Whenever people gather, conflict and arguments are inevitable, even if they usually get along. The Village of the Great Tree was no exception. While I liked to think we generally lived in harmony, fights did break out on rare occasions.
However, violence was strictly forbidden. I had made that rule myself. Consequently, we had to find non-violent ways to settle our differences.
The current mainstream methods were arm wrestling, sumo, and chess. Sometimes we used footraces, pull-up competitions, or seeing who could hunt the largest prey. For a while, some tried to settle things with competitive eating or drinking, but I stepped in; wasting food was simply not allowed. I had no intention of criticizing the eating contests held as city events, but I wanted the villagers to treasure their resources.
As for the drinking, when I suggested they compete with water instead of sake, it was actually quite funny to see the two Dwarves—who were supposed to be at each other's throats—looking equally miserable and dissatisfied. Regardless, drinking to excess was a bad idea. There was the danger of acute alcohol poisoning to consider. Sake should be enjoyed, not weaponized.
Now, as the location changed, so did the customs. There were many ways to settle a dispute.
Recently, the fishermen of Shashato City and the Sea Race had a falling out. The Sea Race refers to various species that live primarily in the ocean, with Mermaids being the most well-known example. Since Shashato City is a coastal town, it naturally has a harbor. Most of the people working the docks or the ships are Humans or members of the Demon Race; you don't often see the Sea Race in person.
However, their cooperation is essential for the fishing industry. When catching fish, Humans and Demons set out on boats and rely on the Sea Race to tell them where the schools are or to help drive the fish toward the nets. Furthermore, the Sea Race provides early warnings about approaching sea monsters or magic fish, allowing the sailors to escape danger.
In exchange for their help, the Humans and Demons pay the Sea Race with land goods. Sometimes it’s money, but often it’s livestock like birds, pigs, goats, or cows, or perhaps medicinal herbs that only grow on land. These terms were usually settled on a monthly basis, and until now, there hadn't been much trouble.
This time, however, a dispute erupted because the city couldn't provide what the Sea Race demanded.
"They want curry?" I asked.
"Apparently, they overheard the people working at the harbor gossiping about it..."
The problem was that Curry Shop Maruura, located inside Big Roof Shashato, did not offer takeout. I had personally forbidden it because I didn't want to deal with the fallout if someone got food poisoning from curry that had been sitting out. When this was explained to the Sea Race, they were told they were welcome to come and eat at the shop, but it was too far inland for them. While they could walk, the Sea Race fundamentally disliked their bodies becoming dry.
They then suggested making it themselves and asked for the recipe, seasonings, and ingredients... but that was impossible. The recipe was a trade secret, and the specialized seasonings and ingredients were incredibly expensive. The only reason the food at Maruura was affordable was because of the shop’s unique circumstances.
The trade was completely unbalanced, and the fishermen’s reluctance turned into a full-blown dispute. By the time the news reached me in the Village of the Great Tree, several days had passed. I was informed via the Small Wyvern service that the supply of seafood had been cut off until the matter was resolved. The Goroun Company’s seafood stock also relied on the Sea Race through the fishermen. In particular, they were the ones who harvested the kombu and the crabs.
Normally, this wouldn't be my place to intervene, but I couldn't ignore the fact that our seafood supply had vanished. Also, if I’m being honest, I was curious about how they settled their disputes.
I decided to head to Shashato City. I traveled on Hakuren’s back while she was in her dragon form. My companions were Galf, who was familiar with the city, and my wives, Lu and Tia. I had invited Lu and Tia because I felt a bit guilty about going alone last time. Next time, I’ll have to bring Ria, Ann, and the others.
Since arriving as a dragon would have caused a mass panic, we landed a considerable distance away. I had sent word ahead, so a carriage from the Goroun Company was waiting to take us the rest of the way. We stayed at an inn prepared by Michael-san while waiting for the day of the resolution. In the meantime, I went on a few dates with Lu, Tia, and Hakuren, and helped out at Big Roof Shashato.
I couldn't help but notice that Lu and Tia seemed to know their way around the city better than I did, despite it being their first visit. I wondered how that worked. I also noticed that the staff at Big Roof Shashato had grown significantly.
Finally, the day arrived. The meeting took place on a sandy beach. The fishermen and merchants of Shashato City lined up on the land side, while the Sea Race gathered in the shallows. I expected the spectators to keep their distance, but they had crowded surprisingly close. I suppose it was safe enough since they weren't planning on a fistfight.
The Sea Race was a diverse group. Beyond the Mermaids, there were Sahagins—who had fish-like upper bodies and human legs—and coral-like creatures known as Aquatic Nyunyu-daphne. There were also individuals who looked like Lizardmen, though Lu and Tia explained that as an aquatic sub-species, they were essentially a different race from the ones in our village.
We stood with the fishermen and merchants. While Galf and I intended to participate, Lu, Tia, and Hakuren stayed on the sidelines as observers.
"Very well, shall we begin?" an elderly male Mermaid, who seemed to be their representative, declared.
Tables were immediately set up with ten seats. Five fishermen stepped forward to sit, followed by Randy—Michael’s nephew—and two other merchants. Galf and I took the remaining two seats.
"Henceforth, in accordance with the Ancient Law, we shall resolve the dispute between our people and the city!" the elderly Mermaid announced with theatrical gestures. "If you overcome our trial, we shall yield to the city's terms!"
The fishermen let out a great cheer.
"However, should you fail the trial, the city must yield to us!"
The Sea Race cheered in response. To be clear, "yielding" didn't mean total subjugation; it just meant the winning side's demands would be met.
"Now, the first dish! Bring it forward!"
Food was placed in front of the ten of us. As it turned out, the Trial of the Sea Race was simply a challenge to eat the seafood they provided. I had been curious why this was considered a trial, but when I heard they were serving unusual delicacies and that the fishermen were short on volunteers, I decided to step in.
I wondered if they were going to serve something truly revolting. Thankfully, the rules allowed us to use our own seasonings, as everyone has different tastes.
The first dish consisted of three thick slices of beautiful, red tuna. It looked delicious. I ate it and confirmed it was excellent—I could have enjoyed it even without soy sauce or wasabi. I actually wanted seconds, but I knew I shouldn't fill up too early.
However, the atmosphere around me was bizarre. The nine other participants—the five fishermen, Randy, the two merchants, and Galf—were all visibly trembling.
"T-This is insane... starting with raw fish is foul play," one muttered.
"Wasn't this the final dish last time?" another whispered.
The two merchants stared at their plates, paralyzed. Randy took a deep breath, grabbed a slice, and tried to force it into his mouth... but he couldn't do it. He was disqualified. Galf looked at me with a face that was practically pleading for help. Was raw fish really that repulsive to them? Galf handed his plate to me and disqualified himself.
Of the five fishermen, only two managed to eat theirs. The other three looked at me with desperate, expectant eyes. I told them it was fine to give up; I’d handle it. There was no point in forcing themselves. To me, eating something delicious while looking miserable was an insult to the food itself. Then again, I knew food culture was a sensitive thing. I wouldn't want to be forced to eat something I found disgusting either.
"Fufufu. Only three remain," the Mermaid said, sounding like a cartoon villain. "But that ends with the next dish."
The second dish: live whitebait. With a splash of soy sauce, they were perfect. It made me crave a bowl of rice. The two fishermen struggled but managed to finish.
The third dish: sea urchin. I assumed I didn't have to eat the shell. At this point, the last two fishermen hit their limit and gave up. I was the only one left.
The fourth dish: blowfish.
"No poison, right? Make sure you've only served the safe parts," I cautioned.
"You... are you not afraid?" the Mermaid asked, stunned.
"Only a fool would turn down blowfish."
As I ate, murmurs of admiration rose from the Sea Race.
"Amazing..." "Even we hesitate to eat that fish raw..."
Ironically, the fishermen and merchants on my own side were making sounds like they wanted to scream. I didn't get it.
The fifth dish: crab. The crab sashimi was sweet and delicious. I didn't understand why one of the spectating fishermen fainted at the sight.
"F-From the next dish onward, you may request your preferred cooking method," the representative said.
"Oh? Is that okay?"
"Regrettably, very few of our own kind can eat these items raw."
"I see." They were surprisingly fair-minded.
The sixth dish: salmon roe. How was I supposed to "cook" this? I suspected their "fair spirit" was a bit of a trap. I just added a little soy sauce and ate it as is. Again, I really wanted some rice.
The seventh dish: turban shell. I asked for it to be grilled in the shell. Wait, I was sure I’d seen these being sold at street stalls in Shashato City before. "Does the Sea Race not eat turban shell?" I asked.
"No... the appearance is far too grotesque," the representative admitted.
I suppose if you look at it that way, maybe? But it tasted great.
The eighth dish: abalone. It would have been even better if it had been dried and rehydrated first, but I had it grilled.
The ninth dish: moray eel. I had them stew with it. Not bad at all.
"Y-You are a formidable warrior indeed," the Mermaid stammered. I felt like pointing out that I was just having lunch. "This final dish is the last... but even you will surely find this impossible!"
When the representative announced the final ingredient, a collective shriek went up from the crowd. Even many of the Sea Race looked disgusted.
The tenth dish: octopus.
"I'll take one tentacle as sashimi. The rest of the legs should be deep-fried. As for the head... clean out the innards and grill it, please."
It was a fantastic meal.
And so, the dispute between the fishermen and the Sea Race was settled. They agreed to continue trading this month under the same terms as before. I suspect the city realized that if they tried to squeeze the Sea Race just because I won the trial, it would only lead to another fight next month.
As for the curry, it was decided that a food stall would be set up on the beach once a month. This was a proposal from Marcos and Paula; they wanted to gain experience running pop-up stalls in different locations to help train their growing staff.
As a thank-you for resolving the headache, the fishermen and merchants offered to chip in and build a simple permanent structure for me on the beach. It was a kind gesture, and I accepted.
Still, I wondered how they had managed until now. Apparently, there used to be one "foul-eating" fisherman who could handle the trial, but he had recently passed away from old age. I made a mental note to tell them to stop calling it "foul-eating."
The Sea Race representatives also apologized for the trouble they caused. They offered to pay for the stall construction, but I declined. Instead, I proposed a business deal through the Goroun Company.
"I want regular shipments of the seafood served today," I told them. "The whitebait and salmon roe whenever they're in season. You don't have to go out of your way for the moray eel, but I want as much tuna, crab, turban shell, abalone, and octopus as you can provide. As for the blowfish... well, I have someone who can prep it. Lu, you said you can remove the poison with magic? Great. We'll take the blowfish too."
I asked if they had squid or flying fish, but it turned out the fishermen already caught those regularly. Apparently, the city was fine with eating squid, but octopus was a bridge too far. Food culture is a strange thing. Regardless, it was a very productive trip.
Back at the village, I discovered that the only ones who shared my broad palate were Zabuton, Urza, and the cat. I won't force anyone to eat things they don't like, but the intense hatred for octopus was a shame. I wonder if they’ll change their minds once they smell it frying?
Well, there’s no rush. They can try it if they get curious.