I Got a Cheat and Moved to Another World, so I Want to Live as I Like - CH 241.1

Translator: “Hakou”                             Editor: “Weasalopes”

It was still early in the morning.

Under the starry sky, I was standing in the yard of my house, wearing thick clothes. I went out here to send off Zaratan.

「Even though spring is almost coming, it’s still cold in the mornings and evenings」

Exhaling a white breath, I moved Imosuke from the branch of the medicinal tree to my shoulder. Then I walked to the edge of the pond, crouched down and picked up the dung beetle on the ground.

Thanks to the light that came from the living room, I could see it clearly even though the sun had not yet risen.

「It’s finally time to depart huh」

On the shore of the pond is Zaratan with three Heavy Lancers on his back. Their leader was not on board with them, but was leading the herd on the shore.

The turtle looked at me and nodded, then slowly backed away from the shore.

「Hee… so he’s using magic to suppress the waves」

Who told me about it was Imosuke sitting on my shoulder. And as he said, there was barely a wave in the water.

He turned quietly and swam out to the middle of the pond.

「Travel safely*」

[*TL Note: The original word was “ご安全に”, meaning “work safely”, is a safety activity developed as a greeting campaign to raise safety awareness in the manufacturing and construction industries.]

Maybe because my previous world where I came from, I unconsciously uttered these words.

『Travel safely~』

『Safely~』

My familiars imitated me. In an instant, the place where we’re supposed to see people off turned into a construction site or a factory.

Without looking back, Zaratan deployed a magic circle in his surroundings and sank into the circle that glowed pale blue.

***

We moved to the Spirit Forest, far to the northwest from the royal capital. To the north of the World Tree in the forest, there is a giant lake.

Just before dawn, on the dark surface of the water, a magic circle was beginning to form while letting out a pale blue light.

What appeared on the surface of the water as soon as the magic circle was completed was the upper half of a turtle head and part of its shell. And on the shell, three large four-legged magic beasts were huddled together seemingly avoiding the water.

(It seems the coast is clear)

Zaratan, a turtle great spirit beast, moves his eyes just above the surface of the water to check the surroundings.

He focuses on the elven water intake tower on the southern part of the shore. From the lights illuminating the darkness, it didn’t seem like there was any particular activity.

(We’re quite far away after all)

They are currently near the northern shore of the Spirit Lake. It was worried about the light from emanating from the magic circle, but the distance seemed to have prevented it from being noticed.

It was a huge two hundred meters long turtle, but it hid most of its body under the water. The waves caused by the transfer were also not that big, thanks to its magic.

『Well then, let’s go』

It told the Heavy Lancers on its back and swam toward the shore.

Zaratan was pleased with the results of his practice, as he was able to reach the shore without any of the Heavy Lancers falling off of its shell.

『I will resurface when the sun goes down』

It told the Heavy Lancers that had landed on the shore, and immediately backed away. And it began to dive away from the shore.

It plans to hide at the bottom of the lake during the day to avoid being noticed.

After watching the turtles sink below the surface of the water, the three Heavy Lancers look up at the eastern sky.

Perhaps they couldn’t wait for it to get bright enough to start treading lightly.

***

The sun was high in the sky, indicating that it was lunchtime.

I sat down at a window seat in an elegant restaurant facing the central square of the royal capital. I took a seat by the window and waited with anticipation for my food to arrive.

(Hurry up please!)

After watching Zaratan’s departure, I was lying on the sofa reading an information magazine. When I saw an article about the restaurant’s signature dish, I was moved.

(A dish of thinly sliced beef stewed with red wine, tomatoes, onions, and herbs, is it? I wonder if it’s something like hashed beef)

Just as I was thinking about this, a certain word flashed in my mind.

(Hayashi Rice!)

To me, hashed beef is the same as hayashi rice. That means I might be able to taste a nostalgic flavor from my previous world by eating this dish.

(Let’s have lunch at this store today!)

It’s not surprising at all that I immediately made up my mind.

(Oh, it’s coming it’s coming)

What arrived after not much waiting was a brown stew served in a wide plate. Also two pieces of round bread on a flat plate.

The aroma that comes with rising steam is almost exactly as what I had in mind

(It’s a bit of a shame that it wasn’t served with rice, but since our culture is different, I guess it can’t be helped)

Paella, risotto, baked rice, etc. Dishes that use rice exist in this world, and they are well-liked.

However, there are very few dishes that use cooked white rice.

Apparently, it is not a very popular cooking method.

(Food preferences largely depend on custom after all)

I think so, based on my experience of going around places in my previous world.

『This one is tastier I told you! Tried it and you’ll understand!』

Even if you shove it in their mouth with absolute confidence, you will not get a response like, 『It’s delicious!』.

Most of the time, they frown a little, turn to the side, and spit it out.

『What a peculiar taste this is』

You can say that you’ve succeeded if you can get them to say that.

Choosing something that they might like, and further arranging it. Even then, only a few of them will accept it.

(And if they say 『Ours is better』, it’s the same as them saying, 『The one from your place is bad』)

If you insist something is better and force someone else to accept it, a fight can break out. Cross-cultural communication is such a difficult thing.

「Bon appetit~」

With both anticipation and anxiety, I took my first bite.

(Hoooh)

The flavor of the red wine is a little bit strong, but it still can be called hashed beef. The flavors are well balanced, and in my opinion, this dish is a winner.

(I’m glad that I don’t live in a world where our taste in food is so far apart)

While expressing my gratitude, I move the spoon back and forth with a smile. The contents dwindled as I continued to eat.

The next thing I knew, the white bottom of the plate had appeared.

(Ah, I ate the entire thing already)

It’s been a long time since I ate something in one sitting. I must have been eating at an ungentlemanly speed.

(Umu, it was tasty)

A large elderly man with a kaiser beard nodded in satisfaction. The restaurant is crowded, but he is the only one sitting at a table for six.

(If it’s a seat with a better view, there’s nothing I can say about it though)

I plucked a round loaf of bread and talked to myself while soaking it.

I like the hashed beef and have been coming here often lately. However, I am always guided to this seat.

You can’t see the central square that the restaurant faces, and you can’t see it from the square either.

(It can’t be helped I guess)

Knowing my reputation, I am not going to complain. But I suppose I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed.

「Thank you for the food, it was delicious」

After finishing his meal, the man in his prime leaves the restaurant with a satisfied look on his face.

No one notices that he is the Knight Commander of the Kingdom knight order, partly because he is dressed in plain clothes.

「Thank you very much!」

A wide back that quietly leaves the store in response to the voice of the clerk.

It was his own consideration that he does not wear his pilot’s uniform. However, even if someone did recognize him, only few people will be able to connect him with his nickname.

Not many people even know his position.

(I don’t know whether I should be happy or sad about this)

The chef who knows who he is pokes his head out of the kitchen. He thinks while staring at the entrance of the restaurant where his back has disappeared.

Praised highly by a person who holds a prominent position as the knight commander of the knight order. There’s now way you wouldn’t be happy if you think about it normally.

However, the nickname he holds made him feel complicated.