Chapter 104: Seawater? What’s that, is it Good?
Chapter 104: Seawater? What’s that, is it Good?
「Ooh, so this is the port city Esportー」
It’s been four days as we continue to be jolted around inside the carriage from Kikka.
We had arrived at the port city of Esport in the Kingdom of Aldonia.
The color of the buildings here is uniform, with white as the base color and spreading out from the port.
Ships of all sizes were docked in the port, and a lot of them were unloading and loading their cargoes and luggage.
『Oyー, move it quickly. It will take forever if you slack off!』
『『Hei!』』
Brawny men who are tanned from long voyages are moving around the place while raising lively voices.
Like in Kikka, various goods and people entered the city, making the place look lively, but it has a different liveliness from Kikka.
Maybe it’s because it’s close to the sea, but you can hear the sounds of the waves mixed with the hustle and bustle of the people.
It’s the sea. My first sea in this world.
Ever since I reincarnated into this world, I never once saw the sea, so this is quite a fresh experience for me.
And maybe because Koryatt village is surrounded by mountains, so it’s obvious that there is no sea around it.
I wonder how many years it has been since I looked at a sea so leisurely like this?
If it were the ordinary villagers who live in this world, I heard that there are a lot of them who never saw the sea even once in their lifetime, so even if I have seen them in my previous life, the fact doesn’t change that it is a precious memory. I think I will thoroughly enjoy it.
When you take a deep breath, the smell of the sea is carried by the wind, coming from the sea.
「Alfried-sama is from Koryatt village, so this is your first time coming to the sea, right?」
「There is no sea Koryatt village after all.」
As I got off from the carriage and was looking at the sea, Mort and Irvine approached me while bringing a bucket and barrel.
It seems that the other members are busy organizing the cargo or something. These two might be here to get some seawater.
「Un, that’s right. It’s amazing. To think that those are all water.」
Err, I've seen them before you know. If I said that, then it would be strange, so I have to pretend to be clueless. Actually, this is my first time seeing the sea so I’m not lying.
When I answered that way, Irvine and Mort smiled mischievously. They’re probably planning something stupid.
「Did you know? That the water from the sea is very delicious, did you know that?」
「Aah, they’re easy to drink and clear just like river water and easy to pass through your throat. Why don’t you try it!」
These two are trying to set me up because they assume that I don’t know anything about seawater, huh.
I can feel their ill-will hidden behind their bright smiling face.
Shall I go along with their plan for now?
「Really? Then, should I try drinking it…」
「Ou! We’re gonna get some water, so wait a bit alright!」
They gave me a thumbs-up, those two walked down to the side to get some seawater. Seems like they have no guilty conscience.
Rather, they have the biggest smile I’ve ever seen to this day.
Irvine and Mort lowered the barrel to draw the seawater.
After the barrel is full of seawater, they also fill the bucket and return here.
Irvine took out a leather water bottle and threw the content away, then he used that to scoop the seawater from the bucket.
Do you want me to drink seawater that much? If you were to scoop up water with that bottle, then those people who don’t know about it will take a swig *gokugoku* from them, right……
「Alright, here it is! Try to take a mouthful!」
If I were to take those in mouthfuls, then I would be dead from salt overdose.
「Un, thank you.」
I received the bottle that Irvine presented to me, along with his smile filled 100% with his ill will.
They should be gloating over my ignorance in their mind right now, aren’t they? However, I won’t let them.
「Did Irvine and the others always drink this when you guys are here?」
「Ye, yeah! That’s why we came here to fill the barrel with seawater. It’s obvious, isn’t it?」
He said it.
「I see. Then let’s drink it」
I instantly tilted the bottle and poured the seawater into my mouth.
At that moment, I saw Irvine and Mort’s expression distorted from my peripheral vision.
Normally, one would spit the water out, but I didn’t do that.
I cast Space magic inside my mouth, just like when I did the magic trick. The small space inside my mouth became a subspace, and I let the seawater pour into it *dobadoba*.
I stored all the seawater into the subspace, it didn’t enter my body one bit.
Because of that, no matter how much seawater enters my mouth, I’m alright. And just in case, I acted by making a sound with my throat, to make it seem like I’m drinking flavorful water.
「「…………………huh?」」
They’re probably wondering why I didn’t spit the salty seawater out, huh? Irvine and Mort raised a surprised voice.
Their appearance when they look at each other’s faces with wide-opened eyes is amusing.
Ignoring the confused duo, I intentionally acted as if I was wiping the spilled seawater from the corner of my mouth.
「Puhaaー! It tastes good! It’s very clear and feels good as if passed down your throat!」
「「…………o, ou」」
The two of them answer vaguely as their faces twitched.
Then the two of them huddled and whispered with each other, and began to talk in a small voice.
「Just what’s going on here? We scoop up seawater, right? It’s salt water, isn’t it? How come he’s fine?」
「How could I know! I also don’t understand it! Maybe Alfried-sama’s taste bud is broken or something?」
I’m sorry. But my tongue is normal.
Just as the two of them were talking quietly, I lowered the empty bottle into the barrel and filled it to the brim.
「Hey, Irvine and Mort should also drink it. It’s good you know?」
When I presented the water bottle with an innocent smile on my face, at that moment, their face looked uncomfortable.
「Eeh? N, no, I’m fine, I guess? I’m not thirsty. Mort, you drink it. Didn’t you said that you’re thirsty just now?」
「Haaaaaa?! You’re selling me out!?」
「The water tastes good and you can drink it if you’re not thirsty, right? You always enjoy drinking this, aren’t you? And the water is clear and it feels good as it passed down your throat, isn’t it?」
「「…………………」」
After that, seawater spurted out from their mouth and turn into a mist as it made a rainbow.
◆
The two people who tried to make a kid like me drink seawater were scolded by Aleutia and forced to do some heavy labor.
Aleutia and Ilya thought that I drank the seawater in one gulp and they were worried about me, but I managed to deceive them by saying that I made the seawater disappear with magic.
Actually, they have seen this vanishing magic during the journey.
However, even though they said they understand, their expression said otherwise.
Ordering where to put the luggage, securing accommodations, doing business here, etc, everyone is busy. And so Roomba and I were free until noon since we have nothing to do.
We all look forward to the specialty of this port city - barbecue-ed seafood-, later at noon.
And Tori said that he had a surprise for me, I wonder what it is? Just what the heck does he prepare for me?
In any case, Ilya will accompany us as a guide this time, so that we will be able to meet at the correct place later. Thanks to that, our sightseeing this time is going to be pleasant.
「Is your body really alright?」
「I’m fine, really. I didn’t drink it.」
She is still suspicious that I swallowed all that saltwater in one go, and it seems that she also watches over me if I were to suddenly collapse later.
My kidneys are not that tough. If I were to drink saltwater, then my body would try to force them out of my system as I would be dehydrated.
「Really? If you feel anything strange with your body, please tell me immediately, alright?」
This worrywart-woman reluctantly gave up, but she still looked worried.
「I’m looking forward to the seafood barbecue!」
Roomba who was walking next to me isn’t particularly worried. He’s acting normally.
「That’s right! I’m looking forward to it since I would be able to taste the freshly caught seafood. 」
「That’s right. All of the seafood here is freshly caught, they’re very delicious!」
Ilya - who had visited this place before - said excitedly.
You could hardly eat seafood in Koryatt village after all. I guess the fish that they brought to the village are frozen and not that fresh at best. They are mostly river fish and long-armed shrimps.
Sea fish and shellfish after seven years……just imagining those things alone makes me drool.
Grilling seafood dishes on a net would be delicious, isn’t it………
We walked the stone-paved street while my heart swelled with anticipation.
Maybe it’s because this city is not as crowded as Kikka, we can walk side-by-side without any problem.
But for now, Roomba and Ilya positioned themselves on either side of me, maybe because I’m a kid or because they’re escorting me.
Only our manner of walking side by side like this, makes us look like a family, but because the three of us don't resemble each other, there was probably no one who would think like that.
At the edge of the street, fishes that were probably fried this morning were lined up.
Fish that have black spots scattered all over its silver body. It seems that they have a lot of fat in their stomach, they’re plump. They’re around eighty centimeters in length, I guess they’re as big as a red sea bream? I’ve never seen such a big fish in this world.
「That is Ginjou. As you can see from their bulging stomach, they have high-fat content and very delicious you know?」
When I was looking at those different world fish with great interest, Ilya-san bent over and explained it to me.
As Ilya-san bent down, it further emphasized her outrageous chest.
It’s hard to see Ilya-san’s face because I look at Ilya-san from below.
Well, whatever. I should focus on the bulging fish rather than her bulging chest right now.
When I moved my line of sight toward the thing beside the Ginjou, there was a sharp fish with a blue and yellow striped pattern on its back. The fins are very sharp that it looks like they can cut your hand just by touching it alone.
It has sharp, slanted eyes, and the jaw is big and pointed. It’s a fish that glitter like an edged tool.
「The fish that looks like an edged tool next to it is called Swordfish. Their fin part is sharp like a blade so it’s dangerous to touch it, alright?」
「Another Sword-type!? That's scary!」
There are a lot of dangerous creatures in the Aldonia kingdom!
「Did they jumped up from the water surface…」
「Yes, it’s a fish that swims near the water surface. Even though it’s not an aggressive fish and attacked people, they were extremely dangerous when a school of them jumped up. 」
What to do. Even though we will arrive at Kagura once we crossed the sea, it makes me wanted to go home.
「What if a school of Swordfish actually comes for the ship?」
「Aleutia and I will drive them away with our magic! If it were something like Swordfishes, we have driven them away many times over, so everything is going to be alright!」
Ilya answers with a smile on her face.
So a fish equipped with cutters rushing toward you is just 「something like Swordfishes」, huh?
What would happen to other creatures then? When I think about it, they are not monsters, they are just fish. If the fish alone are like this, then what kind of monsters are there in the sea? I’m afraid to hear it.
I feel like now I understand why Nord-tousan was reluctant to let me cross the sea without Roomba.
「Hahaha, this guy’s chin looks just like Gates」
Even after listening to Ilya’s explanation, Roomba is not afraid of the Swordfish as he picks it up while laughing.
Indeed, their chin looks very similar to Gates’. I wonder what is that person doing right now…