CH 7

Chapter 7

“GAAAaaaaa”

Ain: “I told you to wait. You can’t eat it raw. There might be parasites you know?”

As I analyzed the Flying Fish with the [Alchemy BOX], it said that these blue fish during the summer can carry parasites. So eating it raw is out of the question, and should be cooked well before consuming.

We can’t eat it raw. It needs to be cooked………..so we need…...fire, huh.

I have coal. Is there a way to ignite it with fire……?

Wait…..if we have wooden supplies and wood chips, so if I rub them against each other, can I make a fire?

Then should I make a cylindrical stick?

But…...could we really build a fire on a ship as small as this?

“UGaaaaaaaa”

Ain: “AHHH!! I told you, we can’t eat it raw!” Ugh, this girl has already run out of patience. Well, she might be at her limits altogether. She keeps biting my arm.

But it would be too risky trying to cook the fish on top of this boat. If anything goes wrong, the whole ship will burn up.

Then what should we do? I’m also at my limits. I’m so, so hungry that I can’t even think straight.

Should we just eat it raw and just be prepared to get sick? No.

We have coal. We have wood chips, and even wood.

We can make fire, right? Then if I place these three with the Flying Fish in the [Alchemy BOX], can I make it? Can I make it into a cooked fish?

Up until now, I have only been using this BOX for agriculturally related uses………

Ain: “AAHHH!! There’s no point thinking about this any further. Let’s do it! [Alchemy BOX]!”

I first made a wooden knife. I cut and prepared the fish into filets.

It was something I learned in my previous life, but I know how to filet a fish. And now, I proved that whatever I could do in my previous life, I can do in this life.

“Ah…..aguuuu…..” Ain: “Just wait. Wait….” I was about to try two fishes worth of filets, but this is good for now.

I grab the wood chips on the bottom of the boat, the coal, and the wood and put it into the [Alchemy BOX]. I take the 3 filets from the flying fish and throw it in.

The voice began to explain the information of the items inside the box, but I intentionally stop it by <focusing>.

What I really need right now is Alchemy.

I want a cooked fish!!

And the BOX lit up slightly.

IーIs is done?!

When I open the BOX’s lid, I hear the crackling of the fish’s skin as it cooks and a wonderful aroma fills my senses………

IーI did it…….I REALLY DID IT?!

Can we eat this……..is it really edible………….<GULP>.

I take the fish out of the box and place it on top of the wood inside the boat. One of the pieces fell out, and I took it and threw it into my mouth.

Delicious.

It has a slight salty taste and it’s really, REALLY GOOD!

“Ahhhh, aau, AGUUuuu”

The girl grabs hold of my arm as she drools all over the place.

Ain: “Sure, here you go. You can eat this. I’ll cook more.” Before I could finish my sentence, the girl bit into the fish.

Hey, can you at least leave half……….I guess not. Well, whatever. I began cutting up the second fish into filets to cook it.

<<<<>>>>

(sigh).........I’m full ー so full. In the end, we ate 12 fish. There’s only 4 Flying Fish left.

Can we try and get more fish with the bones?

Ain: “If we can untangle this rope tied on the oar, then maybe I can make a fishing line…..(YAWN)....oh no. Now that I’m full, I’m getting sleepy.”

“Aguuuuuuuu”

“You’re still growling at me? I fed you fish, right?” “Grrrrrrrrrrr”

I guess she won’t open her heart to me with just fish. It can’t be helped.

Ain: “Oh, let me at least take those shackles off. I hope it worksーoh, found it.”

I looked through all the stuff I threw inside of the boat, and I found the key I made from all the wood chips and looked at it carefully.

I wonder if it will work…….

Ain: “I don’t think I can unlock my own shackles. Hey, I’ll unlock your shackles, so once you’re free, can you unlock mine?”

“Gigi……”

Ain: “Don’t be so scared. Here, let me see your hands.”

Her ears are laid low as she continues to growl at me and tries to put distance in between us. But being shown the wooden key, I think she understood, and with a bitter face, she placed her arms towards me. But of course, she growled while she did it.

I gently put the wooden key inside the keyhole. I turn the key and I hear the handcuffs <CLINK> as it loosened.

Ain: “Alright! Now the other oneー”

The girl looks happy to finally be released from those shackles on her hands and feet. Her tail is wagging side to side.

But she growled at me again when I tried to pass her the key. But fortunately, she helped me take off my shackles too.

Ughhh……...I can’t……..I’m at my limits……

Ain: “Hey, I was rowing all night, so I’m sleepy. Can I sleep some?” I ask her, and she glares at me but nods.

I guess she’s fine with it. Then let’s sleep a little.

The sun was bright, so I covered my head with the thin blanket and closed my eyes.

Sleep soon came over me, and my consciousness sinks into darkness.

<<<<>>>>

“Uuuu...AUuuuuー”

I heard someone’s voice, and my consciousness resurfaced.

Something is hitting my head, and when I woke up, the Beast Race girl is looking down at me.

But, she immediately backs up and growls.

“(YAAAWWNNNN).....how long was I asleep…...crap, is it already the evening?!”

“AGUUUUUuuuuuu”

As the girl growled, she threw something at me.

It’s a fish.

It’s not the Flying Fish, but a bigger fish. It looks like a Sea Bass?

Ain: “Where’d you get this fish?” “Gu”

The girl shows me the bone of the Flying Fish.

I can’t believe she caught this without a fishing line. As I thought about this, the girl let the bone of the Flying Fish float on the ocean surface.

After a while, I saw a shadow of a fish andー

“GAU!”

Ain: “Are you serious?!”

She was able to grab the fish with her hands.

BーBeast Race people are amazing….

“Gaaaaaー”

“Yeah, I get it. I’ll cook it, alright?” We have two Sea Basses. These guys are big, so just one should be enough to fill us both up.

I filet one, and cook it with coal inside the [Alchemy BOX].

Ain: “Looks like it worked.. Can I have…..half?”

“GUuuuuuu”

She growls and nods. Is she a Tsundere?

I take some of the wooden pieces and make a slightly large bowl with a lid. I place the pure water I created from the ocean water inside it, so we can drink it at any time.

After we ate the Sea Bass, I went ahead and fileted the last Sea Bass and the rest of the Flying Fish while we still had light.

I cooked it, but I left it inside the BOX.

Ain: “With this, we have breakfast for tomorrow. Hey, thank you for catching those fish.” “Unngu. G…….GAU…”

When I thanked her, she growled at me for some reason, and she curled up and went to sleep.

I carefully cover her with a coat on top, and then continue to row the boat.

I use the moonlight and just keep rowing. I row towards the east.

Two days passed.

We took turns sleeping, and while I was awake, I continued to just row eastward.

But during the day, I don’t know if I am really rowing east. During the night, I have a little more confidence looking at the stars.

We’ve only been eating fish and drinking. We’re avoiding starvation, but as far as nutrition goes, it’s not a good situation.

I hope we can see a small island or something soonー

“Ah…...Aaaaaaa”

Ain: “What’s wrong?” “AUuu. Gau, Aaaー”

The girl is desperately pointing her finger to her left.

I look in that direction where she’s pointing, but all I see is the flat ocean horizon…….no…...I can only see the horizon, but I also see something else.

I see the ocean horizon and the sky.

And in the sky, I seeー

An island.

<<<<>>>>