Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 1 - Chapter 4.5

5

“Do you intend to go to the Ruu house, Asuta?”

It was nighttime now.

“I’ll come again tomorrow morning,” Rimee Ruu had said with a bow, and then she left. “You can wait till then to give me your answer. I’ll spend tonight getting my family to say yes,” she added on the way out.

After placing the utensils and cookware we had used into the metal pot, my work for the night was done. Normally I’d spend some time talking to Ai Fa, and then drift off into sleep. But this time, Ai Fa had sat there, expressionless and silent, for a long while.

I really did need to learn the common sense of this other world. So before sleeping, I’d ask her about all sorts of things like the vow held by the people of the forest’s edge and their taboos, or anecdotes about the kingdom and gods, or about the Genos post town I still hadn’t seen. But today, I didn’t try to ask her anything.

And when she finally did talk, it was just to ask me that question. She was sitting with her back against the wall, and her gaze was fixed on the darkness out past the window, rather than trying to look at me.

The stove had died down, leaving only the candles to light the dark room. In that light, the side of Ai Fa’s face looked strangely cold. As I stared at it, I quietly responded, “I was thinking... that I’d like to.”

To let the elder of the Ruu household, Jiba Ruu, taste my food... Rimee Ruu’s request had come out as a bit of a mess, but it wasn’t all that confusing of a matter.

As an 80 year old woman, Jiba Ruu had lost almost all of her teeth, and was no longer able to eat proper meals. For now, the most she could do was wash down finely minced giba meat and vegetables with soup, and apparently she could handle less and less each day.

“There’s no point to living on by having to constantly fill the inside of your mouth with this awful muddy soup...”

Apparently she had spent each and every day saying things like that, tears streaming down her face.

Just a few years ago she had been happy and healthy, but now her heart was completely withering away too. Just how much must Rimee Ruu, the youngest daughter of the family, have suffered?

When I thought about her pain, it made me really want to go.

“But you can’t give your approval, right, Ai Fa?”

“The Suun family leads the people of the forest’s edge, but the Ruu family is no lesser in terms of size. And there has been animosity between them for generations,” Ai Fa responded in an emotionless voice.

“Animosity?”

“Over 20 years ago, one of the Suun clan kidnapped a girl who was supposed to marry into the main Ruu house. The men of the Ruu house charged the Suun home in a frenzy, but the former leader of the Suun clan said that girl had committed infidelity with someone from another house and was punished for her crime, and then presented her corpse to them.”

I was at a loss for words.

“In all likelihood, she killed herself before they could have their way with her. But as there was no proof, all the Ruu men could do was sheathe their blades while muttering curses. After all, a battle between the Suun and Ruu would effectively mean civil war for the people of the forest’s edge, and perhaps our total annihilation. But if the Suun family hadn’t returned the girl, the Ruu family would have taken up blades. They wouldn’t do that for the sake of a corpse, though. So the clans cut their ties, and even now the animosity between them remains.”

“That story just sickens me. So the Suun family is a clan of good-for-nothings, then?”

“Well, at the very least, it seems the bloodline of the family head can’t produce a man who’s a decent a human being,” Ai Fa muttered, her expression and tone unchanging. “And then two years back, after my quarrel with Diga Suun began, the head of the Ruu clan, Donda Ruu, came and asked me to marry into his family.”

“M-Marry...?”

“He said with a laugh that if I did so the Suun family couldn’t lay a hand on me, and if they tried to anyway, he’d grind them into dust. But when I turned down that offer, my relationships with the Ruu family were also cut off.”

“Ah... So that’s what you were talking about when you said you didn’t want to be the spark that kicks off a battle between them.”

“Even without the backing of the Ruu clan, I won’t go and yield to someone like Diga Suun. I don’t intend to have anything to do with either side.”

“I see. I get it, now. So if I lend my support to the Ruu family while being under your care, that wouldn’t exactly be something you’d be happy about.”

With that, I gave a heavy sigh.

Ai Fa remained looking away, but her lips twisted into a scornful smile. That grin was just way too unlike her.

“But even so, you want to help Rimee Ruu, don’t you? That’s the type of man you are, Asuta.”

“Hmm? Well, yeah... She seems like she’s a good kid, and I’d also like to help her grandmother remember the joy of eating, too.”

“That’s what I thought. In that case, do as you please.”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing complicated. If you want to help Rimee Ruu and Jiba Ruu, then just cut all ties with me. Then you just need to rely on the Ruu family. See, simple, isn’t it?”

“What’re you saying? I can’t go changing partners so willy-nilly, like some kind of hussy.”

I shrugged my shoulders, still completely unable to grasp how Ai Fa truly felt.

“It’s not like I’m that worried about it. It’s a shame, but I’ll go ahead and turn down Rimee Ruu’s request.”

“...Why?”

“No matter how cute of a kid she may be, I only just met Rimee Ruu, and I’ve never even seen her grandmother. You may think me cold-hearted for it, but I’m not willing to support them strongly enough that it puts you in a bad position.”

“But why...?” Ai Fa asked, whipping around. There was a look of utter shock frozen on her face. I couldn’t help but smirk at the way that she was acting more and more unlike her usual self.

“I mean, you’re more important to me than someone I only just met and a complete stranger. Geez, don’t make me go and say something so embarrassing!”

Ai Fa didn’t respond.

“What? It’d be a problem if I got involved with the Ruu clan, right?”

“As you’re at least temporarily considered a member of the Fa clan, if you were to help the Ruu clan, then it’s possible that Donda Ruu would repay that debt by once again offering to have me marry into the family. And if I were to turn them down again it would be like dragging their family’s name through the mud, which would truly earn me their animosity.”

“That old guy sure sounds like a pain in the butt... By the way, aren’t there any charming young gentlemen in the main Ruu house? I mean, we’re talking about Rimee Ruu’s big brothers, right?” I asked, half out of jealousy and half out of pure curiosity.

The response I got back was a blunt, “I decided to live my life by hunting giba. Women gather herbs, tan hides, and simply wait for the men to return home, which doesn’t suit me. Instead, I plan to live my life in the forest as a hunter, and die there too. That was the decision I made when my father, Gil, passed away.”

“Hmm... What a waste, when you’ve got such a pretty face.”

She didn’t respond to my teasing. Instead I just saw some unknown passion in her eyes, flickering like a will-o’-the-wisp.

“At any rate, it’s not anything for you to worry yourself over. I’ll turn down Rimee Ruu’s request and we’ll keep on going as we have been. I mean, it doesn’t seem like the people of the Ruu clan will get angry with us over that.”

Rimee Ruu had said something like, “I’ll talk my papa into it!” In other words, this whole thing was her idea alone, and the other members of her family would likely be against the idea of seeking help from some suspicious outsider.

“Why...? If you just cut ties with me, you would be able to do as you pleased. So why won’t you do so, then? And it should be far more desirable for you to rely on the Ruu clan rather than a loner like me.”

“That wouldn’t be desirable in the least. You’ve helped me out so much, so I can’t stand even the idea of leaving you like this to run off with some complete strangers. Hey... You’ve been acting odd for a while now, haven’t you? Just what exactly do you want me to do?”

Ai Fa didn’t answer me. So I stood up, and plopped myself back down right in front of her. Though that passionate flame still burned in her eyes, Ai Fa looked down.

“Ai Fa... If I’m nothing but a burden to you and you want me to leave here and now, then that’s what I’ll have to do. But that’s not how it is, right? If it was, then you could just come out and say so.”

“...”

“I don’t understand, so please tell me what you’re thinking. I want to hear it in your own words. I’ll base my actions on what you want me to do most.”

Ai Fa slowly lifted her face, and looked straight at me. With that violent flame still in them... her eyes started to water up just a bit.

“It’s been two years now since my father, Gil Fa, passed away,” she whispered with her cherry blossom-colored lips. “Up until then, both my father and I got rather close to Rimee Ruu. We didn’t have any official relationship with the Ruu clan, but I had met Jiba Ruu, who doted on her granddaughter, many times since I was very little.”

“I see...” I responded, my heart breaking upon seeing her eyes wet with tears.

Ai Fa furrowed her brows, looking a little pained.

“I don’t wish to enter into a relationship with the Ruu household. But even so... It would pain me to see Rimee Ruu and Jiba Ruu suffer.”

“Then... Do you want me to cut all ties with you, and then help Rimee Ruu and them as someone completely unrelated?”

The instant I said that, I was grabbed by the collar. Her eyes that were like a blue flame glared at me, almost as if they were eating into me. And then... The tears that had been pooling in those eyes started to slide silently down her silky cheeks.

“I...” she started, her voice shaking a bit. “...I don’t know what I want.”

Why didn’t she know? If I just cut my ties with her, then Rimee and Jiba Ruu would be saved. If she wanted to lend them support from the shadows without directly becoming involved with the Ruu family, then that would be the only option. But...

Ai Fa’s fingers were still firmly gripping my collar. It was as if she was worrying that if she let go, I would just up and disappear.

“I see,” I said, placing my hands on Ai Fa’s shoulders.

I could feel the warmth coming off her smooth, exposed shoulders... and also the way that they were trembling ever so slightly. Without even thinking, I pulled her in closer. Ai Fa’s slender body fell up against my chest, offering no resistance whatsoever.

“Well if you don’t know, then there’s no helping that. I mean, I’m not exactly sure of the best path, myself.”

That smell of Ai Fa’s that I loved so much gently tickled my nose. As the scent filled my heart, I quietly came to a realization.

“But I know clearly what I want most. If you won’t tell me how to proceed, then is it alright if I choose what to do?”

Ai Fa didn’t say a word.

“I want to help out Rimee Ruu. However, I also don’t want to have to leave you. So as a freeloader of your household, I want to fairly and openly help those people you hold dear,” I said, giving Ai Fa’s complexly done up blonde hair a gentle pat. “Who cares about the animosity between the Suun and Ruu clans? I mean, do you really have to abandon people you care about over such a stupid grudge? Just leave the heavy matter of the future of the settlement up to the old fogeys, since it’s their responsibility anyway. It’s not right to bury your own feelings over something like that.”

“...”

“I’ll save them. As if I care about what Rimee Ruu’s father will say about that. And if he starts bugging you about marriage again, then tell him to bring you a man who’s even tastier than any giba first!”

Ai Fa didn’t respond to what I had said. She just kept on clinging to my collar as her tears streamed down onto my t-shirt.