Chapter 78: The Sea’s Forgotten Feast

Northern Beastkin Village.

Today, while doing business at the market.

Murmur murmur.

“Why is it suddenly so noisy?”

Has the market ever been this loud?

Looking around, people were gathered in the central clearing of the beastkin market. 

Faintly, raised voices could be heard.

“I can’t take it anymore!”

“Yeah! We have to settle this today!”

“Now, now, everyone calm down!”

The wolf warrior, Alek, was mixed in among the beastkin, trying to pacify the angry ones.

A penguin shouted.

“Because the sea lions catch every fish in sight, there’s nothing left in the sea!”

“What nonsense! You penguins have twice as many fishing boats!”

The sea lions shot back.

Last time at the dock, there was a fight between penguins and sea lions over fish distribution.

This time, it seems the quarrel is over catch amounts.

With limited fishing resources in the nearby sea, conflicts between the two tribes that rely on fish as staple food don’t cease.

“Everyone, calm down and let’s resolve this through dialogue. Fighting like this won’t solve the problem!”

Alek struggled to mediate between the two tribes, but the deep-seated grudges made it hard to see any sign of calming.

“Alek is having a hard time in the middle.”

With winter approaching, everyone is sensitive about food. 

What can be done to increase fish resources right away? 

It would be good if there was something usable from the current resources.

“Business is probably off for today, maybe I should head back.”

On the way, I’ll pick up some seaweed from the coast.

***

Whoosh—

“Ah, it’s cold.”

Arriving at the coast, the cold winter sea wind blew sharply like blades.

It makes me realize anew that this is a harsh land where only beastkin covered in fur can survive.

“Oh! Seaweed!”

Brown objects washed up around the coast.

“But why hasn’t anyone touched the seaweed?”

Seaweed was scattered along the long coastline.

At Yujin’s house, dried wakame was always hanging in the yard.

Seaweed isn’t just wakame; there are various kinds like agar, hijiki, laver, all nutritious health foods.

Especially, wakame soup boiled with clams is clean and delicious.

“No matter how I look, it’s wakame….”

It’s not like only the wakame here is poisonous.

“There’s a lot, so I’ll pick plenty.”

With both hands heavy with wakame, I returned to the dock.

At the dock, a sea lion beastkin was busily carrying fish crates.

Just in case, maybe I should ask if it’s poisonous?

“Excuse me.”

“What does a human want with me? I’m busy, no time to chat, so just go.”

The sea lion replied curtly without even glancing.

“Just one quick question. Do you know what this is?”

Glance.

“Can’t you tell? It’s seaweed.”

“Have you ever eaten it?”

“Are you crazy? Why would we eat seaweed?”

“Maybe it’s poisonous?”

“It’s not poisonous, but it’s not edible in the first place.”

“Huh?”

The answer was shocking. They don’t eat seaweed?

Come to think of it, the crates are full only of fish.

They’re leaving so much food right in front of them and only coveting fish.

“Ugh, why is this stuck in here?”

The sea lion was about to throw something from the crate.

“W-wait a minute!”

“Why do you keep bothering me?”

“Are you throwing that away?”

“So what?”

“If you’re throwing it, give it to me!”

“Enough bothering, just go!”

I grinned ear to ear.

What he gave me was a flower crab.

It seems they don’t eat crustaceans like crabs either.

“What a windfall?”

I headed home with arms heavy with seaweed stems and crabs.

***

“Eek! What is this creepy creature?”

“This is a flower crab, a marine animal. It looks like this, but it’s incredibly delicious!”

“This? It looks just like a monster?”

Elenia glared at the crab with suspicious eyes. 

It must seem fishy and tasteless because it looks like a monster.

But she doesn’t know about the soft flesh inside the hard shell.

“Wait. I’ll cook it deliciously.”

I washed the fresh flower crabs and wakame well at the well.

Chop chop chop chop.

Then, I cut the wakame stems into bite-sized pieces, separated the crab shells, and split the bodies in half.

Put soy sauce and minced garlic in the pot and boil together.

“Delicious flower crab wakame soup complete!”

The fresh sea aroma wafts strongly.

“Want to try?”

“Hmm…..”

Seaweed grows in the sea, but it seems unfamiliar to a fairy.

Moreover, with crab in it, she seems even more reluctant.

“Why? It’s so delicious.”

I brought the soup to my mouth.

Slurp.

“Ah! It’s good!”

“Is it really good?”

“I told you!”

“Ahem, I’ll trust you and try it.”

Elenia carefully brought the soup to her mouth.

Slurp.

“Whoa! What is this umami!”

“It’s the flavor from the crab. It’s rich, right?”

“It’s full of the sea’s scent!”

Elenia gobbled up the wakame soup.

“See, look.”

I picked up a crab body.

“You suck the white flesh here.”

Biting the body, plump crab meat poured into my mouth.

“I’ll try too!”

“It’s too big for you to bite at once. I’ll pick the meat for you.”

I pressed the body with my fingers to pick the meat. 

Then, placed the plump crab meat on Elenia’s spoon.

“Oh! It’s chewy!”

Elenia widened her eyes. 

The taste of crab meat seems a fresh shock.

“And the beastkin don’t eat this delicious stuff?”

“Probably unfamiliar like you. You should tell them.”

“Hmm, if I tell them, no more free crabs.”

I hesitated for a moment.

Seaweed aside, it’s a bit regrettable to lose free delicious crabs.

But it’s hard to just watch them fight.

“Ah! Good idea!”

“Since it’s come to this, I should make a big impression on Chief Balbo.”

Solving the village problem will earn trust from the chief.

Building trust for the future will benefit me.

“Mr. Alek.”

***

The human merchant suddenly came to Alek.

“I want to meet Chief Balbo.”

“The chief?”

“That’s not hard. But is something wrong?”

“I’ll tell him when I get there.”

Alek felt a bit worried.

He’s not going to say he’s quitting business now, is he?

With winter coming, weather getting colder, and fewer people in the market, it’s not easy conditions for business.

Even if he came at Chief Balbo’s request, I’d want to give up from exhaustion.

Ah… Does that mean no more of his food?

Alek suddenly felt down.

His steps toward Chief Balbo grew heavier.

Knock knock.

“Chief Balbo, it’s Alek.”

“Come in.”

Balbo, seated at the desk, alternated looking at the two.

“You came with Fabir?”

“Hello?”

From behind, Alek wore a sullen expression.

“Alek, why the face?”

“Ah, nothing. Don’t mind me, just talk.”

Alek waved his hand and stepped back.

Balbo turned his gaze to Fabir.

“So, what brings you here?”

“I have something to say to Chief Balbo.”

“Hmm? Is there a problem?”

“There is a problem.”

“Feel free to say what it is.”

“It’s not my problem. It’s about the penguin and sea lion tribes.”

Balbo’s eyebrows rose.

“While doing business here, I’ve often witnessed fights between penguins and sea lions.”

“That would be the case. They always fight over fish supply.”

“It seems quite serious.”

“It’s a long-standing conflict.”

Balbo’s face grew a bit heavy.

“I’ve worried a lot about it too. But no solution comes to mind.”

Balbo stroked his chin and asked.

“But why bring this up?”

Grin—

Fabir smiled.

“I’ll solve it for you.”

“What?”

Chief Balbo widened his eyes. Alek also looked shocked.

“Solve it? You?”

“Yes.”

“You can resolve a conflict that’s lasted decades in one go?”

Balbo froze for a moment, then his face calmed.

“Your joke is too much.”

Balbo shook his head.

“Trading to buy more isn’t possible. We don’t have that money. We’ve tried farming, but it always failed.”

Balbo glared sharply at Fabir.

“So how do you plan to increase catch amounts right away?”

Eyes full of suspicion. One wrong move could lose his trust.

“I don’t have a way to increase fishing resources right away.”

…As expected.”

Balbo showed repeated disappointment. He even felt displeased, surprised by the baseless joke.

“However.”

Fabir declared in a confident voice.

“I can increase the usable resources.”

“What? What do you mean.”

“Just as I said. Find edible ingredients.”

“Edible ingredients? What else besides fish?”

Fabir drew a large circle with both hands.

“This much full.”

Chief Balbo was dumbfounded. Wondering if to believe this.

“Various seaweeds, discarded crabs, and shellfish on rocks. All delicious foods!”

A while later.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

***

Waddle waddle.

The penguin tribe representative entered Chief Balbo’s office.

“You called?”

The penguin beastkin tilted his head upon meeting my eyes. 

A look asking why you’re here.

“Wait a bit. There’s more coming.”

Knock knock.

“Just in time.”

The sea lion tribe representative entered the room.

Glare.

The two representatives glared at each other.

The two stood far apart.

The distance matched the deep grudge between the tribes.

Chief Balbo spoke.

“I gathered you because I have something urgent to say.”

The penguin representative stepped forward.

“Is it about yesterday’s fight?”

“Yes.”

This time, the sea lion representative snorted through his large snout.

“Hmph! No more to say on that. Talking only hurts the mouth.”

“We penguins did nothing wrong. The dull sea lions are the problem.”

“What? You weak penguins!”

“Weak? You’re slow and just greedy!”

“Hmph! What! Think you can talk?”

Bang! Bang!

Chief Balbo heavily struck the desk.

“Stop! We’re not here to argue fault!”

Chief Balbo pressed his temples, headache coming already.

“Sigh. You fight as soon as you meet.”

The penguin asked.

“If not to assign blame, why call us?”

“Hmph! If you’re repeating to understand each other, I’ll pass.”

Chief Balbo nodded.

“I know your grievances well. It’s a problem I’ve heard until my head hurts.”

Then, he turned to me.

“Fabir, explain for me?”

“Sure.”

The two representatives stared at me blankly.

They seemed completely unable to understand the situation.