Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 182: Great Success
After our big hit with the crab monster, we decided to focus on other crustaceans—but shrimp-like and shellfish-type monsters turned out to be terrible.
I had no idea why only the crab tasted so good, but still—discovering such a jackpot was huge progress.
“Phew… I’m so full, I can’t eat another bite!”
“I suppose that’s good for today. Ren-san, Mika-san, Yui-san, Shoji-san—thank you all so much for your help.”
“This much? Anytime. I mean, it honestly felt more like playing around than working.”
“Right!? None of the sea monsters were that strong either! It reminded me of eating flower nectar and weird berries back in grade school!”
“Oh, totally! I used to love finding tasty things in nature too! Not that they were actually tasty when I think back now, though!”
Were they talking about azalea nectar?
I used to sip that as a kid too, and realizing Mika-san and the others—who are almost two decades younger than me—did the same made me oddly emotional.
I’d heard rumors that it was toxic, so I thought that tradition had died out long ago.
“I used to sip nectar too! And I’ll never forget tasting the cherry tomatoes we grew in class. I used to hate tomatoes, but that experience helped me get over it.”
“Really? So those school gardening lessons actually helped!”
“I liked home economics the best—since we got to eat.”
“Same! I remember being in the same group as Yui, and her ginger pork was so good!”
“I, on the other hand, remember Mika’s rolled omelette being terribly bitter.”
“Oh, right! I burned it! You thought the burnt part was seaweed and shoved it in your mouth!”
“I’ll never forget that bitterness.”
Their nostalgic talk was filled with laughter.
It really showed how close these four childhood friends were.
I once had friends like that too, but we’ve long drifted apart… so I felt a little envious.
Still, being included like this, creating new fun memories now—it made me realize I might be one of the luckier middle-aged men out there.
“Seems like elementary school memories are universal. I really miss home economics cooking classes.”
“So you did those too, Sato-san? Hard to picture.”
“Really? I can totally imagine it—you’re great at cooking.”
“I think it’s more like… we just can’t imagine Sato-san as a kid.”
“Hah, true! ‘Little Sato’ sounds so weird!”
“Is that so? I was quite cute as a child, you know?”
“Seriously!? No way you were cute!”
What a cruel thing to say… though, come to think of it, maybe only my parents ever called me cute.
I couldn’t recall anyone else ever saying so.
Realizing that was quietly a bit of a shock.
Still, being loved by my parents alone made me lucky enough.
“Let’s end that debate there. We should continue chatting on the carriage ride back—it’s no use standing here.”
“Good point! But I can’t help talking to you, Sato—you’re just fun to talk to!”
“Agreed. You’re great at keeping a conversation going.”
“Yeah, and the generation gap makes the stories even more fun!”
“I appreciate the compliments, but let’s pack up first.”
And with that, I gently forced the conversation to a close, and we started packing up.
I’d have loved to catch another of those delicious crab monsters to bring back, but it wouldn’t fit in the carriage, so I gave up on that idea.
Fortunately, we still had half of the crab leg left over—that would be our trophy from the trip.
Just thinking about what to make with it made me excited: crab shabu, crab fried rice, crab cream pasta, crab croquettes, crab porridge…
So many possibilities—and maybe Norman could even help me come up with new dishes.
Honestly, I wanted to try it raw too… but food poisoning in this world sounded like no joke.
Thinking about future crab recipes, I helped with the cleanup.
The ride back flew by thanks to all the chatting, and before we knew it, we’d returned to the villa.
Even camping along the way had been fun—it really was a great experience overall.
“Sato-san, welcome back! You’re not hurt, are you?”
“I’m back, Sheila-san. I’m fine—didn’t get so much as a scratch.”
The moment I returned, Sheila hurried over, patting me all over to check for injuries.
It was a bit embarrassing, but her concern honestly made me happy.
The adventure had been wonderful, but still—this villa felt like home.
Seeing her reaction made me realize that clearly.
“Whew… I’m glad to hear that. How was your work as a gourmet explorer?”
“I got some solid results—and more importantly, I had a lot of fun. Next time, you should come with us.”
“Really!? Please take me next time!”
Her eyes sparkled with genuine enthusiasm; I could tell she truly wanted to go.
Smiling at her reaction, I rolled up my sleeves—because even though I’d just gotten back, I decided to join Norman in the kitchen and cook the crab monster for everyone to enjoy.