長い睫毛に縁取られたつぶらな瞳が俺を見返してくる。
そいつは口をモゴモゴ動かしながら鼻をパカパカと開閉したので、俺はそっと刺激しないように距離を取った。
唾でも吐きかけられたらかなわん。
このゲームのことだ、そういう臭いも再現してそうだし......っと、商人がそのラクダを引っ張っていく。
ここは『荒野の街バスカ』にある広場前の通り。
中には十頭を超える数を引き連れて現れる売り手もおり、辺りはラクダと人とでごった返している。
それらは棒で引っぱたかれたりで大雑把な扱いをされているが......数が数なので仕方ないのかもしれない。
ただ、これだけ大量に居るのだ。
「これは安く買える可能性があるな」
「やはり、ほとんどは食用なのでしょうか......?」
「じゃないか? 実在するエジプトのキャメルマーケットも、九割が食用だって聞いたことがあるし......」
「! ハインド、ラクダって食べられるのか!?」
ユーミルが驚くが......まあ、日本人には馴染みが無いので知らなくてもおかしくはない。
ミルクは牛の物よりカルシウムが豊富で、肉も若い物であれば美味いそうだ。
乗って良し、食べて良しと、ラクダは乾燥地帯の人間にとって無駄のない素晴らしい動物ということになる。
俺がそう説明すると、ユーミルは腕を組んで考え込む。
「......ねえ、ハインド君。ユーミルさん、もしかしてラクダの肉を食べてみたいんじゃない?」
「でしょうねえ。あの辺のラクダを見て、余りうまそうじゃないが......とか考えてるんですよ。きっと」
「なぜ分かった!?」
セレーネさんとは互いに顔を見ないようにしての会話だ。
目を合わせると赤面しそうになるので、少しの間は仕方ないと思う。
彼女の側からあの夜のことは秘密にして欲しいとの要望があったので、これでもなるべく自然な態度を心掛けているつもりだ。
リィズが時折、どういうわけか首を傾げるような仕草をするのが怖いが。
ユーミルの言葉を受け、時計を確認して市場の看板と照らし合わせる。
ああ、まだ開いてないのか、この市場。
「......なら、競りの開始まで時間あるみたいだし、食事できる店でも探してみるか?」
ステータスを見ると満腹度は50%を切っているので、ここで補充しておくのもアリだろう。
前日の盗賊達との戦い、それに加えて移動距離が長かったことも影響している。
ラクダ料理を提供している店があるかもしれないしな。
市場から離れすぎないように店を探すと、俺達は宿と一緒に経営している食事処を発見。
ラクダ料理はあるかと聞くと、旅人にお勧めだというメニューを一通り用意してくれるとのこと。
若いラクダの肉を多く仕入れているとのことで、やや値段は張るが味に自信があるそうだ。
人の良さそうな料理人の大将が、手を止めて俺達の接客に応じてくれた。
「モンスターの肉より先に、よもやラクダを食べることになるとは思わなかったでござるよ......」
「どんな味なんだろうね?」
四人掛けのテーブル席に、五人で座って料理を囲んだ。
料理の到着は非常に早く、それでいて手を抜いている様子はなかった。
良い腕だ、大将......!
俺だけ通路側で椅子を他の席から借りてきたが、他に客も居ないので邪魔になることもないだろう。
席順はセレーネさんの隣にリィズ、ユーミルの隣にトビ。
しかし、国境を越えてから本当に他のプレイヤーを見掛けないなぁ......。
「セレーネさんは、好き嫌いは特にありませんか?」
スプーンとフォークを配りながら俺が尋ねる。
失礼を承知で言うなら、セレーネさんは偏食してそうな雰囲気があるのだが。
「うん、それほど嫌いなものはないと思うよ」
「ほほう。せっちゃんは意外と健康的なのだな!」
ユーミルの呼び方にセレーネさんが面食らう。
安定の馴れ馴れしさだが、意外な事にリィズが――
「なるほど。では、私もせっちゃんとお呼びしましょう」
ユーミルと同じ呼び方をすると宣言。
その意図するところはというと......
「......まずは形から入るのも大事かと。あだ名を使うと、普通に呼ぶよりも親し気な感じがするでしょう......?」
「......な、なるほど......。ありがとう、リィズちゃん......」
こんな小声での会話が漏れ聞こえてくる訳で。
なんとなく、セレーネさんって放っておけない感じがするんだよな......リィズも恐らく俺と同じ気持ちだと思う。
ともかく、この二人が仲良くなり出して俺としては一安心である。
が、ユーミルは普段と違うリィズの様子に少し困惑しているようだ。
無理もないが、余計なことは言うなよ? 絶対に喧嘩になるから。
しかし、そんな俺の願いは通じなかったようで......。
「き、貴様らしくもない......寒気がするぞ? 本当に貴様、リィズなのか? もしや中身が入れ替わっているんじゃないのか!?」
「はっ! そーかそーか、それは安心した。貴様に親し気に呼ばれた日には、全身に鳥肌が立って止まらなくなることだろうよ!」
「っ、貴女という人は――!」
椅子を蹴とばして立ち上がる両者。
食事中にだけは喧嘩するなと、昔から口を酸っぱくして言っているのに......!
最近は二人ともそれをきちんと守っていたから油断していた。
こいつらぁ......!
「あの、その、うぅ......は、ハインド君......」
涙目のセレーネさんと呆れた顔のトビが何とかしてくれと俺を見てくる。
うん、別にセレーネさんの所為ではないですよ......少々お待ちを。
俺は怒りに震える手でラクダのステーキを切り分けると、二本のフォークに刺して罵り合いを続けるユーミルとリィズの口に無理矢理押し込んだ。
「むおっ!?」
「あぐっ!?」
驚いた顔のまま肉をモゴモゴと咀嚼する二人の椅子を直すと、俺は両者の額を小突いて強引に座らせた。
お前等には見えないのか、この料理を作った大将の顔が。
心配そうに調理場からこちらを窺うあの髭面を。
自分が丹精込めて作った料理に手をつけずに、喧嘩を始める客を見たらどんな気持ちだと思う?
ただし、それらの思いは言葉にはしない。
俺はただ、視線に力を込めて二人の顔を睨みつけた。
するとユーミルとリィズだけでなく、セレーネさんとトビまで肩をびくりと震わせる。
「さ、騒がせてすまなかった......反省している......」
「も、申し訳ありません......場を弁えずに......」
「......冷めない内にサッサと食え」
「「は、はいぃ!」」
両者ともに謝ったので、この場はそれで良しとしておく。
食事は楽しく摂らなければならない。ストレスは消化にも悪影響だ。
ゲームだからとて、決して疎かにしていい問題ではない。
「と、トビ君......ハインド君、凄い迫力だね......」
「わっ――ハインド殿は、自分も料理をするので食事のマナーに厳しいのでござるよ。
やかに食べるのは歓迎なれど、空気を悪くするとこれこの通り......何人も逆らえぬ夜叉へと変貌を。くわばらくわばら」
「......なんていうか、お母さんみたいだね......」
「誰がおかんですか、聞こえてますよ。ほら、二人も早く食べましょう」
「! あ、う、うん!」
「いただくでござる」
二人がフォークを握ったのを見て、自分もラクダのステーキに口をつける。
......赤身は牛肉と羊肉の中間といった味で、歯応えもあるが若い個体ということもあり思ったよりは柔らかい。
羊と同じで、年を重ねている肉は含有水分が減って固くなるのだそうだ。
味付けは塩のみのようだが、丁寧に下処理してあって好感がもてる。
横にちょんと添えてある白い塊は、恐らくコブだな......。
少し齧ってみると、コリコリした食感と共にじゅわっと脂が口の中に広がる。
こ、これは......好みが別れそうだ......。
赤身肉と一緒に食べた方が良さそう。
「独特の味があるが......うむ!」
「私はちょっとこの脂が苦手ですけど......悪くはないです」
「拙者はこの噛み応えが気に入ったでござる。肉! という感じで」
「私はステーキより煮込みかな......お肉に染み込みにくいのか、ちょっと味が濃いけど。美味しい」
「ラクダのミルクって、何か塩気を感じないか? 俺だけ?」
その後は場の空気も持ち直し、賑やかにラクダ肉を味わうことができた。
大将の前言通りに会計時の値段はやや高かったが......俺達が出る間際に美味しかったと言い残すと、大将は顔をくしゃくしゃにしてニッと笑う。
飛び込みで適当に入った店だったが、この店で良かったと思える表情だった。
Round and cute eyes with long eyelashes were staring back at me.
It was opening and closing its nose while chewing, so I took some distance while feeling excited.
I wouldn't want to get its saliva on me.
We are talking about this game here, they even reproduce that stinky smell...oh, that merchant is pulling the camel.
We were currently in [Town in the wastelands, Baska's]  plaza.
Inside the market you could see a vendor accompanied by over ten of them, the vicinity was a mix of people and camels.
Though they are treating them roughly by spanking them with a stick...but there are many of them so I guess it can't be helped.
However, there are so many of them.
[There's the possibility that we might be able to buy them for cheap.]  (Hind)
[As expected, do they use them mostly as food...?]  (Riizu)
[Probably? I heard that 90% of the ones sold in Egypt's camel market are used as food too...]  (Hind)
[!! Hind, are you going to eat the camel!?]  (Yumir)
It surprises Yumir...but well, since Japanese people are not familiar with it, it's not that weird that she didn't know.
Their milk is richer in calcium than cow's and the meat of the young ones seems to be delicious.
It's fine to ride them, it's also fine to eat them, camels are economic animals for people in arid regions.
Once I explained that to Yumir, she crossed her arms and began pondering.
[...Hey, Hind-kun. Is Yumir-san thinking about wanting to try out camel's meat?]  (Selene)
[Most likely. She's probably looking at that camel over there and thinking...that it looks tasty. Definitely.]  (Hind)
[How did you know!?]  (Yumir)
Selene-san and me were talking while not looking at each other's faces.
If we did we would start blushing after all, so I believe it can't be helped for the time being.
She told me she wanted to keep what happened that night a secret so, even then, I plan to act as natural as possible.
Sometimes, I would get scared when Rizu would tilt her head as if she was wondering what was going on though.
Hearing what Yumir had said, I checked the clock and looked at the market's signpost.
Ah, this market is still not open.
[...In that case, since there's still time until the auction, shall we look for a place to eat?]  (Hind)
Once I looked at my status I saw that the hunger gauge was below 50%, so I guess we could replenish that now.
The fight with the bandits and the big distance we travelled had influence on that.
There might be a shop that offers camel cuisine after all.
We searched for a place that wasn't too far from the market and found one that was managed alongside an inn.
Once we asked if there was camel cuisine, they prepared us a menu that was recommended for travellers.
Seems like they have abundant young camel meat in stock, so they are confident in the taste for the price they set.
The head chief was a good looking man and he stopped his hands to take our order.
[I never imagined we would eat camel meat before monster meat...]  (Tobi)
[I wonder what it tastes like.]  (Hind)
We sat down on a table for four and food was brought to us.
Even though it didn't take long for the food to arrive, it didn't look like he had cut any corners.
Head chief, you have such skills...!
I was the only one that had to borrow a chair from another table, but since there weren't any other customers I wasn't being a hindrance.
The order we were seated was Selene-san next to Riizu and Yumir next to Tobi.
However, it's true that we haven't seen any other players since we crossed the border...
[Selene-san, do you have any preferences when it comes to food?]  (Hind)
I asked her while distributing the spoons and forks.
I'm aware that it's a bit rude to ask, but Selene-san gives the feeling that she has an unbalanced diet.
[Nope, I don't think I have anything that I especially hate.]  (Selene)
[I see. Secchan, you are unexpectedly quite a healthy person!]  (Yumir)
Selene-san was bewildered because of Yumir's way of addressing her.
I thought it was overly familiar, but unexpectedly Riizu-
[I see. In that case, I'll call you Secchan too.]  (Riizu)
Declared that she would call her the same way Yumir did.
Her aim for doing this...
[...It's important to have your presence enter the group first. If we use a nickname, it would feel as if we are much closer than if we spoke to you normally right...?]  (Riizu)
[Thank you, Riizu-chan...]  (Selene)
Is what I heard when I heard them whispering to each other.
Somehow, I get the feeling she can't just leave her alone...Riizu most likely has the same feelings I do.
Anyway, I'm relieved that these two are getting along.
However, it seems like Yumir is quite perplexed seeing Riizu acting differently from usual.
I get what she means, but don't go saying anything unnecessary, OK? You'll definitely end up in an argument.
However, it seems like such a prayer wasn't conveyed to her...
[T-That's so not like you...you are giving me the chills, you know? Are you really Riizu? Were your insides switched with someone else?]  (Yumir)
[If there's ever a day you addressed me in a familiar manner, I'd get goose bumps all over my body and they'd never stop!]  (Yumir)
[Tsk, you are such a...!]  (Riizu)
They both kicked their chairs and stood up.
Even though I've always been telling them that they should at least never fight while we are in the middle of a meal...!
I let my guard down because lately these two have been keeping their word.
These girls...!
[Eh, this, uu...H-Hind-kun...]  (Selene)
A teary eyed Selene-san and a perplexed Tobi looked at me asking me to do something about the current situation.
Yup, it's not like this was Selene-san's fault...wait just a sec.
I cut up pieces of the camel steak while trembling in anger, and stabbed them with two forks, then I forcibly put them into their mouths while they were throwing insults at each other.
[Nuoh!?]  (Yumir)
[Aguh!?]  (Riizu)
While both of them were chewing it with a surprised look, I put the chairs back where they were and poked them in the forehead to make them sit down.
Can't you girls see it? The face of the head chief that made this food.
That bearded face peeking from the kitchen in worry.
What would you feel when instead of eating the food that you put all your soul into, the people started to fight without touching the food?
However, I didn't put those thoughts into words.
I just glared at them strongly.
When I did so, not just Yumir and Riizu, but even Selene-san and Tobi shoulders trembled in surprise.
[I-I'm sorry for making such a ruckus...I'm reflecting on it...]  (Yumir)
[I-I apologize...for not knowing my place...]  (Riizu)
[...Start eating before it goes cold.]  (Hind)
[[Y-Yes!] ] 
Since both of them already apologized, guess I can stop here.
Meals are to be had while they are enjoyable. Stress has a bad effect on digestion.
Even though this is a game, we shouldn't neglect that kind of thing.
[T-Tobi-kun...Hind-kun is quite the force to be reckoned with...]  (Selene)
[Wacc-...Hind-dono also cooks so he's really strict when it comes down to table manners.
[It's fine if it gets lively but if the mood turns sour like this...he becomes a Yaksha that no one can confront.]  (Tobi)
[...How should I say this, he's like a mother...]  (Selene)
[Who are you calling a mother? I can hear you. Come on, let's eat too.]  (Hind)
[!! Ah, yes!]  (Selene)
[Thanks for the food.]  (Hind)
Once I saw both of them picking up their forks, I started eating my own camel steak.
...The red flesh tasted like something between beef and lamb, even though it was a bit chewy, it was soft as expected from meat from a young one.
As with sheep, once years pass, the fluids contained within the meat decrease and the meat hardens.
It seems like he only used salt for seasoning, I can see that he prepared it very carefully.
This white mass that's used as a garnish is probably the hump...
Once I bit into it, along with the crunchiness the fat spread throughout my mouth.
T-This...I might take a liking to this...
It looks like it might taste better if you eat it with the red meat.
[It might taste a bit peculiar but...yup!]  (Yumir)
[I don't really like this fat...but I don't think it tastes bad.]  (Riizu)
[I enjoy this chewy texture. This is meat! It gives that kind of feeling.]  (Tobi)
[I personally prefer stew to steak...the flavor of the meat is a bit too strong for me, but it's tasty.]  (Selene)
[Does the camel's milk taste a bit salty? Or is that just me?]  (Hind)
After that, the mood turned better and we enjoyed tasting the camel's meat.
Just as the head chef said before, the bill turned out to be slightly expensive...but we told him that it was delicious when we left the shop and his face crumbled and turned into a grin.
We entered this shop on a whim without even making an appointment, but I'm glad that it was this store.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都