Chapter 220 – Orihalcon (6)
No fuck, we’ll just leave.
─Rather. Widely!
I was about to say that, but the last Franc entered dutifully shut the door. It’s goddam
【There is an extra table inside, so go there and sit down.】
The store owner who sees and guides us. While doing so, continue cooking with one hand. I found some reassurance in that dexterity.
Look at those macho customers, tanned in the sea breeze and sun. As you can see, they are all locals! Originally, among the local driver’s restaurants, it was difficult to pick out a crowd in a crowded place.
─Slurp! Slurp!
We sat down and looked at the menu.
The menu, made by simply digging up a wooden board, has only dishes you don’t know what. The amount of food is also divided into three categories: extra large, extra large, and large. Fuck the middle of the day Sojja is what.
“Franc. Do you know what dish it is?”
“Ah, yes. It’s a dish I know about, except 【Sea Peak】.”
Sea peaks I can tell just by hearing your name. That must be the dish food fighters are challenging.
It’s 100% confirmed because it says ‘if you eat it all in 20 minutes, it’s free’ next to the name of the dish.
“I want to try that [Sea peak] Thing.”
We ordered dishes while listening to Fran’s explanation, and Veronica, who was watching the forage sailors’ meals, said so. In fact, Veronica had been eyeing the food fighters’ challenge for a while.
I thought machos were staring at it because it was strange, but it seems that it was not because it looked delicious.
“Do you want to try? It wasn’t a joke.”
“Yes. I’ve never eaten seafood. It’s just that I’ve been interested in it since a while ago.”
There was no reason to say no to what he wanted to eat. If you can’t eat all of them, it might be a bit expensive, but what about it? It’s a local dish, but it probably won’t smell fishy.
I had an experience in the past when I went out with my classmates in the military and got fucked by Jumbo Ramen. Shouldn’t we share it if we fail?
【Store owner. Order here.】
I ordered with appropriate honorifics so that the foragers would not look down on me.
The store owner, who had been silently listening to my order, laughed as if she knew it would be true when the food challenge dish came up.
【Khahahaha!! I’m ordering too!! As soon as I saw my house, I thought I had no choice but to wager my pride!!]
Your fucking throat is fucking big. The store wasn’t small, but there was a loud echo.
‘But what am I doing?’
Was it because he was a muscular macho and judged based on his appearance? I must have thought that if this bastard didn’t challenge the real man’s macho cooking, I’d take my balls off.
Then you should become a eunuch here. Because I am not the challenger.
【Two regular set meals, two salmon tempura, and the long-awaited sea peak!】
─Thump! As soon as I saw the dish the store owner put down in front of me, it was a visual that made me think ‘Oh, I can’t eat all of this’. I don’t eat that much. That’s about the average of Korean men who exercise.
‘Fuck, this is impossible even if I starve for the whole day.’
This crazy forage dish doesn’t even have shrimp heads or fish bones removed.
Just like the young sisters and sisters who pride themselves on being people who know how to eat, chew the fish bone by bone and eat it with the shrimp head, the foragers here seem to put all of this into their stomachs without a plate in front of them.
Still, it looked more edible than Britannia’s herring pudding, though.
‘The smell is delicious, but…’
I even ordered snacks, but you want me to eat all of this? I’m not fucking Kirby.
【I misplaced the bowl.】
─Suck. Me passing the bowl to Veronica like in basketball in high school gym class. Veronica excitedly holding a spoon. The shopkeeper’s uncle opened her mouth.
【What, what is it? The lady over there is going to challenge?]
【Hmm? Are there any problems?】
When Veronica asked again, blinking her eyes, she noticed that even her customers in the store looked here. When Fran, who was very shy, put on the hood and corrected the position of her hips, the store manager burst out laughing.
【Kuhaha!! Arthur, lady! It’s annoying if you vomit while pooping! This is a dish that girls who eat three meals a day inland cannot eat!]
─Thump! A store owner who beats his chest like a gorilla. I saw it up close and thought, but unlike other machos, his beard was shaved to see if he had a concept of hygiene.
【Sea Peak is the dish of real seamen who ride the rough waves and cook a day’s meal in one meal. Eating this in 20 minutes is something even captains who have spent 10 years on a ship find it difficult, but I can’t help but laugh that a skinny woman like a young lady would challenge it.]
【You mean you shouldn’t?】
[I mean, don’t overdo it. If you eat my food and vomit, I’ll be upset.]
The store owner put up a 20-minute hourglass and said so anxiously that he had to swallow his words.
Because when there was still some sand left in the hourglass, Veronica sat down with her spoon, satisfied.
Only shrimp shells and fish bones were left in the fucking bowl.
【Mi… Friend…】
The store owner was so surprised that his eyeballs rolled off. I wouldn’t be so surprised if his own wife was a man.
[It was a wonderful dish. Even to me, an outsider, it was conveyed to me as an outsider to the fact that it was a dish made with great care and attention to the harmony of the ingredients, rather than mindlessly increasing the quantity.]
As if regretting it, Veronica drank the remaining soup from the spoon.
【By the way, shopkeeper. Are you okay? I’m concerned that your store’s finances will be in jeopardy if you give out food like this for free.]
And then to innocent teabagging. It is perfect. If this were a cooking battle cartoon, the store owner would have closed the store and left for a world tour to practice noodles.
【… Kuhh haha! I got this!! The young lady is the first woman to open a restaurant and eat all this food!!]
The store owner was shocked, but he laughed as if he felt better. It was a compliment that might sound offensive to a woman, but Veronica accepted it with a smile.
【It’s a pity that this is a travel destination. If it was nearby, I would have stopped by often.]
Hehe. I’d love to see that Damn our store.]
Rejecting the joke, the store manager offered to shake hands. Veronica’s complexion, which had been fine even after eating all the food to be rummaged, turned bluish. ─Parr. Her hand shaking hands trembled.
‘… The store owner, it must have been Ada.’
I don’t even know the country called fucking Germania.
【Anyway, thank you for breaking down the prejudice. I will not look down on female challengers from now on.]
【That, that’s a good thing.】
─Flap and flop. Veronica patted her hands behind her back. I did it in front of me, so when I held his hand, Veronica’s complexion softened. She has a lot of trouble with you.
【Ah, that, more than that, store owner. You seem familiar with life on board, am I right?]
【Were you a sailor? Is that so?]
Veronica’s eyes lit up at her store manager’s answer.
【Good. It wasn’t anything else, it was because we had to borrow a ship and crew by chance. But strangely, the ship owners in this city didn’t want to pick us up.]
【Ah… By that “Us,” Are you talking about the young lady’s party?]
【It is true. Do you know why the ship owners are like that?]
【Okay. If you say this, you get rejected…】
When asked what was causing us trouble, the store owner scratched his chin.
【… Oh shit All right, all right. Now that I’ve given up on boating, it’s okay to answer.]
I don’t think he would have answered if I asked elsewhere, but is it because he accepted Veronica after losing the food challenge? The store owner, who was worried about him, hit his head.
【You mean girls can’t get on the boat. It’s because you get jealous if you put a woman on the boat.]
[Oh. Are you jealous? To whom?】
【Who is that? You are jealous of the sea and ships.]
Sea and ship?
I stopped eating at those words and blinked my eyes. The story was absurd enough to forget even the texture of fried salmon on the outside, but do the seas and ships of another world have personalities?
‘Looking at my wives’ reactions, it seems that’s not the case.’
As we were lost, the shopkeeper waved his hand like an old man gossiping about his wife.
【The sea and ships are more delicate and jealous than women. They get mad when you ride another woman on top of them. The ship doesn’t listen or the weather turns bitter. That’s why our sailors are reluctant to take women on board.]
【Jealousy of the sea and ships. … That’s something I’ve never heard of.]
[There are many women who do not believe in superstition, but it is something that any sailor can sympathize with. Why couldn’t I hold a woman’s hand until I retired? Sailors who lay their hands on women are not looked upon favorably.]
Those words brought back memories from long ago.
Was it the first time I went to Sargadis? It seems that among the carriage guests who were talking dirty there was an old man from the sea.
The old man used to listen closely to the stories that the peddler was unpacking, so maybe he, too, kept his distance from women because of that superstition.
Perhaps the Vikings’ faith in purity was due to reasons other than Odin and his friends. Come to think of it, in mythology, the Germania gods didn’t seem to value chastity that much.
【If so, is there no way we can rent a boat?】
【There may not be any, but the longer the experience, the more there is no captain who underestimates the jealousy of the sea and ships.】
Veronica cocked her head as if her brain couldn’t keep up with such a cultural difference.
【Because the men of the sea risk their lives and the lives of their crew members, and even their boats, which are all their possessions, to set out on a voyage. There will be no risk takers other than pit bulls with little experience or lack of skills.]
It was the store owner’s words that clicked her tongue.
That was a very embarrassing thing. It is a task to find an invisible island in the open sea, and it is not possible for the sailors to be lacking in skills.
Besides, the bloody youngsters were greedy and had a good chance of overpowering us.
【Hmm. Still, if you have to go, it’s not like there’s no way.]
Maybe it was because we were worrying about the food getting cold. The store owner scratched his head and said that.
【Method? What kind of method?】
【Can you see the house on that shoreline cape? Think about talking to the bitch who lives over there.]
What the shopkeeper pointed out was a cape that stretched vertically.
There was a lighthouse and a small mansion on the headland of the cliff. As we looked at it, the shopkeeper crossed his arms and said:
【To that cheeky girl called the Witch of the North Sea.】
***
Ursilla, Witch of the North Sea.
It’s like a fucking event boss mob. However, unlike such a forceful name, it seems that the people living in the mansion are just ordinary people.
‘Fuck, then why are they called witches?’
I felt strange, so I asked the question, but the store owner’s answer was spectacle.
【I’m a woman, but I’m going to the sea.】
【… Is that all?]
【Well, that’s right. The workmanship is like a ghost. I call her a witch with half mockery and half respect. There is no one who is not afraid of that woman among the pirates of the North Sea.]
I hear that.
In Germania, a matriarchal society, it is said that there is an unspoken rule that men go to the sea and women go to the inland. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that way, so the store owner couldn’t explain it properly.
As an archaeologist, I roughly understood what he was talking about.
‘Is it because of historical custom?’
Germania was a very rare country that had been passed down from the age of mythology.
It must be because of the unique culture of a matrilineal society that men went to the sea because they were addicted to machoism. It is a fight between the ancestors of the Vikings and the aristocratic women of the matrilineal society.
A woman who chews on such customs and superstitions and makes a name for herself in the North Sea with a woman’s body.
There seemed to be such a reason behind being called a witch.
Anyway, the important thing was that if we were going to visit the Prophet’s Island, we had to consult with the witch. The other male captains never try to let our party of 4 women on board.
After eating, we went up the cliff where the mansion is. Dana snorted as she looked down at the coastline and the ships that had settled there.
“It’s such a funny culture. I don’t know what to do when I go back.”
“I need to find a passenger ship from Britannia.”
After answering, I licked my lips while being blown by the salty wind.
I think I’ve heard on Earth that sea people believe in superstitions.
Fucking such superstitions, Germanians with guaranteed checks for their skills and character! I don’t know what kind of people it was, but it worked out well for us.
Without the witch, her future would have been dark.
“Are you here!!”
There was no one guarding the entrance, so I shouted and called someone. After waiting a few minutes, a man like a gardener came out in front of the barbed wire in the door.
【Are you a guest?】
【Yes. But I didn’t come by appointment. Could you at least give a message to Ursilla? My party is about to go sailing, so I asked you to lend me a sailor and a boat.]
【Please wait a moment.】
The gardener accepted our request, as is often the case.
I inspect the building while watching him go back. It was a little too small to be called a mansion, like the house of a wealthy merchant. Dana and I exchanged her glances.
“Doesn’t it look like it was built recently?”
“Good. I must have spent some money on building a house.”
It was not a mansion that looked deep in history. Perhaps the house the witch built with her own money.
Since she would not call a noble a witch, it can be inferred that Mr. Witch is not a noble, but she is wealthy enough to build a mansion.
‘Even on Earth, there was a period called the Age of Exploration.’
I’ve heard of sailors who became rich by long-distance trade or finding treasure islands.
Because there are monsters in the sea of another world, general trade is also called high risk high return. Because it is so dangerous, the Age of Exploration in another world seems hopeless.
“They say the sea is the treasure house of the thousand seas. Among archaeologists, there must be many people who go out to sea.”
“Husband. Don’t be blinded by money. If you growl in the middle of the sea, you won’t even find a corpse.”
“Why are you talking like a fucking stranger? Even if we search, let’s turn it over together, honey.”
“Dog-do-rai water ghost training. If you search, you will follow me later. If you don’t want to see your wife go crazy.”
“Yes.”
While doing so, the servant of the mansion came out again. This time she was a maid, not a gardener.
【The owner said he would respond directly.】
It was a maid with a scar on her left face from a knife. It’s not good to have prejudice as a connoisseur, but it’s a fierce atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re going to pull a knife out from under your skirt.
I think you could write an Assassin or a Pirate on your resume.
─Tumble.
I was guided through the mansion and entered what appeared to be a drawing room.
A woman in a tailcoat was waiting for us in a simple drawing room with little decoration. She was a younger person than I thought, but her sharp eyes that were not inferior to her maid didn’t look like a normal person.
【Come on. You say you need support for your voyage?]
She let go and made us sit down. Although she offered tea, it was a person who from the very beginning had a strong feeling that she hated ostentation.
I sat face to face.
Negotiations like this were mostly either me or Dana’s business, and I wasn’t that confident in my brilliant Germanic language.
【I’ll tell you in advance. I hate catchy introductions. It’s because it’s something I’ve been through to the point of getting tired of it during my military days.]
If there is a shape in the tone, it seems that this person’s words will fly like an arrow.
I fucking agreed with the opinion that talking about one’s inner feelings is no fun. Still, he straightened his back to look confident without relaxing.
【My name is Nord. An adventurer from Britannia.]
I also introduced my wives and party members next to me. Ursilla did not particularly frown at the mention of her having two wives. Maybe it’s because he’s a sailor, so he’s good at foreign affairs.
【Ursilla. Call it as you like.]
【Yes, Ursilla-sama. I know it’s rude, but as you said, I’ll tell you the matter first. We need a ship that will operate for 3-5 days north of Kudses and up to 10 days round trip. Even the sailors who will handle the ship.]
【Are you the only one who will board the ship? Four women. Indeed, it must have already been rejected by the cowards who settled there offshore.]
Ursilla, aware of the situation like a local, put her chin on her chin. I found calluses and blisters on those fingers. He seems to be the type that actually runs on the field.
【Destination?】
I shrugged my shoulders at the sudden question.
【It’s amazing.】
【… Hehe. Is it a treasure map?]
Saying so, her eyes shine like a hyena. I’ve been quick-witted since before.
【You can think of it as similar. However, there is no guarantee that there are treasures worth salvaging.]
[Ahahaha! No guarantees? There must be a guarantee for any voyage in the world!]
Ursilla laughed out loud at how interesting my words were, revealing her healthy teeth.
【Great. I’ll lend you a boat. I also have a level of consideration that doesn’t ask me about my circumstances. In order not to be suspicious of you, shouldn’t I also be suspicious of you?]
Shit, it’s a one-shot. I knew he was the impatient type, but I was a bit surprised. Ursilla might have intended that, but when I opened her eyes wide, her lips curled.
【But there is a condition.】
I guess so too. Rather than giving permission unconditionally, I felt relieved.
【I will listen.】
【One. Take me and my crew. Two. In exchange for disclosing your true identities and destinations, you will receive treasures from the island or equivalent compensation in cash.]
[It is a natural condition. Is there a third?]
【What do you ask? This is the most important It’s hard to see me as the same as the big men on the shore who are afraid of superstition or catastrophe.]
─Clap! Ursilla untied her scabbard from her belt.
【If the boats of idiots claiming to be warriors are their lovers and wives, ‘Golden Sif’ is my alter ego. I won’t open my eyes to the bastard trying to ride on my alter ego who is weaker than me.]
Ursilla with a pair of scabbard and sword in her hand. She shouted as she aimed a thick curved sword that looked like something that only fucking pirates would use at my face.
【If you want to get on my boat, try breaking it by force!! This Ursilla Juxces!!]
