099: Kicca Sightseeing

January 4, 2021 - 11 minutes read - 2268 words

Yakitori is chicken skewers grilled over charcoal with tare sauce flavoring. Tare sauce is made of mirin, sake, soy sauce, sugar, and other flavorings to taste.

When we arrived in Kicca, I got off the carriage with Rumba and started exploring the city. There’s not an issue since Triela will take care of things like arranging the inn and dealing with luggage. We’ll stay overnight to replenish our supplies and such. Then we’ll set off for the port town of Esprit tomorrow morning.

Irving and Ilya are escorting the Triela carriage, while Alisha and Mark are buying supplies for the next part of the trip. Rumba and I don’t have any assigned tasks, so we’re walking around the city together.

Various food stalls are lined up on either side of the main street, I can smell roasting meat, fruits, and various alcohols. Various people are moving in and out of shops, and all sorts of conversations are going on around us. Merchants shout from either side and laughter can be heard here and there.

I can see many different kinds of people. There’s women in exotic clothing with tanned skins, men with fair skin and overly thick clothing, shirtless men with tattoos, many more kinds than what I saw on the Misfilt Kingdom’s capital streets.

“It’s a very lively city” Al

“Well, this is the city that connects the Ardonia Kingdom with the Misfilt Kingdom. There’s many people involved in that trade route.” Rumba

Rumba looks to have visited Kicca many times, he walks through the crowd as if he’s done it many times. It’s easy to follow Rumba since he parts the crowd from his appearance and strength. It’s not my favorite benefit, since I have to hold his hand so I don’t get swept away by the crowd.

Well, the height difference makes holding hands difficult as well, it would be easier to get a piggyback ride. When I get tired of walking, I could ask for that, but until then I’ll just look around at the stalls and shops.

“Oh! That looks delicious!” Rumba shouts as he drags me along to something.

In the end, my hands was held while I was dragged along. However, since we’re walking side by side in the crowd, we’re taking up a considerable section of the road. People we’re walking by look annoyed.

“Rumba, can you carry me in a piggyback, it doesn’t look comfortable for you to bend over to hold my hand in this crowd.” Al

“Oh! That makes sense!” Rumba

Rumba puts his hands on my side and lifts me up to put me on his shoulder. My point of view suddenly rose and I was looking down on the crowd now. I can see the tops of the heads of men and women of all ages as well as the shops and food stalls behind the crowds. This is a nice vantage point, plus, Rumba is well-trained so my position is quite stable. It’s more comfortable than riding a horse.

It seems Rumba has arrived at the place he thought looked delicious.

“Welcome!” Skewer Seller

The person talking is an old man grilling chicken skewers. I thought it was yakitori for a moment, but it seems like just salt and pepper for seasoning. Sauce would have been nice, but the salty taste is pretty good. There’s a line of customers for the chicken skewers, so we wait our turn while discussing how many we’ll want to get.

“Hey, how many?” Skewer Seller

“Six chicken skewers!” Rumba

“Ayo!” Skewer Seller

Of course, it’s not a 50% split, there’s one for me and five for Rumba.

I came to Kicca in this fun trip, so I want to try a dish I’ve never eaten before. I want to try new dishes along and along. Chicken skewers are commonplace street food, but I missed out on fresh meat during the carriage trip. I don’t mind having a skewer.

Obviously, I could bring out some ingredients with Spatial Magic, but I’m enjoying roughing it on the trip. It’s nice to enjoy the experience, though I may break down on the return leg of the trip…

“Are you two related, you have similar hair color but different facial features?” Skewer Seller

The old man chats with us as he rolls the chicken skewers along the grate.

“No, no. This is a good friend’s son. I’m not related to him.” Rumba says with a bitter smile while I shake my head.

“Ah, is that so. You did seem pretty dissimilar to be related.” Skewer Seller

“Well, this guy doesn’t resemble his father much either.” Rumba

With that comment, the old man and Rumba start to laugh. If I had inherited my father’s blood like Silvio, I’d be pretty handsome. That would turn my life into an easy mode. While the old man and Rumba had their conversation, the chicken skewers finished cooking, so we exchanged coins for skewers and left.

“See you” Skewer Seller

“Oh! I’ll come back to buy more, sometime!” Rumba

These small encounters are fun to experience.

While I was eating the skewer, I started getting thirsty when Rumba pointed at a stall ahead of us.

“Oh, there’s ale and fruit juice over there! I’ll grab some!” Rumba

Perhaps I wanted to have some alcohol after eating some salted chicken skewers. I’m only sightseeing today, so it would be fine to have some alcohol during the day. At the drinks stall, Rumba took the wooden cup and responded negatively.

“Slimy…” Rumba

“That’s the ale that’s sold at stalls. It wouldn’t be chilled with ice or Ice Magic tools?” Al

High-end restaurants are one thing, but stalls selling cheap ales aren’t going to chill the drink. It’s not impossible, but I can’t see the economics working out.

“Al! Can you do your thing?” Rumba

“Yes” Al

I take Rumba’s cup and activate Ice Magic, a bit of frost pops out from the cup as the liquid cools down in a blink of the eye. This is a usual thing for me, I’ve had to do it many times in Celia’s restaurant or the mansion. I haven’t frozen the ale in a long time. Our villagers love alcohol, so I’m often asked to cool it down. Unless you can use Ice Magic, you’d have to be rich to consume cold food and drink, so they’re lucky.

Because of my skills, I’m often invited to birthdays and celebrations, but I don’t mind since I’m compensated with fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat.

“Oh! This is so much better!” Rumba says as he tries the cooled ale.

I used to like to drink alcohol in my previous life, so I’m a bit jealous. Adulthood is set to be fifteen years old in this world, so I’ll be able to drink alcohol then. It’s not strictly prohibited to drink before then, so I’ll be able to get away with some occasional alcohol at around thirteen years old. I’m not sure if I will still have a taste for alcohol at that time, or if I can drink this world’s alcohols, but I’ll leave that question for future me. What a lonely time until that happens…

Well, I’m still thirsty.

“Rumba, I’d like something to drink too, so can we go buy some juice?” Al

“Hmm? Oh, my bad. That cold ale was delicious. Well, should I get you some of Kicca’s special grape juice?” Rumba

Rumba walks in a direction as he pulls on his long brown hair. If you aren’t careful, you’re going to pull off your eyepatch.

“Grape juice is available in the Misfilt royal capital too, right?” Al

We don’t have any grape vines in Koriat Village, but they’re available in the royal capital. Since I have some stored in my subspace, I wouldn’t consider grape juice unique to Kicca. I’d prefer a juice I haven’t had before.

“The grapes used are from Ardonia, they taste better than Misfilt grapes. When you ferment them, they turn into mellow and easy-to-drink alcohol. When you turn them into juice, they become a rich grape juice.” Rumba

“I see… I’ll expect something interesting.” Al

If it’s not very different from the normal grapes, I’ll find some way to get back at him. While expecting great things, we pass five stalls before we find a stall with the grape juice. It’s a simple stall with only three large barrels, but there were so many people in line with cups that it puts the chicken skewer stall and ale stall to shame.

“A glass of rich grape juice using grapes from Ardonia! Only six bronze coins! If you think that’s too expensive, just try it and you won’t be able to disagree! I guarantee it!” Female Clerk raises her voice to attract customers.

I’m used to paying three bronze coins for juice, but this is twice that. However, the number of customers indicate that the fruit juice is worth the price. The clerk takes money from each customer then the customer is given a cup from a young man. The customer takes the cup and fills it using a lever attached to the barrels. A thick purple juice then flows out of the barrel.

Is it a self-serve juice stall?

“What? Is it this popular?” Al

“Yeah, let’s get in line!” Rumba

Rumba hurries over to the back of the line. There’s quite a few people lined up, but with three self-serve stations, it should move pretty quickly. My expectations rise as I watch the customers enjoying their drinks. In almost no time, it’s our turn to get some. I was worried when one of the barrels ran out, but the other two kept going.

It would be difficult for me to draw juice when I’m on Rumba’s shoulder, so he puts me down. I then pay the clerk six bronze coins and receive a cup.

“Oh no, you can’t put it in an ale cpu!” Clerk

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” Rumba

“Ale cups are twice as large as a juice cup? Please use our cup.” Clerk

Apparently Rumba was trying to use the wrong type of cup. The price must vary based on capacity, it’s been thought through. Wait, hasn’t Rumba had this before? While I’m thinking about it, Rumba picks up the special cup.

“I got away with that last time…” Rumba

Oh, so did you use the busy environment to get a larger serving last time? You’re surprisingly devious.

When I pulled the lever, thick grape juice flows from the barrel. I’m impressed by this liquid that seems hard to call juice. I draw just enough that it won’t spill over. I look down at the cobblestones and see a good bit of staining from other people’s greed.

This looks so delicious.

I walked to the side of the road with my cup of grape juice, Rumba follows at a careful pace. You have to be careful when walking with such a full cup, he slurped a bit on the way over so it wouldn’t spill.

“I put a bit too much in.” Al

“It’s so delicious, try some.” Rumba

When I put the cup to my lips, a thick and heavy liquid flows into my mouth. The mellow aroma of grapes overwhelms my senses and a sweetness hits my tongue. It’s a richer grape juice than I expected.

“It’s really rich” Al

“Ah hah?” Rumba laughs at my reaction.

It was a bit regrettable, but it’s as delicious as Rumba said. It seems like it is a good deal for six bronze coins. It can’t be compared to the grape juice I had in the Misfilt royal capital. Is this some special kind of grape unique to Aldonia?

While thinking, Rumba and I continue to drink the juice. I wonder if I should put some of my cup into my subspace for later?

“Would this be delicious if it was chilled into sorbet with Ice Magic?” Al

“Sharbay?” Rumba

While Rumba mispronounces sorbet, I cool my cup with Ice Magic. I cool it down such that it doesn’t become fully frozen, just semi-frozen. This level of precision is quite difficult.

A thin film of ice covers the juice accompanied by a crackling noise. I then use Earth Magic to make a spoon and thrust it into my semi-frozen grape juice. I hear a crisp sound like I’m walking through snow.

It’s a nice sorbet!

I stir it with the spoon and scoop some up, glitter like fragments pile up on the spoon.

“What is that? Sandy… ice?” Rumba

Rumba watches me with his mouth half-open while I carry the spoon to my mouth. When I chew it it, it makes a crisp sound while my body temperature melts the I can taste the concentrated flavor of the grape juice from the melted sorbet.

“This combination is too good…” Al

It’s spring and it’s so delicious. If it was eaten in the hot summer, it’d be even better.

Aldonia grapes, I’ll have to watch out for them. I’m so happy that I can use Ice Magic, thank you god.

“Hey! Is that delicious? I’d like to try it too!” Rumba

Rumba shakes my shoulders to bring me back to reality since I was losing track of the current situation. Thanks, the sorbet would have melted if I didn’t get back to reality.

I cast Ice Magic on Rumba’s remaining grape juice to make it into a sorbet-like. I made another spoon with Earth Magic and handed it to him.

He greedily consumed it…

It goes without saying that Rumba had a brainfreeze this afternoon.