Chapter 477

Seafood Platter to Mark a New Beginning
“That fish? First, the red flesh shimmering with rainbow hues is ‘Shining Tuna.’ It’s a rare fish that can only be caught during this season.”

“Only during this season? Does that mean it goes somewhere else the rest of the year?”

“No, it's just that during other seasons, it dives so deep into the ocean that it can’t be caught. It only comes to shallower waters during this time of year when the nutrient-rich Golden Brocade Sea Bream gathers near the surface.”

Ohh, I see.
And it seems the golden-glowing sashimi is the ‘Golden Brocade Sea Bream.’
Both are said to be rich in fat, yet not heavy—truly exquisite.

Then, the scallop that sparkles like a pearl is something called the ‘Dusky Sun Scallop.’
It’s known for its firm, chewy texture and the burst of juicy flavor when you bite into it.
Alright, time to dig in!

“Well then, let’s eat! I’ll start with the Shining Tuna... Mmm, the fat is rich and it’s delicious!”

“Shining Tuna loses its flavor once frozen and can’t be preserved for long. Even under refrigeration, after just three days the fat turns greasy, so only freshly caught fish can be eaten.”

“And the Golden Brocade Sea Bream... whoa!? This one’s rich too, but it just melts away in my mouth!”

“That’s the defining trait of the Golden Brocade Sea Bream. Its flesh is covered in a thick skin, and once that’s removed and the meat is exposed to heat, it becomes incredibly tender. It’s a dish that takes a lot of finesse to prepare.”

“Now, the Dusky Sun Scallop... Mmm! The flesh is springy, and the more I chew, the sweeter it gets—this is amazing too!”

“Right? This kind of sashimi can only be experienced in the Great Port.”

This might really be the best thing I’ve ever tasted!
The others are enjoying grilled fish.
I wonder what kind of fish they’re eating?

“Hey, Amira. What grilled fish is that?”

“They said it was Thousand-Day Bonito… By the way, you won’t die from eating raw fish, right?”

“As long as it’s been properly prepared, it’s fine. Want to try a little?”

“Yes! I’ll share a bit of my fish with you too, big sister!”

I gave her a piece of sashimi in exchange for a small piece of the Thousand-Day Bonito.
Apparently, you eat it as is, without adding soy sauce or anything… Whoa!?

“This is amazing. The saltiness is well-balanced, and the umami flavor is concentrated.”

“Thousand-Day Bonito is another specialty of the Great Port. Despite the name ‘Thousand-Day,’ they actually only fish specimens over five years old. Any younger and the meat is too small and lacks depth of flavor. Those over ten years old are top-grade.”

So, the older the fish, the more valuable it is.
With monsters in the ocean in this world, surviving that long must be tough.

Now then, time to try the other grilled fish that came with my meal.
It’s crescent-shaped—well, technically moon-shaped, like a large fish cut crosswise.
I wonder what kind of fish it is?

“Here we go... Oh wow, the meat just falls apart with a gentle push of my chopsticks! And the taste is... huh!? It’s Shining Tuna!”

There’s no mistaking the flavor—it’s Shining Tuna.
But compared to the sashimi, this has way more fat and firmer texture.
Which part could this be?

“That’s the tuna collar of the Shining Tuna. It’s rare to even get shipments of the collar.”

“So it really is a rare cut.”

“You can only get about ten servings per fish from both sides combined. But the fat content is high, so some people just can’t handle it.”

“Ah, I’m fine with it though.”

“I can’t do it myself, sadly.”

Well, Mr. Kouro *is* getting on in years.
With something this fatty, it might be hard for him to eat.

But I finished mine, so I’m ready to place another order!
This time, I want to try some different kinds of sashimi!

What do you think about this chapter?