After we finished lunch, we decided to try our hand at fishing in the lake. I did have a few lingering anxieties, though. First was the simple fact that I had no idea what kind of fish lived in these waters. I just hoped they were small enough for me to reel in with my own physical strength.
The other concern was Isis-san’s Magic Power of Death... but I figured that would be fine. Even if the fish fled from the influence of her mana, they would only retreat so far. As long as we focused on casting our lines a decent distance out, we should still be able to catch something.
"...Like this... is this how... I should cast it?"
"Yes. You want to aim for a long distance, but try to pace yourself so the hook doesn't fly too far away."
It didn't matter if I threw with all my might; I’d never be able to reach the opposite shore of a lake this massive. However, with Isis-san's power, there was no telling where her line might end up, so I made sure to tell her to hold back ahead of time.
We swung our rods simultaneously, sending the paste-covered bait flying. Just as I expected, Isis-san’s float soared much further than mine, despite the fact that I had cast with everything I had.
"...Now, we just wait for a bite—Whoa!?"
"...Kaito... are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine. I was just startled because the bite came sooner than I expected. The pull isn't actually that strong."
"...Good luck."
"Thanks!"
Something had hooked on almost the instant I cast, and the sudden tug on the rod gave me a bit of a shock. However, the resistance was manageable—well within the level I could handle.
I carefully turned the reel to draw the fish in. Once it was close enough to the surface, I pulled it up... and found a remarkably beautiful, shimmering fish. Shimmering wasn't quite the word for it—it was glaring, almost like a disco ball.
"...That is one incredibly shiny fish."
"...This is a... Diamond Fish... they are... very rare."
"Huh. By the way, is it edible?"
"...No... they are too hard to eat... but as pets... they are quite popular."
Another one of those?! Why could I never catch a fish I could actually eat? Well, our goal today wasn't necessarily to forage for food; it was to enjoy fishing with Isis-san, so it wasn't a real problem... but I still felt a bit unsatisfied.
Still, Isis-san looked delighted just watching the fish I’d caught, so I decided it was fine—even if the fish itself was thrashing around like a maniac.
I released the catch for the time being and cast my line once more. This time, I didn't get an immediate bite, so I set up a pair of small chairs and sat down next to Isis-san to enjoy the quiet atmosphere.
After a while, Isis-san felt a tug on her line.
"...Um... I should... wind this in, right?"
"Yes. If you reel it in too fast, the fish might tear off the hook, so do it slowly..."
"...I understand... I’ll try my best."
As I offered advice and watched the tip of her line, a shadow gradually began to emerge from the depths. Wait... wasn't that shadow a bit too big? No, it was definitely huge.
"...Um, Isis-san? Is the pull strong?"
"...No... it’s very weak."
But the thing looked like it was several meters long...
"Is the rod in danger of breaking? Is the line going to snap?"
"...I’m using Preservation Magic... so it’s okay."
"I see..."
Accepting her explanation for the moment, I watched the situation unfold. When the fish neared the surface, Isis-san held the rod in one hand and made a light gesture with the other.
Suddenly, a stupendously massive fish, nearly five meters long, drifted up from the water.
"...I caught it."
"...It's enormous. Is it a monster?"
"...I think it’s a... Genocide Fish... They are monsters that live in large lakes... but they are docile and gentle... Right now... it’s just frightened by my Magic Power of Death."
A docile and gentle monster... then why was it named "Genocide"? I felt like the name and the creature's personality were at complete odds with each other.
"Well, it's way too big to eat anyway. Shall we let it go, just like the Diamond Fish?"
"...Yes... I’m sorry... for scaring you."
Isis-san waved her hand again, and the hook slipped out of the Genocide Fish's mouth, allowing it to sink back into the lake.
"...This is my first time fishing... but it’s fun."
"I'm glad you're enjoying it. That was quite the catch, though. You might actually have a real talent for this, Isis-san."
"...Do you think so?"
"I do. I can't let myself be outdone, though. I'm going to land a big one too!"
"...Yes... Good luck... Kaito."
"You got it!"
As Isis-san spoke with a gentle smile, she looked like she was truly having a wonderful time. She had mentioned that this was her first time fishing, and I realized there were likely many things she had read about in books but never experienced firsthand.
I found myself hoping that we could continue to share all sorts of new experiences together like this.
On a side note, my rod saw plenty of action after that. In terms of raw numbers, it was a spectacular day of fishing. However, every single thing I pulled out of the water was a Diamond Fish... I just couldn't wrap my head around it.
Serious-senpai: "The idea that your luck is so high that you actually fail at fishing is pretty hilarious... Can we just keep going down this heartwarming route? Please? No more lethal sugar content?"