Chapter 98

Summary of the previous episode ------------------------------------------------------

After making a lure, we had a victory party at Aera's shop, and the next day, we set out for fishing.

We caught one Great Salamander and found a snapping turtle at the same spot.

We decided to camp there to clean the mud off.

"First, let's set up the campsite, shall we?"

"I think it's not good to camp on a riverbank, right? I know that."

Toya said this with a slightly smug look, and Haruka shook her head with a wry smile.

"Well, it's not always the case..."

One reason camping on a riverbank in Japan is not good is due to dam releases. However, that's not an issue here.

Another reason is the risk of flash floods due to heavy rain upstream, even if it's not raining where you are. However, in this case, the river's upper reaches are not deep in the mountains, so the weather difference is unlikely to be significant.

"Still, it might rain this time of year, so let's avoid the riverbank."

We moved a bit away from the river, set up the campsite with shovels, and had a simple lunch with the food we brought.

After that, we basically had free time.

However, we couldn't rule out the possibility of monsters or wild animals attacking, so we decided to stay within sight of each other.

According to the guide, the only things that might appear around here are orcs and goblins, but it's still not a good idea to face them alone.

Well, with my current [Detection] skill, I can cover a wide area, and I haven't detected any danger so far. We might be okay even if we bring Tommy, but we'll see how it goes at night.

"Naoto, I'll fish around here. What about you?"

"I'll try a bit upstream. Let's see who catches more."

"Hey, want to make it a contest?"

"That sounds fun, doesn't it?"

I smiled back at Toya's grin and sat down on a rock about 30 meters away from him.

"Let's start with a fly."

It's better to use a poorly made lure after getting some results with a fly... if I can get any. With a beginner's fly and fishing skills.

"Well, might as well give it a try."

I cast the fly and let it drift from upstream to downstream.

I could see the fish swimming, so I hoped one would bite.

After a few casts:

"Got one!"

I quickly raised the rod and inserted the net.

I reeled it in and placed it on the rock.

"Nice!"

It was big, probably around 30 centimeters.

I quickly removed the hook and put it in the bucket, where it swam around.

"It's a 'Yamame.'"

The name displayed in the help menu was 'Yamame.' I don't know if it's genetically the same, but if the help menu says so, it's probably the same creature, according to the evil god.

It's reassuring to know it's safe to eat, which is great for us.

"First catch. Good start."

I smiled and looked at Toya, who noticed me and grinned, holding up two fingers. ...Not a peace sign, right? He caught two? That's quick, man.

I hurriedly cast the fly again and caught another fish after a few more casts.

It was a bit smaller than the first one but still over 20 centimeters.

Since no one else was fishing, I managed to catch a fish every few minutes, and by the time the sun started to set, the bucket was full of Yamame.

It's a bit disappointing that we only caught Yamame... is it because of the fly or the location?

But the catch is good enough. I'll try the lure tomorrow.

I called Toya, and we returned to the campsite, where Haruka and the others were chatting around the campfire.

"Welcome back. Did you catch anything?"

"Yeah, a lot. See?"

"I'm surprised. They're not used to fishing, so we must be doing something right. Even beginners like us can catch them."

It seems Toya had the same thought.

We definitely don't have any fishing talent, and the flies are homemade by beginners.

"Wow! You caught so many... Can I try tomorrow?"

Yuki peeked into my bucket and exclaimed, asking if she could try.

"We have enough rods for everyone. What about Natsumi and Haruka?"

"Um... they're artificial baits, right? If so..."

"If everyone else is doing it, I'll give it a try."

Natsumi seems to be afraid of bugs. Well, fishing baits can be pretty gross.

I'll let Haruka and the others use the flies and try the lure and live bait myself. I can dig up some worms around here.

"What did you guys do in the afternoon?"

"We set up traps and then had tea and chatted. We did a bit of magic practice, I guess."

While we were fishing, Haruka and the others had set up traps they had made or had a carpenter make for them.

None of them had used traps before, so it's uncertain if they'll catch anything, but it's a fun activity.

"The results of the traps will be clear tomorrow. For now, let's process the fish you caught."

"There are so many. We might not have enough skewers..."

The skewers we usually use are bought from the store.

At first, we made our own, but since they're cheap and easy to use, we now mostly use store-bought ones.

There are metal and wooden skewers, but the latter can only be used a few times, so we're increasing the number of metal ones. However, they can be too hot to handle when freshly cooked.

"Let's just do the initial processing and store them. We can skewer them when we're ready to eat. Some are big enough to be filleted."

Haruka poured ice from a magic spell into our buckets, then took out three cutting boards and knives and gave them to Natsumi and Yuki.

"Naoto and Toya can't do this, right? Or do you want to try?"

"No, I'll leave it to you."

"Agreed. Let's stick to what we're good at."

"Preparing the fish isn't that hard... but it's fine."

Haruka shrugged and quickly started cleaning the fish.

Yuki and Natsumi were also very efficient.

...Yeah, we're definitely in the way.

After digging a hole to dispose of the guts, we left everything to them.

I just observed the skewers Haruka had set up around the campfire.

I don't want to interfere and ruin the taste, as I don't have any relevant skills.

"By the way, Naoto, how many did you catch?"

"Oh, we had a contest. But does it really matter? They're so easy to catch here."

"True. It doesn't really matter."

Toya shrugged, comparing his and my buckets, both of which were packed with fish.

If we could count them on our fingers, it would be a different story, but with this many, it's more about the time spent than fishing skills.

"The processing is done. We caught 58 in total. They were mostly big, so if we all fish tomorrow, we should have enough for a while."

"They were all Yamame, but they were generally big."

The biggest one I caught was nearly 40 centimeters, and most were around 30 centimeters, with few under 20 centimeters.

I usually think of Yamame as being around 15 centimeters, but bigger is definitely better.

"Cleaning the guts is tiring with so many... I'm glad I have the skill."

Yuki had only cleaned fish a few times before coming here, but she managed without any issues.

From my perspective, she was just as good as Haruka and Natsumi.

"If we keep this up, we'll have to clean even more tomorrow..."

At Haruka's words, Yuki and Natsumi both looked a bit tired. Hmm, should we help?

"Well, if it's too much trouble, just clean them and put them in the magic bag. Let's eat this now. It's been smelling delicious..."

"True, with the magic bag, that's an option. Let's eat."

We each took a skewer of grilled Yamame and bit into it.

"Wow, it's delicious!"

Just salt-grilled, but it's the best fish I've ever had.

Cooking? Ingredients? Environment?

Probably all of them.

Haruka and the others are skilled cooks, and eating grilled fish you caught yourself around a campfire is a rare experience in Japan. Well, you could do it if you wanted, but I've never done it.

I'm not particularly a fish lover, but I could eat this all day.

"Is it because the water is so clean? There's no fishy smell at all."

"Right. Yamame usually have little smell, but this is especially good."

"Man, it's really delicious. When was the last time I ate fish? Of course, not counting that questionable fish dish in Saarstadt."

"There are no fish dishes in Lafan."

The store sold dried fish, but no one suggested buying it because of the Saarstadt incident. If it was the same fish, it would definitely be bad.

It could have been a different fish, but it was more expensive than dried meat, so the bar was too high to try.

"If it's closer, I'd want to come fishing more often. It's that good."

The fish are delicious, but it takes a whole day to get here and back.

Considering the fishing time, it's a bit of a trip to come for a night. Meat is easier to get, so eating fish is more of a luxury.

"Since we have the magic bag, why don't we extend our stay and catch a lot to take back?"

"Good idea! If we stay one more night, we could catch enough for a few months."

Yuki's suggestion was quickly agreed to by Toya, and Natsumi nodded.

"Sure, I think it's fine to extend our stay... anyone against it? ...No one? Then let's stay for three nights and catch as much as possible. Fortunately, no one is likely to complain."

"Technically, there might be a fishing guild in Saarstadt..."

"There is, but they only manage the area around the port. As long as we don't fish there, they have no reason to complain. Still, it's better if we don't get caught by any troublemakers."

Legally, since we can catch Great Salamanders here, catching fish shouldn't be a problem. However, there might be some thugs demanding a share.

We'll return to Lafan without stopping in Saarstadt.

Apart from getting a good deal on books, I have no good memories of that city.