Crabs.
Up until then, I’d been eating the ones purchased from the Goroun Company in Shashato City. I had no complaints about the taste; they were delicious. In the past, only a few people in the village actually enjoyed eating them, but lately, almost everyone had started reaching for a leg.
However, I did have one grievance: the variety. They’d arrive packed into large barrels, but the species were never consistent. Even though you could tell they were different types just by looking at them, they were all lumped together under the generic label of "crab." Because of that, even when I tried to request a specific kind, it never quite worked out. I lost count of how many times they brought me something different from what I’d asked for.
Well, I ate them all anyway. They were tasty, after all. It was just a shame that no one seemed to understand my obsession with them.
And now, a giant crab stood right before my eyes. That shape... there was no mistaking it. It was a Snow Crab. The scale was entirely different, but it was definitely a Snow Crab. Depending on the region, they're also known as Matsuba or Echizen crabs.
They were, of course, edible. Back in my old life, I’d see them in the supermarket every winter, only to give up on buying them after one look at the price tag. The size was massive, but it was undeniably a Snow Crab.
Better big than small, right? Yeah, no problem at all. I instinctively pressed my palms together and offered a prayer.
"Thank you for this meal."
"Village Head? Um, you might want to wait until after we’ve actually defeated it to do that sort of thing..."
The reminder from the member of the Lamia Race standing beside me snapped me back to my senses. Right. If I dithered, it would get away. I quickly issued my orders.
"Kuro’s children! Zabuton’s children! You have permission to enter the water!"
The moment they heard my command, the wolves and spiders swarmed the crabs all at once. The only reason they hadn't attacked yet was because I’d warned them not to go into the sea. While I was touched that they followed my instructions so faithfully, they really didn’t need to be so literal when they were actually being attacked. I’d have to remember to clarify that next time.
Thanks to the efforts of the children, the five crabs were brought down in no time. However, because I’d been a bit slow to issue the order, the five—or rather, the five helpings of crab—ended up being pre-grilled. It wasn't the wolves' fault for using fire magic; safety comes first, after all. It couldn't be helped.
I’d been planning to grill a few anyway, so I should have been happy that the work was already done, but... the intensity of the flames had been far too high. They were charred through to the center, leaving nothing edible behind.
I couldn't even look down, or the "sweat" pooling in my eyes might spill over. The children were watching, and if the wolves realized what happened, they’d get depressed. I had to stay strong. No crying.
"Village Head! Village Head!"
One of the High Ogre maids called out to me, informing me that the Sea Race members had regained consciousness. I needed to hear their story... wait, no. Look at the sea.
There they were—over twenty giant Snow Crabs. These tears flowing down my cheeks... they definitely weren't tears of sadness.
"Thank you for the refill!"
"Um, you really shouldn't eat crabs that size. They’re toxic," one of the Sea Race members warned.
I collapsed to my knees. I had just finished digging a large pit in the rocks, filling it with water, and dropping in heated stones to boil them. Even if my God-given Healthy Body could neutralize the poison, it still felt wrong to knowingly eat something toxic. Besides, even if I could eat it alone, that wouldn't be right. What a waste.
"If you don't mind them being a bit smaller—about the size of your palm—those aren't poisonous. Shall we go catch some? They're swarming all over the place nearby, so it’ll only take a moment."
"Are they the same species?" I asked.
"Yes."
We completely forgot that our original mission was to conquer the Coastal Dungeon and threw ourselves into a crab feast.
I’m truly sorry. I had honestly pushed the dungeon out of my mind entirely until Progenitor-san returned and reminded me.