“That was exhilarating, wasn’t it?”
Berthold downed his first Toriaezu Nama with a satisfied air.
He had managed to capture ten thugs who had been elusive until now, all at once. It would be difficult not to enjoy a drink after that.
“I’d like to thank that Arnoux fellow, too.”
“I don’t think Arnoux-san is the type to appreciate that kind of thing,” Shinobu said, smiling as she cut a lemon.
The sun was still high in the sky. Izakaya Nobu was still preparing to open, but Berthold had come for an interview about yesterday’s events, and was taking advantage of the perk to quench his thirst.
He was planning to go straight home after this, so the report could wait until tomorrow. He could drink to his heart’s content.
“There was a big fuss because the Archbishop was coming, but in the end, he seems to have brought some of his own guards, so the guard corps is back to normal.”
“I wonder what he came to the Old Capital for?”
“Who knows? There was talk about a ‘witch’ or something.”
At the word “witch,” Shinobu and Eva exchanged glances. They might know something, but that was the Archbishop’s business. It wasn’t something Berthold would be involved in.
“There are rumors that a witch is wandering around the Old Capital, but it’s not like she’s doing any harm. Wilhelm’s witch hunt was over a hundred years ago, you know. I don’t think the Archbishop would bother sticking his nose into something so troublesome.”
“R-right.”
“Speaking of which, Shinobu-chan, where’s Taisho?”
As Hermina, his new wife, poured him another Toriaezu Nama, he asked, and Shinobu looked apologetic.
“He said he suddenly had a craving for something, so he went out to buy ingredients.”
“I’m curious what Taisho would crave.”
While he said he was curious, Berthold had a pretty good idea. It was probably Karaage made with young chicken.
He must have found some good chicken. Seeing as he had Shinobu cutting so many lemons, it might be an all-Karaage night.
He unconsciously smiled, and when Hermina gave him a strange look, he hurriedly put on a serious face.
“I’m back.”
He heard a voice from the back entrance, and when he looked over, he saw Taisho coming in with a large bag. There was a scent of the sea coming from the bag.
Hermina seemed to think the same thing, and she twitched her well-shaped nose. She was originally a fisherman’s daughter, so she might be familiar with the scent.
“Ah, Berthold-san. Were you here?”
“Taisho, aren’t we having an all-Karaage night?”
“Fried chicken…? No, tonight is, well, it is an ‘all’ night, but it’s an all-oyster night.”
Oysters?
It was an ingredient he’d never heard of. He looked at Hermina, but his wife didn’t seem to know either. She shook her head adorably.
Taisho took the contents out of the bag and placed them on the cutting board with a clatter. They were large shells.
“What, Teppougai?”
Translator’s Note
“Teppougai” literally translates to “Gun Shell”. This is the name given to the oysters, due to their risk of causing food poisoning.
“Do you know them, Berthold-san?”
“Yeah, when I was making a killing around the Eastern Kingdom, I used to eat them a lot in the port towns.”
As he answered Shinobu, Berthold’s memories flew far away to the Eastern Kingdom. A body tired from the battlefield, white wine. And these Teppougai. Just remembering that rich, slurping taste made his mouth water. They were delicious. Grilled was good, but raw was the best.
“But why are they called Teppougai?”
“Because if you’re not careful, you’ll get hit hard.”
Translator’s Note
Hit hard refers to food poisoning in this case.
“Ah, it’s the same here, then.”
“Some people even die. Though it’s rare.”
Among Berthold’s old war buddies, there was one who died because of Teppougai. Although, he was the type of guy who would probably come back to life just to eat Teppougai again, even after dying from it, so in a way, it might have been what he wanted.
“Well, then.”
Berthold wiped his hands with a wet towel and looked at the Teppougai with anticipation. They were a good size. They would go very well with white wine.
“Berthold-san, you look like you’re about to start drinking.”
“It’s not ‘look like’, Taisho. I’ve made up my mind to start drinking right now. That feeling must be leaking out of my body.”
“But these oysters are for tonight.”
“Don’t be so stiff, Taisho. It’s too cruel to dangle such delicious-looking Teppougai in front of me and tell me to wait.”
As Taisho pondered with a “hmm,” Berthold sat back down in his chair, intending to push him a little more, but for some reason, Hermina tugged at his sleeve.
“Hmm? Hermina, do you want to eat Teppougai too?”
He asked, but she just shook her head.
He had never seen her react like this since they got married. He gently put his arm around her shoulder and asked what was wrong, but there was no answer. There must be something going on, but if she wouldn’t answer when he asked, there was nothing he could do. He was concerned, but right now, it was all about the Teppougai.
“Taisho, I don’t need any complicated dishes. Just two or three of those fresh Teppougai, raw…”
At the word “raw,” Hermina tugged at his sleeve again. This time it was stronger than before. When he turned around, he saw that she was even faintly tearing up.
“Hey, Hermina, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
Even so, his wife just shook her head slightly and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
“If you have something to say, say it, Hermina.”
Then, in a voice so thin it was almost unbelievable for her, Hermina whispered.
“I don’t…want Berthold-san to get sick from the shells and die.”
“Hermina…”
It was true that Teppougai could make you sick. But dying from it was almost unheard of. As far as Berthold knew, only one person had died.
“Don’t worry, Hermina. At worst, you’ll just get an upset stomach.”
“No. Even if it’s one in a thousand, one in ten thousand, I don’t want you to die…”
Ignoring the people around them, Hermina pressed her head against his chest, and as Berthold stroked her back, something suddenly flashed in his mind.
“H-hey, Hermina…you, don’t tell me…”
With her eyes closed, Hermina nodded. Stroking her stomach, which was still completely unchanged, she smiled shyly.
“Yes. It seems I’m pregnant.”
“Ooooooooooh!”
Berthold was surprised by the loudness of his own voice. He didn’t even know why he was so happy. He even felt like it couldn’t be true. Still, it was a fact.
Taisho, Shinobu, and Eva applauded. Looking at their surprised faces, it seemed that Hermina hadn’t told them yet. The words of congratulations they spoke one after another were comforting.
“Hermina, it’s a celebration! We need to eat something nutritious!”
“No Teppougai, okay?”
“Of course! But, today’s Nobu is all about Teppougai…”
As Berthold was both happy and flustered, Shinobu smiled at him.
“There is a way to eat them without getting sick, you know.”