Volume 1 Chapter 27 Mr. Tsukuyomi And The Octopus Pot
The morning market is crowded, but the market in the late morning is lively too.
The holy city of Ascalith is next to the port, and the market in the south district is right by the sea, so it's easy to get fresh seafood.
Only people from the middle class and below go to the market.
The upper class and nobles rarely buy their own ingredients, so there are no markets in the noble area in the north district or in the west district where the upper class lives.
Servants from those houses and people from the middle-class east district often come to shop at the south district market.
"Lyd-Lyd, you came at a rare time today! Here, have some candy. Enjoy!"
The lady at the vegetable stall gave me some candy.
I thanked her and gratefully accepted the candy, rolling it around in my mouth as I headed deeper into the market.
The market ladies often give me candy.
It seems they think, "If we give Lyd-Lyd candy, she'll be in a good mood."
It's true that candy is sweet, so while I'm licking it, I'm in a good mood.
I don't think there are many people in this world who get grumpy while eating candy.
I want to buy vegetables too, but since they are heavy, I'll get them last.
First, I want seafood, and if that's not available, then dried goods.
"Hijiki rice..."
Mr. Tsukuyomi sells dried hijiki that you soak in water, then cook with fried tofu, carrots, dashi made from Katsuobushi, soy sauce, and sake.
That is delicious. It's also tasty as rice balls.
If there are no fish, then hijiki rice is fine. I think a lunch set with miso soup, hijiki rice, and boiled vegetables is enough.
The kids don't like hijiki rice and boiled vegetables, but young ladies really like it.
Also, it's popular with the mercenaries and adventurers.
They say it's not greasy, which is good.
I don't understand why I need to know what those scruffy old men like. It makes no sense to me.
"Hey there, little lady, shopping?"
"Hello, Mr. Tsukuyomi. I came to shop. I want some fried tofu and hijiki. Also, miso, dried seaweed, and Katsuobushi."
"Sure, no problem. You came at just the right time, little lady."
Mr. Tsukuyomi always sets up his shop in front of the market by the port.
He has various products in stacked wooden boxes, and he sits on a chair with a pipe in his mouth.
His pipe looks different from Mx. Margaret's aromatic tobacco.
It's made from Wakoku country tobacco, filled with herbs at the tip, lit, and then smoked. Mr. Tsukuyomi once told me it has insect-repelling effects.
Right next to Mr. Tsukuyomi's shop, there's a white sandy beach.
On the beach, children are playing barefoot.
Since they can collect clams there, women are picking up asari and hamaguri while watching the kids.
The white waves come in and out, and I can hear the sound of the sea, like "shush, shush."
The salty breeze and faint scent of the shore are pleasant. I love the sea.
When I was at the Rest priest's house, I couldn't see this.
There are several long piers extending toward the open ocean on the beach.
In front of Mr. Tsukuyomi's shop, there is a dock where the Whale No. 1 is located.
"Is it a good place? Are you having a sale or something?"
"Right now, I'm about to pull up the octopus traps I set in the sea this morning. Come with me, little lady."
"Y-You want me to come with you...?"
"Yeah. If you help me, I'll sell you some fresh octopus at a good price."
Mr. Tsukuyomi said with one eye squinted.
His right eye was hidden under a cloth, so I couldn't see what was going on there.
His long black hair and the red kimono with black octopus patterns swayed in the wind.
"Octopus..."
Octopus is delicious.
People in the Kingdom of Bernard eat octopus a lot.
They boil it, grill it, make it into salads, and fry it in many ways.
"Octopus, huh..."
"Are you unhappy with octopus, little lady?"
"Mr. Tsukuyomi likes octopus, right...?"
He always wears a kimono with octopus patterns.
"Yeah. Not to brag, but my only friends are whales, squids, and octopuses. And then there's Margaret. They're a drinking buddy."
"You eat your friends...?"
I was shocked.
You don't eat friends. I don't eat Sir Ciel.
"The Hyomon riding on Whale No. 1 won't be eaten. He's a friend."
"But you eat regular octopus..."
"That's food. Hyomon eats octopus too."
"Hyomon isn't actually an octopus, though..."
On top of the huge whale, which is also Mr. Tsukuyomi's ship, Whale No. 1, there is a giant octopus.
There are seats inside a round, balloon-like membrane that wraps around the giant octopus's legs.
The seats are quite spacious, and even with me and Mr. Tsukuyomi on board, there's enough room for a lot of luggage.
"I wonder. Hyomon says he's an octopus, so maybe he really is one."
Mr. Tsukuyomi is a sorcerer from Wakoku country.
Wakoku country sorcerers can connect with animals and even talk to them, it seems.
I don't know many people from Wakoku country, so all this is what Mr. Tsukuyomi has told me, so I can't tell if it's true or not.
"More importantly, little lady, let's go. There should be a big octopus in the octopus trap by now."
Mr. Tsukuyomi tossed the leaf from his pipe into the ashtray and tucked it into his kimono sleeve.
His kimono sleeve has all sorts of things in it.
But it doesn't seem too bulky. It's strange.
"B-but, an octopus..."
Today I'm having hijiki rice and miso soup. I wasn't planning to come buy an octopus.
It's delicious, but I don't really want an octopus right now.
Besides, Mr. Tsukuyomi is a man.
He's very mature, and he treats me like a child, so I don't think about it much, but he is a man.
Being on a boat with a man out at sea makes me feel a bit uneasy.
"W-wait..."
"Stop dawdling, little lady. The octopus is waiting for us."
"Nooo, put me down, put me down..."
Mr. Tsukuyomi easily picked me up.
He just lifted me onto his shoulder.
I wonder if I was born under a star that carries me on its shoulder. This is the second time.
After Sir Ciel, now I'm about to be kidnapped by Mr. Tsukuyomi. To go octopus fishing.
The market ladies are watching us with smiles.
They probably think it's a scene of a dad taking his reluctant daughter fishing.
But it's not that, it's a kidnapping...!
"It's fun, octopus fishing. You should try catching one with your bare hands, little lady."
"N-no, I don't want to! I'm a cook, so... I don't have a passionate love for octopuses like Mr. Tsukuyomi does..."
"Once you catch one, you'll get hooked. That feeling, the suction cups, and it tastes good. Octopuses have only good points."
"I came to buy hijiki, not octopus...!"
"Little lady, if you say hijiki is better than octopus, Hyomon will be hurt."
I suddenly looked up.
Hyomon, who is on top of Whale No. 1, looks a bit lonely.
"I-I'm sorry...!"
It's not that I dislike Hyomon. I don't really like him either. It's an octopus.
And so, I was pushed into the seat on top of Whale No. 1 by Mr. Tsukuyomi, and we headed out to sea.
I just came to the market to shop.
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