Chapter 24: Cheese (3)

“Hey, you know how to swim?”

“Of course!”

Rurin, her head barely bobbing above the water, grinned with satisfaction.

“Stay still! It’s my turn now! I’ll give you a splash attack!”

“Hey!”

Rurin, bursting with excitement, began to create a tornado in the water. Typical dragon, not knowing her limits.

“Hey, wait a second! You foolish dragon, take it easy!”

A powerful whirlpool appeared in the water. Both Rurin and I were caught up in it, spinning wildly in a massive circle.

It felt like being on an amusement park ride. But where does this end? In the afterlife?

“Stop it! We’re getting too far from the shore!”

“This is fun! What’s the problem?”

“No, this is too much! Stop it! No dinner for you!”

The whirlpool began to slow, the threat of no dinner apparently effective. The sea calmed down as if nothing had happened.

Floating like a ragdoll, I looked at Rurin.

“The sea is amazing. This fish is huge!”

Rurin held up a massive fish, its mouth gaping open with sharp teeth. The teeth looked monstrous, but the rest of the fish seemed familiar. The resemblance to a tuna was uncanny.

Why is there a tuna here? Is it because of the tornado? Or do tuna-like monsters normally live near this coast?

Most likely, it’s the latter.

“It could be a fish or a monster.”

“Hmm?”

“Rurin, let’s head back to the beach with that.”

Seeing fresh tuna made my mouth water, so we retreated to the shore. When we got there, Rurin was still holding the huge tuna aloft, looking like she was being punished.

“Hold onto that for a bit longer. It looks delicious.”

“Is it tasty? I don’t like fish! They taste too fishy.”

“Trust me, this one will be different. Besides, you’ve never tried such a big fish, right?”

“Well, that’s true….”

While Rurin stood holding the tuna, I cut down some nearby trees and put together a makeshift platform. I couldn’t put the fish on the sand, after all.

“Okay, put it down here.”

Rurin, curious, nodded and placed the tuna on the wooden platform.

Tuna refers to various types of large fish, and this one looked like a bluefin tuna, a prime choice for sashimi. Although its appearance doesn’t guarantee it tastes the same, I was hopeful.

I used a spell called Blade Onyx, which can cut through anything, to begin preparing the tuna. First, I drained the blood, then used a second-class water splash spell to wash it clean.

Even with magic, handling tuna is tricky and laborious.

After basic preparation, I cut out the fatty belly part, the crown jewel of tuna.

I had to taste it first.

Cutting into the belly revealed a marbled texture reminiscent of beef. The rich red and white patterns were a feast for the eyes. Rurin, squatting nearby, looked puzzled.

“Is this meat? Fish are usually white!”

“Exactly.”

“Yeah! It looks like raw meat! It’s meat!”

Ignoring Rurin for a moment, I sliced a piece from the belly. The beautiful marbling looked just like premium beef. This section is a rare delicacy from any tuna.

I handed a slice to Rurin.

“Try it.”

“Just like this? I prefer cooked food now, thanks to you. I used to eat everything raw, but not anymore!”

“No, sashimi is best eaten fresh.”

“Alright, if you say so. Hehe.”

Rurin nodded and opened her mouth wide.

“Aaah—”

I didn’t ask for sound effects, but alright.

I placed the sashimi in her mouth.

“Hey! Don’t eat my hand too!”

She closed her lips around my fingers and sucked.

Why is she sucking my fingers?

Her warm mouth enveloped my fingers. At least she didn’t bite.

“Hehe, your hand doesn’t taste good!”

I pulled my fingers out, and she finally began to chew the sashimi.

“It melted. The piece you gave me just melted in my mouth!”

Seeing her amazed face made me hungry. I quickly grabbed a slice of the belly and ate it. This really was tuna. A tuna monster, maybe.

The sashimi melted in my mouth, a burst of rich flavor spreading. The texture was sublime.

Rurin has a refined palate. If she says it’s good, it’s really good. I probably spoiled her taste buds.

While eating raw sashimi was great, I felt like trying something different.

I rummaged through my backpack, which I had left on the sand. Although we were on our way to catch a water buffalo, I had brought various seasonings just in case we encountered something interesting.

Out came salt, soy sauce, and dried mountain mushroom powder. I even had a small pot. I regretted not bringing spicy dipping sauce and wasabi, though. I hadn’t anticipated finding tuna.

I couldn’t justify using teleportation just to get condiments.

Teleportation drains Rurin significantly. Though she can handle it 4-5 times, it’s best to conserve her energy.

So, soy sauce it is.

“Rurin, a bit of this will make it taste even better.”

I poured some soy sauce into the pot and began a simple preparation. I generously salted a large piece of the tuna belly and used a Fireball spell to lightly sear it, adding a hint of char.

Raw tuna is a delicacy, but this seared version would offer a unique taste.

Just then, Rurin mimicked my actions with her piece of belly sashimi, sprinkling a lot of salt on it. She watched me with unwavering belief that copying me was the path to deliciousness.

“Rurin! Wait!”

Too late. She popped the heavily salted sashimi into her mouth.

Two seconds later.

“Bleh!”

She spat out the half-chewed tuna right at my face. Why my face?

“So salty! Too salty!”

I handed her a bottle of water from my bag. She chugged half of it and shook her head, sticking out her tongue.

“What is this? I did exactly what you did! Ugh!”

I pointed to the seared tuna belly, smiling at her naivety.

She frowned, thinking it would be salty too.

“Don’t eat it if you don’t want to.”

Ignoring her, I took a bite. The contrast between the warm surface and the melting, tender inside was incredible. The salt enhanced the savory flavor. Pure bliss.

Seeing my expression, Rurin opened her mouth again.

“Aaah! I want some!”

She must have changed her mind.

I placed a piece in her mouth. She hesitated, but soon her face lit up with delight.

In the end, Rurin and I feasted on the tuna right there.

After we had our fill, I used wind magic to dry our clothes and we lay down on the sand. Catching a water buffalo could wait. This had been a delicious meal.

Tired, Rurin crawled onto my stomach and smiled down at me.

“Hehe, I’ve caught you now.”

“Could you please get off?”

“No way! Oh, there’s tuna on your ear! You always call me clumsy!”

“Do you think I wanted it there? Thanks to a certain dragon who spat it on me.”

“I don’t remember that! But since I’m kind, I’ll clean it for you.”

Suddenly, she moved up and licked my ear, cleaning off the tuna.

Her black hair brushed against my neck, and her warm tongue tickled my ear. She was just licking off the tuna, but still.

Lick. Lick.

A tingling sensation spread through me.

Then she gently bit my ear.

“Hey! Just clean the tuna, no need to suck my ear.”

“You said it feels good… doesn’t it?”

“It was her again, wasn’t it?”

I’d taught her too many useless things. A once innocent dragon.

“I don’t know. It’s a secret!”

Rurin then snuggled under my arm, giggling.

She looked so adorable.

Honestly, moments like this make me feel a bit conflicted. Of course, there are feelings. I can’t deny that.

Sometimes, when she falls asleep leaning on me, she’s just too cute. If she would just stay quiet, she could even outshine an elf with her beauty.

But then I remember her age. She’s 19 in human years, not quite an adult. Though technically, she’s 799 years old. She’s not even fully mature as a dragon yet.

Sometimes I have no thoughts while bathing her, but other times, moments like this stir something in me.

She soon fell asleep, the speed of her slumber unmatched.

I often wonder if things will change when she turns 800.

Rurin, snuggling into my waist, smacked her lips.

“Mmm, you….”

She must be dreaming.

She continued to purr contentedly.

She looked so happy, an expression unimaginable when I first met her.

I closed my eyes slightly. The sea breeze rustled the tree leaves.

I’ll catch the water buffalo when I wake up.