Published at 5th of August 2023 5:52 pm

Chapter 351: A Snack By The Lake

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

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「Al, use your magic to cut it in half」

「Okay」

It will require a bit more effort to cut it in half using a gathering knife considering the Alkinoko’s size.

I use Wind Blade of Wind magic to cut the Alkinoko - that was placed on the ground - in half

Then, the Alkinoko was cut cleanly in half.

It’s like a giant Eringi.1

After that, Torr continues to cut it off with his knife.

Alkinoko has vertical fibers running through its body, so Torr inserts his knife along those lines and cuts it in an interesting manner.

After I make large plates with Earth magic, Torr aims at the plate and throws the Alkinoko’s body parts onto it.

Each piece is so large so let’s use skewers and grill them.

「So it will come off easily if you insert the knife along those lines?」

「Un, you have to be careful since the body is soft and you don’t crush the meat」

Asmo peels the Libra with a knife while teaching Tickle under the shade of a tree.

While Viscount Dole was looking at them with great interest.

And I was about to prepare the tableware, but I decided to catch some fish first Asmo wanted first.

I make Shields on top of the lake water like before again. Walking on top of that, I look for fish that can be eaten.

「You know the location of the fish when you look at them from above like this」

I found sweetfish when I look at the water from above, so I cast Water magic and lifts the water around the sweetfish in one go.

There are around ten sweetfish swimming around in the water floating in the air.

Catching this much should be enough. Still, when it comes to fish, as expected it has to be grilled sweetfish.

I return to land while carrying the water ball filled with sweetfish.

「You’re back. How many did you catch?」

「Around ten sweetfish, I guess」

「That’s fine. I brought salt with me, let’s grill them」

「Eh, you brought them with you?」

It was something I usually said if I want to have certain seasonings and took them out from my subspace, but I don’t think normal people will walk around bringing seasonings with them

「……seeing Al walking around with seasonings with you, I also decided to bring some too. It’s useful when I want to eat something outside」

「I, I see」

It looks like I have influenced him somehow, but that’s a good idea actually.

It may be all right even if I took out various seasonings if it’s in front of Torr and Asmo.

For now, I make a cutting board and skewers using Earth magic, then I leave the sweetfish’s pretreatment to Asmo.

When I return to the shade of the trees and was about to prepare the tableware, I saw Viscount Dole sitting there with nothing to do.

Since Viscount Dole is a genuine noble, he usually left this kind of thing to his servants. He probably doesn’t know what to do at a time like this.

「Gregor, can you help to skewer the Alkinoko Torr cut?」

「U, umm, leave it to me」

After I told him to do that, Viscount Dole continue to stick the skewer to the Alkinoko meat happily.

「Is four each all right?」

「Right. The meat is big anyway so let’s just put that much」

I also sat down and start to stab the skewer into the Alkinoko meats while answering Viscount Dole’s earnest question.

And as we continue to skewer the Alkinoko meat silently, quite an amount of them was made.

「Yosh, this should be enough for now」

After cutting half of the Alkinoko, Torr exhales and puts his knife down.

The Alkinoko is large, so as expected we can cut and eat them in one sitting. Or rather, you will probably get tired after eating the skewer-grilled Alkinoko along the way.

Looking at the lake, Tickle - who had finished peeling the fruits - is helping with the sweetfish pretreatment.

The work on that side should be finished soon.

「Then, we should light the fire and grill them」

「Ooh, I’ll leave it to you!」

I walk a bit away from the shade and cast Fire magic and make a small fireball float a little above the ground.

Next Viscount Dole and I stab the skewered Alkinoko meat into the ground and grill them.

Then, Asmo and Tickle returned as Viscount Dole and I sat near the fireball and wait as though surrounding it.

「We finished the sweetfish pretreatmentー」

「Ooh, thanks. Just stab them on the ground at some distance from each other」

After I said that, Asmo and Tickle stabs the skewered sweetfish into the ground near the fireball.

It looks like they had already put salt on the sweetfish, they looked slightly white.

Sitting in front of the grilled Alkinoko and sweetfish, I can feel my stomach become famished.

As I stare at them while thinking things like ‘Is it done yet’, Tickle quietly handed a plate to me.

「Shall we eat the fruits and nuts while we wait」

「Ooh, that’s right!」

「I’ll have the Libra fruit」

「Ah, youu!」

As Asmo determinedly reach out to the Libra, Asmo also reach out to the Libra in a hurry.

「Gregor-sama, Alfried-sama, here」

「Thanks」

「Um, thank you」

Tickle gave us a plate each, so Viscount Dole and I eat a Libra fruit.

When I put a bit more strength in my jaw and try to chew on it, the soft fruit releases a lot of fruit juice and it crumbles.

The juice tastes like fruit juice, it is sour with sweetness to it while also refreshing, it all maintained a perfect balance.

「It’s sweet but refreshing and easy to eat!」

「Right?」

You can only collect the fruit from the forest in our village and this is a delicious fruit we are proud of.

Just that, the unfortunate thing is that the fruit is soft and fast to rot so it is difficult to sell as our territory’s local product.

You may transport them to another place if you freeze them using Ice magic, but they would become less delicious than their original taste.

As we eat the Libra and Megu fruits like that, the Alkinoko has been grilled to some extent so I change the angle at which the skewers are facing the fire.

If the Alkinoko meat were to be overcooked then moisture inside them will come out, so letting their surface grilled is just enough.

When the Alkinoko is grilled, a savory smell unique to mushrooms wafts out.

「A nice smell came out」

「Yeah, I can’t wait for it to be thoroughly grilled」

Torr and Viscount Dole stare at them excitedly. While Tickle watches over them with a smile on her face.

「…………」

On the other hand, Asmo is watching the Alkinoko and sweetfish intently, occasionally moving and adjusting the skewers.

I know how you feel but, are you a master2 at grilling or what.

While the savory smell of Alkinoko and sweetfish drifts out, everyone waits for them to be grilled thoroughly in silence.

「It’s about time for them to be grilled, right?」

「……you can take the Alkinoko」

Asmo seriously nodded when Torr impatiently asks.

Once the craftsman gave his permission, we simultaneously take the Alkinoko skewers.

The Alkinoko’s surface has entirely browned, it was just the right time to eat them.

I blow on it since it’s still scalding hot, and then take a bite from the skewer.

It has a chewy texture when I try to pierce the meat with my teeth, and it oozes out the hot juice.

「「「Hott!」」」

It looks like I’m not the only one that got surprised by the hot juice that came out, almost everyone reflexively voiced out their surprise.

And yet, I can’t drink water since it will be wasteful, so I the slightly hot umami juice while chewing them.

「Un, it’s tasty」

It was just being grilled and then eaten. It was simple, but I can fully taste the ingredients.

This chewy texture of chewing fibers is likely going to be addictive.

「Is this lightly seasoned? This is quite delicious!」

Viscount Dole exclaims in surprise, I guess he is also satisfied with Alkinoko’s flavor.

「Is that so? It tastes lighter than other mushrooms, isn’t it?」

「How......there are so many mushrooms growing in this place....?」

Our village is certainly rich in nature and the naturally grown food is also delicious.

It also might be understandable for us to feel that way.

It’s almost autumn so the mushrooms will gradually be going to be delicious.

「I grilled the most delicious part, here」

While I was feeling deeply moved, Asmo gave Viscount Dole and Tickle the Alkinoko’s legs.

「So this is the part said to be the most delicious part of Alkinoko?」

「Can we really eat this? We can also divide this among us.....」

「It’s okay. Just eat it no need to hesitate. It’s best to eat it whole」

After encouraging Tickle - who is reserved about it - to not worry, she thanked me and happily ate it.

「Mu! Delish! This is so fragrant!」

「This is amazing! It’s like I’m eating a high-classmushroom!」

Only two parts can be taken from the large Alkinoko.

It has a nice scent and umami, so it certainly won’t be strange to judge it as a high-class mushroom.

「We only have fields, mountains, and forest, but the food is delicious!」

Torr told them, but judging from this expression and tone, you can understand that he likes Koryatt village quite a lot.

「I have not seen everything but, I can understand it just from walking with you guys」

「Yes」

Hearing Viscount Dole and Tickle’s words, I thought it was an excellent decision to take them out to the forest as a change of pace.

This is worthy of me sacrificing my nap time and taking a walk outside.

「Ah, Asmo, what are you eating now!」

「It’s olive oil with salt and pepper. This goes well with mushrooms and vegetables」

「The heck! Carrying around seasonings like that, you’re really like Al! Give me some of that!」

「Me too!」

What is this, this sauce. This should definitely taste good with the grilled Alkinoko. This must be delicious together.

Grabbing the small plate of sauce from Asmo, Torr and I dip the Alkinoko meat in the sauce and eat it.

The moderately salty and spicy olive oil sauce also matches really well with the Alkinoko.

I guess it’s because I had been walking, running around, and sweating a lot for the whole day that this saltiness tastes especially delicious

「Would you like some too Gregor, Tickle?」

「Yes please!」

「Here you go, feel free to have some」

The two of them also dip their Alkinoko meat into the sauce after I offered it to them.

「Umm, it goes well with the olive oil sauce!」

「Yes, this is delicious! This looks like it will also go well with other sauces like citrus sauce!」

Certainly, a citrusy sauce would go well with this Alkinoko with its grilled surface. I had such an impression even without eating it.

「The grilled sweetfish are also doneー」

「Uuhyooー! This also looks good!」

While I was eating the Alkinoko with sauce and salt, it looks like the salt-grilled sweetfish is finished this time.

Torr excitedly shouts and starts to reach out for the salt-grilled sweetfish trying to get them first.

「This is my first time doing something like this, but this is a good thing. Working together with everyone doing something together, this is fun」

「That’s good to hear」

The walk and meal we have today are not the best things when you invited a noble guest. This would be relatively ordinary among commoners.

But, I think there is a bit of a fun and happy time in it.

The richness of nature and wildlife. Lively friends, delicious meal, and beautiful view.

I think that it will be great if it can help Viscount Dole write his scenario.

「I think I can write a good scenario after this」

「I’m looking forward to it」

「Yeah, leave it to me」

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