Ruinblade ①
Fishing.
I still have enough money for living expenses, so I’m not fishing for food.
I thought I should pick up a hobby, so I was fishing.
I realized I don’t have any hobbies.
It was only when my life became more comfortable that I realized I had no hobbies, and I was a little shocked.
That’s why, if you think of a quintessential hobby, it’s fishing.
While I was fishing like that, some weird drunk guy started talking to me.
“Nice to meet ya, Wof.”
“…Nice to meet you too.”
“So, how’s it going? Catching anything?”
“No, not at all…”
I gave a wry smile.
The pot I’m using instead of a fish basket only has water in it.
“It’s made by Biyon, not a bad rod. What about bait?”
“Just some bugs from around here.”
“Ah, I see. Hey, hold on a sec.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve got something good for bait. Try using this.”
What he took out was a scrap of dried meat.
“Meat…?”
“It’s good stuff for fish bait, you know.”
“Well, that’s true…”
I pulled up my fishing rod.
The bug I had used for bait on the hook was gone.
Did it get washed away? It happens often, so I didn’t mind.
I attached the piece of dried meat he gave me.
“Not like that. It’ll fall off that way.”
“Huh?”
“Like this. Fit it onto the barb of the hook.”
“Like this?”
“Yeah. If you don’t, it’ll fall off like before.”
He said, taking a swig from his liquor bottle.
Oh, was that it? Was I putting the bait on wrong?
This hook is a new one I bought after the previous one got ruined.
So putting it on the same way I usually do wasn’t right for this one?
“…Thank you very much.”
“No need to thank me. Go on, try it.”
“Y-Yes.”
I swung the fishing rod and cast the line into the river. Wait.
“Ah, I got a bite!”
A slight vibration traveled up the rod with a twitch.
“Not yet. Move the rod after you get a bigger reaction.”
“Y-Yes.”
A big reaction— It’s here!
“Now! Swing the rod opposite to the fish!”
“Y-Yes!”
I don’t just yank it straight up.
I swing the rod against the fish’s movements to tire it out.
“Heh, not bad. You can probably pull it up soon.”
“Y-Yes.”
The fish’s strength is fading.
“Now!”
At that signal, I pulled up the rod.
Whoa, it’s heavy, but I managed to land it with momentum.
It’s pretty big… What is this?
“Isn’t this a Japanese Giant Salamander?”
I blurted out its Japanese name without thinking.
A creature like a slimy catfish with arms and legs.
It’s the Japanese Giant Salamander, designated as a special natural monument.
It’s huge.
So they exist in this world too. I’m a little surprised.
Agaro-san took a sip and said.
“That’s a Land Catfish. It’s a monster.”
“A monster…?”
The Japanese Giant Salamander is a monster?
Anyway, it somehow fit into the pot.
“Well, it’s classified as a monster, technically.”
“Its appearance certainly is monstrous, though.”
It does look the part, I have to admit.
Actually, according to my memories from my past life, it seems they were sometimes treated as yokai.
“Well, it’s a monster, but it’s not really a monster.”
“Which is it?”
“It was probably classified as a monster because of its looks. That kind of thing happens.”
“So it’s not actually a monster, then?”
“But it’s listed in the monster encyclopedia.”
“Then it is a monster!”
“Maybe.”
“…What do you mean, maybe?”
Which is it, in the end?
Agaro-san took a quick gulp.
“Does it really matter which? So, what are you gonna do with this thing?”
“Let’s see…”
Eating a Japanese Giant Salamander… I really can’t bring myself to do that.
“I’ll release it.”
“Huh? What?”
“I’ll let it go.”
“I see.”
Agaro-san didn’t say anything in particular.
I release the Japanese Giant Salamander back into the river.
The Japanese Giant Salamander dove into the river.
“Thank you for everything.”
“Huh? Quitting already?”
“Yes. I was just fishing to find a hobby, not to get food.”
“A hobby?”
Agaro-san looked puzzled.
“I don’t have any hobbies. So I thought I’d try various things.”
“You. How old are you?”
“I’m thirteen.”
“…Looking for a hobby when you’re struggling just to survive, huh?”
“I am struggling, but if that’s all there is, isn’t life lonely?”
“………”
Agaro-san drank his liquor in silence.
“That’s why I thought I should try to find at least one hobby.”
“Hmph, you’re a strange one. But your way of thinking isn’t bad. If you don’t have some leeway, your heart gets worn down.”
Agaro-san chuckled softly.
“Agaro-san, do you have any hobbies?”
“Oh? Me? Let’s see… Rather than a hobby, I guess it’s booze.”
“…Booze?”
“Yeah, booze. That’s my hobby.”
He said, then drank.
It was quite the swig straight from the bottle.