Chapter 40: Between Assertive and Sincere

Btw, we finally reach Chapter 40, which is one third of the available chapters on the Web Novel as of 30 Dec 2022.

T/L Notes: Geez translating this chapter was really hard. Not only it has so many foot notes (some of it is my own fault though), but also because the original Japanese text was hard to follow. Maybe because it was a bit philosophical… I think…

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For me, it would be a leisurely week after I decided to no longer accompany the exploration team into the dungeon, but it was an entirely different story for the soldiers.

News soon reached my ears that ever since the Iwaos had stopped leading the vanguard, the soldier started taking real damage. Thankfully there had been no casualties so far, but Cheryl had frequently complained about how the healers work had suddenly started piling up.

Still, in this world most of the wounds could be healed by just using magic, so that’s pretty amazing. I was planning to give them some of the Wound Medicine I’d made in case the healers ran out of MP, but they seemed to be holding their own.

While the survey team was risking their lives exploring the dungeon, I spent my days lazily fishing in the sea instead. Every time I heard that someone had gotten injured I would feel a pang of guilt, but I knew this was the way it should be. I’m just not fit to be inside the dungeon, I’m not suited for combat.

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I finally completed the production for another Wonder, and its appearance surprised the officers.

“Wait, how come there are more golems now? Where did they come from?”

“They came down from the mountain, I think.”

And I made further excuses to how they just appeared during the night. It was such a flimsy argument, and surprisingly, no one pursued the matter further.

Speaking about the mountain in Monte Chris Island; I’d never tried to climb it as there are no mountain trails, but I’d like to investigate it someday.

I’m still staying with the plan to produce more and more golems in the future, both for further ensuring my own safety and to keep improving my living environment. After I finished creating Wonder No.5, my golem creation finally went up another level as predicted, and now I have the option to make another new type of golem.

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Item Production：Wood Golem ・ Mermaid type

Category：Golem production（Lv.6）

MP Consumption　378

Explanation: An underwater golem. It can swim at a maximum speed of 64km/h [1]and can help with fishing.

Production time：38 hours

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After I finished creating it, I am now looking at the Mermaid type golem…

A mermaid type golem, huh…

It’s true that the new golem have the lower body resembling of a fish, while the upper body is humanoid. However, if we’re talking about mermaid, it should have the impression of a beautiful girl, right?

While this golem’s appearance is… how should I say it… a Kappa [2] I think? Rather than a mermaid, I think it’s closer to a monster merman. At least you can’t say that its round eyes and mouth aren’t charming.

When I specified the appearance location to be inside the cave, it just lay unmoving on the floor. I guess it was to be expected since it had no legs, it couldn’t even move properly on the ground, so I had to have Iwao and Silver carry it to the sea.

I then name it Cima and told it to stay near the rocky areas of the sea. [3]

“Cima, I’m giving you this.” I gave it a harpoon, and the golem nodded while accepting it.

I had intended to use the harpoon myself when I was diving, but I ended up unable to use it because… well, you know that when you’re diving it’s better not to wear clothes? Yes there’s something called a diving suit, but I haven’t had the time or MP to invest, so I usually dive naked.

And the last time I went diving naked, one of the soldiers found out about it and started a huge uproar.

The soldiers at the time joked that ‘Okami tried to catch some side-dish for dinner, but he himself became everyone’s side-dish [4] instead’. While I don’t necessarily mind being watched, but this time I was scolded by Gram…

Anyway, I ordered Cima to catch some seafood if possible, and he later returned that day carrying five big lobsters, so my evaluation of the golem has sky rocketed. [5] Don’t worry Cima, I don’t care if you’re a not cute mermaid, I like you already!

And so for tonight’s main dish, I decided to make lobster gratin with the shellfish Cima caught for me.

I don’t have durum semolina flour [6], but I think I can still make delicious pasta with regular flour. Let’s use the cheese I received from Gram! I’m also thinking of making carpaccio by using the fish I caught, but I question whether or not everyone would be fine with eating it raw. Some people may not be into raw fish, so I guess it’s better to boil it first.

I returned to the kitchen and started prepping the lobsters. It’s a bit risky using the scissors, so I was extra careful, and when I finally removed the meat from the body I took a little taste test.

I think it’s fine to eat it by dipping it in the soy sauce.

Mmmm… yeah, really good. It has similar taste to Japanese Spiny Lobster, perfect for a snack!

I had Goku bring a bottle of dry white wine from the cellar and drank just one glass. Careful now, I don’t want to get drunk again, better not to repeat that fiasco.

I didn’t want to throw away the lobster shells, so I put them in a pot to make broth; I will use it to make the gratin later. Ah, now that I think about it, making it into Cream Croquette will be delicious too, but then again I will need freezer to make a good cream croquette.

Turns out having so many delicious ingredients is troubling too, since now I have so many dishes I would like to try making. [7]

As I started frying the lobster meat and onions in butter, a nice smell spread throughout the forest.

“I’m back. Oh the smell is really delicious.” Gram came back from the dungeon, smiling.

“Welcome back. We’re having Lobster Gratin for tonight.”

“Oh good. I love gratin.”

Our conversation is really like a married couple, isn’t it?

That aside, whenever Gram entered the kitchen she always looks around awkwardly. It must be really unusual for someone who belongs to the aristocracy to enter the kitchen.

“So, what are you and Goku making now?”

“We’re making the pasta to layer the gratin with. Oh look… the gratin is ready.”

The lobster covered in the white sauce was steaming in the frying pan, releasing its luxurious aroma. The next step would be to move it to a baking dish, sprinkle it with cheese, and bake it in the oven. But at this stage it’s too delicious to not try.

“Gram-sama, would you be my taste tester?”

I scooped some of it in a small spoon and offered it to her.

Gram cautiously glanced around us both.

Don’t worry, no one else is here.

“Aaaah…” Gram opened her mouth. Unlike that time with salt candy, she allowed me to feed her directly.

“So, is it good?”

“Yes… It’s, delicious…”

Really? I’ll have a little taste test too… Alright this is good! I’ve put the right amount of salt and spice in it.

“Do you think white wine would be a good choice for tonight’s drink?”

“Yeah, I think it goes well with it. Ah, but you can’t drink it, Okami!”

“Yes, I’m fully aware. Also, I’m really sorry about what happened the other day!”

I may be saying it a bit vaguely, but I profusely apologized to her for the kissing incident.

“A-ah, that was… an accident, yes, just an accident. Nothing more. I’m not even bothered about it anymore. Not at all… So, Okami, you don’t have to worry yourself about it either.” Gram said as her face turned increasingly red.

Well if there’s some good out of the incident, it’s that she now talks to me much more than before. In the past, she didn’t really talk at all.

“What are you smiling at? Is there something on my face?”

“No, I’m just happy that Gram-sama is talking normally with me now. When you first arrived on this island, it felt like Lane-san had to have all your conversations with me.”

“Is-is that so?”

“That’s right. That’s why I’m happy, it’s better this way.”

“I was… I’ve always been bad at talking to men. I’ve been trying to overcome it, but…”

I figured that was the case from the first time we met. You’re just a little awkward, that’s all.

“Then, since you can talk normally with me, doesn’t that mean you’ve overcome your problem?”

“Ye-yeah. If it’s with Okami, I can manage to talk normally. A-actually, I really enjoy having conversations with you.”

Uwaah… having someone said something like that to me is not a bad feeling. Not a bad feeling at all. Actually, now I want to yell out, ‘That makes me happy!!’.

“By the way Okami, you’re really good at cooking. Did you learn from your father?”

“My family runs a restaurant, so both my parents taught me how to cook.” [8]

And that is the truth.

“I see, so that’s why you’re so proficient at it.”

“Once I have my cooking tools ready I will create many more kinds of food, so please look forward to it.”

“Yeah…”

“Now then, I think the Iwaos have finished preparing the water, so please enter the bath. Or maybe you’d like me to wash your back?”

Immediately, I realized that I’d said something stupid. Gram looked me straight in the eye and shook her head.

“You can’t say something like that, even jokingly. After all, you’re running a respectable inn, right?”[9]

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I’d made a mistake. Gram is a very sincere person through and through, and I’ve ended up comparing her with Chris. If it were Chris, she would’ve let me wash her body without a second thought, and we would both be giggling hysterically the whole way. It would end with both of our bodies lathered up and entangled in pleasure.

Gram’s consideration and sincerity toward my situation makes things feel easy and without pressure, while Chris’ assertiveness always had me swept up in her emotions.

Love isn’t just about sincerity. Unlike marriage, love isn’t some contract that promises a future together. [10]

Back on earth, guys who are more assertive are usually more popular with women, maybe that’s why I’m feeling more attraction towards Chris instead of Gram. [11]

It’s not like I’m being unfaithful to Chris; there was never the expectation of spending the rest of our lives together, but the time when we were together was always exciting and fun. 

Maybe the issue is I’m being too passive when it comes to romance?

Should I pursue romance aggressively instead…?

The faces of Cecily and Leanne flashed through my mind. I wonder if Cecily is still on a quest for vengeance, and I wonder if Leanne is still chasing a man’s lower half in the capital.　

I could try being more assertive with Gram, but even if things became serious between us, I could only be her concubine due to the differences in our statuses. Even if we were to fall deeply in love with each other, the one who suffers would be her legal husband. There isn’t really any happy ending route, no matter how you look at it…

If that’s the case then it’s probably best I stop mulling over the idea of being romantically aggressive. Honestly what’s wrong with living a slow, leisurely life on a tropical island, providing comfort and company to the people who come to explore the dungeon?

Yes, I believe that’s the right path.

For the time being, let’s focus on improving the inn instead of love and romance.

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1 Around 40 mph.

2 In Japanese folklore, Kappa is a type of monster dwelling in the rivers.

Source: https://ihearthula.com/2021/01/15/folktale-friday-how-to-defeat-a-kappa/

3 I can’t figure out the relation between Cima [シーマ],and mermaid/merman. When I tried googling it the only results are related to a Nissan car, and the Spanish word taken for the car only means Top, Superior, or Complete (the last one is according to a Japanese Magazine, not Google Translation)

4 In Japanese, side-dish (using the word おかず) is a slang for jack-off materials.

5 Damn. Shirou keeps getting golems with useful domestic skills. Good for him.

6 Geez it almost sound like a Harry Potter spell. Oh wait it turns out to be an actual ingredients. Huh. 

Apparently, it’s medium grade flour made of durum wheat, good for making pasta.

7 Tortoise, I agree with you, Shirou must be a genetically engineered perfect husbando.

8 Ah, so that’s why he’s so good at cooking.

9 Oof…! Shirou just stepped on a landmine.

10 Not sure if it’s true, but once I was told that many people in Japan consider that ‘marriage’ and ‘love’ as two separate things; the marriage is more because of social obligation from the family.

11 I dunno, I don’t think Chris was pushy. After all when they were in the dungeon, she repeatedly won’t lay her hand on Shirou until it was Shirou himself who said that he’s fine to sleep with her. [[MoWNPC: I think the idea here is less “aggressive” and more “assertive.” Chris never pressured Shirou, but she always made it clear that she was down to clown with him, while Gram never broaches the idea of intimacy and always treats Shirou with great respect. She’s clearly into him and wants to explore intimacy, but she refuses to take action unless Shirou makes clear that he’s as invested as she is.

Assertive is about open intentions, while Aggressive sounds more “death by snu-snu” IMHO.]]