Chapter 68

"（It's really long. About three times as long as usual）

'Big brother~! It's morning~!'

'Ugh!'

A sudden impact to my stomach.

It seems I'm not allowed a pleasant awakening.

'You're not naked today, right? The sun has already risen!'

Without any discussion, the blanket is yanked away.

Does this inn not have any consideration for Japanese guests?

I think the inn's mascot, Naru, needs a 'welcoming' heart.

'Ah, I get it, I get it, so get off!'

I scratch my bedhead and lift the young girl Naru, tossing her to the side of the bed.

'Kyaa! Big brother, that's rough!'

'Be quiet. This is enough treatment for you. The service to guests is terrible!'

'Well, we're practically married, you know~'

*Chop*

'Kyaa!'

Why would I have to marry such a young girl?

'Damn... My solar plexus still hurts... So, what do you want?'

'Uu~'

She was still holding her head, tears in her eyes.

'If you don't have anything, get out. I'm changing.'

'Au, before that, here!'

Naru enthusiastically holds out her hands. A few copper coins are on them.

'What? A tip?'

'Why do I have to give a tip to a guest? Usually, big brother gives it, right?! I want to buy that sweet guy with this!'

Ah, I see, I think she mentioned something like that yesterday or the day before.

'Alright, alright. Wait a moment.'

The copper coins are five, totaling 50 yen.

Candy costs 8 yen, so it's enough for six pieces.

But...

'Here, including the tip.'

I give her 10 strawberry-flavored and 10 lemon-flavored candies, a total of 20.

Remaining balance: 9,904,388 yen.

'Wow! So many! Thank you! Hey, how long will these last?'

'Candy probably doesn't spoil, but it will melt in hot places, so keep them in a cool spot.'

It seems difficult in this country.

'Can't you eat them if they melt?'

'No, it should be fine... I guess.'

'I feel a bit uneasy.'

'Sugar-based foods don't usually spoil, but they can cause cavities easily. Make sure to brush your teeth well after eating them.'

'Hai'

I've confirmed that this world has toothbrushes, though they are primitive, made from tree branches. Thanks to this, when I use a Japanese toothbrush in the morning in the inn's courtyard, I sometimes get strange looks.

After waving goodbye to Naru, I leave the inn, where Hagg and Yarai are already waiting.

'Good morning, both of you.'

'Yeah. As usual, Akira is late.'

'Well, I'm good at staying up late and waking up early. It's because you make me run around.'

'Hmph. That's just weak.'

'Be quiet. In my previous world, this was enough.'

'Work might be, but there were bandits, right?'

There were no such things in the Japan I knew. There were groups distinguished by color near my apartment, but not bandits.

'They don't exist! You get arrested just for carrying a knife, so there's no way bandits would be around.'

'That's an amazing country.'

'It's impressive.'

'Yeah. They did a good job in that area... Though there was corruption in the police force.'

Despite everything, the police generally worked hard. The cops I knew were all corrupt.

'Humans are bad at that. Everyone only thinks about their own interests.'

'Living beings, coexisting.'

'Not everyone, though. Some people worked hard. Maybe they get pulled in when they join an organization?'

'That's complicated.'

'Yeah, let's end the complicated talk. Let's go to the guild.'

'Yeah.'

And instead of the usual hill, it's Veriello's kitchen.

It seems Chelina told the head chef Hugo that I always make breakfast, and when I headed to the hill, Hugo was waiting with a smile, asking me to make breakfast in the kitchen. Since he's providing the ingredients, I can't refuse.

Not only Chelina and Hugo, but also the assistant Melvin was waiting three steps behind. He's a hardworking old man.

So today's breakfast is bacon and eggs, various sandwiches, onigiri, noriben, and tonkatsu bento, all taken out of the item bag (actually from the container) and placed on the table.

And instant coffee.

Honestly, I don't want to cook in the morning. Bacon and eggs would have been enough.

While eating, I secretly gave 10,000 yen each to Yarai and Hagg as a guard fee. At first, Hagg refused, saying it wasn't part of the deal, but he accepted when I formally asked them to be guards. Honestly, I have enough money, and I felt uncomfortable giving it only to Yarai.

With formal guards, if bandits attack again, they can drive them off. I've seen Yarai's strength, so I'm sure of it, but from their conversation, it seems Hagg is about the same. It's reassuring.

Remaining balance: 9,884,388 yen.

After breakfast with the head chef Hugo, as I take a smoke, Chelina approaches.

'Today, we're forming an agreement with the Fishing Guild and the Food Guild.'

'Fishing Guild? Isn't Veriello the Fishing Guild?'

'Of course, we belong to the guild, but there's a guild leader. For major decisions, the agreement of both the guild and the guild leader is necessary.'

'I see.'

I'm not really interested. I'll just listen to Chelina's talk from the side.

'Let's go to the negotiation room.'

I and Melvin follow.

'By the way, how's the air tool prototype?'

'Yes, we brought several samples of washi paper, so it should be completed soon.'

'Good, I don't want you to forget. I want one when it's done.'

'Understood.'

Chelina smiles lightly. For some reason, Melvin frowns at this. Why...

While working on paperwork in the room, a boy announces a visitor.

'Miss, Mile Bachar has arrived.'

'Understood. Please show him in.'

The boy runs off. Melvin quickly tidies up the documents. There's nothing to do. Yeah.

After about the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, a man enters the room. He's tanned, wearing well-tailored black linen clothes, and is a lean, muscular man.

This world really has a lot of lean, muscular men. If I brought them to Japan and put them on TV, they'd be greeted with screams. He's a bit older than me, younger than I imagined.

'It's been a while, Chelina. You look well.'

'Yes, Mr. Mile, I've had many enjoyable experiences recently and have regained my energy.'

'That's good. Is the cause of that the man standing next to you?'

Mile Bachar, the Fishing Guild leader, looks at me.

'Pleased to meet you, Mr. Bachar. My name is Akira.'

I bow correctly, as Chelina taught me.

'What an unusual name. Where are you from?'

'Japan.'

I answer immediately. I wish someone could tell me more about it.

'...I don't know it.'

'It's a rural country.'

I brush it off casually.

'I see. But you're standing next to Chelina, so you're not just a country bumpkin, right?'

'Well, I'm not sure myself.'

I didn't choose to stand here.

'Hmph. There's no one more untrustworthy than someone who doesn't sell themselves in a situation like this. Chelina seems to have a good ally.'

'Yes, I've been very helpful.'

Is this the extent of the small talk?

'Well, why did the Veriello Guild, which is essentially the top of the Fishing Guild, call me here? It can't be just for a regular business deal, right?'

Mile takes out a pipe from his pocket, and Melvin quickly lights it and places an ashtray.

I want to smoke too, but it's not a good idea.

'Actually, it is. It's a regular business deal.'

'Hmm?'

Mile exhales a long puff of smoke, encouraging me to continue.

'The items we want to start handling are octopus, cuttlefish, scorpionfish, and rockfish.'

'...What?'

Chelina's smile contrasts sharply with the angry expression of the Fishing Guild leader.

'Are you joking? Or are you trying to sell them to the slum people?'

Indeed, the seafood Chelina mentioned are all low-grade fish, usually discarded or given to the slum people. For serious fishermen, it could be seen as an insult.

'No, we recognize their value as ingredients and want to commercialize them.'

'That's impossible. Who would pay for something that's been thrown away?'

He answers immediately. His opinion is correct.

'Yes. That's why I have a plan. I'm going to talk to Moshi No Kiyen of the Food Guild next.'

'What?’

It seems I'm not the only one who doesn't understand the situation. I feel a bit relieved.

'Just one question. If it's confirmed that they can be sold, can you supply octopus, cuttlefish, scorpionfish, and rockfish?'

'The octopus and cuttlefish are the problem. It depends on the catch. The others... well, we can get some, but not in large quantities. Scorpionfish might be more familiar to anglers.'

'Ah, octopus can't be caught in nets... you need to use pots.'

'...What?'

I can't help but interject.

Bachar gives me a puzzled look.

'Octopus have a habit of hiding in holes. If you place pots in their habitat, they'll go inside. Oh, and the pots need to be placed horizontally, not upright.'

'Is that so...? Even if they hide in the pots, they'll escape when you pull them up from the bottom of the sea.'

'That's the strange thing, they hardly ever escape. Try it out.'

Mile's eyes widen, but when he looks at Chelina and she nods, he nods too.

I heard this from a crew member on a fishing boat I was on with my fishing boss, so it should be correct.

'Well, if that doesn't work, think of another method. I don't know much about octopus habitats.'

'Hmm.'

'Ah, and for cuttlefish, place a long tube with a parachute-like entrance that's easy to enter but hard to exit, and string it along the bottom of the sea with ropes. The basic setup is similar to octopus, but you'll need to research cuttlefish habitats.'

'No, I have a lead on that. But where did you learn this?'

'From the fishermen in my country.'

'In your country, do people just spill such secrets?'

'People are generally good-natured. Besides, it's easy to find out if you research it.'

With the internet or libraries, you can find out almost anything if you want to. There's not much point in keeping it a secret.

'What an amazing country. But you're planning to eat these low-grade fish?'

'Of course. We've already done taste tests. They could even be served as court cuisine without shame.'

'I can't believe it... Even if they're edible, will they be accepted?'

'You'll know as soon as you taste them.'

'Are you prepared?'

'Yes, but it depends on