The second mining director of the Northwest Republic, Consul Leif Kawat stood under a lush tree about two miles away from Pyroxene City, looking to the northeast of the road. Next to him was a temporary table. chair, and a silver-white square box on the table.
"That guy Crito sent me an email through the temple before, saying that he would be back today, but why hasn't he shown up even though it's almost evening?" He waited for a long time, but still didn't see anyone. He couldn't help but frowned and complained in a low voice, " It’s just a waste of half my afternoon. Anyway, I’m on vacation today and have nothing to do, but if I delay it any longer, the fish will melt!”
Just then, he saw a carriage appear from the end of the road, walking briskly along.
Sitting in the driver's seat driving the car is a handsome man wearing light leather armor and with long black hair. His appearance is quite feminine. At best, he has a handsome appearance and extraordinary bearing, and at worst, he is a liar. Or sissy.
The man's eyesight was very good. He saw Reif from a distance and couldn't help laughing. He whipped his riding whip in the air with a beautiful crack and drove the mixed-race horse with a few scales on its forehead and limbs to pull the carriage. It roared forward, then slowly slowed down, and finally stopped right next to Reif.
"Hey, Reif, you really came to pick me up!" He jumped out of the carriage and said with a smile, "I didn't expect you, a busy man, to actually keep your word. I was shocked!"
"As I said in the email before, keeping my word is one of my creeds in life." Reif said with a straight face, "Originally, I asked for a day off today, but... look at the weather now, In fact, I don’t need to ask for leave, and I won’t be late to pick you up after get off work.”
"I originally planned to come back early, but something unexpected happened and I was delayed a little. We simply came back a little later, and planned to arrive at Huishi City just after you get off work... I'm sorry, I didn't make it clear before, so I kept you waiting for a long time." The man smiled and opened the curtain of the carriage, and a young woman with bright topaz-like blond hair jumped out of the carriage and greeted Reiff with a smile.
"Brother Reif, good afternoon... Oh, now it's time to call you 'Consul of Cavat'!" Crito's wife, who once served as the mayor of Phenix Town, is currently the consul of the Northwest Republic like Reif. Asnar said with a smile.
Reif chuckled twice, knowing that they were just joking with him.
This couple didn't care about their status as friends. When I met them, they were both excellent adventurers, and I was just a miner. At that time, we all got along very well, and there was no barrier. Now that we all have similar identities, we can naturally get along more harmoniously.
"What accident can delay you and your wife for so long? I remember that you have been apprenticed to His Highness Leon over the years. You have entered the realm of legend not long ago. The 'Three Swords of Gars' is talking about you, and your reputation is very resounding - could it be that Did you encounter some powerful enemy?"
"We can't even call him an enemy. He's just an old-fashioned guy whose reaction is slower than normal." Crito laughed sarcastically, "What age are you in, and you're still mumbling, 'Druids don't have the tradition.'" "It should be destroyed", "Pasteur's school is a heresy among druids" and so on. Mr. Pasteur has already become a god! He is planning to find trouble with a true god in order to protect the school that has been out of date for who knows how long. Traditional?”
Laifu frowned. As a civil affairs officer, he was not familiar with the fighting and killing in the arena. But according to Crito, this matter seems to involve His Majesty Arcane Pasteur, the god of medicine who was deified ten years ago? That's no small thing!
"Don't worry, the matter has been resolved." Asnar said with a smile, "Then His Majesty, the God of Medicine, descended and we left."
Reif felt relieved and started talking about the business - although it was not worth mentioning compared to the matter that the Critos were involved in today, for him, this was what made him spend most of the afternoon waiting. things.
"Don't talk about that, let's try my wife's craftsmanship." He raised his hand with a smile and pressed it on the silver-white square box on the table. The buckle popped open, and inside the thick heat insulation board, there was A box of silver-white fish meat preserved in ice cubes, it is obvious that the chef's knife skills are very good. Each piece of fish meat is almost as thin as paper. Through the fish meat, you can even see the various fruits as side dishes below.
"Ah?! This is a snow fish?! Oh my God, you actually got this in the summer?!" Crito yelled, "You must not have embezzled anything, right?"
Reif was so angry that his nose was twisted: "You are a corrupt devil! This is a commercial project that Pyrrophyll City and Gold Rush Town are planning to jointly launch. I can't tell you the specific content, but... Haha, look at your expression, I will I know this project is very promising and will definitely make a profit.”
Only then did Crito feel relieved. Without saying a word, he picked up the small wooden fork next to the box and gently skewered a piece of fish meat and put it into his mouth.
The meat of the ice fish, which is only produced briefly during the harshest winter in the ice field, is extremely tender. Cutting it into thin slices and chilling it brings out this tenderness to the extreme. Almost as soon as it entered his mouth, it melted between his tongue and teeth. The special fragrance mixed with the sweet and sour taste of the fruit turned into the pleasure flowing between his lips and teeth. He narrowed his eyes in happiness and couldn't help but sigh deeply. tone.
"It's delicious! You can actually eat this in the middle of summer! Just for this box of fish, it's worth my coming back from thousands of miles away!"
Reif smiled slightly and did not disturb his enjoyment, but just used his eyes to signal Asner to try it too.
Of course, Asner would not be polite to this good friend who had known him for many years and was like a brother. He also put a piece of fish meat into his mouth, and then he couldn't help but narrowed his eyes and let out a deep admiration through his nose.
"It's delicious!" Crito shouted and started eating quickly. After he finished half the box, he stopped consciously and chatted with Reif.
"Brother Reif, does this count as the output of your mining industry?" He asked curiously, "In addition to minerals, gems and energy essences that can be mined underground, this can actually be mined?"
"Trade secrets." Reif smiled and said, "To be honest, the cost of this thing is actually not low. One box is worth about twenty gold coins... and that doesn't include my wife's knife skills."
"My sister-in-law's knife skills are nothing to say, they are worth at least double the price." Clito said, but his face became serious, "But... the price is really ridiculously low. I guess this box will be sold in Garda In Sri Lanka’s high-end restaurants, you can’t even eat at a friendly price without paying thousands of gold coins.”
"To be honest, I have never eaten this thing before. I just remember when you were chatting, you said you had eaten it once. Your expression at that time was really..."
"Haha, don't make fun of me!" Crito smiled awkwardly, "I only ate a little bit back then, but the taste was so beautiful that I will never forget it for the rest of my life - but what I ate back then was compared to what I ate this time. , but it’s quite different, I don’t know if it’s my misunderstanding.”
"It's indeed an illusion." Asner, who had finished his half of the box in a leisurely manner, wiped his mouth and hands with a piece of Baijuan and said, "To be honest, the taste is still a bit different from the ice fish in winter. Of course, it's subtle and not obvious. The main reason why you think it's delicious this time is because of the weather - eating cold fish in hot weather is completely different from eating it in cold winter."
Reiff smiled bitterly. He had no doubts about Asner's assessment. In fact, another gourmet had already made the same assessment before her. The priest who has published more than one food book is the unquestionable absolute authority in the food industry in the world today. The fact that Asner can make the same evaluation as him is enough to prove her outstanding tasting ability.
"Brother Reif, don't worry, the weather factor is very important." Seeing that Reif was a little depressed, Asner advised, "Ice chips can be seen everywhere in winter. In summer, put them in a bowl and pour sugar water and juice. They are the best sellers." It is a holy delicacy to relieve summer heat. Melons and peaches that only bear fruit in summer are the signature desserts of high-end restaurants in winter. Ice and snow fish can only be eaten in the cold winter, especially because it is particularly sensitive to space magic and cannot use space magic. To store it, so no mortal can eat it outside the cold winter. Now you can change this situation and serve it on the table in the hottest summer. This alone is enough to have a disruptive impact."
She thought for a while and said: "In terms of taste, if the ice fish with the same knife skills and ingredients is 100 points in winter, yours will be almost 90 points. But because of the climate, its score must be at least 90 points. Multiply it by three times! In other words, if I were to rate this ice fish fillet, my rating would be - two hundred and seventy points!"
Lai Fu turned his worries into joy and smiled heartily.
Looking at the sky, he pointed at the city wall not too far away, which was not towering but strong enough: "Let's go, it's getting late. It's time for Little Martin and Little Yui to finish school... If we go back too late, , it’s time for little Yui to complain again.”
"Over the years, she has complained more than once that you work outside all day long and don't care about her daughter at all. It's rare for you to have a vacation, so the family should get together these days!"
As he spoke, he packed up the tables, chairs, and boxes. The foldable desks and chairs were equipped with straps, and in a few moments they turned into a large backpack that could be carried on the back. The boxes were closed again and carried in his hands.
The group of people didn't bother to get on the carriage anymore, so they just led the horses and walked towards the city gate in a leisurely manner.
Under the setting sun, what was once Pyrushi Town is now Pyrushi City. The thick city wall seems to be coated with a layer of gold, which makes people feel at ease.
This is no longer the crisis-ridden Ash Forest, but the prosperous Northwest Republic.