244 - - The Dinner

Change clothes in the labyrinth's transition room and move to the temple. and are so convenient that I haven't walked around the city for a while, so I'm going to take a detour on my way home.

Come to think of it, I haven't seen Ekaterina for a while. I feel like I'm missing something, but I'm not so sure. At any rate, I talk to a priest in the corridor outside the gate.

Thank you for allowing me to use your temple.

No, we charge a certain amount for the use of the gate, so please don't mind us.

"I should probably go to the hall of worship, but I'm sorry I'm so lazy, but please accept this."

He gives the priest ten shillings as an offering.

"Well, well, thank you very much. I'll pay it to you, but recently I've been working on ......."

The priests in the corridor change according to the time of day, but all of them can give you information about the city when you talk to them. Temple priests and shopkeepers in resident stores give information mainly about the city, while peddlers and others often give information about other countries and cities. I am thinking that the amount of information may be different depending on the degree of sensitivity here as well, but I am donating with an ulterior motive in mind. I do not like to give money to Yekaterina, but I am fine with it if neither I nor she wants to interact with me.

I hear that the meat trade is booming now thanks to the Gentiles, and the price of vegetables is going up. The gentiles' arrival has increased the consumption of food, and the meat is secured by the gentiles' drop, but the vegetables are not ready for the gentiles' drop. It is true that there are many enemies who drop nuts and mushrooms, but there are few enemies who produce vegetable-like vegetables. And few players are engaged in agriculture, or if they are, they tend to use medicinal herbs and other medicinal materials. Or Peter's poisonous herb garden.

"At first I was happy that my table became luxurious, but it is not good not to eat vegetables. The number of people coughing is increasing, probably due to the season."

After the priest finished his talk, he left the orphanage and the dormitory he had built in the former slum with some of the foodstuffs, mainly vegetables, that he no longer used for the soup kitchen.

The former slum dwellers are said to be helping gentiles with production, assisting in stores, and in some unusual cases, working as concierges in clan houses. The treatment varies from live-in workers to day laborers who work only when the player is logged out. But it is much better and more vibrant than it was not so long ago, when there were no jobs. Discrimination against beastmen has almost disappeared in Fast.

The friction between the gentiles and the residents that have come in droves can't be helped, but it is probably more on the positive side. However, it is indeed a pity to cause a main issue that directly affects people's lives. In the meantime, I am glad that the slum dwellers are moving in the right direction.

I should pay a visit to the apothecary's guild. I'll go back to the general store in time for dinner, and maybe log out and go back to the labyrinth. Ruba is still in Fuso, so I'll pass on the artificer's guild today.　

I wonder if the boy Julius is still staring at the . I don't want to get a new staff too soon, since the one I received before I went to Fuso is enough for my level, but I'm thinking that I gave him too many high rank materials.

I heard that there are a lot of production players coming in and out of the workshop for so-called "errand quests". It is said that you can get rare materials once a day if you complete the quests. Since the price of high-ranked production equipment is high, some players apprentice themselves to residents' workshops until they have enough money for their stores and equipment. Ochazuke informs us that there are some perks in exchange for the production quota. --Our clan is strange in that we have a full line of casino equipment.

When I went to the apothecary guild, Master Pieg was not there.

He said, "Whooping cough is going to a temporary housing in a slum. The usual medicines don't seem to work well. The priests' disease cures work, but if there is an epidemic, I can see that we will be short of hands."

I heard that old Pieg is going to the site to adjust the medicines and see patients. Now, the members of the apothecary's guild are being requested to deliver several kinds of medicinal herbs to the guild. Thank you for your hard work.

While browsing in the commodities shop, I came to the secondhand bookstore. I'm going to visit with old man Cadiz and buy some new books for the two who are staying at the house. I set the alarm before entering the house, as I am in danger of losing track of time. I also want to go back to the library in Alsuna.

"Hello."

The old man, as usual, is behind the counter, smoking a pipe and reading a book. It seemed to be an interesting book, and he greeted me by simply looking up from his book and giving me a glance. I take the liberty of walking among the bookshelves, looking for a book with an interesting title and a binding that I like. I try to check out as many old picture books as possible, although I am not sure if I will pick up a book because I do not have a particular book in mind. I feel that the stories are interwoven with facts that existed in older times than in history books.

He selects some books and brings them to Cadiz. Krulkan is glancing at me through his cuffs, perhaps he likes books. No one seems to be able to stop the house from being filled with books.

"You're a book lover too, aren't you?"

"Really?"

"It's rare for a Gentile to go to an unfriendly used bookstore without a purpose."

There may be many other book lovers, but many of them may spend their leisure time in the game not reading but producing or collecting books. The bookworms who are into books will go to the isle as soon as they can.

This is a souvenir from Fuso.

Several copies of akabon (red book) for children and kiboshishi (yellow book) for adult entertainment. Many of the kibyoshi contain satire and word play, and Sakon explained his criticisms of hidden politics and other topics. I bought several books because many of them are interesting to read, although I have no idea about metaphors and allusions without explanations.

Oh, this is rare. Sometimes there are some good finds, but they don't come around to our house very often."

He then happily checks the book.

"I'm sorry to keep giving you these, but take them with you. It will keep insects away from the books if you burn it, and it won't smell or smell bad, so don't worry about it.

With these words, Cadiz handed me a dried, squared, compressed leaf of some kind.

You can drink it as a cigarette.

"Thank you."

Apparently, it is the same stuff that is stuck in Cadiz's pipe. I thank him and leave the used bookstore.

He enters a random alley and returns to the general store via the temple. I braced myself for the black to jump on me, but contrary to my expectation, there was no sign of him.

"I'm home."

"Oh, welcome home!"

Welcome home.

Welcome home.

Galahad, Camilla, and Eagle were relaxing on the third floor of the liquor store. I knew I should have asked Trinh about expanding the rooms. I'll try to remember that.

"The general store is about to close.

"Oh, it's about that time, isn't it? No wonder I'm hungry."

Galahad lounges on the sofa and complains of hunger.

"You haven't moved much today."

"Reno is at Mistiff's with the black. I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Eagle and Camilla were playing chess. They were enjoying a holiday between adventures.

"Master Homura, I'm hungry!"

Galahad jokingly asks for dinner with a "like" sign.

"Well, I'll cook. If you're free tomorrow, help me gather the ingredients.

"Oh!　I'll go anywhere for a good meal!"

He answered immediately with a nice smile.

"I'll help you, too.

"I had a hard time the other day. It's nice to take it easy and gather ingredients.

Camilla and Eagle are both willing to help. Whether it's a leisurely ...... or not is a mystery to me, but I guess it's a leisurely spring walk in the field.

After thanking them and starting to prepare dinner, Lapidus, Noel and Cal came up from closing the general store.

"Welcome home, it smells so good!

Cal peeks into the kitchen smiling.

"Lord, welcome home!"

"Welcome home, Lord."

Lapidus and Noel both call out to us from the entrance of the kitchen, as if they were afraid of disturbing us in a small space. There is no wall or door in the direction leading to the living room, but they do not step out from the edge of the living room as if there is some kind of partition, and they lean over to greet us. The temptation (tail) is flapping and swaying.

I'm home, you three. We're ready to go."

Since they have storage space, they carry a variety of ingredients with them, so cooking is done in a matter of minutes, without the hassle of going back and forth to the warehouse. Except for liquor and cheese, but that's not a problem because they are already packed in the storage. The most time-consuming part is deciding on the menu.

Today's menu is tomato cream pasta with Tsutsugani crab. I also made cream croquettes and gratin with <, so I used thicker pasta with the acidity of the tomatoes to refresh it. I guess grilled crab or crab shabu-shabu with water from the garden would be more delicious, but I plan to have that at the banquet with the gods. Thanks to the preparation of the ingredients, I will be the first to serve what I think will be the most delicious dish.

Reno and Black have returned. Black made a dash for me, but before he could reach me he was intercepted by a cushion offered by Kal, and he was shot down with a thud. After it was stored in my bosom, it was shrieking at Kalu. He seemed to have noticed Krulkan and started shaking his sleeve as well.

"Yes, yes. Don't get mad, don't get mad."

I stroke behind his ears with my fingertips to calm him down. His head no longer bothers me when I stroke it, but he still won't let me brush it. And the way Cal looks at my sleeve is a little painful, but if you have any disbelief, can't you just ask me normally?　It's hard to answer a question when it's not asked.

"He's sulking because he gets left behind every time. Why don't you take him with you?"

Leno would suggest it, but that's not an option.

"You can't run away from a boss if you're in danger. <, but you can't take it with you, it's not a pet."

Black looked up at me in shock and froze. If it is a pet, if it is in danger, or worse, if it dies, I can return it to its trinket and it will be of no use to me after I am resurrected. I heard that letting it die would lower its likability and pet level, but at least it would be alive.

Is that why you're leaving me here?

"That's why."

The black that has been outside is < or applied and the cooking resumes.

"Lord, I'll bring it in."

Lapidus, too!

"Thank you."

I'll give him a plate of croquettes, as light as possible. Lapis is a fighter, though her STR is not so bad.

It smells good.

Cal dexterously picks up four plates. No, he takes two of them in his arms.　He looks like a professional waiter.

"Oh!　I'll carry it!"

Galahad and the others bring plates one after another, and the table is ready. Before we knew it, Camilla had set up a table liner and a small floral arrangement.

"Let's eat!"

"Bon appétit!"

We took our seats, said "Itadakimasu" and ate our meal together.

"Oh, it's delicious. It's crispy and tender."

Camilla's hand-formed crab cream croquettes are bale-shaped. White sauce - or, to put it more stylishly, béchamel sauce with a dash of crab. I had prepared several kinds of sauce on a small plate: tomato sauce with a little white wine, Worcestershire sauce, melted butter, ketchup, and lemon, but everyone ate them without adding anything.

I put Worcestershire sauce on the second one to change the taste from white sauce, but I guess I am in the minority. I wondered if I was in the minority. I guess he is imitating me rather than liking Worcestershire sauce.

The gratin was the promised dish of the shell, the richness of the white sauce lightly charred on the surface, and the crab's deliciousness not at all lost!　I am glad that Lapidus seems to be happy to lift up the crab shell.

"Oh, I knew meat should be like this!"

Galahad's request was to grill the beef on the bone over a charcoal fire for a long time, and then serve it in chunks, moist on the inside and browned on the outside!　You can enjoy both fat and lean meat.

As usual, Galahad eats with gusto and relish.

"It makes me want to drink more sake!"

Eagle says over a glass of white wine, which is not too sweet and has a clean taste. I don't know what liquor tastes like, so I choose a wine based on the description of its appraisal. I have several kinds of wines in storage, and next time I'll ask the members of the group to choose one before the meal.

"This salad is also delicious."

Leno says as he brings a baby leaf and radish salad to his mouth. This one has a dressing of .

"It's rich too, but the acidity makes it refreshing.

Cal says as he eats his pasta with a cool face. Doesn't the sauce splash?　No splash. I did!　I was careless when I served it on the black.

You son of a b*tc*!