[player] I think they exist as a group.
[Yui Yagi] Why do you think that?
[Hinata Takanashi] Why do you think that?
[-] I subconsciously turn my head to one side because I don't dare to look directly into their anticipation-filled eyes.
[player] Because the starfishes remind me of slimes...
[player] That made me think that a starfish can be seen as a combination of many smaller starfish.
[Hinata Takanashi] Eh, that kind of makes sense too. PLAYER, you're so smart!
[Yui Yagi] Senpai, you're so knowledgeable. You get five points.
[-] Apparently, my fantasy knowledge is actually useful sometimes, which makes me breathe a sigh of relief.
[player] You two are so skilled in the art of overpraising people.
[Yui Yagi] Speaking of combinations and overpraising, an octopus has three hearts, two memory systems, and 500 million neurons, yet it won't become three octopuses if it is cut into three pieces.
[-] That's such an awkward way to change the topic.
[Hinata Takanashi] What if you divide them into three equal parts and ensure each part has a heart?
[Yui Yagi] No, all you'll get is octopus sashimi that is ready to be served... Hmm, it'll taste more wonderful if you dip it in honey when you eat it.
[player] Octopuses are actually highly intelligent. I think they would feel really sad if they knew what you two are thinking...
[player] Let's leave the cute starfish and octopuses alone and go somewhere else.
[Yui Yagi] Senpai, that topic change's so forced. You lose five points.
[player] ...
[-] The corners of Yui Yagi's mouth seem to raise slightly when she sees me at a loss for words.
[Yui Yagi] Actually, there's someone here in the aquarium right now who knows a lot about the ocean.
[Hinata Takanashi] Oh, I know who you're talking about.
[Yui Yagi] Yes, it's that person.
[Hinata Takanashi] I knew it!
[player] Stop! Nobody speaks in riddles in One Han City! Who are you talking about?
[Hinata Takanashi] It's the person over there!
[-] I look at where she is pointing and see two familiar people, Joseph and Sora Ichinose, standing next to a large water tank close to us.
[player] So it's someone I know.
[Yui Yagi] Senpai, you sure know a lot of people, very well-connected.
[Hinata Takanashi] Why don't we ask the amazing Mr. Joseph? I chatted with him for a while when I passed by earlier, and he told me a lot about the habits of many marine plants and how they can be eaten.
[-] As I look at Hinata Takanashi and Yui Yagi walking in front of me, I start to wonder whether I'm at an aquarium or a restaurant.
[player] Hi guys.
[Sora Ichinose] Ahem... hello, PLAYER.
[Joseph] Oh, my partner, you're here at the aquarium too! Well, are you having fun?
[player] Yes, I've learned many... profound things about the sea.
[Joseph] It looks like you're also very thirsty for marine knowledge. I just happen to be telling this little boy about mysterious marine creatures and stories of adventurers who admire them, haha.
[Sora Ichinose] I've told you before, I'm not a little boy. I'm already a middle school student...
[Hinata Takanashi] Stories of adventurers? Mr. Joseph, can we listen to them too?
[Joseph] Of course, my lovely lady. We were just talking about the sea creature with the longest lifespan that the adventurers encountered during their journey. Do you know what it is?
[Hinata Takanashi] I know! It's a turtle.
[Joseph] No, no, no.
[Hinata Takanashi] People always use turtles as a symbol of longevity. How can my answer be wrong?
[Sora Ichinose] The belief that turtles live for a very long time is actually a misconception of humans. The average lifespan of a tortoise is 30-50 years. Sea turtles do live longer than them, but their average lifespan is only about 100-150 years.
[Joseph] Yes, the little boy is right.
[Yui Yagi] Arctic surf clams.
[player] Are you talking about the red shellfish that is always featured in sashimi platters?
[-] Oh no, my train of thought has been led astray without me realizing it...
[Joseph] Haha, actually, the arctic clam sashimi that is often eaten is cooked. This type of clam becomes red after it has been cooked and frozen. Fresh arctic surf clams, on the other hand... Ah, there are two over there. Can you see them?
[-] We look at where Joseph is pointing and see two shellfish on a stone in a water tank. Each of them is about half the size of an adult male's palm.
[Hinata Takanashi] I don't think we can see the color of the shellfish's meat like this.
[Joseph] Their meat is bright white, soft, and tender when they have just been fished out of the sea.
[player] You've eaten them raw before?
[Joseph] Of course, but it's thanks to a storm we encountered at sea that I got the chance to.
[Sora Ichinose] Mr. Joseph, can you tell me that part of the story?
[Joseph] Haha, you really are interested in adventures, little boy. It was a sea adventure many years ago. It was a stormy day, and our ship was unlucky enough to run aground and sink. Fortunately, we were rescued by a nearby fishing boat after drifting for a while.
[Joseph] This fishing boat fishes exclusively for artic surf clams, and the cabin was filled with plump arctic surf clams far larger than these two little guys. They were so delicious... Partner, you should try them sometimes. I'll never forget how they tasted.
[player] If I need to have such an adventure to be able to try it, then I prefer to eat it cooked...
[Joseph] Haha, but any food you get after experiencing many dangers tastes particularly delicious. That's one of the most meaningful things about adventures.
[player] Let's get back to the lifespan of an arctic surf clam.
[Hinata Takanashi] Pfft! PLAYER, you're changing the topic again.
[Yui Yagi] According to a news report from some time ago, it can live for over 1,000 years.
[Hinata Takanashi] A-a thousand years?!
[Joseph] Living for over a thousand years is certainly impressive, but it's not the creature with the longest lifespan that we're talking about.
[Joseph] I once saw its miraculous "reverse aging" in the tropical seas firsthand. Nature truly is amazing!
[Sora Ichinose] Reverse aging... Are you talking about the immortal jellyfish?
[Joseph] Bingo! You may be young, little boy, but you know just as much as adults.
[Sora Ichinose] No, I just... have a habit of reading books and news.
[-] I notice that Sora Ichinose looks a little disappointed, as if he wanted to say something but decided not to say anything in the end.
[player] Sora, what's wrong?
[Sora Ichinose] Never mind...
[player] Why do you look a little unhappy?
[Sora Ichinose] The truth is, I'm really envious of Mr. Joseph's life.
[player] The adventures?
[Sora Ichinose] Yes, although they sound really dangerous, Mr. Joseph is healthy and can travel wherever he wants to witness the miracles of nature.
[player] Sora, you can do that too. You just need to take good care of your body. You might not be able to live forever like the immortal jellyfish, but you can still aim to live for 1,000 years like an arctic surf clam!
[Sora Ichinose] When we mentioned arctic surf clams just then, I bet the first thing you thought of was the arctic surf clam sashimi that is usually eaten, right? I... don't want to aim to become food.
[player] ...
[Joseph] What are you two whispering about so secretively?
[Yui Yagi] Senpai, you're keeping a secret from us.
[Hinata Takanashi] Eh? You have a secret you can't share with us?
[-] I glance at Sora Ichinose, who starts shaking his head uneasily. It looks like he doesn't want everyone to know about what we were talking about, so we'll keep it as our little secret for now.
[-] Grumble-- Suddenly, someone's stomach starts grumbling, which gives me an idea.
[player] It's nothing. We just felt hungry because you guys keep talking about delicious seafood.
[Joseph] Speaking of that, surely you all know that this aquarium has an amazing seafood restaurant, right?
[player] There really is a seafood restaurant... They don't source their ingredients locally from this aquarium, right?
[Hinata Takanashi] Doesn't that mean the aquatic friends we just made over there might become tonight's dinner?
[Sora Ichinose] The conversations between you adults sure are dangerous, whether for a middle schooler or for these innocent aquarium creatures...
[Yui Yagi] Yes, senpai is really dangerous.
[Joseph] Haha, don't worry! The seafood restaurant sources its ingredients from all over the world. The reason why I'm here today is because I'm the one who meticulously selected these ingredients during my adventures.
[Joseph] Let's go, my friends! It isn't enough to just look at and listen to the mysteries of the oceans. You also need to experience them with your taste buds, haha!
[player] Something doesn't sound right, but I'll let it slide this time...
[-] I follow my friends to the restaurant. On the way, I look back at my "new friends" in the water tanks. The ocean really is a mysterious and interesting place. Maybe it'll be a good idea to go on an adventure with Joseph next time.
