Chapter 41 – First Vacation
“Mei-chaaaan! Let’s go!”
It’s 9:00 in the morning, my watch time, and I call into the already-open drugstore.
“Wait! Wait a minute!”
I leave Mei-chan upstairs, making a fuss, while I chat with her mother and even her father, who showed up today.
“I hear the four of you are going to the river today?”
“Yes. It seems that this time of year is a regular time for playing in the river, and I have been invited to go at least once.”
“It is true that children often go to the river when it is hot like this. I used to go to the river myself.”
“You still go fishing in your free time, right? Anyway, Loki-kun, my daughter will always be indebted to you, won’t she? As long as you don’t go into the woods, I don’t think you’ll be in any danger, but please take good care of Mei, okay?”
“I’m also 13 years old, so I’m the same age as her, but I’m the oldest… and I’ll keep a close eye on Mei-chan to make sure she doesn’t get swept away in the river.”
“Hahaha, I’m just worried that she’ll be too much trouble and bother the other fishermen. If she gets too excited, I don’t mind if you scold her, okay?”
“Oh, I can only imagine. Well, I’m sure it’ll be fine with Zink-kun and the others there! I’m a little excited, too!”
“Fufu, since you’re going, Loki-kun, you should have fun as well. Take this with you.”
Mei-chan’s mother handed me a kind of sandwich with some meat and vegetables between the bread.
It was a square basket with quite a lot of food in it, so she probably made it for four people.
And the other is a mysterious box made of a combination of wood and stone.
“Thank you very much! By the way, what is this box?”
“This is a magic tool for making fire. There is a piece of magic stone inside, so you can use it when you go to the river. Everyone will want to eat the fish you catch, you know.”
“Oh! A magic tool, huh? Well… how do you use it?”
“Loki-kun is a strange man who does not know about this kind of magic tool… If you pull the knob on the side, fire will come out of this hole here. You should try it.”
When I pulled the knob, I heard a click, and then a fire about the size of a chakaman* in Japan came out. [T/n: brand name of a rechargeable lighter].
“(Ohh… This is so handy!)”
There was another button on the side of the box, and when I pulled it, I found a place for a magic stone inside, and about four pieces about the size of the tip of my little fingernail were lying around.
Hmm, I wonder if there is a flint in there? I have no idea what the structure is.
“That’s great… but is it okay for us to take such a rare item?”
“Every family has one of these. You should be able to buy one in this town for about 6,000 bucks, you know? It is so common that it is said to be the oldest magic tool, and there are a huge number of them on the market.”
“Hohoho～ I hadn’t discovered the magic tool shop yet, so I missed it, but if it’s around 6,000 beeke, I want one too.”
“There are no magic tool shops in this city. You’re a hunter, so you’ve probably been to a store that sells canteen and camping equipment, right? They sell them in that store.”
“What did you say? I didn’t notice because I just bought a canteen and left the store right away… Thanks for the information!”
With that, the existence of fire magic was forgotten. It will also make it possible to eat meat on the hunting grounds.
I can go back to Palmera Great Forest right away, and Rocker Plain doesn’t look like a place to roast and eat with rats and mantises, but it will be very useful when I go to Lulub Forest in the future. I can also get magic stones there.
Meat on an expedition at last…
While I was lost in such fantasies, Mei-chan seemed to be ready and appeared from behind her father and mother.
“Sorry to keep you waiting! Now, let’s go!”
Mei-chan’s outfit, or rather her equipment, looked rather strange.
On her back was a short wooden rod like the one I saw at the fishing shop the other day, and at her waist was a small basket filled with fishing hooks and other fishing equipment.
And in her hand is a fish cage net. Why a fish cage?
She also has a canteen slung over her shoulder and is wearing what looks like a straw hat.
“(She looks like a master fisherman…)”
We left the store after saying goodbye to her parents because we had to go to our next destination.
We were going to a fishing tackle shop.
I had never really fished in my life or in my previous world, so I had no idea what to buy.
When I was invited, Mei-chan, who lives in the center of town, promised to go with me.
Well, I had no idea what was going on, even though she explained it to me in the store…
I bought a cheap wooden pole, two hooks that looked like iron, some fishing line that was said to be made of monster fur, and a medium-sized basket that was not big enough to be used for hunting.
When I asked her if there was any bait, she replied, “No, we will catch them near the river. Mei-chan gave me a few words of encouragement, and with that, we hurried to the south exit, ready to go.
It’s a wild world…
Zink-kun and Potta-kun were already waiting for us, chatting with the hunters who were out hunting, each of them eating a skewer of meat next to the gatekeeper.
Both Zink-kun and Potta-kun were dressed as usual, and for some reason, Potta-kun was carrying his usual basket with a fishing rod in it, even though we were not hunting.
“Sorry, sorry. We had to stop at the fishing shop, so we’re late.”
“We were also in the middle of breakfast. Oh? You bought a fishing rod?”
“It’s a cheap one, but just in case.”
We told the familiar gatekeeper, “We’re going to the river today!” and the group headed for the river.
The gatekeeper, who did not seem particularly concerned about the number of people going to the river, waved and told us to have fun.
On the way to the river, Zink-kun said
“Put your fishing rods and any other luggage in Potta’s basket. It should be fine, but I think Loki and I will walk both ends of the trail in case of an emergency.
So, I accepted his suggestion.
For some reason, Mei-chan also takes advantage of his words and throws her fishing rod into the basket on Potta-kun’s back, but… when I look at Potta-kun, he’s nodding his head as if he’s still in a good mood, so let’s not worry about it.
And I am the oldest, so I went to the side of the forest where the monsters are more likely to appear. Zink-kun nodded his head in agreement and took his place on the opposite side.
Maybe Zink-kun thinks that I’m stronger than Zink-kun after the incident with the sword-bearing goblin, but…
Maybe it’s a misunderstanding.
Just because I can see the status screen doesn’t mean that I have some kind of cheating ability to be an incomparable warrior.
At best, it allows me to plan ahead, acquire skills, and choose where to hunt.
In fact, I expect my level and skills to be similar to Zink-kun’s. As long as I hunt in the Palmera Forest, I’ll definitely reach my limit.
Then I suddenly wondered how far it was to the river. I was curious.
I couldn’t see the river because of the grassland in front of us.
“Hey, hey. How far do we have to walk to the river?”
“Hmm. I think we’ll be there before noon.”
“Eh?”
I put my watch in my leather bag, but it’s probably still around 9:30 or so.
“(Two hours? We’re walking two hours to play!)”
In my mind, I was amazed at how far away the playground was in this world, but when I thought about it, I had heard that it was a long way along the river when we first came out of the forest.
In Japan, even though it is almost safe, I would never let my children go alone to a place where they would have to walk for two hours.
After all, this world is wild…
I muttered to myself, wondering if the trip would really be a vacation.
▽ ▼ ▽ ▼ ▽
“(Suuu–haaaahh～…. it’s a long and quiet view… it’s so relaxing…)”
I took a deep breath, for I don’t know how many times today while fishing.
In front of me is a very clear, shallow, gently flowing river, aptly described as a stream.
There are several groups of fishermen and people playing in the river in the distance.
On the other side of the river, you can see a meadow, some huts in the background, and a granary that stretches endlessly beyond the meadow.
Beyond the river, there is also a forest, but from there, it looks like the whole land is used for growing crops.
I don’t feel any signs of monsters at all…
“It’s good to be like this once in a while.”
I can’t help but say something that sounds like a fatherly figure. This place is so quiet.
Zink-kun is standing next to me, staring at the needle tip with a very serious look in his eyes.
Potta-kun is in a daze, or rather in a heavenly state, with his mouth open and his eyes half closed.
Mei-chan, who was already bored, was playing with a pile of rocks without looking at the hook.
I guess people have different ways of enjoying fishing in the river.
By the way, after about an hour of fishing, I caught 0 fish, Mei-chan caught 0 fish, Potta-kun caught 3 fish, and Zink-kun caught 4 fish, as expected since Zink-kun seems to be able to handle everything, but Potta-kun, who is just sitting there, is doing well for some reason, and Mei-chan is unexpectedly depressed, maybe because she is not concentrating well.
As for me… well, I’ve only fished in ponds, and I’m a beginner, so I guess that’s it.
The purpose of coming to the river is not to fish, so it’s enough to enjoy the atmosphere.
“Meisa, you’re still bad at fishing, aren’t you?”
“I’m not good with fishing rods! Can I go into the river now? It’s good, isn’t it?”
“There’s enough fish for each of us. I think it’s good.”
“I was thinking of selling the surplus to the guild… but I guess we’ll just have to work on the second half. Then let’s get ready to eat!”
When I heard those words, my heart leaped.
“(Is it finally grilled fish? The first grilled fish in this world?)”
The inn where I am staying, “Billycorn,” also serves fish dishes.
It was not just grilled but steamed with spices and herbs, which made grilled fish an incredibly appealing meal for me, as I was beginning to miss Japanese food.
But I am not into fishing. I couldn’t catch a single fish.
I took the initiative to build a simple stone structure to look like a cooking stove and gathered twigs from the trees in preparation for making a fire.
Of course, I did not forget the long, thin branches for stabbing fish.
I wish there was a newspaper available at this time, but there isn’t, so I arrange the dry leaves and pieces of fallen wood so that they can be used to light the fire.
“Loki may not be good at fishing, but you’re pretty good at this sort of thing…”
“I just copy what I see. If you skewer the fish with this, it will cook nicely, won’t it?”
“I’ve always put them in the ground, but this is amazing! I don’t really understand it, but it’s great!”
“And then there’s Mei-chan’s family’s magic tool! Mei-chan’s mom and dad told me to bring this.”
“Oh, that’s a big help! My family would get mad at me if I tried to take it outside. I always had to make the fire myself.”
“In addition! I also brought salt, just in case something like this happens!”
“”Oh!””
If someone here had asked me what I was preparing with just salt and no fishing equipment, I would have been beaten up, but… this group of guys has no problem with that.
While we lit the fire and cooked the fish, we all enjoyed the sandwiches Mei-chan’s mom made.
It was like a picnic, which made the sandwiches even more delicious.
In addition, to live up to my name as a self-proclaimed river hermit (I only gnawed on raw fish), I turned over the rocks with the fish cage net borrowed from Mei-chan, caught some shrimp and crabs, and threw them into the fire.
If you sprinkle salt on them, you’ll have another tasty ingredient to eat right down to the shell.
“(As long as you have fire and salt, you can survive for now…)”
I looked at the three of them, impressed by the difference in taste between raw and fresh, and was really impressed to learn that they usually eat fish, but not shrimp or crab, and that they actually enjoy the taste.
Zink-kun said, “Let’s get them all after we eat!”
Potta-kun seemed to be worried about the lack of fish at first, but now he is happy about the unexpected food, and Mei-chan is silently staring at the fish net cage as if it were a wonderful thing.
If everyone got sick, I’d be in a bad situation, but the fish was cooked properly, and I only got sick once when I ate it raw, so I think it’ll be okay.
After a break for lunch, a mysterious competition begins.
It seemed to be a championship to see how many shrimp and crabs you could catch, but since Mei-chan was the only one who brought a fishing net… it was rejected as unfair.
I told them from my own experience that it would be very difficult to compete alone, so we decided to have a two-on-two-team competition.
I wondered how they would divide up the teams, but they seemed to think that if they teamed up with me, the three of them would win, and they started fighting over me, so I, as an adult, suggested rock-paper-scissors.
All three of them seemed to have a question mark in their minds, so I showed them how to make the hands of rock and paper and told them that if they had the same combination at the same time, they would be paired.
While teaching them that there was actually a scissor, the pairs were decided with me and Potta-kun and Zink-kun and Mei-chan, and it was a game to see who could get the most.
But this was the most difficult situation for me.
“Potta-kun! I’ll get the first one. Can you move the stone?”
“…..?”
What should I do…? I can’t talk to him…
I gestured for Potta-kun to move the stone out of the way and then made a gesture of scooping up the water, pointing at myself.
He seemed to understand, so we started looking for shrimp and crabs while turning over the larger stones.
I thought to myself, “If I can use my Presence Detection, won’t that give me an advantage?” But the water was moving, so I could not get a good response from the creatures in the river.
However, if they are startled and move when I move a stone out of the way, I can catch their reaction, so I scoop them up with my hand and throw them into the medium-sized basket I’m carrying.
I looked at the pair of Zink-kun and Mei-chan and saw that each of them seemed to be acting alone, so even though Zink-kun had Presence Detection, it would not be easy for Mei-chan to catch them until she got used to it.
“Potta-kun! Let’s go to that stone next!”
Simply point and say the word.
“Aye!”
The answer comes back.
“There they are! There are two of them!”
If I point at something, I’m about to miss…
“Aye!
Potta-kun tried his best to grab it.
It was a serious game, though I wondered why an adult would be so serious among children.
If they’re having fun, I’ll join in.
And we can all eat the fruits of our labor like fish.
“Next, let’s try the rock on the side!”
“Aye!”
“No, not that one! Let’s try the next one over there.”
Aye!
“There it is! There’s only one, so I’ll get it! Potta-kun, can you go to that big rock over there next?”
“Aye? …Aye!!”
“Yes! …There they are, three of them! Potta-kun, go get them!”
“……Aye… aye…!”
Potta-kun’s reply sounded strange, and I wondered if I had tired him out with my fast pace.
“I’m sorry, I was a little too fast. Next time, I’ll move the rocks out of the way so Potta-kun can try to catch them!”
“…I’m fine. I’m not tired. I’m fine.”
“Really? Don’t push yourself too hard; it’s just for fun… Hmm?”
What’s this strange feeling? It’s like we’re having a conversation…
Thinking this, I looked up at Potta-kun and saw that something other than sweat was coming out of his eyes.
“Potta-kun…?”
“Ugh… words… I understand… Loki’s words… I understand! …I’m not left out anymore!”
“――! It’s an emergency! Zink-kun! Mei-chan!”
The two of them came towards us with all their strength, and when I told them that Potta-kun had somehow understood my words, they were overjoyed as if they were their own.
“Potta! Do you really understand? That’s amazing!”
“Mm-hmm. I finally understand what Loki is saying!”
“You did it, Potta! Maybe it was because you talked to Loki? Maybe that’s how you got the skill?”
“(Seriously… you mean I’m a teacher of world languages, and that’s how he learned it? If it’s the Different Language Comprehension skill, then it would certainly be easier for him to grow if he spoke in another language than if he spoke in the one he knew… but that doesn’t matter now.)”
“Congratulations, Potta-kun! I’m sure it’s the result of your efforts to understand my language.”
When I patted him on the shoulder, he cried on the spot, perhaps because he was frustrated at not being able to understand me or perhaps because he was happy to have achieved his long-awaited Different Language Comprehension.
Although his body was large, he was only 11 years old.
In retrospect, he looked lonely when the four of us talked together, and there was no doubt that he felt a sense of alienation.
“There was no more time to play games! Meisa! We’re outnumbered!”
“Eh! I did my best, you know! Isn’t it because Zink didn’t catch much?”
“You idiot! It’s not by that much!”
The two of them looked at our basket and were astonished. “Potta-kun worked pretty hard,” I said to them, confirming what we were going to do with these crabs and shrimp.
“What should we do with them? Should we eat them now? Or should we take them home? We have to soak them in water.”
“Let’s celebrate and eat them anyway!”
“I want a full meal too!”
“You ate a lot earlier! You ate two fish!”
“I can still eat. I’m hungry because I just moved a lot.”
“””So early!”””
Well, if it’s a celebration for Potta-kun, that’s acceptable.
I had already eaten once, so I left the cooking to the three of them.
I went to the river to take a bath.
The river is shallow enough that I can easily see the riverbed, so I take off only my upper clothes and lie down on the riverbank. It’s not a bath in the river; it’s a dip in the river. A sleeping river.
Although I wipe my body with a towel soaked in hot water every day, as a former modern person, I still feel uncomfortable unless I take a bath in the water on a regular basis.
Using a nice-sized stone as a pillow, I soak my body in the cold water while basking in the sunlight.
“(Aaah… It feels so good… I secretly brought some soap with me, but it would be bad manners to use it here…)”
“Ahh! Loki-kun, you’re so sneaky! Me too!”
“Huh?”
What’s going on? When I looked up, I saw Mei-chan, who had already taken off her clothes, charging at me in nothing but her underwear and a fishnet cage in her hand.
She passed me with a splash and somehow took up a position in the middle of the river, scooping up fish with her net.
“I am good at catching fish like this! I’m full, so I’ll leave the ones from before to Potta and Zink and catch the fish!”
“(No matter how you look at it, it just looks like she’s scooping up loaches naked… I mean, 10-year-olds already have a sense of shame, don’t they? …Well, whatever…)”
If it were a Lolicon, this might be a situation that would drive them crazy, but I have no taste for such things, so I’ll just leave it alone.
The splashes fly because of Mei-chan, but this feels good.
“(Celebration, huh…?)”
I closed my eyes, feeling the pleasant coldness on my body, and slowly suggested a way to celebrate that only one person could come up with, no matter how much I thought about it.
“Hey, Potta-kun, Zink-kun, and Mei-chan… do you like spicy food too?”
Chapter 41 – First Vacation
“Mei-chaaaan! Let’s go!”
It’s 9:00 in the morning, my watch time, and I call into the already-open drugstore.
“Wait! Wait a minute!”
I leave Mei-chan upstairs, making a fuss, while I chat with her mother and even her father, who showed up today.
“I hear the four of you are going to the river today?”
“Yes. It seems that this time of year is a regular time for playing in the river, and I have been invited to go at least once.”
“It is true that children often go to the river when it is hot like this. I used to go to the river myself.”
“You still go fishing in your free time, right? Anyway, Loki-kun, my daughter will always be indebted to you, won’t she? As long as you don’t go into the woods, I don’t think you’ll be in any danger, but please take good care of Mei, okay?”
“I’m also 13 years old, so I’m the same age as her, but I’m the oldest… and I’ll keep a close eye on Mei-chan to make sure she doesn’t get swept away in the river.”
“Hahaha, I’m just worried that she’ll be too much trouble and bother the other fishermen. If she gets too excited, I don’t mind if you scold her, okay?”
“Oh, I can only imagine. Well, I’m sure it’ll be fine with Zink-kun and the others there! I’m a little excited, too!”
“Fufu, since you’re going, Loki-kun, you should have fun as well. Take this with you.”
Mei-chan’s mother handed me a kind of sandwich with some meat and vegetables between the bread.
It was a square basket with quite a lot of food in it, so she probably made it for four people.
And the other is a mysterious box made of a combination of wood and stone.
“Thank you very much! By the way, what is this box?”
“This is a magic tool for making fire. There is a piece of magic stone inside, so you can use it when you go to the river. Everyone will want to eat the fish you catch, you know.”
“Oh! A magic tool, huh? Well… how do you use it?”
“Loki-kun is a strange man who does not know about this kind of magic tool… If you pull the knob on the side, fire will come out of this hole here. You should try it.”
When I pulled the knob, I heard a click, and then a fire about the size of a chakaman* in Japan came out. [T/n: brand name of a rechargeable lighter].
“(Ohh… This is so handy!)”
There was another button on the side of the box, and when I pulled it, I found a place for a magic stone inside, and about four pieces about the size of the tip of my little fingernail were lying around.
Hmm, I wonder if there is a flint in there? I have no idea what the structure is.
“That’s great… but is it okay for us to take such a rare item?”
“Every family has one of these. You should be able to buy one in this town for about 6,000 bucks, you know? It is so common that it is said to be the oldest magic tool, and there are a huge number of them on the market.”
“Hohoho～ I hadn’t discovered the magic tool shop yet, so I missed it, but if it’s around 6,000 beeke, I want one too.”
“There are no magic tool shops in this city. You’re a hunter, so you’ve probably been to a store that sells canteen and camping equipment, right? They sell them in that store.”
“What did you say? I didn’t notice because I just bought a canteen and left the store right away… Thanks for the information!”
With that, the existence of fire magic was forgotten. It will also make it possible to eat meat on the hunting grounds.
I can go back to Palmera Great Forest right away, and Rocker Plain doesn’t look like a place to roast and eat with rats and mantises, but it will be very useful when I go to Lulub Forest in the future. I can also get magic stones there.
Meat on an expedition at last…
While I was lost in such fantasies, Mei-chan seemed to be ready and appeared from behind her father and mother.
“Sorry to keep you waiting! Now, let’s go!”
Mei-chan’s outfit, or rather her equipment, looked rather strange.
On her back was a short wooden rod like the one I saw at the fishing shop the other day, and at her waist was a small basket filled with fishing hooks and other fishing equipment.
And in her hand is a fish cage net. Why a fish cage?
She also has a canteen slung over her shoulder and is wearing what looks like a straw hat.
“(She looks like a master fisherman…)”
We left the store after saying goodbye to her parents because we had to go to our next destination.
We were going to a fishing tackle shop.
I had never really fished in my life or in my previous world, so I had no idea what to buy.
When I was invited, Mei-chan, who lives in the center of town, promised to go with me.
Well, I had no idea what was going on, even though she explained it to me in the store…
I bought a cheap wooden pole, two hooks that looked like iron, some fishing line that was said to be made of monster fur, and a medium-sized basket that was not big enough to be used for hunting.
When I asked her if there was any bait, she replied, “No, we will catch them near the river. Mei-chan gave me a few words of encouragement, and with that, we hurried to the south exit, ready to go.
It’s a wild world…
Zink-kun and Potta-kun were already waiting for us, chatting with the hunters who were out hunting, each of them eating a skewer of meat next to the gatekeeper.
Both Zink-kun and Potta-kun were dressed as usual, and for some reason, Potta-kun was carrying his usual basket with a fishing rod in it, even though we were not hunting.
“Sorry, sorry. We had to stop at the fishing shop, so we’re late.”
“We were also in the middle of breakfast. Oh? You bought a fishing rod?”
“It’s a cheap one, but just in case.”
We told the familiar gatekeeper, “We’re going to the river today!” and the group headed for the river.
The gatekeeper, who did not seem particularly concerned about the number of people going to the river, waved and told us to have fun.
On the way to the river, Zink-kun said
“Put your fishing rods and any other luggage in Potta’s basket. It should be fine, but I think Loki and I will walk both ends of the trail in case of an emergency.
So, I accepted his suggestion.
For some reason, Mei-chan also takes advantage of his words and throws her fishing rod into the basket on Potta-kun’s back, but… when I look at Potta-kun, he’s nodding his head as if he’s still in a good mood, so let’s not worry about it.
And I am the oldest, so I went to the side of the forest where the monsters are more likely to appear. Zink-kun nodded his head in agreement and took his place on the opposite side.
Maybe Zink-kun thinks that I’m stronger than Zink-kun after the incident with the sword-bearing goblin, but…
Maybe it’s a misunderstanding.
Just because I can see the status screen doesn’t mean that I have some kind of cheating ability to be an incomparable warrior.
At best, it allows me to plan ahead, acquire skills, and choose where to hunt.
In fact, I expect my level and skills to be similar to Zink-kun’s. As long as I hunt in the Palmera Forest, I’ll definitely reach my limit.
Then I suddenly wondered how far it was to the river. I was curious.
I couldn’t see the river because of the grassland in front of us.
“Hey, hey. How far do we have to walk to the river?”
“Hmm. I think we’ll be there before noon.”
“Eh?”
I put my watch in my leather bag, but it’s probably still around 9:30 or so.
“(Two hours? We’re walking two hours to play!)”
In my mind, I was amazed at how far away the playground was in this world, but when I thought about it, I had heard that it was a long way along the river when we first came out of the forest.
In Japan, even though it is almost safe, I would never let my children go alone to a place where they would have to walk for two hours.
After all, this world is wild…
I muttered to myself, wondering if the trip would really be a vacation.
▽ ▼ ▽ ▼ ▽
“(Suuu–haaaahh～…. it’s a long and quiet view… it’s so relaxing…)”
I took a deep breath, for I don’t know how many times today while fishing.
In front of me is a very clear, shallow, gently flowing river, aptly described as a stream.
There are several groups of fishermen and people playing in the river in the distance.
On the other side of the river, you can see a meadow, some huts in the background, and a granary that stretches endlessly beyond the meadow.
Beyond the river, there is also a forest, but from there, it looks like the whole land is used for growing crops.
I don’t feel any signs of monsters at all…
“It’s good to be like this once in a while.”
I can’t help but say something that sounds like a fatherly figure. This place is so quiet.
Zink-kun is standing next to me, staring at the needle tip with a very serious look in his eyes.
Potta-kun is in a daze, or rather in a heavenly state, with his mouth open and his eyes half closed.
Mei-chan, who was already bored, was playing with a pile of rocks without looking at the hook.
I guess people have different ways of enjoying fishing in the river.
By the way, after about an hour of fishing, I caught 0 fish, Mei-chan caught 0 fish, Potta-kun caught 3 fish, and Zink-kun caught 4 fish, as expected since Zink-kun seems to be able to handle everything, but Potta-kun, who is just sitting there, is doing well for some reason, and Mei-chan is unexpectedly depressed, maybe because she is not concentrating well.
As for me… well, I’ve only fished in ponds, and I’m a beginner, so I guess that’s it.
The purpose of coming to the river is not to fish, so it’s enough to enjoy the atmosphere.
“Meisa, you’re still bad at fishing, aren’t you?”
“I’m not good with fishing rods! Can I go into the river now? It’s good, isn’t it?”
“There’s enough fish for each of us. I think it’s good.”
“I was thinking of selling the surplus to the guild… but I guess we’ll just have to work on the second half. Then let’s get ready to eat!”
When I heard those words, my heart leaped.
“(Is it finally grilled fish? The first grilled fish in this world?)”
The inn where I am staying, “Billycorn,” also serves fish dishes.
It was not just grilled but steamed with spices and herbs, which made grilled fish an incredibly appealing meal for me, as I was beginning to miss Japanese food.
But I am not into fishing. I couldn’t catch a single fish.
I took the initiative to build a simple stone structure to look like a cooking stove and gathered twigs from the trees in preparation for making a fire.
Of course, I did not forget the long, thin branches for stabbing fish.
I wish there was a newspaper available at this time, but there isn’t, so I arrange the dry leaves and pieces of fallen wood so that they can be used to light the fire.
“Loki may not be good at fishing, but you’re pretty good at this sort of thing…”
“I just copy what I see. If you skewer the fish with this, it will cook nicely, won’t it?”
“I’ve always put them in the ground, but this is amazing! I don’t really understand it, but it’s great!”
“And then there’s Mei-chan’s family’s magic tool! Mei-chan’s mom and dad told me to bring this.”
“Oh, that’s a big help! My family would get mad at me if I tried to take it outside. I always had to make the fire myself.”
“In addition! I also brought salt, just in case something like this happens!”
“”Oh!””
If someone here had asked me what I was preparing with just salt and no fishing equipment, I would have been beaten up, but… this group of guys has no problem with that.
While we lit the fire and cooked the fish, we all enjoyed the sandwiches Mei-chan’s mom made.
It was like a picnic, which made the sandwiches even more delicious.
In addition, to live up to my name as a self-proclaimed river hermit (I only gnawed on raw fish), I turned over the rocks with the fish cage net borrowed from Mei-chan, caught some shrimp and crabs, and threw them into the fire.
If you sprinkle salt on them, you’ll have another tasty ingredient to eat right down to the shell.
“(As long as you have fire and salt, you can survive for now…)”
I looked at the three of them, impressed by the difference in taste between raw and fresh, and was really impressed to learn that they usually eat fish, but not shrimp or crab, and that they actually enjoy the taste.
Zink-kun said, “Let’s get them all after we eat!”
Potta-kun seemed to be worried about the lack of fish at first, but now he is happy about the unexpected food, and Mei-chan is silently staring at the fish net cage as if it were a wonderful thing.
If everyone got sick, I’d be in a bad situation, but the fish was cooked properly, and I only got sick once when I ate it raw, so I think it’ll be okay.
After a break for lunch, a mysterious competition begins.
It seemed to be a championship to see how many shrimp and crabs you could catch, but since Mei-chan was the only one who brought a fishing net… it was rejected as unfair.
I told them from my own experience that it would be very difficult to compete alone, so we decided to have a two-on-two-team competition.
I wondered how they would divide up the teams, but they seemed to think that if they teamed up with me, the three of them would win, and they started fighting over me, so I, as an adult, suggested rock-paper-scissors.
All three of them seemed to have a question mark in their minds, so I showed them how to make the hands of rock and paper and told them that if they had the same combination at the same time, they would be paired.
While teaching them that there was actually a scissor, the pairs were decided with me and Potta-kun and Zink-kun and Mei-chan, and it was a game to see who could get the most.
But this was the most difficult situation for me.
“Potta-kun! I’ll get the first one. Can you move the stone?”
“…..?”
What should I do…? I can’t talk to him…
I gestured for Potta-kun to move the stone out of the way and then made a gesture of scooping up the water, pointing at myself.
He seemed to understand, so we started looking for shrimp and crabs while turning over the larger stones.
I thought to myself, “If I can use my Presence Detection, won’t that give me an advantage?” But the water was moving, so I could not get a good response from the creatures in the river.
However, if they are startled and move when I move a stone out of the way, I can catch their reaction, so I scoop them up with my hand and throw them into the medium-sized basket I’m carrying.
I looked at the pair of Zink-kun and Mei-chan and saw that each of them seemed to be acting alone, so even though Zink-kun had Presence Detection, it would not be easy for Mei-chan to catch them until she got used to it.
“Potta-kun! Let’s go to that stone next!”
Simply point and say the word.
“Aye!”
The answer comes back.
“There they are! There are two of them!”
If I point at something, I’m about to miss…
“Aye!
Potta-kun tried his best to grab it.
It was a serious game, though I wondered why an adult would be so serious among children.
If they’re having fun, I’ll join in.
And we can all eat the fruits of our labor like fish.
“Next, let’s try the rock on the side!”
“Aye!”
“No, not that one! Let’s try the next one over there.”
Aye!
“There it is! There’s only one, so I’ll get it! Potta-kun, can you go to that big rock over there next?”
“Aye? …Aye!!”
“Yes! …There they are, three of them! Potta-kun, go get them!”
“……Aye… aye…!”
Potta-kun’s reply sounded strange, and I wondered if I had tired him out with my fast pace.
“I’m sorry, I was a little too fast. Next time, I’ll move the rocks out of the way so Potta-kun can try to catch them!”
“…I’m fine. I’m not tired. I’m fine.”
“Really? Don’t push yourself too hard; it’s just for fun… Hmm?”
What’s this strange feeling? It’s like we’re having a conversation…
Thinking this, I looked up at Potta-kun and saw that something other than sweat was coming out of his eyes.
“Potta-kun…?”
“Ugh… words… I understand… Loki’s words… I understand! …I’m not left out anymore!”
“――! It’s an emergency! Zink-kun! Mei-chan!”
The two of them came towards us with all their strength, and when I told them that Potta-kun had somehow understood my words, they were overjoyed as if they were their own.
“Potta! Do you really understand? That’s amazing!”
“Mm-hmm. I finally understand what Loki is saying!”
“You did it, Potta! Maybe it was because you talked to Loki? Maybe that’s how you got the skill?”
“(Seriously… you mean I’m a teacher of world languages, and that’s how he learned it? If it’s the Different Language Comprehension skill, then it would certainly be easier for him to grow if he spoke in another language than if he spoke in the one he knew… but that doesn’t matter now.)”
“Congratulations, Potta-kun! I’m sure it’s the result of your efforts to understand my language.”
When I patted him on the shoulder, he cried on the spot, perhaps because he was frustrated at not being able to understand me or perhaps because he was happy to have achieved his long-awaited Different Language Comprehension.
Although his body was large, he was only 11 years old.
In retrospect, he looked lonely when the four of us talked together, and there was no doubt that he felt a sense of alienation.
“There was no more time to play games! Meisa! We’re outnumbered!”
“Eh! I did my best, you know! Isn’t it because Zink didn’t catch much?”
“You idiot! It’s not by that much!”
The two of them looked at our basket and were astonished. “Potta-kun worked pretty hard,” I said to them, confirming what we were going to do with these crabs and shrimp.
“What should we do with them? Should we eat them now? Or should we take them home? We have to soak them in water.”
“Let’s celebrate and eat them anyway!”
“I want a full meal too!”
“You ate a lot earlier! You ate two fish!”
“I can still eat. I’m hungry because I just moved a lot.”
“””So early!”””
Well, if it’s a celebration for Potta-kun, that’s acceptable.
I had already eaten once, so I left the cooking to the three of them.
I went to the river to take a bath.
The river is shallow enough that I can easily see the riverbed, so I take off only my upper clothes and lie down on the riverbank. It’s not a bath in the river; it’s a dip in the river. A sleeping river.
Although I wipe my body with a towel soaked in hot water every day, as a former modern person, I still feel uncomfortable unless I take a bath in the water on a regular basis.
Using a nice-sized stone as a pillow, I soak my body in the cold water while basking in the sunlight.
“(Aaah… It feels so good… I secretly brought some soap with me, but it would be bad manners to use it here…)”
“Ahh! Loki-kun, you’re so sneaky! Me too!”
“Huh?”
What’s going on? When I looked up, I saw Mei-chan, who had already taken off her clothes, charging at me in nothing but her underwear and a fishnet cage in her hand.
She passed me with a splash and somehow took up a position in the middle of the river, scooping up fish with her net.
“I am good at catching fish like this! I’m full, so I’ll leave the ones from before to Potta and Zink and catch the fish!”
“(No matter how you look at it, it just looks like she’s scooping up loaches naked… I mean, 10-year-olds already have a sense of shame, don’t they? …Well, whatever…)”
If it were a Lolicon, this might be a situation that would drive them crazy, but I have no taste for such things, so I’ll just leave it alone.
The splashes fly because of Mei-chan, but this feels good.
“(Celebration, huh…?)”
I closed my eyes, feeling the pleasant coldness on my body, and slowly suggested a way to celebrate that only one person could come up with, no matter how much I thought about it.
“Hey, Potta-kun, Zink-kun, and Mei-chan… do you like spicy food too?”
