Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 11 - Chapter SS1.2

2

Yumi was walking through the slums, accompanied by two people of the forest’s edge.

They still hadn’t stepped too far in, so it wasn’t as if there had been much change in their surroundings. However, since there were more guards out on the main road than usual, the residents of the slums also seemed to be cautiously holing up in their houses.

“This part of the post town is where especially poor folks and guys with shady pasts gather. It’s the sort of place even guards won’t set foot in alone.”

“I see. It doesn’t appear all that different from the main street, though.”

“That’s because this is just the outskirts of the slums. But you need to be more and more careful the farther in you go.”

As Yumi said that, a familiar signboard came into view: the one for her family’s place, The Westerly Wind. And so, she moved swiftly past, using Gazraan Rutim’s large frame to shield her from view.

“Sorry, but help hide me for a bit. If my parents see me, they’ll try to force me to come back home.”

“You’re trying to help Asuta, even though it means defying your parents, Yumi?”

“Of course I am. That’s what friends are for, right?”

Hearing that, Gazraan Rutim’s eyes gently narrowed as he looked down at Yumi.

“Yes. Asuta is an irreplaceable friend to me, too. It makes me very happy to hear that there is someone in town who feels the same way about him.”

“Geez, you’re making me embarrassed, getting all serious like that.”

And so, Yumi made it past The Westerly Wind, hiding in Gazraan Rutim’s shadow as she went.

Before long, they reached a four-way intersection in the path. By this point, the buildings lined up on either side of the street had started looking rather shabby. The poverty suffered by the folks living there made it difficult for them to scrape together the money for repairs.

“We’re going to keep heading straight, since we already searched the rest of the area yesterday.”

“This is a huge help. Morun and I had been planning on spending the whole day searching the area.”

“The real troublesome bit is Drunkard Way, though, which is up ahead. There are heaps of folks there you just can’t reason with,” Yumi replied as she looked over at the other member of their party. “Are you going to be alright? It isn’t really the sort of place young women should be going, normally.”

“But you’re a young woman too, aren’t you?” Morun Rutim asked back with a truly innocent-looking smile.

She was a very adorable girl, and really didn’t resemble her brother in the least. She was a bit on the plump side, but she was much more charming than some girl who looked like she was wasting away. Her cute little eyes positively sparkled, and her round cheeks looked incredibly soft.

“I’m fifteen. How old are you, Yumi?”

“Me? I’m sixteen.”

“sixteen, huh? You look so very mature.”

Well, by the time you hit sixteen in the post town, you weren’t really treated like a kid anymore. In fact, her parents had started bugging her about getting married lately.

“If your younger sister here is fifteen, then you can’t be all that old either, right?”

“I’m twenty-four. The main Rutim house has four children besides me, and I am the oldest while Morun is the youngest.”

“Five kids, huh? I know it’s the same way with the Ruu, so you people of the forest’s edge sure must have a lot of children!”

“Yes. Birthing many children is an important task for the people of the forest’s edge.”

It was quite the unusual experience for Yumi, chatting away with people of the forest’s edge at the side of the road like this. In fact, this was probably the first time she’d really had a proper conversation with any of them to start with.

“By the way, how many of you are in town today?”

“Roughly 60. We split into pairs of one man and woman each, and have been searching all the way from the Turan land north of the castle town to the plantations south of the post town.”

60 people of the forest’s edge coming into town certainly was a big deal. And half of them were brawny hunters, so it was no real surprise the townsfolk were scared out of their wits.

Even so, Yumi couldn’t help but feel a bit displeased.

“But there are hundreds of you people of the forest’s edge, right? You could only get 60 of them to come?”

“Yes. There were a great many more who said they wanted to assist in the search for Asuta, but they had to be forbidden from doing so. Currently the Ruu and their affiliated clans are in the midst of a break period, so it ended up being 60 of us who’ve come to town, after excluding the very young and old from our numbers.”

“A break period?”

“That’s right. Three times a year, we are able to take time off from hunting giba. The Ruu and those allied with them, like us, happen to be in such a period.”

“Hmm, I see,” Yumi said, considering dropping the matter there. But ultimately, she decided she needed to say it. “Sorry, but let me ask... Are you saying hunting giba is more important than Asuta...?”

“You see, if we put our hunting second for this matter, there’s a concern the nobles from the castle town will attack us over that.”

“You’re not scared of the nobles, are you...?”

“We need to consider the possibility that this whole incident was aimed at creating an excuse to place blame on the people of the forest’s edge.”

The people of the forest’s edge were tasked with the harsh work of hunting giba, under orders from the nobles of Genos. If they neglected that job, then they wouldn’t be able to take issue with the nobles coming after them for it.

“That all sounds like one big complicated mess... So you’re thinking it’s the nobles of Genos behind all this after all?”

“We still don’t know. There’s a possibility it was done by someone wishing to cause a rift between our people and the nobles.”

“Ah, yeah, it wouldn’t be odd at all for there to be idiots like that out there... But I feel like lately more and more townsfolk have been thinking differently, thanks to all the stuff Asuta and the others have done,” Yumi said. Then with a sigh, she stared way up at Gazraan Rutim’s face. “It really is a shame that this had to happen now... The townsfolk may end up feeling terrified of you people of the forest’s edge again as a result.”

“That may be so. However, there are those such as you who are thinking of us, too,” Gazraan Rutim replied with a gentle smile. “This time around there haven’t been townsfolk shouting at us to ‘go back to the forest,’ so I would say a good bit has changed since last time. In fact, more than anything, I have been sensing the townsfolk’s distrust toward the nobles growing.”

“Yeah, that’s true. I mean, this time around Asuta got kidnapped by thugs, so it really would be odd for anyone to attack the people of the forest’s edge over that.”

“It’s very reassuring to hear you say so,” Gazraan Rutim calmly said back as another intersection appeared before them.

At that point Yumi stopped and looked at the truly dissimilar siblings.

“Up ahead is the notorious Drunkard Way. Let me ask again... You really won’t just leave it up to me?”

“We won’t. If it is that questionable of a place, then I really would prefer to check it with my own two eyes.”

“Alright. To be honest, I wasn’t exactly confident I could search every nook and cranny of the place on my own, so I’m glad to hear you say that. But, well... Just make sure not to let your guard down, alright? Without a doubt, this is the most dangerous place in all of the post town.”

Gazraan Rutim just silently nodded back.

He didn’t look timid in the least. Honestly, it seemed reasonable that such a burly hunter might well be able to take down the sorts of villains who hung out in Drunkard Way as easily as a big giiz rat.

“Well then, let’s get going. And be careful.”

Working up her resolve, Yumi stepped into the street.

All of the wooden buildings lined up on either side of the street had a real shabby, seedy look about them. To folks who only knew the bustling main street, the place would probably look run-down and deserted. And on top of all that, there was a lingering smell of rot hanging in the air.

“It’s quiet... But I can sense a great number of gazes on us.”

“Yeah. Everyone must be peering out at the unfamiliar visitors.”

After a quick shiver, Yumi approached a nearby building.

When she knocked on the door, a hostile voice shot back, “What do you want?”

“We’re searching for someone. We won’t cause you any trouble, but could we talk to you for a bit?”

The door remained shut. However, there were some gaps here and there where the boards had rotted, and a human eye peered out of one of them.

“Calling for me like this is already plenty enough trouble. I don’t know anything, so go try somewhere else,” the voice shot back. It seemed like it belonged to an old woman, and her light brown eye looked incredibly untrusting.

“Please, just listen to what we have to say. We’re residents of the same town, aren’t we?”

“A girl dressed as pretty as you are seems like an outsider to me...”

“I see, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m the daughter of The Westerly Wind’s owners, that inn that’s just a little down the road. That makes me a part of the neighborhood, wouldn’t you say?”

Through the gap, the old woman’s eye narrowed suspiciously.

“The Westerly Wind, is it? Then could you tell me the owner’s name?”

“Well I wouldn’t exactly go forgetting my own dad’s name. The owner’s name is Sams, while his wife is Sill. Well, I say he’s the owner, but my dad’s the one who married into the family.”

There was a rattling sound, and soon the wooden door swung open. It seemed despite how rotten the door itself had grown, it had still been properly bolted.

“So you’re Sill’s daughter? Unlike your mom, you’re a real looker, aren’tcha?”

“Hey, don’t go badmouthing her like that. But, well, I have heard I look more like my dad.”

“Hmph. So who are you looking for exactly, girl? And who are those two...?”

“They’re people of the forest’s edge. You’ve at least heard of them, right, ma’am?”

Gazraan and Morun Rutim just gave a silent bow. As she looked at the calm and collected pair, the old woman gave a “Hmph!” and continued on, “This is my first time ever seeing any giba eaters up this close. What are you trying to do, bringing along people like them?”

“Like I said, we’re looking for someone: a guy named Asuta who was abducted along the main street, and the kidnappers who took him. Umm, Asuta has black hair and eyes, and he’s a sort of cute seventeen-year-old, while the kidnappers—” Yumi replied, only to hesitate, so Gazraan Rutim stepped in.

“The ones who kidnapped Asuta were a dark skinned man with the appearance of an easterner, and a firmly built westerner. They are already wanted throughout the post town for the abduction.”

“Hmph. There are troublemakers here and there all throughout the neighborhood, but I can’t say I’ve seen any easterners.”

“Apparently he was born with mixed blood from the east and west, to be more accurate. His name is Sanjura, and he has light brown hair and eyes, which is unusual for an easterner.”

“I don’t know anything about all that. If you wanna ask about something like that, you should go talk to Dattas.”

“Dattas? Who’s that?”

“He’s the one who manages all the scoundrels in the area. When an outsider settles down here, the first thing they’ve gotta do is introduce themselves to Dattas.”

“Is that so? You have our thanks,” Gazraan Rutim said with a bow, while the old lady slammed the door shut before he even finished.

“Where exactly does this Dattas person live...?”

“H-Hold on a moment. You’re planning on barging into a place like that? I mean, there’s no way the guy running Drunkard Way is going to be anywhere close to an honest man.”

“But that would be a lot quicker than going from house to house like this, wouldn’t you say?”

Yumi gave a deep sigh, and then brushed aside her long hair.

“Alright, I guess I’ll put my trust in your strength. Hey old lady! Where should we go to meet that Dattas guy?”

“It’s the house with the red roof, halfway down the street!” a voice shouted back from inside the house.

Relying on that advice, they headed further down the road, and sure enough a very clearly red roof came into view. It certainly wasn’t rare to paint a house, but this stuff seemed to have been put on quite some time ago. And so, the red had darkened and made it look like the house had been splattered in a sea of blood, giving it a real eerie appearance.

After taking a few calming breaths, Yumi knocked on the door to that creepy building.

“Does this house belong to a guy named Dattas? We have something we’d like to ask him.”

For a fair while, there was no response at all.

But eventually, the door ominously creaked open, revealing a man who was even larger than Gazraan Rutim.

“Who are you lot...? What business do you have with Dattas...?”

“We’d like to ask about the new faces who have popped up in the area lately,” Yumi firmly replied, following the customs of the slums. Around here, letting your weakness show could prove deadly. “I’m Yumi from The Westerly Wind, and these two are Gazraan and Morun Rutim of the forest’s edge. We’ve got no desire to cause trouble for you folks. We just want to talk for a bit.”

“People of the forest’s edge...?” the large man questioned, glaring at Gazraan Rutim with a dangerous look in his eyes.

While Gazraan Rutim was already a head taller than Yumi, this man was another half a head taller on top of that. Plus, his limbs were as thick as logs, and his stomach jutted out stoutly. It was like his whole body was a size bigger than Gazraan Rutim’s.

Before the mountain of a man could say another word, though, a cheerful voice called out through a curtained window, “Hey, let them in already! Let me have a look at these people of the forest’s edge!”

The large man didn’t stop facing them down for a second, but he did step back through the door as ordered.

Though her hand was coated in a cold sweat, Yumi balled it into a fist and followed after him.

As soon as she stepped inside, she found herself in a hallway. It was rather long too, and they followed it to the end where it split off to the left and the right. The large man went down the right, and so Yumi and company did the same.

This house seemed like it had been constructed in a really unusual way. The owner’s voice before must have come from a room in the front, but you had to go down this winding complex path to get there from the entrance. Yumi didn’t really want to think too deeply on what the meaning behind that was.

“Welcome, dear guests. This is my first time inviting people of the forest’s edge into my home.”

There were five men in the room, and a round table with chairs circling it like you’d see in a bar. It was the man farthest into the room who called out to them.

He was a short little man. Even if he was standing, he would probably still be smaller than Yumi. His limbs were slender, and it was hard to imagine them having much strength behind them at all. He had a real seedy appearance and his hair was rather thinned out. Only his eyes seemed to be moving. Was he even older than Yumi’s father...?

“I am the owner of this house, Dattas. Exactly what business do you have with me?”

It seemed like there was no need to introduce themselves again, so she skipped ahead to asking the same question she had to the old woman from before.

“I see, a thug with the look of an easterner, is it...? I’ve heard rumors of someone like that coming to dwell in the neighborhood lately, though I can’t say he’s ever come by to introduce himself.”

“Huh?! Really?!” Yumi asked, enthusiastically leaning forwards.

Dattas’s cronies, meanwhile, broke out in amused grins.

“I don’t tell any lies that don’t earn me a profit. But I can’t see any reason to tell the truth if it won’t earn me any coins either.”

“You’re saying you want to be paid somehow? We don’t exactly have much on us.”

“Is that so? You know, it’s not nice to be stingy...”

Yumi stepped forward as if to act as a shield for Morun Rutim, furrowing her brows a bit as she did so.

“If you’re having improper thoughts, you’d be smart to forget them,” Yumi warned. “But if you want my necklaces or bracelets, I’ll give you whatever you want.”

“I’ve got no use for such cheap accessories. Why not try to force it out of me, though?” Dattas said with a shrug of his slender shoulders. “That said, I don’t care to bloody up my house. Instead, how about we have a contest of strength here and now, for a bit of entertainment?”

“A contest of strength?”

“Don’t you men do that at festivals and the like? It’s not like I’d have much of a chance, but this fella here’s pretty confident in his strength.”

Naturally, he was referring to that large man who had greeted them at the door. And the man was glaring straight at Gazraan Rutim now, not even so much as grinning.

“If you can beat him in a contest of strength, I’ll tell you where that thug is. But if you lose, let’s see... Yes, how about you let me have that blade you’ve got dangling from your hip? That seems much more useful than some mere baubles.”

“Dattas, could you get them to throw in that giba pelt? It’d be proof we beat a hunter of the forest’s edge in a contest of strength, so it’d make for a nice trophy,” one of the hangers-on called out, causing Dattas to break out in a grin.

“That’s a fine idea. What do you say, Mr. Hunter of the Forest’s Edge?”

“I don’t mind, but how will it be decided?” Gazraan Rutim questioned, his expression unchanged.

Dattas looked more and more pleased as he replied, “I don’t think we need to worry about anything too complicated. What do you say to the idea that the first one to hit the floor loses?”

“That would be the same as what we do at the festival of the hunt, so I have no complaints,” Gazraan Rutim answered as he took his still sheathed blade from his hip and handed it to Morun Rutim. “Is hitting and kicking acceptable? In our contests of strength at the forest’s edge, such actions are forbidden.”

“That wouldn’t be any fun at all. Just having you two grapple with one another sounds like a real bore, doesn’t it?”

“I’m fine either way. I’m not exactly seeking a thrill or anything of the sorts here,” Gazraan Rutim calmly replied.

On the other hand, the blood was clearly rising to the large man’s face. It seemed Gazraan Rutim’s calm and composed nature was really getting to him.

“Alright, clear a space! This match’ll be a single round! Well, not that I figure you’ll be up for a second go afterwards...”

With Dattas’s signal, the men pushed the table and chairs up against the wall. Dattas alone remain seated, and ultimately the space was cleared up in front of him.

Gazraan Rutim and the large man stepped into the center of the newly cleared space. Without thinking, Yumi grabbed hold of Morun Rutim’s hand, only for the girl to smile back at her.

“You don’t need to worry. Gazraan is in the top eight fighters among all the hunters under the Ruu.”

Dattas shakily raised his arm up above his head, and then swiftly swung it down.

“Begin!”

The large man instantly grabbed for Gazraan Rutim.

The hunter’s fur cloak lightly fluttered... and in the next instant, the large man’s back slammed into the floor.

It was impossible to tell just what had happened. The quake reached all the way to Yumi’s feet, and the large man moaned in anguish.

“Are you alright? You’re quite heavy, so that may have been rather painful,” Gazraan Rutim asked, sounding genuinely concerned, but the man could only groan in response. Looking carefully, his body was partially sunken into the wooden floor.

“I was holding back, so you shouldn’t suffer any lasting injuries. But we can count this as my victory, yes?” Gazraan Rutim asked, slowly turning to face Dattas.

The man’s right arm still dangled where it had swung down, as he wore a baffled expression like that of a child.