Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 22 - Chapter 4.2

2

Around when the sun was setting to the west and the light from the bonfires was becoming more and more essential, the welcome banquet kicked off.

No stage had been built today, so Donda Ruu instead simply stood in front of the main house, facing his comrades. There were just under forty people present from the Ruu clan alone, as well as twenty members of their subordinate clans, which added up to a pretty significant crowd. The twelve guests were lined up on either side of him.

We had Yumi and Telia Mas from the post town, Mikel and Myme from the Turan lands, Roy and Shilly Rou from the castle town, and the members of Dora’s household from the Daleim lands. In the end, everyone from Dora’s family had come aside from the two old folks. That meant Dora himself, Tara and her two older brothers, and the wives of Dora and the elder son, making six in total.

Unsurprisingly, the four who were visiting for the first time were standing there motionlessly and looking quite tense. Though they had grown acquainted with the members of the Ruu and enjoyed a feast together back during the revival festival, there was a big difference between hosting and visiting. In order to alleviate some of their nervousness, we had arranged to have some familiar faces like Rimee Ruu and myself at the front of the crowd.

“Though we people of the forest’s edge have lived here in the forest of Morga for eighty long years now, we have avoided forming any ties with the townsfolk for most of that time. It is my belief that our approach was in some ways correct and in some ways incorrect. Carelessly allowing ourselves to grow too close to outsiders could have led to us straying from our proper path and casting away our pride. That was why our ancestors distanced themselves from the townsfolk, and even now, I will not say that those who doubt our current course are wrong.” Donda Ruu’s voice resounded clearly through the dimly lit plaza. “However, we did eventually start connecting with the townsfolk, and had we not done so, the crimes of the Suun and the nobles would never have been properly judged. It was thanks to these new bonds, and the time we spent listening to the townsfolk and learning about how they live, that we were able to learn the full extent of the Suun clan’s wrongdoing, as well as our own mistakes. That last point in particular is what gives me the most confidence that this is the proper path forward for us.”

Not a single one of his sixty comrades so much as coughed. Even the young children simply clung to their mothers or siblings and quietly listened to the leading clan head’s words.

“We have chosen the proper direction, but in order to stay on this path, I believe it is important that we keep learning more about what kind of people the townsfolk and the nobles truly are. That is why I decided to hold this banquet and invited these guests here to the settlement, in the hope that by gathering in the same place and eating the same food, we may share in the same joy. To the bonds between the forest’s edge and Genos!”

“To the bonds between the forest’s edge and Genos!” a chorus of voices chanted back in turn. Most of those voices had practically been bellowing, though, which startled the majority of our guests.

Still, after that toast was held with numerous bottles of fruit wine thrust up into the air, things loosened up considerably. Most people started moving over to the food being kept warm atop the stoves, while several of the women rushed over toward the guests. Rimee Ruu, Ai Fa, and I started by approaching Dora’s family.

“Come on, it’s a banquet. You should enjoy the food everyone prepared.”

“R-Right. It’s just, they sure are enthusiastic,” Dora replied. He was practically a regular at this point, but even he had been completely awed by how lively a forest’s edge banquet could be.

Dan Rutim then strode over to us. “What are you doing, huddling up over here, Dora?! I want to introduce you to my daughter, since she’s here today! We’ve got a mat laid out, so why don’t you all join us?!”

Mats had been laid down here and there like usual so that everyone could sit down and enjoy the food, and it seemed that the members of the Rutim clan had already gathered around one of them. Dora’s family was already acquainted with Gazraan and Ama Min Rutim, and Morun Rutim was a pretty amiable person, so I was sure that arrangement would work out just fine.

Looking around, I saw that Yumi and Telia Mas were already gathered around a pot with some women from the Ruu branch houses. Apparently, they had already become friends during the day. Yun Sudra and Toor Deen were over with Mikel and Myme, and Mia Lea Ruu had joined them as well, so it seemed that almost everyone had found a group to join without any problems.

That just left, unsurprisingly, Roy and Shilly Rou. Rimee Ruu had headed over to the Rutim group with Tara, hand in hand, so it was up to Ai Fa and I to guide our final two guests.

“Are you doing all right? If you want, you two can stick with us.”

“Yeah, this is one heck of a commotion. It’s almost as if the revival festival suddenly returned,” Roy replied, crossing his arms with a meek expression on his face. Meanwhile, Shilly Rou had shrunk back a bit next to him. Looking closely, I saw that she was actually gripping the hem of Roy’s outfit. Well, in a place like this, he was the only one she could depend on.

“Nobody here would be rude to a guest, even after drinking, so you have nothing to worry about. Hmm...? What is it, Ai Fa?”

“Well, as this is their first time coming to the Ruu settlement and they wish to participate in the banquet, I was thinking perhaps they should greet the elder, Granny Jiba.”

“Oh, good idea. In that case, why don’t we start with that?”

And so, we headed toward the mat laid out in the center of the plaza, where there was a ritual flame that reminded me of a campfire, with a cloth mat laid out in front of it. Granny Jiba was seated there slurping soup, surrounded by Granny Tito Min and the husband and wife pair of Tari and Ryada Ruu.

“It’s been a while, Jiba Ruu. We brought along some guests from the castle town.”

“Yes, I heard from Jiza and Ludo... I hear you treated my family to some rather fine food yesterday,” Granny Jiba replied, her wrinkled face breaking out in a smile. Roy looked a bit bewildered, but even so, he gave a polite bow.

“My name is Roy, and she’s Shilly Rou. It was the house of Saturas who hosted your family, and Shilly Rou here who cooked the food. I just assisted her with her work.”

“Hmm... But you cooked it with our people in mind, correct? Ludo was so excited, saying he had never eaten such wonderful food in the castle town before...”

“It’s a chef’s job to please those who eat their food. We simply did what we were supposed to.”

“I see... Then please, go ahead and enjoy the cooking prepared by my people here today... Everyone’s been working so hard so that you and all of our other guests would be happy...”

With that greeting done, we stepped away, and then Roy gave a big sigh.

“That little old lady was shockingly intense.”

“You think so? That’s the first time I’ve heard anyone say that.”

Still, I could see how their first encounter with Granny Jiba might have made her seem to have something of a divine aura, with the way she was smiling at them with the ritual flame behind her. The impression she was giving off felt very different from how she looked when she had sat around the dinner table with Dora’s family.

Then again, Roy and Shilly Rou were residents of the castle town, and you could easily tell just by looking at them. Their way of thinking was probably closer to mine—as I had been raised in Japan—than to that of the citizens of the Daleim lands or the post town.

Thanks to the bonfires, the plaza was bright, but we were surrounded by the dark nighttime forest. The black shadows of the trees were all around us, and to the east stood the massive Mount Morga, towering high. There was dirt beneath our feet, cool nighttime air tickling our cheeks, and heat coming off the lively crowd... It was the sort of rustic banquet atmosphere that you could never experience within the stone walls.

The people of the forest’s edge were always brimming with energy, so none of them hesitated in the least to shout out as they chowed down on giba meat. It was a sight I had grown totally accustomed to seeing, but it really was dazzling to look at, like something out of a folktale.

“Ah, Asuta and Ai Fa! What are you doing, just standing there,” a voice called out from off to our side, and when I turned to look, I found Rau Lea and Giran Ririn standing there—two heads of clans under the Ruu with very different ages. Rau Lea was the one speaking. “So those are the chefs from the castle town? Hmm. They’re awfully spindly and weak-looking.”

“Just coming out and saying that first thing? We chefs don’t need any more strength than it takes to carry a pot, anyway,” Roy countered.

“That’s why I figured it wouldn’t be rude to mention it. And this is a banquet, so don’t be so stiff when you talk!” Rau Lea said with a cheerful laugh as he looked over Roy and Shilly Rou. It seemed he had already been drinking. Shilly Rou hid behind Roy, as if she were a girl in town getting hassled by some thug.

“Have you gotten a chance to enjoy any of the food the women kindly prepared? The dishes all look delicious,” Giran Ririn chimed in, wearing the same kind smile as always. Unlike most hunters of the forest’s edge, he never seemed to give off their characteristically intense aura in the least.

“Right, let’s get some food. Er, where should we go first?”

“If you haven’t had anything yet, then you should start with that pot over there! Even the folks from town seemed to really enjoy it!” Rau Lea said.

With that, we started walking toward the stove he had suggested, where we found Myme’s group. Mikel, Toor Deen, and Yun Sudra were all still there, while Mia Lea Ruu had disappeared, but Tsuvai and Yamiru Lea had popped up in her place. They were eating a soup that looked like it had been made with karon milk.

“Oh, Asuta! This dish is really delicious!” Myme called out with a bright smile.

Her words seemed to stir something in Shilly Rou, as she finally stepped back out from behind Roy. “This is a karon milk soup dish, correct? It doesn’t appear to contain any herbs or the like.”

“Yes, but it’s wonderful even so.”

As she watched the two of them out of the corner of her eye, Yamiru Lea silently ladled out some soup for us. Tsuvai, meanwhile, just feigned indifference.

“Ah, thanks... Hmm, they used meatballs?” I accepted a helping for myself after Roy and Shilly Rou got theirs, and I definitely saw some little meatballs in it. The stock had been made from shoulder and thigh meat, naturally, and the mellow aroma of karon milk, which was becoming more and more common at the forest’s edge, filled my nose.

“The vegetables used are tino, nenon...and aria, I believe? You people of the forest’s edge sure do love aria,” Roy noted.

“It’s not just here at the forest’s edge. Aria is the most commonly used vegetable in the post town and the Daleim lands as well. After all, they’re cheap and packed with nutrients,” I replied.

“Hmm. Aria don’t see much use in the castle town... Are they what gives your soup dishes such depth?”

“I think it plays a big role, yeah. I use aria in lots of dishes, even if I just want it as a potherb.”

Then Shilly Rou suddenly injected herself into the conversation between Roy and me, sounding deadly serious. “I said there weren’t any herbs in this before, but it does seem to contain pico leaves. As I recall, you all tend to use those quite frequently as well.”

“Right. I might have explained this to you before, but giba meat is preserved by pickling it in pico leaves rather than salt here at the forest’s edge. You can get as many as you need out in the forest, after all.”

“I see,” Shilly Rou replied with a nod, steadily consuming the soup one careful bite at a time.

Rau Lea knitted his brow and leaned in close to us. “You guys sure do look serious when you’re eating. Do you not like it or something?”

Shilly Rou ducked her head and shrank away from him. Apparently, the fierce aura around Rau Lea had overwhelmed her. Roy also took a step forward as if to hide her from him.

“Not at all. It’s just that we’re chefs from the castle town, so when we eat food, we also study it.”

“Hmm... So, is it good or bad, then? It was one of my clan members who was nice enough to make this soup for you, after all.”

“It’s not as if I made it all by myself from scratch, you drunkard of a clan head,” Yamiru Lea interrupted in her usual tone, but Rau Lea’s attention remained fixed on our two guests. He probably didn’t mean to be intimidating, but the young clan head’s gaze always had this piercing quality to it, like that of a hunting dog.

Roy stopped and thought for a bit before answering, “If you ask me, I’d have to say that it’s good. I think you’d probably want to add several kinds of herbs and the like to it before trying to sell it in the castle town, but it has a good stock, there are no issues with how the meat and vegetables were prepared, and the flavoring was handled well too. To be honest, it’s shocking that someone who isn’t a professional chef could prepare something this good.”

“That’s because Yamiru helps Asuta out with his business! It’s only natural that she’d be good at cooking!”

Rau Lea was instantly put in a good mood, thanks to how careful Roy had been with his words, though even if the chef had said it was bad, the young clan head probably had enough control to not start swinging his fists over it. It was good that he was always so earnest about his feelings, for the most part. Around ten percent of the time, it turned out to be kind of a problem, but fortunately that hadn’t happened here.

“This was made with methods similar to yours, right, Mikel?” Roy asked, and the man in question, who had been silently slurping his soup, broke out in an annoyed look.

“There are similar aspects, but it’s far from identical. Besides, if you break things down enough, eventually you’ll see that everyone’s cooking comes from the same roots.”

“Really? The methods you and Varkas use don’t seem very similar at all.”

“If that’s what you think, then you’re only seeing the surface level of what cooking is.”

Shilly Rou reacted to those words. “Hold on, Mikel. My master Varkas has said that your methods and those of the people of the forest’s edge differ so completely from his own that it would be difficult for him to adopt them. Your words make it sound as if even Varkas is only seeing the surface level.”

His expression souring even more, Mikel sighed.

“You two are so fussy. Do you think picking apart people’s words is what will allow you to make delicious food? No matter how fine of a sentence you put together, will it do anything to change the taste of a dish?”

“No, but—”

“If they aren’t similar on that surface level, methods can be difficult to adopt. Even I never considered using Varkas’s methods in my own cooking,” Mikel stated, his annoyed-looking eyes narrowing as he glared at Shilly Rou’s face. “But all cooking is the same at its core. You aren’t going to make a fine dish by just adding and subtracting things over and over. You have to examine the whole, and consider what impact the ingredients will have on one another as you try to bring them into balance. The difference between us was that I tried to make the original tastes of the ingredients stand out, while Varkas tries to distance himself from them. That’s what makes it seem like our dishes are completely different, right?”

Shilly Rou stood there looking astonished, and then she hung her head dejectedly.

“My apologies... It was foolish of me to try to argue with you, when you are skilled enough to have earned Varkas’s acknowledgment. I hope that you can forgive me...”

“There’s nothing to forgive. I’m just saying that boasting alone won’t let you make a good meal.” Removing himself from the conversation, Mikel then audibly returned to slurping his soup.

Then Rau Lea broke out in a cheerful smile. “Ha ha, I understood so little of what you were saying that my bewilderment actually made it seem even more interesting! Manning the stove can be pretty difficult too, huh, Asuta?”

“Er, I hope you’re not expecting me to agree with you there...” I said with a strained chuckle. Mikel’s words had really impressed me. Varkas tries to distance himself from the original taste of his ingredients, huh...? I see.

I felt as if I could finally understand what it was that made Varkas’s cooking so mysterious. It was like the ultimate expression of the convoluted flavors people from the castle town enjoyed. His aim was to create idealized flavors that you couldn’t even imagine coming from the base ingredients. In which case, it was only natural to conclude that the way that Mikel and I tried to utilize the flavors of each ingredient to their fullest was the complete opposite.

Even so, both methods require a thorough understanding of cooking techniques, and of the flavors of the ingredients. So that’s what he meant when he said the surface level differs while the roots are the same, huh?

I felt a sense of eagerness down in the depths of my gut. It was like I had been given a whole new appreciation for just how skilled Mikel truly was as a chef. But, well, if I actually told him that, I was sure that he would end up getting as annoyed as Shilly Rou was, so I kept my gratitude for having met him bottled up inside my heart.

“Well then, why don’t we try something different? There are still all sorts of different dishes out there waiting,” I finally said.

With that, we said farewell to Rau Lea, Myme, and the others for the time being and moved on to the next spot.

We passed right by a whole roast giba that was still cooking and found a young woman and two young men sitting on a nearby mat and talking without eating anything. Lala Ruu and Deem Rutim were having a back and forth, while Shin Ruu sat between them with his eyebrows drooping.

“Er, what’s all the commotion about?” I asked, unable to just pass on by, earning me a blazing glare from Lala Ruu’s blue eyes.

“It’s nothing! This guy’s just been running his mouth!”

“What do you mean, running my mouth? You’re the one who’s been spewing nonsense all this time.”

The boy from the Rutim clan looked just as angry as Lala Ruu. He was a hunter in training and was the same age as her—thirteen years old. I was somewhat familiar with him since he had been one of the guards we had taken with us to the castle town and for the trip to Dabagg.

“I was just complimenting Shin Ruu’s strength. But then this woman—”

“Any hunter of the forest’s edge could easily beat anyone from town, right? So why does it always have to be Shin Ruu?! He was just put in danger because of how much of a coward his opponent was—”

“But Shin Ruu defeated his opponent anyway, without so much as a scratch. He should be proud that he’s been requested for this next contest, since it means he has another chance to show them his strength, right?”

Apparently, they were discussing the swordsmanship tournament that was going to be held in the castle town. It wasn’t as if Shin Ruu had received an official invitation by name, but considering his connection to Geimalos’s son, Leiriss, it seemed highly likely that he’d be chosen.

“But the leading clan heads are the ones who will be deciding whether he’s actually going to participate or not, right?” I said.

“Yes, but of course they’re going to have him do it! The townsfolk challenged us to a contest of strength. There’s no way my dad and the others would refuse!” Lala Ruu replied.

It definitely stood to reason.

At any rate, I decided to focus on our guests instead. “Roy and Shilly Rou, please go ahead and grab some food. This looks like a meat and vegetable stir-fry.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Roy said with a shrug. Shilly Rou hurried after him.

Then Ai Fa crossed her arms and remarked, “Hmm... This doesn’t sound like anything to argue over. Lala Ruu is worried for Shin Ruu’s safety, while Deem Rutim is praising his strength. Nothing about their two perspectives is contradictory... And both of them seem to be thinking of Shin Ruu, so why does he look so thoroughly troubled?”

She was right, he really did. Just the fact that his eyebrows were drooping a bit was more than enough to get his feelings across.

“Shin Ruu would never be defeated, no matter how bad the conditions might be for him. Worrying about him is like doubting his strength, isn’t it?”

Deem Rutim’s words caused Lala Ruu’s eyebrows to raise once more, but Ai Fa went ahead and interjected.

“I can certainly understand why a hunter might feel that way. However, Lala Ruu is not a hunter. Furthermore, she is more closely related to Shin Ruu than you are. It doesn’t seem proper to me for you to criticize her concerns.”

“Well, but...”

“You once showed a similarly strong attachment to Dan Rutim. I can certainly understand being drawn to powerful hunters, but it’s wrong to act in a way that troubles the person in question.”

Deem Rutim’s expression shifted, and he timidly glanced at Shin Ruu. “Was I bothering you that much...?”

“Well, I wouldn’t quite go that far... But I was trying to have a somewhat complicated discussion with Lala Ruu.”

“I see,” Deem Rutim replied, hanging his head. “I thought that woman was the one bothering you, so I was trying to help you out. I hope you’ll forgive me for interrupting when I shouldn’t have.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. You’re an important relative of mine as well.”

Deem Rutim wanted to become a full-fledged hunter as soon as possible, so it was no surprise that he would admire Shin Ruu, who had become one of the top eight under the Ruu at the age of just sixteen. But at any rate, he bowed to Shin and Lala Ruu once more, and then trudged off into the darkness.

“Shin Ruu, was I actually bothering you with what I was saying...?” Lala Ruu now asked, her eyes narrowing in a way that tugged at my heartstrings as she looked at Shin Ruu. “I see... It’s not like you wanted to draw the nobles’ attention to you, so hearing me complain about it is probably just a hassle.”

“No, that’s not true.”

“I’m sorry. I know it’s an honor for a hunter to have their skill acknowledged and to be challenged to a contest of strength. Just like him, I wasn’t thinking of how you felt either.”

“I’m telling you, that’s not how it is, Lala Ruu,” Shin Ruu replied, placing his hands on the girl’s slender shoulders.

Lala Ruu’s blue eyes teared up a bit as she looked back at him.

“It’s true that it’s an honor for a hunter to have their strength acknowledged. And if that young noble, Leiriss, can clear away the regret he feels on behalf of his criminal father by facing me, that’s all the more reason for me to want to take him on... However, I don’t want to just ignore your feelings, Lala Ruu.”

The girl said nothing in response.

“I will show them the strength of a hunter of the forest’s edge without placing myself in danger. I pledge that to you here and now... So, Lala Ruu, would you be willing to watch over me?”

“Watch over you? But will we even be allowed to observe this contest of strength?”

“I’m not sure. But I have no intention of leaving you behind to go participate in that tournament. And I plan to tell Donda Ruu the same thing,” Shin Ruu stated, his cheeks flushing red. “It’s a show for nobles, so I’m sure those noblewomen are going to be there again. We’ve been told that we have no need to worry about them...but I don’t want to do anything to hurt you, Lala Ruu. And besides, you’re the one I want to show my skill to more than anyone else.”

Lala Ruu quietly replied, “Thanks...” With her eyes that were as blue as the sea still full of tears, she broke out in a joyful smile. It was a gentle expression, more mature than any I had ever seen from her.

I stealthily beckoned to Ai Fa and we slipped away. It would have been really insensitive to stick around any longer. Over at the next mat we headed to, we found not only Roy and Shilly Rou, but also Yumi and Telia Mas.

“Ah, you made it! Was everything okay over there?” Yumi asked.

“Yeah, they seem to have managed to figure things out.”

“Glad to hear it. Luia’s gonna be disappointed, but I’d still like to see Shin Ruu be happy,” she said with a teasing grin. It seemed Yumi had picked up on my real intention behind asking her to have her friend conceal her feelings toward Shin Ruu. “Well, why don’t you guys get something to eat too? This food is really tasty! It’s incredible how good everyone from the Ruu clan is at cooking!”

Unsurprisingly, Roy and Shilly Rou were once again eating with really serious expressions on their faces. Ai Fa and I sat down on one corner of the mat and shared in the meal.

It was a very ordinary meat and vegetable stir-fry. However, it had evolved quite a bit since the days when we had only had tau oil and myamuu to rely on, now employing mamaria vinegar and sugar as well. The chefs who had prepared it must have used the thick, sweet vinegar sauce I had devised as a base. The amount of mamaria vinegar in it had been kept to a minimum, so the dish as a whole was on the sweet side. Also, a small amount of chili pepper-like chitt seeds had been added to it, providing a nice accent.

As for the solid ingredients, it used giba rib meat, the usual aria, tino, nenon, and pula, and the zucchini-like chan. It was thick with giba fat, but the fresh vegetables helped to moderate that, giving it a very pleasant texture.

“All of the food you’re serving tonight truly is fantastic. Any one of these dishes would be able to sell just fine in the post town,” Telia Mas said from beside Yumi. Though she could be rather timid, she seemed to be enjoying this banquet just fine without getting overwhelmed, thanks to Yumi being by her side.

“You’ve got that right. I just wish we could have one of them help out at our place! I have no idea how these dishes would do in the castle town, though...” Yumi said, glancing over at Roy and Shilly Rou.

Shilly Rou turned away in a huff, while Roy bluntly replied, “Well, it feels a bit lacking with just pico leaves and chitt seeds, but the vinegar, sugar, and tau oil were utilized quite well... To be honest, I was shocked to hear that all of these women are able to prepare dishes of this level.”

“Well, the people of the forest’s edge tend to be extremely serious at their core, and they really don’t like wasting precious ingredients, so they put a lot of effort into manning the stove,” I said.

“Precious ingredients? But aren’t you people bringing in a ton of coins every single day? As far as things like sugar and mamaria vinegar are concerned, you should be able to purchase as much as you please.”

“Even if that’s true, that doesn’t change how they feel. And I strongly believe those feelings shouldn’t change either. Losing sight of the value of money could lead to losing sight of the value of their hunting work, after all.”

Roy held his tongue for a moment, then looked around at the people of the forest’s edge all enjoying that same dish. “Precious ingredients, huh? That attitude must be why Varkas doesn’t object to you taking whatever foodstuffs you want from the Turan pantry.”

“Varkas doesn’t concern himself with the viewpoints of the people of the forest’s edge,” Shilly Rou sulkily retorted. “Trial and error is essential for pursuing the ideal flavor. Varkas simply hates it when ingredients are used to make crude dishes, but he has no qualms against sacrificing them in the name of experimentation. If you people of the forest’s edge possessed the resolve to make the same sacrifice, no matter how much you had to waste, then you could improve your cooking even further, couldn’t you?”

“Well, there’s lots of chefs in the castle town who take that approach, but hardly any of them have earned Varkas’s approval, right? So basically, shouldn’t the most important thing be the weight of their resolve to do a good job? The desire to not waste ingredients could be a part of that resolve too,” Roy countered.

Shilly Rou shot Roy a glare, but didn’t argue any further and instead just kept on eating.

Then a voice called out from behind me. “Hey there, Asuta!” When I turned to look, I found Ludo and Jiza Ruu standing there. “I see you’ve got some of our guests here too. That works out perfectly. I have a message from the old man. Would you mind if we invited those traveling performers to join the banquet?”

“The Gamley Troupe? But why?”

They were still nearby in their wagons on the outskirts of the settlement. They had succeeded in their goal of capturing a giba, but since they had made it back so close to sunset, they had ended up deciding to remain here through tomorrow morning. I had secretly been thinking that since they were still around we might as well ask them if they wanted to eat with us, but I had held my tongue because I figured Donda Ruu would never approve.

“Well, they did save those two guys from the branch houses. According to Shin Ruu and Mida, those men would have died if they hadn’t been there. The Ruu clan would like to repay them for that, but it would be bad to ignore what our guests and subordinate clans want to do and just invite them because it’s convenient for us, right? So Jiza and I are going around to see what everyone thinks.” Jiza Ruu nodded from his position behind his younger brother. “The other clan heads and the rest of the guests have already given their permission, so that just leaves you four and the Fa clan. Please, give us your honest opinions.”

“This is the Ruu clan’s banquet, so I have no intention of opposing your decision...” Ai Fa quietly replied.

“You don’t mind?” Ludo Ruu asked with a tilt of his head. “Don’t you hate that one weak-looking guy? If our guests start arguing with each other, it’ll be a problem for us too.”

“I have no desire to cause any kind of commotion. But I would like you to tell them to watch themselves as well.”

“We’ll tell that Pino girl, then. She seems highly capable when it comes to handling her comrades,” Jiza Ruu said, and then he looked over at the townsfolk with his usual narrowed eyes. “What about you guests? This banquet is meant to welcome you, so we would like to prioritize your feelings on the matter.”

Naturally, nobody objected. Shilly Rou looked a bit uneasy, but she herself had been permitted to join at the last minute, so she probably felt like she was in no position to complain.

“Sounds good to me! If they perform some tricks for us, this banquet’ll be even more fun!” said Yumi, the only one of them who had a big bright smile on her face.

Jiza Ruu nodded in acknowledgment, but it was impossible to tell what he was really thinking. “Right. Well then, we will be inviting the traveling performers to join us shortly. Should something happen, no matter what it may be, the Ruu clan will take responsibility for dealing with it, so know that you have nothing to worry about and please continue to enjoy the banquet.”

And so, just as the festivities were reaching their midpoint, some unexpected guests ended up being added to the mix.