Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 2 - Chapter SS1.4

4

“So, that’s the conclusion you reached, Ai Fa of the Fa clan?” Donda Ruu asked in a low voice.

It was three days after their initial meeting, just as he had promised. They were in front of the Fa house exactly like before, and he had once again brought his three sons.

Ai Fa had only offered a greeting so far, but apparently Donda Ruu had already figured out everything just from looking at her. That was because she was wearing a hunter’s cloak made from a giba’s pelt and had a large and small blade dangling at her waist. She was also wearing the necklace she had inherited from Gil Fa, which felt even heavier to her than the steel sword. After all, it represented her father’s pride, as the treasure that he obtained by risking his life and heading into the forest.

“I’ve decided to live my life as a hunter. As such, I cannot marry into the Ruu clan. My deepest apologies for turning down your kindness.”

“Hmph... Looks like your stupidity exceeded my expectations, Ai Fa of the Fa clan,” Donda Ruu stated, burning with a quiet rage. Ai Fa gripped both her fists tight so that she wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the flames in his eyes.

“Protecting the house, birthing children, and raising them... You intend to cast aside all that women’s work and devote yourself to playing at being a hunter?”

“Yes, that’s right. I want to strive so that I can one day be acknowledged as a full-fledged hunter.”

“Do you really think that you can hunt enough giba on your own?”

“Up until I turned 13, my father Gil successfully carried out his work as a hunter all by himself. I only need to procure enough for myself, whereas he needed to support both my mother Mei and myself, so I don’t see it as some great hardship.”

“...Do you think your father wanted you to live like that?”

Ai Fa took a short breath, then said, “I don’t know what my father thought. And so, I chose this path of my own will.”

It was possible that Gil Fa’s soul that had been offered to the forest was now grieving and moaning as he watched over Ai Fa. He could have been saying that she still wasn’t strong enough, and it was utterly foolish to take on the forest on her own.

She could only imagine that, though.

And so, Ai Fa had made her own decision.

What was right, what others wanted of her, what she should do... She stopped worrying about all that, and instead chose to value what she wanted.

She wanted to live as a hunter. That desire had been a part of her from the very start.

Should she live as a hunter, or should she live as a woman...? Once she removed that “should” from the equation, there was only one answer left to her.

Even if she didn’t know what was right, she knew what she wanted.

Ai Fa wanted to live as a hunter. Rather than a life of waiting at home for the men to return, she wished for one where she headed out into the forest to seek the life force she needed with her own two hands.

It was better to have your soul return to the forest rather than live a life you didn’t want... Ai Fa decided to live while keeping those words from her father close to her heart.

If Ai Fa’s decision was wrong, then the forest was sure to help itself to her soul. The fifteen-year-old girl still couldn’t properly wield a sword, but she would live on her own as a hunter. And if that choice had been a mistake, then her only option was to perish in the forest.

“...Do you intend to invalidate the wishes of those who don’t want you to die, Ai Fa of the Fa clan?” Donda Ruu asked in an even calmer voice than before. Despite that tone, though, there was clear rage in his eyes. Perhaps he thought she was invalidating the thoughts and concerns of his precious family.

Ai Fa quietly calmed her breathing and replied, “I’m sure very few others would agree with my choice. But I cannot bend my will to the thinking of others.”

Ai Fa’s choice would probably make Jiba and Rimee Ruu sad. Or perhaps they would get angry. But even so, Ai Fa decided to pay that matter no heed.

Even if she was scolded and called foolish, there was no law that stated women couldn’t be hunters. That may have just been because no one was foolish enough to try up until now, but even so, it wasn’t restricted.

And so, Ai Fa had no intention of being ashamed of her way of life.

She couldn’t bring herself to bow her head to the treacherous Suun clan, nor could she ignore her own will and marry into the Ruu clan.

I’ll surely never be able to meet Granny Jiba or Rimee Ruu ever again...

That was only natural, now that she had angered the head of the Ruu clan so greatly.

The thought that she would never again hold Jiba Ruu’s withered hands, or see Rimee Ruu’s brilliant smile, made her chest feel like it would burst. And since she wouldn’t bow her head to the Suun clan, the Ran and Fou had started avoiding her, too. If her bonds to the Ruu clan were severed on top of that, she really would be all alone.

And yet, Ai Fa simply couldn’t bend. She couldn’t see a point in forming bonds with others if it came with the need to lose sight of herself.

If no one existed in this world who would accept Ai Fa as she was, then her only choice left was to live on her own.

“You are the one to decide your own path... And it appears that path doesn’t overlap with the one our Ruu clan walks, Ai Fa of the Fa clan.”

“Yes, that appears to be the case.”

After hearing Ai Fa’s response, Donda Ruu turned around and left, with his three sons silently following suit.

And just like that, Ai Fa was left by herself, starting off her life all on her own.

If she couldn’t hunt down a giba on her own before the meat and vegetables in her pantry and the horns and tusks around her neck ran out, Ai Fa would starve to death. That would be her first trial.

Since I’m the only member of my household, one giba every 10 days will be sufficient. If I can’t manage that much, then I’m not qualified to live as a hunter.

However, food wasn’t the only thing that she needed.

The clothing she wore and her blades would need to be obtained by trading horns and tusks in town. She had a spare knife in addition to the one she already used, but she only had a single sword. If it happened to break, it would require thirty giba worth of horns and tusks to replace.

Well, rather than worrying about this blade breaking, I should use that energy for actually wielding it.

Ai Fa grabbed the sword and headed back outside.

Even if she could bluff against a human opponent, out in the forest it would be a life or death struggle. She couldn’t just head off into the forest with a weapon she wasn’t in the right mind to use to the fullest.

Well then, let’s get to it.

It was time for her first hunt in five days. She stepped outside, feeling a mix of excitement and terror running down her spine.

It was then that she noticed a small figure standing in her way.

“Wow, so you really did decide to live as a hunter, Ai Fa!”

It was Rimee Ruu.

For a second, Ai Fa was at a loss for words, but then she regained her composure.

“Why did you come here, Rimee Ruu?”

“Hmm? Because I was worried about you, of course. I just waited for Papa Donda and them to leave! I saw the angry looks on Papa Donda and Darmu’s faces, so I figured you must have turned them down!” Rimee Ruu said with a wide smile as she ran around Ai Fa. “You look so cool! That’s Gil Fa’s outfit, right? It really suits you!”

Ai Fa didn’t say a word.

“Now that I think of it, didn’t you wear a giba piglet’s pelt cloak when you were a kid? That was really cute, too!” Rimee Ruu said with a giggle.

The smile the girl wore brought Ai Fa an indescribable amount of joy. It was like her fondness for the child had burst open the firmly shut doors of her heart.

Rimee Ruu would still smile at her even now, would she?

Everyone had turned away from her, but this girl would still call her a friend?

Ai Fa felt like she was on the verge of collapsing to her knees and hugging her little friend tight. She wanted to just throw everything aside and weep like a child.

However, Ai Fa managed to suppress those feelings raging within right before they burst forth, using every last bit of her willpower to hold back the torrent, and then started walking down the path once again.

“Ah, hold on! We only just met up, so where are you going?”

“...I decided to live my life as a hunter. It’s already past midday, so I’m heading off into the forest.”

“Ah, so that’s it? Take care, alright? I’ll be praying as hard as I can that you don’t get hurt!”

Ai Fa stopped in place, her back still facing the young girl, and said, “Rimee Ruu, never come to the Fa house again.”

“Huh?! But why?!”

Ai Fa could sense that Rimee Ruu was about to break out sobbing.

With her back still turned, she continued, “I’ve incurred Donda Ruu’s displeasure. As a member of the Ruu clan, you should act in accordance with your clan head’s will.”

“What’s that about?! I don’t wanna! Why should Papa Donda Ruu be angry because you turned down the marriage offer? It’s fine! And besides, that doesn’t have anything to do with me!”

“That’s not all. I’ve also earned bad blood with the Suun clan, and anyone close to me could be caught up in the disasters that invites. And so... You shouldn’t come near me.”

Rimee Ruu was silent for a little while. And then, in a voice that made it hard to tell what she was feeling, she said, “But... If I worry about stuff like that, then you’ll be left all alone, right, Ai Fa?”

Her gaze fixed on the far-off forest, Ai Fa replied, “That’s fine. I’m sure that nobody shares my will, now that I’ve turned against the leaders of our people, refused the Ruu clan’s kindness, and chose to live as a hunter despite being a woman on top of it all. I want to be alone.”

She could live on her own, and so, she didn’t want to get anyone else mixed up in her problems. She would live and die in the forest, never bending her will. That was all she wanted now.

“I don’t want that! I want to be with you, Ai Fa!” Rimee Ruu stubbornly insisted.

Ai Fa shook her head, and started walking again.

“At any rate, I don’t have any time to play with anyone anymore. Return to the Ruu house, Rimee Ruu, and never come near here again.”

“I told you, I don’t wanna! I’m definitely going to come back to see you again!” Rimee Ruu yelled out, sounding like she was on the verge of tears.

Those words alone were enough for Ai Fa. The young girl didn’t need to come to see her. As she was now, just knowing that Rimee Ruu wanted to see her again was plenty.

It’s fine, Rimee Ruu...

Even if their bonds were severed, the memories of the time she spent with Rimee Ruu wouldn’t disappear. Saris Ran was the one who had taught her that.

Even if Saris Ran had come to hate her, it wasn’t as if all the smiles and words she had given Ai Fa in the past suddenly became lies. And even now, she could still feel the warmth of her friend’s fingers on her shoulders.

And then there was her father, Gil Fa. He had passed away, and she would never be able to see him again. And yet, he would never disappear from Ai Fa’s heart.

Rimee Ruu... Granny Jiba... Saris Ran... It’s thanks to all of you that I’ve been able to live a happy life.

From now on, those memories would live on inside of her. Just like how Gil Fa was still her father and Mei Fa was still her mother even though they had passed away, Rimee Ruu, Jiba Ruu, and Saris Ran would remain Ai Fa’s friends even if their bonds were severed.

As long as she was able to keep secretly thinking so deep inside, she would be able to keep on living.

“Ai Fa, you dummy! You just don’t get it!”

Rimee Ruu’s tearful voice was growing distant behind her. As she continued to listen to it, Ai Fa reached the path to the forest.

She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks, but even so, there wasn’t any hesitation in Ai Fa’s heart.

In roughly two years, Ai Fa would meet a strange man who was born in another world.