Chapter 136.3

Chapter 136.3

[Part 3/4]

After a while, I finally confirmed that the resistance from whatever was at the tip of the spear was weakening, and I pulled it out. Then... I threw it toward Hisame on the ground!

"Eh!? Eek!!?"

"Nice catch!"

The object released from the spear, thrown high into the sky, was caught by Hisame, who, despite her agitation, held it close with both hands. I whistled in approval.

"Nice, right? Uh, what is this... a fish?"

Hisame was puzzled by my words, but her attention seemed more focused on what she was holding. She hesitated but eventually voiced her thoughts uncertainly.

"You're right. This is unusual for a fish to be this big here at this time... maybe it failed to spawn in the spring?"

What I had speared, instead of a harpoon, was a close relative of salmon. In my previous life's Japan, it was the largest freshwater fish. It was called itomi or itou (Hucho perryi/Japanese huchen). It was known as a mythical fish because it had become critically endangered in modern times. It had a lifespan of twenty years, and its peak season was during the plump winter. It was delicious.

"Portable rations are boring on their own. ...Make sure to keep this a secret from the others, alright? They might get mad. Food grudges run deep."

"Hahaha... Eek! It's still moving!"

Hisame burst into laughter as she imitated the laughter from when Yun-shoku had treated me to this fish in the past. At the same time, the itou struggled, perhaps not wanting to be traced all the way back to this point.

"Woah!? Woah!? Woah!? Woah!? Woah!? Woah!? Woah!?"

"What are you doing... Don't drop it in the river! Over there! Throw it over there!"

"Hwaaa?!"

Hisame, struggling to hold onto the thrashing giant ito, swayed unsteadily. I order her to do so as I head toward her. In a confused state, Hisame throws the fish toward the inland ground as instructed. But...

Slip!

""Ah!""

She slipped and plunged into the river at the same time.

"Cough, cough!!?"

"I don't know what you're doing..."

Hisame got up from the river. Her black costume was completely soaked.

"Change of plans. I'll take care of the cooking. You're all sweaty; take your time and have a bath. ...Squeeze your clothes properly to dry them, alright?"

"...Yes."

In response to my instructions, Hisame replied in a barely audible voice while shrinking away. Her face remained lowered, making it hard to read her expression.

There's no point in digging a grave with lengthy conversation. It's mealtime now. As planned, I removed the fish from the heated stones. I placed the well-cooked whole fish on the prepared stone table.

"First, we remove the string."

"String?"

"Yes, the string."

Without further ado, I cut the string that had sewn up the fish's belly, or to be precise, the string that had stitched up the fish's belly.

And I'll show it off. The contents inside.

"Whoa... there's stuffing inside?"

As I opened the belly, Hisame let out an admiring sigh at the aroma spreading around her. What I had prepared could be described, in a somewhat pretentious manner, as a farce. It consisted of dried meat soaked in water after partially removing the internal organs and bones, along with dried rice, mushrooms, and leafy greens collected nearby, all cut and crushed. Then it was heated together with the fish. A French-style stuffing...

"I'll cut it for you. ...There, be careful of the bones, okay?"

"Yes!"

I served the ingredients and fish in the bowl and handed it to her. Hisame cheerfully responded to my warning and picked up a mouthful, blowing on it cutely to cool it down. She took a bite, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Is this...!?"

"Doesn't taste good?"

"No, it's... incredibly flavorful like soy sauce and... with?"

"Butter... the best part."

I said, showing her the empty bamboo tube.

Butter itself is relatively easy to make. It is said that the discovery was made when milk in a container hardened on a long journey. Taking advantage of the fact that few people were accustomed to drinking milk, I snuck into the barn to collect it. Never mind that people around me treated me as an eccentric for endlessly milking cows. But then, the product I somehow manages to produce is dunked at the bottom of a well to cool down. The output is minimal.

"It's valuable. You should be grateful.

This time, I mixed those precious fragments into the ingredients packed inside. It's a soy sauce and butter flavor combination. Well, it's best to use it up quickly because it goes bad in the heat. I'm satisfied just seeing Hisame's reaction.

"There's seconds if you want. No need to hold back."

"Seconds!"

"Not so fast, kid."

While poking fun at Hisame with food still on her lips, I served her a bit more than before. I, too, dug into the fish and stuffing, which had more fat than usual for the season. Delicious. Truly a perk.

"Mmm... nom. Huff!"

"...Hahaha. You're just like Yukine."

As I ate at a slightly faster pace than usual, I couldn't help but chuckle at Hisame's unpretentious way of eating in front of me. It reminded me of the family in the village, my little sister. Well, she was livelier and more mischievous than Hisame. I hope she's not causing trouble for our parents and little brother...