Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 15 - Chapter SS

Bonus Short Story

Young Women of the Forest’s Edge

“Um, could I have a bit of your time, Lem Dom?” a voice called out.

When Lem Dom looked in the direction of the voice, she found Yun Sudra standing there. “What is it? I have to go help Asuta with his work soon, you know.”

“I do too. But I was hoping you could spare a moment before we head out.” The girl spoke in a perfectly polite tone, but she had a somewhat combative look in her eyes as she stared up at her comrade from the northern clans.

Lem Dom held back a sigh, then turned her whole body to face the girl. “That look in your eyes says you want to complain about something. If you don’t mind, I’d like to avoid any trouble.”

“If there is any trouble, aren’t you the one most likely to cause it? First you challenged Ai Fa as soon as you saw her, and then you asked to stay at the Fa house... I think it’s pretty obvious that your actions are far outside the norms of the forest’s edge,” Yun Sudra retorted, pressing in closer to Lem Dom. “Why would you even ask to stay at the Fa house in the first place?”

“To study the frame of mind of a hunter under Ai Fa, of course. What other reason could there be?”

“Is that really all? Do you swear to our mother forest that you don’t have any ulterior motives?”

“‘Ulterior motives’? Ah, are you perhaps worried that I’ll try to make a move on Asuta? You certainly don’t need to be concerned about that. I have no interest whatsoever in a man who looks so unreliable.”

“P-Please don’t insult Asuta like that! He’s a better person than anyone I know!” Yun Sudra retorted, her face going all red as she got even angrier.

In response, though, Lem Dom just broke out in a grin.

“Ah, my apologies. Anyone would get angry, hearing such things said about someone they have feelings for. I was wrong to say that.”

“F-Feelings? I-I don’t have feelings for Asuta...”

“You’re adorable, Yun Sudra. At any rate, my heart’s been stolen by Ai Fa, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“Huh? You aren’t saying you feel that way about Ai Fa, are you?”

“Why would you think that?” Lem Dom replied with a laugh, flicking the tip of Yun Sudra’s nose. “I promise you I won’t make a move on your precious Asuta, so relax. Still, I’d imagine you aren’t pleased by the thought of the man you like spending the night in the same house as another woman to begin with.”

“I-I’m telling you, it’s not like that...”

“Yeah, yeah,” Lem Dom replied, heading toward the kitchen where everyone was waiting.

Normally, it would be unthinkable for someone from a small clan like the Sudra to level a complaint at a member of the Dom. And yet Lem Dom just felt amused and grateful toward the mother forest for allowing her to meet a girl like Yun Sudra.