Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 127 – Velvet-san’s Main Topic
After playing games for a while, we all had dinner together.
Since it had been a while since Velvet-san last visited, I decided to serve Japanese food.
We invited Rozzo-san, Lua-san, and the others too, and after a lively meal with everyone, I stayed behind in the living room with Velvet-san to talk.
By the way, Sheila-san and Helena were off in the recreation room, engrossed in their daily Smash Bros. showdown, so now was a good time for a private conversation.
“Finally, the after-dinner time has arrived. I’d love to hear about the other topic, but… shall we start with the new manga?”
“Yes. I want to show it to you before Sheila and the others come back, so please go ahead and read it first.”
With that, I received the new manga from Velvet-san.
Even at first glance, it was obvious this one was a big step up from the last.
The detailing was amazing—she had clearly made good use of the pen nibs I gifted her the other day.
Digital may be the norm nowadays, but the scent of ink on this physical manuscript already had me excited before even reading it.
I took a deep breath and began reading Velvet-san’s new manga.
It was about 20 pages long, a short story again this time.
The content was completely different from her last work:
This one featured a woman who had been sacrificed to a monster as the protagonist.
The story began with her being offered as a sacrifice on behalf of her village, and followed her wild attempts to escape from the monster—an action-comedy piece.
Given that this world is one where monsters roam freely, the monster illustrations were downright incredible.
The methods she used to escape were uniquely “otherworldly,” making the story genuinely impressive.
The protagonist, much like Ikkyu-san, relied on clever tricks rather than special powers, which made the suspense perfectly balanced.
Despite being praised for her previous work, Velvet-san boldly took the story in a whole new direction this time—and she nailed it. She’s clearly talented.
“…It was insanely good! Velvet-san, you really are a genius!”
“R-Really? I’m glad you liked it.”
“It wasn’t just good—it was super good! I can’t believe you can handle a totally different genre like this!”
“The idea of a village ruled by a monster offering human sacrifices is kind of cliché… but I’m glad you found it fun, Sato.”
“It wasn’t just fun—the art was also incredible! The monster designs were fantastic! And using a full spread to overwhelm the reader? That’s not easy to pull off!”
“I really focused on that part, so I’m happy you liked it. Alright, hand it back now.
Even though Velvet-san maintained a calm demeanor, the corners of her mouth were clearly lifted and the edges of her eyes drooped slightly—she was obviously pleased with my honest praise.
I figured it’s best not to point that out, though.
“It’s such an amazing piece. We should put it in the recreation room. It’s a waste if only I get to read it.”
“…No way! I’m still too embarrassed!”
Velvet-san quickly put the manuscript back into her bag.
However, she did pause to think for a moment, so maybe after a few more works and some more confidence, she might allow it to be shared.
“It really is great though… I think everyone would love it too.”
“No means no! Anyway—time for the real reason I came! It wasn’t to show off the manga, but because I found some amazing ingredients!”
“Amazing ingredients? You mean from this world?”
“Exactly.”
I wanted to push the manga topic a little more, but this new one was just as intriguing.
She had mentioned before that she was hunting for tasty ingredients, so she had finally found something?
“Now I’m definitely curious. What kind of amazing ingredient is it?”
“It’s inside this jar. It’s honey—will you taste a bit?”
She handed me a small jar filled with honey-like syrup.
It resembled honey, but it was darker and had a much stronger aroma.
I scooped a bit with a spoon and gave it a taste.
“—It’s delicious! It has a great aroma and a strong sweetness. There’s a bit of an off-note, but it actually adds a nice complexity!”
“Right!? You might be mad once I tell you, but that honey was collected by a monster.”
“I don’t see why that would make me angry. Honey from a monster? That sounds interesting. What kind of monster?”
“Queen Needle. You don’t mind that it’s monster honey?”
“Not at all. Is eating monsters considered taboo in this world?”
“It’s not exactly encouraged. Monsters are usually dangerous, so most people are psychologically averse to the idea.”
I see… it might be similar to insect cuisine in Japan.
It might taste good, but people probably dislike it because of how it looks.
“Huh, I think that’s the first time I’ve heard that. By the way, what kind of monster is a Queen Needle?”
“It’s a monster that lives in a place called the Bubble Forest, west of the royal capital. It looks like a giant bee.”
“A giant bee sounds terrifying. Did you collect the honey from this Queen Needle, Velvet-san?”
“Not me—I got it from someone with the profession called ‘Delicacy Hunter.’ They’re a weird person who eats all kinds of monsters, but this Queen Needle honey was exceptionally delicious.”
Monster-based gourmet cuisine might feel pretty standard in concept, but in this world, such a person gets labeled as a Delicacy Hunter.
Well, thinking about it, it’s kind of like someone in Japan who specializes in eating insects…
Yeah, they’d probably be called a delicacy hunter too.