A Night by the Lake
The smell that greeted us inside the shop was a rich yet faintly briny scent of the waterfront. It was a smell I'd rarely encountered before, but the moment I crossed the threshold, I knew exactly what it was. There was no doubt—this was the unmistakable aroma of fish.
I wondered idly why there would be fish here, then remembered the city's defining feature. Right, there was a river and a lake. Where there's water, there are bound to be fish. I'd never really thought about fish as something that existed in this world. After living so long without them, it made sense that they'd become unfamiliar to me.
Fish had turned into just another food I'd forgotten about. Of course. The answer was right in front of me—no need to overthink it. In an era where people still relied on horses and carriages to travel between cities, there was no practical way to transport freshly caught fish. If anyone did anything with fish at all, it was probably smoking or salting them. Now that I thought about it, I'd seen dried fish strips at preservation shops before. The problem was, when you already had jerky, there was no real reason to eat dried fish instead. Without proper distribution networks, regular jerky was simply more cost-effective.
While I was lost in these thoughts about fish I'd long forgotten…
"Want to try something?"
Reina's voice came from across the table, noticeably softer than before. Even if I wanted to order something specific, I didn't know a single fish name. The only fish I'd ever seen were the tiny nameless ones in the narrow river near the village. If I didn't even know the names of the fish from the river I'd lived beside for over ten years, there was no way I'd recognize the edible fish of a city I'd visited only twice in my entire life.
Since I couldn't risk picking something terrible, I pushed the decision onto her.
"I'll have whatever you recommend. I don't know anything about fish…"
"Really? I figured someone from the countryside would know this stuff."
"Not all countryside is the same…"
Reina was comparing a coastal village to a farming village. From a country bumpkin's perspective, that distinction felt meaningless, but to a city person, it probably made perfect sense. My half-hearted explanation didn't seem to help—her expression remained puzzled. She hadn't heard the difference between a farming village and a coastal one, so she still didn't get it. Then she just shrugged, as if to say whatever, and moved on like the conversation had never happened.
"Well, if you don't know, I'll just order whatever I want. Excuse me—!"
Her clear voice rang through the quiet night. The shop owner, who hadn't shown the slightest interest while we were seating ourselves, finally lifted his head from the kitchen at the sound. Their eyes met, and the order came out crisp and efficient.
"One grilled Moonlight Mouth Fish and one stir-fried Bluntmouth Fish, please."
The way she ordered felt completely natural, as if she'd lived nearby her whole life. The moment the order was placed, the gruff shop owner stood and moved to the prep counter without a word.
Never heard those names before…
Of course I hadn't. Moonlight Mouth Fish? Bluntmouth Fish? Not a single one sounded familiar. From my seat, I couldn't see behind the counter, so I tilted my head toward the kitchen. In the silence, the sound of sizzling oil reached my ears. The faint fishy smell that had lingered in the shop grew stronger, rich and savory, filling the air.
Before long, the dishes arrived—placed on the table without a single word. Grilled fish and stir-fried fish, one of each, along with a cloudy fish soup in front of each of us. The aroma of oil from the crisply charred fish mixed with the spicy, pungent scent of the stir-fry, making my mouth water.
The presentation was simple, almost rustic, but it was a deeply satisfying meal. The fish inside the crispy skin was rich and tender, almost like biting into a sausage. The Bluntmouth Fish stir-fry popped with flavor in my mouth. Whenever the spice or richness became too much, a sip of the lightly seasoned soup washed it all down perfectly.
Haa…
A satisfied sigh escaped me. Even though the weather didn't particularly call for warm soup, the combination was strangely perfect.
Near the end of the meal, I turned to Reina, who looked equally content.
"When did you come here before?"
"Back when I was around C-Class and B-Class, before I got my own place. I stayed here for quite a while."
"Hmm."
I let out a short hum of interest. This was a story from long before we'd first met. It finally made sense why she'd looked so comfortable walking through Caldera when we first arrived. She'd lived here for a long time. That meant she'd probably visited this shop quite often too…
The awkwardness of the earlier order, the way the owner seemed to recognize her—maybe they knew each other? Unable to hold back my curiosity, I asked quietly.
"Do you know the shop owner too…?"
"Back then I never took my armor off, so he probably doesn't recognize me."
Reina rested her chin on her hand over the empty bowl and chuckled. She was certain she remembered him, but just as certain that he wouldn't remember her. So that blunt attitude of his was just how he always was? The questions kept piling up, but we paid and left the shop before I could ask any more.
Small stars twinkled in the sky above. At the end of the street, the wide lakeshore reflected those stars like a mirror. Two sets of footsteps echoed irregularly through the quiet street—then the one ahead suddenly stopped.
Why'd she stop? I halted behind her, and Reina turned around.
"Going straight back feels like a waste. Want to take a detour?"
"Huh? Oh, sure… yeah."
Though surprised by the unexpected suggestion, I agreed and followed her. Reina took a deep breath of the summer night air, as if savoring it, then started murmuring to herself—loud enough for me to hear.
"Caldera's night fishing is really fun, you know. I got really into it back when I was C-Class."
"Ah… right."
My response came out flat. Fishing was something I'd never had any connection to, in this life or the last. If I'd ever shown even a little interest, maybe things would be different, but I'd never lived a life that involved water. Reina kept walking, humming to herself, her lakeside memories clearly her own.
Our destination naturally became the lakeshore at the center of Caldera. A cheerful hum drifted through the night air. The once-silent streets now carried the sound of our irregular footsteps.
Hm?
Up ahead at the intersection we needed to cross, a figure stood waiting. Why are they just standing there? I thought absently, staying close behind Reina. Then—
"Out for a nighttime stroll with your little brother, miss?"
"Wandering around this late isn't very safe~"
Once we were close enough to touch, the figures spoke with mocking voices. Ah, right… the city. At night. The realization hit me like a slap. Aside from the well-policed capital, thugs always appeared in cities once night fell. Of all times, we'd run into them while Reina was lost in pleasant memories.
"Let's go."
"Eek…!"
Reina's tone was matter-of-fact, as if this wasn't her first time dealing with something like this. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me along without hesitation. The strength in her slender arm was unbelievable—I stumbled forward from the force. Then, just as I thought they might let us pass, one of the larger thugs grabbed Reina's free arm.
"Where do you think you're going…?!"
The moment his hand closed around her wrist, a single thought flashed through my mind. Oh no.
"Aaaargh!"
Before I could even react, the man was sent flying through the air with a scream. I watched in disbelief as his body sailed away. Wow. People can really fly like that in real life.
The other thug, who had been smirking nearby, froze in shock, his eyes locked on his airborne companion. Even if they were criminals, Reina knew that killing them just for grabbing her arm would cause problems. So instead, she spoke calmly to the only one still standing.
"Get lost. Now."
"Hii…!"
With a terrified yelp, the remaining thug scrambled to collect his friend and fled. Reina stood watching the alley until both men had completely disappeared from view. Her mood had clearly plummeted.
"Let's go quickly."
I touched her shoulder lightly with my free hand and pointed toward the lakeshore. Her sharp gaze softened as she looked at me.
"…Yeah."
The cold expression melted into something closer to a smile.
When we finally reached the lakeshore, it was crowded with adults and children enjoying the summer night. The water shimmered faintly beneath the surface, as if the starlight had dissolved into it. Children sat at the water's edge, splashing their hands and feet as if trying to catch the glowing lights. Adults sat quietly, simply taking in the view of the starlit lake. Even the guards who usually patrolled the streets seemed to have vanished—until I realized they were there too, watching the scene from within their helmets instead of making their rounds.