Sword, Magic and Academic Society

Vol. 1 - Ch. 94 - Unfading Tears

"Yo, I didn't make you wait too long, did I? But man, I was almost stuck with doing boorish greetings even when it's summer vacation, you know? My ears were about to get calluses from all that so your timing is just perfect.

Anyway, I bet you're here for something else. 'Fess up now."

Dan spoke with a huge sigh. We were currently on our way to the Solcoast on foot.

The butler that came out of the Count Estate along with Dan did say 'We'll arrange a Magic Car,' but I shot down that proposal on the pretext that it would hinder our training.

No joke. Who needs a fanfare-like send-off when out on a whimsical trip, right? Heck, even if I had to take one, there was no way I would get into a Magic Car with a Count's crest. It'd be like moving into the dark with the flashlight on when the plan was to sneak around.

"Well, I heard about the quality of seafood in the nearby Solcoast town. You know the seafood in the Royal Capital isn't that good, so I decided to check this place out on my solo trip.

I caught wind that there's an even more delicious fish named Deareise, but the route to the place where they could be fished is blocked by monsters. I didn't want to give up the chance so I decided to come here for your family's magical tool. "

"Woahh!? You're also a fan of Deareise?... I am too, and so you're on a gourmet trip then? Compared to that eating lifestyle, it's like...... You really are unpredictable in your thoughts and actions, huh? Don't tell me it's in your character to surprise people?"

...What a rule fella. Has he seen his face in the mirror? It's like a potato.

Since it was like that, I was going to show him my profound knowledge about seafood and make him swoon over it. What guts he has to belittle my thoroughly refined palate.

"As if. Oh, right. I don't want some needless fuss over my status as a student of the Royal Academy or even some courtesy call to hamper my journey so I'm traveling as explorer Ren for this trip.

It'll take a bit of time, but do you mind if we register you as an explorer as well? It's mainly for us to move freely without attracting attention. Since you're a local, I believe you can be the guide."

"Ah well, didn't you announce 'I won't take anyone on an exploration trip if they're not actively working as an explorer even if they have a license' on the last day of the first term?

Everyone in class A visited the association afterward together and registered themselves as explorers. So I already have a license...... But an incognito trip, huh?

I do have some acquaintances in Solcoast. Do you mind tagging along with me later once we sort out your task?"

...It should definitely be about Mimosa and the Serene Wind. Even a dense-as-rock fella would be able to guess it after all that.

But then again, it was going to be a reverse surprise in this case. Mimosa wouldn't mind being on the receiving end of the surprise, right?

As for me, I was putting all this effort for my Deareise.

We ran straight to the port town Solcoast from Lacanthal. However, we had to take a detour through the forest since I detected what seemed to be a guard of the Count Estate following after us in my detection magic range.

The guard didn't last long in his pursuit of us once we --- Dan was one of the best in utilizing body-strengthening magic in the Hill Road Club --- ran with our full might and easily lost him.

???

We arrived at Solcoast around lunchtime and headed for the Silver Gingko, where we decided to meet.

"I kept you waiting, huh?"

"You're earlier than I thought. So did you think of something? I don't have much hope honestly, so------"

Mimosa was sitting by the counter, chatting with the boss, when she replied and turned around. However, her words were caught in her throat midway.

I looked to my side, at Dan, and his eyes had similarly become wide in surprise and he was rooted on the spot.

...No, I truly didn't have the habit of surprising people.

"Meet Dan, a fellow explorer that I happened to meet nearby. He coincidentally had a monster-repelling magical tool for the ship as well so I had him bring it over and help out as well while we're at it."

I introduced him in a plain tone.

Mimosa took a deep breath and somehow reigned in her emotion to keep tears from spilling out.

But the Gutx next to her didn't bother to keep calm as he shouted 'Dan! You've become so tall!' with a teary face and dived in his direction to take him into a hug. Mimosa couldn't hold back her tears anymore.

"Idiot! Why are you crying first?"

Mimosa decked Gutx on the head while she cried.

I sat down on the counter and placed my order while looking at the thing the boss was handling

"Woah, eel!? Boss, I'll take unseasoned, grilled eel... The quality of the eel lies in how thoroughly and carefully it's grilled over time. So make sure to grill it thoroughly and slowly.

Dan, I'll be waiting for the grilled eel here, so you go on ahead and install that expensive magical tool on the ship of Serene Wind in their dockyard. We'll be taking their ship to catch some Deareise. There's nothing to prevent detection magic here so I won't be able to eat in peace if such an expensive object is lying by my side."

I replied without looking over. The boss flashed a grin.

"Yeah, we are meticulous in handling eels. It takes two hours alone to boil and then one hour on a charcoal fire to grill... Well, this is just a garden eel though."

"...Ah, alright. Ren, I'll be handling that first!"

Dan said and left with Mimosa and Gutx.

......Wow, such a fat eel, and it's raised by them?

???

I spent the time chatting with the boss and the madam and enjoying the seafood that the boss prepared meticulously, showcasing his knife skills, while waiting for the eel to be grilled.

It was around evening when Dan returned to the Gingko with Mimosa, Gutx, and Gond, the predecessor of the Serene Wind Co. He also apparently brought along a detection prevention magical tool.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ren. Also... thanks."

Dan gave words of gratitude to me, seemingly as the representative of all four of them, with the contours of their eyes uniformly reddened.

"I don't think I've done anything to warrant thanks. I just did things for my own convenience, that's all."

"Tsk, again with that same crap. Truly a 'my pace' guy. Anyway, gramps... I mean, Gond-san, the predecessor of the Serene Wind, wanted to say his gratitude in person so he came along. Just accept it quietly."

Dan pursued his lips, nevertheless, he introduced the predecessor with a somewhat delighted look.

"You sir must be Ren. I'm Gondo. You probably have no idea what this meant for me and the Serene Wind as a whole but... Truly, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you very much."

Gondo-san bowed his head with no hesitation. His posture was quite lacking, but he was bowing from the bottom of his heart for sure. I could only scratch my head from the awkwardness.

I really only did it for the things I wanted. I just didn't want to give up midway...

"Ah, geez. Fine but are you done with your reunion? I'm really not good with all this sentimental stuff. Right, the grilled... eel is just about to be done. So let's drink in hopes of a great haul tomorrow."

I said and showed the wasabi and rough skin that I had brought along from the Royal Capital.

"...What's this?"

Mimosa asked with a quizzical expression.

Fufufu. The boss's craftsmanship was so amazing yesterday that I forgot to use it. I had expressly brought both wasabi and soy sauce to try with the seafood here.

"This is my favorite spice, a root of a plant called 'wasabi.' Among the connoisseurs, it is the trend to eat unseasoned grilled food with this."

The wasabi here was much sharper than the one I knew so it had to be used carefully, but when the rough skin was grated, the expanded flavor was truly the same one from Japan that I recall.

"Is that so? I haven't seen that before. And the eel is completely grilled now. I won't mind later but give me a bit to taste it."

The boss said. Hmm, as someone pursuing taste, I expected him to say that.

"Of course. In fact, I would recommend it as well. By the way, it also goes well with raw fish. I bet you wouldn't be able to eat raw fish normally once you tried it with wasabi and soy sauce--- a product of the Baerentz Archipelago Nation."

I said and put a slight amount of wasabi on the salt-sprinkled eel and put it in my mouth. A sharp, pungent taste stimulated my nose for a moment before it was all washed over by the eel's juicy, savory, and oily flavor.

The white meat was unbelievably soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside, it was hard to believe the same eel had been thoroughly boiled and then grilled over a charcoal fire for hours.

Kuh~! This was it! The taste I was chasing after!

As I shook my head from the blast of flavor that I was looking for, everyone else made a gulping sound.

The madam asked me curiously.

"Heh, so you know about soy sauce? I'm from Bearentz Archipelago but this is the first time I've heard about 'wasabi.' Can I try it?"

However, Mimosa suddenly interjected from the sideline.

"Don't be too hasty, Chloe. Customer first, remember? I completely forgot about having food with all the surprises Ren threw at me. I'm starving."

Mimosa crept too close to me and opened her mouth 'ah~n' while closing her eyes. Since she wanted to try it so much, I also picked up a bit of wasabi and tossed it into her mouth.

"Damn you! Why didn't you put the eel too?! But, ack, it's so spicy. Kuh, I am tearing up, and I thought there were no more tears left!"

Mimosa protested along with teary eyes. Gutx, who watched that, broke into a bitter smile.

"Miss, spiciness and tears should have no connection. I guess you're just more prone to crying today."

Well, if one hasn't tried it, that was also one way to put it. He probably compared it to the sharp taste of the likes of bell pepper, which wasn't enough to induce tears as well.

One might say it was spicy, but wasabi's peculiar sharpness, which even hit the nose, wasn't something one would understand without trying it.

"Gutx, you... Do you have no faith in my words? Never mind, I forget how much of a spicy eater you are. I seriously think maybe there's something wrong with your tongue.

I guess you'd be fine with this, so why don't you bring up that manly spirit and try to eat it once?"

Mimosa urged Gutx with an evil smile. Guts also took it as a challenge and sprinkled plenty of wasabi over the eel before taking a mouthful of it.

"------ggggghhh!?? My nose is flaring upppp??!"

And the outcome was truly not unexpected. A beefy man at around 190cm in height was now rolling on the floor, pressing on his nose as tears flowed out of his eyes.

The sight immediately caused everyone to break into laughter as the tears they thought to be dried up spilled out once again.

Dan was the only person who had a bitter smile, as he said 'I expected nothing else from a spice Allen has taken a fancy to...'

Hey, hey... I'm just a wandering explorer named 'Ren' alright? And my palate is as fine as it could be...