Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 18 - Chapter 2.4

4

The dinner at the Sauti settlement came to a smooth close, and the visiting women cleared away all the tableware and pots. The three young children returned to their respective rooms, leaving just Dari and Moga Sauti in the main hall along with us guests.

“Now then, I’d like to hear more details about today’s hunt. What do all of you think after actually facing off with the lord?” Dari Sauti asked.

Ludo Ruu jumped in first. “Man, that giba was unreal. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen one that my old man, Darmu, and I couldn’t take down, even working together! Jeeda and Bartha shot a ton of arrows into it, and Ai Fa and Gazraan Rutim slashed at its neck and back too, so how is that thing even still alive?”

“Because its pelt, fat, and meat are so thick that arrows and blades cannot reach its vital points. It was like trying to thrust a blade into hard ground,” Ai Fa replied after having remained silent all throughout dinner.

After hearing that, Donda Ruu spoke up. “Ludo, starting tomorrow, you’re joining Bartha’s group.”

“Huh? But why?! Having the two of them on bows should be plenty, right? And the bows did even less than the swords, didn’t they?!”

“That’s because we were aiming at the wrong place. Starting tomorrow, just focus on its right eye.”

“Its right eye?”

“That’s right. It’s already lost its left eye, so if we can take out its right eye too, that should do a lot to restrict its movement.”

“Really? But when we faced it, I believe it had both eyes,” Dari Sauti interjected.

“Yeah,” Donda Ruu nodded. “It was a fresh wound, and from a blade at that. It was probably inflicted by your hunters yesterday. So that accomplishment belongs to all of you.”

“If that is the case, I suppose our efforts were at least somewhat rewarded...”

“As such, we’ll start by attacking that weakness. If we can steal away its vision, that should make our use of giba summoning and warding fruit even more effective.”

“Tch! I wanted to be in the group going in with swords. I know Dan Rutim said he wanted to take a swing at it tomorrow too.”

“Don’t be a fool. We won’t be bringing that thing down unless everyone carries out their tasks. A nose to sniff out giba and a bow to take out its eyes are more important now than a single blade,” Donda Ruu shot back, taking a swig of fruit wine. “Besides, a blade swung with those thin arms of yours wouldn’t be able to take its life anyway. So if you understand that, then just be quiet and prepare your bow.”

“Hey, Ai Fa’s arms are even thinner than mine, so why not have her handle the bow?”

“Ai Fa will be handling the giba summoning fruit tomorrow. She can’t do that while also hiding and shooting arrows, now can she?”

When she heard that, there was a shine in Ai Fa’s blue eyes. “Donda Ruu, I have a proposal on that front.”

“I get the feeling you’re about to spout off some nonsense too.”

“You may well see it that way, Donda Ruu... I was thinking that after I place giba summoning fruit in the location decided upon for the traps, I should also coat myself in the aroma. What do you say?”

I felt myself about to reflexively shout something out in shock.

However, Donda Ruu just shot Ai Fa a quiet, blazing glare. “You would perform sacrificial hunting when there are this many hunters around?”

“That’s correct. Normally, this would be no place to do so, as a giba that smells giba summoning fruit loses all reason and becomes even more vicious. And it’s possible that it may enrage them even more when that aroma is mixed with the scent of a human.”

“Then why do such a thing?”

“Please, allow me to finish. Think back to what Dan and Raa Rutim said before dinner, about how the lord smelled of fury from the very start. It charged at us, even though it was alone, not fearing even such a large number of people. It had already gone mad before having ever smelled a giba summoning fruit... With that in mind, performing sacrificial hunting shouldn’t increase the danger it presents.”

Donda Ruu was just silently glaring at my clan head as she explained.

“Besides, no matter how carefully we lay our traps, it could still end up just charging straight ahead as it did today. But if I coated myself in the scent of giba summoning fruit, it would make the lord’s movements easy to predict.”

“But then it’d keep on chasing after you, wouldn’t it? That’d be dangerous, right?” Ludo Ruu chimed in.

However, Ai Fa shook her head and replied, “No. If I devote my efforts solely to fleeing, I won’t be caught by a giba so easily. Even more so if it has lost its vision. And if I sense any danger, I can swiftly climb up a tree where its horns cannot reach.”

“I get the feeling that thing can knock over any tree it pleases.”

“If that happens, then I’ll simply leap to another tree. It’s true that I have the least strength to swing a blade out of anyone in this group, so I believe that this is how I can be of the greatest use.”

Donda Ruu remained silent for a while longer. All the other hunters didn’t say a word either, simply waiting for his decision. But in the end, it was Donda Ruu’s other son who broke the silence.

“What’s the harm? She’s always treating her own life lightly anyway,” Darmu Ruu stated. The second Ruu son’s wolf-like eyes remained piercingly fixed on Ai Fa. “We Ruu hunters would never treat a life so frivolously, though, so we just need to finish the lord off before its tusks dig into her.”

“Hmm, it’s not quite convincing hearing that from you, Darmu. I mean, you’re always worrying about other people, aren’t you? And getting hurt protecting them...” Ludo Ruu teased, but Darmu Ruu’s gaze didn’t shift away from Ai Fa.

As she calmly stared back, my clan head opened her mouth.

“I have no intention of treating my life lightly. I simply am trying to choose what I feel is the best path forward... And I believe that with the full strength of the Ruu hunters, there isn’t a giba alive that cannot be taken down.”

“Are you truly confident that you can escape even with the lord chasing after you?” Donda Ruu grumbled.

“Of course,” Ai Fa replied with a firm nod.

“Then we’ll work that into our plans. It’s a job that only you can carry out,” Donda Ruu stated, even more strength behind his voice than usual. “Dari Sauti, your clan has techniques for guiding a giba using giba warding fruit, right?”

“Yeah. It’s essentially similar to sacrificial hunting. You coat your body in the scent of giba warding fruit and drive the giba toward wherever you want.”

“In that case, all the remaining Sauti hunters should coat themselves in that scent and drive the giba to the hunting grounds. Dan and Raa Rutim will assist with that,” Donda Ruu said, and then he glanced over at Ludo Ruu. “You should take care of any giba driven there with your bows first. Aside from the lord, we need to eliminate as many giba in the area as possible then and there so they don’t mess with the traps.”

“Yeah, there’s sure to be lots of other giba besides the lord drawn out. That actually sounds like it might be a pretty fun job.”

“I’ll take care of whatever’s left, along with Darmu, Gazraan Rutim, and Rau Lea. You two should act as if you have no job at all until the lord appears,” Donda Ruu stated, directing that last bit toward Ai Fa and Mida. “When it does show up, we’ll aim for its legs instead of its torso. If we slow its movements down even a little that way, the traps we set should be more effective. But if it makes it through the traps, then it’ll be your turn...”

“Understood,” Ai Fa acknowledged.

“Yeah...” Mida said.

“You’re the only one who wasn’t sent flying when facing it head-on, Mida. We’ll add some metal spikes to your club for tomorrow, which should allow you to crack the lord’s skull open if you aim for its head.”

“Okay... I’ll try my best...”

“Still, there’s no telling just how badly we’ll have to injure the lord in order to stop it. It may just keep on rampaging even if its legs are broken and its skull cracked. If that happens, then we’ll be counting on your resolve,” Donda Ruu said, his eyes fixed on Ai Fa. “If the lord survives this formation we have laid out, then you will guide it back to us again. Then our blades will strike true and take its life.”

“Very well,” Ai Fa replied, looking remarkably calm and composed.

As he stared back at her, Donda Ruu took another swig of fruit wine and stated, “If every one of us puts their full strength into the task, there is no question that we will be able to take down the lord of the forest. And we will do it without any of us losing their lives. Our honor as hunters of the forest’s edge rests upon this.”

◇

“You look as if you wish to say something, Asuta,” Ai Fa called out, leaning up against the wall as always in the small room, which was only about eight square meters or so.

The room was located in a Vela branch house. On the other side of the wall, Bartha and Jeeda must have already been asleep.

Sitting down directly in front of my clan head, I listlessly nodded, “Yeah...”

“What is it? If you have something to say, then say it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Isn’t that the promise that we made?”

“Ah, rather than wanting to say something, it’s more like I’m thinking about how tough my position is.”

“I don’t really know what you mean. What are you so worried about?”

“The fact that no matter what danger you may be facing, all I can do is trust in you and wait.”

Ai Fa tilted her head a bit, looking confused. It seemed she really didn’t understand what I was thinking at all.

“It’s about the sacrificial hunting. You’re the one who brought it up, so I know you’re sure of yourself. And I know better than anyone that you aren’t the sort to treat your life lightly.”

“Right.”

“So worrying too much would be like proof that I don’t trust in you, right? But I do trust you, and yet I still can’t help it.”

“I can’t say I understand. It’s only natural to worry about a member of your house,” Ai Fa said with a shrug of her shoulders as she let down her long hair. “It’s fine to worry while trusting in me. That’s the role of those who wait for their house’s hunters to return.”

“You sure do make it sound easy,” I replied with a deep sigh, only for Ai Fa to break out in a smile while staring back at me.

“Even so, you are in fact trusting in me, and worrying about me too. I’m more than happy enough with that, Asuta.”

“Right, got it. Then it was worth it to stop myself from saying, ‘Don’t do the sacrificial hunting,’ no matter how much I wanted to.”

“Yes, you should swallow any such words that try to slip out,” Ai Fa said with a chuckle, elegantly brushing up her golden hair that was dangling down. “Today, I was once again reinvigorated by your cooking. Next time we encounter the lord of the forest, we’ll surely take it down. With the strength of Donda Ruu and everyone else on our side, there’s no reason to fear.”

“Yeah. Thinking about it that way, it really is amazing, all of you going out together on a hunt.”

“Indeed. Over the course of today’s hunt, I gained a thorough sense of just how strong the Ruu hunters are,” Ai Fa said, letting slip a sigh of satisfaction. “Gazraan Rutim, Ludo Ruu, Darmu Ruu, and Rau Lea—they’re all incredibly capable hunters. And out of all of them, without a doubt, Donda Ruu... He’s every bit as great of a hunter as my father was. I feel proud, knowing that such a remarkable man is one of our leading clan heads.”

“Hmm. Hearing you say that, and thinking about how strong your dad must have been for someone from a small clan, it’s really impressive.”

“Of course he was. After all, my father Gil was the greatest hunter in all the forest’s edge,” Ai Fa childishly retorted, which I couldn’t help but find incredibly adorable.

At any rate, Ai Fa didn’t seem to be feeling any fear or hesitation whatsoever. Even though I was pretty sure Donda Ruu hated the dangerous technique of sacrificial hunting, he didn’t try to reject her proposal. That just showed how much he trusted in her strength, as well as how far they would have to go in order to take down the lord of the forest.

With that in mind, I had no choice but to trust in Ai Fa, Donda Ruu, and everyone else, even as I worried about them. Ultimately, all I could do was have a delicious dinner waiting for them to show my appreciation for their efforts.

“Well then, shall we get to sleep in preparation for tomorrow?”

“Right,” I nodded back.

But right then there was a great commotion that you certainly wouldn’t expect at this time of night from outside the window.

Actually, that might have been overselling it. It seemed to be more like a man and a woman trying to keep their voices down while having an argument. After sharing a brief glance, Ai Fa and I gently crept over to the window.

Under the pale moonlight, a tall man and a slender woman were standing in the space between our house and the neighboring one. With my eyesight, the most I could make out was their silhouettes. But from their voices, I could tell that it was apparently Darmu and Sheera Ruu.

“So just what exactly is it that you’re trying to say? If you’ve got some sort of issue, then come out with it clearly,” Darmu Ruu stated, sounding blatantly annoyed.

When she replied to him, Sheera Ruu’s voice was obviously pained and sad. “I don’t have any issue. I just want you to be safe, Darmu Ruu.”

“That isn’t how it sounded to me. You were practically telling me to head back to the Ruu settlement, weren’t you?”

“That’s not true... I simply said that I wanted you to watch out for yourself and not just the others.”

“So are you saying I’m so inexperienced I don’t even know how to protect myself?”

“No, that’s not it. But not that long ago you were injured protecting Shin too...”

“What, that again? How long do you intend to keep bringing up that old story?” Darmu Ruu questioned, sounding even more irritated. But as he drew in closer to Sheera Ruu, he seemed to rethink things and came to a stop. “Sheera Ruu, it’s not in your nature to go complaining to a member of the main house. I at least understand that much.”

“Right...”

“But sometimes you say stuff I just don’t understand. Stuff that irritates me. And I don’t have a clue why that is.”

Sheera Ruu didn’t say anything in response.

“I’m sure you’re dressing up your words because you’re so timid. But there’s no need to worry about who’s in the main and branch houses, so if you have something you want to say then just come out with it clearly.” Though Darmu Ruu’s voice sounded just as irritated as always, there was also something about it that I didn’t usually sense. It was as if there was something vexing him, or he was feeling troubled...

Then in the next moment, he sounded totally astonished.

“What in the world are you crying about?”

With my eyesight, I wasn’t able to pick up on Sheera Ruu’s expression. From what I could tell, she seemed to be staring up at Darmu Ruu’s face.

“I’m sorry. I just...felt a bit happy, is all.”

“Happy? What do you have to feel happy about?”

“It’s just...you listened so seriously to what I had to say, and tried so hard to understand what I meant... I’m sorry, it seems I can’t put it into words properly.”

“I don’t get it at all. Anyway, just stop crying already.”

“Right,” Sheera Ruu nodded back, and then it looked like she wiped away her tears.

Darmu Ruu, meanwhile, was scratching his head.

“At any rate, I’ve got no intention of treating my life lightly. Rau Lea and I only got injured because we happened to be positioned to take the brunt of the blow from the lord of the forest. If Ludo or Gazraan Rutim had been in our place, they would have ended up injured instead.”

“Okay. I’ll choose to believe your words there... And I’ll be praying with all my heart that you return safely again tomorrow.”

“That’s only natural for a woman of the forest’s edge,” Darmu Ruu sulkily replied, giving a deep sigh. I suspected that was probably the first time I had ever seen him sigh like that. “You’re done crying, right? So hurry back to your room already. Vina’s probably getting suspicious around now.”

“Yes. Please, get plenty of rest for tomorrow.”

And with that, the two figures disappeared from our field of view.

As I stepped back from the latticed window, I once again exchanged a glance with Ai Fa.

“Umm...even if it was unintentional, did we just commit the crime of peeping?”

“It isn’t as if we hid our presence, so it is no crime. They were at fault for not noticing,” Ai Fa said with a frown. “That second son of the Ruu really does need to train his heart and mind more. It’s unforgivable, making a woman like Sheera Ruu shed tears.”

“Oh, right, you took a liking to her, didn’t you?”

“Indeed. If I were a man, I would prefer a modest woman like...” Ai Fa started to say, only for her mouth to suddenly shut as she shot me a glare.

“What? I didn’t say anything.”

“Quiet, you,” she grumbled, plopping down on the spot, and then lying down on her side. “I’m going to sleep. You should get some rest too. You can use the bedding there.”

“Huh? Ah, no, you’ve had a much rougher day, so you should use the bedding to get the most restful sleep you can.”

Though the room was snug, there was still a single set of bedding prepared. It was a situation that reminded me of our time back at the Rutim house, but we really couldn’t share it this time around. I felt relieved that Ai Fa agreed on that front, but I also didn’t feel like just leaving her there and using it for myself.

“Don’t worry about me. You used more of your strength than usual today, didn’t you?”

“That’s nothing compared to a hunter’s work, so I’ll leave it to you instead.”

“So persistent...” Ai Fa stated as she shot me a glare out of the corner of her eye while still facing the wall. “Will you not listen to your clan head’s orders? You use the bedding.”

“You’re the one being stubborn. I know that you would be happier using it.”

“Really...”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“I see. Perhaps I was mistaken.”

Ai Fa suddenly rose and turned, facing me as I stood there. Then, she abruptly grabbed hold of my collar, crossed the room, and sat down atop the bedding. Naturally, since she still had me in her grip, I ended up sitting there too.

“A-Ai Fa?”

“At the Rutim house, we slept together in the same bedding. If we are to act as we have up until now, then we should do the same again tonight.”

“No, no way! There’s no need to force ourselves to do that!”

“Why is it a matter of forcing anything? There haven’t been any changes to the bond we share. So it isn’t right to try to distance ourselves,” Ai Fa replied as she lay down atop the bedding.

As I gazed at the smooth contour of her back, I couldn’t stop my heart from pounding. Since there was a wall behind me, the only way to escape this predicament would be to climb over her...and my stubborn clan head would surely never allow that.

“Asuta.”

“Yes?!”

“Get to sleep already. We need our rest.”

“Right...” I replied in resignation, finally lying down. If I huddled up against the wall, I could just barely avoid touching Ai Fa.

I lay there with my body perfectly straight, just staring at the beams along the ceiling. Meanwhile, I could vaguely sense the warmth of Ai Fa’s body just a short distance away. And that faint warmth was enough to make it so I couldn’t relax in the least.

“This won’t do...”

“Huh?”

I could sense Ai Fa turning around to face my way. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye while still facing straight upward.

With her blonde hair draped down over her cheek, she was staring at me while childishly biting her lip.

“I don’t feel at ease with our backs to one another. It’s as if I’m sleeping with a giant madarama snake.”

“What, so I’m a madarama now?”

“I need to keep my eyes on you like this in order to be sure that isn’t the case.”

“You can’t sleep with your eyes open, can you?”

“As long as I feel at ease, I can sleep. But you shouldn’t worry about that. Get some rest already.”

“As if I could sleep with you staring right at me like that! Shouldn’t we just do whatever is best for the both of us to sleep soundly? We each have important work to do tomorrow, after all.”

My eyeballs were feeling tired, so I turned my whole head toward Ai Fa. Since she was only twenty centimeters away or so, her graceful face was reflected even more clearly in my eyes.

“No...this really is how we should be,” Ai Fa replied, suddenly breaking out in a smile. Somehow, it looked as if all the tension had drained from her shoulders. “It brings me joy, being able to sense you so close. That feeling hasn’t changed in the least.”

“Right...”

“I can feel a bit of tightness and pressure in my chest, but it’s just a part of how precious you are to me.”

A tightness in her chest, huh?

Was Ai Fa’s heart beating faster and faster the way that mine was?

Imagining that made me feel more than a tightness, almost a difficulty breathing...and so I stopped worrying about it.

I couldn’t carelessly touch her. And yet, I wanted to be as near to her as possible. I guess we had maneuvered our feelings for each other into a complicated and precarious tangle, in a way that would probably seem incomprehensible from the outside looking in.

At any rate, I tried to relax and release as much tension as I could from my whole body and shot Ai Fa a smile.

“Well, let’s try as hard as we can to get some nice carefree rest. How about we make it a competition, to see who can fall asleep first?”

“What in the world are you saying?” Ai Fa said with a little chuckle, half closing her eyes.

I went ahead and turned my whole body her way, similarly letting my eyelids droop.

Though I didn’t expect that I would be getting to sleep for a while yet, this moment we were sharing was filled with bliss beyond even what we normally felt around each other.