The Hunter’s Luxurious Feast
While drying my soaked clothes, I decided to start cooking with a fire. It’s still past noon, but the pot takes time, and I need to marinate the other dishes too. Bow practice can wait until after I get the fire going.
Today I’m making makeshift karaage with the breast meat, simple salt-grilled skewers with the leg meat, and using the leftover bones to make makeshift chicken bone soup. I’ll shred the remaining meat for something like bang bang chicken.
Since I don’t have any proper sauce, it won’t turn out quite like I imagined. But well, it’ll just end up tasting Halperian-style, and the ingredients themselves are delicious, so it’s better than nothing. At least it’s much tastier than the food served at inns.
I cut up the Puff Bird, separating it into the necessary parts and putting them on plates.
I slice the breast meat against the grain and plop it into the marinade. Ah, I want soy sauce.
I cut the leg meat roughly while tossing the bones into the pot. The skin is slimy and hard to cut. Well, I guess I can just grill the skin separately on skewers. Might as well peel it all off at once.
Then I throw the aromatic vegetables I bought at the market and the stinky wild herbs I picked on the way into the pot, and that should do it for now.
“…I feel kinda silly for making a fire piston when this method is faster.”
In this world, besides flint-like fire starters, there are also disposable ignition tools similar to matches.
The fire piston I made was just as convenient as those, but I, the important user, don’t really use it much.
Why? Because it’s faster for me to use the bow drill method with my ridiculous strength.
The bow drill method is, you know, that thing where you press a wooden stick into a groove and spin it around like crazy.
When I do it, I don’t get very tired and my hands don’t hurt. I can forcefully create enough friction heat to ignite it, so it’s easy. It’s not civilized at all, but power solves everything, so it can’t be helped.
“Now I just need to keep it burning.”
I’m using a thin dead tree I cut down nearby for firewood.
Barbarian wood-splitting with my bastard sword and brute strength. Really doesn’t feel civilized at all. But guild members who camp overnight in this world do pretty similar things…
“I’ve never made chicken bone soup before, but I wonder if this will work out.”
When I tried it once before with Maruko pigeons, there weren’t enough bones so I gave up.
But this time it should work. I’m simmering the large bones from the Crater Toad along with them.
“Hopefully it’ll be ready by dinner time.”
I place monster-repelling incense wood at the entrance of the chimney stove, filling the area with monster-warding smoke.
The smoke from this incense wood has the effect of repelling monsters, giving off a “somehow I don’t want to get close” feeling… well, it has about the influence of a good luck charm. From my experience using it so far, it’s about as effective as cheap mosquito coils. Pretty mediocre.
“I guess I’ll practice with the bow too.”
For a while, it’s just waiting time while the thick bones simmer.
Until then, I’ll enjoy some hunting games with the bow, just like Raina.
Raina was relatively nearby, having taken down two more Puff Birds near the water source.
“…Mongrel-senpai, why are you only wearing your undershirt?”
“I got wet earlier, so I’m drying it by the fire.”
“Ah… I think it’s about time to call it quits here. Looks like the birds around the base have all disappeared.”
“Yeah, that’s plenty. I’m impressed you managed to catch so many.”
“Ehehe.”
I was also aiming at birds for a while, but even when I got close, I couldn’t manage to hit them. When I got desperate and tried to aim from close range, they’d fly away. It was a disaster. It was mostly like playing a punishment game of going to retrieve the arrows I shot.
“Being an archer is tough.”
“Now you understand the struggles of bow users.”
“I really get it now. Daily practice is important.”
“That’s right! It’s really hard when you jump straight into actual practice. But this kind of thing is important too.”
Dusk comes early in the forest. After processing birds by the riverside and replenishing our water, we decided to return to base camp for the day.
“Wow, you’re making all sorts of things.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Well, I’ve already made some progress, so just sit and relax.”
“…The base has gotten luxurious!”
Raina seemed to be mainly looking at my triangular tent when she said this.
“…So you sleep inside this?”
“Yeah. It can handle normal rain. Though it’s tough when there’s a bit of wind. No bugs falling from above either, so it’s safe and secure.”
A pyramid with four triangular faces. If you prepare just two adjacent sides of that, you’d get the shape of the tent I’m using now.
I support the apex with a long tree branch and fix the corners of the cloth to the ground with smaller branches. It’s a tent that’s half open.
While it’s not uncommon in this world to sleep rolled up in a cloak, not being able to turn over is surprisingly painful, and it’s tough when you occasionally get caught in rain, so when I’m on missions where I expect to camp overnight, I carry a simple tent even though it’s a bit bulky.
“I’ve laid out a Charge Deer rug, so it’s comfortable to sleep on.”
“Ooh… oooh…”
Raina was drawn to the deerskin laid on the tent floor and rolled over onto it.
I understand the feeling. It’s smooth and feels good, doesn’t it?
“When you make walls with cloth like this, they catch the heat from the campfire, so it stays pretty warm.”
“Ah, that’s true… Mongrel-senpai, you have all sorts of useful things too.”
“What do you mean ‘too’? I only carry useful things.”
“Right, right.”
“Raina, you should also browse the market sometimes and buy things that catch your eye. There are many inventors in Legol, so there are lots of hidden gems.”
“Hidden gems…”
“That won’t do, Raina. You’re young, so you need to jump on new things more than I do. Legol guild members need to set themselves apart from others in places like that.”
“Hmm, new things… new things…”
Raina is honest and serious, so she listens well to what people say and advice, and puts it into practice.
But on the flip side, she seems to have little experience with touching anything revolutionary. I think that’s a somewhat unfortunate personality trait.
Well, she doesn’t have any prejudices, so she can change little by little.
“Here Raina, there are salt-grilled bird skewers for lunch. Eat up, eat up.”
“Yay!”
“The liver and heart are delicious too.”
“Ah, that’s nice.”
“If only I could drink some alcohol…”
“It’s a small group camping overnight… let’s skip it today.”
“True…”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
As the forest gradually grew dim, the two of us enjoyed grilled skewers.
Raina taught me how to handle and maintain a bow, but it was discovered that the sword part of my bow-sword couldn’t be detached, making normal maintenance difficult.
Raina suggested I should get a more normal bow, but I declined that. I’m going to become Halperia’s number one hunter with this thing.
“Well, first you need to actually take down one.”
“True.”
“…Speaking of which, what happened with magic? Have you been continuing to practice since then?”
“Ah, well, I am doing it. Just a little before bed.”
“Oh, really? I thought you’d quit.”
“But… with that practice method, I end up falling asleep partway through. Lately I’ve been using it as a sleep aid.”
“Eh…”
“Maybe it’s bad that I’m doing it while lying in bed.”
“No, that’s definitely the reason…”
I don’t really understand what the instruction book means by grasping what magical power is…
They often say that people accustomed to body enhancement have poor magical aptitude, and I’m probably definitely that type.
“Well, more importantly, it’s been a while since we ate the skewers, so let’s make today’s main dish.”
“Really? What is it?”
“Well, if I had to name it, it’d be Puff Bird tempura and Puff Bird and Crater Toad bone soup.”
“Oh…?”
“Just watch.”
I coated the Puff Bird that had been soaking in marinade with flour and threw it into boiling lard.
The oil level is a bit shallow but it barely fits. The crackling sound of the splattering oil is quite nice.
“It’s hard to control the heat when you cook directly over a campfire, but using this wood stove makes it much easier.”
“Wow…”
Fried in animal fat. With the marinade soaked into the breast meat and the flavor of lard, it shouldn’t be bad. If this marinade had been soy sauce, it would have been perfect, but oh well, can’t be helped.
“Here Raina, try some.”
“Wow… eh, is this okay?”
“Don’t hold back. Eat up…”
“…Thank you. Nom nom… mm!”
Is it good, Raina… it’s good, right Raina… it’s the bird you caught. Eat up…
“It’s crispy and super delicious! Usually this meat is dry, but… the inside is fluffy! It’s the best!”
“Right? Let me have this big piece… hahofifi.”
“It look really hot.”
“Hot… hot…”
“…You went for it in one bite but it’s too hot to chew.”
Puff Birds aren’t small, but they don’t have as good a yield as chickens.
With two people eating, the karaage disappeared surprisingly quickly.
Well, it wasn’t an unsatisfying amount, so it was probably just the right balance.
“This sour liquid goes well with the light meat too.”
“Right? Oh, I also boiled some wild herbs, so eat those.”
“Okay!”
The bang bang chicken knockoff isn’t bad for what it is. It’s just right as a snack.
Ah, I want to drink alcohol. When will whiskey go on sale, Count Legol? It’s fine to sell it to the royal capital and foreign countries, but please satisfy the demand within Legol too…
“Now for this bone soup…”
“…I’ve been curious about it. The smell…”
“It’s a good smell, right? When you simmer bones, the marrow comes out and becomes umami.”
“Marrow… that’s why you added the Crater Toad.”
“Well yeah, probably. Though I’m not sure what adding that will do anymore.”
“Eh…”
Looking into the pot… honestly, it’s not pretty to look at.
Frankly, it’s like garbage. Boiled garbage. But the rich aroma wafting from here definitely argues that this is food.
“First, let me remove the bones from here.”
“Wow, Mongrel-senpai, you’re good at holding those two sticks!”
“Ah? Well yeah, I found them recently at the Black Mist Market. Once you get used to them, they’re convenient for grabbing food.”
“Wow…”
“Then, I concentrate this soup, add salt to adjust the taste…”
I drip some broth on the back of my hand to taste it. …Yeah, need to add salt.
“How is it, senpai? How’s the taste?”
“Just wait. …Yeah, this saltiness. Now I’ll add vegetables to the soup and simmer it a bit more…”
I throw in roughly cut turnips, poor-looking carrots, and leftover Puff Bird meat, adding some peppery spice for good measure, and it’s done after simmering.
“Now drink this, Raina. Mongrel’s special bone soup.”
“Wasn’t it a different dish name before… I’ll have some!”
It had gotten completely dark and become night.
The light from the wood stove and the newly added campfire is modest, but it’s enough to see each other’s faces.
“Gulp, gulp… mm! Delicious!”
“Right? Now let me… yeah, it’s good.”
Chicken broth is justice after all. This one is like potage, but I’m in the mood to add noodles to it.
Should I try making Chinese noodles using chicken shells…? Should I order special tools again… no, I could just cut them with a knife. But I want to eat round noodles…
“Huff huff… it’s like the bird’s deliciousness is concentrated… this is good… much more delicious than what you get at restaurants!”
“Right? I don’t compromise when it comes to delicious food.”
“…No, really. I think you’d make money if you opened a restaurant.”
“Running a restaurant seems tough. I like cooking in places like this.”
Hunting monsters myself, cooking without worrying about prying eyes, eating and sleeping…
Normally it’s not something to show others. You never know what might be revealed from this.
But with Raina… I couldn’t help wanting to feed her.
I lost to her niece aura. Like I have before.
“Keep this secret from the Artemis bunch. If they find out, I’ll be made into Artemis’s exclusive chef.”
“…That sounds good.”
“Hey now.”
“Just kidding.”
Raina laughed and started ladling another serving of soup.
There’s a decent amount, so we can enjoy it tomorrow morning too.
The problem is the troublesome cleanup afterward, but tomorrow’s me will surely struggle and figure it out somehow. I’m counting on you, Mongrel. I’ll leave dealing with the fried food mess to you.
…Wait a minute.
“Since we have the chance, let’s try adding lard to the soup.”
“Eh… well, just a little.”
“It’s lacking in greasiness. With this it’s pretty… yeah, not bad.”
“…Oh, you’re right. The light soup wasn’t bad either, but this has a good flavor too.”
Well, this won’t use up all the oil, but it turned out tasty, so it’s fine.
After finishing our meal, the night deepened. Though if there were a clock, it would probably be around 9 o’clock. Forest nights feel particularly long.
Still, we have an early morning hunt tomorrow, so we can’t stay up late. In another world, it’s best to go to sleep early and get through the night.
“I feel bad… intruding on Mongrel-senpai’s place…”
“Ah, it’s fine. Two people can barely sleep here. Besides, it’s better to be warm when sleeping.”
“…Yes.”
Raina and I decided to sleep in the triangular tent.
It’s certainly cramped, but Raina is small, and if I adjust how the cloth is stretched, it’s not impossible.
If two warm-blooded animals are close together, it’ll be warmer.
The firewood burning quietly in the wood stove, and the monster-repelling incense wood being roasted on the hotplate, giving off smoke. Full belly making me sleepy.
“…I’m not very good at cooking. What do you think about women who can’t cook, Mongrel-senpai?”
“Hmm? What, is this about marriage?”
“Ah, well, yes. …People in Legol town, the women do housework. But I’m always hunting… I wonder if that’s weird…”
“Ah, from the perspective of townspeople, you might be a bit different.”
“Most of our party is good at… that kind of housework… but I’m always practicing with the bow and maintaining it. I wonder if I’m not feminine enough.”
I see, so that’s the kind of worry she has.
“Ulrika-senpai has also been actively cleaning the bath lately, making potpourri… even though I’m a woman, Ulrika-senpai seems more womanly and I’m losing confidence… I try to do various things, but I can’t keep track of everything…”
“…Just being able to be conscious of such things makes Raina admirable, I think.”
Careless people don’t worry about their actions at all.
If you have the awareness to improve, that’s enough.
“Besides, I think it’s fine. A woman who’s passionate about archery.”
“…Is that so?”
“In my hometown, ah… both men and women worked. There wasn’t much of ‘men should do this, women should do that’… well, there probably was, but there was a strong feeling of trying to make men and women as equal as possible.”
“…That sounds tough in its own way.”
“Well yeah. Honestly, I don’t know if that had a good influence on the village as a result… but I liked the village atmosphere where both men and women could have jobs they liked and dreams they wanted to pursue.”
Gender equality. Even in the previous world, there were various inconveniences that couldn’t be said publicly, and it might have been just pretty words.
But I think it was a good era when men and women could choose their way of life as individuals and not be criticized too much for it.
“…I’m happy to hear you say that, Mongrel-senpai.”
“I see.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m sleepy anyway. Let’s go to sleep.”
“…Okay.”
When I think seriously about things, my sleepiness gets bad. I’m not as young as Raina either… sad but true.
I’m going to sleep now… zzz.
“…It’s warm.”
With the sensation of Raina snuggling against my back as the last thing I felt, I fell asleep.
Skipping my daily magic meditation makes this the second day in a row. I’ll work hard starting tomorrow.
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