Isekai Nikyoten - Chapter 74

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Salt-Roasted Fish

「Now then, shall we head back?」

　We started fishing in the morning and continued for a while. The sun had long since passed its zenith, and since I was starting to feel hungry, I decided it was time to head back. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

　I caught 9 fish, Nina caught 10, and Arte caught 6.

　It’s a good catch when you consider the amount spent on fishing, isn’t it?

　It’s an amount enough not only for a single person to eat but also for the whole family.

　We are all smiling in satisfaction at this wonderful result.

　Especially Arte, who had caught an extra-large sweetfish, seemed very satisfied and was still staring at the fish basket.

「Nina, I want to go home soon. Can you gather everyone here?」

　In such a place, Nina’s well-projected voice will be better to call on everyone compared to a man’s voice like mine.

「Okay. Everyoneー! It’s time to go homeー!」

　Nina nodded as if to leave it to her, and she raised her voice and called out to the villagers.

　The villagers - who similarly looked satisfied like us - obediently gathered.

　However, some villagers who like fishing, whether they hear it or not, continue to cast their line without gathering to us.

　Rather, Leroy, Olga, and Andre were among that group of people staying behind.

　The 3 of them kep staring intently into the water, without being swept along by the obvious mood of calling it a dat.

「Andre-san, Leroy-san, Olga! It’s time to go backー!」

「Wait a minute, Kureto! Just a bit more please! Just one more fish and I win!」　

　I reluctantly call out to them, and Olga desperately replies like that.

　Apparently, the 3 of them are competing the amount of fish they catch, and the result is that they are currently tied.

　So it will be decided who won if they can catch just one more. It’s that kind of situation.

　Although this has nothing to do with me and I’m starving already. There’s no guarantee they will catch one more soon. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「Very well. Then the three of you can return by yourself alright! We’ll teleport back first!」

「O, okay! We’ll head back soon just spare me from that!」

「It would be dark by the time we return if we walk by ourselves」

「Let’s put off this match this time」

　When I said that with a smile on my face, the 3 of them - who had been so engrossed in their fishing rod - came to their senses as though being doused by cold water and started gathering their tools.

　As expected from people who like to fish, they’re fast when getting ready to leave.

　We can’t keep this many people waiting after all. There’s nothing wrong with being engrossed in fishing but you still need to follow at least some level of discipline as long as you’re acting as a group.

「Well then, now that everyone has gathered. We will return to Howling village now」

　There are 18 people in total, including those 3. The same number of people I brought here.

　After making sure to properly call out everyone to check, I cast multi-teleport to return in front of Andre’s house.

「Ara ara, it’s a larger group than I thought. Welcome back」

「Ou! I’m back, Stella! We had a great catch today!」

　Seeing us return, Stella’s - who had been doing field work - eyes widened while Andre proudly showed off his catch.

　You can return instantly from fishing in the mountain stream deep in the mountain if you use Teleport.

「It’s an amazing experience no matter how many times I experience it. Kureto-san, thank you very much for today」

　When Leroy - who had been murmuring with deep emotion - gave his thanks, the other villagers also began voicing their gratitude one after another.

「No no, I also had fun. I can’t do this all the time but let’s go fishing together again whenever we feel like it!」

「Yes, I would be most grateful, please do」

　After all the villagers expressed their gratitude one after another - Leroy included -, they took the day’s catch and made their way back home. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

　Those who caught plenty of fish sold some to those with poor catch or offered to trade it for the crops they were growing, so their walk home is also lively.

　As the villagers dispersed, the people remaining were only Andre’s family, Arte, and me.

　I felt a little lonely when the number of people decreased because so many had gathered.

　As I was seeing the lively group of people off, there was suddenly a sound 「Guuu」 from nearby.

　Reflexively looking over, it was Arte who stood next to me pressing on her stomach while blushing.

「……I’m hungry ja」

「Ufufu, it’s already well past noon after all」

「Let’s roast the fish we just caught with salt and eat them!」

「I second that!」

　At Arte’s cry, we decided to have lunch with the fish we had just caught.

　Because of the sun’s angle, a larger shadow had formed in my garden, so we decided to have lunch there.

　Each of us took the river fish we caught from our fish basket, killed them, and rinsed them with water in the kitchen.

　I have 9 fish, Nina has 10 fish, and Arte has 6 fish, so that totals to 25 fish between the 3 of us. It’s probably enough for 5 people to eat.

「Come to think of it, how many did Andre catch?」

　I got suddenly curious, so I try asking, and Andre raised the corner of his mouth as if to say ‘I’m glad you asked’.

「I caught 15 fish, and the trap caught 5 for a total of 20 fish!」

　Andre takes out the river fish from his fish basket as if to boast about his catch.

「Ooh, did you catch 20 fish by yourself? That’s amazing!」

「Hehe, the thing about fish is, they’ll be right where they’re supposed to be 」

　Andre - who likes mountain stream fishing - must be familiar with where the fish are gathering.

　People who are good at determining such things will cast their line at the places where fish gather and catch them one after another.

　I discovered an unexpected side of Andre. To think he was this good at fishing. He was not just someone who likes fishing.

「Although I couldn’t compete with the sweetfish Arte caught」

　When we lined up the fish we had washed like this, we could see that the fish Arte caught were really huge.

　It’s almost twice the size of a normal sweetfish.

「It’s the fish I caught after all!」

「Well, as the one who caught it, it is your job to properly clean them」

「Oh? Ooh?」

「We’re just going to roast them with salt this time, so the preparation is simple. All you need to do is scrape off the scales lightly with a knife and press the belly with your finger to push out the guts 」

　I place a sweetfish on the cutting board to show Arte an example.

　Then you just have to skewer them, sprinkle salt on them, and roast them so it’s extremely easy.

　Handing over the knife to her, Arte tightly gripped the knife.

「Wait wait. What did you see with my example? Just lightly grip and slide the blade, it’ll come off easily!」

　Seeing how much force she is putting in her hand as if to cut off the sweetfish’s head, I hurriedly stopped her.

「Sorry, this is my first time holding a knife ja」

　She’s the princess of a country after all. It’s natural that she has never gripped a kitchen knife before.

　Andre and Nina also looked puzzled by her remark, but they didn’t press the matter.

　Well, they can probably tell that Arte comes from a family with good upbringing. Although they won’t think she’s a princess. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「First, you can relax and try to do it lightly and slowly」

「H, hmm, lightly and slowly」

　Sensing Arte’s dangerous state, Stella gently guided her while holding her hand.

　Arte exclaims 「Ooh!」 while Stella moves her hand.

　She’ll probably be able to manage as long as Stell guides her.

　Finally reassured by her reliability, I resumed my own preparation.

　Three of them will be enough, so I will store the rest in my subspace.

　I can also trade the rest with the villagers for dinner, or I can just share it with Lefyria.

　Once I finish my preparation for my portion, the last step is to skewer them.

　Thrusting the skewer around the eye and gently passing it through the body, twisting it smoothly as I go.

　Once I neatly skewered the fish, this made me feel like we’re really about to make salt-roasted fish, which is very exciting.

　I couldn’t help to roast it over the bonfire.

「Hou, it’s done」

「Good work. Now we just have to roast it」

　After a while, it seems that Arte also finished her preparations.

　Perhaps her taut tension was finally eased, Arte exhaled a relieved sigh.

「Now then, let’s roast them in the garden」

　I put the processed sweetfish, masu salmon, and rainbow trout into a tray and take it outside.

「Is it okay to make the bonfire around here?」

「It’s fine」

　Once we went out to the garden, Andre and Nina had already laid out branches and leaves, and firewood as the firestarter.

　After lighting it up using the Fire magic tool I took out from my subspace, Andre and Nina blow on it and put more branches and leaves to help grow the fire.

　I took out some bricks from my subspace and placed them around the fire to block the wind once the fire had stabilized.

　Then, thrust the skewered fish like sweetfish around the bonfire.

「Now we just have to wait for them to cook」

　We sit waiting on the external corridor while listening to the sound of branches and leaves pop *pachipachi*.

　Even though we are in the shade, the summer heat is still strong. We will have to stay hydrated to avoid heatstroke.

　The sight of the river fish being roasted over the flickering flames looked strangely alluring and beautiful. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「Can’t they roast quicker」

「Hmm, I’m so hungry I can’t stand it」

　As I was staring intently at the sparkling flames, Nina and Arte muttered impatiently.

　As the river fish lost their moisture and changed color to light brown, the smell of the meat being roasted started to spread.

　I was sweating while fishing earlier, so the salty aroma is irresistible.

　It’s like my body is aching to eat it.

　As everyone chatted and wondering ‘Is it ready yet, no?’, Andre - who had been adjusting the roasting- finally spoke.

「Uoh, looks like it’s just about ready」

「Finally ja!」

　It’s been thoroughly cooked, apparently. The salt sprinkled on the fish has hardened into a white layer and making the fish look like they were covered in snow.

　Knowing that, everyone gathers around and takes their own share.

　I was the first to take my own roasted sweetfish.

　Blowing on the fish let if cool fuufuu, I take a bite into the back of the sweetfish.

　The crispy roasted sweetfish skin is so fragrant. The white meat that emerges from inside is softly crumbled and releases the sweetfish’s light, savory taste.

「Delish!」

　They must have been eating plenty of good food in the mountain stream. There is no fishy smell from the sweetfish, and a faintly delicate, refined flavor comes through.

　As I continue to eat, I reach the sweetfish’s innards that release a unique bitterness and savory flavor. They mix with the tender, light flesh and the saltiness, making it too delicious.

「This is delicious ja!」

　Arte also seemed very satisfied eating fresh sweetfish.

　She is eating the sweetfish from the skewer just like everyone else. Away from the royal capital, she was Arte, undoubtedly just an ordinary girl eating sweetfish in Howling village.

「Delicious!」

「I sweated so the saltiness feels like it spread through my body」

「Making salt-roasted fish for river fish is the best after all!」

　Nina, Stella, and Andre also eat the sweetfish with satisfied smiles on their faces.

　Being able to immediately eat fresh ingredients right away like this is the advantage of living in the countryside. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

　It is not something you can experience in large cities like the royal capital.

　A blue sky spread out before my eyes, with scattered clouds faintly drifting in the distance.

　In front of me is a fresh and green grassland growing thickly with a small forest spread out.

　I can hear the faint sounds of birds chirping in the distance, and with the wind is blowing gently as if caressing my skin.

「This is a really nice village」

「Right?」

　There is no hustle and bustle and convenience stores like in the royal capital here.

　But, there is the undeniable presence of nature and the lives of the people living and breathing here. For someone who is used to the lives of a city like us, this kind of simple and relaxed moment is the most rewarding.

　I proudly replied to Arte’s heartfelt mutter. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

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