I took out the fish and shellfish that I had stored with storage magic. I might have overbought, thinking I could store them with magic.

"...It's always so mysterious when I see this magic. Being able to carry around this many ingredients just as they were when stored—it’s enviable," said Fara.

Indeed, it’s an incredibly convenient ability, not just for merchants but also for cooks. With this magic, there’s no need for refrigerators.

"These are all magnificent fish and shellfish. I’m relieved to see that I recognize them all, so I should be able to prepare them just fine."

Some fish require special techniques for preparation. There were even poisonous fish like fugu for sale, though I didn’t buy any this time. Cooking really does require a fair bit of knowledge.

"Thank you very much. That was very helpful."

"Not at all. If this is all you need, I’m happy to teach anytime."

Fara taught me how to clean and prepare fish. It’s surprisingly time-consuming—scaling the fish, removing the small bones, and so on. Just like with meat, the fish displayed in supermarkets go through a lot of preparation before they’re put on the shelves.

"I’ll grill these fish and shellfish on the net for you."

"Yes, please. I’ll also do a bit of cooking on my end."

Basically, grilling them on a net, as I’d seen in the shops and stalls, is the standard way to eat them. Since this was a special occasion, I felt like trying a bit of cooking myself.

By the way, I decided not to serve sashimi this time. Although I used my perception skill to confirm there were no parasites, it would be disastrous if something happened to Sara, the third princess of this country. I’ll try it myself first, and if the opportunity arises again, I’ll consider serving it. Besides, sashimi might be a bit of a cultural leap for people unaccustomed to eating raw food.

"Master Masayoshi, it’s been a while!"

"Miss Sara, it’s been a while. Miss Gina and Mr. Darga look well too, I’m glad to see."

"You look well too, Master Masayoshi."

"As always, you seem to be traveling all over the place, Master Masayoshi. I hear you even went to the town of Lowan recently."

"Yes, I’m still wandering around freely as usual."

"...Um, about that adorable owl over there?"

"Hoo!"

"This is my summoned beast, Fūsuke. Isn’t he cute?"

I had excused myself earlier, pretending to go to the restroom, but I’d actually returned to my room to fetch Fūsuke. If we’re going to enjoy delicious food, I want to share it with him. It wouldn’t even take 30 minutes. If Mr. Mamoru happens to contact me during this time, I’ll just have to give up.

"He’s so adorable! Um, could I touch him a bit later?"

"Of course."

"Thank you!"

"...A summoned beast, huh? This is the first time I’ve seen one. Not even the nobles or royalty of this country have one."

"Captain, I’ve stopped being surprised by anything Master Masayoshi does."

Apparently, summoned beasts are extremely rare. It seems that gathering enough magic stones, knowledge of magic circles, and sufficient magical power makes it a significant challenge.

It’s probably better to tell strangers that I tamed a magical creature rather than explaining about summoning.

"Well then, let’s eat before the food gets cold. Mr. Fara, could you serve us, please?"

"Yes. Allow me to explain the dishes. These are the seafood from the town of Lowan that Master Masayoshi provided. They’ve been lightly salted, but they pair wonderfully with fish sauce or a seasoning called soy sauce that Master Masayoshi brought."

For Japanese people, soy sauce is the ultimate choice for seafood. Simply drizzle some soy sauce over grilled fish or shellfish, and it’s perfection! This is freshly pressed soy sauce, too. While I’m not exactly a connoisseur, I feel like it tastes better than regular soy sauce.

"And here are two dishes Master Masayoshi prepared: foil-baked Slive Salmon and Mechimada Muniere. I had the chance to taste them, and both were incredibly delicious with flavors I’d never experienced before."

The two dishes I prepared this time are simple yet delicious fish recipes you can easily make at home.

The foil-baked dish involves seasoning fish fillets with salt and pepper, adding vegetables, mushrooms, and butter, then wrapping them in foil or cooking paper and gently heating them on low heat. Finish with a splash of soy sauce, and it’s done. At home, you can just wrap the ingredients and microwave them for an easy version.

The Muniere dish is also extremely simple but ends up tasting like something you’d get at a restaurant, with crispy skin and a delicious flavor. It’s one of my favorites.

Season the Mechimada fillets with salt and pepper, pat them dry, and coat them in flour before frying. After frying for a bit, add butter to the pan, spooning the melted butter over the fillets as they cook. Finally, make a sauce with the fish drippings, butter, soy sauce, and lemon juice, and pour it over the fillets to finish the dish.

"This is amazing! I never thought I’d get to eat such fresh fish and shellfish in the capital!"

"Delicious! And it’s my first time seeing so many different kinds of fish and shellfish. Around here, we only have a few types of river fish or dried fish for sale."

"Master Masayoshi, this is incredibly delicious! Thanks to this soy sauce seasoning, it tastes even better than just using salt!"

"It’s true! Unlike fish sauce, which transfers a bit of fishy smell to the seafood, this soy sauce doesn’t have that. It enhances the rich, fatty fish with a light saltiness, making it taste even better!"

"Princess, this foil-baked dish is delicious too! The tender fish, combined with butter and this soy sauce... ugh, this would go perfectly with some sake!"

"Lady Sara, this Muniere dish has such a crispy texture—it’s my first time experiencing this. The sauce on top is also incredible!"

"Indeed, all the dishes are truly delicious! Thank you, Master Masayoshi!"

"Hoo!!"

It seems everyone, including Fūsuke, was satisfied. The salt-grilled dishes I had at the shop were great, but as a Japanese person, nothing beats soy sauce for fish and shellfish.

Now for today’s dessert. Since we’ve already tried a variety of cakes, I decided to bring something other than cake this time.