Dozens of dishes were brought in by the orc chefs, the long table quickly filling with the bounty from the Grand Hunt. Each dish had been crafted with care, not only to showcase the flavor of the beasts they were made from, but also to highlight the skill of the chefs who put their hearts into these dishes.
While at dominated the table— either roasted, grilled, stewed, or smoked—it wasn’t the only thing present. Vegetables both native and imported, fragrant fruits, and a dazzling array of spices and garnishes added vibrant color and aroma to every plate. Platters shimred with expertly glazed ats, skewers sizzled atop stones, and thick soups simred in heated cauldrons at the ends of the table.
But despite the feast laid before them, no one moved to eat.
Sol, Reena, Thorwyn, and Amber glanced around, noticing that not a single orc had reached for the food. Though tempting slls wafted in the air, even the younger orcs remained seated, their gazes subtly shifting toward the head of the table.
Kuruck finally stood, scanning the dishes before him. He then glanced at Sol and the other guests, who appeared unsure of what to do, and explained, not wanting to leave them in the dark.
"Because this isn’t a normal dinner, but a Grand Hunt, it’s ti to assess what my children have brought back. Once I am done, we can then eat."
He stepped forward and served himself a small cut from the plate nearest to him, a white slice of at with a crisp, browned exterior and subtle steam still rising from its center. The aroma was mild but rich, with hints of pepper and wild herbs.
"A Large Winter Rabbit. Whose prize is this?"
It was simple for Kuruck to tell at a glance what at he was looking at and he asked for the one who brought it.
"It’s mine!" Retnak said proudly, raising his hand like an excited student.
Kuruck nodded once, a small smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. "Let’s see how you did, son."
He took a large bite of the at. He closed his eyes briefly, his brow furrowing slightly as he concentrated on the food. When he finished chewing, he gave his verdict.
"Level 68? ...No, level 70. Hah! Great job, Retnak! Your skills have improved substantially since the last hunt. Bridging a 24 level gap is no small feat."
The praise lit up Retnak’s face with joy. He bead with pride, clearly pleased to have earned his father’s approval. For soone who hadn’t even awakened his third talent yet, killing a beast that not only out leveled him but had a full extra talent compared to him was indeed impressive.
Sol and the other guests were taken aback, at his assessnt. And all for the sa reason.
"Hyu? (How could he tell its level?)" Thorwyn murmured, eyes wide in disbelief.
Sol frowned in agreent. He could understand identifying the type of beast by taste, certain flavors were unique to certain monsters. But gauging its level? That should have been impossible. Even [Analysis] wasn’t able to do that once the beast was prepared and plated. Once cooked, the skill only presented its beneficial or attribute boosting properties, not its strength or level.
Unable to hold back his curiosity, Sol asked directly, "Chieftain Kuruck, how could you tell its level just by tasting it? Even [Analysis] won’t give that sort of detail once it’s cooked."
Kuruck let out a hearty chuckle. "Experience... and knowing what to look for."
He picked up another piece of at, this ti from another plate, and gave it a look before elaborating.
"at from stronger beasts has distinct qualities, denser muscle fibers, richer mana saturation, deeper flavor profiles. After decades of hunting and eating strong beasts, you learn to notice the subtle differences. With enough ti, you can even narrow it down to its exact level."
Sol nodded, but still couldn’t believe it. Not the part about higher level monsters tasting differently. That he was fully aware of. What truly shocked him was the Chieftain’s ability to discern the exact level of the beast.
’How long would it take for to be able to do that too? Years?’ He thought to himself.
While it wasn’t a very useful ability, it was still impressive nonetheless.
With the question answered, Kuruck moved on, repeating the process dish by dish. He took small portions from each plate, always giving a brief but detailed critique.
"This Snowgrave Bison... Mazon’s handiwork, no doubt. Level 84."
"Granect’s Shrieking Ape, tougher than most. Level 91. Good kill, but you can do better."
One by one, he worked through each dish. And to everyone’s quiet relief, especially Nocren’s, all the dishes passed his judgnt.
Even Nocren’s "official" dish, the Ironbeak, received a nod of approval. Kuruck never once suspected it wasn’t the one Nocren initially brought back with the Vicious Frost Glider corpse hidden away inside his spatial ring.
Orla’s Coldsnap Mantis was given praise as well, but Orla knew she could have done better. The only issue being that A-Rank beasts were very hard to co by. So even though her catch was much weaker than her, Kuruck still gave her praise for managing to find a pseudo A-Rank beast as those were also uncommon, just not as rare as a true A-Rank beast.
The one who got the most praise out of all of them was Rodgul, who brought in not only an A-Rank, but it was the Iceborn Mammoth that had been causing a lot of trouble.
When the final dish was judged and the table was silent in anticipation, Kuruck stood once more, pride practically radiating from him.
"With this, the hunt is judged. You’ve all done well, and I’m proud of every one of you."
He raised his cup high, his voice booming.
"And now... we can truly begin the feast!"
The calm, polite tension vanished in an instant.
The siblings erupted into motion, reaching for dishes, slapping hands playfully, arguing over the best cuts, and shouting over each other as they fought for their favorite plates. It was chaos, but joyous, familiar chaos.
Sol blinked, briefly startled by the sudden shift in atmosphere. Amber sat still, eyeing Sol as if asking him if she could serve herself as well, while Reena instinctively tried to sit back and stay out of the way. Thorwyn tilted his head, unsure whether to join in or brace for an ambush.
Kuruck noticed their hesitation and chuckled.
"In here there’s no need for formalities." He said, motioning to the table. "Just grab what you want and enjoy yourselves."
Sol gave a small nod and reached for a plate, as the others did as well. Amber moved surprisingly fast as she scored herself a serving of multiple plates in an instant.
Reviews
All reviews (0)