kscans

Chapter 9 - Oamunite Tastes Like Clams

It happened while we were searching for ingredients in an inlet at low tide.

"There it is, a huge one!"

From out of the sand, with a roar like "Gwaaaaah!", emerged an abnormally large Oamunite. Its shell was as hard as rock, and its legs were as flexible as whips, said to have the incredible power to coil around prey and crush it.

"It's so gross! I don't wanna!!" The moment Koni-chan hid behind me, a tentacle shot out, stretching towards me.

"Here it comes!"

"Leave it to me!" With a sharp voice, Amy stepped forward. A long spear was gripped in her hands.

"The weak point is the gap in its shell. If you can stop its movement, I'll pierce it!"

"Got it, Defray!"

Defray and I ran, flanking it from the left and right.

"Over here, you slug!"

"Nu ha ha, don't let your guard down!"

I kicked a slime and threw it, obstructing its vision. Defray threw a handmade herbal powder, making the ground beneath its feet slick. The moment the Oamunite's foot slipped, its body tilted with a clunk.

In that opening...

"Now!!"

Slicing through the wind, Amy's spear shot out in a straight line.

Zubaa!!

"Gyaaaaaaaaa!!"

The sharp thrust pierced the gap in its shell, reaching deep into its flesh. The Oamunite convulsed for a moment, then collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

"We did it... we did it...! You pierced through that hard shell perfectly!"

"Nice, Amy. That was some expert spear work."

"Hmph... shellfish are better than bugs, I guess."

"Alright, now what do we do with this?" I said, looking down at the corpse, when a heavy shadow approached from behind with a thud.

"Leave the cooking to me. This shellfish, you see... it goes well with tomatoes." Defray said with a smile, his cook's uniform straining at the buttons.

"Phew... a fine shellfish. Even the hard shell will make a good stock."

After the battle, Defray prepared the fire while re-tying his apron. The movement was so neat for his large frame that it almost looked like a sacred ritual.

"First, the prep work."

He removed the Oamunite's tentacles one by one and carefully took out the meat from inside the shell. Inside was plump meat similar to a scallop adductor, the liver, and soft innards.

"Hmm, the liver is strong, but... if you simmer it with aromatic vegetables, it turns into umami."

He skillfully removed the sand, washed it lightly with salt water, and then threw garlic into a pot heated with olive oil. A sizzling sound and a wonderful aroma filled the air.

"Now for the white wine!"

Steam rose with a sizzle. The smell alone was enough to make my stomach rumble. He added aromatic vegetables (finely chopped onions, celery, and carrots) and sautéed them thoroughly to bring out their sweetness.

"This part is important. Sautéing makes the sauce well-rounded."

Then he added the Oamunite meat. He tossed in the pre-browned pieces all at once and sautéed them together.

"Alright, the finishing touches. In goes the canned tomatoes."

The red of the tomatoes instantly colored the pot. He added a little basil, bay leaf, and a touch of miso as a secret ingredient.

"The heat should be low and slow. With love... you know."

He quietly put the lid on and let it simmer for twenty minutes.

"It's done. 'Oamunite Tomato Stew,' please enjoy."

The dish, served in a large soup bowl, was beautiful to the eye with the red of the tomatoes and the green of the herbs, and the Oamunite's scallop-like meat glistened plumply.

Amy's eyes widened involuntarily after one bite.

"What is this... I hated shellfish... but this is... so... delicious...!"

Koni-chan also mumbled while chewing,

"I thought it was gross... but this is so good... you're not bad, piggy."

"...I'll take 'piggy' as a compliment." (For the Orc Tribe, pigs are sacred creatures.) Defray smiled shyly, then placed a hand on his chest and muttered his catchphrase.

"Cooking is love. Neatly, carefully, deliciously."

The Oamunite tasted similar to clams. If we had pasta, this would be vongole bianco. I want to eat pasta. So thought Mamoru, reminiscing about his time as a human.