Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 3 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue: The End of the Banquet

“Alright, this is seriously the last of the meat!”

With that, the additional meat was delivered to the banquet.

Just how much meat ended up getting consumed today? It was already so much that I couldn’t calculate it all out, yet the men and women all cheered and crowded around.

As I watched that sight from the side of the main Ruu house, I called out to the girl by my side.

“...Lala Ruu, aren’t you going to go eat?”

“My stomach’s all full already. And if I overeat, I’ll get fat.”

I got the feeling that she could still stand to put on some more weight. I mean, she looked downright scrawny compared to her two big sisters.

But Lala Ruu was still only 12 years old. I guess she was the sort that grew taller first. But I was sure that she would end up just as lovely a lady as her sisters in just a few years.

“Hey, that final fire at the end was amazing. What was that?”

“A different sort of fruit wine than usual. When it’s got strong alcohol, it burns easier.”

Naturally, I was talking about the fruit wine I had received from Kamyua Yoshu.

I couldn’t think of any other way to use it, so I made it part of the trick for the banquet’s finale.

Lala Ruu gave a largely disinterested sounding, “Hmm...” and then closed her eyes. “Still, Ama Min Rutim was amazing. She’s a pretty person to start with, but in that bridal outfit she was on a whole other level.”

“That’s for sure. It really was a surprise... But your outfit was wonderful too, Lala Ruu.”

Of course, Lala Ruu was also wearing banquet attire.

She was still a young child, but she really did look more womanly with her hair down like that.

But even though I respectfully kept my praise of her appearance to just her outfit, I still ended up getting a firm slap on the back.

The strong pain sunk into my exhausted body.

“Owww... So, what was the business you had with me, anyway?”

“Hmm? Ah, it wasn’t really anything like that, just... Have you seen Shin Ruu?”

“Shin Ruu? I don’t know... Wasn’t he hanging out around Ludo Ruu?”

“Ludo was with my other brothers. That’s strange... He should’ve been with Sheera Ruu and the rest of his family, at least up until a little while ago...”

Well that was no surprise, seeing how it was a banquet with 100 people present.

I had finished up my work, but even so, I still hadn’t run into Ai Fa.

“Hey Asuta, good work. You sure worked hard, not just manning the stove but also dealing with those blockheads from the Suun clan, huh?”

Speak of the devil, I suppose, as Ludo Ruu popped up then.

“If Jiza wasn’t right next to me, I would’ve given those bastards a beating myself. Well, it was the Rutim banquet, so I guess it made sense to let their clan head take credit.”

“That sure was mature for you, little Ludo. And I mean, it’s better to not get involved with the Suun clan at all.”

“Shut it, man woman. So... What were you two doing? It’s hard to even tell if she’s a man or woman, but are you planning on marrying her after all, Asuta?”

Enraged, Lala Ruu went for a slap, only for the young hunter to dodge out of the way.

“Come on you two, this is a happy occasion... Hey, Ludo Ruu, do you know where Shin Ruu got off to?”

“Shin Ruu? Ah, he went to the vacant house where you guys are staying,” Ludo Ruu replied, furrowing his brows and looking just a bit displeased. “Now that I think of it, Ai Fa was there too... Damn, I hope she doesn’t say anything she shouldn’t to him.”

Something she shouldn’t...?

The puzzle pieces started to click together inside my exhausted brain.

“What do you mean, ‘something she shouldn’t’? What did you tell Shin Ruu? And wait, why are Shin Ruu and Ai Fa talking in the first place?!”

“Oh, shut it. It’s got nothing to do with you,” Ludo Ruu brushed his sister off while staring my way.

I gave a nod, then moved my shoulders away from the wall they had been leaning on.

“Lala Ruu, let’s go check it out. I was looking for Ai Fa, anyway.”

“Huh? Ah, yeah...” Lala Ruu responded somewhat weakly and took hold of my arm, then I set off walking towards the plaza.

“Hey, what’s going on with Shin Ruu and Ai Fa?”

“I’m not sure yet. But I’m not that close to Shin Ruu, so could you talk to him?”

I pushed through the crowd of people towards the vacant house, accompanied by Lala Ruu as she tilted her head.

Everyone really seemed like they were enjoying themselves.

Now that the banquet was wrapping up, I finally had time to look around at everyone’s expressions.

Even the men who usually had such tough looks on their faces now wore hearty smiles.

Meat and wine. Family and relations. Orange crackling flames. A gallant groom and a beautiful bride... Everyone seemed to be getting drunk on all sorts of things.

I really was glad to have been a part of this banquet.

And I was proud to have completed this job.

But for me, Ai Fa was the only one I could truly share those feelings with.

“Ah...” Lala Ruu called out.

It was then that Ai Fa and Shin Ruu appeared from behind the dimly lit vacant house.

Shin Ruu was soon absorbed back into the crowd of people, leaving Ai Fa the only one standing there.

“Shin! Shin Ruu!” Lala Ruu yelled, pushing away from me and taking off into the mass of people.

Naturally, I jogged on over to Ai Fa instead.

“Asuta...” Ai Fa said, her eyes opening wide in surprise. “What is it? Did something happen?”

“No, nothing on my end.”

I stopped in place in front of Ai Fa.

Suddenly, my right knee gave out. I was about to tumble down to the ground, but Ai Fa instead caught me and supported me with her strong arms.

“What’s the matter? Are you feeling off?”

“No... I’m just dead tired. And I mean, I was only able to steal a few bites here and there.”

“You fool. So you haven’t had a proper meal despite doing all of this work?” she said with an angry look on her face as she leaned me up against the wall of the house. “Wait here. I’ll go get some meat.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t think I’ll be able to get anything down for the time being, anyway,” I said, hurriedly grabbing Ai Fa’s arm. “I finally finished the job. Let me bask in that just a little longer.”

As I said that, I slowly lowered myself down to the ground.

Ai Fa looked a little hesitant, but she ultimately sat down next to me, her one knee up in the air as usual.

“Hey, Ai Fa... You know, it wouldn’t be so terrible to behave a little more womanly at least when you’re dressed like that, right?”

“So even you’re saying such strange things... I’m only dressed like this because I had no choice after Granny Jiba was being so insistent,” Ai Fa said, flicking the transparent veil with her slender finger. “Before I am a woman, I am a clan head and a hunter. It’s just plain laughable, me wearing an outfit like this.”

“That’s not true at all. It’s true that you’re a clan head and a hunter, but you’re a woman, too.”

Ai Fa had a displeased look on her face, but I just smiled back at her.

“It really suits you. And that’s no mere flattery. I really mean it.”

Ai Fa’s face didn’t go red, but she looked flustered, as if some food had gotten caught in her throat.

And then, she ended things by saying, “Don’t go blurting out such nonsense.”

With that, I turned my attention back towards the banquet, which showed no signs of winding down.

“...Your job is finished.”

“Yeah, it’s done.”

“I don’t know what will happen next, but at the very least, you carried out your task.”

“Right.”

“This is your strength, Asuta.”

Ai Fa somehow seemed like she was staring terribly far off into the distance.

What was going on? She had just seemed totally normal, but now she felt like she was far away from me.

“Asuta.”

“Yeah?”

“Should you perhaps be with the Rutim instead?”

I stared straight at the side of Ai Fa’s face, but she showed no sign of looking my way.

“Gazraan Rutim has acknowledged your strength, and Dan Rutim is of the same opinion. I doubt it will be enough to earn you marriage into the main house, but you would surely be wholeheartedly welcomed as a member of the clan even without any blood relation, like your current relationship with me.”

“Hey.”

“And if you continue to strengthen your bonds, perhaps one day you will be able to marry into one of the branch families. And then, you’ll also be—”

“What the heck? Why are you saying that, all of the sudden?”

I drew closer to Ai Fa, but sure enough, she still wouldn’t look my way.

“...Let me ask in another way, then. What do you hope to accomplish by staying in the Fa house?”

“What...?”

“The Fa clan is not as prosperous as the Ruu or Rutim. We could never hope to provide for the preparation of such a luxurious meal. Aria, poitan, giba meat, and just a few vegetables, and only enough for the two of us... Are you really satisfied just making that?”

“I am. It’s not as if I’m serving you food as a chef. It’s just as family, and as the one who mans the Fa house’s stove. And that means getting by within the means of the household is my job.”

“And you’re satisfied with that?”

“Yes,” I firmly responded. “It makes me happy, making food like this for work. I definitely get enjoyment out of the process. But the clan I want to man the stove for isn’t the Ruu or Rutim. It’s the Fa. I want you to eat my food, more than anyone else.”

Ai Fa was silent.

“It’s always possible some other eccentric will ask me to man the stove for a night or even another banquet, right? And I’d gladly welcome such a job. But I want to keep on cooking for the Fa house as I hold that hope in my heart.”

“But...” Ai Fa muttered, still not looking my way. “Today, my relations with the Suun clan grew even worse.”

“The same is true for me.”

“I have the strength needed to protect myself. But I don’t possess the power to protect you while I’m out in the forest and you’re in the house on your own.”

“That’s...”

“The Rutim and Ruu do, though. Even if the Suun are willing to harass others like they did today, they don’t have the guts needed to point their blades at the Ruu or Rutim.”

I just sat there and listened.

“It’s dangerous for you to remain at the Fa house.”

“...Did that thought come from you?”

I drew even closer to Ai Fa, but she still didn’t move.

“I mean, isn’t it a little late to be saying that? We met that Doddo Suun guy seven days ago. So why are you saying that now?”

“Ever since that day, you’ve been spending all of your time here in the Ruu settlement.”

“Yeah, that’s true. But this morning, you said, ‘Once tomorrow comes, we shall return to our former lifestyle,’ didn’t you? So why are you suddenly saying such things now?”

“Today, the Suun clan’s grudge grew even deeper. And you also displayed your strength to the Rutim.”

“That’s all?”

“...I was told that you should not remain a member of the Fa house.”

“By Reina Ruu?”

Ai Fa’s silence gave me my answer.

“I got the feeling that was it. I mean, I’m grateful to hear that she was worried about me, but...”

I saw Reina Ruu’s pained, teary face in the back of my mind.

“But that’s how she felt, not me. I don’t want to act on anyone’s feelings here but yours and mine.”

She didn’t say anything.

“How I feel is obvious. I want to stay in the Fa house. I’ll only leave when you get sick of me and drive me out.”

“...So if I tell you to leave, you will?”

Ai Fa was still staring off into the distance and I was mad, so I grabbed her shoulder and forced her to look my way. She could have easily shaken me off, but Ai Fa offered no resistance.

For the first time in a long while, her blue eyes looked at me.

“I want to be by your side. I don’t want to leave, even if you hate me. If you want me to leave, then you’ll have to drag me out by force. I mean... there’s no way I could ever beat you in terms of raw strength.”

Once again, there was no response.

“Was it a lie when you said you didn’t want me to disappear?”

There was a fire in Ai Fa’s eyes.

“I don’t want that. But I don’t want to expose you to danger, either. That’s precisely why I’m suggesting you should join the Rutim clan!”

“I see. If that’s how you feel, then I really do want to stay by your side. As for the Suun clan... If it really is a danger, then let’s come up with some sort of countermeasure. I mean, I think if worst comes to worst, I could always rely on that Kamyua Yoshu guy.”

“...That man is from the city of stone.”

“If you don’t like that, then I’ll drop it. In that case, I’ll get down on my hands and knees and beg the Ruu or the Rutim, or whatever it takes. I’ll say, ‘I know I’m not part of your family, but protect me.’ But no matter what, I don’t want to be separated from you.”

There was still a fire in Ai Fa’s eyes, but now it flickered.

I didn’t know if she was mad or what... She might not even quite know herself.

Ai Fa was a woman, but she was also a hunter. The one and only female hunter here at the forest’s edge. And I...

“...What business did Shin Ruu have with you?”

“What?”

“You were just talking, right? Could it have been about sacrificial hunting? Was he discussing that matter with you, in order to support a family of five all on his own?”

It didn’t seem like she was going to say.

“What did you say to him, Ai Fa?”

“...‘Sacrificial hunting is a dangerous technique. If you lose your life, then who will take care of your family then?’”

“I see. But you keep on using it even though you’ve got me, right? That sweet scent that clings to you comes from giba summoning fruit, doesn’t it?”

The blood started to faintly rush to Ai Fa’s face.

I was really caught up in the moment, but maybe I shouldn’t have touched on her smell...

But I loved that scent.

The sweet smell of giba summoning fruit.

The refreshing smell of herbs.

The sharp smell of pico leaves.

The gentle smell of grigee fruit.

The delicious smell of meat and fat.

All of those blended together harmoniously to make up Ai Fa’s aroma, and I adored it.

That was a scent belonging to Ai Fa and Ai Fa alone.

A smell only she could attain, carrying out the work of both a man and a woman on her own.

A unique aroma, combining the fragrances of both the forest and the home.

“There’s no need to keep on being a hunter if it means putting yourself in such danger... You never want to hear anyone tell you that, right, Ai Fa?”

She didn’t reply.

“I’m the same way. I don’t want anyone to tell me it’s too dangerous for me to keep on manning the Fa house’s stove.”

Ludo Ruu’s words came to mind: Don’t worry about her, respect her.

Ai Fa was going that far to hunt giba. To live as a person of the forest’s edge, as a hunter.

Quitting sacrificial hunting may even be the same as quitting being a hunter at all for her. Maybe she would have no choice then but to marry into some family.

If she chose to reject that fate and keep on living as a hunter...

And Ai Fa was so strong, and proud, and beautiful...

And so, I truly didn’t want to negate Ai Fa’s choice, or her determination.

I was so charmed by Ai Fa precisely because of the sort of person she was.

Because she possessed the scents of both the forest and the home, the strength of a hunter yet also the beauty of a girl... I wanted to stay by her side.

“I’ll think on the thing with the Suun clan, too. So please, let me stay with you. I want to be together with you, Ai Fa.”

Ai Fa remained silent for a while.

Her strongly blazing eyes remained fixed on mine, as if she was trying to find out my true intentions.

How much time passed with the two of us like that...?

Eventually, though, Ai Fa said, “...Do as you please,” and turned away.

She was pouting ever so slightly, and her cheeks were still just a bit red.

Ai Fa was finally back to her usual self.

It was then that a large shadow approached with a jangling sound.

“My apologies for interrupting when you’re in the middle of something, but could I have a little of your time, Asuta and Ai Fa?” Gazraan Rutim asked, stepping into view.

The gallant hunter in his headed giba cloak looked silently down upon us.

“Yeah, go ahead. We weren’t really busy,” I replied, then remembered that my hand was still grabbing Ai Fa’s shoulder, so I hurriedly removed it.

When you added in the fact that Ai Fa was facing away with red cheeks and a pout, it was pretty darn obvious that we really were in the middle of something.

Actually, it was almost impressive the way that he went ahead and called out to two people who were so clearly busy with something else.

“My sincerest apologies. It’s been difficult for me to get away from the banquet. So while I know I’m being rude, I still went ahead and called out to you.”

“Ah, no, don’t worry about it,” I said, standing up.

Ai Fa naturally stood as well, and she took the chance to firmly jab me in the side with her elbow.

“I was uncertain whether or not I would be able to see you tomorrow, so I brought along your payment in order to hand it over tonight,” he said, holding out the giba horns and tusks that made up the other half of my reward.

They surely were part of the blessings the couple had received for their wedding. But at any rate, they were tied carefully yet firmly together into a necklace using a leather string.

“Thank you so much for the delicious meal. When I saw the happy faces of my family, I knew that I hadn’t been wrong in my judgment.”

“No, thank you for believing in me. And... congratulations on your marriage.”

“Thank you,” the groom replied with a bashful smile. “I’m also truly sorry that you beared the full brunt in the matter with the Suun clan, too. Apparently the other men were holding themselves back for the time being when they saw my father Dan and Donda Ruu in such a rage that they may well have drawn their blades.”

“Nah, we just went and did that on our own. Honestly, I was just worried that I may have been inviting disaster for the Rutim.”

“Disaster can come upon us at any time, regardless of our intentions. That was made quite clear tonight.”

There was a strong flame burning in Gazraan Rutim’s unflinching eyes.

“Still, the Suun clan isn’t likely to take decisive action, either. No matter how much we may not get along, they would never be able to handle the giba hunting without us. In order to maintain their cozy lifestyles, they aren’t able to raise their blades against us Ruu and Rutim.”

“I see. You mean because they’re receiving the reward money from the capital, right? It really is hard to imagine that they’re also people of the forest’s edge...”

“I’m in complete agreement. You two are in a different situation, though. I’m sure the Suun clan wouldn’t hesitate too much before crushing the Fa clan, which only has the two of you as members,” Gazraan Rutim said, his tone of voice growing firmer. “However, as long as you maintain such close relations with we Ruu and Rutim, I can’t imagine they would go and do something unscrupulous so lightly... Yet, there is the example of today to go on, as well. Please take care of yourselves, Asuta and Ai Fa.”

“Right. We intend to give the matter plenty of thought, too.”

Gazraan Rutim gave a single nod, then looked down at the necklace he had handed over to me.

“Still, are you really satisfied with just 20 giba worth of horns and tusks for your service? I really do feel I should offer you all of the blessings that we received for today.”

“It’s plenty. In fact, I’m downright overjoyed. And I plan to go ahead and use these soon.”

Having said that, I turned towards Ai Fa, whose face was still slightly red.

“With these, I can buy a new pot! And then I’ll be able to make soup and baked dishes at the same time! It really feels worth all the effort, right, Ai Fa?”

With that, Ai Fa lightly kicked me in the leg, the same sour expression still on her face.