Chapter 616: The Aquarium, and the World of Blue.

“Thank you very much!“

“Thank you for your patronage. Please come again.”

The next day, as planned, we left the inn Silver Moon. It’s been a while since I had a hot spring trip, and it was fun. Everyone in the family seems satisfied too. From the inn’s shuttle bus, we became passengers on the local train again. The clack-clack rhythm is making me sleepy as always…

“So, are we going to the aquarium today?”

“Yeah. We went to the zoo before, so I thought, how about the aquarium this time? If we just stop by on the way back, it shouldn’t be too tiring. Dad and Mom can’t possibly take any more days off, right?”

Neither of them are bestselling authors, and I think taking more than three days off would affect their income… I’m sure they have some savings, but I can’t let them dip into that. I mean, it would be nice if I could send money or something from the other world. If I cash in gems or gold here… wait, that might leave a strange trail. Hold on. Then how about sending goods in kind? Rice, wheat, non-perishable food once a year during a homecoming visit. It would be great if I could just hand over a box with [Storage] cast on it… But on this side, Earth, it seems magic tools run out of magic power in no time and become useless, so perishable things like vegetables, meat, and fish probably won’t work. Well, if I wanted to make money, there are plenty of ways like gambling… and if I use magic, I can cheat without ever getting caught. But even so, Dad and the others probably wouldn’t be happy receiving money like that. After all, goods like rice, wheat, salt, sugar, and maybe alcohol? That should be about right…

“I’m looking forward to it! The aquarium!”

“There are lots of fish, right!”

“I’m gonna eat a lot!”

Looking out from the train seats, Allis, Linne, and Frei are frolicking. I feel like Frei is misunderstanding something… No, there seems to be a food court, so maybe she’s not wrong…? Since it’s an aquarium, maybe a grilled fish set meal… No, is it okay for kids to see the fish they were just watching in the tank served up cooked? Won’t they cry? No, I mean, they probably don’t cook the fish directly from the tank. Well, our kids aren’t that soft, so I don’t think I need to worry about that. They normally butcher the demon beasts they defeat themselves, cook them, and eat them after all… From the terminal in front of the big station where the Shinkansen stops—which we also used on the way here—we board a bus directly to the aquarium. The aquarium is located near the sea from here. The bus runs for about fifteen minutes, and eventually, the aquarium we were aiming for comes into view. It’s a very stylish and fashionable aquarium based on white. Apparently, not much time has passed since it was built.

“It’s the aquarium!”

“Ah, hey…!”

As soon as we got off the bus, the children, except for Kuon, started running all at once toward the entrance. Was showing them a video on my smartphone on the bus to explain what an aquarium is backfire? The kids’ excitement is too high.

“Children are energetic, indeed.”

“But I understand how they feel a little. It’s kind of exciting, isn’t it!”

I hear Yae and Linze’s voices from behind. If my wives are looking forward to it too, then I guess it’s fine. Holding Fuyuka’s hand, I buy tickets for everyone and enter the building with the impatient children. Passing through the entrance with its high ceiling and open feeling, I grab a pamphlet that was in front of the floor map. I see, we follow the route. Go through the first floor to the second floor, go around the second floor, and then go back down to the first floor. For now, we proceed along the path on the first floor. The ceiling of a short passageway with “Sea of Japan” written on the wall was a water tank, and we could see fish swimming from below.

“Fishy.”

“It’s a fishy, isn’t it.”

Fuyuka, who was holding my hand, was staring intently at the fish swimming above her head. Having a water tank above and looking from below is a strange sensation. Passing through the passageway and turning the corner ahead, a wide space suddenly opened up.

“Wow…”

Who was it that let that out? There is a large tank like a wall in front of us, and various fish are swimming leisurely inside. It’s a large tank that goes up to the second floor. In the blue tank glowing in the dimness, I momentarily forget my voice at the sight of fish of various sizes swimming. This is amazing. It really feels like a ‘World of Blue‘. I’m not that knowledgeable about types of fish, so I don’t know what fish they are, but there are fish like sea bream and fish like small rays. There are even ones like small sharks.

“They’re gathering a lot!”

“So round!”

Linne and Steph are pointing and frolicking at the fish forming a school like a ball inside the tank. Is that… a sardine? Yeah, it’s a Japanese sardine. There’s an explanation plate here. I think it’s called a bait ball? They form a school to protect themselves from predators, but I remember seeing on TV that conversely, it makes them easier for predators to find. The Japanese sardines change shape from a sphere. They spread out as if to cover the water surface, looking like a lid of Japanese sardines on the large tank. Every time the school moves round and round, it reflects light glitteringly, as if the tank itself is emitting light.

“It’s beautiful…”

“Yeah…”

Leen and Sakura also seem captivated by the fantastic spectacle. There are a lot of fish besides Japanese sardines… Let’s see, sea bass, filefish, grunt, horse mackerel, chub mackerel… appetizing names are lined up… Are there bullhead sharks and eagle rays too? Is that ray swimming over there an eagle ray? We were gazing tirelessly at the fantastic world spreading inside the huge tank where sunlight pours down. However, we couldn’t just stare blankly here forever, so we headed to the next corner. The lighting beyond the passageway was dimmed to be darker than the large tank, and there was a sign on the wall saying “Cold Sea“. Are there fish that live in the cold sea? Sakura bass, snipefish, surfperch… it’s not just fish, there are also giant Pacific octopuses and Japanese spider crabs.

“That giant Pacific octopus is huge…”

The giant Pacific octopus sticking to the upper back of the tank was about the size of a basketball just for its head.

“I think this is still on the smaller side. The giant Pacific octopus is the world’s largest octopus, and I’m sure there were some close to ten meters.”

“How do you know that, Dad…”

“Working as a manga artist increases weird trivia.”

Is that so? Indeed, I feel like there are many things one has to research for work. Maybe Fuyuka is curious too, she is staring intently at the giant Pacific octopus sticking to the tank while being held by Dad.

“Well, the taste is watery as the name suggests, and apparently the common octopus is tastier.”

Is that so? You’re not that tasty, huh? Good for you, not being overfished… Depending on the person, some might like this one better, so I can’t really say. In the tank over there, Japanese spider crabs were moving their long legs rustlingly. There are a lot… Are there about ten of them? Looking at the Japanese spider crabs, I somehow recall that old man, the Apostle of the Evil God, and feel annoyed…

“They look delicious, indeed…”

“They look delicious…”

As Yakumo and Frei stared at the Japanese spider crabs, perhaps sensing danger, several Japanese spider crabs moved rustlingly to the corner of the tank as if escaping. Next to the Cold Sea is the “Sea of Colors“, huh. Seaweeds are also exhibited along with fish. Unlike earlier, the wood-grain flooring and walls create a warm atmosphere. Small fish were swimming freely in the sea forest of seaweeds. There are fish I’ve heard of too, like fat greenling, shimaso fish, and rockfish. I’ve eaten fat greenling before. Grandpa caught one a long time ago and made it into sashimi. I remember it was quite tasty. Next is the “Sea of Treasures“. Immediately upon entering, there was a conspicuous presence. A huge ocean sunfish inside a cylindrical tank. I often see stories on the net that ocean sunfish die easily, but I heard that’s fake. Apparently, it’s an urban legend that spread because people made up funny stories individually on the net. However, it’s true that ocean sunfish are delicate; they aren’t good at swimming and can’t make sharp turns, so they apparently often bump into the tank. That seems to cause stress, so depending on the aquarium, some places put up vinyl fences. I somehow feel warmed watching the ocean sunfish swimming leisurely and slowly in the water…

“Can this fish be eaten?”

“Eh? I wonder…”

I’m a little startled by Arcia’s sudden words. Can ocean sunfish be eaten? I mean, eat this…? Isn’t there a bit of resistance to eating the ocean sunfish, which is a bit goofy and somehow charming?

“You can eat it normally. Sashimi, parboiled with vinegared miso, fried chicken, and tempura are tasty too. Touya, you should have eaten it when you were little too.”

“Eh!?”

I was more than a little shocked by Mom’s words. Sorry, ocean sunfish. I had already tasted you… The ocean sunfish swims away to the back turning its back on me as if saying ‘I’m disappointed in you’. Sorry… it’s a pity I don’t remember the taste… Bidding farewell to the ocean sunfish, we proceed to the next corner. “Sea of Blessings“, huh. Oysters are hanging from strings from the top of the tank. No, are the oysters attached to scallop shells with a string passed through the middle? These are farmed oysters, right? In the tank next to those oysters, several slithering things were swimming. Eels… no, conger eels. Looking at the name written on the explanation plate, I realized they were conger eels, not eels.

“I don’t really know the difference between eels and conger eels…”

“Eels are darker in color, close to black. Conger eels have white dots overall, and eels have fan-shaped tail fins. Eels are rich, conger eels have a refreshing taste, and the taste apparently differs depending on whether they are wild or farmed. But eels are said to have much higher nutritional value. They must be very good ingredients for preventing summer heat fatigue and for nourishment and tonicity.”

“O, oh…? You’re knowledgeable…”

“I heard we were going to the aquarium, so I looked it up on the net yesterday!”

Lu turns a triumphant face towards me. Coming to Earth, Lu and the others’ smartphones can now also connect to the internet. I don’t know if this is Doc Babylon’s technical ability or a service from God Almighty. That in itself is fine, but I’m worried that the children and my wives might believe the fake news and urban legends overflowing in the sea of the net. Just in case, I warned them not to believe everything blindly because there are many lies written on the net. However, oysters and conger eels… I see, it’s an exhibition of marine products. That’s why it’s the ‘Sea of Blessings‘. But with this many conger eels swimming slitheringly, it feels a bit creepy. I guess it would be the same if these were eels. I don’t think anything of one or two, but when it becomes a group… Leaving the continuously slithering conger eels behind, we go to the next corner. “Sea of Cradle“…? Eelgrass?

“Is eelgrass this long and thin seaweed?”

“Yeah. It seems it’s not seaweed, but a seed plant that grows in the sea.”

I answer Leen’s question like that. Not seaweed (kaisou), but sea grass (kaisou). Not algae that reproduce by spores. It becomes a hiding place for creatures, a place for spawning, cleans the water, produces oxygen underwater; it is truly the ‘Cradle of the Sea‘… that’s what is written on the plate here. Indeed, it’s not like wakame or kelp. It feels like pampas grass or rice plants. Alias ‘Ryugu no Otohime no Motoyui no Kirihazushi‘… ‘The Cut-off Hair Tie of the Princess of the Dragon Palace‘? The longest plant name in Japanese… It is indeed long. Is it named by likening it to the hair tie of the Princess of the Dragon Palace that was cut off? Overseas, it’s called eelgrass… eel grass… even here it’s eel. Well, it’s not slithering so it’s not creepy though. Even though fish are swimming too, perhaps the water plants didn’t attract much interest, the children were quickly moving to the next corner. To the right and left of the passageway were “Tidal Flat” and “Deep Sea“, and the “Tidal Flat“… the tidal flat side had a shallow pool set up at waist height, allowing close observation of the creatures there. There seem to be clams, stone crabs, and gobies. The children went over there and were chasing crabs and gobies in the water at eye level. As for me, my eyes were drawn to the giant isopod in the “Deep Sea“… the deep sea side. Inside a glass case, turning upside down, a huge, motionless giant isopod, easily over forty centimeters, is exhibited. Is this a stuffed specimen? An elaborate fake…? It’s not a cast-off shell from molting, is it…? It resembles a cicada’s shell though… Looking from the underside, it’s quite gross… I think people who hate bugs will hate it. Other deep-sea fish were also exhibited, but these are also quite… Dad was looking with interest, but Fuyuka, being held, is making a disgusted face. Little sister, that emotion is correct. Rather, if you were happy seeing this, Big Brother would be a little anxious. Passing through the corner that looks like a lab researching marine life next, we go outside for a moment. That place, like a courtyard, had a roof over the curved passageway, and it was built with exhibits on the left and right.

“There are lots of fish!”

Frei runs up to the tank set up outside. Beside the roofed passageway, in a tank at eye level… or rather, a pond? A lot of carp were swimming inside. There are crucian carp too. Gold crucian carp and silver crucian carp? Nearby, for some reason, there was a capsule toy gacha machine. Why in a place like this? I thought, but apparently, the contents are carp food. They have a strong commercial spirit…

“Do you want to try feeding them?”

“I’ll do it!”

“I want to do it!”

Linne and Steph immediately bite at Mom’s words. Aren’t they biting better than the carp? Mom hands a hundred yen not just to Linne and the others, but to all the children. A thousand yen for carp food… I’m sorry there are so many children. I’ll pay her back later… The children who received a hundred yen turn the handle with a clatter-clatter and get the carp food. I thought it was breadcrumbs or something, but it was pellet-shaped stuff like dog food. When the children throw the food in, the carp bite at it all at once. I take back my previous words. The carp bite far better than Linne or Steph. They open their mouths opening and closing, seeming to appeal to us to give it quickly, give it quickly. Carp flock to the food as if saying ‘Me, me’. The children also dispersed and were feeding carp here and there. Maybe because it’s a weekday and there are no people, they haven’t been fed much today? Looking at the adjacent tank while watching that, there were dace, pale chubs, and sweetfish there. In the tank further ahead, char and masou salmon are swimming. I see, they keep river fish here… just as I thought that, another gacha machine jumped into my eyes. Hmm? Food again?

“Exclusively for Char and Masou Salmon…”

…No, I understand the food is different from the carp. The children, who had given all the carp food, look at Dad with sparkling eyes for some reason. With a twitching smile, this time Dad bought food for char and masou salmon for everyone. Sorry, I’ll pay you back later…

“Rishu!”

“Eh?”

Fuyuka, who was entrusted by Dad and whose hand I was holding, suddenly looks up and shouts. Turning my gaze in that direction, a single squirrel was running through inside something like a pipe made of wire mesh. There was a place like a squirrel feeding area on the left, and a place like a bed inside the wire mesh on the right. The wire mesh pipe connected them by going along the ceiling. I mean, why is there a squirrel? Even though it’s an aquarium? Looking closely at the information board, it says “Source of the Sea“. Ah, does it mean connecting from mountains and rivers to the sea… The sea and mountains are connected by a close relationship. Nutrients like minerals contained in the soil of the forest and leaves fallen from mountain trees flow into rivers through rainwater and groundwater, and eventually reach the sea. They eventually produce phytoplankton, which becomes food for shellfish and zooplankton, and the food chain expands to small fish and large fish. Mountain nutrients become sea nutrients, and if the mountain dies, the sea dies too. It’s an inseparable relationship. The other world is fine because the spirits are working hard… but that doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels. To protect the natural environment, we have to do what we can. Thinking about such things, passing through the courtyard-like passageway and entering the building again, there is an escalator on the left. Is the second floor from here? Since they ride escalators on station platforms, the children didn’t frolic that much about the escalator itself. Going up the escalator, the sound of a large splash and people’s cheers were heard from somewhere.

“Oh, this is…!”

Below our eyes are spectator seats lined up in a mortar shape. In the center of what looked like the spectator seats of a baseball ground, there was a large pool. From that pool, a single dolphin jumps out into the air and lands raising a grand splash. A dolphin show, huh. When the dolphin jumps out from the water surface again, this time it spins round and round vertically several times and lands. Whoa, it spins amazingly!?

“It’s a dolphin!”

“Doruhin!”

Fuyuka is also very excited by the dolphin making flashy movements. As if to say ‘Welcome’, the dolphin this time spins round and round horizontally and lands with a splash!

“Since we’re here, let’s watch from the front.”

Mom takes the excited children down the stairs of the stadium. Being a weekday, the audience isn’t full. We also went down to the middle of the stadium to watch the dolphin show.