Chapter 92

Determined to eat sashimi at this shop, I declared firmly.

"I refuse!

No matter what happens, I will eat the sashimi prepared by the chef here.

No matter what!"

As I spoke with determination in my eyes, the chef flinched a bit.

"What the hell, you're a strange guy...

Could you be one of those idiots' lackeys?

But they wouldn't have a reason to send a kid like you...

Anyway, I'm not in the mood to do business!

The shop is closing today, so get out!"

"I refuse!

I just happened to like the look of the shop and walked in.

I don't care about your convenience!

You're not in the mood to do business?

In this spotless shop, with this well-polished counter that has seen many years of use?

When I entered, you were standing straight and looking at the entrance, proud of this shop.

You must be determined to protect it no matter what, right?

Who's lying here...

Just cut the sashimi without any fuss!"

"Why are you refusing!

I'm saying this for your own good!"

"I don't need your concern!

Anyone who gets in my way will be crushed, no matter who they are!"

As I glared at the chef, a woman who seemed to be the owner came out from the back.

She had a tanned complexion and lustrous black hair.

And she was wearing something close to traditional Japanese clothing, perhaps from the Bearlentz Islands.

I had sensed someone in the back of the shop.

"It seems we have a strange customer...

Oh?

Haha.

I woke up thinking we had a customer with a lot of spirit, but it's just a kid.

But... you have good eyes.

You, cut it for him."

"... Go back to bed, Chloe.

You'll be diving again tonight."

"That's not possible.

If we miss this opportunity, who knows when we'll see you wield a knife again.

However..."

She looked straight at me and said:

"This 'Ginginkyo' is proud of charging a fixed price, with no discounts or surcharges for regulars or first-timers.

If you can pay our price, you are a customer."

I nodded.

"Of course.

Tell me the price."

"Hmm.

The ingredients we have now are local fish caught by this person and shellfish I dive for.

But I won't let my skills be undervalued.

130 reals for the meal alone.

Are you an explorer?

If you want to drink, it's 200 reals.

Can you pay that much for ingredients we get for almost nothing?"

200 reals?!

... Cheap...

◆

After I became an explorer, the first job I took as a G-rank was a daily wage of 150 reals.

Even then, it wasn't considered a very good job, and the site supervisor said it was hard to gather people.

So, in the capital, this price is within reach for a G-class explorer who splurges a bit.

Actually, 130 reals is about 15,000 yen in Japanese currency.

Because I'm used to the ridiculously high prices in the capital, it feels cheap, but considering the price is for a meal made from freshly caught fish, it's not unreasonable.

Recently, I've been promoted to B-rank and earn 1,000 reals per hour in the knights, so my sense of money has become skewed.

... I'm not against luxury.

But luxury is a matter of personal perception, relative to one's daily life.

Any luxury becomes ordinary when it becomes part of daily life.

Then, to feel impressed, you need even greater luxury.

In this life, I've decided not to be attached to status, honor, or wealth, but if I try to maintain a higher standard of 'ordinary' and worry about my income, I won't be able to live freely.

... I thought it was cheap just now, but to live freely in this world, I shouldn't inflate my sense of value.

While thinking about this, I told the owner:

"Of course, it's only right to pay a fair price for a craftsman's skills, and it's up to you to set the value.

However, the customer decides if it's reasonable.

If it is, the customer base will grow, and the shop will prosper.

If not—

it will be eliminated.

I'll leave the menu to the chef.

I don't need alcohol."

The chef glanced at the empty shop and bit his lip.

"Tch, you sure know how to talk.

If you say so, I have no choice.

I'll show you the work of the 7th generation Ichou."

The chef, who spat out these words, had a glint in his eye.

When he gripped the knife, it seemed like he was barely smiling.

◆

"Right, you wanted sashimi, didn't you?"

He took out whole fish from a bucket of ice water, one after another, and quickly filleted them.

This shop has a rare open kitchen, so his skillful movements are clearly visible from the counter.

By the way, chopsticks are set in front of me.

It seems chopsticks are used in this culture.

"... Is that, by any chance, a black tiger iron knife?"

I asked, looking at the jet-black knife the chef held.

"Hmph.

Are you saying it's a waste?

Sure, it's a bit much for these low-grade fish.

But I can't work without this.

It's like an extension of myself.

Here, have some maiko aji sashimi."

In front of me was a beautiful plate of aji sashimi.

The slices were so thin you could see through the plate, arranged like rose petals about to bloom on a cucumber cut into decorative shapes.

A small dish of pure white salt powder was served on the side.

"I don't think it's a waste.

They say the sharpness of the knife is the life of sashimi.

Not to mention the beautiful cross-section, the silver skin left so cleanly, almost reflecting my face, is impossible with a regular knife.

The fat just under the skin is the tastiest part of the fish."

I said this, sprinkled some salt, and took a bite.

Delicious...

But more than that, it was nostalgic.

"Hmm.

You seem to know a thing or two.

... Why are you crying?"

"Sorry.

I was just thinking of my hometown.

I didn't think I'd ever eat sashimi of this quality again.

Please bring the next dish."

"Tch.

I thought you were just a precocious kid, but you seem to have had a tough life.

Since there are no other customers, eat your fill today until the ingredients run out, and then throw it all up."

The next dish was also exquisite.

The fish roe, similar to tarako, was processed to remove the fishy smell, mixed with alcohol, and spread on small perilla leaves, then sandwiched between slightly grilled sardines.

I couldn't resist asking for some alcohol.

After that, I enjoyed the chef's work, reminiscent of a top Japanese restaurant, with dishes like white fish sashimi, squid sashimi, salt-cured fish, and steamed abalone, taking breaks with crispy bone crackers seasoned with salt and pepper.

◆

"Excellent work.

I've been an explorer in the capital since spring, and the chef's skills are better than any fish dish I've had in the capital.

I'm completely satisfied, no exaggeration.

You do such delicate work, despite your tough appearance!"

The chef grinned and said, "The tough part is unnecessary."

The three of us looked at each other and laughed.

"Hehe.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

You have a good appetite.

Are you staying in town for a while?

Even though we don't have great ingredients, come back and eat again."

"Yeah, I will.

Oops, I forgot to introduce myself.

I'm the explorer 'Ren.'

By the way...

Why can't you get ingredients?

The typical scenario is that the magistrate and a merchant like Echigo-ya are conspiring to make your shop a nuisance for some trivial reason and are putting pressure on your business..."

Hearing my template, the couple frowned.

"Echigo-ya?

I don't know much about it, but basically, it's as you imagined.

There's an old merchant guild in this town called Nigefu Shokai, which has been in the shipbuilding business for a long time.

The current head is quite capable.

They control shipbuilding and repair docks, which are the lifeblood of a port town, so they are a powerful guild.

But since the current head took over, they've expanded into trade and food service.

They want to bring our shop under their umbrella and are working behind the scenes to disrupt our supply and customer base, making it hard for us to stay in business."

How cliché...

I sighed.

"I see.

The mayor must be getting some benefit and turning a blind eye, or even colluding with them.

So, as soon as I step outside, a trio will be waiting to threaten me not to come back to this shop, right?"

The couple widened their eyes in surprise.

"I said I'm an explorer.

Even without any anti-detection magic items, the atmosphere outside is obvious.

There's a woman called 'Mizuno,' a burly man who looks like a shipyard employee, and an explorer who looks like a bodyguard with two short swords."

"... I've seen many explorers, but I've never heard of one with such good hearing.

... The woman is the current head, Mimosa.

The burly man is the head clerk, Katsuo.

The other one is the famous 'Dual Swords Juren' in this area.

But... for Mimosa to bring her right-hand man, Katsuo, it must be a serious matter.

You should escape through the back door.

I'll handle it."

"No, that's not necessary.

Because—"

The door slid open with a creak.

"They're already here."