Seaside Cuisine

"Ugh, my head feels like it's splitting…"

"I bet. Here, drink some hot water, it'll help, Azu-chan."

"Thank you. Doesn't the healing miracle work on this?"

"Doesn't work on that kind of thing, unfortunately."

Azu took the hot water Elza offered and let out a sigh of relief.

She'd only realized she'd been teased after finishing the shaved ice.

Azu had been the only one who didn't know seawater was salty, and rather than accepting it gracefully, she'd gotten stubborn about it. This was the result.

"Well, you'll never forget it now."

"Even if I wanted to forget, I couldn't. Haah."

She drained the rest of the hot water.

She seemed to finally be getting back to normal.

The group had just arrived at the resort town of Amalfi.

All four of them were relaxing in a shared room.

True to his word, Yohane had put the money Azu and the others earned to use and booked a nice inn.

Or rather, they'd arrived at a bad time, and every inn except the high-end ones was fully booked.

Normally, a walk-in without a reservation couldn't get a room at a luxury inn, but Yohane held a seat at Kassad's merchant guild, which gave him some credibility within the kingdom.

There was a restriction of cash payment up front, but they managed to secure a room.

Getting two rooms was too much of a stretch, so they opted for a large room that accommodated up to six.

This was business as usual for them.

Azu and the others didn't mind at all.

"Oh, this is so soft."

Azu remarked in surprise as she sat on a cushion.

She enjoyed the sensation of slowly sinking into it.

Her long silver hair swayed, catching the room's light.

She looked relaxed, her expression bright and unguarded.

Looking after Orleans seemed to have enriched Azu's emotional range even further.

Yohane pressed his hand into a nearby cushion, and it sank in with ease.

"High-quality stuff, as you'd expect."

"You're always pinching pennies in the end, so are you really sure about this?"

"Once in a while is fine. Good opportunity—let's order food too."

"In that case, I'll happily indulge."

Alexia flipped through the menu in high spirits.

Elza chimed in from beside her.

They suggested this and that, and ended up ordering most of the menu.

After ordering an array of dishes including local specialties, a hotel employee soon arrived with the food.

The sight of a large table filling up with plates was quite the spectacle.

As they received explanations of each dish, appetizing aromas filled the room.

Carpaccio and stewed dishes made with the local red fish, pasta with a special oil, paella with shrimp taking center stage, and more.

It was a spread of dishes they'd never normally get to see.

Just looking at them was a feast in itself.

Yohane and Elza deftly portioned food onto individual plates.

Azu received a seafood salad first, drizzled dressing from a small container over it, and took a bite.

Slices of fish and fresh leafy greens mingled with the tangy dressing, making for a truly delicious combination.

"Raw fish is actually delicious."

"Saltwater fish are fine, but never eat river fish raw."

"You can't?"

"Absolutely not."

"Understood…"

They chatted like that as they worked through the dishes.

The meals Yohane prepared for his slaves tasted good, but the presentation was plain.

Perhaps because of that, their appetites were even heartier than usual.

Plates emptied in the blink of an eye, and by the time a complimentary tropical tea was delivered, they'd polished off everything.

The expensive inn lived up to its price with impeccable service—plates were cleared away without anyone having to lift a finger.

Since cleanup usually took time and effort, being able to linger in the afterglow of a meal was a welcome luxury.

"That was so good. I've never had milk ice cream before."

"Impressive skill. The seasoning and plating were both flawless."

"Is it really okay to indulge like this?"

Azu sipped her tropical tea through a straw made from a wheat stalk.

Their daily life was already fairly comfortable, if dangerous by trade.

This surpassed anything she'd imagined.

Hearing Azu's murmur, Yohane laughed while picking at some fruit.

"Of course, once this is over, I'll be putting you all back to work. For now, enjoy yourselves."

"If you say so… I guess it's okay?"

Azu's question dissolved into the air.

She simply wasn't accustomed to luxury.

She'd gotten used to being worked hard, but being spoiled was something she didn't quite know how to handle.

"Worrying about it is a waste. Whether he profits or loses, it's all on our Master over there. More importantly, shall we shower and turn in for the night?"

"Yes, yes! We're buying swimsuits and going swimming tomorrow, right? We need to save our energy."

At Alexia's suggestion, they called it a night after chatting a bit more.

After showering, the room felt a bit humid, so they slept with the windows open.

The sight of them in nightwear was alluring, but Yohane was long since used to it and felt nothing.

Each time the wind blew, the briny scent of the sea drifted into the room.

The smell of the ocean was slightly fishy, but it gradually stopped bothering them.

Before long, they fell into a deep sleep.

 

＊　＊　＊

 

After Yohane and the others settled in for the night, the dark sea stirred. Something enormous watched the town of Amalfi from the surface.

With eyes like lead, devoid of any emotion.

Eventually, it sank slowly beneath the water.

Not a single person noticed.