Chapter 044 – How to Enjoy Your First Seafood Dish and A Sudden Meeting

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Sybilla leans on to the window as she looks over to the city of Seiris.

Me and Emmy imitates her as we look down on to the city from above.

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[…Amazing.]

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It was really pleasant looking at the scenery of the vast sea earlier but looking at the city from a higher point of view is as exceptional too.

It’s a beautifully developed city different from Hammond.

We can see the port, mountains, as well as line of houses that are purely white from here at the inn.

Even all the roofs are colored blue so it feels looking at them is so pleasing.

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[This city takes pride on how its colors are coordinated. Beautiful, isn’t it?] (Sybilla)

[Fuwaaa…. Pretty. This city is really nice.] (Emmy)

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Emmy is completely fascinated by the scenery outside and can’t help but let out a pretty simple remark. I silently agreed into it as I nod.

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[And, the place we will be going to will be there!] (Sybilla)

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And the place Sybilla points to is…

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[Where exactly?] (Russell)

[Look next to the round thing, the square one.] (Sybilla)

[There are lot of similar buildings in here so I can’t really tell.] (Russell)

[…That’s right… The color coordination of the whole city is really pretty but it’s hard to tell which one is which.] (Emmy)

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Sybilla drooped her shoulders upon hearing an unexpected disadvantage of the color coordinated city but she suddenly clapped her hands as if she had already recovered from it.

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[But you’ll be able to see their individual styles and signs upon closer look so it’s fine. Now’s a good time too so let’s get going.] (Sybilla)

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Sybilla then threw the rucksack she was carrying on to the bed before she inspects the sword attached on her waist and left the room with it.

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[For the equipment, it’s alright for you Russell to carry your sword as is. For Emmy-chan… I can’t really say you’re going to be fine with just your bear hands, right?] (Sybilla)

[I have no equipment I can bring with me while eating though…] (Emmy)

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Emmy is currently using my broad sword. The mithril coated dragon sword.

I believe that the sword’s power can show its fullest if it is within Emmy’s hands.

I choose to use the sword I initially bought as it fits better with me.

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In addition, the great shield that was made by the dwarves using the materials from the fire dragon is to be used by Emmy as well.

It’s size and durability fits perfectly with Emmy’s class too. Besides, if we won’t be giving it to Emmy, no one else would be using it and it will probably just accumulate dust somewhere.

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[Fights between adventurers are strictly prohibited around here and knowing who made the first move is pretty easy so you don’t need to be fully equipped.]

[It’s amazing how can they exactly tell it using the adventurers’ tags…]

[It really is, isn’t it?~… Well, enough of that. There’re still pick pocketers around so it’s better to bring a weapon at least. Be careful not to let your weapons be stolen too and have them sit properly tight and fixed inside their sheaths.]

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I see. There was no one who messed with us back in Hammond but… it’s probably because of Jannet always monitoring our surroundings. I don’t think she’s someone who isn’t aware of something like pickpocketing.

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…Really, I should have expressed my thanks to her a little bit more.

I’m guessing that Vince’s party right now is in a mess. Besides, won’t it be impossible for him to continue anymore if he loses Jannet?

I can’t help but get worried of Jannet too since she was left alone after Emmy came by my side but I have to respect Emmy’s choice who decided to go with me.

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Also… Well, it might sound selfish but I want to party with Emmy myself too.

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We take a closer look of the city once again as we follow along behind Sybilla.

I saw lines of fishes back in Hammond as well but I’ve never seen this insect like thing there before… Do they eat this here too?

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[Aren’t shrimps just too tasty?] (Sybilla)

[…I don’t know.] (Russell)

[You’ve been in Hammond for a while, right? How can you be so unfamiliar with seafood?] (Sybilla)

[I’ve been with Vince and the hero party for just six months. Maybe because it’s basically surrounded by land so I haven’t eaten anything closely to seafood aside from freshwater fishes from the rivers.] (Russell)

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Emmy agreed to my words as she nods her head. We’re together for that six months after all.

Sybilla then looks at us as she curls her lips into a smile and nods her head continuously after she turned around from us and moved forward as if she had thought of something.

…It looks like she thought of something fun but considering this cheeky goddess’ attitude, I can’t help but feel a little bit of an indescribable fear…

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I visited restaurants before even back then in Hammond.

So I was expecting something similar to the places I’ve been but this…!

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[…A-Amazing… It’s totally different.] (Emmy)

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Emmy is surprised too and I can’t help but feel the same.

I was expecting a course style dining like in Hammond where in they put the meat and other food in ceramics.

In Hammond’s restaurants, a waiter will serve the dishes from a silver tray and arrange the dishes neatly on the table.

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[This place allows you to get whatever and how many dishes you want after you pay!] (Sybilla)

[Isn’t this like the self-service type thing like in inns?] (Russell)

[Yep yep. Self-service.] (Sybilla)

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I’ve been into self-service type before but only in inns and cafeterias where there isn’t anything else besides bread, soup, and water. These are types of food that’s alright to be left even without the shopkeeper around.

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However, this place just operates in an entirely different scale.

It looks like all the dishes that can be ordered in restaurants in Hammond are lined up for us to choose from and each and everyone is incomparable to those in the inns.

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[Yow, Oni-san! For three!] (Sybilla)

[aiyo!] (Clerk)

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Sybilla immediately finished settling the payment by herself and then she received something like necklaces from the shopkeeper.

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[This shows that we’ve already paid and is allowed to start eating. After we finish eating, we’ll be returning these to them before leaving.] (Sybilla)

[I see. Got it.] (Russell)

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Emmy then took a tag and lean herself closer as she puts it on to my neck.

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[Oh, thanks.]

[You’re welcome…]

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After giving my thanks to Emmy, I see her looking at me expectantly… I got it already. Jeez…

I took the other tag and hang it on Emmy’s neck when I suddenly heard a chuckle of ‘fufufu…’…. Well, as long as you’re happy then it’s fine.

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As I look at Emmy – a sudden pain came over from my head–!

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[Guh! Wh-what!?] (Russell)

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I then turned towards the cause of it, Sybilla.

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[What do you mean what when we came here in the first place to enjoy the food but the two of you had already entered a world of your own… Here.] (Sybilla)

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Sybilla then put down the thing she hit my head with on to my chest.

It’s a worn-out large silver tray.

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[You put the dishes you want on here. Understood?] (Sybilla)

[Ah—yes… Sorry, thanks.] (Russell)

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I now finally understand what it’s all about and took the tray from Sybilla. I can even hear whispers and murmurs from the girls nearby.

…We’re now being looked at by all the people around and it’s all on me…

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On the side note, Emmy’s still frozen solid with her face full red from the embarrassment.

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Anyway, all the dishes lined up looks delicious.

I wonder what’s good to start with…

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[Sybilla, do you have something you can recommend?] (Russell)

[What recommend? Food? No. But If it’s on how to properly eat in places like this, then I do.] (Sybilla)

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As she says so, she picks up the tong in front of her and… put a little of portion of all the dishes on top of her tray.

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[Is that alright?] (Sybilla)

[Russell. Do you know what’s the most luxurious thing in dining in an eat all you can? It’s… being able to enjoy several dishes all at once, you know!] (Sybilla)

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I see… Now I get it.

Sybilla is the type of person who enjoys getting a taste of all types of food rather than eating the most expensive ones.

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[Each single dish takes some time to prepare. Even in places like this, they have to assume a set number of people who will be dividing the dish beforehand because cooking one dish at a time for each customer is troublesome.]

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If you cook two dishes, then it will take twice the amount of time and effort.

That being the case, if I’m getting a little bit of this and that… and considering the amount of time needed to prepare each of them, then I can understand why this is luxurious on its own way.

I have to give credit to Sybilla as this kind of thinking sure is convincing. Well, she isn’t the type of person to let herself get the short stick when it comes to things she likes anyway.

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[Yosh. Then I’ll eat lots of different things too…] (Russell)

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As I’m about to pick up something for myself, I saw something so unbelievable I can’t help but get stiff.

And unexpectedly, Sybilla reacted the same way.

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[Ah, Russell. I’ll go ahead and look for a place to seat, okay?] (Emmy)

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In front of us is a small mountain of food made out of different several dishes hiding Emmy’s figure… Just for how many people is that for…?

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The waiter on the other side said ‘Leftovers are not allowed and we will be charging an additional cost if there’s any.’ And Emmy just unhesitatingly answered ‘Understood.’

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[…We didn’t see anything.] (Sybilla)

[…Yeah.] (Russell)

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After me and Sybilla reached a mutual agreement, we finished getting a little bit of every dish and look for Emmy’s seat.

Emmy chose the seats close to the dishes and already started eating.

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[Russell, these – tasty!] (Emmy)

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I can’t help but raise my expectations after hearing what Emmy, who’s always had a knack on eating, said.

I started off with the strange dish closest to my hand that looks color red and had some weird circles and patterns growing from it.

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[…!]

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The dish has an elastic texture fragranced with olive oil and refreshing seasonings.

I really can’t describe it anymore but it’s delicious.

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[Oh, you ate that one too, Russell? It felt like the flavors of the sea squeezes from it as I chew. It’s so delicious, right?] (Emmy)

[Yeah, it is. I get some weird feelings looking at it but it’s surprisingly easy to eat… Sybilla, what’s this dish made of?] (Russell)

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Sybilla looks on to the dish on my hand and… she just raised her lips and brows and shows us a beaming smile.

…Yeah, there’s no mistaking it. Sybilla’s reaction clearly says what we have eaten is something dreadful.

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[THAT wasn’t a monster.] (Sybilla)

[…Ha?] (Russell)

[What you saw earlier wasn’t a monster but a creature from the seas. It’s called Octopus. Didn’t both of you see one earlier in the market? That round thing you saw that’s been stretching and moving its limbs as it’s being chopped.] (Sybilla)

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Emmy and I met each other’s gaze and look after to the dish in our hands.

…Thi-this white and reddish delicious piece of meat is from that strange thing which changes its appearance when someone touched it….!?

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[And that red stuff. That’s what shrimps are after being cooked. Its black body turns bright red upon being boiled in hot water then it will look like that after removing its shells and legs.] (Sybilla)

[Thi-this…?] (Russell)

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What Sybilla is pointing to is a reddish piece of dish that looks circular and thick. I can’t imagine it being the same thing I saw in the market from its after-cooked appearance.

As I put what I initially thought as insect to my mouth…!

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[This tastes delicious too…!]

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Its flavors burst out in just a single bite and swallowing it doesn’t feel bad.

It has a bit of elastic texture too but is far easier to chew compared to the octopus earlier.

And more above all… It just tastes so good. The octopus and shrimps are so tasty even when I couldn’t have imagined eating them based on how they look.

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It really is surprising that besides fish, dishes made out of the strange creatures that can be found in the sea can be this satisfying.

Rather, I think that fishes are now too dull compared to the dishes we’ve just eaten and not that satisfying anymore.

Immediately after I said that, Sybilla introduced us to a dish of a fish called marinated smoked salmon resulting to both Emmy and I getting our views to the world flipped once again.

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Afterwards, we asked Sybilla questions regarding the dishes we eat as we finish them one by one.

I see… This really is a luxurious way to eat. I’ve experienced to eat dishes that are not in the menu of any places I’ve been.

With just one dining, it felt like I’ve gotten a taste of the most of Seiris has to offer and I can’t help but feel pleased.

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I’d like to note that Emmy finished eating before me clearly sweeping the small mountain.

…Yeah. I just remembered that Emmy is such a big eater…

She seems pretty embarrassed herself after the fact but rushing things without considering what will come after is one of characteristics of Emmy.

I’m sure she’ll probably eat lots again next time.

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We’ve decided to return back to the inn as we still have some time after we satiate our hungers.

As expected, Sybilla didn’t really choose this place just to go sightseeing.

The day is still far from over. However, she wants to organize the information we have in our hands with each other.

I’m just casually walking when I felt something hit me from behind.

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[uoh….] (Russell)

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I stumbled a few steps but was able to prevent myself from falling and what appeared in front of me is a young boy… lying on the ground.

And behind him is Emmy.

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[do-don’t touch me!] (Young Boy)

[I won’t once you give me what’s inside your hands.] (Emmy)

[…gu…] (Young Boy)

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What’s inside the young boy’s hand is my familiar looking coin pouch.

I’m carrying it for payment to Sybilla who’s always paying for everything. So it was stolen with just that instant, huh… Sybilla already warned me before but I still fell for it.

His hands sure are fast but Emmy’s reaction speed is tad quicker.

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Well then… What to do with this young boy.

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Translator’s Notes:

1. Here I am again breaking my own words lol. The chapter met the criteria to be divided into two parts but I made the most of my good mood so I translated the whole chapter. Changing the words ‘I’ll do my best’ to ‘I’ll do what I can’ for now.
2. No more regular releases for the mean time. Sorry about that. There will be releases, but not regularly.
3. Thank you for all the support and understanding! Happy weekend!
4. C. Kogut, thanks for the cup!

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