第１５９６堀：釣った魚たちのお味は？ (Part1)
Chapter 1596: How Do the Caught Fish Taste?
Side: Rurua
Once we finished investigating the poisonous monsters at the request of Dressa and her group, we headed to the Adventurer’s Guild, only to find...
"Alright, how should we prepare these?"
"Well, I’d say sashimi, grilled, and then a hot pot would be best."
"Then I’ll leave it to you, Yuki."
"Understood. Come on, the rest of you know how to cook, right? Let’s get to it before the ingredients spoil."
"““Yeah!””"
"Narjia, please manage the materials for the investigation and see to the storage of the meat and blood."
"Leave it to us! Come on everyone, let’s do our best!"
"““Yeah!””"
It felt less like a meeting or an investigation into a new species and more like a festival. And as an added bonus...
"Oh my, it smells absolutely divine in here."
"Yeah, it’s making me hungry."
"…It really is."
Just as Lilishe and Hilen said, the air was filled with a scent that spoke directly to the stomach. To be specific, it was the mouth-watering aroma of grilled fish. If only there were some rice and sake to go with it, it would surely be a feast... As I was thinking this, Master seemed to notice me.
"Rurua. You’re here."
"Yes. We’ve identified the locations of the toxins and their components, so we came to report."
"Thanks. Sorry for the trouble."
"Not at all."
Perhaps because he was busy dressing the seafood, there was a faint, fishy scent about him, but his smile was entirely clear. It was a relief to see him enjoying his work so much.
"So, where should we put these monsters?"
"We can’t just put them all in the same place, can we?"
"Ah, right. First off, let me ask: are these toxins corrosive? If so, using standard cutting boards might be out of the question."
"Oh, nothing like that. It’s mostly neurotoxins or mana-inhibiting agents."
"The symptoms are mainly paralysis, loss of spatial awareness, numbing of pain receptors, and for mana, it makes it difficult to manipulate energy properly."
As our investigation revealed, the toxins carried by these fish monsters were surprisingly potent. However, they weren't the type that would melt through things upon contact, as Master had feared. Since they lived underwater, toxins would dilute quickly, and spraying them into the water would be practically useless. If they were going to exert that much pressure to release a spray, they might as well just attack directly. Therefore, most of them injected the toxin into their prey to weaken their resistance and movement before consuming them.
"I see. Well, I suppose spraying poison mist wouldn't do much anyway."
"Exactly. Creatures that live in water are surprisingly sensitive to changes in water quality, and it doesn't diffuse like it does in the air."
"Yep, that’s it. By the way, it’s been smelling great for a while now—are we going to eat them?"
"Of course. We’ll harvest the materials, but we need to check if the meat is edible before we dispose of it. I’ve called Ratz here too; this is an asset, after all."
I see. So this wasn't just a gathering to eat delicious fish. Well, in that case...
"In that case, may we join you? It smells wonderful, and there might be symptoms from toxins we aren't familiar with."
I proposed this to Master, though I felt it might be a bit much to ask, and he replied...
"Ah, that would be a huge help. With this kind of first-time food, you never know about allergies."
"That’s true. Allergies are impossible to predict."
"Why don't you just implement allergy testing already?"
"Before I implement it, I lack the knowledge. I have a vague idea of what to do, but I don't know the specifics. Do you, Hilen?"
"Well, sure. The basics are blood tests, skin reactions, and so on..."
"Do we have the machines for those blood tests?"
"No."
"…Do you know how to operate them, or how many tests can be done in a day?"
"Not a clue."
Hilen’s answer left both Lilishe and me with nothing to do but offer a wry smile. It was the truth, but we couldn't exactly demand he implement it in our current state.
"Sigh. Still, it’s a fact that it would be better to have it. I know you’re all busy, but could you look into the logistics of allergy testing?"
"Understood."
"Sure thing. I’ve thought it would be necessary eventually, anyway."
With the proposal coming from Master, we didn't have to worry about the budget. We had looked into allergy testing ourselves, but it was difficult given the hospital's budget. The machines for testing specific, mass-produced items weren't too expensive, but the type that could test for anything had a skyrocketing price tag. Plus, there was the effort of training hospital staff to use them, which meant a massive amount of paperwork and costs to cover the training.
"Well, I know you’re busy. Don't push yourselves too hard."
"Yes. We will proceed with the allergy testing without overexerting ourselves. Now, which monsters are we eating?"
"Ah, right. Orelia, pass out the documents."
"Yes, here you go."
Orelia, who was standing by, handed them to me, Hovis to Lilishe, and Yayui to Hilen.
"Ugh. Are we really supposed to eat some of these?"
"Ahaha. It looks like a shrimp, doesn't it?"
"Oh, I see. Now that you mention it, it does. At first glance, I thought it was a centipede."
It seemed their reactions were directed at the shrimp-like monster. Indeed, the image of a centipede came to mind much faster than that of a shrimp. If Lilishe hadn't said it first, I would have surely grimaced as well. That said, centipedes are sometimes used as medicine, both for their toxicity and their bodies, so they aren't universally loathed.
"Well, I get the feeling. It’s not even clear if it’s delicious. No one has ever eaten these before. We’ve confirmed there’s no lethal poison, and for anything we can't detect, we have three medical professionals here, so we should be able to manage."
"Ugh, are we just taste-testers?"
"But... it smells so delicious."
"That’s true. Hilen, you don't have to force yourself to eat. If everyone gets poisoned, treatment will be delayed."
I said this not to be snide, but because I genuinely felt someone needed to stay sober to ensure our safety, but...
"No, I’m eating too. That’s mean, Rurua. Are you trying to leave me out?"
"No, that’s not what I meant at all."
"That’s right. Rurua would never think of something like that. I, on the other hand, would."
"What was that!? You’re as spiteful as ever!"