AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 123
Episode 10-25
“It’s a good thing I brought the big bowl… but this is tough.”
Sitting on a fallen tree, I whisk the contents of the wooden bowl I’m cradling. There’s no need to whip it up too much, but breaking up this large quantity of egg whites is quite a task.
“I used to have those tireless skeletons help me back at the Aion Mall Otherworld Store…”
“…Need help?”
“Oh! Even though you’re still a child, you’re offering to help? How wise and kind! Papa is moved!”
“Thanks, Barbera. Could you mix it gently for me? Just enough to make it a bit frothy.”
“…Alright. Got it.”
I hand the huge bowl over to Barbera, who has been watching the task intently. This size is probably necessary to wrap the “Unicorn Fish” she requested. Because of that, I ended up borrowing a large-capacity <Magic Pouch> from Anna.
Speaking of which, dragons have a strange sense of time, as always. Despite appearances, treating someone who’s actually 140 years old like a child is… odd.
It’s the 27th day since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworld Store. It seems I need Barbera’s parents to eat my cooking to secure what the iguana calls “legs.”
… I hope this “legs” thing doesn’t involve them.
What I’m making is a dish that was popular at the tasting event back at the store: salt-crusted baked fish.
“Ohhhh! Such delicate handling! Amazing, Barbera! Truly the daughter of our family!”
Barbera, with her small body, is vigorously whisking the contents of the enormous bowl. Barbera Papa watches closely, getting all excited.
“Alright, while she’s handling that… There’s no herbs from the farm lady, so I guess I’ll have to use something like kelp.”
I soak some dried seaweed I bought at the harbor market in water. The water, by the way, was fetched from the stream that flows beside Barbera’s napping spot. I’ve boiled it, so it should be fine. I hope.
“Hey, Manager! Is there anything I can help with? I can’t just stand here doing nothing while my lady and the little one are helping!”
“Oh, sure. Could you gather some large leaves to use as plates? I brought some pre-cooked fried fish… well, fish-like fillets.”
“Oh! That stuff, huh? That was good! Alright, leave it to me, Manager!”
The iguana, wearing a small hat, wobbled happily into the forest, delighted either to be given a job or to hear that there was some favorite food around. Meanwhile, the other iguanas are just idling around in the forest… is that okay?
“I’ll ask Barbera to reheat the food when she’s free. Now, we’re just waiting for the fish.”
I look towards the beach, visible through the gaps in the trees.
Suddenly, the sea splits open with a splash.
“Kruooooon!”
With a clear, high-pitched roar, a blue dragon emerges. Holding a “Unicorn Fish” in its mouth, it strides onto the beach. It stops at the forest’s edge, then glows and takes on human form.
“Look, Barbera, dear! I caught a big one! It looked so tasty, I couldn’t resist taking a little bite!”
“So excited… and the Unicorn Fish is huge.”
Barbera Mama, with hair the same deep blue as her scales, raises the Unicorn Fish high. Her body, draped in flowing cloth, shines in the sunlight. The dead fish in her hands, dripping blood, looks rather pitiful.
“She took a bite out of it… well, just a little, so it’s not a problem. At least I hope so. Still, I’ll have to clean up the wound, it’s not saving me any work.”
“…Done.”
“Ohhhh! She managed it all by herself despite being just a young dragon! Well done, Barbera! My precious child, you’re amazing!”
Ah, well, as long as the dragon family is enjoying themselves, that’s what matters. Employee satisfaction and family understanding are important for a manager, after all.
After wrestling with the Unicorn Fish for a while, with Barbera Mama providing water as a Water Dragon does, Barbera’s dad kept fidgeting, asking, “Is it my turn yet?” until he was calmed down by both mom and Barbera.
I miss the kitchen back at the Aion Mall Otherworld Store. I also miss the skeletons who silently helped out.
“Alright, now for the ‘baking’ part. We can’t do it in the forest, so let’s take it to the beach. Ugh, it’s heavy. I remember the skeletons putting things on a cart for me at Aion Mall.”
“…I’ll carry it.”
“Thanks, Barbera. You’re small, but you’re still a dragon.”
Barbera, who looks about ten years old, effortlessly lifts the tray with the “Unicorn Fish” on it. I follow her as she walks with the tray held high above her head. Barbera Papa, sensing his turn is near, lets flames slip from his mouth. The fire on his tail blazes fiercely, threatening to scorch the forest.
“Uh, is that okay? Oh, I see, Barbera Mama is putting it out.”
“Hey, Manager! You made it! How’s this look?”
Iguanas have gathered on the beach of Twin Dragon Island. How many? I can’t count them all, but they each have stones in their front paws.
I had asked the iguanas, who had gathered large leaves to use as plates, to make a “fireplace” next. Even though we’re doing salt-crusted fish, and the outer layer will be discarded after cooking, placing it directly on the beach just didn’t feel right.
“This is great. The fireplace is just a base anyway; we’re not baking with it directly. Barbera, could you gently set it down?”
“…Got it. Gently, very gently.”
“Oh, how clever my dear child is, even at such a young age! How adorable is our daughter!”
“Calm down, dear. Look, it’s finally your turn.”
“Indeed! Human, I shall incinerate it with my breath!”
“That sounds like I might get incinerated too. Also, please don’t completely burn it; we won’t be able to eat the food if that happens.”
“Such a demanding human!”
“…Papa, I want to eat delicious food.”
“Yes, yes, leave it to Papa, Barbera. Human, how thoroughly should it be cooked? Should I char it to the point of burning the flesh? To where the bones crumble? Or hot enough to melt iron?”
“That’s way too intense! Let’s see… I want it cooked through, but I don’t know what temperature that would be. Maybe around 200°C? Though it might need to be higher since this isn’t an oven…”
“…Leave it to me.”
I don’t feel confident about getting the temperature right. As I ponder this, Barbera approaches her father. Her father, visibly pleased, leans down to listen as Barbera whispers something in his ear. After a moment of nodding, he straightens up.
“Is that all? Very well, human! For the love of my dear child, I shall show you my finest cooking flame!”
He enthusiastically takes a deep breath. Still in human form, he breathes fire. Unlike the heat ray I saw before, today’s flames resemble a flamethrower. The stone base and tray, along with the salt-crusted “Unicorn Fish,” are enveloped in flames.
“Wow, that’s amazing. By the way, Barbera, what did you say to make him understand?”
“…I told him to cook it deliciously.”
“That was simpler than I imagined. I see, a dragon’s breath brings about the desired result, so you don’t need to worry about specific temperatures or times.”
“…Yes. Because Papa is the strongest.”
“Ah, I see, so as the strongest ‘Crimson Legendary Dragon’ among dragons, his breath can achieve anything he desires.”
I watch absentmindedly as the strongest dragon breathes with great enthusiasm. The salt crust on the fish starts to brown. It looks like it’s cooking nicely.
“Aaaaaah! What is with this otherworld?! What was all that time I spent agonizing over oven temperatures for?! The magical creatures here are just way too unfair!”
On the 27th day since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworld Store, my scream echoed across the beach, surrounded by the cliffs of Twin Dragon Island.
Oh, sorry to startle you! Please don’t all jump like that, it’s a bit scary, Iguana-sans.