We dove down the slope of the cliff.
Unlike the first time I came here, when I cautiously picked my way down, this time, I practically leapt down the slope like it was a game of kenkenpa. A year of living in this other world has really changed me. With physical enhancement magic, bounding down the slope wasn’t much harder than playing a children’s game.
「Unlike last year! I don’t need you tagging along anymore, right?」
「Bark!」
「Ahaha, Chocola, amazing! Funnn!」
Meanwhile, Chocola was effortlessly bounding down the slope with Mint on his back. At this point, it wasn’t just “leaping” down—it was more like the legendary leap at Ichinotani.
「Ahhh, I can’t do it anymore, niichan!」
Ji Ness, who had been clinging to my head, gave up and switched to his “flight mode,” flapping into the air.
「It’s okay. Let’s take it slow.」
「Th-Thanks…!」
Karen was carefully making her way down the slope on foot, still holding Mine Ork-chan. She cut a few corners by zigzagging at the edges, but her steady pace seemed to reassure the timid Mine Ork-chan.
I briefly reflected on how childish we all looked, even though we were adults. But after turning twenty and taking a fresh look at myself, I’d decided to live more honestly with my feelings. If I felt like playing around, why not embrace it?
By the time we all made it down to the beach, the Lamias were just returning from their fishing trip.
「Amazing」
「Yeah… amazing.」
Karen was awestruck, and I nodded in agreement.
Docked on the shore were six or seven small wooden boats, each designed for a single person. These boats were piled high with fish, surrounded by the Lamias chatting amongst themselves. They were the same type of boat that Chocola and I had borrowed during the fight against the mutant species last year.
Each boat had a distinct design: the rear was carved out in a way that allowed the Lamias to grip it like a kickboard, propelling it forward as they swam. The boats doubled as a sort of storage, like the fishing buckets used by traditional ama divers, to hold their catches.
The Lamias relied on these boats, their bodies, and their remarkable swimming skills to venture into the sea and carry out this primitive yet efficient style of fishing.
The open ocean, vast and untamed, seemed like a realm beyond human reach. And yet, the Lamias had ventured into it, conquered its challenges, and returned victorious with their spoils. Their proud expressions, the boats laden high with fish of all shapes and sizes—it was a scene so moving that it sent a shiver through my chest.
We hunt too. Though our hunting is on land while theirs is in the sea, the essence of survival is the same. Yet, unlike them, we rely on magic—cheating our way through danger with raw power. It feels less like a battle against nature and more like overwhelming it. The Lamias, however, are different.
The sea is terrifying. A single moment of carelessness can claim a life. Even if you stay vigilant, the unpredictable nature of the ocean can still bring death crashing down upon you. Yet, they face that fear head-on, wrestle sustenance from the waves, and return to share the joy of survival with those waiting for them on shore.
That scene, that atmosphere, those smiles—there was no other way to describe it but beautiful.
「Sui-sama!」
One of the Lamias noticed us and hurried over.
「We caught so much today! Please, come take a look at our catch.」
Her delighted expression brought an equally natural smile to my face.
「Everyone, you’re amazing. Great job!」
「It’s a big haul! Let’s go, niichan!」
The young dragon siblings seemed almost proud as if they’d been part of the effort.
「Waa, fish, many!」
「Bark!」
「Yes, please show us. Let’s go, everyone.」
「Hmm.」
Encouraging Mint and Chocola, and exchanging a nod with Karen, I dashed toward the boats.
The briny scent of the sea, mingled with the raw smell of freshly caught fish, hit my nose. It wasn’t unpleasant—it was the scent of life itself.
※※※
「This one looks like a type of Spanish mackerel. That’s mackerel, this one’s sea bream, and over here… mullet, maybe? The shape’s a little different, but I think I’ve got the gist of it.」
「Do such fish exist in your world as well?」
「Not exactly the same, but… this feels closer to Japan than, say, the opposite side of Earth. It’s fascinating.」
Perhaps, at some point in the past, the sea here had experienced a boundary fusion phenomenon and connected to Japan. If my house could be transported to another world, it wasn’t unreasonable to think that an entire region might have shifted similarly.
This could explain why certain fish species here were eerily familiar, even if they weren’t perfect matches. It felt like another puzzle piece in the mystery of this world, one that brought a strange sense of comfort.
「Sui, look! Shells, a lot!」
「Bark! Bark bark!」
「Wow, you’re right. Could be mussels or oysters… It’s hard to tell just by looking at the shells.」
Still, even these were fascinating in their differences. They might be entirely new species that I didn’t recognize, which only added to the intrigue.
「Whoa, that’s a bonito. And it’s huge!」
「We call it shiroaka(white red). This is today’s biggest catch.」
What immediately caught my eye was a gleaming, silver, streamlined fish about two meters long sitting prominently atop one of the boats. It was roughly three times the size of the bonito found on Earth, but otherwise identical in appearance. A stunning specimen.
The Lamias called it shiroaka—likely because, despite its silver body, its flesh was a deep red.
「And… there’s a ton of horse mackerel(aji) too.」
「Oh, that one has the same name.」
Hearing me murmur about horse mackerel, one of the Lamias looked surprised and confirmed.
「Really? Is there any special reason for that name in your world?」
「It’s one of our staple foods, something we eat all the time. That’s why we call it aji.」
「So it’s named after being an everyday flavor, huh? That’s fascinating.」
In my world, the horse mackerel—or Aji—is a species found in warm oceans worldwide. In Japan, it’s the most familiar fish on the dinner table. Whether raw as sashimi, grilled, fried, simmered, or dried, it’s incredibly versatile and widely consumed.
Its Japanese name, however, comes from a different origin:
「In the country I’m from, we call it aji because it means ‘good taste.’ …Wow, so you Lamias also call it aji.」
That made me strangely happy. While the etymology was different, the sentiment behind the name—that this fish was a familiar, beloved staple—was the same.
The Lamias began unloading fish from the boats and sorting them. They planned to process some into dried fish or fish sauce, while others would be set aside for immediate consumption.
「If it’s alright, I’d like to try making a few dishes that might suit your tastes. Could I borrow some of the fish for testing?」
I ran a hand over the knife at my waist, anticipation buzzing in my chest.
From the moment we arrived, it had been nothing but fun. And now, I had the perfect excuse to dive into something I loved.
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