Chapter 248: Tasting Sashimi On The Boat
As we watched Garibas and Urbas fish for some time, the boat they rode on approached us.
When their fishing boat lined up with our ship, Garibas shout at us.
「Oi, Titus!」
「What? Rather, we’re already this close so there’s no need to shout that loud yeah?」
Just like Titus say, Garibas’s voice was a little bit too loud.
Or perhaps I should say that, Titus spoke normally.
Apparently, the bandit-like wording was pretty much polite.
「I’ll give you the fattiest fish among them to let the bocchan1 and ojouchan2 have some fresh Crowana!」
「Freshly caught Crowana is delicious after all」
「That’s right」
Hearing Garibas and Urbas’s remark, Titus firmly nodded and turn around to look at us.
「So, ojou, bocchan, what would you do?」
「……mm, we should accept them」
「Looks like it’s going to be impossible for the two of them, but the two of you can eat it right?」
Eric asks us as if to make sure.
Meaning, you can taste the flavor of the fresh sea fish that only fishermen can experience, huh?
Cooking and eating the fish that had just been caught on top of the ship. For me - who had no connection with the sea - I have not experienced such things before. However, according to my friend who had experienced eating on top of a ship, the freshly caught fish has a strong sweet flavor to it and is especially good that it’s going to make what you usually eat taste ridiculous.
Fresh fish on top of the ship. On top of that, it’s being prepared in a manner using a special technique passed around among fishermen. I can’t afford to miss this opportunity.
「I want to try eating them」
「I also want to try」
I and Eleonora-neesan immediately nodded to it.
「This is to tell them about the deliciousness of the freshly caught sea from the fish. So we’ll absolutely accept them」
「Understood! I’ll send them right away!」
When Eric replies to him, Garibas shouts and use Water magic.
This time, he made a water ball using the flowing seawater from around him.
And after he manipulate the water ball and moved it to the center of his boat, the younger brother - Urbas - tossed the two Crowanas he caught from the fish tank with his hand into the water ball.
The tossed Crowanas are swimming around vigorously inside the water ball. But, they can’t escape the water ball since it was under Garibas’s Water magic control.
This is, something like a water-filled chamber to preserve the freshness of the fish.
While I and Eleonora-neesan were watching it in admiration, the water ball that had Crowanas in them come flying to us. And at the same time, Titus open the fish tank on his ship and the water ball entered the fish tank as if it were being sucked.
With this, now the Crowanas finished moving house.
「Well then, everyone can enjoy the fresh Crowana!」
「And after we’re done fishing, we will also bring some Crowana to your mansion, a’ight!」
「Aah, thanks」
After Eric easily thanked them, Garibas and Urbas smiled as they showed their white teeth *nishishi*.
After that, Urbas cast another Wind magic and - perhaps they continue to chase the school of Crowana - left the place in no time at all.
「They were energetic villagers, aren’t they」
「Our villagers won’t lose when it comes to noisiness」
Those twins, they remind me of the noisiness of Koryatt village. I feel like they’ll also be able to become familiar with Koryatt village quickly.
But, well, there is no sea in our territory, so we won’t be able to make the most out of their ability.
「Ojou, bocchan, how should we eat them?」
「……of course, raw」
「That’s because you can experience the deliciousness of the Crowana the most if you eat it that way. If it’s another kind of fish then it’s better to just leave it alone for a while」
Luna-san and Eric give an immediate reply when Titus timidly asked.
Eh? There was also the culture of eating fish raw over here?
While I’m surprised by the food culture of this place, Titus says with an expression that seems it’s difficult for him to talk about while scratching his head.
「Ahー, I mean besides from ojouchan and bocchan. I think it will be hard for the guests to do that? Perhaps, they have never eaten fish raw before」
「To begin with, can they, fish, be eaten raw?」
Hearing Eleonora-neesan’s question, Luna-san and Eric nod as though they understand something.
「……now that you mention it, other places basically didn’t eat fish raw」
「I totally forgot about it」
「I’ve eaten raw fish before though…」
「「Eeh!?」」
When I say that as if to interject into their conversation, Eric and Eleonora-neesan raised their voice in surprise.
「Al you, just when did you eat that kind of thing!? Are you stupid!?」
Eleonora-neesan says as though harshly scolding me, but I think it’s rude for you to say that in front of people who eat fish raw.
「There shouldn’t be any sea as there are only mountains and plains in your village……could it be that you ate river fish raw?」
「It’s not!」
Just what does Eric think of me? It’s not I’m a bear or something, I’m not going to eat raw river fish, y’know.
「Then, where did you eat them?」
「It’s in Kagura. Do you know of it?」
「I don’t!」
Eric gives a refreshing answer when I reply like that.
It looks like Eric doesn’t know about Kagura.
When I turn my eyes around, Luna-san also tilted her head to the side in confusion, while Eleonora-neesan was wearing an expression that looks to be impressed as she let out a 「Heee」.
「It’s a country in another continent beyond the sea, crossing over the sea from the port city Esport in the Kingdom of Aldonia. It has a different culture from our kingdom, and eating fish raw is common over there. And although it’s not common, there was also the custom of eating fish raw in the port city of Esport」
「……hee, so it’s like that. I didn’t think that there is even other places that have a custom of eating fish raw besides this village」
「……even though you’re just Al, so cheeky for having been outside of the country……」
What do you mean with ‘even though you’re just Al’? It’s fine for me to go abroad, right?
If it were my previous life, then there is the hopeless wall called language, money, and time, but now all of those things are clear. Moreover, I have Space magic. I’ll be able to get there if I just went there once.
「……hmm, so Al-kun is all right with it, then are you all right with this Eleonora? You don’t feel any disgust in eating fish raw? We can make something else if it’s impossible for you, you know?」
「I don’t particularly feel any disgust though, can it really be eaten raw? Will it not upset your stomach?」
Eleonora-neesan let out a groan while tilting her head to the side.
As expected even Eleonora-neesan doesn’t seem like she will be able to give an immediate reply.
「……I can’t give you an absolute guarantee with the meat, but it is edible and delicious」
「I see. Then I guess will try it」
Perhaps there is also Luna-san’s urging that helps her decide it since Eleonora-neesan's answer was relatively obedient. Since she has eaten fish before.
If this were an octopus or such then her answer would probably be a little timider.
「……understood. Tell me if it looks like you can’t eat it, I will make it with a different cooking method」
「Now then Titus. Prepare the Crowana」
「Hei, understood」
After we agree to it, Eric instructs Titus like that and he immediately starts working.
Titus opens a wooden box near him, then he takes out a kitchen knife and a chopping board from it.
After that, he found a suitable place to sit down, place that cutting board on top of that wooden box, and place the Crowana taken out from the fish tank on top of the board.
Since we were interested in how he prepared the fish, Eleonora-neesan and I watch him do it from a distance that will not disturb him.
Titus swiftly moves the kitchen knife and he starts to remove the Crowana’s scales. Each time he moved the knife, black and yellow scales scattered around him.
And when most of the scales have been removed, he washed the Crowana, and slide the knife along the Crowana’s stomach.
And after he makes the cut with the knife, he removes the visible viscera in the fish’s belly with his hand. At this point, the fish will become smelly if you accidentally damage the internal organs, so you have to be careful.
And after that was done, he splendidly cut the fish head next.
「Originally, the fish head will be put aside for when we’re going to make a soup or such, but we make some improvised meal this time so we’re going to throw it away」
We couldn’t make something like a fish head soup since there is no miso, but it seems like the leftover portions are sometimes cooked together to be made into a soup. If they’re making it like that, it makes me curious about what kind of taste it has.
While I was thinking about such a thing, Titus put the Crowana - that have been cleaned of its viscera -, and continue to wash the fish using water he had stored in a bucket.
And after that, he places the Crowana on top of a clean chopping board and continues to wipe the water on the fish using a dry, white cloth.
Then, he makes a cut from the back of the fish. He slides the knife back and forth many times to securely reach the spine. After that was done, he do the same thing from the abdomen’s side.
All that’s left now is to cut the fish along the spine.
The meat is then cut and separated from the main body, and the white meat is placed on the chopping board *plop*.
「Ooh」
「Hee, that’s amazing」
When I and Eleonora-neesan unintentionally raise our voice in admiration, Titus smile looking embarrassed.
His embarrassed face looks cute since it doesn’t suit his looks.
「With this, we got a large part of the fish meat. What’s left is just to do the same thing to the remaining meat on the other side」
After one side is done, now just do the same thing to the other side.
After Titus explained it to us, he also fillets the meat on the other side in the same manner.
This time the speed was much faster than before as he fillets the other side of the fish, I guess he did the first time out of consideration for us who were watching him.
And in the blink of an eye, Titus finished filleting three parts as he swiftly moves the kitchen knife.
「Now we just need to cut them so that it’s going to be easy to eat」
Titus says and continues to move the knife, then he cut up the fish meat into bite-sized pieces like sashimi.
The white meat is so beautiful that you couldn’t imagine it was covered by black scales before. I wonder if there is a lot of fat on the meat, the meat looks shiny under the sunlight.
「With this, it’s done. Please help yourself」
「……now then, I will eat them first to let Eleonora know」
「You just want to eat first, right」
Luna-san didn’t look particularly concerned at Eric’s retort as she casually take a Crowana sashimi and put it into her mouth.
「……it’s delicious as always. I knew it, compared to the Crowana eaten back home, freshly caught Crowana is more delicious if you eat them on the ship」
Luna-san commented while having a happy expression on her face after he chewed and swallowed the meat.
It wasn’t long since we met and even I know that Luna-san is someone who has little change in facial expression, and yet she makes a really happy expression like that. It looks like she rather likes sashimi.
「You really can eat them raw……」
Eleonora-neesan is a little surprised after looking at Luna-san - who looks happy with the taste.
She probably can’t say anything right now after seeing her friend eating something that she thought can’t be eaten raw before.
Even I didn’t think that monster’s meat can be eaten at first, and when it was placed on the dining table, I actually ate them while feeling nervous back then.
But, well, the fear of the monster’s meat was dispelled in no time at all in the end.
「Then, next will be me and Eric that will eat them」
「Right」
I mean, it would probably let Eleonora-neesan have peace of mind if others besides Luna-san also ate the fish raw.
As the guest of honor, this time is Eleonora-neesan, who has never eaten sashimi before.
Eric and I pick up the Crowana sashimi placed on top of the chopping board with our hands.
It would be nice if there are seasonings to eat the sashimi with, but it’s best to have a taste of the ingredients themselves without adding any seasonings to it when you taste it for the first time.
I hold up the Crowana and look at it under the light of the sun, and then I just put it in my mouth casually.
When I chewed on it, the sashimi pushes my teeth back with a moderate amount of elasticity to it. But, it’s not something you can bite through, but it has a softness that will let you quickly cut through the meat if you put a bit more strength into your teeth. As I was savoring the pleasant elasticity of the meat, the original taste of the Crowana spreads inside my mouth next.
「……sweet!」
Is this the correct word to express the taste of sashimi? But, this is the most fitting word with the extent of my vocabulary.
「I guess. Crowana tastes the sweetest when it was freshly caught. It tastes good citrusy sauce, but it is delicious enough to savor it like this」
Eric says while having a somewhat proud expression on his face when he heard my remark.
I agree that this deliciousness is something to be proud of.
Just what the heck are those sashimis I ate back in my previous life? The taste is so overwhelming that it makes me think like that.
I wonder what will it tastes like if you add soy sauce to it? It’s terrifying just thinking about it.
「Okay then, I’m next」
Probably because we were eating it so deliciously. Eleonora-neesan approaches us with an excited look on her face.
Eleonora-neesan lumbered toward us, and grabbed the sashimi with a very natural motion.
Although - for argument’s sake - she’s a noble’s young lady, I think that’s not an appropriate manner of picking up food.
When I was still amazed at her action, Eleonora-neesan put the sashimi into her mouth casually without fear.
And while we watch her attentively, Eleonora-neesan closes her eyes as she chews.
Then, she suddenly opened her eyes after swallowing and say,
「It’s delicious! I can eat this!」
After yelling in joy, he picked up another sashimi just like that and throw it in her mouth.
It looks like she took a liking to the taste.
「……I thought that Eleonora will like the taste」
「Unless it’s someone who doesn’t like that food even before trying it, anyone will definitely like this, right?」
「……but there are some people who say that they don’t like the slightly bad smell and texture of fish」
「Hmmー, is that so. The smell doesn’t bother me though」
Well, each person has differences in their food preference after all. People who truly like unusual things are also interesting but, I find people who dislike common ingredients to be intriguing.
Like, using a common ingredient like a tomato, people who dislike it will say that they don’t like the food texture. Or the insides have a lot of seeds. Or something like the texture feels slightly hard and other and various reasons.
People’s preference is really interesting.
here
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