Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 10 - Chapter 4.1

Chapter 4: Misgivings and Answers

1

It was now the dawn of the following day, the third of the white month.

And this morning wouldn’t prove to be all peaceful and uneventful, either.

In fact, there was an unusual commotion before we could even head to the post town for the day.

“Hmm... Those are totos footsteps,” Ai Fa stated after we had more or less wrapped up our work for the morning and were in the middle of loading the wagon.

The current setup we had was that on days when Ai Fa didn’t come to town, Ludo and Shin Ruu would come meet me on Ruuruu. However, there was still 30 minutes or so left until we were supposed to head out.

“Did something happen with the Ruu clan? I hope it’s not bad news,” I said, only for Ai Fa to shake her head.

“I hear footsteps from the north. It isn’t Ludo and Shin Ruu.”

“From the north?”

There were five clans here at the forest’s edge with totos. The three leading clans, the Fa, and the Lea. And of those five, the Zaza were the only ones settled further north than the Fa house. So sure enough, the ones to come dashing out of the forest with a totos were men from that clan.

“What is it? Some sort of urgent message?” Ai Fa called up to the man riding horse... er, totosback, not looking intimidated in the least.

However, I couldn’t help but feel a bit wary. The totos was pulling a small uncovered wagon, and in it were two men.

Adding in the rider, there were three of them in total. And they were all fierce hunters of the Zaza clan, wearing pelts with giba heads still attached to them. As always, they seemed even more intimidating and ferocious than the other hunters of the forest’s edge.

“So you haven’t headed to the post town yet? Then I’ll tell you too,” one of the men’s voices rumbled as he got down from the wagon. It was one of the three leading clan heads, Gulaf Zaza.

I couldn’t really see his face too well on account of the giba head. However, there was no way I’d ever mistake that huge frame and intimidating aura that were a match even for Donda Ruu.

“You see, someone snuck into the Zaza settlement last night.”

“What?”

“It was late at night, when everyone had fallen asleep. And so, only the ones assigned to watch the criminals overnight noticed. Apparently... those intruders appeared around the house where the criminals were being kept.”

By criminals, he meant Zuuro Suun, Diga, and Doddo.

Since fleeing from the Dom clan, Diga and Doddo were once again being treated as such. But since they had separated from Zattsu Suun of their own volition and come to warn us of danger, they at least avoided a death sentence.

In exchange, they were under constant watch during the day, during which they had to work on repairing the burnt Dom settlement, while at night they were locked in the same house as Zuuro Suun. Essentially, they were facing a suspended sentence.

“You’re not going to say that Zuuro Suun was abducted, right...?” I nervously asked.

Cyclaeus had raised an awful suspicion that perhaps the people of the forest’s edge had intentionally let Zattsu and Tei Suun escape, and were planning to do the same with Zuuro Suun. If that former leading clan head was kidnapped now, we would no longer be in a position to convincingly deny that claim.

However, his eyes burning bright from the shadow of the giba’s upper jaw he wore, Gulaf Zaza replied, “Don’t go thinking so little of us like that, Asuta of the Fa clan. It’s true that the Zaza let Zattsu Suun escape, and the same is true of the Dom with Tei Suun and those two fools. That was a big enough slip-up to be worthy of any criticism imaginable. However, we’re not foolish enough to repeat that same mistake.”

That was why Gulaf Zaza had borrowed Darmu Ruu and some other Ruu men in order to strengthen their watch. The clans of the north certainly seemed insular and arrogant, so I figured they really must have brooded a lot over the decision to ask Donda Ruu for help.

Well, more than brooding over it, perhaps it was more that they didn’t like the idea of devoting so much manpower to guards and interfering with hunting work, and so they just had to rely on the Ruu clan since they were currently taking a break. At any rate, it was certainly a big change from when they served under the Suun and saw the Ruu as their enemies.

“The intruders fled without doing anything as soon as they were detected. It’s frustrating that we couldn’t catch them... But the real issue is what happened afterwards.”

“Afterwards?”

“The criminal Zuuro Suun lost his senses. He yelled that those intruders were underlings of the folks from the castle, and that he didn’t want to be dragged there. And so, he told us to scalp him then and there if he was sentenced to die anyway.”

“Wh-What’s that all about...?”

“In all likelihood, his nerves gave out on him... If he’s handed over to the castle, who knows what may become of him? And so, he cried out that it would be better to live as one of us till the very end and have his soul return unsullied to the forest,” Gulaf Zaza explained, his bearded face twisting with displeasure as he recalled the events. “I certainly can’t say I didn’t think, ‘What are you rambling on about at this point?’ but... we had depended upon the man as the leader of our people until very recently. He certainly had many vexing aspects, yet he served as the leading clan head. And more than any other of our people, our clans are deeply guilty of failing to realize just how far his crimes went.”

“Y-You’re not saying you decided to handle Zuuro Suun like he was asking then, right?”

That would be rebeling directly against Cyclaeus’s demands.

His eyes blazing brighter, Gulaf Zaza grumbled, “I’m well aware that we shouldn’t. That’s precisely why I wanted to let Donda Ruu and Dari Sauti know as soon as possible. After all, I can’t make the decision on my own.”

So did Gulaf Zaza want to grant Zuuro Suun’s wish after all?

That man was like a symbol of the Suun clan’s corruption, so for him to wail about how he wanted his soul to return to the forest as one his people... I could honestly see myself feeling pretty moved, too. And since he once served under Zuuro Suun, Gulaf Zaza must’ve had even more complicated feelings on the matter.

I once again faced the Zaza clan head straight on, trying to observe him as just a single man.

He was certainly just as much of a giant as Donda Ruu was. No wait, he actually seemed to have a wider build, and I got the feeling he was a little taller. And he seemed to be about the same age as Donda Ruu, from what I could tell. There was a firm, dark brown moustache above his mouth and square jaw, and I could make out deep wrinkles on his tanned, leathery face.

I believe Zuuro Suun was around the same age too... Though he may have been a bit younger, I thought, recalling the man who had the appearance of a squashed toad.

It was honestly hard to imagine, but even Zuuro Suun and Gulaf Zaza must not have looked like that from the very moment they came into this world, of course. They must have been born innocent babies just like Kota Ruu, and as they grew in their respective clans, one fell to the depths of corruption, while the other became the muscular giant of a hunter standing before me now. They seemed like such complete opposites... But like Donda Ruu or Dan Rutim, and Jiza Ruu or Gazraan Rutim, they were tied by blood.

Considering the relationship between their clans, they must have interacted from a young age... What must it feel like to be betrayed by someone like that? 

Gulaf Zaza had been the one to insist the whole main Suun house should be put to death when he heard about their pillaging of the fruits of the forest. That must have been down to his anger as someone who had his trust thrown into the mud, as well as the cool-headedness of a man of the forest’s edge who valued the law above all else. However... even a massive, wild beast of a man like him was still human. Just what had he felt underneath the rage that filled his heart? As an inexperienced youth, I frankly found it hard to imagine.

“Where are the Fou and Beim clans located? Since the three leading clan heads are gathering, we need to summon them too,” Gulaf Zaza asked, turning towards Ai Fa after shooting me an annoyed glare.

“The Fou live in the first settlement you’ll find heading south down this path. I don’t know where the Beim live, so please ask the Fou clan head about them.”

“Understood. Sorry for the bother.”

With that, he started walking back towards the wagon, but then he stopped and turned my way.

“Right... I actually just talked to a woman from the Deen.”

“Ah, from the Deen clan?”

“That’s right. She said she was Jas Deen, the elder sister of the head of the main house. Anyway, that woman asked me if there was any way that the Deen could assist the Fa in their business.”

In the back of my mind, I recalled the events from two days ago.

Jas Deen had stared at Toor Deen with a gaze that was strict yet also filled with compassion.

“She said, ‘The Zaza clan doesn’t approve of the Fa’s actions. However, we need to form a bond and know them more closely in order to truly determine whether or not what they’re doing is correct. As the closest clan under the Zaza, could the Deen be given that role?’”

“I see... So she said all that...?”

“And Dari Sauti has been really persistent, saying how he wants to carefully sample your cooking again. But rather than something like that, we should be putting all our efforts towards figuring out what to do about that Cyclaeus man, right?” Gulaf Zaza muttered, sounding incredibly annoyed as he stepped back towards the wagon.

“Gulaf Zaza, about Jas Deen’s request—”

“I can’t go deciding stuff related to the clans under me all on my own. First we’ve got to gather the heads of all seven of the clans I lead, and then debate the matter. We’re too busy for a hassle like that right now...” Gulaf Zaza said, glaring at me with the eyes of a wild beast all the way to the bitter end. “At any rate, you two have disturbed the customs of the forest’s edge more than anyone, so the duty rests on your shoulders to prove what you’re doing is right. Don’t go shirking that duty, Asuta and Ai Fa of the Fa clan. Now, we depart...”

◇

As Ludo and Shin Ruu accompanied me to the post town, I told them what Gulaf Zaza had said.

“Hmm... So Zuuro Suun went and regained his pride as a person of the forest’s edge right at the bitter end, huh? Well, I guess he might just be scared of the folks from the castle, though...” Ludo Ruu grumbled with an irritated look on his face as he stood next to the stall. We were finally getting a chance to talk now that the morning rush had ended.

On days like this when Ai Fa didn’t come to town, Ludo Ruu was always the one right on the front line.

“Still, if we just go and execute Zuuro Suun on our own, I’m sure the folks from the castle would have one complaint or another. My old man and the other leading clan heads have it rough.”

“Yeah, and just what were those guys after, sneaking into the Zaza settlement last night? Were they trying to free Zuuro Suun so the people of the forest’s edge would be blamed for slipping up again? Or were they trying to shut him up? I can’t imagine Jeeda would have figured out about Zuuro Suun so quickly after our discussion yesterday, so it’s more obvious to think this was Cyclaeus’s doing, right?”

“What are you asking me for?! Ugh, there’s so much stuff I don’t get going on that it makes my head hurt...” Ludo Ruu whined, rustling his own hair.

Two nights back, Dora’s plantation was attacked, and then yesterday Milano Mas’s daughter was almost abducted. And on top of that, we had those intruders in the forest’s edge last night. That was enough to induce a headache in anyone, not just Ludo Ruu.

Heck, there was that attack by Jeeda three days ago, too. That meant that assailants had come after three separate groups with guards: Us when we came to the post town, the folks from The Kimyuus’s Tail, and Zuuro Suun while he was confined at the Zaza settlement.

It was hard to even know what we had to be on the lookout against, so that’s why we ended up having to deploy such an extensive guard as a preventative measure. And among all the targets, the one we weren’t able to keep an eye on, the plantation, actually suffered damage and bodily harm to someone there. That meant that things had exceeded even the worst case scenario we were prepared for.

And the only incident where we clearly know the culprit and motive was that attack by Jeeda. Was everything else part of Cyclaeus’s plotting? But what would he even get out of doing stuff like that?

When it came to Zuuro Suun, maybe he wanted to shut him up permanently, but that also might not have been the case.

With Milano Mas and Dora, it could be just plain harassment, yet I couldn’t be certain.

The truth was still hidden in the shadows.

“Welcome. Do you just want the one?” I heard Lala Ruu ask, snapping me back to my senses.

It was then that I noticed a customer from the west standing there on the other side of the iron tray.

“Ah, welcome. That will be two red coins.”

“Two red ones, huh? That’s pretty darn cheap... Still, you’ve got a pretty gloomy look on your face, there. A businessman shouldn’t let his customers see a look like that.”

“Ah, sorry,” I started, only to suddenly notice I was talking to a middle-aged man with a fairly large frame, wearing shabby clothing around his bony body. In other words, Mikel of Turan.

“Th-Thanks for stopping by. Did you come to purchase my cooking?”

“It’s a food stall, so why else would I be here?”

It seemed like he was in a bad mood again today.

However, his face that reminded me of an old tree wasn’t red from booze today, and his gaze and stance seemed firm rather than shaky. He was big to start with, so when he stood up straight like this it practically made him seem like a completely different person than the slovenly drunk from yesterday.

“Two red coins, right? I’ll take one, then,” Mikel said, slapping his coins down on the counter.

Though I felt rather flustered, I went ahead and set about making the myamuu giba.

“You sure are going all-in with the myamuu. If you lacked skill, you could easily end up ruining the meat with that overwhelming scent.”

I couldn’t tell if he was complaining or what, but he certainly looked annoyed as he said that and then bit into the poitan.

There was no change in his expression. However, he kept persistently chewing away at the meat rather than swallowing.

Another customer arrived in the meantime so I wasn’t able to keep focusing on him, but Mikel only moved aside slightly rather than leaving the stall. And then, around when that new customer got their order and left, he finally swallowed his first mouthful and spoke.

“Hmph... I was drunk yesterday so I couldn’t fully trust my tongue, but I suppose at least for now there’s no need for me to withdraw my advice.”

“Was it to your liking...?” I asked, only for his no-longer bloodshot eyes to level a glare my way.

“Myamuu and fruit wine, and this is the taste of aria, isn’t it? You diced up the aria finely and mixed it into the sauce in advance?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Hmph. You used myamuu, fruit wine, and aria in the dish from yesterday too, didn’t you? So since you can’t get proper seasonings here in the post town, you’re using those to cook instead, eh?” As he talked, Mikel carefully inspected the myamuu giba, which he had only taken a single bite out of. “Still, this fuwano has an odd flavor. It’s not bad, but it’s got a real light texture to it. And I feel like I’m picking up a faint flavor of gigo, too...”

I was astounded that he could even pick up the taste of the tiny bit of gigo I had mixed in with the baked poitan.

“Yes, but that’s not fuwano, it’s poitan. It’s true that I mix in gigo in order to improve the texture, but you’re the first customer I’ve had notice that.”

“This stuff is poitan?” Mikel grumbled, and then he took another bite of the myamuu giba. “Poitan, huh...? I can’t say I’ve ever really eaten the stuff, but they’re preparing it like this in the post town lately...?”

“I can’t say for certain. It’s possible that our stalls are the only ones cooking poitan like this. But I haven’t looked into it that much.”

With that, Mikel went silent as he swiftly finished off the rest of the dish.

And then, he glared at me again.

“Seriously, who are you, kid? At the very least, you weren’t born in Genos. What town did you learn this level of technique in?”

“I learned how to cook under my old man back in my home nation. It would take a long time to explain where that was, but it’s actually outside of this continent.”

“Outside the continent? You’re from overseas, eh?” That was enough to cause even Mikel’s eyes to open wide, but he soon regained his usual sour look. “Well, whatever. Just don’t go forgetting my warning from yesterday. As long as you just don’t step foot in the castle town, you shouldn’t go catching his eye.”

“Yes, but Cyc—”

“Don’t go saying his name carelessly in the middle of the road,” Mikel warned, thick veins bulging on his forehead. “Even if he’d never show his face in a place like this personally, it’s entirely possible for there to be a merchant or soldier with ties to him prowling about. You really should refrain from inviting trouble like that.”

“Sorry. But that man does have ties to the people of the forest’s edge. Right now there hasn’t been any sense that I’m in danger yet, but I’m sure he’s at least heard of my business.”

Apparently it didn’t come up at the last meeting at all, but during the previous incident with the Suun, the leading clan heads were ordered that I wasn’t to take a break from my business with the stalls. And in fact, I suspected that it was someone related to Cyclaeus who leaked the information of how well my business was going to the Suun clan in the first place.

Diel was getting angry saying she heard people mocking giba in the castle town, too... Though I don’t know if that came from Cyclaeus himself or not.

At any rate, rejecting Diel’s proposal about wanting to bring giba cooking back to the castle town certainly seemed to be the right call.

“There’s no need to worry about your reputation in the post town. Nobles wouldn’t even consider stuff that can be bought for two red coins to be food in the first place. And I can’t see them acknowledging giba as a meal meant for people.”

“I see. I can’t say that actually makes me happy to hear, but I suppose I should be glad I won’t go catching that man’s eye.”

“Hmph,” Mikel snorted as he pulled back. “Still, if you get unlucky and he fixates on you anyway, you’ll never be able to make that giba cooking of yours ever again. So make sure you don’t go anywhere near the castle town, alright?”

With that final warning, Mikel promptly departed.

Lala Ruu had silently watched over the whole exchange, but now she grumbled, “What was that about? That sure seemed like one self-important customer.”

“That was Mikel of Turan. You all heard his name back when we said farewell to Shumiral, right?”

“Huh? He’s the one who’s supposed to lend greater strength to the people of the forest’s edge?” Ludo Ruu interjected in shock. “He just seems like a totally normal old-timer. I really can’t imagine him getting involved with the future of our people.”

“That was just some fortune-telling stuff, right? You’d be stupid to believe something like that.”

Though they were saying such things, I couldn’t help but feel differently.

Naturally, I had no idea precisely what role Mikel would actually play. However, there was no way he was just a “totally normal old-timer.” At the very least, I couldn’t even imagine picking out the taste of the gigo I mixed into the baked poitan when faced with the overwhelming flavor of my myamuu giba.

A man who used to be a chef in the castle town, huh...?

I felt oddly excited, somehow.

Still, no matter how Mikel got involved with me and the people of the forest’s edge, it didn’t change what needed to be done here and now. We just needed to keep on striving as hard as we could to pulverize the obstacles that lay in front of us.