CH 34

The city of Ulaine Donagh.

With countless pure white buildings lined up under the blue sky.

The smoke visible between them probably came from the forges.

Surely enough, they could hear the sound of hammers striking hot iron in the midst of the bustling crowd.

The pair thanked the other passengers who had brought them here as they felt freshly impressed by the scenery this town offered, which was different from what they had seen so far.

Afterwards, they entered an inn and rented a room.

Unlike the one in Clay Shut, this one had two beds.

Although it was a cheap room, the view they had on the city from the second floor was truly magnificent.

They could feel that the gentle breeze they felt back in Clay Shut and Benjamin village was now coming as a sea breeze.

The boy could feel the beauty of this place with his skin and eyes, and this time, he wanted to share it with Satis without reservation.

[Look! I can see the sea!] (Seto)

[Oh, you’re right. Is this your first time seeing it, Seto?] (Satis)

[Yeah, I heard it was massive, but this… This is amazing. We can catch all kinds of fish there, right?] (Seto)

[Yes. It’s also quite popular as a tourist spot. Did you know? The population and tourist arrivals here seem to have increased ever since the Demon King’s army lost momentum.] (Satis)

There seemed to be quite a lot to see in this prosperous city that has progressed this much along with its maritime history.

It was just before noon, so they wanted to take the opportunity to eat while sightseeing.

[Shall we look for a place that serves sushi?] (Satis)

[Yeah. Let’s walk around the city while we search for one. I’m sure we’ll get to see plenty of interesting stuff.] (Seto)

After leaving the inn, they walked along the street so as not to stray from each other.

The aroma of fish, not to mention meat and vegetables, stimulated Seto’s appetite.

[…Hm? Isn’t that a sushi restaurant?] (Seto)

[Ah, you’re right. Wow, even the establishment itself is a replica of the ones from the country of origin. This one alone looks somewhat old-fashioned…] (Satis)

[You’re right. It looks kinda… plain?] (Seto)

[Hmm, compared to the other diners, yes. But on the contrary, that’s what makes it stand out.] (Satis)

[Okay. Then let’s go in. …Oh! So this is one of those sliding doors I’ve heard about.] (Seto)

The inside of the restaurant was surprisingly small.

Perhaps it was due to the walls being made of cedar, but the faint scent of cedar wafted through the restaurant.

It seemed to be a popular place, as there were many customers, and the tatami room was already full.

[…Welcome!] (Owner)

The restaurant owner greeted them curtly.

Then, a waitress arrived and showed them to their seats.

There were exactly two vacant counter seats in the back of the room, so she had them sit down there.

They were served hot tea, and enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant while grimacing at the unique taste and bitterness of the tea.

[…What will it be? Nigiri? Or perhaps, Otsumami?] (Owner)

The owner was still as unfriendly as in the beginning.

They only had a vague image of what “Nigiri*” meant, but they still got the general idea. (T/N: Nigiru/握る means grabbing with your hands. Here, it refers to sushi.)

However, they did not quite understand what he meant by “Otsumami*”. (T/N: Tsumamu/つまむ means grabbing with chopsticks. Here, it refers to sashimi.)

Satis did not seem to have any knowledge of this either, and they both tilted their heads in confusion, but the waitress quickly followed up on this.

[Please excuse him, dear customers. “Otsumami” means otsukuri or sashimi. Simply put, it’s raw fish cut into small slices to make it easier to eat. If you’re tourists, then by all means, don’t hesitate to try!] (Waitress)

[Ohh, so fish really can be eaten raw. Then I’ll have that!] (Seto)

[Me too, please.] (Satis)

They were served white fish sashimi.

It appeared that dipping it in soy sauce was the common way to eat it, but their biggest problem was how to use the utensils known as “chopsticks”.

So we’re supposed to eat using those tiny sticks…? (Seto)

They… don’t seem to provide any fork here. (Satis)

They both struggled to grab the sashimi.

Trying to eat just one slice got quite on their nerves.

However, the taste was well worth the effort.

The spiciness of the sauce known as soy sauce mixed together with the firm texture and robust flavor of the fish inside their mouths, and the rich aroma spread with every bite.

[This is tasty!] (Seto)

[Yes, I love this flavor. It’s very delicious.] (Satis)

They expressed their honest impressions to the owner.

However, the latter did not show any reactions, and continued to work silently.

[Fufufu! Please excuse him. This is just the sort of personality the owner has.] (Waitress)

[…Don’t say anything uncalled for.] (Owner)

[Yes, yes. …Well then, dear customers, please enjoy yourselves! If you wish to order anything else, please let us know. The owner will make them for you!] (Waitress)

The waitress cheerfully said so and walked to another table.

After finishing their sashimi, Seto and Satis decided to order sushi.

[Hmm~… It looks like they let us select what kind of sushi we want.] (Satis)

[Let’s leave it to the owner. We don’t know anything about sushi, after all.] (Seto)

[You’ve right. Um, excuse us!] (Satis)

[…He’s already cooking it.] (Seto)

The owner had already started making sushi.

While admiring the speed of his work, Seto and Satis patiently waited for it to be ready.

What he served them was nigiri sushi made with a fish called greater yellowtail.

Under earth the lustrously colored filets were small chunks of rice called shari.

[Thank you for the food.] (Seto)

[Thank you for the food.] (Satis)

The staff said they could eat it with their hands, so they both immediately dipped their sushi in a bit of soy sauce, and put it in their mouths.

They chewed slowly and thoroughly to savor the taste of this unknown dish.

The unique texture of the fish, and the vinegar flavor contained in the rice.

All this, along with the spiciness of soy sauce mixing together with them in their mouths, resulted in an indescribable flavor.

[O-Ohhh…! This is…!] (Seto)

[So this is sushi…!] (Satis)

The owner silently glanced at the duo, and went back to his business with a not-so-dissatisfied look on his face.

Unfortunately, Seto and Satis did not have the knowledge or the words to describe the deliciousness of sushi, so they were unable to fully express their joy.

But the owner had a small smile on his face, as if to say that even if they could not put it into words, their reactions were good enough for him.

Just as they were about to order something else, the restaurant was visited by some nasty customers.