Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Trying Fish Dishes

Everyone seems hesitant, perhaps because they can't imagine the taste of the unfamiliar dishes. Eating something unknown can be quite intimidating.

So, I decided to take the first bite. Let's start with Saury Meunière.

I took a bite of Saury Meunière and put it in my mouth.

Mmm! It's delicious!!

"This Saury is incredibly tasty! Everyone, give it a try!"

Upon my words, everyone reaches for the Saury at once. It seems eating something unfamiliar is a bit scary after all.

I smiled wryly while watching everyone's reactions.

Marie, after taking a bite, is eating the Saury with a big smile. Ian, on the other hand, froze with a surprised expression after a single bite.

"Big brother! This is really delicious!"

"That's Saury Meunière."

"It's so delicious!"

Although they don't seem to fully understand the names, I'm glad they find it tasty.

"This is quite surprising..."

"Yes, it's unexpectedly delicious. Sea fish is tender and delicious."

"And the seasoning is great too."

It's good to see that both Mom and Dad liked it. Ian finally snaps out of his freeze and takes a second bite.

"Ian, is it delicious?"

"It's incredibly delicious! I'm amazed by how tasty it is."

With just those words, Ian earnestly continues eating. I'm so happy to see everyone enjoying it so much.

I should join in too. Next, let's try the carrot sauce.

I dipped a piece of horse mackerel fry into the carrot sauce and took a bite.

Wow! Despite being a makeshift sauce, it's surprisingly tasty. I prefer tomato sauce, but this one's pretty good too.

"Big brother, do you eat it with this sauce?"

"That's right. But if you don't like this sauce, you can also sprinkle some salt on it. It's delicious that way too."

"Got it!"

Marie said that and tried dipping her horse mackerel fry into the carrot sauce.

"Mmm, Marie likes this! It's crispy and delicious!"

Upon hearing Marie's words, the other three who had been focused on the Saury also reach for the horse mackerel fry.

"Indeed! It's so crispy and incredibly delicious."

"Yes, this sauce is also tasty."

"Leon-kun! This is amazing too!"

After that, even without me eating, everyone helps themselves to the various dishes.

It's great that everything seems to be delicious. I'm really happy to see them enjoying it so much.

I'll dig in too. Let's try the octopus tempura and grilled yellowtail, which are reliably tasty. How about scallops? I take a bite of a scallop and it's quite delicious.

Wow! It's surprisingly good even without being baked in the oven. But I still think it might be even better if it's baked. I'll have to let everyone try that later.

And so, we finished our meal fully satisfied.

"Big brother! Everything was so delicious!"

"Yes, these are the best souvenirs."

"That's right. It was incredibly tasty, and it was fun to make."

"Everything was truly delicious!"

I'm so glad to see them enjoying it this much. I'm grateful to be part of this family. With that thought, a smile naturally forms on my face.

"I'm really happy to hear that. Thank you all. If we have the chance to go to the sea again, I'll bring back more souvenirs for us to enjoy!"

"Yeah! Big brother, definitely!"

Marie says enthusiastically. She really loves good food. Everyone chuckles softly.

"Marie, I promise."

"Yay!"

Afterward, I share stories about the harbor town while we enjoy a peaceful time together. Being with family is truly calming, I realized once again.

The next morning.

After finishing the lunchtime service, Marie grabs my attention. She couldn't forget the fish we had yesterday and now she wants to eat river fish, even if it's just some fish from the stream.

So, even though I'm not sure if we can catch any fish, we decide to head into the woods.

"Alright, I'm off."

"Take care!"

Marie and I leave the house, walking briskly toward the forest. She's excited, thinking that we might be able to catch a lot of fish if we get there quickly.

But can you even catch river fish in winter? I always thought it was during spring or summer...

"Marie, like I said before, there's no guarantee we'll catch any fish. We might not catch any in winter."

"I know! But we won't know until we try, right?"

Marie continues to be persistent. She's unexpectedly stubborn.

In the cold winter sky, Marie and I walk determinedly toward the forest, with the hope that we might be able to catch some fish, even if it's just a small possibility.

But I wonder if you can really catch fish in the winter? My impression was that it's more during spring or summer...

"Marie, even though I mentioned it earlier, there's no guarantee we'll catch any fish. It might not be possible during winter."

"I understand! But we won't know until we try, right?"

Marie keeps up her enthusiasm. She's surprisingly stubborn.

In the cold winter air, Marie and I make our way to the forest, hopeful that we might find some fish, even though I'm skeptical about our chances.

But do river fish even appear during winter? My understanding is that they're more common in spring or summer...

"Marie, I did mention before that we might not catch any fish, right?"

"I know, but we won't know until we try, right?"

Marie remains determined. She's quite persistent.

Amidst the cold winter backdrop, Marie and I head into the forest with determination, hoping to find fish, even though I'm not entirely convinced we'll be successful.

But do river fish even come out during winter? I always thought they were more active in spring or summer...

"Marie, as I mentioned earlier, there's a chance we won't catch any fish. It might not be possible during winter."

"I understand! But we won't know until we give it a try, right?"

Marie's determination remains unwavering. She's surprisingly persistent.

Against the backdrop of the chilly winter landscape, Marie and I walk toward the forest with determination, in the hopes that we might encounter some fish, even though I remain skeptical of the idea.

But do river fish really appear during winter? My impression is that they're more commonly caught in spring or summer...

"Marie, I did say earlier that it's not guaranteed we'll catch any fish. Winter might not be the best time."

"I get it! But we won't know until we give it a shot, right?"

Marie's enthusiasm persists. She's quite the determined one.

In the cold winter atmosphere, Marie and I make our way to the forest, with a sense of hope that we might come across some fish, even though I remain skeptical about our chances.

But do river fish even emerge during winter? My understanding is that they're more active in spring or summer...

"Marie, like I mentioned before, there's a chance we won't catch any fish. Winter might not be the best time."

"I know! But we won't know until we try, right?"

For now, I'm glad Marie smiled.

I found a small caterpillar on the ground and tied it to a short twig, creating an improvised fishing rod.

If we catch something with this, it'll be a miracle...

Still, as long as Marie is excited, it's fine.

"Okay, let's put this in the river."

"Yeah!"

For a while, I held the twig, waiting. Since it was too cold, I gathered leaves and dry branches to make a fire. It got a bit warmer, but staying outside for too long might make me catch a cold.

Marie seems cold, but she's enduring it while holding the twig, probably because she suggested this.

An hour has passed, and there's no sign of fish or any indication that we'll catch something. Maybe it's time to wrap it up and head back.

"Marie, let's go back soon. We can come fishing again when summer comes. We might catch something then."

When I said that, tears started welling up in Marie's eyes. Huh? Why? Is she so sad that we couldn't catch any fish?

"M-Marie, don't cry. While I can't cook fish, I'll make other delicious dishes for you."

Even though I said that, Marie continued to cry silently.

"Marie, what's wrong?"

I'm completely confused now. I don't know how to console her, and all I can do is panic.

"Hic... Hic... Big brother... You'll leave home in spring, right?"

Marie said while crying.

Huh? Not about the fish?

"Yeah. I'm going to the Royal School, so I might not live at home anymore."

"Then... Even in summer, we can't go fishing together, big brother? Hic... Sniff..."

Is Marie crying because I'm leaving home?

Is she crying because she might not be able to go fishing with me in the summer?

Marie was actually sad about me leaving home...

I was incredibly happy, but seeing her cry made me sad too.

"Marie, we can fish together in the summer. I'll come home frequently even after I leave. So, we can go fishing and do other things together."

"Really...? Big brother won't stop coming home?"

"Of course not! I love you, Marie, so I'll definitely come back home."

"I'm relieved..."

Marie smiled through her tears. I hugged her tightly and gently patted her back to reassure her.

That's right. Marie might seem mature, but she's still a child. It's natural for her to feel lonely if she thinks she won't see her family suddenly.

While comforting Marie, I made up my mind.

Let's work hard to have a safe, comfortable, and happy life together as a family.

Right now, my family is in a dangerous situation. Those nobles who dislike me are likely to target my family. Alexis-sama arranged shadow guards to protect them, but I can't rely on that forever.

I'll strive to gain a position as soon as possible and help eliminate the opposing forces. Once I have a position, I might be able to provide protection for my family myself and bring them to a safe place nearby.

But I want to avoid doing things that everyone dislikes if possible. If I want to continue the cafeteria, I'll make sure it can be sustained elsewhere.

I might have been reluctant to stand out at the Royal School before, but for the sake of supporting Richard-sama's influence, I'll actively work on it.

Come to think of it, is it really necessary to hide my all-attribute abilities at the Royal School?

Well... If they find out about all my attributes, it might attract even more extreme groups. And Alexis-sama was concerned about other countries as well.

Maybe I should reveal my all-attribute abilities after I gain a position. While I can easily interfere with commoners, it might be harder for me to meddle as a noble. I still need to understand these situations better.

Anyway, I'll work hard to protect my family and myself, striving for a future where we can lead a happy life together.

Sometimes, I think it might have been okay to hide my abilities from the beginning and live happily with my family. But keeping it a secret forever would be difficult, and it would be tough if it's revealed unexpectedly. Considering that, the current situation seems quite good.

And, if possible, I'd like to improve our living standards a bit more. At the very least, I want a flush toilet and a bath. Actually, having a sewer system would be great.

As I ponder these thoughts, it seems Marie has calmed down.

"Big brother... I'm okay now."

Marie said with a slightly embarrassed expression. She must feel awkward for crying in front of me. I decided not to mention it and offered her a gentle smile.

"Well then, shall we head back? Can you walk?"

"Yeah. I'm okay now!"

It seems like she's regained her energy. That's good.

Together, Marie and I walked back home, taking our time compared to when we came.