A Pleasant Supper

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/18/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

“Here, our proud seafood stew. Eat plenty!”

So saying, Elma brought a plate steaming hot.
It was supposed to be a single tasting portion, but it looked like quite a lot?
That question blew away the moment the plate was set in front of me.

“Whoa, it looks delicious!”

I could not help raising my voice.
A tidal scent, softly tickling the nose.
Perhaps it was scented with white wine and herbs; it gave off a very appetizing smell, without any fishiness.

And more than anything, the quantity and freshness of the ingredients!
As expected of a port town; they were probably using seafood just taken.
The mussels were plump to bursting, and the chunks of fish were springy.
The vegetables in with them were a little limp, perhaps from being stewed quite a while.
But that was the doneness I liked, so there was no problem.

Was this something like a bouillabaisse?
I was fairly sure I had seen that before tomatoes were brought in, it had been like this.
In any case.

“This is white wine… it will absolutely go.”
“Hoh? You know your stuff, Asha.” Continue reading →

At the End of the First Day

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/17/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

I had wrapped things in meaningful smoke, but the discussion of what to do from tomorrow on finished without a hitch.
The three of us went out together to Elma’s shop.

“They were kind to us at midday, and the sandwich was really good.”
“Not only the sandwiches. The other cooking is good there too.”
“Is… that so…? I’m looking forward to it.”

Kira answered Gerda’s and my words with a shy smile.
Damn, this girl is cute at every turn!
No, no, restrain, restrain.

To be honest, I was considerably carried away.
In today’s events alone I had had meetings good enough to think my life had taken a dramatic turn.
And the outlook from here on was by no means dark.

Well, they also say good fortune brings many demons, so I could not let my guard down.
But I wanted to be allowed this much, at least, while we ate tonight.

After all.

“Ah, leave the bill to me. I earn a fair amount, despite how I look.”
“No, ‘despite how you look’… Gerda, however you look at it you’re a high-ranking knight, like an aide to the Demon King, right?”

A generously openhanded, handsome-type, refreshing grown-up beauty, without a hint of spite.

“It’s been a while since I went to eat with someone like this…”
“It’s fine, Kira, eat plenty! You can even eat my share! Elma will put it on a tab!”

And a puppy-type pretty girl who stirred up the urge to protect, going to eat with us.
There was no way my spirits would not rise.
Whether Elma would actually put it on a tab, I did not know.
I wondered idly if they could send the bill around to the Demon King’s castle, and other useless things.
Well, I was not much of an eater.
Kira probably wasn’t either. …What about Gerda? Continue reading →

Prep Work, or a Scheme

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/16/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

I wiped the tears of Kira, who had cried herself out and settled, and we had tea again.
The chai had gone completely cold, but for some reason it tasted especially good.
No, well, I knew the reason.

It was that I had unexpectedly acquired Kira, a wonderful asset.
And that being able to comfort Kira itself had made me very happy.
Don’t make me say that. It’s embarrassing.

At any rate, by the time we finished the tea, Kira had settled completely.

“Dominas puts on airs like that now, but in the old days…”
“Eh, is… that so…?” Continue reading →

Even a Daytime Lantern Has Its Uses

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/15/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

We soothed and comforted the crying Kira, and somehow managed to settle her a little.
She still hiccuped now and then—hikku, hikku—but she seemed able to talk, more or less.

“Here, Kira, drink this and you’ll calm down.”

As I said it, I drew a cup of water and handed it over.
Still making wet little sounds, Kira took the cup and held the water in her mouth.
Gerda and I watched quietly as she drank, slowly, slowly.

When she had drunk about half the cup, a breath slipped out—hoh…
Yes. She seemed to be settling, bit by bit.

“Kira, you don’t have to talk about how you got here if you don’t want to. After you’ve calmed down is fine.
Anyway, the real work here starts tomorrow!”

I tried saying it lightly, brightly, on purpose.
And half of it was true. Of course I was curious what had happened to Kira, but there was no need to drag it out of her.
From tomorrow on would be perfectly fine.

But Kira looked up at me as if gauging me, and shook her head, small.
…When a teary-eyed beauty did that, it was a gesture rather hard on the heart.

“No, it’s all right. Thank you.” Continue reading →

An Unexpected Visitor

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/14/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

I made a rough check of the workshop; the interior, as if it had been cleaned only a few days ago, seemed fine for ordinary use.
I wanted a small, clean room that could serve as an examination room, but I would think about that in due course.

After that I asked Gerda to draw water, and I went on checking what tools there were, what herbs remained, and so on.
Fortunately the tools were ones I had used, or ones much like them; there seemed to be no problem there.
The herbs, too, were well dried and in good condition.
Someone, I was more and more sure, had been looking after the place diligently. Continue reading →