Shop 51.3

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Chapter 51.3. Octopus And Bowl In The Wilderness

So, the dish I served was Ajinonamero, a marinated mackerel dish. Since it seemed people in this country didn't commonly use vinegar, whether they would be accepted was uncertain.

"It looks beautiful." 

Cherina remarked, surprising me.

"What? This one's also served whole, tail and all."

"It's a familiar type, so we eat it whole as usual."

"Ah, I see."

Cherina seemed fixated on the fried gurnard, but it wasn't that she was scared of fish.

Rather, it seemed to be a perception of slum food. I had misunderstood a bit.

"Shall we dig in then?"

As usual, Hagg reached out for his chopsticks without hesitation.

"Hmm... I've had a similar dish before. It's a nostalgic taste. Though, this one has a much deeper and richer flavor."

"Oh, there's a similar dish?"

Of course, there is. Hagg seemed to have traveled all over the continent.

"Me too." 

Yaralai added, reaching out to taste.

"...Delicious. Refreshing and good."

Hmm. It seemed they both liked it. They didn't say much, but they ate steadily.

"Then I'll have some too! Huh? Onii-chan, is this not spoiled?"

Narnia looked unusually concerned.

"It's fine, not spoiled. It just uses seasoning not common around here. Besides, it's said to be good for your skin."

"I'll try some then."

Cherina, who had been sipping her drink until then, suddenly started eating.

"Is it medicine?"

"It's not that effective... Well, a balanced diet is important."

Since this area mainly relied on calorie-based meals, there would likely be many missing nutrients. 

Vinegar might not have much effect beyond making it a bit more invigorating.

"...Hmm, onii-chan, I might not like this after all." 

Narnia said, sounding down.

"Hmm. It's recommended because you get plenty of vegetables, but I guess vinegar is hard to accept after all."

"Yes, I find it an interesting taste." 

Hugo chimed in unexpectedly.

When did Hugo join the conversation?

"Is it an uncommon taste around here?"

"Yes. Especially for this dish, the presence of vinegar is quite strong. With a dish using this many vegetables and horse mackerel, people might like a dish simply stir-fried with salt more."

"I see."

"I'd like to break away from the monotonous taste of Pilatus cuisine, so I welcome it. But as a chef, while I can recognize this as a delicious dish, it might be difficult to spread."

Well, if vinegar isn't readily available, there's not much to be done.

"A similar taste, elves use." 

"Yeah. Even in the Kingdom of Shinku, it's quite common."

I see, although I'm not sure where. Apparently, vinegar is quite common in other regions.

"On the other hand, if presented as Atlantian cuisine, it might be accepted due to its novelty." 

Hugo slowly savored the marinated mackerel.

"...So? What do you think?" 

I asked Cherina, who had a piece of mackerel hanging from her mouth.

She tore it off and put down her fork.

"...The flavor seems a bit strong. Did you get the seasoning wrong?"

"No way."

Seems like it was a bit off.

"I think it's good as a snack with alcohol."

"Annoying dwarf, but I agree."

"I also think it's good for bar food."

It seemed the marinated mackerel was a taste more suited for grown men.

"Speaking of alcoholic snacks, this one's the best." 

I brought out some fried food.

"What's this?"

"This is a fried octopus."