After the legend of the treasure that inspired generations of adventurers to set sail was finished, the chef had also finished grilling the meat from the Merfolk's belly.
They have a ripe white color, tinged with a little charred black, covered with tiny brown particles, and shimmer with a moist, oily sheen.
The repeatedly applied seasonings have seeped into the meat's texture, creating an enticing visual effect.
" Desi's grilled fish is a little different from what you usually eat," Elland said, pointing to the white porcelain plate the chef had set down.
Donna, her hands on her knife and fork, said eagerly:
My favorite food is honey-baked fish!
"But this is also very tempting."
Honey-baked fish... how much honey would that take... I'd try it sometime, it should taste pretty good... Klein immediately started wandering.
With a chef, they no longer needed to do it themselves, watching with anticipation as slices of fish were cut, placed on different plates, and pushed in front of them.
Klein was very serious about enjoying his food. Instead of immediately dealing with the fish, he first picked up his cup, took a sip of black tea, and used the slightly acidic liquid to cleanse his mouth of any lingering taste.
After doing all this, he forked a piece of fish and put it in his mouth.
In an instant, he sensed the slightly pungent aromas of spices such as fennel and basil, which fully awakened his taste buds.
Immediately afterwards, the savory juices of the meat, the salty and slightly astringent aroma of the sea salt, and the refreshing sweet and sour taste of the lemon burst forth simultaneously, intertwining and lingering in the mouth, enticing the mouth to water.
As you chew, the rendered fat from grilling causes the fish meat to break apart one by one, revealing the natural beauty and subtle sweetness of the flesh.
Klein swallowed the fish in his mouth, recalling the food shows he'd watched in his past life, and chose a comment that best matched his feelings just now:
"The layers are distinct, it's fantastic!"
"Haha, your tone and word choice sound like a Gourmand," Elland joked.
Donna brandished her fork and chimed in, "Uncle, maybe you should start a column in the newspaper, reviewing different restaurants and different dishes."
Hmm, why didn't I think of this idea before...? This is a great job where I can earn money from writing and enjoy delicious food! The only problem is that obese people can't be agile Clown...? Using purging? That would be such a waste of food! Klein seriously considered Donna's suggestion.
"For this beautiful night!"
When there was little food left, Elland poured some more Sonia Blood Wine, his face flushed, and raised his glass.
Klein and the others echoed this sentiment in equally good spirits:
"For this beautiful night."
They finished the remaining liquid in their glasses and watched the waiters clear the table and clean the deck.
In the biting cold wind, they chatted for a while longer, talking about mermaids, which were what Donna was most interested in.
Krivis told the little girl that in some legends, mermaids are also called sea monsters. They use their songs to bewitch humans not for fun, but for hunting. Besides the sea route from the Gargas Archipelago to the depths of the Sonia Sea, where humans might encounter these creatures, there is also a chance of finding them in unexplored, dangerous waters. However, this all stems from the boasts of some drunken pirates. They all avoided the question of how they escaped the mermaids' songs, so it's not very credible.
Regardless, this at least pointed to a possible direction... Klein noted down their conversation.
" Donna, Denton, it's time to go back. You need to get up early tomorrow to have breakfast with your parents." Cecil glanced at the Moon's position.
"Okay." Donna stood up reluctantly.
Denton then hurriedly asked:
"Do I have the chance to become an adventurer?"
His mind was already captivated by the previous hunting trip and the legends he had just heard.
Krivis walked over to him, patted him on the shoulder, and said:
"Before asking this question, you need at least five years of combat training and knowledge acquisition. I think your father will hire a good tutor for you."
"Yes!" Denton's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.
Five years from now, you'll probably be all grown up and won't want to be an adventurer who could drown at any moment... Krivis's handling of the situation was quite shrewd. Instead of directly rejecting him, he offered hope and let time heal all wounds, thus avoiding a child's sudden rebellion... In any case, mastering a fighting technique is never a bad thing for anyone... Klein thought appreciatively, his hands in his pockets.
On the way back into the cabin, Krivis handed Klein two five-pound notes:
"Your payment."
He has just received £150 from Elland for the purchase of the whole Merfolk.
"I didn't do anything," Klein instinctively denied.
Krivis glanced at him with his pale blue eyes and said in a low voice:
"You've liberated Cecil, now take good care of the children."
"Keep an eye on the kids?" Klein almost laughed, but ultimately took the two banknotes and drew a triangle on his chest.
"You're more generous than I expected, thank you."
He stopped refusing because he suddenly realized something: if he didn't accept the 10 pounds, in the eyes of a seasoned adventurer like Krivis, it would mean he was dissatisfied with the price and trying to get more, and he might attack them at any time—among those who call themselves adventurers, there are definitely not a few greedy Lunatic!
Seeing that Gehrman Sparrow had pocketed the money, Krivis looked away and said calmly:
"That's the rule at sea."
He said no more and followed Cecil, Donna, and the others into the cabin.
If every commission and every task I handled was of this difficulty and yielded this kind of reward, I would have made a fortune as a private Detective long ago... Klein chuckled self-deprecatingly and glanced at the red moon high in the sky.
It still shines quietly and gently on the Evernight.
"Legends of the sea, different Monster... I've finally found a bit of an adventurer's feeling." Klein turned and walked to the edge of the ship's railing, bathed in the crimson veil, admiring the waves that grew darker and darker in the distance. His mood gradually calmed down, and he slowly emerged from the gloom following the Great Smog of Backlund.
The biting, damp wind lashed his face, and the vast, boundless ocean came into view, slowly opening his heart.
In that instant, Klein felt an urge to recite poetry, but when he opened his mouth, he found that he couldn't remember any of the corresponding modern verses.
You can't exactly say, "Ocean, you're all water..." The Emperor's " Reader " Sequence is really well-suited for this kind of thing; I should probably read through his poetry collection when I have time, lest I look like an illiterate... Klein thought to himself as he gazed at the red moon and the ocean, and sighed:
"What a beautiful night."
After getting lost unexpectedly, the exploration team returned to City of Silver.
Looking at the city wall overgrown with weeds through the cracks, Derrick felt a little dazed, as if he had been gone for many years.
Behind him, " Demon Hunter " Colin's eyes suddenly looked dazed, and he raised his hand to press his right temple.
The rest of the team members were filled with genuine joy and relaxation.
After a difficult journey, the most beautiful thing in their hearts is that there is a destination and a home waiting for them.
Colin's gaze returned to normal; he tilted his head slightly and looked diagonally forward.
Backlund, the White family.
After much deliberation, a confident Emlyn approached his parents and asked:
"If, if I want to delve deeper into the history of our Sanguine, who should I turn to?"
Asking directly about City of Silver might expose my problems. Although I'm not afraid and am quite frank, for the sake of the Progenitor and to save the entire Sanguine, I have no choice but to conceal it... I've always been interested in the history of the Sanguine and have collected a lot of information. My parents know this very well and won't have any suspicions... This excuse is perfect! Emlyn praised himself inwardly.
His father bore a striking resemblance to him, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and appearing very professional.
The gentleman, who had genuinely earned his medical doctorate, put down his thick book on anatomy, adjusted his glasses, and said:
"In Backlund, no one knows more than Lord Nibes."
... If I dared to go to Lord Nibes, I would have gone long ago... Emlyn, recalling Mr. " The Fool's " description of a savior bearing secrets and misunderstandings, asked with a serious expression:
"Besides Nibes Nibais?"
"He lies dormant underground and should not be disturbed frequently."
Emlyn's father tugged at the collar of his thick cotton pajamas, thought for a moment, and said:
" Vampire, he always considered himself a historian."
Emlyn secretly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, saying:
I hope to visit him.
Ugh!
With a whistle blowing, the White Agate entered the Damir Port.
It will replenish its freshwater and food supplies on this colony island before setting sail again the following morning.
After hunting the Merfolk, Klein spent two days that could be described as leisurely, but also as boring. Completely bored with the seascape, he decided to explore the port bar tonight, hoping to glean more information about mermaids and find Spirit Intuition for his Acting.
If any blood-stained pirate comes ashore, I won't hesitate to teach them a lesson. Within the " Creeping Hunger " are countless spirits waiting to be released... Klein, wearing all the magical items on his body, left the cabin with sweat dripping from his forehead and went down to the port.
During this time, he encountered Donna and Krivis, who seemed to be heading to the port restaurant to sample Damir's most famous cured meat.
Donna and Denton greeted the adventurer uncle they had met the night before, seemingly curious about where he was going.
Klein smiled back, adjusted his collar, and followed the street signs to find the nearest bar.
" Flying Fish and Wine..." Klein glanced at the sign and noticed that the bar's exterior was plastered with all sorts of bounty posters.
This collection includes 800,000 pounds belonging to the " King of the Five Seas," as well as hundreds of pounds belonging to ordinary pirate leaders. Layer upon layer, from top to bottom, it creates a unique landscape.
"It's all money..." Klein stood there, staring at it for a long time.
He turned his gaze away, pushed open the door to enter the bar, and found it unusually quiet, lacking the usual noise expected of such an occasion.
What happened? Klein looked around and saw Captain Elland, wearing a dark red coat, sitting at the bar, and two burly men facing off in the middle.
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