Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 9 - Chapter 1.2

2

“You really didn’t realize she was a girl, Asuta?” Lala Ruu questioned, looking completely and utterly astounded. “I really don’t see how you could see her as anything but a woman! Right, Reina?”

“Yes, truly.”

“What about you, Sheera Ruu? You knew, didn’t you?”

“Yes. She certainly didn’t look like a man to me.”

“And Li Sudra... Ah, you weren’t here yet.”

“That’s right. But just when I arrived, an angry southerner came out from behind the stall. If that’s who we’re talking about, well... I’m sorry, Asuta, but she didn’t look like anything other than a young girl to me.”

Li Sudra didn’t especially need to apologize there. The only thing here worthy of embarrassment was my own ignorance.

All of our work was done for the day, and we had just returned the stalls to The Kimyuus’s Tail. That happened to leave us with a bit of time to kill, and so we were having that conversation while hanging out in the alley between two inns.

Actually, it honestly felt more like an attack than a conversation at this point. But I had needed to head for The Sledgehammer not long after the girl I had mistaken for a boy had left, so it was little surprise that I was getting it now.

I would’ve been good if we just skipped this step, but unfortunately Lala Ruu’s sharp tongue showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

“I seriously can’t believe you! It really is no wonder she slugged you! And I feel like a real fool for worrying about you, too!”

“Hey, you can at least worry a little. I mean, wasn’t I already punished for my crime back there?”

A few hours had passed since then, but my left cheek was still throbbing away. I probably had some cuts in my mouth too, so I made a mental note to skip using any spicy chitt seeds in tonight’s dinner.

“At the very least, she was older than I am. Man, just imagining being treated like that is enough to get me mad. That was a real insult, saying something like that to a woman.”

“I’m telling you, I was just caught up in the preconception that there weren’t ever any foreign women in the post town. I mean, have you even seen girls from Jagar or Sym before, Lala Ruu?”

“That’s got nothing to do with it. A boy would never have a face that pretty.”

“You think so? I mean, I’d say Shin Ruu’s got a pretty nice face, for example. Don’t you think so too, Lala Ruu?”

With that, the young girl’s face went red and she hit me with a liver blow to hide how embarrassed she was feeling.

I really was getting beaten an awful lot today. And it was extra sad too, as I definitely brought it all on myself.

“Hmph! I thought for sure you knew she was a girl, and you were just trying to use the chance to ogle her! I mean, you got your face up all close to her, after all. And I’m sure it made you feel good to hear her go on and on about how good your cooking was, right?”

“Come on, that’s ridiculous. I thought she was a man back then, so of course I wasn’t ogling her.”

“Ah, so you would’ve if you knew she was a girl? Hmm, should I let Ai Fa know about—”

As she was saying that, I worried that my clan head herself would show up with the worst possible timing. And so, I hurriedly tried to cover Lala Ruu’s mouth only for a husky voice to call out from behind me, “What were you saying about me?”

I turned around as a cold sweat ran down my back, and sure enough found Ai Fa standing commandingly there, holding Gilulu’s reins.

“Sorry for the wait. I didn’t catch any giba today, and ended up having to head a bit further out to set up traps.”

“A-Ah, that’s fine! Sorry for making you come all this way after you worked so hard on the hunt.”

“It’s nothing... So, what was all this about ogling?”

“E-Er, I was just ogling some nice ingredients earlier, thinking I might want to buy them!”

“Sounds interesting,” Ai Fa replied, a very clear look of doubt in her eyes.

Before Lala Ruu could go and say anything unnecessary, I hurriedly bowed my head and said, “Well then, good work today, everyone. Since Ai Fa’s here now, we’re going to go buy a wagon. And Reina Ruu, you really saved us today. Thanks so much for that.”

“Ah, no, the Ruu and the Fa clans have an agreement for us to lend you help, so it’s only natural. And besides... I think that I gained a lot from today, too.”

I had also asked Reina Ruu to assist me with the work at the inns rather than Lala Ruu or Li Sudra. Even though they had more experience manning the stalls, Reina Ruu was more skilled when it came to cooking techniques. That impression of mine turned out to be absolutely correct, as she worked even harder than Vina Ruu even though it was her first day on the job.

“I’ll be helping out until Vina’s injury is healed, so I look forward to working with you from tomorrow on, too,” Reina Ruu added, breaking out in a truly brilliant smile.

With her strong desire to learn new techniques, she really seemed to have leveled up quite a bit over the course of the day. I simply couldn’t keep myself from trembling with excitement at the thought that I’d have to keep on improving too if I didn’t want her to overtake me.

“Hmm...? Do you have some sort of business with me?” Ai Fa suddenly asked in a questioning tone. And when someone suddenly stepped forward from beside her, I was even more shocked.

“Shumiral? What in the world are you doing here?”

“Asuta... I have a request, to ask, of you all.”

That caused me to feel a bit uneasy for some reason, and so I hurried over his way.

The reason for that concern had been Shumiral’s voice. Normally it was calm and composed, but now he was panting and close to out of breath. And when I got close enough, I even spied a bit of sweat clinging to his brow.

“I am, sorry... I am tired, from running. I am glad, to have found you.”

“What is it? Do you have some sort of urgent business with us?”

“Yes... Would it, be possible, for me to go, to the forest’s edge?” I was completely taken aback. Meanwhile, Shumiral’s dark eyes glanced over both me and the women. “I am worried, about Vina Ruu... Could I meet, with her?”

“So you’re saying you want to come see her because of her injury? You’d come all the way to the forest’s edge?”

“Yes.”

Completely at a loss for words, I turned around and looked at the women standing behind me.

Lala Ruu was whispering into her elder sister’s ear, looking a bit tense.

As for Reina Ruu, she was clearly deep in thought as she walked up beside me.

“Man of the east, I am the second daughter of the main Ruu house, Reina Ruu. Vina Ruu is my elder sister, related to me by blood.”

“Of course. I am the leader, of the merchant group, the Silver Vase, Shumiral Zi Sadumtino.”

“Shumiral, is it? Understood. Well then... Why exactly is it that you’re worried about Vina Ruu? What is she to you?”

“We have, no special bond. I am, simply concerned.”

“So you’re not claiming to be her friend, then?”

“Yes. She sells food, at the stall, and I buy it. That is all. We are, not friends.”

“I see...” Reina Ruu said, her gaze drifting downwards. “As long as they don’t have any wicked thoughts in mind, no one is forbidden from entering the settlement at the forest’s edge. You’re free to come to the Ruu house if you please. However, our clan head is the one who will determine whether or not we’ll welcome you inside as a guest.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Well then, I’ll pass your request along to our clan head and Vina Ruu. Do you mind waiting until tomorrow to hear their response? Then if the clan head gives his permission, we can escort you to the Ruu settlement.”

“Yes, thank you. I am, in your debt,” Shumiral said, joining his fingers together as he expressed his gratitude toward Reina Ruu.

As for the second Ruu daughter, she just gently, calmly smiled back.

“I can’t say I understand why a foreigner like you is so concerned about my sister, but as a member of her family, I definitely wish to offer you my thanks for those feelings. Well then, I’ll see you again tomorrow... Asuta, it looks like we’ll be heading back ahead of you.”

“Right. Take care, everyone.”

Reina Ruu had a more childish feel about her than Sheera Ruu or Ama Min Rutim, but she seriously impressed me with how politely and properly she acted there.

But at any rate, the three women exited to the main road, leaving just me, Ai Fa, and Shumiral standing there.

“Shumiral, you must’ve really worked up some serious resolve to say you want to come visit Vina Ruu.”

“Yes. I was, worried about, doing so. But I would hate, to end up, not seeing her, again.”

Honestly, I was surprised to find out that he had been brooding over the matter this much. I obviously noticed that he had feelings toward her, but just as he had said, they were nothing more than a customer and saleswoman, and had hardly even gotten to talk to one another. And on top of that, Shumiral wasn’t a westerner and would even be leaving Genos in three days, so I really hadn’t been expecting their relationship to suddenly develop further.

But in that case, maybe even now Shumiral wasn’t aiming to get closer to her. It was certainly possible that he really was just worried about her and wanted to see her, and was acting on that.

As those thoughts ran through my head, Shumiral just gently stared back at me.

“I will not, cause you, any trouble. You do not, need to worry.”

“Ah, I wasn’t concerned about that in the least. It’s just... The Ruu clan head is one of the leaders of the forest’s edge, and he’s also a seriously intense guy. There are probably a lot of differences in the way folks from the forest’s edge and easterners think, so just take care and keep that in mind, alright?”

“Right. You have, my thanks.”

Ai Fa had remained silent up till then, but she suddenly called out to Shumiral, “This may be the first time in the 80 years our people have lived there that an easterner has stepped foot in the forest’s edge. You were the one who asked me to protect Asuta during that whole commotion with the Suun clan, weren’t you? I remember that silver hair of yours.”

“Yes. My name, is Shumiral Zi Sadumtino. You are, Asuta’s clan head, Ai Fa, are you not?”

“That’s right. I’m Ai Fa, clan head of the Fa. As long as you don’t break the laws of the forest’s edge, I can’t imagine any of our people will try to do you harm. But just remember, if you do break them, you’ll be punished even more harshly than had you committed a crime in Genos.”

“I understand.”

Shumiral was going to visit the settlement at the forest’s edge... I had never even imagined such a day would come. Honestly, it made me feel both glad and uneasy at the same time.

“Shumiral, if you get permission from the Ruu clan head, then let me accompany you too, alright? I know you better than anyone else at the forest’s edge, so that should help things go smoother in a variety of ways.”

“Is that not, a hassle for you, Asuta...?”

“Not at all. In fact, I was concerned about how Vina Ruu was doing too, so this works out perfectly,” I answered with a smile, and Shumiral happily narrowed his eyes. “Well then, I guess this is goodbye for today. After all, we’ve got to go stop by a craftsman’s shop and pick up the wagon we ordered.”

“Right. Thank you. I will come, to your stalls again, tomorrow.”

“Got it. And thanks for your continued business, too. Are you ready to get going then, Ai Fa?”

“Hold on. There’s something I still need to ask about before that.”

“Huh?” I questioned, wondering if she still had something further to discuss with Shumiral as I turned to face her.

In the next instant, though, she firmly grabbed hold of my jaw and drew her face in close.

“Where did this injury come from, Asuta...?”

“I-Injury? I’m not injured, though...”

“You can’t fool me. The corner of your mouth is cut, and your left cheek is red. That’s from someone hitting you, isn’t it?” Ai Fa questioned, her eyes burning bright as my jaw creaked. “How did you end up suffering such injuries? Did you go acting recklessly again where I couldn’t watch over you, Asuta?”

“Ow! You’re gonna shatter my jaw! And I wasn’t reckless at all! I just got into a bit of an argument, and got a little shove at the end of it!”

My jaw hurt and Ai Fa’s face was way too close to mine. This distance was just too much for me today.

Last night, as all sorts of emotions ran through my head, I had hugged Ai Fa tight. And with so little time passing since then, naturally the warmth and disorienting sensations I felt were still quite vivid in my memory.

Ai Fa gave a serious frown, then let go of my jaw and kicked me in the leg. I thought I saw her face turn a bit red as she faced away as usual, but I didn’t have the strength left in me to confirm. Actually, more than that, it felt like if I did see it, then I’d end up beet red too. And since it was still the early afternoon there was plenty of traffic in the area, which meant I’d really prefer to avoid that sort of embarrassment.

“Anyway, we’ll be going. See you again tomorrow, Shumiral!”

“Yes,” Shumiral replied with a nod, his gaze somehow looking even gentler than usual. And he looked really happy about something, too... It was a really affectionate gaze, like he was also giving something his blessing.

Thanks to that, I only ended up feeling all the more bashful, with the blood seriously rushing to my cheeks.

◇

The craftsman’s workshop was located in the southern portion of the post town.

The one-story building with its tall roof had all sorts of lumber lying about in piles, and really did feel a lot more like a workshop than a store. And as I stood there awash in the smell of wood shavings, I couldn’t help but let out an impressed, “Ooh, this sure is something!”

I was staring at a huge wagon that had been pulled out from the back of the building. And man, it certainly was worthy of admiration.

“Well, it is the toughest and biggest one-totos wagon that we make, after all. As long as you don’t go and do anything too crazy, it should last for five or even ten years.”

The owner of the workshop was a middle-aged man with a real hearty craftsmanlike feel about him. He looked to be around 40 years old and was around the same height as me, but he had a pretty robust build. His eyes and hair were dark brown, while his skin was a golden shade. He had some cloth around his waist and was wearing leather sandals, but didn’t have anything else on.

There were a number of similarly dressed westerners about sawing away at lumber, putting pieces together, and pounding metal into it. Apparently this workshop didn’t just make wagons, but also other wooden goods like cabinets, desks, and chairs.

“Come back once a month so we can inspect the wheels, though. Well, unless you don’t mind getting stuck in the middle of the road, that is.”

“Once a month? Alright, got it. Thank you very much.”

“You’ve got no reason to thank me. I was just telling you how to properly handle it so you don’t come back to me with complaints in the future,” the owner bluntly responded while tugging on his scraggly dark brown beard.

He didn’t seem all that fond of the people of the forest’s edge, but at the same time he seemed to be able to separate himself from that when it came to business. And so, he reminded me of how Milano Mas was not so long ago, which actually helped me warm up to him.

But at any rate, the wagon was in front of us now. It was shaped like one of those old covered wagons, with a rectangular bed, four wheels, and a large cloth canopy stretched overtop. As for the measurements, I’d say it looked to be about 4 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 2.5 meters tall to the top of the roof.

There was a simple driver’s seat installed at the front, as well as two long rods for attaching the totos. The cloth roof arched overtop, and peering inside, I saw it was supported by what looked like eight wooden ribs.

It was primarily constructed out of wood, but metal was also used here and there throughout. For example, there was a v-shaped bit of metal between the wheel axles and the body, so perhaps that made for some sort of suspension. The overall construction of the vehicle was simple, but it had a sort of functional beauty to it that really spoke to the skill of the craftsmen.

I had certainly seen this sort of wagon a lot around the post town. However, it was my first time staring at one up close and personal, plus it was all new and shiny, so I was feeling seriously impressed. And Ai Fa’s eyes had gone wide too, showing that she couldn’t fully restrain the curiosity and admiration she was feeling.

“It certainly looks big, seeing it up all close and personal like this. What’s the maximum number of people that can ride in it?”

“Including whoever’s in the driver seat, it would be six or seven. Don’t go too fast when you’ve got over three folks in it, though. After all, you could easily end up hurting your totos by pushing it too hard.”

If that was the case, then I could carry along the tools we needed for the stalls as well as all five workers. Add that to the wagon itself, which had to be easily over 200 kilos, and all told, it really was impressive just how strong totos were.

“And this here’s the harness. Pay careful attention to how it goes on, so you can adjust it yourselves. The leather will stretch bit by bit as you use it, so you’re sure to need to readjust it in the future,” the oldtimer stated as he started wrapping the leather band around Gilulu’s round torso. And as that was going on, Gilulu was shooting him a bit of a questioning look. “Hmm... No matter how agreeable a totos may be, they always look to hate it the first time you put a harness on them... Has this totos pulled a wagon before?”

“Ah, I’d have to check to be certain, but I believe so.”

If he really had been one of the totos that Kamyua Yoshu’s fake merchant group let loose, then he definitely would have pulled a wagon back then. Did he not have a harness on back when they found him because it came loose as he was wandering about the forest...? Or maybe Kamyua Yoshu’s group cut them free before the giba could get them by slicing those bands.

The man then attached the metallic fittings on the left and right of the harness to the two poles coming from the front of the wagon, completing the familiar totos-drawn wagon look I was used to seeing around the post town.

Gilulu had the same blank expression on his face as always, but he still looked pretty darn majestic in spite of that. And I didn’t miss the pride that crept across Ai Fa’s face, either.

“Then, there’s the leather crop. Your legs won’t reach the totos from the driver’s seat, so you have to hit it with this instead of kicking it,” the owner stated while holding out the item in question.

It was cylindrical like the riding crops used in horse races, and looked to be made by stretching the leather atop grigee wood or something. And it was about two centimeters thick and a meter long, with a small sort of spatula-like shape affixed at the one end.

“What is that...? You couldn’t possibly be thinking of hitting Gilulu with that, right, Asuta?” Ai Fa questioned, giving me kind of a scary look.

As I checked the flexibility in the crop, I turned and went, “Huh? Yeah, well I guess that’s the plan. You heard the explanation just now too, didn’t you? It’s in place of giving him a kick.”

“But if you hit him with that, won’t you hurt him?” Ai Fa asked, her eyebrows rising in a way that made her expression look all the more dangerous.

“Ah, but if it’s just in place of a kick, then it shouldn’t hurt any more than that... Isn’t that right?” I questioned in turn, and the oldtimer nodded back.

The sour look on his face hadn’t shifted in the least, but I couldn’t help but feel concerned that he might hold some resentment toward Ai Fa for being a person of the forest’s edge.

“If you were to hit the totos hard enough to hurt it, then it’d probably run wild. You should hit it in the same spot and with the same amount of strength as if you were kicking it. They’ve got these splendid feathers here, so that shouldn’t hurt them in the least,” the oldtimer explained, patting Gilulu on the rear. However, as he did so, his eyes narrowed with suspicion again. “Hey, this totos doesn’t have a brand on it, huh?”

“A brand...? Ah, no, it doesn’t.”

Now that I thought about it, Kamyua Yoshu had said that the custom was to brand totos in order to mark who they belong to.

“Without a brand, you won’t be able to prove this totos belongs to you if it’s stolen, y’know. Well... I guess nobody would go after something belonging to the people of the forest’s edge anyway, but you can take care of it for just five red coins at a place that handles totos, so you should just go ahead and do it.”

“What’s a brand...?” Ai Fa questioned, sounding confused.

“A-A brand is a symbol you burn onto skin with hot metal. If we give him one, then Gilulu won’t go getting mixed up with other totos,” I hurriedly explained, figuring it would be bad if Ai Fa’s anger was turned toward the owner.

Instantly, Ai Fa shouted out, “You can’t! I would never mistake Gilulu even without such a thing! I’ll never accept the idea of branding him!”

Perhaps because he had just heard his name so many times in a row, Gilulu was tilting his head from atop his long neck and bringing his face in close to Ai Fa’s. In no time at all, she cradled his head in her arms and shot me a look filled with both anger and sadness.

“You won’t accept it...?” I repeated while holding back a sigh, then looked over at the oldtimer. “Um, this totos’s previous owner didn’t brand it, so it’s not against the laws of Genos not to have one, right?”

“Yeah, that’s all up to the bird’s owner. After all, you’re the only one who will lose out if it runs away or gets stolen... However, it’s proper manners towards other totos riders to make sure your reins and harness at least have an easy to see symbol on them. After all, people tend to use those to tell totos apart rather than the brands.”

“Symbols, huh? I see,” I replied with a nod, then turned around only to find my beloved clan head digging around inside her leather cloak. What she pulled out was a familiar sort of necklace filled with giba horns and tusks.

Ever since I started my business with the stalls, there had been no need for Ai Fa to exchange the horns and tusks she earned for coins. It would get in the way far too much to put them all around her neck, and so she had been storing the excess in her cloak’s inner pockets.

Anyway, Ai Fa removed three horns and tusks and strung them along a fresh leather string, then wrapped that around Gilulu’s neck.

There was a custom among hunters of the forest’s edge to give women such necklaces as a wish for them to live happy and healthy lives. I actually wasn’t totally certain if Gilulu was a boy or a girl, but he was a member of the Fa clan regardless, and it felt like a rather tasteful gift.

Ai Fa gave a satisfied stroke of Gilulu’s long neck, and then puffed out her chest with pride.

“This should do, right? I certainly won’t accept branding him either way, though.”

“I got it, I got it. No complaints here. I had already vaguely felt that way, but you sure are overprotective of your family, huh?”

“Quiet, you,” Ai Fa replied, patting Gilulu on the neck and looking relieved to have avoided that danger.

“You sure are an odd pair...” the oldtimer grumbled. I was a bit surprised by the tone in his voice so I turned around to look, and found him ruffling his brown hair and giving an awkward grin. “I really don’t get you people of the forest’s edge. First I think you’re a group of intimidating ruffians, but then you go wailing like children... Hey, you all run some stalls here in the post town, don’t you? I’ve only heard rumors, since I spend pretty much all day here in the shop.”

“Huh? Rumors?”

“Yeah. There was some bloodshed just a little while ago that even the folks from the castle got mixed up in, right? It was something about the people of the forest’s edge cutting down one of their own criminals, wasn’t it?”

I was suddenly at a loss for words.

The oldtimer was shooting me a look that said he was trying to feel me out.

“Up till now, the folks from the castle overlooked crimes by the people of the forest’s edge. Whether it was causing a commotion in town or wrecking stalls... Heck, word was they could even get away with murder. And then that incident suddenly came out of nowhere. Did the folks from the castle abandon you all?”

“I wouldn’t quite put it that way. I’d say it’s more that the people of the forest’s edge are citizens of Genos too, and they’re now working hard to show that and make sure the western kingdom’s laws are properly followed.”

I really hadn’t expected that question in the least, and so my answer came out pretty awkward there.

“Hmm... So you all actually intend to follow the laws of the west, then?”

“We do! Actually, it was only a handful of people at the forest’s edge who broke those laws, and all of them have either been punished or are waiting to face judgment!” Zattsu and Tei Suun were gone now. Zuuro Suun, Diga, and Doddo were currently prisoners. And as for everyone else... “Ah, but what exactly will be done about the people who laid hands on the blessings of the forest still needs to be deliberated with the folks from the castle. They were only acting under orders from the previous leader of the forest’s edge, so we’re hoping things can end peacefully...”

“The blessings of the forest...? Ah, I guess there was a law about that. That was just made for the people of the forest’s edge, though. Us townsfolk would never go near that giba-filled forest in the first place, after all,” the owner replied while waving me off with his thick hand and sounding a bit annoyed. “Anyway, I don’t care about all that. What matters is your relationship with the folks from the castle. Us townsfolk can’t do anything to defy them. If one of them says black is white, then as far as we’re concerned, it’s white. But they pretty much never come out from behind the stone walls, so they don’t really have much impact on our day-to-day lives. The real issue is the idea that the people of the forest’s edge are strutting about town, free of any worry about getting judged for their crimes.”

I suddenly noticed that Ai Fa was standing right next to me. And currently, the oldtimer was looking her up and down with some serious wariness in his eyes.

“We’ve never had any people of the forest’s edge wander into this workshop up till now. So honestly, this is the first time I’ve ever had a chance to have a proper conversation with any of you. Seriously, just what sort of folks are you?”

“I honestly don’t know what to say to that except we’re simply the people of the forest’s edge. The lives granted to us involve little more than protecting the laws of the forest and hunting the giba of Morga.”

“Hmph, that’s a pretty formal introduction you gave, there. Nothing at all like how out of sorts you were earlier,” the oldtimer replied, causing Ai Fa to pout. And upon seeing that childish expression, the man just grinned all the more. “Well, I guess that doesn’t have much to do with someone who doesn’t get out often, like me. The people with shops out on the main street who see you folks all the time may have a completely different opinion on matters, but I’ll just have to hope for now that my new customers aren’t big fat liars.”

“Right. And we’ll just have to prove our integrity to you through our actions from here on out.”

“In that case, would you mind following the laws of the western kingdom and paying me for this thing? Taking off the 50 white coins you paid in advance, that leaves another 70, plus 7 for the leather crop and harness. So that’ll be 77 white coins in total, my customers from the forest’s edge,” the oldtimer said with a big smile that showed off the white of his teeth.