The Archmage’s Restaurant

# 117

Chapter.28 Freshwater Fish

***

“So is this where the secret of the fish lies?”

“That’s right!”

“But this isn’t a river?”

Mountains ahead and mountains behind. They are all mountains. There are no rivers or valleys. But isn’t having fish the same as having cows living in the sea?

There is a stream of water flowing between the rocks, but it is correct to call this a valley, and the water flowing from a plastic bottle is also called a valley.

The place that Mr. Eun-eo guided us to was not in the direction of Mt. Gray. Completely opposite to Gray Mountain. If Gray Mountain is south of Gray City, this is completely north.

If I had to say it, would it be a nearby mountain?

“Do you know how long I spent raising these guys?”

“well. “How long have you been there?”

“30 years!”

“That long?”

Ayu is a fish that usually returns. When young, they live in the sea, but come up to the river in spring. It seemed to have very different characteristics from the slang I knew.

The same goes for 30 years. I am a craftsman who has been selling fish for longer than the time I was summoned to this world.

“Now I can finally raise these guys! Still, I have to make a living, so it’s already been 30 years since I thought about raising these animals to eat while farming!”

“Has it been that long? “Your tenacity is amazing.”

“What’s so delicious about persistence? People just look for Uka or Uba fish and don’t know that these freshwater fish exist, so I wanted to make them aware. “It was a waste to eat it just for me.”

“That’s cool. mister.”

“Well, it’s a failed life, so what?”

The man scratched the back of his head with a humble expression. But it’s true that it’s cool. It is a common feeling to want others to know the field you are passionate about.

However, investing 30 years for that is not easy. This is an effort to spread freshwater fish to people, and because there are people like this, food culture will change little by little as time goes by.

“But no matter how delicious it is, they don’t even care, so it’s just too bad… .”

“Don’t worry too much about that. “There must be a better way.”

“Why don’t you eat all this by yourself?”

The silverfish guy hurried on his way with a sullen expression on his face.

After walking for a while, a huge rock appeared. A huge rock located where the stratum was cut away. And above it, there is an entrance that appears to be a cave.

The entrance is located so high that it cannot be entered without climbing the rock.

You’re not saying it’s in that cave, are you?

Since that was exactly where I stopped, I looked at the man. However, the place the man pointed to was not on top of the rock, but under the rock.

Looking closely, there was a gap beneath the rock.

The gap is just big enough for one person to fit through.

“Are you going in there?”

“I see.”

The silverfish man turned his small body slightly and entered the mugwort. I don’t know what it was, but I followed suit. As soon as I entered the narrow gap, a steep slope of sheer rock unfolded.

And what appeared was a huge lake hidden under a rock.

It is not a dead lake. Several streams of water coming down from the top of the mountain accumulate here and then flow down.

The water in the lake was barely exposed to light, so it seemed to glow strangely even in the dark.

There was a small hole in the ceiling above the lake, and the sunlight that came in through it illuminated the center of the lake, making it feel like I was in paradise.

As I was looking at the lake blankly, the man slapped me on the back.

And led my hand.

“Come here, they live in this very water. I tried to catch one or two from somewhere else, breed them, and raise them, but they couldn’t concentrate in one place and either died or dispersed. But if you release them here, breed them, and raise them, they won’t go anywhere else.”

It is the central inland. It is impossible for fish that have the habit of returning to this place to live there. This is because there are no rivers that lead to the sea.

This means that it is not a returning fish, but rather a fish that lives here from the beginning.

There was no suitable place to raise them all in one place, but they found this place after 30 years.

“I climbed mountains and searched for valleys countless times, but I discovered this place by chance. haha. If you breed and raise fish here, the water can escape underneath, but the fish don’t seem to be able to escape. Moreover, with first-class natural water naturally flowing down, there is no better place to raise fish.”

“That’s certainly true.”

“These guys only live in good water, so this is the reward of wandering around for decades in search of that good water. But the reward is… In the end, I think it will only be my own satisfaction. No one likes it… No, I don’t even try to eat it… .”

There were many fish fluttering in the lake. If Mr. Sweetfish manages the fish population well on a regular basis, there seems to be no problem with stable sales in the market.

Because it is a hassle to go to the sea to get fish, the diet mainly relies on meat, but the menu becomes richer when such good fish come in consistently.

It goes without saying that eating fish every day is better for your body than eating only meat.

“First of all, would you like to come to the restaurant this evening?”

“You mean the restaurant?”

“yes.”

I nodded and smiled.

***

The uncle said its name was Heripe, but I decided to just call it Silverfish. It is more familiar to call it that way because its long, silver-colored appearance resembles a silverfish no matter how you look at it.

First, I started cleaning the silverfish that I had received in large quantities. I plan to show off the sweet dish at a restaurant today, instill confidence that it will work, and then help sell it in the market.

What the old man said is right. This needs to be distributed legally in the market and consumed by many people.

Grilling is a given, and there are also different dishes today than yesterday. It’s silverfish rice.

This is also a delicacy that everyone envies as long as there is fresh sweetfish.

First, cut open the belly of the silverfish that has been pulled out well. Insert a knife from the top, cut thoroughly, and remove the red intestines. Excluding the red intestines, that is, the part where the blood accumulates, the intestines of sweetfish are also a delicacy. There is no need to remove other internal organs.

After cleaning, place the sweetfish on rice and cook.

Ayu is a fish that can be eaten from head to bones, and we have already confirmed that there is no problem eating this fish as its bones are soft and melt in the mouth.

As I prepare other dishes, the rice is almost done.

The smell is amazing.

Food that whet the appetite of the person who cooks it. Since I’ve been eating only spicy food lately, this simple dish really whets my appetite.

Stimulating food, bland food, irritating food This cycle is very helpful in maintaining appetite and appetite.

Is it similar to sweet and salty? No, it’s a little different from that.

With the pleasant scent stimulating my sense of smell, I began to prepare the whole sweetfish placed on rice. The silverfish steamed on rice is removed by removing only the large bones and then shredded.

Then, if you add it back to the rice and mix it well, you get sweetfish rice.

The fine thorns disappear as you eat, and the sweetfish skin and meat move around in your mouth.

You can eat it with just soy sauce or with other side dishes.

Tonight’s restaurant menu was a set meal of sweetfish rice.

***

Damily runs a general store in Gray City. It was a week-long journey to bring goods from the capital with employees. But I really didn’t like the employee, Honta.

It was like that from day one.

The owner showed up first and waited, but he showed up an hour late.

Since he was very conscientious when asking me to work at the store, I decided to understand at first that there might have been a problem.

“sorry! sorry!”

But Honta repeated these words throughout his journey. They even broke things at their business partners in the capital.

And if he had at least made amends for his mistake by having a meal together or touring the capital at night, he would have been okay with it, but this guy was going sightseeing alone.

‘He said that if you want to get to know someone, go on a trip together.’

Demilie began to worry about whether she should continue to hire Honta. It was such a series of disappointments. Ultimately, this too is an extension of work. Because they didn’t go there to have fun. It’s an extension of paying wages, but it’s so arbitrary.

That thought became clear after seeing Jaktae, known simply as Dole, snoring alone in the carriage and falling asleep.

“I sleep well, even drooling.”

Damily frowned, crossed her arms, and glared at Honta.

After such an unpleasant journey, we barely arrived at Grace City, left the things we bought in the store, and were about to part ways when Honta grabbed Demili’s arm.

“president!”

“what?”

What are you going to say this time? Damily answered with such feelings in mind. My previous opinion that he was a good person was completely shattered during this trip. If I hadn’t shown anything while working, I would have been fired right away.

“I had an accident at a business partner, and I would like to treat him to a meal as an apology. “I don’t know of any restaurants in the capital, but I’m confident in Grace City!”

“meal?”

Damily wondered what kind of meal she was having now, and her expression was clearly visible, so Honta continued speaking hastily.

“please. “Ha, I have a story to tell.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

Still, do you have any sense? I paid attention the whole way.

Okay, well, let’s talk about it first. About the future. Damily nodded as she thought so.

“If that’s the case, take the lead.”

“yes yes!”

But I quickly regretted this too. What kind of restaurant is located in a place where you have to climb a hill for a long time when you are already so tired?

It almost makes you think that this is intentional.

Damily’s face grew darker.

“welcome.”

But Honta paid no heed and went into the restaurant. Demi looked around the restaurant. It is a small restaurant.

At the bar table, a man who looked older than Demili was glancing at the people dining behind him.

Honta guided himself to the bar table on the left, not the bar table where the man was sitting.

Damili thought that he was probably a regular, and Honta placed an order for El.

“What is today’s recommended menu? El.”

“We have a special menu today. “I would say it’s a light set meal.”

“A light set meal?”

At those words, Honta looked at Demili.

“Boss, all the food here is delicious, but I especially like the recommended menu that always changes. How about light food?”

“Are you fine.”

My digestion hasn’t been that good lately, so I’ve always been avoiding spicy foods.

And soon the food came out.

“Rice is a special type of rice cooked with fish as a base. And the side dish next to the grilled fish is bulgogi made with stir-fried Uka meat. And the soup… .”

The owner, called El, began explaining the food. It’s definitely a food everyone is seeing for the first time. But it smelled very good.

“Try it, boss.”

I recommend that Honta eat with an innocent look on his face.

Damily suddenly took the rice to her mouth.

“this… “Is this delicious?”

I don’t know if they are used to spicy flavors, but the light yet chewy flesh and skin combined with the rice created an amazing taste.

Does this guy know about this restaurant? Why didn’t I know about a place like this when I lived in Great Lake City? Demi looked around again.