The eel—or "Nuru," as the Lizardmen called it—writhed inside the massive jar. I didn't hesitate; I plunged my Glacial Cleaver into the water. For a heartbeat, the liquid turned a cloudy white as the temperature plummeted, and then I pulled the blade out. Zaryusu was staring at me with wide eyes, likely shocked by the magical weapon, but I simply returned it to my item box.
"Alright, that's perfect."
The cold had put the eel into a state of suspended animation. I reached in and hauled one out.
It's thick, and incredibly long.
It was far larger than any eel I had handled back home. I gave a wry smile, knowing that a creature of this size would have bones like iron. I pressed the blade against the back of its neck and sliced down to the spine. The resistance was immense; the bones actually tried to deflect the blade. This was going to take more effort than I thought.
"Shalltear, a nail."
"Here you are."
I felt her place a sterilized nail into my hand. I drove it through the eel's lower jaw into the cutting board to hold it steady. Ideally, I'd use a proper traditional awl, but this would do. I carefully slid the tip of the knife along the spine, making sure not to pierce the skin—though honestly, with a hide this thick, I'd have to try pretty hard to break through. I opened the fish all the way to the tail, stripped the entrails, and washed the blood away. Beneath was a beautiful, fatty white meat... but my focus was on the skeleton.
The bones... I can see them with the naked eye.
They were massive. A standard preparation wouldn't make this edible; it would be like chewing on needles. If I were back in a normal kitchen, I'd probably mince this into a paste for fish cakes, but I wanted to show them the real deal. I used the tip of the knife to strip the central spine and painstakingly removed the remaining pin bones. Finally, I performed a delicate hamo-style bone-cutting technique across the entire fillet and skewered it with two long metal rods. The fish was so huge that one specimen would easily feed two people.
"Charcoal is the only way to do this right."
I piled high-grade charcoal under the makeshift grill and ignited it with a quick fire spell. I fanned the flames for a few minutes until they settled into a steady, glowing heat.
"Shalltear, bring the jar of sauce over. After that, put the pot of washed rice on the fire. When I give the signal, take it off immediately."
Shalltear chirped an enthusiastic "Understood!" When she wasn't being a bloodthirsty monster, she was actually quite a diligent helper. I stood before the grill, the weight of the giant eel heavy in my hands.
The heat is perfect.
The charcoal from my inventory provided a flawless, intense heat. I checked my sauce—a reduction of sake, mirin, coarse sugar, and soy sauce. My plan was to use this "mother sauce" repeatedly, letting the eel fat enrich it over time. I even thought about teaching the Lizardmen the technique so they could turn this into a village specialty.
"Alright! Let's get to work!"
Even with my Cookman strength, the skewers were heavy. I focused my mind and lifted them toward the fire.
***
Kawasaki had told us he wanted to finish the meal in front of everyone. He had butchered the snake-like creature with terrifying speed, and now he was grilling it right before our eyes.
I'm so jealous...
I was currently in my Overlord form, meaning I couldn't eat, but the sight was torturous. The fat from the eel dripped onto the coals, resulting in loud cracks and plumes of savory smoke.
"Good, good. That's the color I want," Kawasaki muttered.
Even from a distance, I could tell the meat was heavy, but he flipped the skewers with one hand as if they were feathers.
"Ma-Master Kawasaki! It's bubbling! Is it supposed to do that?!" Shalltear asked, hovering over the rice pot.
"It's fine, it's fine. First a simmer, then a sizzle... don't take the lid off, even if the baby cries. It's almost there."
I didn't recognize the song he was humming, but it seemed to keep him in a rhythm. Albedo, standing beside me, looked just as confused as I was by the lyrics.
"Alright, it's time."
Kawasaki lifted the skewers, dunked the massive fillets into the jar of sauce, and returned them to the fire. The crackling resumed, but this time, the scent changed. The aroma of caramelized soy sauce and sugar filled the clearing.
"Oh... such a heavenly scent..."
"I cannot believe that is a Nuru," Shasuryu muttered.
The Lizardmen were entranced, their tails thumping against the ground in anticipation. Shasuryu's tail was particularly active.
I am so hungry...
I knew it was just my imagination since I lacked a stomach, but the psychological hunger was real. I found myself wishing the Lizardmen would finish up quickly so we could head back to Nazarick and I could have my turn.
***
Before me sat a massive, deep bowl filled with white grain—something Kawasaki called "rice." On top lay a broad, flat piece of Nuru meat. But there were no bones to be seen.
How is this possible?
Kawasaki had been called the God of Cooking, and now I saw why. No Lizardman in history had ever managed to make the Nuru edible. It was a boney, poisonous fish that we only caught to burn into charcoal for medicine.
"Eel Kabayaki Bowl," Kawasaki said with a grin. "Eat your fill. I've got seconds waiting."
He sat down with the human in the black dress to chat, but I couldn't take my eyes off the bowl. The thick Nuru meat was coated in a dark, glistening glaze with just a hint of char on the edges. The sauce had soaked deep into the rice.
"It looks... delicious. Is this really Nuru?" Kyukuu asked in broken Common.
"I watched him make it. There's no doubt," I replied.
"I'm diving in. I can't wait anymore!" Zenberu shouted. He grabbed a small spoon and carved out a chunk of the meat.
"Nngh... GNARGH! It's too good! What is this?! Is this really the same fish?!"
He was shouting at the sky. The boney Nuru was now incredibly soft, the fatty white meat melting the moment it touched his tongue.
"I don't know about this 'rice' stuff, though," Zenberu added, chewing slowly. "It's a bit sweet, but that's probably the sauce. It feels like filler."
"Whoa!" I suddenly shouted, standing up. "Zenberu, you're wrong! You have to eat the Nuru and the rice together!"
Shasuryu, Crusch, and Kyukuu had all been eating the components separately. I took a massive mouthful of both... and nearly fell over.
"It's incredible! Why is it so different?!"
"You're right..." Shasuryu muttered, his eyes wide. "The flavors... they're working together!"
Eaten alone, the Kabayaki was intense and a bit salty. The rice was mild and provided texture. But together, the rice tempered the richness of the fish, while the sauce brought the rice to life. They were a perfect pair.
"Delicious! This is unbelievable!"
I shoveled the food into my mouth. The grilled skin had a unique, slightly chewy texture that paired perfectly with the fluffy rice. And the sauce—sweet, savory, and deep. It was unlike anything I had ever tasted.
"Ah..."
Zaryusu, Shasuryu, and I all let out the same sound at once. We had been eating so fast that our bowls were empty before we could fully process the bliss.
"That was wonderful. Thank you," Crusch said, bowing to Kawasaki.
"I... cannot eat another bite," Kyukuu added. The smaller Lizardmen were full, but the rest of us felt a primal urge for more.
"Still hungry? Want seconds?" Kawasaki asked, standing up.
"YES, PLEASE!" we shouted in unison.
We were begging for more, and why wouldn't we? This was a level of culinary art we didn't know existed. I thought of my fallen tribesmen who would never get to taste this, and it filled me with a sudden, fierce resolve.
I'm going to the Castle of Spirits, I decided. If that was where I could find the strength to protect my people so they could live to eat meals like this, I would go.
"Master Kawasaki," I said, "could you... could you make something for those we lost?"
I pointed to the makeshift graves of our kin. I wanted to offer them something.
"I understand," Kawasaki said gently. "I don't have the materials on me right now, but I'll prepare an offering for the next time I visit. For now, you survivors need to eat. You need to live. Eat so you can survive—everything starts with a full stomach."
He gave a confident grin. Despite his round, soft appearance, his spirit felt as sturdy as a warrior's.
***
Shasuryu, Zenberu, and I were halfway through our second bowls. The Nuru, which was previously only good for medicine, had become the greatest feast of our lives.
"Zaryusu... do you think we could replicate this?" Shasuryu whispered.
"No," I said flatly. "Not even close."
The knife work alone was beyond us. Kawasaki knew the anatomy of the fish perfectly. He had removed every bone with surgical precision.
"The meat is so tender," Zenberu added, nodding happily. "It's nothing like the rubbery mess we used to get when we were starving."
I want to learn his secrets, I thought. The Nuru were everywhere in this lake because no one ate them. If we could master this, our food shortage would vanish forever.
"I want to know how he cuts them, but I also want to know what this 'rice' is," I mused.
"Agreed," Shasuryu said, finishing his bowl with a lingering sigh.
Kawasaki walked over to us. "Did you enjoy it?"
"It was magnificent. It is a tragedy that our people cannot produce such a thing."
Kawasaki laughed heartily. "I'll teach you how to butcher them next time I'm here. And I'll show you some recipes. For now, take this."
He placed a large ceramic jar filled with the dark sauce in front of us.
"This is the Kabayaki sauce. Keep it in a cool place and it'll last. Every time you grill fish with it, the sauce will absorb more flavor. Use it well."
"We are forever in your debt, Master Kawasaki," Shasuryu said, bowing low.
"Just remember: grill the fish until the skin starts to bubble before you dip it. Don't put raw fish in the sauce or it'll spoil."
Ainz stepped forward, his cape fluttering in the night breeze. "We must return to our castle. We shall visit again soon with supplies for your reconstruction. Farewell."
"I'll be back soon," Kawasaki added. "With more food."
We watched as the Spirits and their attendants vanished into the darkness. We were left with a jar of sauce and stomachs so full we could barely move.
"Zaryusu, we're using the fish from your farm for the next batch," Shasuryu commanded.
"If they're big enough, use them," I replied. We had work to do. We had to feed our survivors and honor our dead.
Crusch and the others stood up, looking energized. As we began to walk toward the pens, I noticed something strange. My body felt light.
Snap!
Zenberu had reached out to steady himself against a tree, and his hand had crushed the trunk as if it were dry kindling.
"Wait, what?" he gasped.
"It's the food," I realized. "Master Kawasaki isn't just a chef. His meals grant power."
It felt as though we were under a permanent enhancement spell. Joining the Great Spirit Ainz was the best thing that could have happened to us. We sprinted back to our village, moving twice as fast as we ever had before.
***
Momonga and Kawasaki had successfully annexed the Lizardmen. As we returned to Nazarick, I thought about the lake.
If we control that water, we control the lifeline of the surrounding humans, I thought. The fish were just a bonus.
Momonga immediately reverted to his human form. He had been spending more time as a human lately, purely to enjoy Kawasaki's cooking.
"That stupid pot..." Kawasaki grumbled. "I'm going to melt it down one day."
Aura had found the "Everything Becomes Ingredients" cauldron stuck in the branches of the giant tree, completely unharmed. Momonga just laughed. I loved seeing him like this—relaxed and happy with his friend.
"Lord Ainz, Master Kawasaki, I must depart to join Demiurge's strategy meeting," Shalltear announced, bowing.
"You're going to a strategy meeting?" Kawasaki asked, looking concerned. He clearly worried about her... intellectual capacity.
"I am told my specific skills are required," she said, though even she sounded unsure of the details.
"I see. Tell Demiurge not to get overconfident," Ainz commanded. "If the plan is lacking, I will step in myself."
Shalltear and Albedo both paled. A failure in the master's eyes was the ultimate shame.
"I shall ensure the plan is perfect!" Shalltear vowed before vanishing.
"Albedo," Kawasaki said, turning to the Overseer. "I need your help with something."
"Me? ...Of course! I am at your service!"
"Momonga, you head to the office. I'll see you at dinner," Kawasaki said.
"Looking forward to it," Momonga replied, heading for his study.
Once we were alone, Kawasaki's friendly expression vanished. He looked at me with a gaze that carried the weight of a Supreme Being.
"Albedo, go clean up. You smell like the lake. Then, come to my kitchen."
"Is it time for my lesson?" I asked, my heart hammering with excitement.
"Maybe. If you can give me the right answer. But if you fail... I will never teach you a single recipe again. This is your first and last chance."
"What?"
"Think carefully before you show up," he said, his footsteps echoing as he walked away.
I stood there in the hallway, stunned. What did he want from me?
***
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