Chapter Forty-four: Humbly Revering the Vast, Profound Blessings of the Great Revered Deity of the Sea
The incredible sight of the mountain of seafood spread out on the picnic blanket!
First catching the eye was a humongous shrimp, like some cross between a colossal spiny lobster and an ordinary lobster, with its impressive, tightly packed antennae waving as it crawls around the bottom of the pot. Among the haul are also large ridgeback shrimp with rainbow-gradient tails, as well as a sizeable number of smaller sweet shrimp. There are crabs with carapaces as big as a palm, conches the size of a fist, scallop-like bivalves, and several additional arc clams and cuttlefish that resemble scallops.
Perhaps because I joined the scramble late, I couldn’t pick up any fish.
…Well, the lack of fish is honestly a relief.
As much as I love seafood and cooking, trying to process this volume would be a bit too daunting, even for me.
“My, what a tremendous haul!”
“With so much brought in by others, these are bound to flood the market.”
“The seafood supply and demand will be lopsided for a while.”
"If it’s just going to tank the prices, we may as well eat it all ourselves?”
"Well, with your appetite, Ville, we might just be able to manage this quantity.”
Mr. Ville grumbled with a furrowed brow.
The adventurers who came to the beach all returned with armloads, so seafood prices were likely to plummet for the time being…
A price crash is inevitable.
While our delivery portion would be purchased at the contracted rate, any surplus would fetch the current market value.
Mr. Xenon let out an exasperated sigh after eyeing Mr. Ville and the seafood mountain a few times, but to be honest, I kind of agree. Mr. Ville does seem like he could probably devour it all, yup.
"Sure, better to partake in the Messenger of Fortune’s bounty than let it go to waste.”
“…Yes. Sharing in the goddess’s gift, courtesy of that Offshore Dweller.”
"Ah! Now that you mention it, the orca did say something like that!”
The "Blessings of the sea goddess!" line definitely had a very "Messenger of Fortune" vibe to it. But I can’t help feeling a bit irritated when I imagine the orca saying it with that expression. It must be because of its whole… demeanor, yup.
But if we’re going to eat this, I’d love to try making a bouillabaisse-style fish soup! The sweet shrimp-like ones could be deep-fried with their shells on. The large shrimp, spiny lobsters, and scallop-like bivalves could be grilled generously. I think if grilled thoroughly, you could even eat the shells of the large shrimp! Oh, but I’d want to have some as sashimi too…! And the squid would be delicious just scored and grilled whole! The conches I’d love with some fragrant garlic butter and soy sauce! As for the arc clams… I first need to get rid of the sand, right!?
"Oh, but you all still need to report back to the guild, right? Since I didn’t really do anything today, would it be okay if I start the cooking prep out in the wilds?”
"…I guess that’s also an option, but I can’t leave you alone out there. Aria, can you stay with her?”
"Yes! Leave any taste testing, taste testing, and taste testing to me!”
"…Somehow I’m not reassured… You’ll be alright out there, Rin?”
"With Ms. Aria keeping me company, I’ll be fine! Just come back before the tasting depletes all the food!”
As we were roughly sorting everything, I suddenly remembered, but completing the request means we have to go to the guild to report, deliver, and sell, right? However, I haven’t been involved in collecting or fighting today, so I can’t just wait outside the town and do nothing, can I? And if I go into the town with them and the gate is closed again, I won’t be able to do any prep work either…
When I proposed staying outside to Mr. Ville, he agreed on the condition that Ms. Aria remain behind to watch over me… Though with just Ms. Aria and I, there’s a real risk of excessive "taste testing" happening, so please do hurry back!
"Since I’m planning to make barbeque the main dish, please purchase your own alcohol if you’d like to drink! And if you want any staple foods, plan to bring your own too.”
"Got it. We’ll just pick some up on the way back, but is there anything either of you want, Aria, Rin?”
"Alcohol! Ale, wine, anything!”
"I’m not much of a drinker, so some bread would be nice.”
"Understood. Well then, let’s return to Ellarge first!”
Rather than leaving the seafood at room temperature… I decide to wash off the sand and dirt from it and throw the blessings of the sea into the fridge. Then, I fire up the Camping Car’s engine.
Brrrruuuuum… with that low rumbling vibration, I get the vague sense of something circulating through the vehicle body.
Not sure what exactly, but could that be this "magical particles" substance I’ve read about? Quite the mystifying material…
Lively chatter about meal possibilities drifted in from the living quarters, filling me with excitement too.
"I can’t wait for the seafood barbeque!”
"Yeah! I’m looking forward to it too, Rin!”
"Got it! Let’s make it a real feast!”
Campy continued on its way to Ellarge, unperturbed by the uneven road.
Once I drop Mr. Ville, Mr. Xenon, and Mr. Ed off, I’ll go gather firewood, set everything up… and then, the long-awaited se-a fo-od ba-rbe-que♪
Oops! Did I start humming unconsciously again…!?
…Sheepishly glancing over at Mr. Ville in the passenger seat, he is biting his lip like he is desperately stifling his laughter.
Aaaaahhhhhhhh!! Again! He heard me again!!!
I just want to make it clear that the journey back to the town, where I vainly tried not to faceplant into the steering wheel, was quite the ordeal.
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