delicious that orc meat is!?”
“Oh, Mr. Tori. Did it suit your palate? Was it okay?”
“It’s not just ‘suited my palate’! Sheila’s completely absorbed in eating it.”
At the booming voice, I look away from the fish to see Mr. Tori standing on the other side of the makeshift stove with a cup of barley tea in hand. Where he points, I can see Ms. Sheila eating orc ribs together with Ms. Aria and everyone. Her pure white fur and the area around her mouth are stained with sauce color, but she’s so absorbed in eating that she doesn’t seem to care… I guess that means she’s enjoying it?
I can feel on my skin how the tense atmosphere suddenly softens at Mr. Tori’s hearty voice and Ms. Sheila’s adorable appearance.
“…By the way, young lady… is that the item in question…?”
“Yes. It’s grilled storm eel. I think this one tastes good with stalactite wasabi and soy sauce… eh?”
Sure, eel glazed is great, but first try it plain with wasabi—I raise a finger and make the suggestion, when suddenly the temperature around us seems to drop.
It’s because the expressions have completely vanished from the faces of Mr. Tori and Mr. Ville, who had been smiling and listening to me until just now.
Hawk-brown and strawberry-colored eyes like glass marbles, as if emotion has drained from them, stare intently at me.
…Huh… w-wait? Did I say something weird…!?
I try to say something, but my lips just flutter without producing sound.
Cold sweat slides down my back.
“…I can’t… I can’t take it anymore…!”
“Ahhh! You mustn’t, Guildmaster!”
Still, just as I was forcing my throat to produce sound somehow… a low, trembling voice spilled from Mr. Tori’s mouth. At the same time, Ms. Sheila, who must have just finished eating and was still holding a bone, raised her voice in restraint.
Before I can wonder what’s happening, Mr. Tori takes a deep breath and…
“Quiet! I can’t hold back anymore with this stuff! Telling me to eat something this delicious without alcohol is way more torture!”
“Ahh! No! You can’t! Your work isn’t finished yet!”
“Just one cup! Just one cup, Sheila! I won’t drink until I pass out!”
Mr. Tori roars loud enough to tear his throat, and Ms. Sheila, having tossed away her bone, starts running toward us. At the same time, Mr. Tori dashes toward the office window without looking back… but he gets hit by a tackle from Ms. Sheila, who came charging like a bullet, and falls flat to the ground with a thud.
Wow, that was amazing… the force of Ms. Sheila charging in with the hem of her apron dress hitched up… Truly a veteran guild employee. It was like… watching an action scene from a hero show!
As I watch Ms. Sheila puffing in anger atop Mr. Tori’s back—he’s still sprawled on the ground—a light weight suddenly taps down on my shoulder.
“…Rin, is the fish okay? The flames are rising quite a bit…?”
“Ah! I was completely absorbed watching! I hope it’s not burnt…”
I jerk my head up and see Mr. Ville pointing at the simple stove, where flames roar fiercely after being fed eel oil. When I hurriedly check, it’s only developed a slightly deeper browning. Fortunately, it hasn’t burned.
Relieved, I transfer it to a large plate and place another piece of storm eel on the empty spot to grill again.
This one, I’m planning to make into kabayaki with great anticipation.
“Ah, good… Well then, this one is done. Gomamiso, do you want some storm eel?”
‘For me, there is no such word as “not eating”!’
“What a gluttonous little Napoleon you are.”
When I call out to Gomamiso, who had been reluctantly crunching on an orc rib bone, the kitten’s tail sways gently as it puffs out its chest. Looking at its sitting figure from the front like this… it totally looks teardrop-shaped… Should I say its lower body is stable?
Praying that Gomamiso’s lower body stability doesn’t increase any further, I cut off the edge of the nicely grilled storm eel and let it cool a bit. While I’m at it, I also cut some into bite-sized pieces for us to eat…
“Sorry for the wait! Here’s the grilled storm eel!”
“Wow, amazing… This is actually edible!”
“Prepared like this, it’s no different from ordinary fish…”
Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon, who know what it looked like when it was alive, peer nervously at the plate. They reach for the steaming grilled eel… but their hands waver hesitantly.
…Well, considering it was covered in all that slime and they saw it moving even after it died, I can’t blame them for not having an appetite… Just as I’m mentally slumping my shoulders, arms extend from both sides.
“Huh? If you’re not eating it, I’ll take it.”
“Mm. Rin’s cooking is never wrong!”
While glancing at the two who aren’t biting, Mr. Ville and Ms. Aria’s forks stab the grilled eel and bring it to their lips. The moment the golden-brown pieces disappear into their mouths, their eyes fly wide open. Their jaws move at incredible speed, their throats bob up and down, and their hands silently reach for more.
Witnessing the grilled eel being consumed bite after bite, a sense of crisis that it might all disappear must have kicked in. Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon also timidly put the grilled eel in their mouths and…
“Delicious! What is this!? This is really an eel-type monster!?”
“There’s no muddy taste at all…!? This is really the storm eel that was in that murky water?”
“It’s storm eel. I got rid of a fair amount of fat, grilled it crispy, and wasabi soy sauce is its best friend!”
After swallowing, the two whirl around to look at me. I give them a thumbs up in response, and something seems to resonate with them as they nod deeply, deeply. But I think that’s understandable. The grilled storm eel is really delicious.
The surface, which has been deep-fried in its own fat, is crispy, yet the flesh inside, with excess moisture removed, is so fluffy and tender it crumbles without even chewing. Perhaps because of the high fat content, it has a melting texture, and the generous amount of stalactite wasabi’s spiciness is nicely neutralized, providing a good accent. Now and then, a sharp note rushes through the nose, further enhancing the storm eel’s flavor.
“Wowww! It’s so fluffy! It’s fluffy, Ms. Rin! I’ve never eaten such delicious eel-type monster before! Storm eel is this delicious!”
“Aaahhh… alcohol… I want to drink alcohol… even just a sip…! Isn’t it a bit too cruel to be prohibited from drinking in front of such exquisite appetizers!?”
Ms. Sheila and Mr. Tori, who must have finally finished Ms. Sheila’s punishment and rushed over to the tasting table, raise cries of joy and anguish at the grilled eel they eat.
…This is still just the plain grilled stage, so what’s it going to be like when it becomes kabayaki… While feeling a terrifying premonition, I use a spoon to spread the sauce I’d simmered down onto the well-grilled flesh. The rich aroma of burning soy sauce and sugar spreads explosively through the air.
“…Y-You still have a secret weapon, young lady…”
Mr. Tori smooths his hand over his bald head at the storm eel that’s started making sizzling sounds and scattering its fragrant smell.
Yup. I do think it would be delicious to drink alcohol with this. But this time, I intend to replenish sugar through the source ingredient of alcohol instead. Yes indeed.
“I think this will be delicious served over rice… and probably right about now, rice should be cooked inside the Camping Car.”
“I should just bring the whole inner pot, right? Alright, leave it to me!”
The rice I set up before the guild barbecue must be done by now, so I reached for the gloves and prepared to head toward the Camping Car… only for Mr. Ville to act before I did.
Just as I think Mr. Ville has entered the Camping Car that’s been manifested in the corner of the courtyard, he immediately returns carrying the rice cooker’s inner pot. It’s probably hunger driving him, but still… why does this feel like I’ve trained him? I feel oddly apologetic.
But right now, when my hands are full making the storm eel kabayaki, having him bring the rice like this is extremely helpful. While I’m at it, I have him serve rice into the deep bowls I’d prepared.
“Then, drizzle sauce over the rice… put the finished storm eel kabayaki on top… and the storm eel kabayaki bowl is complete!”
“Whoaaaaa! W-what kind of thing are you making, young lady!”
“Wow! I’ve never seen cooking like this before!”
As I set the completed kabayaki bowls on the table one after another with a thud, the guild members’ eyes are sparkling incredibly. As for our Gourmands members, they’re nodding knowingly at those two as if to say, "Naturally." I kind of expected it, but apparently, my cooking has gathered quite a lot of support from everyone.
Needless to say, freshly cooked rice and freshly grilled kabayaki couldn’t possibly not be delicious. The storm eel flesh is so tender it melts on the tongue, soaked with sweet-savory sauce… combined with the slightly sweet rice with its distinct grains standing firm, it’s just…!
The illustration’s description: Tori and Sheila are looking at the kabayaki rice bowls with excitement.
The heavy sweetness of the eel’s fat, the rich sweetness of the sugar, and the faint sweetness of the rice are all sharply tightened by the saltiness of the soy sauce. This time, it’s a hybrid kabayaki—split along the back in Kanto style, yet grilled without steaming in Kansai fashion—but there’s no toughness in the skin nor any fishy odor in the flesh at all. If anything, the contrast between the crisp skin and the plump, tender meat keeps each bite interesting, so you never tire of it…
But there’s still eel left, so maybe I’ll steam it next time. Won’t it turn out meltingly tender? Then again, Yanagawa-style or mixed into rice to make rice balls would be delicious too…
While letting my thoughts wander to the dizzying array of eel menu possibilities, I sprinkle on some freshly ground Japanese pepper from the spice box.
The sharp spiciness and vivid aroma go through my nose…! It goes so well with the fluffy rice soaked in sweet-savory sauce and the fatty eel!
For the record, I’m not the only one who finds the kabayaki bowl a huge hit—cheers erupt the moment anyone takes a bite.
“Honestly, I never thought I’d be able to eat kabayaki in this world too!”
“The royal capital we’re heading to also has local specialties. You can look forward to them.”
“Exactly! Schulbrand has abundant mountain delicacies!”
Mr. Xenon and Mr. Ed, who finish their kabayaki bowls with smiles on their faces and elegant movements, shared that information.
Ellarge has seafood… and a place called Schulbrand is famous for mountain delicacies…! Sounds like there are still lots of unfamiliar ingredients out there!
“Oh, right. Speaking of the royal capital, it might be better to take the route around Melnoa Volcano. According to the information we’ve gathered, it seems the mountain area has had constant rain for the past three or four days.”
“…Land… slides…”
“It’s quite a mountain road. I feel like we should take a safety margin…”
Mr. Tori, who emptied his plate in the blink of an eye, drained his barley tea and shared the weather information.
Schulbrand, Melnoa Volcano… Seeing me tilt my head at these words I’m hearing for the first time, Mr. Ville places his finger on the desk and roughly explains the geographical relationship. It seems we’ll first head toward Rhielle Lake, then choose between the mountain road or a detour around the volcano.
Ms. Aria and Mr. Xenon, who had been moving their spoons while blowing on their food, furrowed their brows slightly at the ominous information.
Hmm… Slipping is indeed scary on mountain roads when it’s raining, so wouldn’t it be better to take the safer-looking road? The distance might increase a bit, but with the Camping Car, it shouldn’t delay our journey much.
“The town of Melnoa is known for its volcano, so it’s famous for local cuisine with strong spiciness. There are places where healing hot springs bubble up, blacksmithing is thriving, and it’s a town many adventurers visit.”
“Spicy food from a volcanic town… That’s tempting… but perhaps we should stop there on the way back?”
“Come on! Didn’t you steel yourself, Ville!?”
“…Such poor… resolve…”
“Guh… I want to argue back, but I can’t find the words…!”
For just an instant, Mr. Ville’s eyes sparkle… but he’s easily shot down by Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed’s words.
Meanwhile, for everyone who finished the orc ribs and kabayaki bowls but is still claiming to be hungry, I’m in the middle of grilling the sausages and ham we bought before entering the dungeon.
What’s on the grill now is a game sausage stuffed with cheese! Apparently, it’s made from the meat of a magical creature called ushika—a small deer with a cow-like face and cow-like horns growing from it. Because they move in herds, they’re regularly culled so they don’t eat up all the grass. They live in the forest near the city and prefer eating herbs, so the meat has a nice smell, and the lean meat is especially superb!
This ushika cheese sausage is made by finely cutting and mixing rich cheese made from the milk of a livestock called horned cows into the ushika meat. I tasted one earlier, and indeed, the refreshing meat sausage has plenty of rich cheese inside, and it’s a sausage with a flavor where they complement each other.
Ushika and hornet cows are both animals I don’t know, but if they’re delicious, there’s no problem!
Facing the crisped sausage, Mr. Ville gulps barley tea with a low growl in his throat—there’s an unmistakable air of melancholy about his back.
I am curious about Melnoa’s spicy food… But let’s report, communicate, and consult first! Knowing us, I can only see a future where we get absorbed in eating our way around…
…Well, after hearing such complicated family circumstances, I understand how he feels… Once the reporting is done, I’ll make delicious food, so let’s cheer up! Okay?
“Oh, right! We’re passing near Rhielle Lake, right!? Can we maybe fish during a break!?”
“You’re planning to catch milk trout again, aren’t you? I’d be more than happy with that. That salt-grilled fish was delicious…!”
I wonder if milk trout are still biting at Rhielle Lake… If they are, I want to fish again! Those trout put up an incredible fight! Besides, according to Survival, they are feeding voraciously before spawning… so maybe we could even get roe if we’re lucky!
When I checked with Mr. Ville, thinking this, perhaps Mr. Ville was also remembering the taste of milk trout, as he relaxed his mouth slightly and gave permission.
Yup. One way or another, that night’s dinner was delicious. It was the night of my first day in another world, caught up in the saint summoning and spending it without understanding anything, but it was fun in various ways…
…Even so, what are those people who pulled off the "saint summoning" really thinking?
I bite down on my spoon hard enough to taste metal…
“Rin, don’t overthink it.”
“We’re going… to find out…!”
“…Right…! We can decide after gathering more information!”
…Before I know it, Mr. Ville, who’s sitting next to me, has his hand around my back, and Ms. Aria is tightly holding my hand.
Just a moment ago, they were fighting over the remaining orc ribs right in front of me, and now they’re comforting me like this… Both of them wear gentle smiles and put strength into the hands touching me, as if to soothe and encourage me.
When I raise my face, Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon are also smiling warmly at me.
…Yup, that’s right! First thing I have to move forward, or nothing will begin!
“First, we need to fill our stomachs for that!”
“Yes, that’s the spirit! I’m looking forward to the meals on our next journey too!”
The cheerful sound of clinking barley tea glasses with the brightly laughing party members echoes around the table.
