Isekai Nonbiri Sozai Saishu Seikatsu - Chapter 145

“Thank you for your hospitality. If you happen to meet Franryule-sama, please give her my regards.”

“Sure. Feel free to call on me if you need anything else.”

After the material appreciation session and the sale of the mud pack were finished, I decided to return to Grantel.

On the second day, Carlisle didn’t try to keep me any longer and sent me off in a carriage he regularly used.

“Come again to talk about materials if you have the chance!”

“Yes, I’ll definitely stop by if I’m in the area.”

I nodded firmly at Tobias’ innocent words.

He seemed to be quite fond of materials. It was rare to find someone who shared my interest in materials, so I would have asked him if I could.

After finishing our farewells and getting into the carriage, Sarasa came up to me and whispered in my ear.

“Please sell me more Eld Mud Packs if you get your hands on them again.”

“W-Well, okay.”

I had it in a barrel in my Magic Bag… I wondered what would happen if I told her that. Sarasa’s reaction scared me, and I didn’t think I could say such a thing.

After riding in the carriage for a while, I finally arrived back in Grantel.

I thanked the carriage driver and disembarked at the South Gate Plaza.

The familiar stone-paved road and the wooden and brick buildings felt nostalgic.

Eld was predominantly populated by dwarves, accounting for eighty percent of its population, but here in Grantel, various races, including beastmen, humans, and elves, coexisted in a chaotic mix.

As I walked down the street, I somehow felt relieved by the disorderly scenery.

Weaving my way through the crowd, I returned to the Cat’s Tail Pavilion, my base of operations.

“Nya~! Shuu, welcome back!”

And as always, Mia greeted me with a smile as soon as she noticed me.

I couldn’t help but relax at the gently swaying tail and I reply, “I’m home.”

“I’ll put my luggage away first.”

“Nya~! Take your time and relax first!”

Although I wanted to chat with Mia since it had been a while, the fake bag was in the way, and I wanted to lounge around in my room for a bit.

Mia, who had a good grasp of the circumstances of a returning adventurer, didn’t mind at all and handed me the key without hesitation.

As I passed through the dining room and headed to the back, Bandel waved at me, so I waved back.

Today’s lunch would be Bandel’s cooking.

When I entered my room, I sorted through the contents of the dummy bag and threw them into the Magic Bag.

I hung my coat on a hook and then dived into the bed.

The creaking sound of the bed seemed to welcome me home.

“Haa… I still feel most comfortable in this bed.”

The bed in the lord’s mansion was softer and bigger than this one, but I guess it’s natural to feel more at ease in a familiar place.

I had just returned and didn’t feel like doing anything. But I had gone on a long journey for Lord Carlisle’s request and worked hard to gather materials. It was fine to laze around in my room.

While I was lying on the bed, feeling exhausted, I must have dozed off because when I noticed, the sun was already high in the sky.

Maybe I had accumulated more fatigue than I thought. However, thanks to my second nap, I felt refreshed both physically and mentally.

I was starting to feel hungry after getting up so, I put on my coat and headed downstairs.

When I entered the dining room it was around lunchtime and the place was bustling with many customers.

“Sleepyhead, are you awake now?”

“I meant to take a short break, but I guess I slept longer than I thought. Is there a seat available?”

“That counter over there is empty.”

I moved to the counter seat that Mia, who was busy serving, had indicated.

In front of me was Bandel.

Knowing I returned from a journey, she kindly guides me to a counter seat so that we can talk at ease. Just another act of kindness from Mia and the others.

“Well, you’ve come a long way again. I heard you went to the Ladeo Volcano on a request from the lord?”

“Yes, I was surprised by how hot it was inside the volcano.”

“Well there’s magma there. Unlike the sea at Lindblum, you can’t even swim there.”

“The magma is troublesome, but the monsters that move through it and attack are even more troublesome.”

Magmares, Magma Crabs, and even Volkanos. They move freely in places that ordinary creatures would never be able to enter.

It was very difficult to fight against opponents who could enter and exit the area at will.

If it weren’t for my detection skill, the battle would have been much more one-sided.

“What would you like to eat?”

After chatting about the volcano for a while, Bandel asks me for my order.

Oops, it seems like we got too caught up in the conversation since we haven’t had a chat in a while. I have to order properly.

“Something light, please.”

“Something light. Got it.”

I’ve been living here for a long time and have tried various dishes.

Lately, instead of ordering from the existing menu, I often ask them to cook something based on my mood for the day.

I wonder what I’ll get today. I wait while quenching my thirst with some water and the dish is served soon after.

“Here you go, pork steak with caponata¹.”

“Wow, it looks delicious!”

A thick pork steak sits on the plate. If it were just this, it would be a heavy dish, contrary to my order, but on top of it is the caponata.

The aroma of the steak mixed with the acidity of tomatoes is fantastic.

I cut it into bite-sized pieces with a knife and put it in my mouth along with the caponata.

“Delicious!”

Caponata with light pork. It softened the fat in the steak.

The harmony of meat juice and acidity is pleasant.

The colorful vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers are a delight to look at. Each has a different texture, and they go perfectly with tomatoes and olive oil.

“If you squeeze the lemon on the side onto the caponata, the taste changes, you know?”

Following Bandel’s suggestion, I squeeze some lemon onto it and take a bite.

The acidity of the caponata becomes stronger.

“The combination of tomato and lemon acidity is amazing!”

“Right? But ordering a light dish as soon as you get back is a bit… mature of you. What’s up with that?”

Maybe it was a bit of an old man’s request, not something a young person would usually order.

“The food in Eld is delicious, but there were a lot of heavily seasoned dishes…”

“It is a dwarf drinking town.”

Bandel nods and answers in agreement at my words.

It’s not just that, but most of the people there are blacksmiths who do physical labor. So, to replenish the large amount of salt they lose, the dishes tend to be heavily seasoned.

I like strong-flavored food and alcohol, but if I keep eating them, I start craving something light.

Of course, it was difficult to make such a request at the lord’s mansion where I stayed for the first time. But here, I can fully indulge myself.

“Try putting it on a galette, it’s delicious too.”

“Thank you.”

Bandel brings me an additional galette.

I put some caponata on it and take a bite.

The freshly baked galette is very fragrant and crispy.

It goes perfectly with the tangy caponata, and I could eat this endlessly.

The light and crispy texture is so enjoyable that I can’t stop eating.

Before I knew it, I had finished the caponata and galette, so I asked for a second serving.

After finishing the steak and finally satisfying my stomach, Mia sits down next to me, now that she’s done with her serving duties.

“Shuu, did you complete the lord’s request safely nya?”

“Yeah, somehow we managed to get through it.”

As I take a break and drink some water, Mia listens to my stories about the hardships of gathering materials and the monsters we encountered on our journey.

She expresses her surprise and laughter by clapping her hands. Even Bandel in the kitchen is listening, as he occasionally chimes in with questions or comments.

This familiar daily routine is comforting, and it strongly reminds me that I’m back in Grantel.