CH 152

Chapter 152 : Along The Way

After having breakfast, we parted ways with Luck and Jack.

By the way, during breakfast, Luck thanked me for the potions again and again while Jack, who seemed to have seen D-grade potions for the first time, kept smelling them for some reason.

It’s odorless, so he wouldn’t smell anything though.

When we were about to leave the dining hall, I saw Weikel and his companions going down the stairs. It looked like they just woke up.

I’m kinda worried but I hope they will successfully complete their mission.

Leaving the inn, we were heading to Bian’s house. However, we decided to wander around the town first since we still have a lot of time until noon.

「Whoaa! Look, there’s a stall selling food I’ve never seen!」(Nicola)

Nicola pointed at a stall selling fried food as she found it.

Certainly, I’ve never seen that kind of fried food in Fatia Town.

Inside the stall, there was an old man with a towel wrapped around his head, throwing pieces of meat dressed in oil into a large frying pan.

The delicious smell that drifted from the frying pan stimulated my appetite even though I wasn’t hungry.

As far as I can tell from the stall banner, it seems like they use Giant Rockworm meat.

Just like Tentacles meat in the Secard Village, it looks like Giant Rockworm meat is the specialty food ingredient in this town.

「Hee~ It smells good, but since we just ate breakfast, I’ll go buy just one and we can share it together.」(Celine)

After saying that, Celine approached the stall and ordered one portion of fried Rockworm meat, but the old man gave her extra pieces while smiling at her with a blushed face. Looks like he was charmed by Celine’s beauty.

Celine returned and handed Nicola the fried Rockworm meat that was wrapped with a large leaf of a certain plant.

Inside the wrapper, there was a wooden skewer. It looks like you need to use it to stab the pieces of fried meat and put them into your mouth one by one.

There are so many pieces of fried meat because the old man gave us extra, so it’s more than enough for the four of us who are not very hungry.

「It’s hot so eat carefully, okay?」(Celine)

Celine said to be careful, but Nicola immediately stabbed one piece of the fried meat and put it in her mouth. It seemed like she was so eager to try it that she didn’t even listen to Celine.

『It’s HOOOOTT! It’s freaking HOOOOOT!』(Nicola)

『Yup. That’s why you should listen to people.』(Mark)

After shouting with telepathy, she turned to me while sticking out her bright red tongue.

「Honii-chan… Hwater, pwease…」(Nicola)

「Hahh…」(Mark)

I sighed, took out an empty cup from my Item Box, and filled it with water using magic.

Nicola then immediately drank it. While she was drinking I healed her mouth with recovery magic for a bit.

「Nicola-chan, are you okay?」(Celine)

Nicola nodded to Celine with teary eyes.

「Looks like it’s hotter than I thought. It’s better to cool it down a little before eating it. Nicola-chan, can I borrow the skewer?」(Celine)

Celine took the skewer from Nicola, stabbed a piece of fried meat with it, and for some reason, she turned to me and smiled.

「Fuuー fuuー …Fuuー fuuー …Mark, Aa~~~nn…」(Celine)

She then started blowing on the hot fried meat and stuck it out toward my mouth.

『Fu… Fuuー Fuuー!?!? Why didn’t I think about it!? Onii-chan… You’re such a strategist!』(Nicola)

『Hey, I didn’t plan it, okay?』(Mark)

Thinking that Celine might tease me if I hesitate, I opened my mouth and ate the meat immediately while being stared at by Nicola with an envious gaze.

I could see Celine stuck out her lips a little bit. Seems like she really intended to tease me.

Phew… I’m glad I could avoid the trap…

But… Mmm~ This fried meat is good!

The outer texture is crispy while the inside is juicy. The texture surprisingly matches very well with the peculiar nut-like flavor of Rockworm meat.

I think this fried Rockworm meat is perfect as a snack, but as a meal, I prefer the one with soup.

While I was enjoying the meat, Celine stabbed another piece, blew it gently, and stuck it out toward Delica.

「Delica-chan, Aa~~~nn…」(Celine)

「N-No, I’m good…」(Delica)

「You don’t want it? Is it because it’s monster meat?」(Celine)

「W, Well…」(Delica)

「Delica-chan, I know you don’t like to eat monster meat, but it’s more nutritious than animal meat, you know? Just think of eating it as a part of your training.」(Celine)

「A, Alright then… A, Aaーnn…」(Delica)

As Delica opened her mouth a little unwillingly, Celine put the meat into her mouth.

「Good girl~ good girl~」(Celine)

Delica’s face turned bright red as Celine stroked her head.

「Celine onee-chan! ‘Fuuー fuuー’ it for me too!」(Nicola)

「Fufu. Okay, okay~ Fuuー fuuー…」(Celine)

While the girls were feeding each other, I sneaked out from the group and approached the stall.

I want to buy some for myself and as souvenirs for my parents and friends in Fatia.

「Yo, Boy. Do you like the fried meat?」(old man)

「Yeah. It’s good. I want to buy more.」(Mark)

「One bronze coin for one serving.」(old man)

Hoo… It’s very cheap for fried food.

Cooking oil is quite expensive in this world. I wonder how he can still make a profit with this price…

「May I ask you something?」(Mark)

「Sure.」(old man)

「What kind of cooking oil do you use?」(Mark)

「Ahaha. You’re curious because it’s cheap, aren’t you? You have a good observation for a little boy. You’re right, I don’t use normal cooking oil. I use oil that is extracted from Rockworms.」(old man)

「Hee, so the oil is also from Rockworms, huh? I see…」(Mark)

That’s why he can reduce the expense and sell the fried meat cheaply.

After buying some fried Rockworm meat, I returned to Celine and the others while secretly putting all the fried meat I was carrying into my Item Box.

After that, we strolled around the town for a bit longer and then went to Bian’s house.

When we arrived, we saw Bian cleaning the street in front of his store with a broom. He looked really happy that his leg was healed.

「Good morning, guys. I heard that they will start the operation around noon.」(Bian)

As expected from a merchant. He’s fast in getting information.

「Seems like it. I’m sorry if we’re bothering you.」(Celine)

「No, no. Please don’t mind it. You can wait in my house for a while.」(Bian)

「Thank you.」(Celine)

Bian guided us to his house, but when we were about to enter, Nei approached us from the house next door.

「Wait, can I join you guys? Those adventurers drank until late last night, so I’m kinda worried if they can do their job well or not.」(Nei)

「Yes, of course.」(Celine)

「I’m going to stay in my store, so Nei, you can shout to tell me if something happens.」(Bian)

「Roger that!」(Nei)

Nei replied vigorously.

She said she was worried but she looked excited for some reason. Perhaps she is also looking forward to watching the operation just like me.

After waiting in Bian’s house for about twenty minutes, we went out through the back door and started climbing the slope, heading for Bian’s warehouse where we can clearly see the mine.

『Ugghh… I totally forgot we have to climb this slope again… Onii-chan, be grateful, I’ll give you a chance to carry your cute little sisteー』(Nicola)

『ーNo, thanks.』(Mark)