AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 115
Sorry, I accidentally skipped 10-16
Episode 10-17
“Well, I think that’s the basics covered.”
“There are so many fish dishes! It’s amazing how quickly you can make them!”
It was the 26th day since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. Colette’s excited voice echoed in the kitchen behind the supermarket, along with the rattling sounds of an apron-wearing skeleton nodding.
Using the seafood I bought from an iguana who seemed to be the boss of the fishing port, I tried out several dishes. I made grilled fish with salt, pan-fried fillets in butter, soy sauce, and a version of y?an-yaki (a traditional Japanese marinade). I also prepared a simmered dish with a giant flatfish-like creature that had a long tail with a needle on the end. For the shellfish, I grilled them as they were and drizzled them with soy sauce for a beach-style taste. I also fried something that looked like horse mackerel and another that resembled shrimp. I even attempted a version of the bouillabaisse I had in the port town, but with ingredients from the original world.
Colette praised me, but none of these dishes were particularly difficult to make. As long as the seasonings from Japan I brought with me were up to standard, these should be well-received. At least, I hope they will be.
“Considering it takes two weeks to get to the sea, seafood alone might be enough to sell, but I also need a signature dish.”
“A signature dish?! C-can you eat that?!”
“No, not like that. I mean something that stands out, something that customers will come to the store specifically to get. Did I explain this before? Oh, you weren’t here, Colette.”
“Oh, phew. I thought you meant we had to eat eyeballs.”
“Well, you can eat them. Some people actually like them.”
“What?!”
Colette’s tail stood straight up. The skeleton jerked to attention.
In Japan, some people eat the eyes from grilled or simmered tuna, and I’ve learned from cultural exchange that some countries in my original world eat sheep’s eyes. It might not be common over there, and it certainly doesn’t seem to be here either. I’m a bit relieved.
“Naoya-san, may I watch as well? Wow, these dishes look delicious!”
“Anna-san? Is your break okay?”
“Yes, I’m an undead who doesn’t get tired.”
Anna-san entered the kitchen, where the atmosphere was slightly awkward, and her eyes lit up as she saw the finished fish dishes.
“I’m glad it’s Anna-san who came. If it were Chloe or Barbera, they might have snuck a bite.”
“Hehe, those two will listen if you stop them.”
“I hope so.”
“Naoya-san, is everything finished here? If so, I’ll help carry it.”
“Ah, just wait a moment. I want to make a few more dishes.”
“Then I’ll quietly observe. Everyone, keep up the good work!”
After encouraging the apron-wearing skeletons, Anna-san moved to the wall. She’s the perfect example of a model employee at Aion Mall Otherworldly Store—no sneaking bites, no getting in the way. But then again, normal employees here aren’t exactly normal…
“Alright, since we’re on the topic, let’s make ara-jiru (fish head soup) so the heads and bones don’t go to waste.”
“Ara-jiru?”
“It has a bit of a strong flavor and looks a bit…you know. I’m not sure if it’ll be well-received.”
“Any dish you make, Manager, is delicious, so I’m sure it’ll be fine!”
“Colette, your faith in me is terrifying.”
To escape Colette’s pure, trusting eyes, I picked up the “ara” (fish heads and bones) that I’d placed in a large tray. Even the deep and oversized tray fit into the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store’s kitchen sink.
“First, we’ll wash the ‘ara’ thoroughly. Not a pun, I swear, though it probably translates that way through the ring.”
“…Huh? Is this really edible?”
“Naoya-san, don’t tell me…is this going to be like the beef stew…”
“The fish flavor comes through, and it’s delicious. If you wash away the blood and bones thoroughly, it won’t be smelly.”
“W-wash the bones…”
Colette curiously watched my cooking with her round eyes. The skeleton flinched and took a half-step back. Anna-san’s dry voice could be heard.
“After washing it thoroughly, drain it well and sprinkle salt all over, evenly on both the meat and bones.”
“S-sprinkle salt on the bones…”
“Normally, you’d let it sit for 10 to 30 minutes, but let’s just boil some water in the meantime.”
“Everyone, stay strong! Those are fish bones! Salt won’t affect you!”
Leaving the rattling skeletons and Anna-san behind, I filled a small pot with water and put it on the stove. The magic stove heats up quickly, and before you know it, the water is boiling.
“We’ll speed things up. Now, the ‘ara’—heads, bones, and fins—get dipped into the water just before it boils.”
“B-bones in hot water…”
“Here, we take an extra step to remove any remaining scales or blood. Breaking the backbone or larger bones might make it easier to eat.”
“B-breaking bones…”
“Then we add the ‘ara’, water, sake, soup stock, and odor-removing vegetables, and once it boils, we simmer it on low heat.”
“B-bones on the fire…”
I added the prepared “ara” and vegetables into the pot and turned on the heat. The “ara” was large since the fish was big, so I used a stockpot. The industrial-grade sink, kitchen tools, and oven were really helpful.
“Naoya-san, do you have some grudge against skeletons? Was it because we startled you when you first arrived?”
“Anna-san?”
I stopped skimming the broth and looked up to see the skeletons trembling behind Anna-san. This scene felt oddly familiar.
“Oh, right! But these are fish bones! Not skeletons!”
“R-right, they’re not going to boil us… but still—eek!”
“Manager, what’s that smell? It’s nice!”
As I took out the seasonings to add to the fish head soup, Anna-san backed away. The skeletons were getting squeezed against the wall. Colette sniffed the air, wagging her tail.
“Oh, this is ‘miso’. Since I’m not a pro, I thought making it a miso-based soup would be better than a clear broth to avoid any strong odors.”
Given the large quantity, I scooped a good amount of miso with a ladle. Both the skeletons and even Anna-san began to shiver.
“B-bones, and then that, no, putting that in food…”
I dissolved the miso into the stockpot. Some people can’t stand the smell, but Colette seemed fine. Her mouth was slightly open, and she looked like she was about to drool.
“Oh, was the smell of miso too much for you, Anna-san?”
“It’s not about the smell! I’m so sorry, Naoya-san, I’ll make sure the skeletons never approach at night again, so please just don’t—”
“Huh? What’s wrong? I’ve gotten used to it, and as long as it’s not dark, I’m fine with—”
“I’ve drunk muddy water, chewed on tree roots, and eaten bark, but that—that’s just…”
“That’s such a heavy past. Wait, do you really hate miso that much? Why? Oh.”
I realized it.
I had learned during cultural exchange that some people dislike the smell of cooked rice or miso. And miso, besides that—
“I and the others…we can’t eat excrement… I think most people in this world would agree…”
…
………
“No, no! This is made from fermented soybeans, not that! It’s totally different!”
This was the 26th day since I became the manager of Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
It’s been a while since I encountered such a cultural gap. Even people from my world don’t eat that! At most, they use it as fertilizer or dry it for fuel!