Chapter 452: A Toast
“Hey, Jean! You made it!”
“Yeah, just dropping off my stuff.”
“Welcome back!”
Chris and Retze returned.
Retze peeked his face around the corner before heading up the stairs, while Chris, looking light on his feet, made his way directly to the living room where we were.
And there was Haulon, clearly relieved. Is that really okay, Great Sage?
“Oh, Jean!”
“Yeah?”
Chris seemed eager to share something. What could it be?
“It turns out Elichika’s heat rash has finally settled down!”
Chris announced with sparkling eyes, arms wide open.
“Oh, that’s great!”
I had almost forgotten amidst the chaos, but there had been a heat rash outbreak in Elichika, where Chris and the others had temporarily taken refuge.
If it’s settled, then my efforts in catching the hidden Red Lizard, even while being mistaken for a bag full of Pill Bugs by Haulon, were worth it.
“What’s for dinner?”
I hurriedly brought out a bottle of sparkling white wine. Time to celebrate!
“I already ate, but I can still make room for your cooking!”
Chris said with a cheerful smile as he took his seat.
With that signal, I began laying out the dishes on the table: roasted duck, butter-grilled crab that looked like a Taraba—wait, is that a hermit crab?—cream cheese wrapped in smoked salmon, yuzu pepper marinated mini tomatoes and avocados, and various dips served with thinly sliced baguette.
“It looks as delicious as ever. And beautiful too!”
Chris complimented, but the beauty was really in the presentation.
The impression of my cooking tends to lean towards light brown or beige. I usually boil vegetables until they lose their color.
“What’s this? A feast after all?”
Retze, who had come down, said as he took his seat.
“Isn’t the temperature difference just awful?”
Haulon moved slowly to a chair near the table, wearing a subtle grimace. Karn also turned from the fireplace to face us.
“It’s not awful, not at all.”
I poured chilled wine into tall, slender champagne flutes. The pale golden color sparkled with bubbles, looking beautiful.
“To celebrate the resolution of Elichika’s heat rash!”
Once everyone had their glasses, I raised mine to my face for a toast.
“Cheers!”
“Ah, I see. Cheers!”
Chris and Retze echoed.
“…Cheers.”
“…Cheers.”
Karn and Haulon, with a somewhat ambiguous tension, seemed happy but also slightly unsatisfied.
“That butter smells amazing, doesn’t it? I can only tell it’s not shrimp.”
“It’s crab, crab.”
It’s a Taraba, but for convenience, we’ll just call it crab.
“River crabs don’t usually grow that big even if they turn into Demon Beasts. They exist in parts of the Northern Lands, though.”
Haulon chimed in.
If we’re heading to the Northern Lands, I think there’s an ocean in between.
The [Appraisal] showed it was a relative of Taraba. It’s firmer than Taraba, and when grilled, it enhances its flavor, making it delicious. It’s a large crab, with legs as thick as Tina’s arms.
I dropped butter onto those thick legs and pressed them down a bit with a spatula while grilling. The surface cracked, revealing the fibrous white meat underneath. When I took a bite, a slightly roasted aroma spread, followed by the richness of the butter.
“Ahh. This salmon is delicious, and the crab is too. Even after dinner, there’s always room for more!”
Chris said, placing his glass back on the table.
Chris is from an island surrounded by the sea, far to the west of Kanum, across the continent. The seafood brings back nostalgic memories and seems to be filled with his favorites.
“These pickled vegetables that Jean recommended are also tasty!”
Retze said, enjoying the marinated dish.
The vibrant greens of cucumbers and avocados, the yellows and reds of mini tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese created a colorful display, lightly marinated with yuzu pepper for a refreshing kick.
“Rare alcohol, high transparency glass, and unusual ingredients. Yes, very unusual ingredients…”
Haulon slumped over the table.
“Hey, what’s wrong? Jean, what did you say?”
Retze asked, wondering why I might have said something.
“I’m just asking if it’s okay to eat the meat I found.”
“Don’t eat things you find; it could be diseased. But that can’t be all, right? —What kind of meat is it?”
Retze pressed on.
“I saw two creatures fighting and ended up with the spoils, so I’m sure it’s safe.”
I did pick it up, but being called a scavenger feels a bit off!
“Ah, that’s lucky.”
Yes, a fisherman’s gain.
“Yeah. Plus, I can use [Appraisal], so I can tell if the sausage will upset your stomach.”
I can also check if the oysters carry norovirus, a handy skill.
“…[Appraisal].”
Karn muttered, raising an eyebrow.
“So? What kind of meat is it?”
Retze asked again.
“Dragon.”
The outside was darkish, similar to the color of this boiled crab.
“Huh? What kind of meat?”
“Dragon.”
I answered Retze again, who seemed confused.
“……”
“Dragon.”
Retze placed a hand on his forehead, falling silent.
“Jean, are you talking about that dragon from the southern continent?”
“Yeah, that dragon.”
I replied to Chris, who was asking cautiously.
“I heard you were going to see a dragon, but I didn’t hear anything about bringing one back. And why are we talking about eating it?”
With a deep sigh, Retze looked at me.
“[Appraisal] said it would be delicious, and who wouldn’t dream of Dragon Steak?”
“I’ve never even thought about it!”
Chris exclaimed, his face a picture of shock, as always, overly dramatic.