When I heard about the coastal town, one thought had been lingering in the back of my mind.
It was about seafood.
“Sea fish! Tuna! Blue fish! White fish! Crab! Shrimp!”
“V-Van-sama!?”
“What’s wrong?!”
After parting ways with Rosso in the town of Tribute, the suppressed desire exploded. As Van-kun turned his head from side to side, searching for a restaurant, Till and Kamshin were startled and called out to him. Arte blinked her eyes in surprise.
“Fish? You’ve been eating river fish all the time, haven’t you?”
Panamera asked, looking puzzled, but I had no choice but to deny it.
“River fish and sea fish are two different things. While the delicate and flavorful river fish are the best, the sea’s offerings like tuna, white fish, crustaceans, octopuses, and squids are just as amazing. Do you have any objections?”
“N-No, no objections… That’s quite a forceful way to put it, boy.”
As I earnestly conveyed the charm of seafood, Panamera widened her eyes and responded. I think it’s cute when honest Panamera smiles like that.
“Kamshin, sorry, but could you go check if there are any restaurants nearby? Since Ortho and the others are here, I’m sure we can gather some information quickly.”
“Y-Yes!”
After giving the instruction, Kamshin quickly switched his mindset and started to run. However, Arv and Lou stopped him.
“Ah, we know a place that serves food.”
“We’ve been there once before, when Marquis Fertio visited. We went with him.”
Turning toward them, I immediately asked.
“Are there any good restaurants?!”
As soon as I turned, I asked. For some reason, Arv and Lou stepped back a little, their faces contorting.
“P-Probably…”
“We’ve only eaten there once…”
“Well, then let’s go!”
Their answers were vague. In that case, I’ll just confirm it for myself. If it’s good, I’ll stay for a month.
“Wahaha! Leave it to me, Dee! I’ve been to this town three times, and I’ve spent over ten days here in total! I know three restaurants where you can eat fish!”
“Oh, as expected of Dee! Which one would you recommend?!”
The incredibly reliable Dee had appeared. I asked with a sense of excitement. Dee pointed to the back, center, and front of the town in order.
“The place in the back has the largest servings and is highly recommended! The center has fewer servings! The one in the front has a decent amount!”
“How about the taste?!”
“I don’t know the difference! But the place in the back has more…”
“Thanks! Got it!”
It wasn’t very helpful. Dee was trying to offer additional information, but it was probably just about how the amount varied depending on the type of dish. I brushed it off in the heat of the moment.
I glanced at Espada, but he was silently closing his eyes, shaking his head left and right. It’s his stylish “I don’t know” gesture. I’ll take note of that.
As we were having this exchange, Targa finally spoke up.
“Van-sama, may I say something?”
“Targa! That’s right, we have a noble here!”
“Ah, no, well, I’ve only recently received my title... but, well, in this town, the main fish are Murtchi and Shira. Murtchi has a light, subtle flavor, while Shira is a fatty red fish.”
“Oh, that’s really useful information! Thank you, Targa!”
“You’re welcome! I’m glad it helped!”
When I thanked him, Targa looked very happy. His muscular body is like a wall, so the contrast is cute. I’m sure the ladies who like muscular men would be thrilled. But that’s not helpful.
I organized the information I gathered and decided on the restaurant.
“Alright, let’s go to the one in the center. If the servings are small, we can try multiple dishes, and it’ll be just right for the first place.”
“Yes!”
“I’m looking forward to the seafood.”
After deciding on the restaurant, Arte and Till immediately responded with excitement. On the other hand, Dee was muttering with a serious expression.
“Hm, the one in the center? The servings are smaller, though…”
“You can always get a refill.”
“Well then, that’s fine! Wahahaha!”
It seemed like Dee was convinced. That’s good.
“It would be nice if there are many kinds of fruit wines.”
“Apparently, Tribute is a place where merchants from both nations pass through, so I’ve heard that the variety of alcoholic beverages is abundant.”
“Oh! That sounds exciting! Do they have any strong ones?”
As Espada and Targa talked about alcohol, Panamera joined in, and the conversation started to get lively. Well, it’s always nice to have various things to look forward to.
As I thought about that, we arrived at the restaurant and secured seats. Since the knights couldn’t enter, the members of the Ceat Village and Panamera’s knights were allowed to eat and drink at their own restaurants. Temporarily, all the restaurants in the town would likely be packed.
By the way, the restaurant that was supposed to have smaller servings turned out to be a high-end place, just as I expected. I ordered all the dishes that caught my eye. With Dee and Targa around, I knew we’d finish everything. But when the dishes arrived, I was taken aback.
There was a thick red fish, about fifty centimeters long, steaming and sitting in the center of the table. The scent was sweet and spicy, stimulating my appetite. But it was huge.
In addition, there were fish dishes that looked like they were deep-fried in oil, and boiled crustaceans. Many areas don’t eat crabs and shrimp, so I was very grateful that they were properly prepared.
Most importantly, it was incredibly delicious. Many of the seasonings were simple, but the ingredients were likely of high quality. The sweet and spicy grilled fish didn’t lose to the slightly stronger seasoning. The deep-fried fish was seasoned with salt and spices that complemented the white fish’s taste. As for the crustaceans, they were a bit too large, but the meat was plump and delicious.
“…I think I might stay in Tribute for about a month.”
“You plan to keep His Majesty waiting, boy? You’re quite the big deal.”
I jokingly said this, but Panamera, who was happily enjoying a variety of alcohol, said it with a face that seemed quite pleased, “You’re quite the big deal,” with a satisfied expression.
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