#648 Let’s Savor Some Salmon (Sequel)

The Salmon Overfishing Festival had become quite a grand affair thanks to Bearmon’s impromptu participation.

We managed to catch more salmon than anticipated, and after gathering enough, we loaded them onto a carrier and headed back. 

The salmon that survived our fishing frenzy would swim upstream and lay their eggs, which would help secure next year’s resources.

Upon arriving at the farm, we immediately began pre-treating the salmon for long-term preservation.

One might assume that we would salt or dry them, but no.

With our farm’s standards, we could preserve our food more efficiently, safely, and without compromising its flavor.

I bring the salmon to the farm’s storage unit, where the person in charge uses her magic to freeze them.

Yes, you read it right, freeze them!

Freezing is an unheard-of concept in medieval fantasy, but not at our farm.

Our refrigeration facility maintains temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius or below, with an even colder freezing zone. 

This is all thanks to the merfolk’s magic freezing potion, which is why the facility’s manager is a mermaid.

In the past, Puffer, the Witch of the Bitter Cold, managed the facility, but she returned to the Mermaid Kingdom after getting married. Now, her personal pupil Discus had taken over her position.

“Please take these to the freezing zone!”

“Understood!”

I pass the salmon, which had been gutted and had their eggs removed, to Discus.

She then cast her magic potion over them and froze them solid in no time. 

The salmon are then taken to the sub-zero zone.

Discus’s impeccable management of the refrigeration unit is proof of her being an excellent manager.

You’ve done well, Discus.

“All thanks to Sis Puffer’s guidance, Lord Saint! She taught me the secrets of magic potions and made me into a fully-fledged potion compounder! It is because of her that I can stand on my own!”

“I see.”

“I’ll make sure to protect this refrigeration unit that I inherited from her and not tarnish the name of the Mermaid Queen!”

As Discus was thoroughly trained in the art of witchcraft by Puffer, she is no longer an average faddist.

She now has the qualifications to call herself a witch!

“I’m just an ordinary person, it’s presumptuous of me to call myself a witch...! However, I already know what title I want to receive when I’m allowed to call myself one.”

Really?

What is it?

“The Witch of Refrigeration!”

“...?”

“Sis Puffer said it’s fitting for me because I know how to use her freezing potions and manage the farm’s refrigerators flawlessly...! When I gain enough confidence, I plan to call myself that!”

Couldn’t you have chosen a cooler title? 

Life is all about being a little pretentious, you know? 

Isn’t that alias a little too homely and plain...?

Well, if she likes it, that’s fine.

Thus, Discus freezes and preserves the salmon with perfect low-temperature management, worthy of her title as the Witch of Refrigeration.

If we let it freeze for a good time, we can enjoy the deliciousness of salmon even more!

“We now enter the second phase of the salmon-relishing festival!”

“Ha! That’s naïve of you, Master.”

What?

Who said that?

Veil?!

“As you said, Master, that fish was undoubtedly delicious. It was so delicious that one couldn’t help but wonder if that was really a fish!”

Salmon contains unbelievable amounts of fat compared to other fishes, after all.

Even kids like its taste too...

“But! After eating so much of it, one can say that they’ve tasted everything there is to know about salmon! Salt-grilled, mirin-grilled, sake-grilled, even stuffing the meat into rice balls was incredibly delicious! It’s difficult to replicate the same excitement with similar dishes again! Now, what will you do, Master?”

“You greatly underestimate salmon, Veil...”

It was a shallow statement as if she knew everything about salmon after only eating grilled dishes.

You’ll regret your words soon enough, Veil!

“Why do you think I had Discus freeze the salmon I caught?”

“What...?”

“It’s because there are dishes that can only be made with frozen salmon. The scariest thing about eating raw meat is parasites. The safest and most reliable way to kill them is either to cook or freeze the fish...!”

In the case of grilled dishes, the cooking process will kill the parasites and pathogens, so it’s not a problem. 

But what about preparing certain dishes that don’t use heat?

When meat is frozen, it is placed at a low temperature where organisms cannot survive for long periods of time, thereby killing microorganisms that are dangerous to the human body.

* * *

“And thus, after thawing the salmon, we froze for two days, this is what I have created!” 

Sashimi salmon!

“Woaaaaaaaaaah!”

Veil is taken aback by the sashimi!

“Sashimi?! Raw fish slicessssss?! They were so good grilled, but now you want me to eat them raw?! Are you sane, Masteeeeeeeeeer?!”

“That’s why I had to freeze them in order to be able to enjoy them raw. It may have taken some time, but I assure you it’s worth it.” 

Dip it in some soy sauce.

I recommend mayonnaise too.

“Uwaaaaaaaaaa! Thish ish sho ghoooood!”

Veil is pleasantly surprised by the salmon sashimi’s exquisite taste.

“It’s so tender! And fattyyyyyyyyyyy! I had no idea raw salmon could taste this goooooood!”

So, Veil?

Have you realized your own ignorance, thinking you knew everything about salmon just by eating it grilled?

But fret not; the raw salmon’s potential has only reached its second stage.

Its true form will make itself known nowwww!

“Behold! I will place this raw salmon on top of a bowl of rice!” 

“W-What’s thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!”

A salmon donburi!

It may be seafood donburi, but salmon alone is a strong contender that overpowers other seafood!

“What the... What a terrifying idea, Masteeeeeer! But it makes perfect sense. Anything can be placed on top of rice, and it will enhance the flavors of bothhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Veil is on the verge of being cornered just by having the salmon donburi presented to her!

But I’m not so complacent as to think I’ve won—I will launch another attack! 

“Next... I will add salmon roe on top of the donburi!”

“Guhaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

That’s right—the same eggs I took out of the salmon before freezing them!

There are raw sashimi slices and salmon roe on top of the rice bowl...

What do you think this means? 

“The seafood oyakodon is complete!”

“Oyakodonnnnn?! Isn’t that supposed to be a rice bowl dish with chicken and egg?! I never thought there could be another kind of oyakodoooooooon...!”

Completely overwhelmed by the shock of the seafood oyakodon, Veil couldn’t contain herself and was blown away.

This is it!

“T-The power of salmon is terrifying...! I thought I had already tasted all the salmon in the world with the first dish Master made for me...! But there are still so many different sides to salmon; it’s such a deep and mysterious fish...!”

“Yes, salmon is truly profound. Both as a fish and as an ingredient.”

Veil, your downfall was that you only saw one aspect of salmon and thought that was all there was to it.

But every ingredient, not just salmon, has potential beyond our imagination.

If only you had humbly faced salmon with an open mind, you might have realized that...!

“Master! I was wrong! Salmon is a great fish that knows no boundsssss!”

“Finally, Veil, you understand!”

With our hearts connected, we exchange a firm handshake to symbolize reconciliation! 

A happy ending!

“Alright, let’s dig into the salmon and roe oyakodon right away. I’ve prepared enough portions for everyone!”

“Food is always better when shared!”

All the inhabitants of the farm already gathered before us, each holding a serving of the salmon and roe oyakodon.

It truly is a salmon and roe oyakodon party!

“LET’S DIG INNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!”

Everyone finally gets to taste the dish after enduring the skit between Veil and me.

The salmon and roe oyakodon, which had spread throughout the farm, was a true blessing from the river that we could all savor together!

“The tender sashimi melts in your mouth when mixed with the rice!”

“And the popping sensation of the salmon roe as you chew adds another layer of texture!”

Everyone savors the deliciousness of the salmon oyakodon and eats it with relish, whether they had participated in the salmon frenzy festival or couldn’t due to their work.

I wonder how salmon captures everyone’s hearts like this?

Everyone loves salmon.