AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 133
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Maria : Mebius World Online
Ouren/Yuuzen : I Was a Small Fish
Episode 10-36
“Now then, this is sashimi and carpaccio that Sir Chloe, the Holy Knight, has just ‘purified’ several times! It’s a chance to enjoy rare fresh fish without upsetting your stomach!”
“Oh, how unusual. Well then, let’s have a taste.”
One adventurer stepped forward from the murmuring crowd of customers. A robed adventurer, holding a staff, with the air of a magician.
In fact, this was the former noble adventurer who had been the first to try “the beef stew that looked like muddy water and was avoided by others.”
Thank you for always purchasing from us.
“Well then, as a trial, please enjoy it for free!”
I quickly placed a plate on the magician’s table, offering both the carpaccio and sashimi.
The magician took out his own silver fork, swiftly brought a piece of carpaccio to his mouth, and tasted it.
“This is… magnificent! The flavor of the cut is concentrated, with the unique texture and mouthfeel of raw fish. And this… is this flavored with plant oil and spices? It’s superb! I’ve had similar dishes before, but none as fine as this…”
“Thank you very much. Wait, you’ve had similar dishes? Now I’m curious about what nobles eat.”
The magician closed his eyes and chewed in silence. He didn’t seem to hear me. Do people in this world just not listen when others talk?
“Please try this too. For this one, dip each slice lightly in soy sauce, this dark tea-colored liquid, and then eat it.”
“Hmm, like this?”
“Yes, exactly. You can also add a bit of wasabi, that green stuff, but that’s more for advanced palates.”
The magician promptly stabbed a piece of sashimi with his fork. I didn’t mind the details—after all, it seems this world, or at least this country, doesn’t have a chopstick culture. It’d be difficult for him to use them for the first time.
“Ah… the cut is cold… is this ice magic? No, I don’t sense any magic power, so that means… ice from winter, perhaps? I see, an ice house! This shop must have an ice house! The temperature control is remarkable! And this sauce! Unlike fish sauce, it’s not overly strong, providing just the right amount of saltiness, and the taste is far more refined than I expected!”
Now the magician opened his eyes wide, continuing to speak enthusiastically.
Other adventurers and merchants were watching intently, and Chloe was staring at the food, drooling. Hey, Chloe, you already ate yesterday, didn’t you?
“The world is vast… and there’s still so much I don’t know. Ah, I want to praise the younger me who left the mansion behind. Well done, me! The joy of discovering the unknown lies right here!”
“Ah, right. You’re praising me too much. It’s just a common dish, and I didn’t even come up with it, so I feel a lot of guilt.”
“Manager! Could you please introduce me to the brilliant mind behind this exquisite dish?”
“The person who invented carpaccio and sashimi… who would that be? That’s a tough one. …Sorry, I’m afraid it’s a bit difficult to bring them here.”
“That’s unfortunate… In that case, at least allow me to greet the head chef who prepared it.”
“Sorry, that’s also impossible. We can’t bring them out for, well, a variety of reasons.”
“I see… But I understand the need for secrecy. Please at least convey my compliments ‘The knife skills that preserved the texture of the meat were truly superb.'”
“Thank you. I’m sure they’ll be happy to hear that… Will they, though? Wait, is it okay that the bones were so expertly deboned? Is the target not a monster?”
I muttered the problematic part under my breath.
It seemed the magician didn’t hear, as he quietly resumed eating the carpaccio and sashimi.
“H-Hey, are you really okay? Aren’t you worried the raw fish will make your stomach explode or something?”
“I’m going. I’ll go for it. With the Holy Knight here, she’ll take care of it if anything happens, right?”
“Hey, wait! If the gourmet adventurer gives it a pass, I’m going too!”
“That guy has a good sense of taste, after all. Hey, brother, give me one of each too!”
Thanks to the magician, the “first lab rat” who took the first bite of the dish (or rather, the brave test subject), the carpaccio and sashimi began to sell well among the adventurers.
The merchants and townspeople, however, weren’t quite as eager to eat it. Instead, the merchants were more intrigued by the olive oil used in the carpaccio and the soy sauce for the sashimi. When I told them where they could buy it, they immediately headed to the special sales area managed by Francine-san.
With the new products gaining attention, I turned around and gave a signal with my eyes. The automatic doors at the store’s entrance opened, and Barbera walked in.
Oh, Barbera Papa tried to stand up from the bench but was quickly sat back down by his wife.
All eyes from those in the eat-in space, the deli prep booth, and the merchants at the special sales area turned toward Barbera. More specifically, toward the large object Barbera was carrying on a tray held high with both hands.
“Over here, Barbera! Bring it to the stage!”
“…Understood.”
The crowd of customers stirred.
After all, the tray Barbera held was about 3 meters long, and a giant white object with a tail fin sticking out was resting on top of it.
What is that this time? Is that food too? She’s carrying something so heavy with ease… Could that possibly be a block of salt? No way, could it?
Also, Barbera’s parents were making a fuss “As expected of our beloved daughter! Even humans are mesmerized!” and “Go, Barbera-chan!”
With an expressionless face, Barbera swayed her tail as she climbed onto the stage prepared in front of the eat-in space. Well, it’s just a simple raised platform, really.
Barbera placed the large object onto the table covered with cloth, which was made up of a few conference tables pushed together.
“Now, it’s time to unveil the new specialty of the ‘Dragon Sale!'”
I announced from the side of the stage and gestured toward the large white object. The gathered customers turned their eyes to it, following my movement. Barbera, her face barely visible behind the table, raised a wooden mallet.
“…Taaah!”
She leaped.
Despite the relaxed sound of her voice, her jump was high.
“Wow, that’s really high. Now that I think about it, she was jumping a lot on the beach too.”
She spun.
She was twirling vertically in mid-air.
“…Hiyaah!”
Barbera brought the wooden mallet down on the large white object on the table. The action was flashy, but she made sure to control her strength.
The salt crust shattered dramatically, scattering pieces across the eat-in space. What emerged was a large salt-baked fish that looked similar to tuna.
It might not be the best match for red meat, but I prioritized impact. The test tasting was delicious, and since the customers don’t know what the original dish is, they probably won’t mind.
Right now, they’re excitedly shouting “Ooooh!” The merchants are flocking to the scattered pieces, their eyes wide with curiosity.
Oh, Barbera’s parents, please step back. No touching allowed. You can enjoy family time later.
“The new specialty, ‘Salt-Baked Fish,’ will be served for free today! Starting tomorrow, it will be available for purchase, so please take this opportunity to try it!”
When I tilted the tray to show the customers, they let out an enthusiastic cheer.
It seems “free” is a powerful word in this world too.
“Muuuuh! Human, I desire the shards that my beloved child did so beautifully shattered!”
“Calm down, dear. The real treat is the inside. Naoya, we’d like to try the dish Barbera-chan prepared too.”
“Ah, sure. But please line up like everyone else.”
“A-Anna, is Naoya in his right mind? He’s making two legendary dragons wait in line like regular customers…”
Yes, I’m in my right mind.
Even if they’re the parents of an employee, I can’t give them special treatment.
I learned during new employee training that we must treat all customers politely and equally. It’s tough on us employees, though. What’s going on with Ion Corporation anyway, sending us to another world out of the blue!
“This must be what they call ‘having nerves of steel.’ Perhaps I should open his chest to observe… If I use both ‘Purification’ and ‘Healing,’ I could keep him alive while I…”
Please stop, I’ll die.
Anna-san’s muttering is terrifying. I’d better avoid going anywhere near the basement. Who knows what she’s planning to do to me down there.
“…I want some!”
“Yeah, we’ll do it with a different fish later, alright? For now, let’s focus on the customers.”
Thirty days have passed since I became the store manager of Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
The ‘Dragon Sale’ is thriving with the launch and showcase of new products.