Volume 4 - CH 20

Chapter 20 – Croquette and Fuu-chan’s Stone Throwing

It’s been a few hours since we set sail for the Southern City.

The autopilot is working, and it should be a relaxing boat ride, but Ines, Alessia-san, and Marina-san have not been maneuvering the ship in a long time and are driving in high tension and meandering, even though there is no monster attack…

“It’s going to stay like this for the time being; let’s wait until it calms down.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Wataru-san.”

“No, Ines is steering the ship too, so it’s me who should apologize, Claretta-san.”

“Well, it’s alright. They are just excited because it’s been a long time, and they will calm down in a while.”

“But, Ilma, it’s not like monsters attacked us, you know?”

“Don’t think too hard about it. Wataru-san will also be troubled if Claretta looks apologetic, you know?”

“Eh? Is that so?”

“Yes, well, you don’t have to worry so much. It’s a long voyage, so take it easy.”

“Alright, I’ll try not to worry too much.”

“Yeah, take it easy.”

“Yes.”

By lunchtime, the three of them had calmed down and returned to the living room. After lunch, Carla-san approached me.

“Wataru-san, croquettes? When will you make them?”

“Croquettes? Oh, I understand. Shall we make croquettes tonight?”

“Yes.”

Right, I forgot about croquettes. I had promised to make croquettes for Carla-san based on the crab cream croquettes. She must have remembered it well. I’m going to start preparing the food right away.

“Wataru-san, are you going to cook?”

“Yes, I was going to make the croquettes that I promised Carla-san.”

I forgot about that.

“May I help you?”

“Yes, that would be great.”

Let’s see, the ingredients are potatoes, minced meat, onions, butter, milk, breadcrumbs, eggs, salt, and pepper, right?

“First, boil the potatoes until tender. While they are boiling, Claretta-san, could you chop the onions?”

“Yes.”

“And Carla-san, can you break this bread into pieces like you did when we made the fries?”

“Yes.”

I understand that Carla-san is not very good at cooking, but she seems happy to help.

“I’ll fry the minced meat and chopped onions with salt and pepper.”

“”Yes.””

“Next, okay, the potatoes are now cooked. Now peel these potatoes and mash them with butter, but be careful; they’re hot.”

“”Yes.””

“Once the potatoes are mashed, mix them with the fried ingredients and a little cream. That’s all for now. You can shape them before dinner and fry them like fries.”

“I understand. I’m looking forward to it.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Now that the preparation is done, I think I’ll take a break. I made tea and handed it out to everyone.

“Whew, it’s nice to relax on a ship like this, isn’t it?”

“Fufu, I guess so.”

“Wataru-san, I want some pudding.”

“Right, we still have some time before dinner.”

After distributing pudding to everyone, they relax over their snacks. Ah, it’s nice to be relaxed.

I’m tired from meeting with guild masters, cardinals, and other nerve-wracking people lately, so let’s take it easy until we get to the Southern City. I leaned back on the sofa in the sky lounge sloppily, and… my eyes met those of the Sea Serpent, who was looking down this way.

“…Everyone, look at that one.”

“Kyaa, that’s a Sea Serpent. I’ll be the first.”

“Alessia, this is Master’s ship. Then I, as Master’s slave, will be the first.”

“What kind of logic is that? We’re your master’s guests, so we should come first.”

“Ufufu, you girls are not guests.”

“First come, first served.”

“”Oh, Marina, wait!”

With a wry smile, I watched as the three of them rushed to the flying bridge.

“Felicia, watch over the three of them, so they don’t do anything rash, and Felicia can steer the ship, too.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Felicia happily chased after them. The ship accelerated rapidly after a while; it took quite a while, and it must have taken a long time to decide on the order. Who would be the first?

But I don’t think you should scream with joy when you see the Sea Serpent, Alessia-san…

“Fuu-chan can level up too. While we’re at it, let’s teach her to throw stones, shall we? Marina-san isn’t here, but that’s okay, right?”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

“I understand. Dorothea-san, would you like Rimu to show an example then?”

“That would be helpful, please.”

“Yes. Hey, Rimu, let’s teach Fuu-chan how to stone-throw. Can Rimu show her how to do it?”

“I can do it.”

“Thank you, Rimu. Then throw this stone at that sofa.”

“Yes.”

Then he placed the stone on the curved part of his body, and then he threw it out with great force. The stone hits the sofa with a loud sound… perhaps because his level has risen, it is a very powerful stone throw.

“Rimu, you were a whole lot stronger than you were before. You’ve become very good at it.”

“Am I good?”

“Yes, very good.”

“I’m so happy.”

After praising Rimu, I looked at Fuu-chan. She flicked the stone, and the stone flew away. It’s kind of nostalgic; Rimu was like that at the beginning.

“It’s okay. Fuu-chan will be able to do the same thing as Rimu when her level goes up. That’s enough for now.”

“That’s true. You’ll be fine when your level goes up. You can ask Rimu-chan about it.”

Fuu-chan approaches Rimu with her chubby little body. They clung to each other and wriggled. So cute.

After a while, Fuu-chan returned to Dorothea-san’s place and resumed stone-throwing. Dorothea-san’s face was so excited. It’s a rare sight.

“Rimu, did you teach Fuu-chan?”

“Level up, great!”

“Yes, Rimu is very clever and a very good child.”

“Rimu is a very good child?”

“Yes, Rimu is very smart and a very good child.”

I praised him again. He was so cute.

Oh, by the way, I can try out my new bow, too. I wonder if I can damage the Sea Serpent? I’ve only killed one goblin. I’m looking forward to it.

I looked outside and saw that the Sea Serpent was releasing its breath. Ines giggles and turns the wheel… It’s going to take a while.

I sat on the couch, stroking Rimu and watching Fuu-chan practice. The other members are chatting and checking their weapons. They’re completely used to this situation.

Finally, the ship stops, and we all go outside.

“Ufufu, that was fun.”

“It didn’t blow its breath when it was my turn.”

“Marina was the last one; she must have been tired.

“Next, I’ll be the first.”

“Fufufu. It will be me.”

“Felicia will be the last.”

Felicia, you were first even though you followed after them. I wonder how they decided.

“All four of you, we’re going to take down the Sea Serpent. If you don’t take it seriously, I’ll ban you from navigating the ship.”

At my words, they rushed back to the ship to get their weapons. There is still the Sea Serpent, but they are too careless to decide the next turn without even looking at it.

The four of them return, and Fuu-chan performs her stone-throwing technique. The stone hits the Sea Serpent. Dorothea-san praises her a lot.

And Marina-san is watching the scene with an astonished face… considerably shocked.

Then, Rimu and I shot arrows and Holy Spear. Oh, it stung. If it can hit the Sea Serpent, it will probably damage most of the monsters.

After that, we will defeat the Sea Serpent with an all-out attack. I summon a ship to catch the Sea Serpent. Dismantle it and then repatriate it.

What should we do now that we have accumulated enough sea monsters?

When we returned to the living room, I found Marina-san frantically trying to keep Fuu-chan in a good mood.

“Dorothea-san, Marina-san is desperate. Is Fuu-chan mad at her?”

“No, she was happy to level up. Marina seems to be irritated because Fuu-chan has grown up while she was playing enthusiastically.”

“I see. Well, if Fuu-chan isn’t mad, then it’s fine.”

“Fufu, that’s right.”

Should I make croquettes after taking a short break? Leisurely watch Marina-san’s effort. When I first met Marina-san, I thought she was a quiet and calm person.

“Ufufu, Wataru-san, don’t grin at Marina.”

“Ilma-san, please don’t speak like it’s something bad. It’s just a natural smile.”

“Was it? And what were you thinking? Don’t think bad thoughts, okay?”

“I’d like to hear what you think of me, Ilma-san.”

“Ara? You want to know how I feel?”

“By all means… I mean, it’s not. I just think that Marina-san has changed a lot since we first met.”

I’m afraid I’m being carried away by Ilma-san’s pace again.

“Right, Marina is not the type of person who shows much of herself, to begin with, or so I think. She does show a little of her true colors when we get to know her. Well, I didn’t expect her to like the ship handling thing and the slime so much.”

“Hahaha, I’m kind of sorry.”

“It’s okay. She seems to be having such a good time. It’s a good change.”

“Does she look happy? She looks like she’s trying desperately…”

“Well, yes. But she’s being honest about her feelings, and that’s a good thing.”

“Ilma-san, you’re a lot kinder than you look, just like a kind Onee-san.”

“Ara, do I not look like a sweet Onee-san to you?”

Yes, she looks like a sexy queen, and her sex appeal is outstanding. But it’s not nice to say it as it is…

“Right, rather than a king Onee-san, you’re… Right, I have to make croquettes.”

I couldn’t think of anything. Looking at Ilma-san. I can only think of words like bewitching and sexy. I wonder what a popular guy would say at a time like this.

“Ara, it’s not the time yet. Just let me know how you see me.”

(…You look like a beautiful and sexy Onee-san.)

“Ufufu, I can’t hear you.”

“…You look like a beautiful and sexy Onee-san.”

“Ufufu, I see. Thank you.”

Kuh, I was completely manipulated. And I’m pretty sure she heard me and made me say it twice… When dealing with Ilma-san, you can’t let your guard down a little bit, and she’ll toy with you.

“It’s getting dark, so I think it’s time to move on to the Hideaway. Oh, the Hideaway is not equipped with power, is it? The autopilot will be useless, so what should we do?”

“What is the autopilot, Wataru-san?”

“Huh? Did I not explain it to you?”

“Have you talked about it? I don’t remember. Does Dorothea know?”

“No. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it.”

“Really? I thought I had explained it. The autopilot is the ability to get to a place you’ve been to once without having to do anything. Even if we don’t do anything, it will get us to our destination much faster because it will keep us going while we eat or sleep.”

“That’s a great ability. Once you get to a place, you can get there more than twice as fast the next time.”

“Yes, Alessia-san, you are right, but the Hideaway is not powered, so we cannot use the autopilot.”

“Oh, I see… we’re not in a hurry, so I’ll just leave it to you, Wataru-san.”

“Let me think about it for a minute.”

Hmm, I don’t have a problem with the Lutto, and the Hideaway is fine for an occasional break, but what about pulling the Hideaway with the Lutto… even though it might slow down. If it can pull it, it might be a good idea to go ahead.

“I’ve got something I’d like to try, so I’ll summon the Hideaway, okay?”

“Yes.”

I summoned the Hideaway and tied it to the Lutto with two thick ropes I had used on the raft. The boat has indestructibility on it, and if it doesn’t break, it should be fine.

I moved the Lutto, and it started to move slowly. The problem is that if the ropes are cut by the monsters, only the Lutto will continue on its way. Well, if I repatriate the ship, it won’t be a problem, will it?

“It worked. It’s going slower, but we’ll see how it goes today, okay?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Once we docked the ship, we moved to the Hideaway. When we docked, the Lutto and the Hideaway made contact. It was a little scary, but perhaps it was the effect of their respective barriers, and they came to a stop with no impact. It was a very strange sight.

“Then, I’ll go make croquettes for dinner.”

“Wataru-san, you are going to make croquettes, right? I will help you.”

“I’ll watch you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Claretta-san and Carla-san are so comforting. Let’s do our best.

“Now, take this cooled mixture and shape it into a flat oval like this.”

“Like this?”

“It’s difficult.”

“Yes, it’s good, Claretta-san. Carla-san, please don’t be in a hurry. You can make changes. Calm down. Yes, you’ve done it.”

“It’s done.”

“Yes, it’s alright, as long as you don’t rush.”

“Yes.”

“When everything is shaped like this, coat it with flour, dip it in beaten egg, coat it with breadcrumbs, and deep fry it. The ingredients are already cooked, so when they are crispy, you take them out, drain the oil, and they are done.”

“It’s a nice color.”

“It looks delicious.”

“Yes, I will fry them all, so please prepare the meal. The freshly fried ones taste best, so let’s eat them immediately after frying.”

“”Yes.””

I summon the food storage ship and have them arrange everything except the main course in the dining room and take a pile of croquettes that have been finished frying.

“The croquettes go well with ketchup made from tomatoes. Then, itadakimasu.”

“”””””””Itadakimasu.””””””””

“Delicious.”

“Really, they are crispy, and the potatoes inside are made with butter and cream, aren’t they? It’s so good, so crunchy, and the inside of the potato is buttery and creamy.”

“I prefer croquettes with a little bit of the potato left in the batter rather than having it mashed.”

“I’d like to try the mashed ones.”

“And ketchup goes well with them, too.”

Hmm, ketchup is good, but I want Worcestershire sauce, too. I wish I could find Worcestershire sauce on the ferry. But croquettes are also popular. I made more, so I thought I could repatriate some, but it looks like I can’t.

Well, it’s better than having a lot of leftovers. Everyone seems to be happy.

The pile of croquettes was gone.

“Whew, they were delicious. It’s different from fried or cutlet; the taste of potato, minced meat, onion, cream, and butter are all mixed together. I like croquettes.”

“You like it better than fried shrimp?”

“Eh? Hmm, fried shrimp is good too… they are both the best.”

“Hahaha, I’m glad you like them, Alessia-san.”

The other members also liked the croquettes, and Claretta-san is eager to make them next time.

After finishing the cleanup, when I changed into my bath clothes and took a leisurely soak in the bath, Girasole came to soak in the bath as well.

“Wataru-san, may I come in?”

“Yes, come in.”

“Phew, a shower feels good, but it’s nice to take a leisurely soak in the warm water, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right. Soaking in the bath is good for me, too, because it relieves fatigue.”

I’m glad I came up with the idea of tying up the boat. If we were on the Lutto, we would just take a shower, and that would be it. I’m great.

“Marina-san, does Fuu-chan seem to be okay with the bath?”

“Yes, she says it feels good. Since Rimu-chan is in the bath too, she wasn’t afraid of it.”

“I see. That’s good.”

Rimu and Fuu-chan bounced around in the bath water, bumping into each other and bouncing back and forth. They seem to be having a good time.

After a leisurely soak in the warm water, we return to our respective rooms; then, I spend some time doing lovey-dovey things with Ines and Felicia before falling asleep. Good night.