First, let's set up camp.
I thought the riverbank was bad.　I know.

　I know," said Toya, a little smugly, and Haruka shook her head with a wry smile.

I can't say that's generally true, but ......

　One of the reasons why it's a bad idea to camp on a riverbank in Japan is because of the water released by dams. But this is irrelevant in this world.

　The other reason is that the water rises due to changes in the weather. Even if it is not raining in the area, if the river is deep in the mountains, flash floods may occur due to rainfall in the distance.

　However, this is not so relevant here. The upper reaches of the river are steep, but not mountainous, so it is unlikely that the weather would be that different.

However, there is a possibility of rain this time of year, so let's avoid the riverbank.

　We moved a little further away from the river and set up camp with shovels, and finished a quick lunch with the food we had brought.

　After that, we were basically free to go.

　However, there is no guarantee that demons or wild animals will not attack us, so we basically stay within sight of each other.

　I've read that in this area, there are basically only orcs and goblins, but even so, you shouldn't take the risk of facing them alone.

　Well, my current [Enemy Search] can cover a large area, and so far, I haven't detected anything dangerous. I'll have to wait and see what happens at night, but at this level, I might be able to bring Tommy with me.

"Nao, I'll fish around here, what about you?
"Okay, I'll fish upstream a bit. Let's see who can catch more fish.
Oh, you want to play?
That'd be fun, huh?

　I smiled back at him and sat down on a rock about 30 meters away from him.

We'll start with a hair hook.

　It's a good idea to use a bad lure after you've had some success with a hair hook. ...... Will it work?　I'm not sure what to do.

It's a good idea to use a lure that's not very good.

　I'm not sure if I'd be able to do that, but I'd like to try.
　You can see the fish swimming by itself, so maybe one of them will bite. .......
　Thinking about this, I cast the hook several times.

"Ah!　Here it comes!

　I raised my rod and inserted the net at the same time.
　I pull it in and scoop it up and place it on the rock.

"Yes!

　It's huge! It must be about 30 centimeters long.
　I quickly removed the hook and put it in the tub, and it began to swim vigorously.

"A landlocked salmon.

　The name displayed on the help page was "Yamame". I don't know if they are genetically the same, but if the help shows that they are, then they must be the same creature, in the eyes of the evil god.

　Thank God we can eat them with peace of mind.

"First one. That's a good start.

　It's a good thing I'm not the only one who has a problem with this. Not a ...... piece, is it? You've caught two fish?　I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.

　I hurriedly cast my hook, and after a few times, I caught another fish.
　It was a little smaller than the previous one, but well over 20 centimeters.

　Perhaps because there was no one else fishing, I was able to catch a fish every few minutes, and by the time the sun was setting, I had a tub full of landlocked salmon.

　I was a little disappointed that I couldn't catch anything other than landlocked salmon. ...... Is it because of the hair hook?　Or is it a matter of location?
　But it's good enough for fishing. Tomorrow I'll try using a lure.

　When I called out to Toya and returned to the camp, Haruka and the others were chatting around the fire.

Welcome back. Did you catch anything?
"Yeah, we caught a lot. Yeah.

I'm surprised at myself. I think it's what you call not being in the zone.　Even amateurs like us can catch fish.

　Apparently, Toya had the same impression as me.
　I don't think we have any talent for fishing. The hook itself was handmade by an amateur.

"Wow!　Amazing!　I can catch so many fish. ...... Can I try it tomorrow?

　Yuki peeked into my tub and said in surprise.

I've got enough rods for all of us, so don't worry. What about Natsuki and Haruka?
"Well, they're ...... pseudo-bait, right?　That's .......
If everyone does it, I might as well try it.

　Natsuki doesn't seem to like insects. Well, a lot of fishing bait is disgusting.

　I'll leave the hooks to Haruka and the others, and use lures and live bait. I'm sure I can find some worms if I dig around.

What were Haruka and the others doing this afternoon?


"We'll sit here and chat over tea after we set the trap. If I had to say anything, I'd say we practiced some magic.

　While we were fishing, Haruka and the others were sinking traps that they had asked carpenters to make or had made themselves into the river.

　All three of them had knowledge of the traps but had never used them, so they didn't know whether they would catch anything or not.

We'll see how the trap works tomorrow. For now, let's deal with the fish you've been catching.
There's so many. We need more skewers. ......?

　The skewers we usually use are store-bought.

　In the beginning, we made our own skewers, but now we use them exclusively because they are quite cheap and easy to use.

　There are metal ones and wooden ones, but the latter can be used only a few times, so we are using more metal ones now. However, there is a disadvantage that the skewer is too hot and burns when it is freshly cooked.

Just prepare the skewers and store them as they are. You can skewer it when you want to eat it. Some of them are big enough to be filleted.

　Haruka fills Toya and I's vat with ice from her magic, takes out three cutting boards and knives, and hands them to Natsuki and Yuki.

"Toya and Nao can't do it, can they?　Or do you want to try?
No, I'll leave it to you.
Right. Right. Right person, right place.
It's not that hard to prepare the fish. ...... Well, okay.

　Haruka shrugged her shoulders, grabbed the fish and quickly processed it.
　And next to him, Yuki and Natsuki. I'm not sure what to do.

　I'm sure we're slowing you down. ...... Yeah, we're definitely slowing you down.

　I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what to do with it.
　I'm not sure what to make of this.
　As I am not skilled enough to do anything about it, the taste will be degraded, so I just watch.

But do you have a knife like that?　Do you have a knife like that, or do you sell them?　I've never seen one before.

　The knife that Haruka took out was shaped like an all-purpose knife, and was clearly different from the knives sold around here.
　In the past, I've used a demolition knife for cooking. .......

That one?　He ordered it from Tommy. He said knives are easier to use for cooking.

"I see. You're right, it's hard to use a knife. I'd appreciate it if you could make me a nice meal with it.

　You'll be cooking for real in a little while when you get a house, so there's no harm in getting a custom-made knife.
　We're going to eat it, too.

By the way, Nao, how many fish did you catch?
"By the way, Nao, how many did you catch? ......, but it doesn't really matter, does it?　It's easy to catch fish here.
Yeah, right. Well, what does it matter?

　You'll be able to get a lot of fish in your tub, and you'll be able to shrug your shoulders.

　Both tubs are packed with fish. If I could count them on two hands, there would be a point of comparison, but in this case, it would depend more on the time spent than on my fishing skill.

Processing is done. Fifty-eight fish in total. Most of them were pretty big, so if we all fish again tomorrow, we'll have fish for a while.

"It was all landlocked salmon, but they were big all the same.

　The biggest one I caught was almost 40 centimeters long, but overall, most of the fish were around 30 centimeters long, and there were few fish under 20 centimeters.
　My image of a landlocked salmon was about 15 centimeters, but a big one was much better than a small one.

It's a lot of work just to get the fish out. ...... I'm glad I have the skills.

　Yuki had only handled fish a few times before coming here, but she still managed to do it without any problems.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a little nervous about this.

If all goes well, you'll be able to handle several times this amount tomorrow. ......

　In the event that you're in a position to help, you'll be able to do so with the help of your own personal consultant. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you. Come on, let's eat this. It smells so good. ......

You're right, since we have a magic bag, that's a good idea. Okay, let's eat.
"Let's eat!

　Each of us picked up a whole roasted landlocked salmon and bit into it.

"Yum!　Yum!

　It's just grilled fish, but it tastes better than any fish I've ever eaten.
　Cooked?　The ingredients?　The environment?
　Perhaps it was all of them.

　Not to mention the cooking skills of Haruka and his friends, it's not often you can have the experience of eating fish you caught on a spit around a bonfire in Japan. No, you can do it if you want to, but at least I haven't experienced it.

　I've never been particularly fond of fish, but I think I could eat as much as I want.

I wonder if it's because the water is so clean.　There's no smell at all.


"Yes. Landlocked salmon is a fish that doesn't have much of an odor to begin with, but this one is especially delicious.

"Oh, it's really good. When was the last time you ate fish?　Except, of course, for that, which is not considered a fish dish in Sahlstat.

They don't serve fish in Laffan.

　They sold dried fish in the store, but no one wanted to buy it because of Sahlstat. If it was the same fish that was dried, it was guaranteed to be bad.

　There was a possibility that it was a different fish, but it was too expensive compared to the dried meat to try.

If it were closer, I'd come here more often, because it's so good.

　The fish is good, but it takes a whole day to get there and back.

　The fish is good, but it takes a whole day to get there and back. Considering the time it takes to fish, it's a little difficult to come on a long trip that requires an overnight stay. Meat is readily available, but eating fish is more of a luxury.

Since we have a magic bag, why don't we extend our stay a bit and catch more fish?
"Oh, that's a good idea!　If we stay an extra night, we can catch enough for a few months.

　Tohya immediately agreed with Yuki's suggestion, and Natsuki nodded in agreement.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out how to do it.　No one seems to be ...... opposed. So, let's stay three nights and catch as much as we can. Fortunately, no one is likely to complain.

Strictly speaking, I think there's a fishing guild in Sahlstat. ......

I'm not sure if you'll be able to find a way to get your hands on one. Well, it would be better if they didn't find out about it, because it would be a hassle if there were any strange people.

　Legally, there's no problem catching fish here, just like the Great Salamander, but there's no guarantee that there won't be some thug who wants a share of the profits without any right.

　We decided to go back to Rafan without stopping at Sahlstat.

　I don't have any good memories of that town except for the bargain books I bought there.