CH 60

I processed the sea bream and cut it up into fillet, then sprinkled some salt and coarsely ground pepper before covering them lightly with wheat flour. I dropped them into the hot olive oil, and the skin turned out perfectly crunchy since it was the side fried first.

Afterward, I sauteed a large amount of finely chopped garlic and red pepper in olive oil over low heat. I added some manila clams and rape blossoms once the fragrance of the garlic started to spread.

Stir-fried them so that they would mix together, then I sprinkled some wine, added some water then covered it with a pan as it simmered. I also added some lemon, olive oil and soy sauce to taste when the lid started to move from the steam. I removed it from the fire, and then drizzled the mixture all over the sea bream while still piping hot, and it was all done.

Sea breams, manila clams and rape blossoms were all in season during spring, although I just took out the blossoms from my storage room.

The fish was soft and fluffy, and the garlic blended perfectly well with the clams. It would go well with white wine, so I’d probably try that once I’m older.

Hmm, let’s have some curry for dinner? My days passed by with me chasing around spirits in the forest, then collapsing in a heap when I 【 Teleport 】back home. Riche would sniff me anxiously. My evening menu was starting to look like it’s from a soup shop, judging from the frequency. It was easy, since I just had to serve it as is.

Well, I also did other things aside from that. I decided to visit a foreign country I’d never been to before in search of a nice, fluffy carpet so that I could collapse on something more comfortable whenever I returned from my 【Teleport】trips..

The silk carpet I got was weaved with double knots, which is a kind of two-fold tying technique, so it was durable. The patterns and colors were very vivid. It was also very detailed, to the point that it looked like the one who made it could only weave young ladies with slender fingers, which could rouse the wild dreams of every man.

When I first started using 【Teleport】, I would appear on the terrace, open the window, go right in and just flop down right there and then, but nowadays, I already confirmed that I could teleport anywhere — even if its a place surrounded by objects — as long as I could conjure the image of where things are from my memory.

If the setup was different from my memory and something else was there, it would take me to a completely different place. I already experienced being in a fluster while teleporting after being sent somewhere foggy. I timidly tried to 【 Teleport 】 again, then checked the spot I was supposed to go — there was a kid crying there so I took him to town. It was a fond memory.

Ash and the rest of the guys would meet me this afternoon, so I was currently taking a break from the forest. My plan was to hand them their bags and accompany them to buy things they’ll need for the subjugation expedition. I thought it was a bit too early, but then, the other participants would probably flock around the shops before they depart, and there’d be a price hike, and there was also a chance that the things they wanted would be out of stock, apparently.

「 Hey bro, what a pretty face you got there. Come on, hang with us for a bit. 」

People surrounded me when I arrived at the Adventurer’s Guild.

「 It’s alright, isn’t it? Why don’t you pour us some beer? 」

He wrapped his arm on my shoulder when I ignored him.

So, I kicked him in the stomach, then swung my heel down his head when he doubled over in pain.

You’re not dealing with a woman, so shouldn’t you say ‘hand over the money’ or ‘go treat me’ right?

「 Jean-sama, please, any more than that and he would end up severely injured…. 」

The guild staff tried to stop me.

If you’re gonna stop us, then shouldn’t you stop him right from the get go when he tried to get involved with me? I was probably the only one who thought that, huh.

「 Recovery meds are for sale, so isn’t it fine. 」

You also sell some at the Adventurer Guild’s counter, right?

I thoroughly wanted to crush his head so I was pushing him harder than necessary with my foot. Still, I took my foot off. Heh, I wonder if the medicine would still have an effect if I smashed his head.

「 Jean-dono, are you alright? 」

「 Oh dear, picking a fight with Twilight, of all things! 」

「 Hey, stop trying to settle everything without a word. 」

「 Jean, we’d better back away and move to a different spot. 」

Everyone appeared from the pub and took me out.

The latter half were Dean and Retze comments. Weren’t you worried about me, huh!

「 Wow, that guy sure had the guts for trying to pick on the merciless Black Bear….”

「 He’s an outsider, so he doesn’t have any idea ‘bout this. 」

「 He moves without warning, after all. 」

「 If he did say a word then the staff would stop him, right? 」

I could hear people whispering, but did they just call me Black Bear? If you guys were going to give me an alias then you could’ve used Wolf or something, right. Well, too late for that, I guess.

「 Noon has already passed, so would you like to go to Hanon? 」

We went to a nearby restaurant proposed by Butler. There were a lot of pubs where you drink while standing, but this one had tables and chairs, and it was a bit expensive because of that too. People would promptly leave the moment lunch time passed since it was also the time when they offered stew that was a bit cheaper.

「 Please get some alcohol and cheese for each of us. 」

So it was a pub except for lunch time, huh.

The waiter confirmed Butler’s order. The wine was served soon enough. I was still a minor back in Japan, so I couldn’t drink, but kids around here already drank wine. Well, they wouldn’t give hard liquor to them, though, as expected.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, so I did drink accordingly. I’d wait for another year before I opened the wine in my cellar, though. I just decided that arbitrarily.

「 Hey, everyone is here, so let’s have a toast in commemoration of our reunion. 」

Everybody raised their cup— well, it was just a cup made from hollowed wood — at eye level when Chris said that.

The jaw spirit was shocked at the cup at first so it withdrew for a bit, but it returned after a while and settled down on his chin. You’re so loved, Chris, it wouldn’t settle for any other chin, right?

「 What did you guys do after our expedition? 」

「 I attended the briefing session, since Dean ditched us! 」

「 Chris’s assistant. 」

So Dean ran away, huh…… It felt like he had a falling out with Retze.

Well, I didn’t have any right to comment, since I also escaped immediately, but then, I was only a carrier, totally different from the main star, right?

「 House-hunting. 」

「 New home? You’re moving out of the house you rented? 」

Chris asked when Dean said that.

「 My sis started to live with me again, but I’ll end up spoiling her, so I left my house. I’m currently living in an inn. 」

He called his strict mom to stay in that house in his stead, apparently. Pink Head was currently being trained in different household chores, it seemed.

「 I hunted bears. 」

No change, huh, Ash……..