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Chapter 65. Fisheries And Food & Drink Guild Guild Masters In The Wilderness 

"Onii-chan~! It's morning~!"

"Ugh!"

I felt a sudden jolt in my stomach.

I'm not allowed a pleasant wake-up.

"You're not going to be naked today, right~? The sun's been up for ages~!"

No room for negotiation as my blanket gets yanked off.

Is there no customer service here that considers the sensitivities of Japanese-like guests?

I think what Narnia, the inn's poster girl, needs is a sense of "hospitality".

"Fine, fine, I'm up!"

I scratch my messy hair and lift young Narnia, tossing her beside the bed.

"Eek! Onii-chan, you're so rough!"

"Shut it. This treatment is more than enough for you. You're not attentive to guests!"

"Well, we're practically like a married couple~"

Chop

"Eeek!"

What sadness led me to marry such a young girl?

"Damn... my back still hurts... So, what do you want?"

"Ugh..."

Still holding his head and teary-eyed.

"If you don't need anything, get out. I need to change."

"Wait, here you go!"

Narnia cheerfully extends both hands, coins stacked on one.

"What's this? A tip?"

"Why do I have to tip the customers?! Isn't that your job, onii-chan?! Use these to sweet-talk that softie over there!"

Ah, I see. She mentioned something like that yesterday, or was it the day before yesterday?

"Got it, got it. Hold on."

Five coins, fifty yen each.

Each candy costs eight yen, so that's six pieces.

But...

"Here, with the tip included."

I hand her ten of each of the strawberry and lemon flavors. That's twenty in total.

My remaining fund is 9,904,388 yen.

"Wow! So many! Thank you! Hey, how long do these last?"

"Candies probably won't spoil, but they'll melt in hot places, so keep them in a cool spot."

That seems tough in this country, though.

"Can't eat them if they melt?"

"No, they should be fine... I think."

"I'm a bit worried."

"Since they're sugar-based, they shouldn't spoil. But they can cause cavities, so make sure to brush your teeth after eating them."

"Okay."

I had already confirmed they have toothbrushes in this world, albeit primitive ones made from sticks. Using a Japanese toothbrush in the inn's garden occasionally earns me odd looks.

Waving to Narnia, I leave the inn, greeted by Hagg and Yaralai.

"Good morning, both of you."

"Yeah. Akira, as slow as ever."

"Well, I used to be good at staying up late and waking up early. It's because of you, running around."

"Hmph. That's weak."

"Shut up. This was good enough in my old world."

"Maybe for work, but weren't there bandits?"

No such thing in the Japan I know. There were groups near my apartment, marked by matching colors, but nothing like bandits.

"No way! Just carrying a knife could get you arrested; bandits wouldn't last."

"That's an impressive country."

"Impressive indeed."

"Oh. They were trying hard in some areas, Though the police force had its issues."

Despite everything, people on the ground seemed to be trying their best. The cops I knew were all corrupt.

"Human nature is like that. Everyone's out for themselves."

"Living beings, coexisting."

"Not everyone, though. Some tried hard. But joining an organization might corrupt them, huh?"

"It's complicated."

"Yeah, enough of the heavy talk. Let's head to the guild."

"Agreed."

But instead of our usual hill, it's the kitchen of Veliero.

It seems Cherina told Veliero's head chef, Hugo I always cook breakfast, so when I headed to the hill, Hugo ambushed me with a smile, asking me to cook here. Well, since he said he'd cover the ingredients, I didn't mind.

Besides Cherina and Hugo, Melvin, a diligent assistant, was waiting a few steps back. Today's breakfast included bacon and eggs, various sandwiches, rice balls, nori bento, and tonkatsu bento, all laid out on the table (actually from containers).

And instant coffee.

Honestly, I didn't want to cook this early. I'd have been fine with just bacon and eggs.

Quietly, I handed Hagg and Yaralai 10,000 yen each as their guard fee. Initially, Hagg refused, saying there was no agreement, but when I formally asked for their help as guards, they accepted. With enough money and seeing Yaralai's strength, I felt better entrusting them.

My remaining funds is 9,884,388 yen.

After breakfast with Chef Hugo, enjoying a smoke, Cherina approached.

"We're making agreements today between the Fisheries Guild and Food & Drink Guild."

"The Fisheries Guild? Isn't Veliero part of that?"

"We are, but the guild master is separate. For significant decisions, we need approval from our company and the guild master."

"I see."

Not that interested. I'll just listen to Cherina's talk as usual.

"Let's go to the negotiation room."

Melvin and I followed behind.

"Oh, how's the prototype for the skywriting device going?"

"I brought multiple samples of washi paper the other day, so it should be done soon."

"As long as you haven't forgotten. I'll want one when it's done."

"Understood."

Cherina smiles lightly, but Melvin frowns for some reason. Why?

While working on paperwork in the room, a pageboy informed us of a visitor.

"Milady, Mile Bacharl-sama has arrived."

"Understood. Please show him in immediately."

Cherina's instructions get relayed, and the pageboy hurries out. Melvin quickly tidies up the documents. I have nothing to do, huh? Yeah.

About the time it takes to finish a cigarette, a man enters the room. He's tanned all over, dressed in a well-tailored black linen suit, with a slender muscular build.

There are a lot of slender muscular men in this world. If I brought them to Japan and put them on TV, they'd cause a commotion. He's probably a little older than me. He looks younger than I imagined.

"Long time no see, Cherina. You seem lively."

"Yes, Mile-sama, I've been having a lot of fun lately and regained my energy."

"Good to hear. Is that because of the man over there?"

Mile Bacharl, the Fisheries Guild Master, shifts his gaze towards me.

"Nice to meet you, Bacharl-sama. I'm Akira."

I offer a proper greeting as Cherina taught me.

"Weird name. Which country are you from?"

"Japan."

A quick answer. I wish he'd tell me if he knows about it.

"I have no idea."

"It's a rural country."

I brush it off casually.

"I see. But standing next to Cherina, you're no ordinary country boy, huh?"

"How would I know? I don't really understand myself."

I'm not doing this because I want to.

"Hmph. There's no one more untrustworthy than someone who doesn't sell themselves in this situation. Cherina seems to have allied with a good person."

"Yes, I'm very grateful."

Is this enough of a warm-up?

"Now, why did Veliero Company, essentially the top of the Fisheries Guild, bother calling me out? It's not just for a normal negotiation, is it?"

Mile takes out a cigarette, and Melvin quickly lights it and sets an ashtray.

I want to smoke, but that's not a good idea.

"Actually, it's exactly that, a normal negotiation."

"Oh?"

Mile Bacharl exhales smoke slowly, prompting continuation.

"We want to start dealing with octopus, conger eel, and goby."

"What did you say?"

Contrasting Cherina's cheerful smile, the Fisheries Guild Master's expression turns angry, even to fury.

"Is this a joke? Or are you planning to sell these to slum dwellers?"

Yes, the seafood Cherina mentioned is all low-value, usually discarded or given to slum dwellers. From the perspective of honest fishermen, this might seem like mockery.

"No, they have been recognized for their value as ingredients, so we'll put them on the commercial route."

"That's impossible. Who would pay money for what we've been throwing away?"

An immediate response. His opinion is correct.

"Yes. That's why we have a plan. We're scheduled to speak with Mosino Cayenne-sama of the Food & Drink Guild too."

"What?"

I'm not the only one who can't see where this is going. Mile seems equally puzzled. That's a bit reassuring. I felt like I was the only clueless one.

"Just one confirmation. If it's confirmed that we can sell those things, can we procure octopus, conger eel, goby, and kasago?"

"Octopus and conger eel are the issues. They depend on luck. As for the others. We can't catch many of them, but we can get some. The goby-related matters are more familiar to fishermen than anything."

"Ah, you can't catch octopus in nets... you need octopus pots for that."

"What?"

I inadvertently interjected.

Mile throws me a puzzled look.

"Octopus have a habit of hiding in holes. So if you sink pots where octopus live, they'll crawl inside. And don't set them upright; they must be laid horizontally."

"Is that so...? But even if they hide in pots, won't they escape while being pulled up from the seabed?"

"It's strange, but they hardly ever escape. Give it a try sometime."

Mile looked surprised, but seeing Cherina nod, he did too.

I heard this from sailors when I went fishing with my boss before. So it should be accurate.

"If that doesn't work, figure something else out. I don't know where the octopus lives."

"Understood."

"Oh, and about conger eel, you attach umbrella-like easy-entry, hard-to-exit mouths on both ends of a long tube, and line them up evenly on a rope and place them on the seabed. The basic setup is similar to octopus. I'm not sure about their habitats, so please investigate."

"Well, we have a clue, so it should be fine. But where did you hear this?"

"From fishermen in my home country."

"Do people in your country casually spill such secrets?"

"There are a lot of good-natured people. And besides, if you look into it, you can find it anywhere, on the internet or in libraries. There's not much point in keeping it a secret."

"It's an amazing country. But are you planning to buy low-value fish for consumption?"

"Of course. We've already finished taste tests. They can get served as palace dishes without shame."

"I can't believe it... Even if they're edible, will they be accepted?"

"We'll know as soon as we taste them."

"Do you have them ready?"

"Yes. But it depends on the conversation with Mosino Cayenne-sama."

"No one here would start a conversation and not finish it. Then we should taste those food together."

"Yes. That would be faster."

"Understood. Let's wait until then."

He stands up and quickly leaves somewhere.

"He's nimble."

"Sailors tend to be."

"Your brother didn't seem that way."

"He's special."

He had a good physique, but he gave off a laid-back impression.

"Melvin, is Mosino-sama here?"

"Yes, he's already waiting."

"Then please lead the way."

"As you wish."

Melvin sent the pageboy running down the corridor.

"Phew."

"How about taking a little break?"

"I can't afford to. If Akira-sama is here with us, then I won't say such things."

"..."

Why am I so favored, I wonder?

"Mosino-sama has arrived."

Melvin returns with a middle-aged man. This man is a bit chubby, with a somewhat lonely air. However, his smile is friendly, giving him a likable appearance.

"Hey there, Cherina. It seems you have something to discuss."

"Long time no see, Mosino-sama."

"Indeed, it has been a while. We often have negotiations with the company, but what kind of craziness are you thinking of this time?"

"Oh, are you suggesting that we're always proposing crazy ideas?"

"Haha, of course, not always, but whenever Cherina is directly involved in the conversation, it's always something crazy, isn't it?"

"We've been achieving good results with those crazy ideas, haven't we?"

"Of course. That's why I'm eagerly looking forward to how much profit we can make this time."

Mosino Cayenne, the Food & Drink Guild Master, chuckles deeply, pressing his stomach.

"Let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point."

"Yes, time is precious, after all."

"Then let's move to a different location. Please follow me."

"I'll go anywhere if it's with the lady's escort."

"This is the end of the West, though."

Cherina and Mosino exchange smiles.

Their relationship seems to be in good standing.

The place we all moved to is a dining hall. Of course, there's a splendid table and chairs for guests, all finely crafted. At the back, the head chef, Hugo, stands with a respectful posture.

"Hey, Mosino-san."

Mile Bacharl, who was already seated, raises his hand lightly.

"Oh, if it isn't the Fisheries Guild Master."

Mosino looks at Mile and Cherina alternately, then smiles knowingly.

"This smells like a big profit... Oh? The aroma is really delicious..."

"As expected of Mosino-san, you're so greedy. I've been kept waiting in this smell for a while now, and it's a kind of torture."

"That's unfortunate, but surely you'll enjoy it more than I do, having endured it for so long?"

"I hope so... But can I say the same after hearing the ingredients?"

"Hmm, ingredients?"

"It seems you haven't been informed. Cherina is as secretive as ever."

"Surprises are important... Well then, please begin."

"Understood."

When Chef Hugo rings a bell, the maids bring out the dishes.

"Oh, this looks beautiful... Is this sea bream?"

The dish served is carpaccio. If vinegar is available, you can prepare sashimi with ingredients that are readily available in this area. Even though Hugo wasn't taught how to make carpaccio, he must be a skilled chef to come up with this dish using easily obtainable ingredients. I quietly asked Hugo.

"Hugo-san, did you provide the vinegar?"

I was curious, so I asked. I've already provided all the seasonings. I've got the money.

"No, I had the maids search for sour sake in the town's sake breweries, then selected the one with the closest taste and safety-checked it for cooking development."

"Indeed, that's impressive."

I didn't need to use honorific language with Hugo, but I did it because of the atmosphere.

The acidity of the dish is quite subdued. That's probably because of people who didn't like it during the taste test earlier. It's balanced with olive oil and the subtle flavor of fish sauce. It's a seasoning that even newcomers can quickly get used to.

"There are thinly sliced onions on top, right? What about this yellow thing?"

"That's a precious lemon. Although we haven't found a substitute yet, with Mosino-sama's help, I believe we'll find a good product soon."

"I see. Olive oil, salt, and pepper, right? These are precious."

"It's not as expensive as it used to be."

"Indeed, since Veliero started importing from the south, prices have stabilized. Pouring this lightly doesn't raise the price much About this main slice. It looks raw."

"Fufufu, as expected of Mosino-sama. As you said, it's raw."

"Oh, I thought so, but to eat it raw?"

"If you're going to eat it, you can't refuse, Mosino-sama. Now then. Hmm? Hmm? Oh?"

At first, he cautiously put the slice into his mouth, but as he chewed, his eyes gradually widened. He then began to put two or three pieces into his mouth one after another.

"I can't believe it. Despite being protein, it has a delicate flavor that got brought out well by olive oil and salt. The onions on top slightly enhance the rawness of the fish. And it removes the fishy smell. Yes, this is delicious."

"Shall I... Oh, it's tastier than I thought. The seasoning is a bit lacking, though."

"Would you like me to add salt?"

"No, this is fine. The unfamiliar sourness compensates for the lack of seasoning. Is this lemon juice?"

"No, that's the taste of vinegar."

"Vinegar?"

Mosino raises his head.

"Vinegar is a seasoning made from fermented sake. It's said to be good for the body, too."

"Oh, now that you mention it, I feel refreshed."

I think that's just my imagination, but I'll keep quiet.

"However... Could you please tell me the correct answer soon? This isn't sea bream, is it?"

"No, this is kasago sashimi."

"What?"

Mosino's expression suddenly turned serious.

"Do you know that kasago is poisonous?"

"Yes, it's only poisonous in its dorsal fin."

"What?"

"I wonder if it's our fault as fishermen... Kasago and rockfish indeed have poison in their dorsal fins. Sometimes, it causes a big swelling when stabbed by the dorsal fin. It might have been misunderstood as something bad. Also, because they look unappealing and we can't catch much of them, many people avoid them. No one ever thought of trying to eat them."

Mile grumbles as he eats the carpaccio.

"Yeah. We shouldn't have thrown it away if this is so delicious."

"Well then, is the meal over with this?"

"Of course not. Next up."

"Yes. This is fried rockfish."

Deep-fried stonefish is an impressive dish.

"This is...!"

"This is...!"

Both of them grimaced simultaneously. It's understandable if you see it for the first time. Cherina seemed to be smiling, but a bead of sweat ran down her forehead. She still seemed inexperienced.

This time, I decided to be the first to eat. The maids had already cut it up. They must have practiced, as the cuts were quick and clean.

I received the half with the head split vertically and put it in my mouth.

"Mmm. The frying is perfect, and the seasoning, huh? Is this soy sauce?"

"No, we used fish sauce with ginger to mask the smell."

"I see. That's why the ginger aroma is strong. But it's delicious."

"Thank you."

"Um, come to think of it, I didn't ask for your name."

"Oh, sorry about that. My name is Akira. I'm involved with the Veliero Company as a consultant."

"Oh, you're the rumored person. I see, you've won the favor of the lady."

I wonder where he got that impression from looking at me. Oh well, never mind.

"How do I eat this?"

Mile leans in closer to the fried fish.

"Just like salt-grilled fish, you can eat everything from head to tail."

"Oh, I see. Then I'll..."

"Just a moment, Fisheries Guild Master. I need to confirm the taste first."

They began to stare each other down. Then Hugo intervened.

"Then let me prepare another one right away. I was unsure if it would be well received, so I only prepared the preliminary preparations."

"I see. Then I'll leave it to you, Mosino-san."

"Even though I know that's the plan, it's frustrating to see such a delicious meal in front of me."

Mosino plays theatrically, asking a maid to take another half of the head. As expected of someone from the Food & Drink Guild, there's no way he wouldn't eat the head.

"Now... (crunch) Hmm. This is a new texture, indeed. Just frying it wouldn't give it this texture. The seasoning is also new. This is fish sauce. I'm intrigued by this cooking method."

As expected of the head of the cooking guild, he gives a precise opinion.

"Now for the next dish."

The next dish brought out was octopus tempura.

"Could this be... octopus?"

"Yes, it's fried octopus. Please squeeze some lemon on it before eating."

"Can you really eat something like this?"

"People in the slums eat it."

"On the flip side, you probably wouldn't eat it unless you were from the slums."

"But I've never heard of anyone dying from eating octopus."

"Just because people couldn't identify the cause..."

"We're talking about the slums here. It's impossible to tell if they died from eating octopus or from some other illness."

"Hugo, you've been eating this for the past few days, haven't you?"

"Yes. For the sake of research, not only me but all the staff have been eating a lot, and there haven't been any changes in our health."

"I see... well, at least there's no poison... But recalling its appearance, I still find it hard to muster the courage."

"Even I hesitate when told to eat it."

"Haha. I felt the same at first. But one bite dispelled that thought."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Because deliciousness is justice."

"That's... a profound statement."

Cherina confidently delivers a quote I've heard somewhere before.

"Well then, let's muster up the courage..."

Mosino skewers the tempura with a fork.

"This... what a rich flavor! No, the seasoning is rich, but the meat is protein, right? No, it's unique yet not overpowering. It has such a mysterious texture and flavor."

"Wow. It's delicious! I can't stop eating! The seasoning makes you want to drink!"

"Yes, if you serve this at a bar, it'll be a hit."

"Ah, Cherina, you never cease to amaze us with your hidden gems."

"Indeed. When I heard we'd eat octopus, I seriously doubted my sanity, but one bite changed my mind."

While they continue talking, they don't stop eating with their forks, and soon the plates are empty.

"Now then... I think you can understand what I want to discuss with you, Mosino-sama."

"Yes, yes. It's about serving these dishes at the Food & Drink Guild. Of course, I agree. But, about the cooking methods..."

"Haha. Of course."

"Oh! In that case, the discussion is settled! It's just about the profit sharing!"

"Yes, we value promptness in seizing business opportunities."

The three of them exchanged enthusiastic handshakes. And so, a new culinary culture began to flourish in this land.

As soon as he learned the cooking methods, Mosino had to return home for urgent matters.

Mile took his time getting ready to leave.

"Cherina, I'd like to have a brief chat with you."

"Yes?"

"I won't take up too much of your time."

Melvin frowned upon hearing that.

"Understood, then let's go over here."

"I'm sorry."

The two talked for about five minutes in a separate room before returning.

"I'll leave the rest to my subordinates."

"Understood. Please continue to take care of things."

"Yeah."

With that, Mile left. The headquarters of the Fisheries Guild doesn't seem to be too far away.

"..."

Cherina had been smiling as she watched Mile leave, but suddenly she turned her gaze towards me, looking rather displeased.

"What's wrong?"

"Um, Akira-sama, won't you ask what we were talking about?"

"Huh? Whether it's about work or private matters, it's none of my concern, right?"

"...Akira-sama, did I... well... never mind."

Huh? What's going on? Did I do something wrong? Come to think of it, back when I was at the company, female superiors sometimes treated me like this. Am I unknowingly messing up in some way?

"Um, can you tell me what I did?"

"It's nothing."

Huh.