The Other World Dining Hall

Chapter 66

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Chapter 66

Tonjiru Once Again

After he finished eating to the limit for the first time in two days, Tida was deeply satisfied and breathed out gently.

[Fuu…]

Tida found this place while he was soaked by the rain, blown by the wind and desperately searching for food.

The door stuck to the ground even though it was blown by the wind and rain during the Eastern Continent’s storm.

The door led to the otherworld dining hall.

—O, customer. You’re soaking wet… typhoon, huh. What a disaster.

Fortunately this is a restaurant. You can pay me later, you should eat for now.

Otherworld dining hall… the old owner was a kind man.

He listened to Tida’s circ.u.mstances of why he came in through the door while being soaked to the bone and gave him a meal for free.

What he gave him was omelet stuffed with minced meat and Oranie along with white rice, which was only obtainable by the n.o.bles of the Sea Country.

Pickled vegetables preserved with salt to prevent rot and… tonjiru.

Tonjiru. It seemed to be a celebratory dish as it was only served during “meat day”.

It was a gorgeous soup filled with meat and vegetables and seasoned with salted elf beans.

Tida repeatedly asked for refills and filled his belly.

(I feel somewhat bad… I just want to eat delicious food.)

He felt guilty of his great satisfaction.

Right now, everyone in the ship, along with the captain, was as hungry as he was just now.

Therefore, his feeling of satisfaction changed to guilt.

(I know it’s impudent… but I wonder if I can bring back just a little bit of food.)

It was such a time he thought such thing.

[Hoi, here’s your souvenir.]

A beautiful large purple cloth bag inside a transparent bag that he had never seen before was placed before him.

[A, ano, this is…]

[It’s fine. You are one of the sailors that were caught up by the typhoon right?]

The owner said so while laughing at Tida’s strange expression.

[I know you have companions. I usually refuse takeaway request for tonjiru, but this time is special.]

[…Are, are you sure?]

Tida asked the owner’s unexpected kindness.

When he came in, Tida did not have any money.

That’s why he couldn’t pay for this “souvenir”.

[I can’t ask for money when people’s life is on danger.

There’s no need to pay. It’s heavy, so be careful.]

[Is, is that so…]

Hearing the owner’s words, Tida grabbed the bag.

A ma.s.sive, warm feeling came back.

Drifting from the bag was the scent of the gem from a while ago.

Despite having a full belly, his mouth watered.

[I’m truly thankful to you. Well, please excuse me.]

[Okay. I’ll wait for your next visit.]

The owner bowed to Tida who lowered his head, and Tida jumped out again to the storm while bringing the warm package.

Three days had pa.s.sed since they were caught up by the storm and anch.o.r.ed to this island without anything.

(…This is bad.)

Fen, the captain of Sea Country’s trade ship, felt that the decision was imminent.

After the evil war had ended and the demon’s power became reduced, the world became peaceful and trade between continents started to flourish.

Especially between the Kingdom which was the most developed country in the Eastern Continent and the Sea Country where shipping became popular since a long time ago due to their countless small island territories, ships frequently travelled as their trade became booming.

A trade ship of Sea Country captain

ed by Fen was one of them.

(Geez, and here I thought that annoying lord of the ocean had ceased to exist.)

When he thought of it, he might have been careless.

The “lord of the sea” had sunk many ships so far.

A few years ago, the lord of the sea drifted to the harbor of the Sea Country as a carca.s.s that stunk of decay.

It seemed to be damaged by magic, a myriad of arrows and harpoons.

According to the rumors, when it tried to sink several military ships of the Princ.i.p.ality heading to the Sea Country, it was killed by a general famous for suppressing demons.

Also, now that the Kraken was gone, not only the troublesome lord of the sea was gone, monsters of the sea that used to be its food could now grow into adults.

The sea route that was considered dangerous before was now unexpectedly safe.

…That was one of the reasons why Fen decided to leave the town five days ago to deliver cargoes though there’s a slight premonition of storm.

[I’m hungry…]

[That Tida fellow went out to search for something.]

[I say it’s pointless. This island has been deserted for many years.]

[Fortunately, water is raining outside, but there’s no food… we can’t hunt for bird or fish.]

[Aa, d.a.m.n! Is there no way out!? Even though the nearest town is only half a day away!?]

[It’s impossible. If the ship tries to sail in this storm, it’ll sink. We have no choice but to wait.]

Mixing with the sound of the storm outside, the voice of his underlings could be heard.

Their voices were uniformly anxious and impatient.

Right now, the ship was anch.o.r.ed to one of the islands of the Sea Country… an island where creatures couldn’t live due to its lack of vegetation.

Fortunately, water could be obtained from the sky, but that was not the case for food.

The storage in the ship was almost empty as of yesterday night and there’s no food item left.

They couldn’t catch any bird or fish in this storm.

Apparently Tida, one of the apprentices that just joined, left to search for food, but it’s visible that it would be futile.

…In other words, they had to wait until this storm stopped with empty stomach or sail the ship at the risk of sinking.

(I give up…)

He was forced to make a decision when it’s time.

[A, captain! It’s serious! Please come quickly!]

One of the veteran sailors that’s his confidant rushed in.

[What? What happened?]

[I, it’s…]

After regaining his breath, he gave Fen a smile.

Though he was suffering from empty stomach until earlier, he had a delighted expression.

[That Tida fellow came back with food! It’s superb stuff!]

Good news for them.

[Delicious!]

[This thing’s delicious!]

[This is the G.o.d’s guidance!]

[Well done, Tida!]

[…I have lived for a long time, but this is the first time I ate something this delicious.]

The men ate with momentous speed.

A young apprentice sailor brought back otherworld food.

It’s ma.s.sive for one person, but for the men here, it’s a little bit insufficient.

It should be quite expensive, a potful of soup full of meat and vegetables along with some excellent rice.

The men brought out the bowls and devoured the food.

(This thing… it’s delicious even if we’re not starving.)

Fen who got slightly more soup because he’s the captain thought so.

The food that apprentice Tida found was very delicious.

Slightly still hot white rice was brought with freshly made soup contained in a superb pot.

It was appreciable enough just to say it’s a decent food, but when Fen ate it, he sensed that it tasted better than what he usually ate.

(The rice is delicious… but the question is the soup.)

Fen sipped the soup that was poured into a silver bowl.

The brown soup that he had never seen before was salty with slight taste of elf beans.

(The seasoning is superb and the ingredients are delicious too.)

The soup had pork meat and various vegetables as its ingredients.

The pork meat that was the main ingredient was sliced thinly with a little bit of its fat remaining.

While tasting the meat itself, the taste of its fat had melted into the soup and softened the soup’s strong saltiness.

In addition, the other ingredients were also tasty.

The braised thinly-sliced Oranie was sweet; every time he chewed, plenty of the soup it absorbed burst in his mouth.

Also, the piping hot pale yellow vegetable, something that was cut into squares to make it easier to eat, collapsed and left gentle warmth in his mouth.

He sipped the soup and ate a mouthful of rice.

A combination of the strong salty soup and the sweet rice that had cooled down a bit.

It was deeply satisfying and he couldn’t stop his hands.

Of course, being hungry was a big reason, but that was not all.

It was really delicious. Even if he was somewhat full, he could still eat it deliciously.

(After this, I’ll listen to Tida’s story in detail.)

Usually, it’s impossible to obtain such excellent food in an island without anything.

Fen wanted to listen to his story in detail.

…Tentatively, it’s the first time he taste such fine food.

Next day, the storm had ended and the boat sailed under clear blue sky.

[Yo~shi! Just a bit more and the island will be visible!]

[At last! I can finally drink alcohol!]

[Ou, me too! The food yesterday was delicious, but it’s disappointing that there’s no alcohol.]

[Yareyare. It’s said that the more delicious food we eat, the longer we live.]

They spent the whole day eating the fine meal that Tida brought back.

The sailors were uniformly hungry, but their faces were bright.

They would arrive at the populated town in a while.

Once they landed, they would enjoy drinking and women. Later, they would sail to a huge town and sell their goods.

Their travel was filled with hope.

(After we sell of the cargo, we’ll buy pepper and coral, and…)

As the ship sailed, Fen was planning for their next journey.

He considered which city to sell their goods, what goods to buy and which route they should take.

(…Once in 7 days, huh? Well, if the time comes, I guess.)

Looking at one point on the sea route map, Fen pondered.

There was a small unhabituated island that did not have any meaning until yesterday.

Nekoya island.

Along with a new name that he just gave yesterday.

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