Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 5 - Chapter 1.2

2

“Asuta, long time no see,” Reina Ruu called out.

The expression on her face was almost shockingly calm.

“Yeah, right back at you. I guess it’s been around ten days now, right?”

Ten days since we had that unpleasant parting of ways at the Rutim banquet. When she asked me to leave the Fa clan for the Ruu, but I wasn’t able to grant her wish.

And yet, she declared that she wouldn’t give up and then left, leaving me to worry over how to deal with her. Ultimately, I decided I needed to remain firm.

But now, Reina Ruu was standing before me with a calm, gentle smile on her face.

In fact, she was so relaxed right now that it was as if the previous childlike innocence she used to give off had been locked away.

“Vina, here’s what you asked for.”

“Ah, thanks. It was probably heavy, right...?”

“No, not at all,” Reina Ruu replied, lowering something on her back to the ground next to the stall.

It was a large bag meant for carrying vegetables. It seemed like there must have been something solid in there, as it settled down into a sort of angular shape.

“What’s that? It looks like firewood...”

“It is. I gathered it up over the last three days...”

I still didn’t get what was going on.

“We finished way ahead of schedule the last three days, right...? So Mia Lea said I should spend that extra time finding more work to do for you. And the only thing I could think of that I could do was gather firewood...”

“Oh, so that’s it?! Man, thanks for that. We’ll be using more firewood than ever starting tomorrow, after all.”

“But you and I always have our hands full as it is, so I asked Mia Lea if it could be brought when someone comes to do shopping. And my mom replied with a smile, saying that was a cheap price to repay the leftover tarapa you’ve been giving us every day...”

Then, she shot me a bitter glance.

“I was thinking the whole time about how I’d surprise you, but then you went and said such a mean thing...”

“S-Sorry. That really was just a joke. And I’m really glad, thank you,” I hurriedly apologized, half covering up the sound of bags being roughly plopped down. That was from Darmu Ruu dropping the bags he had been shouldering.

He had been holding three bags of firewood. Three times as much as Reina Ruu. It was possible to get to the post town in less than an hour from the Ruu settlement, but it would definitely still be difficult for me or one of the women to carry that much.

“Thanks to you too, Darmu... But is it alright for you not to be resting...?” Vina Ruu asked.

Darmu Ruu didn’t reply.

I couldn’t see his expression, as he had what looked like grey bandages wrapped all around his head and face.

But as always, those blue eyes he inherited from his father were lit up like those of a wild wolf, which made it clearer to me than anything else that this really was Darmu Ruu.

“You see, Darmu got a head injury while protecting a hunter from a branch family... It was a very serious injury, enough that he had a hard time walking around on his own until three days ago...”

“You don’t need to tell him that,” Darmu Ruu muttered in a low voice.

I hadn’t even seen Darmu Ruu on the night of the banquet, so this reunion had taken even longer than my one with Reina Ruu.

On top of that, he hadn’t been doing any talking around me, so this may have actually been my first time hearing his voice since that argument he had with Ai Fa, a month ago.

I had heard he got hurt, but that was already seven days ago. It was that serious of a wound...?

He had let his emotions get the better of him and run his mouth on that night a month ago, but he didn’t show any signs of trying to make a move on Ai Fa since then, so I didn’t see any reason for me to hold a grudge.

And so, I said, “Thank you very much,” and earnestly bowed my head.

Of course, what I got back was a disapproving glare and some unfriendly words.

“I did this work to repay you for the tarapa you’ve been sending to the Ruu house. There’s no reason for you to be thanking me.”

“Geez, you sure are stubborn... Are you perhaps like dad in that way...?” Vina Ruu said with a giggle.

Darmu Ruu shot the same sort of glare her way, but that wasn’t enough to quiet his daring older sister.

“Still, I’m glad to see you’re feeling well enough to carry all that... You’ll be able to head back out into the forest again soon, but don’t push yourself, alright?”

“...I haven’t fallen so low that I need someone like you worrying about me.”

“Oh, my, what a horrible thing to say to your big sister... See, isn’t he adorable?” Vina Ruu stealthily whispered to me.

I suppose it was the sort of adorableness that only relatives could see. In fact, if any of the folks from the Suun clan could give off that sort of pressure, I would feel at least 50% more in danger.

“...Asuta, I have a message from our mom and dad. Could you listen to it?” Reina Ruu quietly interjected. “If you need more help from tomorrow on, then they’ll loan you Lala Ruu from the main house, and Sheera Ruu from one of the branch families.”

“Ah, so it’s Lala and Sheera Ruu?”

“Yes. I told them that I would absolutely like the opportunity to work with you, but that request wasn’t granted,” Reina Ruu said, and then she smiled.

Was she always the type of girl to make that sort of face under such circumstances?

What was it...? For some reason, I couldn’t read her feelings at all.

“This is your new dish, isn’t it?” Reina Ruu asked, her eyes falling on the plate of samples.

“Y-Yeah. If you’d like, you could try a sample. They’ve cooled down though, so I’ll heat it back up for you.”

“No. These are meant for the people of the post town to eat, aren’t they? If I ate one, then there would be less left to feed them. And I don’t want to do anything that would interfere with your work.”

Reina Ruu cast her eyes downward and smiled.

When she saw that, Vina Ruu gave a listless sigh.

“Hey, Asuta... It’s alright for me to have a taste test, right? If it’s alright, could I do that now...?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah. Of course I don’t mind.”

More or less sensing Vina Ruu’s intentions, I threw some fresh firewood into the now half-empty brazier and set it back in the stall.

Then, while the pot was heating up, Darmu Ruu called out “Hey,” to Vina Ruu. “No one from the Suun clan has shown up today, have they?”

“That’s right. In fact, it’s not just the Suun clan... We haven’t seen any people of the forest’s edge in general, right...?”

“That’s true. I mean, even if they were coming here for shopping they wouldn’t come all the way over here to the outskirts, so it’s possible none of them have even realized we’re here yet.”

“I see,” Darmu Ruu said with his gaze fixed on Vina Ruu, and then he gave a small nod. “What about that Kamyua Yoshu man, then?”

“He just bought some of Asuta’s cooking and left... Though with him, I suppose it’s still possible he’s hiding in the shadows of the trees somewhere and watching...”

“...I see,” Darmu Ruu replied, shooting an even fiercer glance at the grove behind our stall.

That guy really could be hiding out somewhere right now, eavesdropping on our conversation... It was a truly unpleasant thought. He’d expressed an affection for the people of the forest’s edge, but we didn’t exactly have a mutual understanding in the least, so it was always hard to tell whether he was really an ally or an enemy.

“Alright, I’ll go ahead and whip it up.”

I dropped some aria into the freshly heated pot, then the meat, and next I went ahead and prepared a single serving of myamuu giba.

As Vina Ruu accepted it, she said, “It really does look delicious...” with a joyous smile on her face, and took a bite. “Yeah, it’s tasty... But it’s a really sweet flavor. I feel like our dad may hate it...”

“That’s true. I used plenty of fruit wine, after all.”

“But still, it’s incredibly delicious... I think I like it just as much as the giba burgers...”

Vina Ruu took one more bite, and then she held it out towards Reina Ruu.

“Reina... This is my portion, so there’s no need to hold back. Won’t you at least try a bite...?”

“Huh, but...?”

“If you won’t have any, though, then I’ll eat all of it...”

As she said that, Vina Ruu took another bite.

A childish, anxious look flashed across Reina Ruu’s face. Yes, now she looked like the girl that I knew from before.

“Well then, just one bite...” she said, timidly reaching out.

Then, her little mouth bit down on the myamuu giba... and her face erupted in a smile that made it look like she simply couldn’t contain her joy.

“It’s... delicious. It’s a really powerful taste, isn’t it...?”

“Yeah. I thought that this strong of a spice might better meet the tastes of the townsfolk.”

“You really are amazing, Asuta... Ah, I wish I could help out too...” she said while looking down at the ground. She really did seem like her usual earnest self again.

“...It’s not as if Asuta will actually close up shop after these ten days, and it’s not like it has to always be the same women helping him, right...? It’s perfectly possible that your turn will come, Reina.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Reina Ruu replied with a bashful smile.

Then, she somewhat timidly glanced my way.

“If that time comes... I look forward to working with you, Asuta.”

“Ah, right, same here.”

When she heard my reply, she broke out in a joyous smile, so overly sweet that it felt like it was giving me a toothache.

“If that finishes our business here, then we’re leaving,” Darmu Ruu called out, sounding irritated.

“Oh, my, don’t you want to try some too, Darmu...?”

“As if I’d need something like that...” Darmu Ruu muttered, then he glared my way once again with his wolf-like gaze. “Hey... What’s the deal with that look in your eyes? Are you pitying me for being clumsy enough to get injured so badly I can’t go out into the forest?”

“Huh? That wasn’t my intention at all! I’ve even been nearly killed by giba twice, myself. I don’t think getting injured while hunting giba makes you clumsy at all.”

As I scratched my head, I thought to myself how I really just didn’t seem to get along with him. It was then that Vina Ruu slipped out of the stall and wriggled herself around Darmu Ruu’s robust right arm.

“That’s no good. If you get all hotheaded like that, you might open up your wounds again, right...? If you want to be healthy again soon, then you’ve got to take care.”

“Oh, shut it. And don’t act all clingy like that,” Darmu Ruu replied, violently shaking off his sister.

Then he just started walking south, so Reina Ruu hurriedly bowed her head.

“My apologies for interrupting your work. And please take good care of Vina... You should make sure you take care too, Asuta.”

“Right, thanks. Give my regards to Donda and Mia Lea Ruu.”

After shooting one last joyful smile our way, Reina Ruu hurried after her brother. Vina Ruu gave a little sigh, still holding the partially eaten myamuu giba in her hands.

“Did I do something I shouldn’t have...? But still, it was just too painful, watching Reina crush her own feelings like that...”

“Huh? W-What do you mean?”

“Reina has carried a look like she’s deep in thought ever since the night of the Rutim banquet... I don’t want to see Reina suffer, but I also want to see you and her be joined together even less...”

I just stood there in silence.

“Hey... Why don’t you and Ai Fa just get together already?”

What sort of face must I have been making when I heard that? As for Vina Ruu, she looked completely and utterly serious.

“...If I did that, would it somehow settle everything smoothly?”

“Yeah... When it happened, my heart would be probably be shattered into itty bitty pieces, to the point where I’d even be prepared to go and do something crazy...”

“What?”

“And so I’d just have to seduce you, so the two of us can leave the forest’s edge together. After all, Ai Fa would never forgive us, so we couldn’t remain at there... And I’m sure Reina wouldn’t care what happened to us at that point, once she hears how far we’ve fallen...”

“Hey! That doesn’t sound like it’s settling things smoothly at all!”

“That’s about the only future I can imagine anymore in which the two of us are tied together...” Vina Ruu muttered in a pathetic tone, hanging her head, but what she was saying was completely nuts. I gave a sigh, putting all my strength behind it.

“Just like I said before, I’ve got no intentions of marrying anybody. And there’s no way I’d play along with such a disturbing plan for the future, anyway.”

“Then what would you do if Ai Fa asked you to marry her...? Do you really think you could turn her down...?”

I wasn’t able to immediately answer back that I could.

The idea of a future in which Ai Fa asked me to marry her just seemed way too unreal.

But if that were to actually happen, then what...?

I had thought that I didn’t want to take anyone as a spouse when I had no idea when I might disappear, but at the same time, I also wanted to stay by Ai Fa’s side for the rest of my life.

If Ai Fa asked me to marry her... Just what would I do?

As she started toying with the tips of her chestnut-color hair, Vina Ruu shot me a sidelong glance while I stood there at a loss for words.

“Or perhaps Ai Fa could make up her mind to marry another man... Just let me say, I’m pretty sure Darmu still has strong feelings about wanting to make Ai Fa his bride... After all, he’s turned down countless requests over these past two years, too.”

“A-Ai Fa has no intention of becoming a bride or marrying anyone into her house either, so that future will never come.”

“Even if that’s true now, people’s feelings change, you know... After all, Ai Fa once cut off all ties to everyone, but then she went and welcomed you into her clan, didn’t she? Even Ai Fa herself doesn’t know how she’ll feel in a year or two...”

“That... may be so, but still...”

“So even if Ai Fa offered to marry you, you would turn her down...? And if she then decided to turn around and marry Darmu instead, could you give them your blessing...?”

This time around, I really was stunned to silence.

At least looking at her now, I just couldn’t imagine Ai Fa ever choosing to not be a hunter any longer.

But even some sudden accident could lead to a big change in how someone felt.

And plus, even if her feelings didn’t change, it was possible she could suffer a big injury and never be able to work as a hunter again, like what happened to Shin Ruu’s father, Ryada Ruu.

If that time came... Just what would I do?

“Hey. Are you still not closed up for today?” a voice I had never heard before suddenly called out, bringing me back to my senses. “The folks from Sym and Jagar all left, right? Even if you stick around in the post town, nobody else will buy giba meat, you know.”

Not only was his voice unfamiliar, so was his face.

It was a man... Or I guess I should say a youth. He may have been around the same age as I was. And he seemed to be awful punkish, too.

His skin was ivory-white, his dark brown hair was in a plain style, and his eyes were a lighter brown. He had on a vest that opened wide at the chest, and had a knife dangling from his hip. He also had friends who looked to be about the same age gathered behind him. Of that group of five, only one of them was a girl.

“...Welcome,” I said with a smile.

They were clearly ridiculing me, but they were also customers from the west, like I’d wanted from the very start.

The sight of Ai Fa was still firmly burned into my mind, but now wasn’t the time to be worrying about that.

“Giba meat is delicious, you see. If you’d like, you could sample it to see how it tastes,” I said, pointing out the plate of samples. With that, the youth looked at me with a chuckle that made it clear he thought I was nuts.

“There’s no way anyone from the west would eat that. And you’re from somewhere else, aren’t you? How’d you get yourself roped into selling giba meat by a giba eater woman? And you’ve already earned plenty of coins today, haven’t you? So scurry on back to the forest’s edge.”

It was like what Pops from Jagar had said two days ago, but there was far more animosity behind this youth’s words.

And I was certain it must be contempt and fear at the root of all that. As he spat out those aggressive words, his gaze started wandering a bit. He was laughing at me, but he didn’t especially sound like he was enjoying himself. I was starting to get the feeling that this was the bad kids around town challenging each other to prove their bravery by picking a fight with people from the forest’s edge.

And yet, these were exactly the sort of customers I had been waiting for. My true test here was to see if I could get them to keep an open mind and try giba meat.

“It’s true that I wasn’t born at the forest’s edge. However, I still believe that giba meat is incredibly delicious even so. That’s precisely why I opened this shop, to show the people of the post town just how tasty it can be,” I cheerfully responded.

The youth, though, got a little twitch in his cheek and said, “Hmph! The only ones who’d find that crap delicious are poor people who come here from the south and east for work! We don’t want your shop here, so hurry up and get lost!”

“You think so? It’s true that I still haven’t had many customers from the west try my food, but fortunately, those that did gave it their praise. Tastes of course vary from person to person, but still, would those folks there care to give it a try, too?”

As I said that, I signaled to Vina Ruu with my eyes. Or at least I was about to, but before I could get to it, I saw that she was already setting the brazier into the stall.

“...Sounds interesting. Go ahead and eat it,” the only girl said, sounding like she was enjoying herself as she gave the youth a rough nudge on the back.

This girl had a seriously sensual look about her, though not quite as much as Vina Ruu, and she looked to be about my age, too. The only part of her torso covered was her chest, but she also had on a skirt that reached from her hips down to her heels, making for an appearance that reminded me of Vina Ruu’s post town look. But she didn’t have on a veil or shawl, meaning she was showing even more skin, the colors of her outfit were quite flashy, and there were jangling accessories dangling from her neck and arms.

All of the group, that sensual girl included, had ivory-white skin. Some of them seemed to get plenty of sun though, making their skin look more yellowish-brown. In the back of my mind, I pondered that even the people of the west were part of the same humanity, and must have shared the same roots as everyone else.

“Don’t be crazy. Why should I have to eat giba meat of all things?”

“What’s the problem? If it’s good, I’ll eat it too.”

“Then you go ahead and eat it first! And if it’s good, then I’ll give it a try.”

“Hmph, how pathetic. No matter what you say, you’re ultimately just scared of giba, aren’t you?” the girl questioned with a smile meant to provoke the boy, then she brushed her hand through her long, dark brown hair.

Sure enough, this seemed to be a test of courage and some teasing. But even so, it was just what I wanted.

As they were bickering like puppies the pot had heated up, so I went ahead and grabbed a pinch of giba meat out of the leather bag.

When I tossed that into the pot, it gave a delightful sizzling sound, and a sweet aroma started spreading through the air.

Instantly, the two of them stopped talking.

And the group hanging back all approached the stall, looking like they were getting pulled along by an invisible string.

Once the surface of the meat was cooked, I added a spoonful of marinade, which caused even more fragrant white smoke to fill the air.

“...Myamuu, huh? Of course it would smell good when you’re using that stuff,” the initial youth scoffed, but nobody chimed in to agree with him.

Just when it seemed like it was about done I added the portion from the plate back to the pot, got everything nice and stirred, then moved it all back to the plate.

Vina Ruu swiftly placed the brazier outside, while I laid out my grigee toothpicks atop the plate.

“Now then, would you care to give it a try? Just getting a taste would be fine. Even if it isn’t to your tastes, it would make a fine topic of conversation, wouldn’t it?”

The five youths, including the one girl... All of their faces made it clear that they were at a loss.

It was obvious that they were feeling greatly conflicted, and didn’t know how to proceed.

They didn’t want to eat giba meat and found the idea unpleasant, but they didn’t want their pride to be hurt by causing the others to think they were afraid of giba, and then there was their animosity towards the people of the forest’s edge, and the delicious smell in front of them now spurring on their curiosity... Their hearts were being tugged in all sorts of directions by all sorts of matters.

“Y’know... It looks really tasty, doesn’t it...?”

“B-But it’s still giba meat, isn’t it, dummy?”

“That’s right! Proper people would never be caught dead eating giba meat!”

“And my granny said if you eat this stuff, you’ll grow horns and tusks like a giba...”

“It’s totally obvious using myamuu will make something smell good.”

“Yeah... But it really does look tasty, too...”

“That’s for sure! It looks delicious!”

Hmm?

I suddenly noticed a little dark brown head amidst the crowd of youths.

It was Dora the vegetable seller’s beloved daughter, Tara.

“Asuta! This is your new dish, right?! The myamuu smells really good!”

“Ah, if you want, you can go ahead and try a sample.”

I added another toothpick, which Tara grabbed and excitedly proclaimed, “Yay!”

Then, with the bewildered youths all staring at her, she joyfully exclaimed, “It’s delicious! It’s not soft like the giba burgers! But it’s still really tasty! Four please!”

“Thanks! But do your dad and the rest not need to try it for themselves first?”

“Nope! They said if I tried it and it was yummy, I should buy them before they sell out!”

I was really grateful to hear that.

It was all thanks to Dora that the guys from the pot and cloth shops had any interest in giba cooking in the first place.

And I was sure it was thanks to Vina and Ludo Ruu that Dora ever became so open-minded to start with.

As that thought ran through my head, I smiled back at Tara.

“Alright! Could you hold on just a moment? I’ll have them ready shortly.”

“Right!”

The brazier that had just been set outside was placed back in the cart, and I sauteed up enough aria and meat for four dishes.

I even thought I heard the sound of one of the youths gulp down their saliva.

Now that I had a moment to think about it, my first Sym customer had seen Tara ordering a giba burger and gotten interested in the shop as a result, too. I keenly felt just how much good fortune was coming my shop’s way thanks to my association with her.

“Thanks for waiting! That’ll be eight red coins.”

“Yup! Thanks!”

Tara then took off running, carefully cradling the four myamuu giba in her arms.

As I scooped the impurities out of the pot with my wooden spatula, I smiled at the hesitant youths.

“Now then, would you like to try it? They’re samples, so it’s completely free.”

“Alright... I’ll eat it,” the single girl said, reaching out towards the plate.

“Y-You idiot, cut it out! What’ll you do if you end up growing horns?!”

“There’s no way that’ll happen. You seriously believe that dumb superstition?”

As she said that, the girl was making a face like she was deep in thought about something.

“T-That little kid ate it like it was nothing, so we look like idiots being so scared about it. If you all don’t want to be called cowards, then you should give it a try, too.”

“I-It’s not like I’m scared or anything!”

As I saw that youth raising a fuss out of the corner of my eye, the girl grabbed a toothpick.

Then, while shooting a fierce glare at me and Vina Ruu, she got a do-or-die look on her face and tossed the meat into her mouth.

She gave it two or three chews, then her eyes opened wide and she went, “Whoa...”

“H-Hey, are you alright?” one of the youths asked, putting his hand on her shoulder, only for the girl to cruelly swat it aside.

Finally, she muttered, “It’s... really good...”

I stealthily breathed a sigh of relief as the youths started raising a fuss.

“What did you just say? It’s giba meat, you know. Is something wrong with your head?”

“Shut up! If you think I’m lying, then try it yourself! If you still think it’s gross, then I’ll strip naked here and now!”

Ah, no, that seems like it’d get the guards summoned, so please don’t.

Still, this sure was some response.

At last, a citizen of the west who I’d never met before had eaten giba meat and called it delicious. On my fourth day of work, I had finally reached this point.

“Damn it, fine! Make sure you don’t forget that promise, alright?” the boy said in an exasperated tone, then he finally grabbed a toothpick.

While making a face that half looked like he was about to cry, the youth picked out the smallest looking piece of meat and slowly carried it up to his mouth.

“Whoa...” he muttered, his eyes going wide just like the girl’s had.

“Well? Isn’t it delicious?” the girl asked, puffing out her chest with pride at her victory.

Then, the other four started reaching out one by one.

Fortunately, not a one of them called it gross. Instead, all of them just opened their eyes wide in surprise.

Did the folks from the west have a better affinity for giba meat than the ones from the south, or was myamuu giba more generally appealing than giba burgers...? The answer to those questions remained a mystery, but this was definitely a step forward compared to the second day, where half the people were dissatisfied.

“...Hey. It was two red coins, right?” the girl asked with a harsh look in her eyes, to which I gave a friendly, “That’s right.”

“H-Hey, Yumi, you aren’t actually planning on buying one, are you?”

“What’s the matter? There’s no reason not to buy such delicious food, is there? Do you really want to buy something from a different shop after eating that?” the girl called Yumi firmly stated, then she slapped her coins down on the counter.

“What about you all? Are you not buying any? I’ll warn you now, I’m not sharing even a single bite with you guys.”

The youths looked at each other with bewilderment on their faces.

As she haughtily shrugged her shoulders, the girl glared my way again.

“Now hurry up and make it. Thanks to you, now I feel like I’m starving.”

“Right! Just one moment, please!”

We really were having to constantly pull the brazier out and then put it back in. Still, I greatly welcomed being busy like that.

There was still time till the sun hit its peak, and besides, even if none of them had bought anything this was still precisely the development I had been waiting for.

“Vina Ruu, please handle the brazier, alright?” I said with a smile, turning to face her.

However, Vina Ruu wasn’t moving.

Her seductive, slightly droopy eyes were narrowed and looking even sleepier than usual.

“Um, Vina Ruu...?”

Was she really getting struck by drowsiness at a time like this?

...No, underneath those sleepy-looking narrowed eyelids, Vina Ruu’s pale eyes were filled with a sharper light than I’d ever seen from her.

So even Vina Ruu’s eyes could get like that?

Still, just why did she need to make a glare like that? And besides, where she was looking made no sense.

She wasn’t looking at me by her side, the customers in front of us, or even the bustling south... No, Vina Ruu was staring north.

I slowly followed her gaze, and the customers did the same.

Then, we were all left shocked or trembling with fear.

That was just the natural reaction to what we were looking at.

It was a massive inflated body like a blimp made of flesh, around two meters tall. That bundle of meat that made you question if you were really looking at a human being was stomping along the stone path, heading straight towards us.

It was the youngest son of the main Suun house, Mida Suun.