212: Sushi Festival in Shiburasumis

" " "Let's eat!" " "

Alright, let's dig into some sushi.

First, the deep red tuna meat.

Wow, just one bite and the rich umami floods my mouth.

The mild soy sauce and wasabi add just the right touch, letting the subtle tang of the vinegared rice and the robust flavor of the tuna itself unfold in my mouth.

This is the taste of tuna that swam freely and survived in the wild—muscle built from a life lived in the ocean.

Next comes a beautifully marbled piece of tuna belly.

Ah, this is like... no, it's actually melting in my mouth right now.

Not just a lump of fat—just the right balance of flesh mixed in, the umami clinging to my tongue the more I chew, spreading rich flavor throughout my mouth.

This is the taste of a well-cared-for, high-quality tuna belly...

"Delicious, isn't it?"

Taking a sip of tea and pausing briefly, I move on.

This time, it's flounder—a white fish.

Ah, it has a light, truly bland taste—exactly what "淡白" (tashibaku) means.

Yet you can clearly sense its solid flavor, rich fat, and satisfying texture, and you can taste the unique essence that only this fish can offer.

Next comes the ikura makizushi.

Hmm, the ikura bursts in your mouth with a pleasant pop, each time spreading a well-balanced saltiness.

The seaweed wrapping the vinegared rice isn't overpowering—it subtly enhances the ikura without overshadowing it.

Then comes the uni makizushi.

This one is rich and clinging, as if it sticks to the tongue of its own accord.

A thick, unctuous paste with no unpleasant odor—this brings me pure happiness.

"Yeah, really."

This is… sushi made from a creature similar to my true self, the octopus.

Hmm, it's chewy.

With a firm texture, the flavor deepens the more you chew.

Thanks to thorough preparation beforehand, it's truly delicious.

Next up is mackerel.

A type of sushi known as "nigiri," this dish features thick, firm fish meat pressed firmly onto vinegared rice, delivering a satisfying chew, a citrusy aroma, and a noticeably pronounced tanginess from the vinegar.

Ah, delicious.

"It's the kind of thing you could eat forever."

Now, something different—this one's a twist.

First, a foie gras made from a duck known as Nikanagachou, said to be raised in the Gret Farm system—this duck has a specialized liver that stores fat, separate from its regular liver.

This is... rich and heavy, yet it carries the savory essence of bird rather than fish.

The rice and foie gras entwine in the mouth... I can't help but smile broadly.

Next is kōkinrōdai—a type of sea bream bred in the Niri-anipotts star system, which never stops swimming from birth until death… in fact, it seems to have no concept of land, having never touched the ground since hatching from its mother’s eggs.

Hmm, hmm… because it’s been swimming nonstop all its life, the texture is incredibly firm and resilient.

It's safe to eat only because the chef prepares it properly—otherwise, you'd end up chewing it until the flavor disappears.

But it's delicious—excellent taste and rich, buttery texture.

Here, a scallop sushi from the Vanillacid system, resembling a natural specimen.

Ah, just putting it in your mouth is enough to tell.

Subtle sweetness, the distinct umami of shellfish, a refreshing aroma, and a delightfully bouncy, springy texture...

This is easily one of the best clams I've ever eaten.

"hehehehe..."

"I can't take it anymore..."

Vilijanila, me, and Johalis can't stop smiling.

Even though our conversation is minimal, just seeing each other's grins is enough to convey how delicious and wonderful this feels.

So, let's order some more.

All three of us ordered whatever we felt like eating, took it, put it in our mouths, and couldn’t help but smile each time.

It feels like we could eat forever like this...

No, actually, in my case, I really could eat forever—so this might be dangerous if I don’t keep myself in check.

Still, as we kept eating, I began to think...

But if they handle so many fish, I bet a seafood soup made from the bones and scraps left after filleting would be incredibly delicious...

I thought it, and couldn't help but mutter it out.

...

Our eyes meet with the chef on the other side of the counter.

The chef, seemingly resigned, glanced briefly in some direction, then turned his gaze toward the ordering terminal in our private room.

I pick up the terminal.

There it was—something that hadn’t been there a moment ago: a dish called "Today’s Seafood Soup."

This might be an underground menu item.

Perhaps only those who noticed it were offered this dish.

I couldn’t resist ordering it.

After placing my order, instead of coming through the counter, the waiter quietly brought the dish in from outside.

"Then, I’ll begin."

I took a sip of the soup.

I felt the universe.

I suppose you might not understand what I'm saying, but it was a flavor unlike anything else—indescribable.

Probably because it was made by simmering seafood from various star systems and finishing it with salt from the Siblasmith asteroid.

This flavor can only be found in a shop located in the Siblasmith system—no other shop in any other star system could ever replicate it.

A taste so pure and refreshing, as if the world stretched endlessly before me—yet so intensely delicious it struck straight into my very mind—left me on the verge of tears.

"This soup... I couldn't possibly write about it. I wouldn't even want to."

"Indeed. The true flavor only reveals itself when you discover it for yourself..."

"Delicious... so delicious... truly wonderful..."

With that, we left utterly satisfied.

A delicious meal is truly something wonderful.

Surely, this is one of the undeniable truths of this world?