VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～

Chapter 47: Camel market

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.

The market that sells camels was quite big, so it was relatively easy to find.

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)

「Umumu. We might be in luck.」 (Tobi)

「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.

「Umu, let’s go!」 (Yumir)

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)

「S-Secchan?」 (Selene)

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)

「E-Eh? You too, Riizu-chan?」 (Selene)

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)

「…I-I see…

「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)

「Be at ease.

「I will never change the way I refer to you in this lifetime. I’ll always refer to you in a distant way using “san”.

「Ah, but Hind-san is a special case, you know? One day I’ll change the way I refer-」 (Riizu)

「Hah! I see, I see, I’m relieved.

「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?

「…」 (Hind)

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.