Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 16 - Chapter 2.4

Intermission: A Girl Touched by Fate

It was now the thirtieth of the black month. The day my twelfth ten-day contract period began.

“Hmm, so Lem Dom is just going to be helping out with work in the morning, and then spending the night in one of the Sudra’s vacant houses? Sounds like a rough way to live,” Lala Ruu commented while mincing up tino for myamuu giba.

As I similarly minced tino for the stall’s poitan wraps, I replied, “Yeah. But, well, it worked out that we could share dinner and jerky with her rather than paying her coins for her work. So for the time being, I think she’ll be able to live comfortably enough.”

“Still, it’s hard to imagine a fifteen-year-old girl having to live all on her own. I wouldn’t even want to live a single day like that.”

Thinking back on it, Ai Fa was fifteen when she lost her father. Of course, Lem Dom hadn’t actually lost her family, but the loneliness she was feeling had to be unimaginable. She really was strong if she could keep grinning dauntlessly in spite of that.

“Now that I think about it, the Deen and Dom both fall under the Zaza, right? So can’t she stay with you guys?” Lala Ruu called out past me to Toor Deen.

Her eyebrows slumping sadly, Toor Deen replied, “This morning, we heard from our clan head that we were absolutely not to help Lem Dom out. I’m sure that notice was passed around to all the clans under the Zaza.”

“I see. The folks up north sure are hardheaded. You must be feeling uneasy, since you got along well with Lem Dom, right?”

“Yes. Or more than that, I’m worried about her, and it makes me sad.” Toor Deen had a smile on her face, but just like she said, it looked terribly forlorn. She was still a bit timid when it came to members of the clans under the Ruu, but she had really opened up to Lala Ruu.

I could still remember clearly how the two had first met at the Suun settlement, when Toor Deen had gotten burned and Lala Ruu looked after her. Between Lala Ruu and Lem Dom, Toor Deen seemed like she might have something of a tendency to be drawn toward frank and open women.

“Well, it’s not like a woman becoming a hunter is something that is accepted lightly. My dad was cold to Ai Fa for a long time because of it. I can’t really understand wanting to become a hunter badly enough to face all that hardship...”

“That reminds me, Deek Dom went to see Donda Ruu too, didn’t he? How did that go?”

“Hmm? He doesn’t seem to really want to butt into the business of an unrelated clan. That’s why he so readily agreed to letting Lem Dom stay at the Fa house before too,” Lala Ruu said, then she furrowed her well-shaped brow. “Jiza looked a bit annoyed, though. He’s even more hardheaded than my dad.”

As I recalled Jiza Ruu’s face and how he was always wearing a Buddha-like smile, I nodded. “I see.”

More than just being hardheaded, it seemed that he valued the customs of the forest’s edge more than anyone. I had trouble imagining how he must have seen me at this point, considering all I had done to smash the common sense of the forest’s edge to smithereens.

From what I could recall, the last time I talked openly with Jiza Ruu about such matters was right before the clan head meeting... In other words, it had been nearly four months. My intention had been to prove my way of thinking through my actions rather than my words, but Jiza Ruu had said it wasn’t right for a foreigner like me to assert such influence over the future of the forest’s edge. How did he feel now, though? Just like Gazraan Rutim had become the Rutim clan head, eventually Jiza Ruu would take the title from his own father. And at that point, he would become the leader of a hundred or so people under his clan, and would also be one of the three leading clan heads.

When he had eaten my giba cutlets, Jiza Ruu had given the dish praise, and I felt that was definitely his honest opinion about them. However, I didn’t exactly feel like that meant I could take it easy just yet.

“It’s time for us to sub in. Sorry for the wait.” It was around then that Li Sudra and Yun Sudra arrived. Today, they had shown up right when the sun hit its peak.

“Thanks for coming. How were the new jerky and the sausages received?”

“Well, everyone was perfectly happy with the jerky. But a lot of people seemed to feel the soft sausages were better suited to being used in dinner rather than as something to chew on during the day.”

“I see. In that case, I’m actually a bit worried that the custom of eating the tougher old style of jerky may be lost.” A worry that was entirely of my own creation. But I was convinced that eating tough jerky was essential for retaining jaw strength and the toughness of one’s teeth. “Okay, got it. I’ll look into whether or not the sausages can be sold in the castle town, or other towns entirely... Anyway, the stalls are in your hands.”

“Ah, hold on, Asuta. I was actually thinking that I would see how Yun’s work goes today, and if there aren’t any issues, I’ll entrust her with handling it on her own starting tomorrow. What do you say?”

Today was the eighth day since Yun Sudra started her training period. As far as I was concerned, I didn’t have any complaints about how her work was going.

“That’s fine by me. If she has your approval, then she should be good to go.”

“In that case, I believe I’ll spend the day watching Yun work without interfering.”

I nodded, then turned toward Yun Sudra. “All right. Give it your best shot. Knowing you, I’m sure you’ll do just fine.”

“Right! Thank you!” she replied, blushing as she bowed her head of gray-brown hair.

When she did, I ended up locking eyes head-on with Reina Ruu, who had been standing right behind her.

“Asuta, let’s get going to the inns,” Reina Ruu prompted me.

“R-Right. Well then, we’re off.”

After saying farewell to Toor Deen and Yamiru Lea, I left the stall.

As we walked down the crowded street, I thought I spied a tense look on Reina Ruu’s face, but I was sure I was just imagining things.

“Asuta, I don’t really like giving this kind of advice, but...”

“Y-Yeah? What is it?”

“I believe you need to give a bit more thought to how you interact with that Yun Sudra girl.”

“How I interact with her? Hmm, it seemed to me that I’ve been maintaining a proper distance as her employer, but still...”

As we kept on walking, Reina Ruu’s gaze turned my way from the side. “You were born in another country, Asuta. There aren’t many men who are as gentle-mannered as you here at the forest’s edge. I think Yun Sudra may be under some sort of misconception.”

“A misconception? What do you mean?”

“That she mistakenly believes she has feelings for you.”

I really hadn’t expected Reina Ruu to be so frank. I turned toward her, looking a bit bewildered, while her expression remained perfectly calm and levelheaded.

“I mean, I made a conscious decision early on to not get too close to her, so I don’t think you really need to be concerned about that...”

“Then it seems you haven’t been attentive enough. Though, it’s possible that it had nothing to do with your attitude, and that girl just wanted to marry you from the very start.”

As Reina Ruu’s words and gaze grew more and more sharp, I shrank back even further.

“You said you didn’t intend to take anyone as your bride, correct? Those feelings haven’t changed, have they?”

“Th-They haven’t. I still feel the same way.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Then in that case, you should act less casual than you currently do when dealing with that girl,” Reina Ruu replied, giving a sigh. “I’m sorry for making such uncalled-for remarks. I just believe that if you think of yourself as a friend to the Sudra clan, you should be more careful with your actions.”

“Right. I really do appreciate the advice. And I promise to be more careful from here on out.”

“Thank you...”

Just as I was thinking to myself how awkward things felt, Reina Ruu turned my way with a smile. “Phew, I’ve finally gotten that load off my chest. Let’s keep giving our all to the work ahead of us, Asuta.”

“Y-Yeah, right.” I was honestly pretty flustered, but I immediately grasped how Reina Ruu was feeling. After all, she had been rather extraordinarily fond of me too.

Since I couldn’t respond to those feelings in kind, she had spent a long time in a state of emotional instability, bouncing from being depressed to acting oddly worked up. Then, before I realized it, she became focused on polishing her cooking skills, and we were able to once again have nice, carefree conversations. But in the midst of all that, Yun Sudra had shown up, and Reina Ruu sensed that the girl had feelings for me. So just how did that leave her...?

I tried to act honestly with everyone. So depending on how things developed, perhaps it would be wise to make some time to properly talk with the Sudra clan head, Raielfam Sudra.

“Huh? That carriage belongs to the house of Daleim.”

It was now an hour later, and Reina Ruu and I were standing in front of The Sledgehammer.

From today on, I would be alternating work at The Kimyuus’s Tail with the Ruu clan every other day. After finishing that job, Reina Ruu had come here to meet up and handle the next bit of work...but a totos wagon belonging to the house of Daleim, complete with an elaborate emblem, was sitting right outside the inn.

“Why is that here? You didn’t have any sort of arrangement with that Polarth noble, did you?”

“I didn’t. In fact, he shouldn’t even know that we would be visiting The Sledgehammer right now. If he had business with us, I figure he would have just come by The Kimyuus’s Tail or the stalls.”

Well, it wasn’t as if this was the first case of Polarth showing up somewhere unexpected. Figuring he might have been consulting with Nail about ingredients or something, I went ahead and stepped into the building.

“Ah, Asuta, I’ve been waiting for you. Lord Polarth is here as well.”

“Right. Did he have some sort of business here?”

“Yes. He brought someone along with him and ordered food. Normally, I don’t serve your cooking before dinnertime, but he insisted...” Despite Nail suppressing the expression on his face, the look in his eyes told me how inconvenient all this was. “They’ve finished eating now, but when he heard you were coming, Asuta, he said he wanted to say hello, and is currently waiting in the dining hall.”

“I see. Okay, I’ll stop by there first.”

I recalled how Nail had once directed me to a meeting with Mikel just like this. Since The Sledgehammer was a renovated residence, the dining hall was on the small side. In that meager dining hall, I found Polarth and an unusual guest waiting, with two soldiers standing guard behind them.

“Ah, Sir Asuta! It’s been around three days now, hasn’t it? I’m glad to see you looking well.”

Having finished their meal, they now seemed to be treating themselves to teatime, judging by the two clay cups of blackish liquid sitting atop the small table.

“You see, I wanted to let my guest here sample your cooking. But I felt awkward about visiting with guards at dinnertime, so instead I pressured the owner here to serve your cooking midday.”

“I see. So you were after the cooking from the inns rather than the stalls?”

“Indeed. And not just any inn, but this one in particular. It certainly was spicy, but it was delicious as well!”

It was the giba sauté arrabbiata on today’s menu. Since I didn’t hold back on the chitt seeds with the dishes for The Sledgehammer, it must have made for quite the stimulating flavor.

“You see, my guest here was actually born in Sym.”

It went without saying that I had already picked up on that. After all, the person in question had the hood of their cloak over their head despite the fact that they were indoors, and I could spy a dark-skinned chin underneath.

However, they looked short for an easterner. It was hard to tell while they were seated, but they were likely even shorter than I was. Plus, that hooded cloak wasn’t made for traveling. It was much too fancy, made from silk or something.

“This personage is Arishuna Ji Mafraluda, who has been staying in the castle town for the past year. And this is Sir Asuta, the chef from the forest’s edge who made that splendid dish we just ate.”

The person gave a small bow, then calmly pulled down their hood. And sure enough, the face that appeared from underneath had the look of someone from Sym.

Black hair and eyes, dark skin, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips. Their long black hair was braided and hanging down in front of their chest on the right. They wore accessories of silver and gemstones not just around their neck and on their arms, but also on their ears and fingers, giving a particularly exotic feel.

They seemed to have a rather slender build too. Their face, neck, and fingers all looked quite slim. So much so that it felt like if you didn’t handle them with the utmost care, something might snap.

Could it be...? I thought to myself.

The question was immediately answered by Polarth. “You see, she is a remarkably skilled star seer. She has her reasons for staying here in this land, but as she is an official guest of Duke Genos, I ask that you treat her as such.”

So she really was a woman. In that case, she wasn’t overly petite at all. Still, this was my first time seeing a woman from the east.

Well, if someone taller kept their hood up, I probably wouldn’t be able to guess at their gender. So I guess I could have had some women mixed in among my customers up till now.

At any rate, if she was a guest of Duke Genos, I figured that meant I should treat her like a noble.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Asuta of the Fa clan, a person of the forest’s edge. I owe a great debt to your companion Polarth there.”

“The people of, the forest’s edge... But I heard that, you are from overseas. So, were you not acknowledged, as a citizen of the west?”

It seemed like she was at about the same level as Sanjura when it came to her handling of the western tongue. Her voice had a real pleasant tone, low and yet clear.

“I haven’t been, no. From what I was told, since I was not born on this continent I can’t be considered a child of the four great gods, so I am not permitted to officially call myself a citizen of the western kingdom. However, Duke Marstein Genos arranged things so that I can still refer to myself as a person of the forest’s edge.”

Yes, the religious officials of Genos had refused to allow someone of unknown background like me to call himself a citizen of Selva. My official status was that of a visitor from overseas staying at the settlement at the forest’s edge.

“So you have cast aside, your homeland, and now live here in Genos. Then you are, the same as me.”

This girl from the east, Arishuna, stared straight at me with eyes as calm as a moonlit lake. Somehow, it felt like her gaze saw all the way down into the depths of my very soul.

“Your cooking at the stalls is of course amply tasty too, but I wanted Lady Arishuna here to sample something using ingredients from Sym. Oh yes, you are experimenting with a dish using a great deal more herbs, are you not? Will that perhaps be on offer at the upcoming welcome banquet?”

“Ah, you’re referring to my giba curry. No, I couldn’t figure out how to get it to fit in with the overall menu, so I wasn’t planning on making it. And Banarm has even less of a custom of using herbs than Genos, don’t they? I’ve heard they don’t have much interaction with Sym.”

“Yes, that is certainly true. Even so, I am certain that Sir Varkas will use a great deal of herbs, and the guests from Banarm are also sure to be impressed.”

“I’m sure you’re right. But I’m not personally all that skilled at using herbs, so I want to try my hardest to make everyone happy within the scope of my own abilities.”

“I see,” Polarth replied, stroking his round chin and looking satisfied with my explanation. “Even so, I would still like to taste your dish that uses all those herbs eventually. It will be served at this shop, will it not?”

“Yes. It should be ready to be introduced in the near future.”

“Then when that time comes, I shall venture here once more alongside Lady Arishuna! Good owner, I’m sorry, but we will once again impose upon you on our next visit.”

“Of course,” Nail replied with a polite bow of his head. Honestly, this was pretty mild and harmless as far as selfish actions from nobles went.

“Well then, what about your menu for the banquet? Does it seem like the new ingredients will be of use?”

“Well, there are still a number of dishes I haven’t decided on just yet. But as far as the new ingredients go, I was thinking I’d like to devote my efforts toward seeing what could be used in the post town.”

“Of course, we would be grateful to have you help us out on that front, even more than we’d like to see you use them in the banquet. Whether or not you use any new ingredients, your dishes all still feel so fresh, Sir Asuta,” Polarth proclaimed with a truly joyful grin. “If you run short on ingredients, do not hesitate to reach out to me. You needn’t pay any coins for whatever you use in experimenting, after all.”

“Thank you for that. And there’s actually one more request I’d like to make... Would it be possible to have a single live fish?”

“Huh?! You intend to use a live fish?!”

“Ah, not for the post town, but for the welcome banquet. I was thinking it would be nice if I could use it for the appetizer.”

“How exciting! Sir Varkas uses a barrel or some such to take fish from the tanks, water and all, so it should at least be possible.”

“I see. Then there’s something I’d like to ask Varkas too...”

When I told him my question, Polarth’s eyes shot open even wider.

“My! Is such a dish truly possible?”

“Back in my home country, we would eat them that way too. But would food like that be hard for folks from Genos and Banarm to accept?”

“Not at all! And if anyone has an issue, they can simply leave it uneaten! At the very least, I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to have some!”

In that case, it sounded like it would be worth giving it a try. But first, I would have to hear Varkas’s reply about whether or not that freshwater char-like fish could be eaten raw.

“My, I’m getting more and more excited for the welcome banquet. Ah yes, and the date it will be held on has at last been set. The tenth of the indigo month. I will look forward to your efforts then!”

“The tenth of the indigo month... So since today is the thirtieth of the black month, it’s in exactly ten days?”

“Indeed. Normally, it is said that the middle of the month, the fifteenth, is an auspicious day for traveling. But after having Lady Arishuna here read the stars to see if an even more fortuitous day could be found, the date for their departure was moved instead to the eighth of the indigo month. And if they leave Banarm when the sun is at its peak on the eighth, they would arrive around the same time of day in Genos on the tenth. The plan is to hold the welcome banquet for them that evening.”

If we were talking ten days from now, then that luckily happened to line up with my day off from the stalls. This world’s stars or whatever really were considerate.

“Ah, my apologies for getting all worked up and leaving you out, Lady Arishuna. That must have been quite tedious for you.”

“No. It is, no trouble.”

“Lady Arishuna is also set to attend the banquet. We can expect the dishes served for the occasion to be as good as what we just had, if not better, isn’t that right, Sir Asuta?” Polarth said, shooting me a big grin. “Oh yes, I heard that you were having the owner here taste some sort of new dish today? If you do not mind, could we also give it a try?”

“Yes, of course. Actually, I was wanting to have you do a taste test on this stuff anyway, Polarth.” Thinking about it, it might have been really lucky that I had run into Polarth here. At any rate, I went ahead and lifted up the small leather bag I had been carrying.

“Nail, could I borrow a wooden plate and a knife?”

After the innkeeper brought me what I requested, I emptied the contents of my bag onto the plate. Not that there was all that much to show them. Just two links of sausages. I had been distributing them to acquaintances, and by now this was all that was left.

“These were made by stuffing finely minced meat into sausages and then smoking them. I wanted your opinion on whether or not they could be sold in the post town or other towns.”

Polarth appeared a little let down, but when he bit into the slice of sausage I offered him, the look in his eyes totally shifted. “This is delicious! Just from being smoked, the wonderful flavor of the giba meat has been greatly concentrated!”

“Yes, it really is good. Every bit as delicious as gyama sausages,” Nail chimed in, his eyes narrowing with satisfaction.

Arishuna alone remained silent and expressionless. That was no surprise, as according to the customs of the east, it was seen as shameful to let your emotions show.

“What do you think? I’ve heard that easterners often eat gyama sausages, so I would love to hear your opinion.”

Arishuna’s overly calm gaze turned my way. “It is truly delicious. But I am not, familiar with the taste of gyama.”

“Huh? But don’t easterners eat gyama meat back in their home country?”

“I am a citizen, of the east. But I was born, in the west.”

I didn’t really get what she meant. However, Polarth offered some support on that front.

“You see, Lady Arishuna’s family fled the eastern kingdom. They did not change gods to Selva, but they have wandered the western lands ever since, unable to return to their homeland. For a period, you stayed in the western capital of Algrad, did you not?”

“Yes. Twenty years ago, my family was exiled, from Sym. Seventeen years ago, I was born. And then one year ago now, I lost my grandfather, the last of my family...”

“Lady Arishuna’s grandfather passed away here in Genos. With nowhere to go, she became an official guest of Duke Genos thanks to her star reading abilities, and has been staying in the castle town.”

It was surprising to hear that someone could live such a life. I couldn’t help but wonder just what had happened that resulted in their banishment from Sym...only for Arishuna to speak up, as if having read my mind.

“My grandfather, was a famed star seer. But when he read, his sovereign’s downfall, he earned that sovereign’s anger, and was banished from Sym.”

“Sovereigns are what they call the ruler of a domain in Sym. The nation is split into seven domains, with seven sovereigns between them,” Polarth explained, and Arishuna nodded in confirmation.

“Just as the stars decreed, that sovereign fell. But the new sovereign, perhaps took issue, with my grandfather’s abilities. And so, we were unable, to return to Sym.”

“From what I hear, that is why Lady Arishuna’s family moved to the west and avoided settling in any one place. The only option to provide for themselves was to display their star reading talents, but if their reputation grew enough then they would eventually be sought out by nobles wishing to employ them. It must have been a life of endless hardship,” Polarth said with a solemn look on his plump face, and then he nodded his head. “But for better or worse, the lord of Genos only sees star reading as a small bit of entertainment. No matter what proclamation you make, you have nothing to fear from him. You should be able to relax and keep living your life here in Genos.”

Arishuna silently nodded in response. Then, she stared intently at my face again. “Asuta of the Fa clan, do you not, miss your homeland?”

“Hmm? Well, the details on my end are a bit more complicated, but they’re not important. I plan to live out the rest of my life here in this land. It doesn’t seem like there’s any way for me to return home, regardless.”

“A visitor from overseas, would only need to, depart for Sym or Mahyudra, then pass through, the icy northern sea, correct...?”

“Ah, you’re talking about those people of the dragon god, right? I was born in an island nation, surrounded by the ocean, but I don’t share any roots with those folks.”

Arishuna knit her brows. And when she did, I could clearly see her long eyelashes. “Asuta...are you, a starless one?”

“Huh?”

“I cannot see your star, anywhere at all. Starless ones, do not have stars, here in this world,” Arishuna stated, shutting her eyes. “A starless one, would indeed, be unable to, return home. After all, their home, does not exist, in this world.”

Instantly, my heart started pounding.

Could it be...that this girl knew more about my situation than I did?

“Polarth, I am suffering, from a headache. It seems I have grown, a bit tired.”

“My, how awful! Then shall we return to the castle town...? At any rate, I will inquire as to the live fish posthaste. If that goes well, then either tomorrow or the day after, I shall have the fish delivered in a barrel by wagon.”

“Thank you,” I replied, but my heartbeat wasn’t calming down.

As if refusing any further comments from me, Arishuna pulled her hood back up over her head.

“Well then, please excuse us. Much obliged for your service, good innkeeper. And Sir Asuta, I look forward to the banquet ten days from now!”

“Right. I’ll do my best.”

With that, Arishuna and Polarth left.

As I stood there speechless, Reina Ruu tugged on my sleeve.

“Are you all right? Your face looks rather pale.”

“I’m fine... It’s nothing,” I said, trying to shoot her a smile. But my face felt so stiff that it didn’t go very well. So, I slapped both of my cheeks in order to bring myself back to my senses.

“Wh-What are you doing?! Are you really okay, Asuta?!”

“Oww... I’m fine. That was just to get me back in the right state of mind.”

No matter what Arishuna knew, the path ahead of me remained unchanged. Even if a third party were to tell me there really was no way back home...that despair was something I had already overcome to be standing here now.

I already died once. That may be something no one but me can understand, but it’s still a fact.

The vivid heat from the inferno.

The hellish pain of being roasted alive.

And the feeling of my body being crushed under a mountain of rubble.

I couldn’t believe that suffering was all fake. No, I really had died.

Even so, I’ve been able to live on in this second life of mine.

It was hard to say just what sort of prank by the fates had caused all this, but I had managed to live again with hope in my heart. There was no time for lamenting my fate. I just had to keep on charging forward as long as my strength held out, holding that suffering that I could never forget inside me.

“Well then, how about we head back to the stalls? Now that we have a date scheduled, we’ve got to start seriously working on preparing a menu for the welcome banquet,” I declared, taking one more step forward.