Chapter 126
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After eating lunch, we set off to the Dioral Kingdom on the flying dragons.
It has been a day since then, and we just took off from Buranikka.
Obviously, we're heading to the Dioral Kingdom to crush the Grantsbach Empire and the hero of the【Gun】, Bullet, but it's also because I want to meet Ellen.
"Goshujinsama, rubby-rubby." (Guren)
The cub fox slyly flirts with me by rubbing her face on me.
Cute.
She has been acting like this ever since I ma.s.saged the insides of her body.
It seems like she accepted me as her true master.
"Guren, I'll ma.s.sage you a lot today, okay?" (Kearuga)
"Today is Guren's day, can't wait!" (Guren)
I love all my women equally.
I was spending most of my time with Guren for a while, but she's in the rotation now.
Only paying attention to Guren would make the others pitiful, although Setsuna services me every morning.
Ever since that one time the ore came out, Guren hasn't given birth to anything, even though I did make love with her.
I reckon it was because Guren's acc.u.mulated power had produced that, so there's a chance something might come out if she acc.u.mulates more power.
I'm just going to wait for it without doing anything special.
According to the shadow information network, there were movements in Camlaba.
It'll take one day to go to the Dioral Kingdom from Camlaba.
So, it might be better to make Camlaba my relief point and gather information there.
"Guren hopes she can eat good meat!" (Guren)
"Specialities change along with the regions, so there might be delicious food that we wouldn't be able to eat in Ra.n.a.litta." (Kearuga)
Going to a town for the first time is exciting.
Alchemists prosper in the Camlaba Republic so I might be able to buy something interesting.
Besides, I need the equipment to process the【G.o.d's Tear】.
I figured I could do something with just alchemy magic, but since it is the greatest magic metal in existence, it didn't go well.
Camlaba should be able to provide a private workshop, which would make it a lot easier.
We landed beside a lake on the outskirts of the town and separated from the dragon knights.
I told them we're going to depart at sunrise tomorrow, and then headed for the town.
The wind is dry.
Camlaba is located in the northernmost part of the Dioral Kingdom, and it's near the Grantsbach Empire.
Because of that, the climate is different and the culture and trade have been influenced by the Grantsbach Empire.
… I want this place as my base if the Grantsbach Empire decides to attack the Dioral Kingdom.
"Kearugsama, Setsuna's throat is really dry." (Setsuna)
"That's because of the strong wind and the dry air. It's about time to eat dinner, so let's go to a restaurant." (Kearuga)
"I would not want to live in this town. My skin would probably worsen." (Freya)
"Personally, I welcome it since training in a place with a lot of moisture is not desirable, but this place, however, is perfect." (Kureha)
Freya and Kureha's opinions are the exact opposite of each other.
I pick the fanciest inn I see and ask the owner about their recommended restaurant.
Any expensive restaurant that has a good number of customers would be fine.
Obviously, having customers in an expensive restaurant proves that it the food lives up to its price.
As we walk there, I look at the shops around us and keep them in mind.
Since this is a town where alchemists prosper, there were many workshops.
It would be nice if I could borrow one of them overnight…
"Ah, there are cosmetics on sale! It really feels like a human town when you see these." (Freya)
Freya entered a shop for females, bought the most popular toner and returned while rubbing the bottle against her face.
Apparently, it uses milk from camels that moisten your skin and protect it against dryness.
… No matter how much their skin deteriorates, my【Recovery Heal】can turn it into its ideal state, so
"Ah, this feels really good on my skin. I need to buy more later." (Freya)
"Freya, waste of money. Don't need that." (Setsuna)
"Ahh, you don't understand, do you, Setsunchan. If you don't treat your skin well now, you will regret it when you get older. It's not my fault if Kearugsama stops liking you when your skin gets wrinkly and dry." (Freya)
"… Nn. That's not good. Freya spread some of that on Setsuna too." (Setsuna)
"Sure thing. Setsunchan, your skin really is amazing. It's smooth, soft and makes me want to keep touching it forever." (Freya)
Like an older sister, Freya rubbed the toner on Setsuna's skin.
This is a pleasant sight.
"Thanks. It felt good." (Setsuna)
"You are very welcome. Guren-chan, do you want some too?" (Freya)
Freya asks that to Guren, who's in her girl form.
Ever since the day I ma.s.saged the insides of her body, she has been spending a lot more time in this form rather than her fox cub form.
"Guren's fine! She can change her appearance into anything!" (Guren)
This strange creature doesn't need cosmetics nor food. She can change her appearance into anything she desires, and her daily meals are just for pleasure since the mana that leak out of humans around her is plenty.
"That makes me a little jealous." (Freya)
"Guren's amazing! Keep praising her!" (Guren)
As always, she gets carried away easily.
After walking some more, we reach the tavern that the inn owner recommended to us.
Now, I wonder what we'll be able to eat.
We enter the tavern and order the local alcohol and their recommended meal.
The alcohol they served was made from camel milk, which I've never had before.
I toast and bring it to my mouth.
"The smell is quite intense. It doesn't taste bad, but I don't feel like having another cup." (Freya)
"Setsuna likes it." (Setsuna)
"… I'm sorry. I can't take this. Excuse me, could I get some ale?" (Kureha)
"Delicious! Get me another cup." (Guren)
Their opinions were split right in half, but I found it okay.
It has a similar taste to milk, but it gave off a camel odour when I first drank it. Then, a strange saltiness spread throughout my mouth, leaving a sweet taste at the end… it tastes good, but it has a powerful, peculiar taste.
Well, that was a fun experience. It's always nice to come across new, different flavours.
"Oh, looks like they're bringing over the food now. I wonder what it's going to be." (Kearuga)
According to the employee, they're serving a dish that uses camel meat, and a dish that uses catfish today.
They're both things that I've never had before.
The camel one is an oven-baked dish called Vedrule.
It's made by roasting a scored, thick piece of meat that has garlic and plenty of spices coating it, on a low heat for a long period of time.
"This is delicious." (Kearuga)
"It's meaty!" (Freya)
"It's a bit hard, but it's not bad! Get more!" (Guren)
It tastes like hard beef.
Since there's not that much fat, there's no sweetness nor umami from it, but the meaty taste is stronger instead.
I think it's a good cooking method. There's no fat, so it'll get dry if you cook it on a high heat and let all the moisture escape. They did a good job on the spices too, since this wouldn't smell good otherwise.
"I like fish dishes, and it has been a long time since I had deep-fried food. It's very warm and delicious." (Freya)
"I didn't know how great catfish tasted." (Kureha)
The fish dish is a catfish fried in a flavoured batter.
The combination of the plain catfish with the sweet and salty batter is interesting.
Both the camel and the catfish dish were good.
Once you get used to the camel milk alcohol's smell, it doesn't bother you that much and it goes well with the cuisine here.
As we finished all the food, the employee brought out a special meal.
… The appearance of it is, well, amazing in a way.
It doesn't look that tasty.
It's a vegetable stir-fry with white lumps inside.
The white lumps are camel humps, which are basically lumps of fat.
Would that really taste good?
I timidly reach my hand out.
"… Delicious." (Kearuga)
"Even though it is a lump of fat, the taste isn't so heavy for some reason." (Freya)
"The herbs that were cooked with it probably helped." (Kureha)
"It's too strong for Setsuna. Even though it's fat, it doesn't taste fatty, but fat is still fat." (Setsuna)
"Guren wants another serving!" (Guren)
I'm surprised. A stir-fry using fat just seemed like a strange combination to me, but this tastes great.
It's thick, soft and melts quickly in my mouth. The special sauce they used has a makes it taste even better.
On top of that, eating the herbs with it make a superb balance.
Setsuna, Guren and I order another serving of the milk alcohol, whereas Freya and Kureha order ale.
We finish eating and ask for dessert.
They serve us a pie that was baked with walnuts and almonds inside, coated with plenty of honey and a rose-scented syrup.
The flaky texture and the crunchy nuts are irresistible.
My appet.i.te grew from the honey and the syrup.
It's a simple, but great dessert.
The girls liked it even more than I did, and they're probably happy to have this since they didn't enjoy the desserts in the demon king territory.
"Setsuna's full and completely satisfied." (Setsuna)
"Guren can't eat anymore." (Guren)
Setsuna's white, wolf tail and Guren's golden, fox tail were swinging in the air.
Someday, I want to line up those two tails on a bed and give both of them my love.
Well then, I've rested enough and it's about time to get to work.
"Freya, I'm going to go off on my own now, so take everyone back to the inn." (Kearuga)
"I understand. Would it be easier for you if you go by yourself?" (Freya)
"Yeah, it is." (Kearuga)
I nod.
I'm going to go meet the informant in this town that the informant in Ra.n.a.litta told me about.
I'll be looked down on if I bring women with me.
"Kearugsama, be careful." (Setsuna)
"Guren will try her best to take care of the house!" (Guren)
"I'll do my best too." (Kearuga)
I pay the bills, say goodbye to everyone and go on a path that doesn't have that many people.
Although I came here to collect information, I feel like I can grasp something to make progress on this situation.