The well-Balanced Yamamoto-san Gets Caught up in a Death Game

Chapter 37

After exchanging information about materials and spending a productive time, it’s time to check into an inn.

The recommended inn is called “The Murmur of the Tides.”

I asked Katze-san about it too. It’s moderately priced and the facilities are average, but the food is said to be exquisite. Apparently, you can enjoy dishes that make ample use of fresh seafood for both lunch and dinner.

What about breakfast, you ask? Well, they can’t serve it because they’re out fishing for fresh fish in the morning.

So, following the directions Katze-san gave me, I arrive at The Murmur of the Tides.

The sun has already set, and it’s twilight now.

I guess I spent too much time exchanging information with Katze-san.

“Excuse me~”

As I pass through the swinging doors familiar from Western movies, I see various people enjoying their dinner.

As expected of a place known for its delicious food, it’s crowded.

A waiter spots me and hurries over.

“Welcome! Are you a guest?”

“Yes. I’d like to stay with meals included. Do you have any rooms available?”

“Um, I’m sorry. We’re fully booked for today…”

…

You’ve got to be kidding!?

I was really looking forward to this!

“We can serve you a meal if you’d like…”

“Um, wait. Let me think…”

Do I have the energy to eat delicious food here and then search for another inn?

No good. If I eat, I’ll be satisfied and won’t want to move anymore.

If anything, I feel like I want to take a bath and go to sleep.

There’s no way I can go out looking for another inn after this…

I clench my fist tightly.

…It’s so frustrating.

“Sorry, if I can’t stay, I’ll pass for today. By the way, are there any other recommended inns around here…?”

As I start to ask, a scary-looking old man pokes his head out from the dining area. I thought I might get scolded for asking about other inns, but he speaks in a gruff manner.

“If that’s the case, try the Seaweed Drift Inn.”

“Seaweed… Drift…?”

What a naming sense!?

Not that I can talk!

“It’s a twisted name like its owner, but I, his brother, can vouch for the taste and service. It’s nearby, so give it a try.”

Saying that, he takes a plate of food and heads to a customer’s table. Apparently, he’s a kind person despite his rough appearance.

“Um, is it close?”

“Yes, it’s just over there.”

Well, being told that much makes me curious.

Trusting the brother’s words, I decide to visit the Seaweed Drift Inn.

“Hmm. It really looks like seaweed drift.”

The exterior is a stone building, but it’s so dilapidated that you’d wonder how it could get so rundown, with cracks all over.

“But those cracks are painted. They’re skillfully done, almost mistakable for real ones.”

So, it’s deliberately made to look rundown?

If you ask me why, I’d be at a loss to answer…

Maybe it’s the owner’s taste?

Anyway, I can understand that their personality is somewhat twisted.

“Excuse me~”

So, I enter.

Yeah, the interior has a simple design.

Nothing particularly fancy about the decor, just stone walls, stone floors, and wooden tables and chairs lined up.

There’s absolutely no sense of business here…

But I was worried the inside might be dirty too, so that’s a relief.

“Oi, what’re you!?”

Just as I was feeling relieved about the normal interior, a not-so-respectable-looking person comes out from the back of the shop!

A slim, tough-looking guy with sunglasses and slicked-back hair!

He’s coming at me wearing a black apron and holding a kitchen knife, which is scary in many ways!

“A customer!? Are you a customer!?”

“Um, your brother recommended… Do you have any rooms available?”

“You! How can you say that in this situation!? Can’t you see it’s empty!? You’re the first customer in a month!”

Yeah. It’s amazing that they had a customer even a month ago at this rate.

What should I do?

The service is probably among the worst for an inn, but I don’t really want to look for a new place now.

As I’m thinking this, suddenly the not-so-respectable person drops to his knees in a deep bow!

I’m getting a lot of deep bows today!?

“Please, I beg you to stay! I’ll go bankrupt at this rate!”

And that’s not how you ask people for favors!

But well, maybe I could try staying for one night?

The brother at The Murmur of the Tides vouched for the food quality. Sometimes places like this turn out to be unexpectedly good finds.

“Well, I’ll try staying for one night…”

“Alright! I’ve got your word now! No backing out! I’ll treat you so well you’ll regret it!”

If I regret it, I probably won’t ever stay here again, you know?

So, I’m led to a room on the second floor.

The room is surprisingly simple.

Just a bed, side table, and closet. However, the window isn’t shuttered, just a small hole. Maybe it’s to keep too much sunlight from coming in? The glare in the city is pretty bad.

By the way, why is the town setting leaning towards realism when there are characters with unrealistic designs like those wearing sunglasses or talking skeletons?

“I guess the simple design is just because they don’t have money?”

Anyway, I was told to wait until the food is ready, so I’m killing time in the room, but I’m pretty bored.

Since I’m free, maybe I’ll plan out tomorrow’s schedule.

■□■

When I’m told dinner is ready and I go down to the dining area on the first floor, what I find on the table is a mountain of dishes…

“Now, eat up…!”

“Isn’t this too much compared to the lodging fee? Will you be okay?”

I think I paid about 30 reward stones when I checked in.

But what’s laid out before me looks like it cost at least 1000 reward stones in ingredients alone.

Moreover, it seems the main dishes are kaiseki-style, like what you’d get at a high-class restaurant.

They all make ample use of seafood.

Not just fish, but I’m happy to see some shrimp-like things too.

“I just used what would’ve gone to waste! It’d be a shame to let good ingredients spoil! It’s not like I went all out ’cause it’s been a while since we had a customer!”

His words are rough, but his actions are kind…

In some ways, he’s similar to Gaga-san?

Well, since he seems to have prepared it with enthusiasm, I might as well enjoy it gratefully.

I take a seat and—

…

“Um, why are you sitting across from me and glaring at me…?”

“Show me your face.”

“Huh?”

“I can tell if it’s delicious or not by looking at your face! So take off that cloth and show me your face while you eat!”

Eh!? I mean, sure, the cook would be interested in the eater’s reaction, but…!?

Even through sunglasses, being glared at so intensely, I don’t think I can enjoy even delicious food…

But the owner doesn’t seem willing to back down at all.

With no choice, I remove my float circlet.

When I do, the owner seems to freeze for a moment.

“You, are you a succubus or some kind of vampire…?”

“No, I’m a Dullahan.”

“Liar! There’s no way a Dullahan could be such a beauty! Oh!?”

“Even if you say that… Ah, can I start eating now?”

“Be careful not to let your cheeks fall off!”

Apparently, it’s okay to eat now.

So, here goes.

It feels weird eating kaiseki cuisine with a fork, but I guess it can’t be helped given the world setting?

Thinking about such things, I casually put some grilled fish in my mouth, but…

“Delicious!?”

Huh? Wait a minute!? This is delicious on an absurd level!?

If the grilled fish I usually know is at the level of a candy, this is like the highest grade cake in terms of confectionery! That’s how much of a gap there is in taste!

Seeing me dumbfounded by the deliciousness, the owner sitting across from me shows an evil grin… well, he’s probably very satisfied, but…

“How is it? Delicious, ain’t it?”

“Well, I don’t know what to say…”

I try other dishes too, and they’re all delicious! More than delicious, it’s like the concept of seasoning is being overturned!

What is this depth of flavor? I’m hit by wave after wave of umami I’ve never experienced before! It’s, it’s too amazing…!

“It’s not just delicious or not delicious, it’s incredible!”

“Just say it’s delicious, damn it!”

“Ah, yes. It’s delicious…”

It makes me think there must be a good reason why this place isn’t popular despite being so delicious.

But it’s certainly delicious.

Moreover, it’s a kind of deliciousness I’ve never experienced before.

The concept of deliciousness is being destroyed to the point where I can’t find suitable words to describe it.

As I continue eating, impressed that what the brother at The Murmur of the Tides said was true, I notice something flashing at the edge of my vision.

Wonder what that is? As I focus my consciousness on it, I see…

▶You have entered the state: Poisoned.

You will receive 0.3% of your maximum HP as damage every second.

…Hm?

Agh!? My, my throat burns with pain!?

Huh, what!? Was I poisoned!?

“Oh!? It’s here! It’s here, you! Here, drink this!”

I immediately [Appraise] what he hands me.

I let my guard down completely because we’re at an inn in town! As cold sweat breaks out on my forehead, I look at the appraisal result.

====================

[Medicinal Green Tea]

Rarity: 3

Quality: High

Effect: Consumable Item

Notes: Tea created by Mungaga, owner of the Seaweed Drift Inn. Characterized by its rich aroma and strong taste, it has powerful detoxifying properties.

====================

The poison was intentional!

Seeing the appraisal result, I gulp down the tea in one go.

The poisoned status effect disappears.

Um, is this tea set with the dish? I feel like I’m understanding more and more why this shop isn’t thriving…

“Ahem, ahem! Um, the food, poison…?”

There’s a weird feeling in my throat, and I can’t speak properly!

But Mungaga-san seems to understand what I want to say. He grins like a demon. Well, he might actually be of the demon race.

“After years of culinary research, I’ve reached the realm of poison cuisine! Poison is a self-defense mechanism to prevent being eaten by predators! Which means, if it weren’t for the poison, it would be so delicious it’d be devoured! By skillfully incorporating that into cooking, my dishes have become uniquely delicious compared to others!”

I get what you’re trying to say, you know?

There are stories about how the fly agaric, known as a poisonous mushroom, is actually delicious among mushroom enthusiasts. Even when there was an edict in the Edo period prohibiting eating fugu, people still secretly ate it despite the risk of poisoning.

I can kind of understand the idea that poisonous things might be delicious.

But actually putting it in cooking is a different story, right!?

“No, that’s too much. Using poison in cooking…”

“Really!? Can you still say that after tasting that flavor!?”

When you put it that way, it certainly was a taste unlike any other… or maybe it just felt new because I’ve never eaten poison before…

No, that’s not it.

It wasn’t just poison.

It was a dish that had elevated poison into delicious cuisine.

That’s for sure.

And it must have involved not just ingenuity, but also a lot of effort from Mungaga-san.

“Is this the new frontier of cooking?”

“That’s right! It’s poison cuisine, you fool!”

For now, I ate while using detoxification magic on myself.

It’s an inn with many problems, but the food is undeniably delicious.

Just the food, mind you!