Eleonora sighed softly, surveying her usual cluttered desk.
The light outside the window was already dim, and the day’s fatigue weighed heavily on Eleonora’s shoulders, who had finally finished her work.
On the large desk, made from a single slab of giant water oak, were her well-worn quill pen, inkwell, and stacks of parchment.
Each item was of high quality, not for the sake of extravagance, but because using inferior tools for such demanding work would be more costly in the long run. As the master of a guild that controlled a third of the Old Capital’s water transport, there were many decisions to be made.
And then there were the mountains of letters.
For this guild, which had risen to prominence on the strength of its connections with the Eastern Kingdom and the Three Northern Territories, the letters written by Eleonora herself, the guild master, were both a powerful weapon and a lifeline.
Combined with her beautiful appearance and bewitching aura, there was a rumor that Eleonora left all the work to her subordinates. If you asked her, she’d say it was a gross misunderstanding, but she could understand why people might think that.
The calluses on her fingers and the need to write dozens of letters a day were due to her mother’s lax management.
This guild had been passed down through generations of women, but it had expanded rapidly during her mother’s time.
She had poached talented members from the declining Reinhold Guild, instantly acquiring the second-largest scale in the Old Capital.
It was all due to a woman’s charm.
Her mother, who was even from her daughter Eleonora’s perspective, exceptionally beautiful, understood the value of her own beauty more accurately than anyone.
If the expansion relied on a woman’s charm, then maintaining it required using it skillfully.
That’s why Eleonora grew to dislike men.
She didn’t think she was acting so poorly that those around her would notice.
While making it seem like she was a man-lover, in reality, there were only a handful of men who had even held Eleonora’s hand.
She was more interested in beauty than most.
She didn’t want to lose to her mother as a woman. To be more beautiful than her mother, and not to use it like her mother did. That was Eleonora’s aesthetic.
That was all.
During the day, work. Her hobby was also work. But recently, even Eleonora had a secret pleasure.
“Welcome!”
“…Welcome.”
Lightly acknowledging the usual warm greeting, Eleonora unhesitatingly took a seat at the counter.
The oshibori (wet towel) she received from Shinobu’s hand felt incredibly soothing on her work-weary hands.
Enjoying the sensation of blood flowing to every corner of her stiffened palms, Eleonora gazed at the menu.
The lager at this establishment was certainly delicious, but lately, Eleonora’s style was to order Reishu exclusively.
The cold, clear taste had a keenness that seemed to wash away the worries of her livelihood, along with the taste of the food, deep into the pit of her stomach.
“I’ll have this Dewazakura today. And, some delicious fish, please.”
Translator’s Note
Dewazakura is a brand of sake.
“Grilled? Or simmered?”
“Hmm… Grilled, please.”
She placed her order with Shinobu, who had brought the otoshi of kinpira gobo, and a beautiful glass was immediately brought to her. Unlike the Toriaezu Nama, which was poured before being brought to the table, Reishu was poured from the bottle in front of the customer.
Translator’s Note
Kinpira Gobo is a dish of braised burdock root and carrot.
The sight of the clear Reishu filling the glass, accompanied by the refreshing sound of “toku toku,” was strangely uplifting, even just to watch.
First, a sip of Dewazakura to moisten her mouth.
This brand had a wonderful aroma. Savoring the elegant taste, she picked up her chopsticks and started on the kinpira gobo.
The crisp texture and the sharp spiciness that tightened the flavor.
Then, another sip from the glass. The soy sauce taste of the kinpira gobo was washed away, leaving only a refreshing aftertaste in her mouth.
At first, Eleonora had eaten with a knife and fork, but after realizing that it was “not beautiful” at this establishment, she had started to use chopsticks as much as possible.
Inside the tavern, the usual guard duo was drinking lager with tempura as a side dish, talking about something seriously.
Since the problem with the Three Northern Territories had been resolved, the entire Old Capital area had been perfectly peaceful.
They seemed to be talking about something to do with a witch, but Eleonora had no idea what they were talking about.
Eleonora didn’t think very highly of this pair, especially the one with the beard.
This man, Nikolaus, had the characteristic aura of a womanizer.
It wasn’t that he was an enemy of women. Rather, he seemed to be kind to women.
But, perhaps out of fear that he might see through her true, inexperienced nature, Eleonora had a slight aversion to him.
“Here you are, Eleonora-san. Sanma.”
“Sanma, is it?”
What Shinobu had brought was a long, thin, salt-grilled fish.
It resembled a Lance Fish, but it was slightly thicker.
The fatty flesh had a beautiful grilled color, and a fragrant aroma tickled her nostrils.
“It’s the first of the season, but this year’s sanma is well-marbled with fat and delicious.”
“It seems like it would go well with Reishu.”
Nodding at Shinobu’s words, Eleonora’s eyes were already glued to the sanma.
This was delicious.
As she drizzled soy sauce on the white peak of grated daikon radish piled on the edge of the rectangular plate, Eleonora’s throat made a gulping sound.
When she picked it up with her chopsticks, the skin crackled, and the flesh inside was revealed.
Impatiently, she tore off a piece of the flesh and carefully brought it to her mouth.
Good. This was good.
The strong taste of the fish and the rich, fatty flavor.
After chewing it two or three times and emptying her mouth, she took a sip of Dewazakura.
This was irresistible.
Next, she put some grated daikon radish on top and took another bite.
The refreshing taste of the daikon radish, which gently washed away the fatty taste, was also exquisite.
From the depths of the white flesh, a dark brown part appeared.
Was this the sanma’s internal organs? She was momentarily worried, but Izakaya Nobu would never cut corners. The fact that it was served meant that this part was also meant to be eaten.
Thinking this, Eleonora hesitantly reached out with her chopsticks.
She took a bite. Bitter.
Reflexively, she took a sip of Dewazakura.
At that moment, something strange happened. It was bitter, but it was delicious.
Eleonora, who hadn’t liked bitterness since she was a child, could eat the sanma’s internal organs. Rather, she thought it might go well with Reishu.
The elegant taste of Reishu and the sanma’s internal organs.
This strange harmony captivated Eleonora.
“Did you enjoy the sanma’s wata?”
Shinobu brought out another oshibori for her to wipe the fat from her fingers while eating the sanma.
“The sanma’s internal organs are called wata?”
“Yes. We remove them from other fish, but only sanma is delicious with them. It goes well with cold sake, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s very delicious.”
It looked bad. It tasted bitter.
And yet, this bitterness enhanced the deliciousness of the cold sake.
Eleonora felt like she had made a strange discovery as she continued to eat the sanma with her chopsticks.
It was a delicious fish, but it was difficult to eat.
After fiddling with it for a while, the sanma on the plate was in a sorry state.
There was still a little Reishu left. Just as she was thinking of ordering another snack, Eleonora was called from behind.
“Oh, what a waste. You can still eat a little more.”