Chapter 24: Buying Magic Fish

“Huh? You can’t…? You won’t buy them?”

Ren had excitedly gone to the Adventurers’ Guild’s purchasing counter, but now stood there looking confused.

Like when he sold horn rabbits, he planned to sell the required parts and take the fish meat home—but he was told that wasn’t possible.

“We can buy them, sure—but you can’t take the meat home. If they were bigger, maybe. Even though they’re magic fish, they’re just too small.”

“Huh!? They’re magic fish!?”

“You brought them in without knowing?”

It seemed the iridescent river fish were magic fish. The major difference between magic fish and normal fish was that magic fish contained mana—and even small ones had magic stones.

While the magic stones could be sold, in the case of small magic fish, the value of the stone didn’t justify the effort of processing the fish. That was why he couldn’t take the meat home.

“I wanted to eat the fish…”

“Then your best option is to clean and prepare it yourself. Or—if you want—you can sell it to the cafeteria. They’ll give you a discounted meal.”

“Huh?”

Basically, it meant bringing ingredients to the guild cafeteria and having them cook it for you. Depending on the quantity and quality, the meal would be discounted—and if you brought enough, it could even be free.

Ren’s face lit up.

“Though if the cafeteria’s busy, they might refuse. But it’s still before noon, so you should be fine.”

“Okaaay!”

Ren immediately headed to the guild cafeteria with the magic fish.

“Oh, iridescent fish, huh? Steamed and grilled okay?”

“Yes!”

Instead of the usual waitress, a large, bald man came out, took one look at the fish, and spoke. It seemed to be a well-known type of magic fish.

For the five fish Ren brought, they agreed to cook one dish for free.

Apparently, selling them outright would’ve been more profitable, since cooking involved extra labor. Still, Ren was just happy he’d get to eat fish.

They told him to come back at lunchtime when the cafeteria opened, and in the meantime, Ren decided to do some research in the guild’s archive room.

He headed straight to the beginner section.

Pulling out wooden tablets from the shelves one by one, he checked their contents. He was a bit curious about how to process horn rabbits, but that wasn’t what he was looking for.

“Found it!”

■ How to Process Magic Fish

1. Safety Check

• Make sure it’s completely dead.
  Some magic fish can play dead—check if the gills or tail are moving. 
• Check for fangs, horns, and fins.
  Some species have sharp fins or small horns, so use cloth or leather gloves to avoid injury. 
• Beware of residual mana.
  Recently killed magic fish may still contain mana, causing small shocks or spasms. Let it rest for a while to be safe. 

2. Bleeding

• Cut the base of the gills with a knife. 
• Lightly submerge it in river water to drain the blood. 

3. Removing Scales

• Scrape from tail to head using the back of a knife or a scaler. 
• Magic fish scales are often harder than normal fish—don’t apply too much force. 

Some scales can be sold as simple magical materials.

4. Opening the Belly

• Insert the knife from the anus up to just before the chest fins. 
• Don’t cut too deep—there’s a magic stone inside. 

5. Removing Organs

• Pull out the organs by hand or with a knife. 
• Don’t rupture the gall bladder (green sac), or the meat will become bitter. 

6. Removing the Magic Stone

Magic stones are usually located:

• Near the heart 
• Under the spine 
• In the head 

Small fish usually have stones about the size of a pinkie nail. Carefully extract and store them in cloth or leather.

7. Cleaning

• Wash out blood and membranes thoroughly. 
• Leaving the dark membrane will cause a strong mana odor. 

8. Cutting

For small fish:

• Remove the head 
• Fillet into three pieces 
• Or cut into chunks 

Bones are often harder than normal fish—be careful.

Notes for Beginners

• Many novices get injured by fins or teeth—be cautious. 
• Magic stones are a key income source—always collect them. 
• Don’t eat unfamiliar species—they may be poisonous. 

■ Simple Cooking Methods for River Magic Fish

Ingredients

• Small magic fish 
• Salt 
• Wild herbs 
• Water (boil if for drinking) 

Preparation

• Remove organs, scales, and gall bladder 
• Take out the magic stone 
• Wash thoroughly 

Cooking

• Grilled Fish: Salt and cook whole on hot stones until browned 
• Fish Soup: Cut into pieces and simmer with herbs for 5–10 minutes 

“Huh? I needed to bleed them? …Wait, was bringing them back alive a bad idea…?”

No one at the counter or cafeteria had said anything, but Ren began to worry that he might’ve done something wrong.

Still feeling uneasy, he reread the instructions several times, trying to memorize the process.

Before long, the sound of the noon bell echoed through the guild.