Chapter 52

Taisyo skillfully removed the shells of the scallops.

He slowly inserted the knife, cut the muscle, and opened the shell, but this is usually quite a difficult task.

Beltzholte had also worked at a restaurant where customers could eat grilled seafood at will, and it took a while to get the hang of it.

The shells of the scallops were peeled off as if by magic.

What appeared was the plump, succulent flesh of the scallops.

Beltzholte had just vowed not to eat raw scallops, but the sight was very tempting. His stomach growled involuntarily, and Hermine tugged at his sleeve with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Shino, prepare the tartar sauce."

"Sure. Oh, there are pickles today too."

"Because these are such good oysters. We have to give it our all."

While Taisyo was preparing the scallops, Shino finely chopped boiled eggs. This was something he had seen when they made Chicken Nanban!

"Are you going to fry the scallops?"

"Yes, Mr. Beltzholte, you got it right!"

Shino laughed while skillfully extracting the yolks using eggshells. He added the chopped boiled eggs and pickles to make the sauce. The last time they had Chicken Nanban, Beltzholte had only been focused on the taste, but it seemed that making even the sauce required quite a bit of effort.

Eifa carried something over to the glass door.

It was a shichirin.

This portable grill, which uses charcoal as fuel, had become popular at Nobu's izakaya when the weather started to get chilly. If Beltzholte were still a mercenary, he might want one for long winter campaigns.

"…Taisyo, is that…"

"We overbought oysters today. I thought we might share the aroma with the customers on the stableman's street."

Taisyo's face relaxed as he spoke, but it was clear that there was more to it.

He was a shrewd strategist.

If someone saw the scallops being grilled outside the store, even those who had never tasted them would stop to watch. After that, they would be drawn to slip under Nobu's noren.

After the batter, which was slightly fluffier than the wakadori karaage, was applied, the scallops were slipped into the abundant oil.

The small popping sounds were already stimulating their stomachs.

"Would you like to try some, Hermine?"

"Yes, I might have a little."

As she said this, Beltzholte almost recoiled when he saw what Hermine was holding.

She was biting into a lemon, which Shino had just cut into a comb shape.

"O-oi, Hermine…"

"When I feel this way, sour things taste good."

As she rubbed her stomach, Beltzholte could only groan.

He had experienced both the bitter and the sweet on the battlefield, but he was clueless about domestic matters. Especially pregnancy, which he had no idea how to handle.

"There are many things to consider, but please support Hermine properly."

"That's easier said than done, Shino. I have no idea what to do first."

"Maybe you could start thinking about a name for the baby?"

The mention of a name made sense.

It might be premature, but tackling the tasks in order was a logical approach.

"That's right, a name. Something strong. Georg or Arthur."

"Wait a minute, Mr. Beltzholte. We don't know if our child will be a boy."

"Oh, right. It could be a girl too."

Brave names and cute names.

Thinking about both at the same time made his head spin. Whenever he thought of a good name, the face of someone he knew with the same name would pop up, and he would have to start over.

He considered naming the child after someone he respected, but since the child would be born into this world, he wanted to give them their own name.

While he was thinking about all this, the oil in the pan where the scallops were frying changed to a popping sound.

"Hey, Taisyo, are they almost ready?"

"Yes, they should be."

Taisyo began to plate the scallops, draining the oil.

"Hmm? You're not going to double-fry them like the wakadori?"

"Double-frying works well for chicken and pork, but it overcooks the scallops a bit."

Beltzholte nodded in understanding and refreshed his mouth with triaeznam.

He recalled the smooth, rich texture of raw scallops, but what was in front of him was the fried version.

He wondered what it would taste like.

Just as he swallowed, Shino placed a plate in front of him. The sound of the plate stimulated his stomach again.

"Here you go. Oyster fry. Please enjoy it with the tartar sauce."

A knife and fork were provided, but he didn't use the knife.

He took a bite. That was the correct way to eat it, he could tell instinctively.

Crunch.

The pleasant texture was followed by a creamy, rich flavor.

He had always believed that raw scallops were the best, but this was also wonderful. It was a different kind of deliciousness, and it wasn't a matter of which was better.

If one was supreme, the other was ultimate.

Two peaks that couldn't be compared.

He nodded vigorously at Hermine's worried gaze and generously coated the next one with tartar sauce.

The tartar sauce went well with the oyster fry, just as it did with the Chicken Nanban.

Taisyo opened the glass door. A cold breeze blew into the warm room, which felt refreshing on his flushed cheeks.

The sound of the scallops being grilled on the grill could be heard from outside.

The smell would soon draw a full house.

One day, he wanted to bring his child to this restaurant.

As he took a bite of the third oyster fry, Beltzholte and Hermine smiled at each other.