Day 401-410/Day 407

Day 407
There is an area called a Sand Sea.　
Very fine sand is always moving, it is said that it keeps changing, like a sea.　
Since you would sink like in a bottomless swamp, I could not walk over it, there was a need for a specialized ship called a sandboat, along with a crew of organisms that fit with that kind of environment.　
There are a variety of monsters classified as sand fish and this time, they were our prey.　
We prepared a very strong fishing line, hook, fishing rod, and fresh meat.
Anything inside of the moving sandy sea is constantly sand-polished, so an ordinary fishing line will be cut short in a matter of time.
Since the sand fish protects themselves from the surrounding sand with their hard scales and thick outer shells, it is very hard to get ordinary hooks to stick in the soft part of their mouth.　
With the sand fish as heavy as it is, it is also difficult to catch unless you use a strong fishing rod that does not break easily.　
Also, if it is not fresh meat, its attraction as bait is weak, so not many of them will come near.　
Dedicated tools are necessary, it is hard to fish even with normal tools, with the added danger that you will be the one attacked from the ferocious sand fish, ending up fed to them.
Then again, that is a reason people fish here.
What else can I do when I hear the Spicy Curry Chef, an exquisite ingredients junkie, speaking so sweetly with the sisters about these fish at the start of their discussion.
It seems that today is a holiday, so we only brought those who wished to come from among the subordinates, and they led us through the sinks.　
I was ready to cook them as soon as we caught any, so I am really looking forward to it personally.
Anyway, the Spicy Curry chef seems to also personally possess a sandboat that can sail over the sand sea, but this time I'm on a sharkhead issue which I prepared.
Although it is not as good as in water, but it can proceed without any particular problems.　
Occasionally the sandy sea is also rough, but any sand splashes were prevented by the wind film around us, so there is no particular problem.
After a really comfortable trip over the sea sand, we started hanging fishing lines.
It seems that where the sand and ocean currents meet, large and rare sand fish gather.
I tried using black Fomor meat, it just sank into the sandy sea, and at once I focused on it, hearing the zubusubu sound it made, being so focused, I notices as soon as something bit.
I was able to quickly reel it in because it was still shallow, pulling it up from the sand.　
The first sand fish caught was called "Sekemen Naha", which is a slightly large fish exceeding ten meters.
It has a long mouth like a crocodile, a thick body like a log, and scale-like thick armor.　
Since there are countless growing sharp teeth visible, it will be easy to bite anything off if it is bites.　
Well, such a thing is not a big deal to us.
After reeling them in, I stretched my fingertips into needle-like points, to pierce the vital points and tie them up.　
So the Spicy Curry chef said it would be a big battle to get one or two of the Sekensuna sand fish.
It is very close to the apex predator of this neighboring ecosystem and it is very rare to catch. There are few enough of the fish to encounter, and even if can catch a Sekensuna, it seems that it could destroys or sink the regular sandboats that try to catch it.
Known for being prepared for the table of the 【Sun King】 only for special festivals, it is not only an auspicious dish but its taste is also exquisite.　
Known as a favorite of the previous 【Sun King】, at that time it was exchanged for its weight in gold or something of equivalent value.　
To put it simply, it became a super delicious giant luxury fish.
Although I caught such a big fish with assistance, it was surely attracted by the smell of something delicious. If it was attracted this much by the meat of the Black Fomor, what will happen if I use dragon meat?
Since to use the real thing is a waste, let's use the refined dragon of meat later.　
While thinking so, we are taken to a fish farm with smiling faces and leave it to Ichigo. On the deck there was a figure of the Sisters who disassembled the fish with a delighted look.
There were also the figures of Auro and Argento helping, because those two demons also like to cook.　
Anyway, everyone else began fishing in their own way, thinking about whether the bait they used is good, whether the location has any fish, or whether the tool they used was good enough.
I think it is a combined effort, if you hang a fishing line you will eventually catch the fish, and when you catch it you will then have to hang them.　
Waiting patiently is the real pleasure of fishing, but the person who uses bombs is still able to enjoy to his preference.
Although they are caught one after another like in a relaxing picnic, even if it is disappointing that we can not move on as soon as structurally possible.　
Well, the special needle-like fingers have no real technique so it is difficult to maneuver around with, but it can not be helped.
After that I continued to catch and eat fish, repeating after finishing each fish.
The variety of sand fish is abundant, ranging from sand fish like flounder, slugs, and even coelacanth.
Many of them were eaten after being baked or boiled, but the Sekemensnach is a super high class fish and is delicious even if eaten normally.　
It is a different when compared with the dragon meat, the fish does have its own purpose.　
The fishing continued well into the evening, as soon as it began to turn dark we rounded things up.
The sandy sea at night seems to show a different side from its daytime, but it is at a later date in the year.　
I caught more than I thought, so we kept some to enjoy later.　
As soon as we got back safely, I thanked the Spicy Curry chef who taught us about that spot and the best ways to cook the fish, as well as two of the five Sekemensnach caught with purified dragon meat after the first one I caught.
I was told that "I am giving too much away", but this is also an investment for the need to develop a new taste.
The chef used the sand fish, which are very different from the sea fish, and I also added a Sekemensnach, that is, I can not help expecting the new dish that would come out.　
I wanted him to keep up for with my appetite, and so telling him, he bit off any retorts with a bitter smile.　
I am looking forward to it now.　
...You can likely get a good amount of gold if you sell the sand fish caught here on the original continent to people like the Tomboy Princess.
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PLACE TRANSLATIONS ABOVE THE BAR. THESE ARE THE RAWS, LEAVE THEM HERE UNTIL SOMEONE DOES A REAL TRANSLATION (NOT JUST A GT OR RUSSIAN TRANS). CLICK EXPAND TO VIEW THEM.
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“四百七日目”
　砂海と呼ばれる地域がある。
　非常に細かい砂が常に動き、まるで海のように変化し続ける事からそう言われているそうだ。
　底なし沼のように沈むので歩いて渡る事は出来ず、砂上船という特殊な船が必要なそこで、そんな環境に適合する生物の代表。
　それが砂魚として分類される多種のモンスターであり、今回の獲物であった。
　用意するのはとても頑丈な釣り糸と釣り針と釣り竿、そして新鮮な肉である。
　流動している砂海の中は常に砂で研磨されるようなものなので普通の釣り糸ではアッと言う間に切れてしまう。
　そして砂魚は硬い鱗や分厚い外殻で砂海の砂から身を守っているので普通の釣り針では柔らかい口内でも非常に刺さり難い。
　そして砂魚は基本的に重いので、良くしなりながりも壊れない頑丈な釣り竿でないと釣り上げる事も難しい。
　また新鮮な肉でないと餌としての魅力が薄いので近寄って来る事があまりない。
　専用の道具が必要だし、釣り難いし、凶暴な砂魚から逆に襲われて餌になる危険もある。
　しかし、だからこそ釣る意味がある。
　そう熱く語るのは、今回の切っ掛けになった、飯勇や姉妹さん達とスッカリ意気投合した絶品ジャンカリーの料理長である。
　今日は休日らしく、部下の中から希望する者だけを引き連れて、穴場まで案内してくれている。
　釣ったらすぐ調理できる準備も万全なので、個人的にも凄く楽しみだ。
　ともあれ、ジャンカリーの料理長は個人的に砂海を航砂海できる砂上船を保有しているようだが、今回は俺が用意した【シャークヘッド号】に乗り込んでいる。
　水の上ほどではないが、特に問題もなく進んでいける。
　時折砂海も荒れるが、砂の飛沫は風の膜で防いでいるので問題ない。
　実に快適な航砂海の後、俺達は釣り糸を垂らしていた。
　周囲の砂海の砂海流が交わる場所で、大物から珍しい種類の砂魚まで集まるらしい。
　試しにブラックフォモールのモモ肉を使ってみたが、砂海に落ち、ズブズブと沈んだかと思えばすぐに食いつかれた。
　そして食いついた場所がまだ浅かったからかすぐ砂上にまで釣り上げる事が出来た。
　初めての砂魚は“セクメンスナハ”といい、軽く十メートルを超える巨大魚だ。
　ワニのように長い口と、丸太のように太い胴体、分厚い鎧のような鱗が特徴的だ。
　鋭い牙が無数に生え揃っているので噛みつかれれば容易に噛み千切られるだろう。
　まあ、そんなものは大した事ではない。
　釣り上げた後も暴れるので、指先を針のように細く伸ばし、急所を突いて活き締めにする。
　それでセクメンスナハだが、ジャンカリーの料理長曰く、砂魚の中では一、二を争う大物だそうだ。
　この辺りの生態系の頂点に近く、釣り上げられる事は非常に稀。遭遇する事自体少ないし、仮に釣れても普通の砂上船では暴れるセクメンスナハに破壊されて沈む事もあるそうだ。
　特別な祭事の時に【太陽王】の食卓に並べられる事で知られ、縁起が良いだけでなく、その味も絶品らしい。
　過去のとある【太陽王】の好物として知られ、その時は同じ重量の金と交換されていたとか何とか。
　簡単に表現すると、超美味い巨大高級魚となる。
　そんな大物がアッサリと釣れた訳だが、きっと美味そうな匂いに惹かれてきたのだろう。ブラックフォモールの肉でこれなら、竜肉を使えばどうなるのだろうか。
　本物を使うのは勿体ないので、後で精製竜の肉でも使ってみようか。
　そう思いながらほくほく顔で魚拓をとり、飯勇達に後は任せる。甲板では嬉々とした表情で解体する飯勇と姉妹さん達の姿があった。
　そこにオーロとアルジェントの姿もあるが、二鬼は料理が好きなのでそれもある意味当然か。
　ともあれ、他の皆も思い思いに釣り始めたのだが、餌が良いのか場所が良いのか、あるいは道具がいいのか。
　その複合だとは思うが、釣り糸を垂らせば釣れ、釣れれば垂らす。
　ゆっくりと待つのも釣りの醍醐味ではあるが、やはり爆釣の方が個人的には楽しいモノである。
　一本釣りのように次々と釣り上げられるが、構造的にあれほど早く次に取り掛かれないのだけは残念である。
　まあ、一本釣りのような特殊な針はそれなりの技がないと難しいから、仕方ないのだけれども。
　
　その後も釣っては喰い、喰っては釣りを繰り返した。
　砂魚の種類は豊富で、ヒラメのような砂魚からカジキマグロのような砂魚、あるいはシーラカンスみたいな砂魚まで幅広い。
　その多くは美味しく焼いたり煮たりして喰ったが、やはりセクメンスナハは超高級魚なだけあって、普通に美味しい。
　竜肉とは種類の違う、魚類の旨さだ。
　夕方まで釣りは続き、暗くなり始めれば切り上げた。
　夜の砂海は昼とは違った面を見せるらしいが、それはまた後日だ。
　思った以上に釣れたので、楽しみはとっておくのである。
　あれこれしながら無事に帰ってくると、場所を教えてくれた礼としてジャンカリーの料理長に対し、最初に釣れたセクメンスナハの後に精製竜肉で釣れた五匹の内の二匹を渡す。
　『流石に貰いすぎだ』と言われたが、これは新たな味の開拓に必要な投資でもある。
　海の魚とはまた違う砂魚を使ったジャンカリー。それもセクメンスナハを使った、となれば、期待せずにはいられない。
　食欲の為に頑張って欲しい、そう伝えると苦笑いを浮かべて頷いてくれた。
　今から楽しみである。
　……ここで仕入れた砂魚を、お転婆姫など元の大陸で売り捌くといい金になりそうだ。
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Category:Novel
Category:Re:Monster ~ The Dark Continent ~ Vol. 1
Category:Articles that needs cleaning