Chapter 1020: Fishing fun (2)

Chapter 1020: Chapter 1020: Fishing fun (2)

’Am I cursed or something?’ Frost internally thought after watching not just Daki but both Nanna and Loki reel in catch after catch, their buckets were almost full. Mind you 90% of what they caught were small to tiny fish, but it was still 100% more than him who’s bucket was as still as rock.

He looked at his rod then at Daki’s then at the massive bucket she had brought out when it was clear her first one wasn’t enough.

’There’s no difference in our equipment and our positions are practically the same so I must be cursed.’ It was the only logical answer.

For a moment he even entertained the idea of cheating but as if she could read his thoughts Daki glanced in his direction and muttered.

"If you order the fish to bite I’ll count this as your loss." As the master of the Dungeon he could easily order the fish in the lake to obey his whims, but such actions would ruin the fairness of the bet.

"Tsk." Frost clicked his tongue in frustration, he was losing miserable, but he didn’t understand why, what was he doing wrong.

’I didn’t have any problem back on the SS Gwienfieldal.’ Though he couldn’t be considered an expert he had fished before and back then he even managed to reel in a whopper.

"Whoa! Sis help!" Suddenly Loki’s line start to violently tremble and a strong force started pulling him from his relaxed sitting position. The young boy shouted for his sister who without the slightest hesitation abandoned her fishing rod to help Loki pull up whatever monster he managed to hook.

"You’re not going to help?" Daki asked calmly after seeing Frost merely glance to the side.

"No need Nanna’s got enough strength to help him pull it up." The moment he felt Loki shift from his assigned spot Frost immediately used his powerful senses to peer beneath the ice.

The fish caught on Loki’s hook was a decently sized salmon roughly half his size, a bit much for the young boy to pull up alone but with Nanna’s aid he’d be fine so he left them to it but despite refusing to help he did keep a close eye on them.

"Your eyes betray your true intentions hehehehe." His cautious glances and tensed limbs couldn’t escape Daki’s eyes.

"Hmph!"

A few minutes later with the aid of his sister Loki managed to reel in the salmon but it was very determined to live, flapping about like crazy the moment it left the water causing Loki to slip and fall on the ice but eventually the two of them managed to put it in a large bucket and close the lid. Such a catch would make a fine addition to their dinner table tonight.

"Oh my it seems I’ve caught another one Frost honey, what does that make that now, 7 to your...none~" While Loki and Nanna celebrated their dual effort catch, the former even doing a cute little dance and while Frost was distracted by said celebration Daki fished up another quarry bringing her total catch to 7, with 3 of them being medium sized fish no smaller than the salmon caught by Nanna and Loki.

"Damn vixen it’s a marathon not a sprint. Just you wait I’ll beat you right and win my prize." A vein protrude across Frost’s forehead as he suffered her teasing, his eyes practically shooting flames as she effortlessly lobbed her catch into a nearby bucket.

"True but to win a marathon you still need to leave the start line."

"You!"

"Hehehehe~" Daki’s laughter was sonorous and her beauty enchanting making it hard to stay mad.

An hour later Frost was practically trembling from head to toe, his line showed not a single wiggle, yet Daki had managed to catch two more medium sized fish as well as large sized tuna almost as big as Loki while Nanna and Loki both caught a small one each and another medium sized one together this time using Nanna’s line.

"Hehehehe you’ll never be able to beat that pretty wife of yours like that lad." Just as Frost was about to blow his top an old man and his wife walked over the latter smiling gently at the two children while the former shook his head in dismay, calling Frost out on whatever he was doing wrong.

Frost turned to face the old couple who were adorned in professional fishing gear like himself but unlike him they radiated the air of experts. Behind them there was even a large cart filled to the brim with water buckets full of the fish they’d managed to catch over the past several hours, many of which being of the larger variety.

"Then senior can you please tell me how I can beat her." He wasn’t above asking for advice from those more experienced than himself especially when a tantalising reward was on the line.

Daki blushed a little when the man referred to her as Frost’s wife but said nothing to dissuade him from helping her amateur partner, confident that even with his aid she’d win this competition.

"Beating her will be difficult though young it’s clear your wife is pretty experienced when it comes to fishing, talented enough to perhaps give even myself a run for my money but I can at least make sure you’re not humiliated by failing to catch a single fish."

"Urgh." The thought of leaving here with not a single fish in hand, forced to carry and transport the full buckets of everyone but himself sent shivers down his spine.

"Please teach me." Frost lowered his head to the old man politely asking to be taught.

"Hehehe strong but humble, talented yet not arrogant, a rare combination but one that will take you far young man. Alright first things first you’re far too tense, everything about you screams battle ready. Such behaviour may work when fishing up sea monsters but regular fish like the ones in this lake they’ll avoid you like the plague. You’re threatening and way too obvious about it." The old man stroked his chin and immediately got to work pointing out Frost’s faults.

"Huh really I thought I was being quite relaxed?" Frost examined himself struggling to see how he could be perceived as threatening.

"While it may be enough for people like you and I creatures like the fish in this lake are incredibly perceptive to any signs of danger. It may not be intentional but your frustration, anger and even bloodlust can easily be picked up by them even if it’s only a mild amount....I’m guessing you’re quite strong, an adventurer with a lot of experience under your belt right?" The old man didn’t recognise Frost as the Lord of Niflheim, but he could tell with a mere glance he was strong.

"You could say that." While not at the peak of this world he was considered fairly strong within the surrounding area.

"Have you fished before?"

"Once but the fish were monsters and far stronger than anything you’d be able to find in these lakes."

"Ok if you want to succeed at all forget that experience completely, what you learned then will only hamper your efforts here." The old man waved his right hand in front of his face before placing both on Frost shoulders.

"Take a deep breath and try to relax." The man then proceeded to firmly massage Frost’s shoulders, arms and back in an attempt to loosen him up.

"Alright now picture a serene calming space or conjure up a happy memory, let all unnecessary thought escape your mind, relax and forget about your goal. There is no competition, no urgency, no need to achieve something just you on the ice with a fishing rod, at peace." Frost followed the man’s directions letting his mind wander adrift, remembering moments that brought a smile to his lips.

"Good, much better. The key to catching fish is a clear mind, relaxed body and of course good bait but from what I can see you don’t lack in the latter, only the former was giving you some trouble." Frost didn’t skimp on this trip, buying the more pricey bait and the more pricey fishing rods.

"As long as you don’t appear threatening the fish will eventually be attracted to your bait and in no time you’ll be reeling in a veritable bounty like your wife here who by the way was likely purposefully messing with you to keep you off your game." The old man winked in Daki’s direction, picking up on her antics as his own wife often did the same to him whenever they competed.

"Damn vixen." Frost cursed under his breath almost losing the relaxed state he just acquired.

"Remember calm, serene and happy thoughts, don’t dwell on the negative or you’ll fall into her trap." The old man patted Frost on the back before standing up and heading off with his wife and their large cart of fish.

"Reminds me of when we used to compete."

"Yeah, you were even more devious back then."

"Hehehehe~ of course seeing you floundering and puffed in the face as I reeled in fish after fish was so satisfying that I couldn’t not mess with you." The old woman teased him as she remembered their youth.

"Speaking of it seems I won again....you know what that means~"

"Urgh....yes my love." The old man’s shoulders slunk in defeat, his triumphant mood struck down.