Chapter 9

Since there was no shovel, Rurū and I decided to dig up the soil using flat stones and boards we found.

"Well, where are the bugs... hmm?"

I can see a star-shaped indentation in the ground.

Isn't this a familiar mark from Island Tsukūru?

I remember...

If I dig here, I should be able to find some kind of item.

"Sure enough, Sedi is still a kid. You won't find any worms by digging here. You need to look in the wetter soil. Look, like this."

When Rurū flipped over a stone, a cluster of wriggling earthworms was found.

"See, they're there, right?"

"Yeah, but I want to dig where this mark is."

"Mark? What are you talking about?"

"Can't you see it? It's in the shape of a star."

"Even if you say that, I can't really see it..."

Rurū squinted at the spot I pointed to, but he couldn't see the star-shaped indentation.

It seems that only I can see it.

Maybe it's a privilege of knowing that this island is a game world.

"Anyway, I'll start digging. Maybe I'll find some worms, or even something better."

I crouched down and started digging, and Rurū joined me.

"I thought you were a grown-up boy, but Sedi is still a kid. You'll only find stones if you dig there..."

Clunk!

Hmm, I felt something hit the tip of the board.

Let me be careful and dig it out.

"Wow, I found a Tratta stone!"

What I dug up wasn't just a pebble.

When I brushed off the dirt with my fingers, a beautiful sky-blue surface appeared.

It was about the size of a large marble.

"Really!?"

A Tratta stone is a beautiful stone often used in decorations.

It resembles a turquoise from Earth.

It's not as valuable as a gemstone, but it's in high demand for various ornaments and can be sold for a good price in Island Tsukūru.

"Beautiful... But how did you know there was a Tratta stone buried there?"

"Maybe it's my magic... But I can only see it on Gandalcia Island."

"Still, that's amazing!"

Feeling encouraged, I ran around and found three more star-shaped indentations.

Of course, I dug them all up.

The first one contained an old coin, the second one had Hermes' Wing, and the third one had a lily root.

I don't know the value of the old coin, but a collector might give a good price for it.

I think Hermes' Wing is an alchemy material, but I can't remember how to use it yet.

There are many things I'm still unsure about.

As for the lily root, I'll use it for tonight's dinner.

I also found a few earthworms, so maybe we should go fishing now.

"Rurū, have you gathered the bait?"

"I found this much."

The basket was filled with a large number of wriggling earthworms.

We shouldn't have any trouble with bait.

"It's not quite evening yet, but maybe we should hurry a bit?"

"It's okay to take your time. Fishing is best in the evening and early morning."

"Really?"

"Yes, it's called the evening and morning twilight. The best time to catch fish is just before and after sunset and sunrise."

"Then it's perfect."

"I'll show you my secret spot, Sedi. It's the least I can do to repay you."

I've heard that fishermen keep their fishing spots secret, even from their family.

I was happy that Rurū was willing to share his with me.

He said we could catch bigger fish from the sea, so we went out on a boat.

The waves were calm, and the evening sea sparkled.

It was quiet, and the only sound was the gentle lapping of the waves against the boat.

This was my first time on a boat in this life.

I remember being on a ferry in my past life, but I can't recall when or where.

I've never done real fishing before, but I hope I can do it well.

"If you feel even a slight bite, lift the rod diagonally to set the hook."

"Got it."

I wasn't very confident, though.

If I don't catch anything, we'll only have lily root for dinner.

"......, whoa!"

I felt a big tug on the line!

The line and rod were trembling, and it felt like I was about to be pulled into the sea.

"I'll start reeling in the line. Sedi, get the net ready."

Rurū, wearing leather gloves, started reeling in the line.

I held the net with a long handle, ready to catch the fish.

As the line was reeled in, a large silver fish came into view.

"It's quite big!"

"It's a sea bass! It's a very delicious fish. Make sure to catch it properly."

"Got it!"

Sea bass is delicious whether you fry it, make soup, or serve it as sashimi.

I won't let it get away!

"Now, Sedi!"

"Got it!"

I placed the net in the direction the fish was swimming, and the sea bass went headfirst into the net.

"Wow, it's heavy!"

"Don't let go. I'll help you."

Rurū supported the net handle from behind me.

"Ready, one, two, three!"

A magnificent sea bass, about fifty centimeters long, landed on the boat's bottom.

"Great job, Rurū!"

"Don't let your guard down yet. It might jump and escape."

Rurū slit the gills with a knife to bleed the sea bass.

Then he splashed it with seawater to remove the blood.

He's a fisherman, even though he's usually laid-back.

"Doing this keeps it fresh and delicious."

"Wow, you know a lot."

I've seen this in videos.

I suddenly remembered my past life.

I hope I can recall more useful memories in the future.

"Let's catch a few more before we head back."

"Sure, we'll have a fish feast for dinner!"

That day, we caught one sea bass and four mackerels.

Five freshly caught fish were lined up in the kitchen.

I'm going to try cooking them, but as the third son of a noble family, I've never been in the kitchen.

I never needed to, and I never had the opportunity.

Besides, if I had the time to cook, I would have been told to study, ride horses, or practice swordsmanship.

That's what being a noble's son is like in this world.

But I'm a bit different from a typical noble's son because I was Japanese in my past life.

I don't think I was a professional, but I feel like I can cook a bit.

What kind of person was I, and what did I do?

I can't even remember my name, but maybe I will someday.

I feel like I'm forgetting something important...

Anyway, it's time to cook.

I'm really hungry.

Plus, there's the issue of happiness points.

Eating well, staying clean, and resting properly are necessary to recover points.

"Alright, let's make a delicious meal. It's the first step to our ideal paradise!"

Under the starry night sky, I enthusiastically started cooking.

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