Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 67
A gazebo in the garden? Or maybe an outdoor kitchen? In a space that looked perfect for a barbecue, I grilled the head of a large fish using firewood—something strong in aroma and flavor.
I cooked it over indirect heat, brushing it with herb-infused oil and occasionally sprinkling it with salt and rubbing on a paste made from aromatic vegetables.
Probably, the original owner of this house was a barbecue enthusiast. There was a huge hanging-style grill here, after all.
“Looks good. Still, it’s huge… bigger than a yellowtail. What kind of fish is this?”
Well, I don’t really have any knowledge of ingredients from this world. But judging by the taste, it’s a high-quality, fatty white fish. Even when cooked, the gelatinous texture remains, making it hard to break apart—a versatile and wonderful fish.
“The meat around the eyes and cheeks is supposed to be especially good…”
I took the nicely browned head off the grill and brought it inside the house.
Today I only used one half of the fish and the head—yet I still ended up making an enormous amount of dishes.
The sun was about to set. If Melt and the others were coming, they’d probably be arriving soon.
“Carpaccio, marinade, salad… the canape-style rusks are ready… the acqua pazza just needs warming. I’ll make the wine-steamed dish after they arrive.”
The entire process played out in my head step by step. Honestly, it’s doubtful a normal person could prepare this many dishes all at once, but hey—if I can do it, I can’t complain.
“Let’s check if Melt and the others are on their way from the sunroom. It’s convenient being able to time everything like this.”
When I operated the window in the sunroom, four glowing dots appeared just within range.
Looks like they’d arrived. Time to wrap things up quickly.
I fired up the pan and started cooking the wine-steamed dish.
Then I laid the dishes out on the table, prepared the chairs, and plated the giant fish head (tentatively calling it a “giant yellowtail”) on a large platter, decorating it with scarlet frills.
I took the dressing out of the fridge, gave it another stir to re-emulsify it.
Perfect.
『Hey, doesn’t the garden smell really good!?』
『Right!? Did someone cook something out there!?』
『Also… this house is amazing. I can’t believe there’s a place like this on the road leading to the castle, in the suburbs no less.』
『This should be in a central district… Who is this Same guy anyway…?』
I heard voices approaching and opened the front door.
And of course, the first greeting was:
“Wah!”
“Wha—!?”
Yep. I totally pulled the prank Melt was planning to do.
Surprise: successful.
“Seira! I was going to do that!”
“Ahaha, sorry, sorry. So, you brought your friends? Come in, come in, all three of you.”
…A little embarrassing, but that’s a secret.
Right, it’s not just Melt—there are three guests. What was I thinking…
“E-Excuse us…”
“Y-Yeah, that got me… in a way.”
“Ah… uh-huh…”
Yeah, I figured. It’s weird enough to have a grown woman acting this giddy.
Really, sorry about that.
“Thanks for all your hard work, everyone. It’s rare, but some seafood showed up at the market today. I cooked it—hope you’re okay with that?”
“So that’s what it was! I saw that huge fish head and thought, ‘What kind of monster is that!?’”
Melt pointed excitedly at the grilled fish head and smiled.
That’s right—Melt’s hardly seen the ocean before.
“Sea fish!? Are you sure? That stuff’s expensive!”
“Wait, seriously? It’s expensive!?”
“Yeah, around here it is… Um, are you really okay with this?”
“Totally fine. It’s Sam’s money, after all. He’s pretty rich right now, so eat as much as you want.”
Yep, that’s what I’m saying. This meal is necessary for my skill tests and progress, so technically I’m the one benefiting. I want the three of them to enjoy the food to the fullest.
“Say, could you tell us what each dish is?”
“Oh? Sure! Let’s start with the marinade.”
And so I began explaining the light appetizer dish, the marinade.
Unlike carpaccio, the marinated fish had changed in texture and color—almost as if it had been cooked.
“Try it with onion slices. The lemon’s strong, so it should pair nicely.”
“Itadakimasu!”
Melt dove in first, clearly unable to wait for a taste of seafood she’d dreamed about.
“It’s delicious… really delicious! Um, Seira, right?”
“Yep, Seira’s right. I’m glad you like it.”
I took a bite too.
…Yeah, this fish is just naturally good.
The lemon-based dressing tightened the flesh, but made it easier to flake apart.
The enzymes had broken down the connective tissues. I must’ve used a part with a lot of sinew, and that worked perfectly.
Because it’s close to the bloody parts, pairing it with a lemon-mustard-caper dressing worked well. The oil in the dressing also seemed more refined than the ones commonly sold on Earth.
Maybe they grow olives in coastal towns, where the sea breeze helps them thrive.
“This is the best fish dish I’ve ever had. You’re not an amateur, are you, Seira? It’s clearly better than anything from a tavern or restaurant.”
“Yeah, I thought the same! Tastes way better than most places!”
“Correct. I used to work in a noble’s mansion. Later, I became a wandering chef, and now I’m the cook for our party.”
Might as well share my backstory now.
“Wow! So that’s it! Seira, Seira, can I have some of that big fish head?”
“You got it. I’ll serve some for everyone—grab some plates.”
Right now, let’s just focus on eating.
Go ahead and try the cheek meat, around the eyes, and the gill area…!
It’s got tons of fat, so I layered it with herbs, oil, and aromatic veggies to grill away the grease.
Mmm… these cooking skills are incredible. I might be making the best use of in-game and dev knowledge out of any character I’ve ever played.
“Thanks for the meal! Seira, it was amazing! Sea food is incredible!”
“Same here. I’ve only had sea fish in port towns, but this… this variety and taste… are you sure we don’t need to pay you?”
“Don’t worry about it. Honestly, seeing people enjoy my food like that makes me happy.”
“Ugh… when was the last time I was this full…”
“Kash… um, Seira, thank you so much. And thanks for the leftovers too…”
The five of us enjoyed the meal while talking about today’s events, our favorite dishes, and future goals. It was a warm, friendly gathering.
I packed some leftovers for them as gifts and saw them off.
“Come again anytime. I think I’ll be staying in this house for a little while longer.”
“Yeah, I’ll invite you again soon! All three of you, get home safe!”
After saying goodbye and starting to clean the table, Melt suddenly hugged me.
“Whoa? What’s wrong, Melt?”
“Hmm… maybe I just needed to let it out? Having friends over, eating together with family, sharing stories, laughing… I’ve only ever read about things like that in books.”
“…I see. I’m glad. I bet lots of things you’ve only read about will start happening to you from now on.”
“Yeah, I think so too. Seira, thank you. Oh—can I have the leftover grilled shrimp?”
“Hahaha, sure, go ahead and eat it.”
“She’s really just too cute! Come to think of it, she said she liked shrimp, didn’t she?”
The next day.
Today, I plan to try registering with the Culinary Guild.
Why? Because during yesterday’s testing, I discovered something important:
“The number of times other people eat my food” and “The number of times others activate food effects” also count toward my own skill progress.
If I join a guild, I’ll likely get more chances to cook for others. That alone is worth it.
When I brought this up to Melt as she was happily munching on breakfast—
“Ih’sh fiiine! I’llh goh wif yew!”
“Swallow first.”
“…gulp. I said I’ll go with you!”
So you really liked it that much, huh? That shrimp sandwich I made from yesterday’s leftover shrimp!
I removed the grilled shrimp from their shells, mixed them with herbs and chopped onions, and tossed them in a homemade hollandaise sauce.
Basically a gourmet shrimp mayo sandwich—of course it’s delicious.
I put it all between bread with scarlet frill lettuce—er, I mean, red leaf lettuce.
“You don’t have plans today?”
“Nope. Rikka and the others are on the second floor of the guild writing up the report for yesterday’s investigation request.”
“Got it. Then after we finish eating and clean up, let’s head out. By the way, how was the shrimp sandwich?”
“It tasted so good it almost felt like I was doing something naughty… such a strange feeling…”
That, Melt, is probably the guilt of eating a calorie bomb…
They say 1 calorie = 1 unit of deliciousness, after all.
Hmm… I’d given up on making mayo due to bacterial concerns, but hollandaise sauce works fine.
If no one knows about this sauce here, I might be able to dominate the culinary world…!
“Oh, it’s the person from yesterday. You were carrying a ton of food—this the kid you mentioned?”
“Thank you for yesterday. Yes, she’s the one watching the house while I’m out.”
“Huh? You know the gatekeeper? Good morning, Gatekeeper-san!”
“Good morning. This gate leads directly to the royal palace, so we stop anyone suspicious even during daylight hours. Yesterday, this woman looked a little sketchy pulling a cart, so I stopped her.”
“I see. Today, Seira-san’s going to register at the Culinary Guild.”
“That’s right.”
“Good. Once you get your ID, you’ll be able to move freely. Be careful, though.”
We passed through the gate.
Maybe this guy seemed more experienced than other guards because this gate connects directly to the palace.
“That gatekeeper seemed pretty reliable, huh?”
“Totally. Okay, let’s use the shared carriage today.”
“This way! At this time of day, the stop is over there.”
Thanks to Melt’s guidance, I got on the shared carriage without any trouble and headed for the Central Guild.
Lindblum’s transit system is surprisingly complicated…
Just as we arrived at the Central Guild and I was about to head to the Culinary Guild counter with Melt, someone called out to her, causing me to stop as well.
“There you are! Melt-san, sorry! I was supposed to handle things yesterday, but… do you have a minute?”
“Huh? Yeah, it’s fine… Seira-san, is that okay?”
“Sure, go ahead. I just need to register anyway.”
Looks like Sigurd from the Adventurers’ Guild had business with Melt.
Ah! Could it be… the monster wing meat I submitted under the name Sheele?
He’s probably planning to give it to Melt.
Looks like it’s chicken festival time starting today.
“Excuse me, is this the Culinary Guild reception desk?”
In a far-off corner of the Central Guild—an area not very crowded—sat a man who looked utterly exhausted, half-asleep and slumped over the counter.
“Ahh… sorry, I was asleep. What was that again, lady? Say it one more time.”
“This is the Culinary Guild reception, right? I need to speak with someone here.”
The moment I said that—
His expression blanked out completely.
“Yes… how can I help you… new registration request…?”
His voice lost all emotion!? What just happened!?
“Oh no, I was just inquiring about joining the Culinary Guild.”
“Oh, I see. Thank god…”
“Did something happen?”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s just… look, I’ll be honest: this guild is notorious. If you’re joining just because you’re good at cooking or like it, you’re going have a bad time. You like cooking, right? Then take my advice—go job hunting at the Adventurers’ Guild instead.”
“Whaaat? Why would you say that?”
“Well, this is one of the most brutal guilds in Lindblum. It has one of the highest dropout rates—on par with the Scholars’ Guild. It’s that demanding.”
“Seriously…?”
“So, lady, what’s your experience with cooking?”
I’ve already confirmed that the skills and memories of my character quest are fully embedded in this body.
So I’ll be honest and just tell the truth.
“I worked at a noble’s mansion for seven years. After that, I became a traveling chef, cooking for several mercenary groups. I’m currently working as a chef for a temporarily inactive brigade. I’m looking to join the guild to obtain official status.”
The moment I finished speaking—
“WE GOT A LIVE ONE! WE NEED THIS LADY AT HQ, ASAP!”
Suddenly, a group of haggard-looking men with bloodshot eyes stormed the reception area.
What the heck!? Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!
“Have her take the test at headquarters immediately! She’s young and skilled! I don’t care if she’s a woman!”
“Yes, sir! Alright, lady, the Culinary Guild’s headquarters is in the Artisans’ District! You’re coming with us!”
“We’re not gonna eat you or anything! Let’s go, now, come on!”
“W-Wait a second! Let me at least tell my friend that I’m heading out with you!”
“A friend!? Are they a cook too?!”
“Seriously?!”
“No, no they’re not!”
What the heck… Did I just open the door to some completely insane world!?
“M-Melt! Looks like I’m being taken to the Culinary Guild’s headquarters! What about you!?”
“Ah, Seira! Seems like I’m being brought up to the second floor now. I wonder why?”
“You too, huh? Then I guess we’re going our separate ways today.”
“Got it! See you later, Seira!”
So Melt is going to the second floor… the upper level of the Central Guild?
Since she’s seen as Same’s partner, maybe they’re delivering some kind of message for him?
“Alright, alright! This way, lady! The Culinary Guild loves immediate assets!”
“You have to pass the test, okay?!”
“Let’s go, everyone! Time to welcome our new talent!”
…Something tells me this side is about to get wild too…