Chapter 27 -
The harbor town of the Lovile kingdom which we were currently staying in was one of the five biggest towns in this country.
The town was divided into three areas: the coastal side where the fishing port was located that mainly focused on the fishing industry, the beach where the machine for manufacturing salt was ,as well as the factory area where the captured fishes were processed into dried fish, and finally the trade harbor.
In the fishing port that focused on the fishing industry, small boats, which the fishermen used to venture into the sea to catch fish before the first ray of dawn could break forth, were lined up.
At the beach, the women of this town would carry sea water to the salt manufacturing pool where they let the sunlight and strong wind evaporate the water, forming high-density seawater.
The trading harbor served as a port for not only the ships from the royal capital of Lovile Kingdom, but also for those ships coming from the southern and western parts of the continent that docked there to load and unload goods, while providing a venue for merchants to conduct their business.
Also, the current flow of the rivers that met with the sea was slow, so the town upstream which could be reached by boats was another important aspect of logistics.
"It's so lively here, isn't it, Majou-sama?"
"You're right. Let's also look at the trade district after the crowd tones down."
Teto and I came near the beach for our morning walk when we spotted the lively side of this town's people.
Looking at the fishermen who were returning after finishing their morning catch, we directly headed to the morning market from there.
We went around the stalls where the freshly caught fish were lined up and were being cooked.
ーーWelcome everyone! Try out our mouth-watering fresh charcoal-grilled fish! 一一We're selling seafood tomato soup! Just the perfect thing to heat up your chilled body! 一一Are you looking for finger-licious shellfish? Then go no further, we have our exquisite boiled shellfish seasoned with none other than our secret marine sauce! 一一Yes sir, here sell the fried fish layered with a sauce made from southern seasonings! 一一Try out our delicious paella made with southern special grain cooked over a pan!
I wondered if that secret marine sauce was a type of fish sauce.
There was also a sauce made by ripening several vegetables and fruits, and even rice too; the food culture of this town was pretty diverse.
"I wonder if this is a glimpse of the food culture that survived the disaster that was the destruction of the ancient magic civilization. Or maybe a past reincarnator had propagated this."
If my hypothesis is correct, maybe I would be able to feel the history, adventure, and a predecessor reincarnator's will in the colorful food dishes decorating the stalls of the harbor town.
"What are you going to eat, Majou-sama?"
"Hmm, I'm going to try the grilled salted fish and paella."
I think the variety are be a little different from what I make with «Creation Magic» but I'm just happy to see a rice dish made by someone else.
"Teto is going to have tomato soup, fried fish, and boiled shellfish."
"Okay, then let's buy them."
We went to the respective food stalls we wanted, bought our food, took a seat in the dining area outside which was there for the customers of the stalls, and started eating them.
"Hmm, the fresh fish is fluffy, baked right, and delicious. The paella soaked in tomato and the marine soup is also delicious."
"The tomato soup has a nice gentle taste. It's Teto's favorite. The boiled shellfish and fried fish are also tasty, but Teto thinks putting some seasonings that Majou-sama creates would make them even tastier."
"Oh, soy sauce. Well, that's special after all."
I had recreated the soy sauce that Japan's food company had made after piling on research after research.
Safe and reliable seasonings were also popular in our home.
"I will buy ingredients from the market later, let's try them with soy sauce. While we're at it, maybe we should also buy some squid and crabs and have seafood curry."
"Really, Teto loves curry! I'm looking forward to it!"
After enjoying the morning stalls' dishes, we headed for the market to buy fresh fish.
The market was crowded with not just the items we had seen in the morning, but also with inland vegetables and other ingredients that just came from the trade harbor.
"Everything looks so delicious."
"What're you going to buy, Majou-sama?"
Teto was happily looking at me as I carefully took note of the various ingredients.
"Welcome. You can find the best freshly harvested vegetables of this season in our store!"
"Check out the fish we caught in the morning, their quality is guaranteed to satisfy you."
"These are, oh, seasonal ingredients. These look delicious! Can I have four of these, shopkeeper-san?"
I purchased some seasonal vegetables as well as delicious fish at the grocery stores and fish shops while asking about them from the shopkeeping uncles.
The shopkeeper, who saw a young girl wearing a robe over odd clothes and her beautiful partner watching over her, warmly responded.
I took off my hood, looked into their eyes, and asked about the ingredients whenever I talked with the shopkeepers of the marketplace so the people apparently thought of me as a magician's apprentice.
Just a tiny bit but I felt like I was taking advantage of my underdeveloped immortal body whenever the store people would add extra.
"Majou-sama, Majou-sama. The fish over there looks delicious."
"Hmm, it might be a bit early but there are so many varieties of Pacific saury. Let's see, there's salted grilled Pacific saury variant, boiled variant, deep-fried variant, and even plum pulp simmered variant."
I wasn't in the mood originally but imagining the side dishes that I could have with rice activated my appetite so I eventually bought them.
We continued our aimless ingredients shopping one after another and before we realized it, we had left the crowded marketplace and stepped into the trade harbor's shopping district.
"It doesn't seem like we'll find any other ingredients. What do you think, Teto?"
"Umm, let's go as far as we can go!"
"Alright. Maybe we might find a good bargain, let's look around."
Thus, Teto and I stepped in to look for something interesting in the place that was the trade hub for both the kingdom and other nations to sell their commodities.
