Let us go back in ti for a little.
On the 18th of the Blue month, we visited the Cryptic Venerable Inn for the first ti.
It had just been two days since the commotion regarding the Tsun clan, and the situation in town was still unstable. It wasnt a good ti to expand our business, but catering food for the inn shouldnt agitate the westerners. Shumimaru and the others would only be in Genos for less than half a month, so I decided to make this decision.
Denizen of Forest's Edge, Asuta, welco. Im honored by your visit.
The innkeeper Neil ca out of the inn to receive us.
After hearing the inn na, it might invoke an old man with a black beard. But this innkeeper was very young and didnt look older than 30. He had brown hair, dark brown eyes, and ivory skin. His facial features were plain; he was of average build and looked just like a typical westerner. The only prominent thing about him was being quiet and expressionless.
Nice to et you too Sorry for picking such a busy ti to visit.
It was just past noon. As I didnt know how long I would need to work in the Big Tree of the South Inn, I headed for the Cryptic Venerable Inn when Rii Sudora arrived in the afternoon.
The quiet innkeeper shook his head and said:
Its not busy during this ti. This way, please; I will show you to the kitchen.
The Cryptic Venerable Inn was a unique place. This inn wasnt situated along the bustling stone-paved road, but off an alley from the main road, surrounded by residential housing. It was a small two-story building without any signage, and it was impossible to tell this was an inn.
Alright then, Im going in. Thank you, Shumimaru.
I nodded and thanked Shumimaru who led us here.
The young easterner with white hair narrowed his eyes slightly with sadness.
Asuta, I, in the way?
Huh? Not at all, but arent you busy?
I want, till end, stay.
Shumimaru was half a head taller than . He beca a bandleader at such a young age, but he would show an innocent side of him at tis. Like right now.
If you can accompany, I will feel more at ease
When he heard my reply, he nodded and squinted his eyes. The feeling of this squint seed different from just now.
I, till end, accompany.
So he would squint like that when he was happy. I tried to interpret it in my own way but wasnt sure how Shumimaru actually felt.
Anyway, we entered the Cryptic Venerable Inn. There were four of us in total: , Shumimaru, Vena Wu, and the escort Shin Wu.
Although the commotion caused by the Tsun clan had ended, the feelings between us and the Genos castle had grown more complicated. Adding that incident in the Post Station Town which was bordering on becoming a riot, Shin Wu and Ludo Wu were still guarding us.
Wouldnt it interfere with their jobs as hunters? After asking that, I learned that the area around the Wu clan and Lutim house just happened to be entering the off-peak season. In Forest's Edge, every area would experience three or so off-peak seasons annually, and the hunters would rest during this ti for half a month.
The kins of the Wu clan would officially start to rest a short ti later. On the first resting day, they would hold a harvest feast. In a few more days, Donda Wu would request for to tend to the hearth for that feast.
At this mont, I wasnt expecting such a future. I followed Neil into the Cryptic Venerable Inn and then gasped softly.
On the wall to the right and above the counter were the heads of large animals, used for decorations.
These were probably taxidermied specins. They were animals that looked like a deer or a goat, and only the part above their necks was visible. It looked as if they were leaning out of the wall.
Impressive, what are these animals?
They are beasts native to the eastern kingdom, called Gyama.
The innkeeper Neil answered quietly.
This animal had a long snout with buffalo-like horns on both sides of its head. The size of its head was about that of a human. The curved horns were about 40 cm long, it was covered in raven black fur and long manes on either side of its neck.
The people from the east eat Gyama. There isnt any chance to taste them in the west.
Neil opened the door that led inside the counter.
Almost all the inns had counters that were connected to the kitchen. The custors could probably place their orders at the counter.
By the way, I took a glance from the counter, and the restaurant on the first floor was empty. The other inns were probably the sa, as those lodging at the inns would buy snacks at the marketplace.
Please co in.
Under the guidance of Neil, I went through the door and ca to a kitchen that was as small as the inn. It was about one-and-a-half tatami, with two pots on top of the two stoves near the wall. It was a standard layout found in most kitchens.
There was a workstation in the middle of the kitchen, a shelf full of crockeries to the left, and two flasks of water to the right. The kitchens design was simple, and the kitchen was filled with the aroma of herbs and at.
It felt really comfortable here.
I thought a kitchen would reflect the character of the user. Just experiencing the atmosphere in this kitchen was enough for to feel closer to the young and cold innkeeper.
Let state my terms first.
The innkeeper Neil said calmly:
I will need 20 to 30 als. The al must use kiba at. The price for one without fuwano is 2 red copper plates. The catering will start from the day after tomorrow How long will the contract be?
My contract with the Big Tree of the South Inn will end on the last day of the Blue Month, can we do the sa? We can renew our contract in the next month.
I understand. The contract will start two days later on the 20th and end on the 31st, for a total of 12 days. During this period, please inform before noon if you arent able to provide the als on any days. If you notify after the noon has passed, you will need to pay liquidated damages of one white copper plate. Do you agree to this?
Yes, Im fine with this.
Alright then, as for the dishes, I heard you dont want to sell the sa things as your stall, right?
Correct. Im using a Jaguar-made seasoning known as Tau sauce for the food Im catering for the Big Tree of the South Inn, and it is really popular. If possible, I plan to use a Semu-made ingredient to serve a dish that will satisfy the custors from the east.
I see. If the contents for lunch and dinner are the sa, the custors might find the taste tiring. Thank you for your advice.
The innkeeper kept a straight face when he offered his thanks.
We only ca on the supposedly earnest request of this innkeeper, but I couldnt feel the deep sincerity Shumimaru described from the innkeeper at all.
Semu-made ingredients, huh As Semu is even further away than Jaguar, most of the ingredients are not imported into the western kingdom.
Despite what he said, Neil still went deeper into the kitchen and took out two ingredients from the food store. One was a small pouch, while the other was a large bag that needed to be carried with both hands.
This is curd.
Curd?
An ingredient made by drying Gyama milk. It is as nutritious as at.
That was how I beca aware of Gyama curd. A few days later, this ingredient shone brightly during Lala Wus birthday party.
This taste! Its cheese!
Cheese?
Yes, in my hotown, this is called cheese. I see, so there is cheese in this world No, so there is cheese in Genos.
It is almost impossible to buy curd in the Post Station Town. The castle town had procured all the Gyama curd and Karon curd. A Semu caravan Im on good terms with sold this to as a favor.
Silver Vase, in past, sell curd, also.
When he heard Shumimaru said that, Neil also nodded quietly. The two of them were calm and composed and didnt show any expression.
By the way, Shin Wu was also silent and kept a straight face. Vena Wu who didnt have anything to do had been fighting with her chestnut colored hair all the while.
Gyama curd is a very common food in the Semu kingdom, but its almost impossible to get this in the Western kingdom, which led to its high price. As the quantity is limited, its not suitable to use it in food for sale. This batch is for my own consumption.
Is it expensive? How much?
Curd about this size is about 20 red copper plates.
I see. This wheel of curd had a diater of 15 cm and was 5 cm thick. Given its high price, curd was an expensive luxurious item. If we used it in cooking, the operating cost would jump greatly.
But cheese is a charming ingredient. Can I buy a wheel for myself?
I can sell this curd to you. You want to try so?
Please let !
The uncooked Gyama curd was like strong salty Cambert cheese, with a thick and fragrant taste.
Ah, this is delicious! Please sell it to ! Dont you want to have a taste?
The two of them shook their heads disinterestedly. Luxurious goods couldnt intrigue the denizens of Forest's Edge who led simple lives.
Then, what about this ingredient?
This is Chitto fruit.
He loosened the bags opening and revealed the large red bean contents inside.
The bright-red color and stinging sll gave the impression of this being very hot and spicy. This had to be so kind of spice. Judging from its sll, it should be so sort of chili.
It looks spicy. Do Semu people like spicy food?
Yes. Chitto fruit, very important.
It was Shumimaru who answered this ti.
Gyama at, pungent sll, strong. Stronger, kiba, than. So, we eat Gyama and Chitto fruit And we, pickled Chitto, like.
Pickled Chitto? You pickle at with Chitto?
No, we, vegetable, pickle.
Neil continued:
Pickled Chitto is made by pickling vegetables such as tino with salt and Chitto.
Oh? That sounds tasty.
Neil nodded, and head into the food store again.
When he ca out again, he was holding a small plate with two leaves of tino that had been dyed with red sauce.
Tino was similar to cabbage and was white with a faint shade of green. It had been cut into appropriate sizes and doused with red Chitto sauce before covering with another piece of vegetable. This vegetable looked like chopped chives.
Both its appearance and sour-spicy taste of the pickled Chitto reminded of kimchi.
Its fragrant. This is Chitto and myam and sothing like fish sauce?
Fish sauce? We marinate Maru with salt when pickling Chitto.
Maru?
Yes. Maru is a small shelled creature that can be found along the river bank. Westerners eat Maru as a snack while drinking beer. Our inn also uses Maru to make pickled Chitto.
Neil spoke even manneredly.
It is almost impossible to obtain Semu ingredients in Genos. Hence, I tried to recreate the taste of pickled Chitto by using western ingredients I marinated tino for a night, then added in Chitto, marinated Maru with myam, chopped chives, grounded Ramam fruit and other ingredients to make the sauce for the pickling.
He ntioned many unfamiliar ingredients.
I must have seen those vegetables in the stall, but still didnt know the nas of many of them or how did they taste. I was still learning about the food in this world.
Anyway, I decided to try the pickled Chitto before . And as I expected, spiciness and sourness spread inside my mouth.
The pickled Chitto had a simulating and complicated taste. The strong fragrance of myam and animal protein stimulated my appetite, and the thoroughly pickled tino turned very soft, and the texture was crunchy like a Chinese cabbage.
It was very hot and spicy, my tongue would hurt if I ate too much at one go. But the aftertaste was refreshing. It was as good as the kimchi I tasted in the past. Besides, it had been so long since I properly tasted sourness.
How is it? So Semu like this taste of spiciness.
Its very tasty, I like it If I use this ingredient, the dish will beco very expensive, right?
No, pickled Chitto is just a snack. The custors wont eat large quantities of it. A small plateful would cost about half a red copper plate.
I see Have you tried cooking pickled Chitto with at or adding it to soup?
You are referring to pickled Chitto, not raw Chitto, correct? Even the easterners wont eat them that way.
I see. Is eating it this way unacceptable?
I asked Shumimaru.
He shook his head quietly.
Eat, this way, strange. But, interested, .
Okay.
In that case, I should work on this from the angle of kimchi pork or kimchi hotpot. I started pondering.
The dishes might sound random, but I had placed a restriction on myself recentlyti restriction.
I didnt expect another inn to cater from so soon, that was why I prepared Kiba braised at for the Big Tree of the South Inn. I didnt regret my choice, but, unfortunately, the cooking ti was rather long and would need two-and-a-half hours to cook. Even after getting used to the process, it was hard to finish it within two hours.
Including preparations and closing, my stalls were open for about 6-and-a-half hours in the Post Station Town. If I spent too much ti in the inn cooking the dishes, I wouldnt be able to return to the stall in ti to work.
This was just my personal preference, I liked to interact with the custors directly when I set up shop. If I let the won handle all of this task, I would feel a bit lonely. Hence, my hidden task for this ti was to think up a dish that wouldnt take too much ti for the Cryptic Venerable Inn.
If my dish uses pickled Chitto, can I buy the required amount from the Cryptic Venerable Inn?
I see, you will buy my pickled Chitto that will be used in your dish, and I will buy that food from you? How interesting.
If you arent willing, I will think up a dish that makes use of raw Chitto instead.
No, I will be happy to let more custors taste the pickled Chitto I made. And Im also interested in dishes made from my pickled Chitto.
Despite what the innkeeper of the Cryptic Venerable Inn said, his face remained emotionless.
2
And so, Im researching a new dish.
That night, I asked Ai Fa to try out the dish imdiately.
The dish that was served wasnt kimchi pork, but Chitto kiba. Instead of kimchi hotpot, Chitto hotpot was laid out on the table. Ai Fa showed a complicated expression in the face of the completely red at dish and soup dish.
Asuta, can I say sothing?
Yes, Ai Fa, what is it?
Im well aware of your hearth tending capabilities, but I think this dish had turned sour.
Ah, so thats the issue. Dont worry. Rotting and ferntation are different. Just like how fruit wine is a bit sour, these dishes are not harmful to the body!
If you say so, then thats probably true.
Although that was what Ai Fa said, she was slow in picking up her utensils.
There were no problems with the presentation of the dishes. Adding tarapa to the food would make it even more red, so what made her concerned was the intense sour sll.
I was confident about these two dishes. I used loin at in the Kiba Chitto, and, aside from the pickled Chitto, I also seasoned it with Tau sauce and added so myam. I also added thin slices of aria and pula to fry it. The bitterness of the pula was similar to green pepper, and they were mixed together with the pickled Chitto into the fake chives bebe leaves, adorning the dish with vibrant green colors.
On the other side, I added chuck flank that had been cut into cubes and thin slices of thigh at into the Chitto hotpot to cook thoroughly. The Tau sauce ford the primary taste of the soup, enhancing the flavor and making it thicker.
I added aria and tino in too. Unfortunately, I couldnt find anything to replace Chinese cabbage, tofu, and shredded konjac. Even so, the stock made from kiba and the spicy Chitto shed perfectly, and I had been salivating all the while.
I understand that the denizens of Forest's Edge dont like tastes that are too strong and cant stand spiciness and sourness. Thats why I have prepared normal grilled at and soup, and this is just a taste sample. Will you try it?
Ah, if you are not interested, theres no need to push yourself
Who says Im not eating?
Ai Fa steeled herself and reached for the plate of Chitto hotpot.
However, her brave eyebrows drooped just from sniffing the food from up close.
H-Hey, I already told you to not push yourself. I only prepared one sample, so I will finish it all off if you wont dare to eat it.
I already told you its fine!
Ai Fa raised her eyebrows again and grabbed a spoon.
And so, she put a spoonful of bright-red soup and a piece of kiba into her mouth and turned expressionless like an easterner.
How is it?
Ai Fa put down the plate quietly.
She chewed the kiba solemnly.
Is she fine? I looked at her anxiously, and she bent her finger my way, gesturing to co over.
It was rare seeing Ai Fa calling soone over in such a rude manner. I shifted over on my knees, and she hit the back of my head with a hook punch.
That hurts! You dont need to hit
I shut my mouth halfway through my gripes.
Ai Fas appearance turned drastically.
In other words She was covering her mouth with both hands while sitting on the ground, her eyes tearing up, her face beet red and fluttering her legs.
That hurts! Thats hot! Its like my mouth is on fire! What did you make eat!?
Ah, no, sorry
You think apologizing can solve this problem!?
Ai Fa stood up with her eyes red and rushed to the water flask beside the stove.
Ah, Ai Fa, you cant negate the spicy taste by drinking water, you know?
I heard that drinking Lassi was the most effective way of neutralizing the spiciness of chili. And from my personal experience, hot tea would help too.
When the Habanero fried rice I made half-jokingly turned out terrifyingly spicy, my childhood friend Reina recomnded hot tea for , and the fire in my mouth was put out imdiately.
However, lukewarm water wasnt just ineffective, it would increase the sensation of spiciness instead. Drinking cooled water might be montarily soothing, but when the coolness faded away, the spiciness would return with renewed intensity.
I didnt know the logic behind this, but everyone had their own theory. So thought that chili had components not easily dissolved in water, and so believed that washing the mouth with cold water just made the spiciness more prominent.
Hence, what would happen to my beloved house head? After scooping and drinking several mouthfuls of water, she relaxed for a mont before covering her mouth and starting stamping her feet.
A-Ai Fa, drink this normal bowl of soup. Its hot, but the fats from the kiba might wash away the spiciness!
Ai Fa charged back with amazing speed.
But she ignored the bowl and kept whacking hard at my head with teary eyes. Ai Fa might have held back, but she still had the arm strength of a hunter. I could see stars appearing at the back of my eyeball.
Tens of seconds later, my house head collapsed onto the floor breathlessly, and the hearth caretaker leaned against the wall with a mild concussion.
This is the first ti that I thought I would die while eating.
My sincere apologies.
After we spent ten or so seconds to recover, dinner began anew.
It seems that the denizens of Forest's Edge must never try Chitto fruit. Ai Fa, your sacrifice may have saved the lives of countless other denizens Never mind, no one but will bring such things into the Forest's Edge anyway.
Hmmp!
Im very sorry Look, this is the at and soup I prepared specially for you!
It was a thick slice of loin steak covered with basic fruit wine sauce. The soup was seasoned mildly with Tau sauce.
The bright red Kiba Chitto and Chitto hotpot were placed before .
To think that I will have to eat all of this by myself.
When I developed the Myam-roasted at and Kiba braised at, I was also criticized by Ai Fa for seasoning it too strongly, but this was the first ti she gave up on sampling my food. The dinner covered in Chitto made feel a little dejected, but what saddened the most was Ai Fa turning down my food.
Never mind, I will treat this as a lesson. I have to reduce the quantity when preparing samples in the future.
I thought as I sipped the soup from the Chitto hotpot.
So spicy.
But the Chitto hotpot was delicious.
Seems like using Tau sauce was a good decision. Although the Chitto hotpot was spicy and swelteringly hot, the spiciness wasnt sharp and brought out the freshness of the dish.
The tino in the pickled Chitto was soft and mushy, and the fresh tino I added in had a refreshing texture. The two contrasting textures complented each other.
Although a large quantity of aria was added, most of it had dissolved into the soup, giving it more depth. Aria wasnt just nutritious, it was also an excellent ingredient.
And the star of the dish, the kiba at was cooked for 80 minutes. The loin and thigh at turned soft and tender after being cooked for so long. As I couldnt reduce the cooking ti of the at, it would slightly overshoot the ti restriction I set for myself if I wanted to cater the Chitto hotpot to the Cryptic Venerable Inn.
Hmm~, which dish will the innkeeper prefer? I think both of them are equally good.
I took a bite of poitan, let my mouth rest for a mont and then picked up the bowl of Kiba Chitto.
This dish as well was simple and could bring out the flavor of the ingredients. Although it was seasoned with myam and Tau sauce, this was just kiba at and pickled Chitto being mixed together and fried.
I used a large amount abdon at for the Kiba braised at and Myam-roasted at, so I decided to use loin at for this dish. Loin at was softer, and I would cut the tendons for the at near the shoulders, so it was best suited to be fried together with vegetables.
I fried it with large quantity of aria, and the kiba at was covered with Chitto. I picked up a piece of Kiba Chitto and put it in my mouth.
The firmness was just right.
It was good and tasty.
The presence of the kiba was strong, and the spiciness was as strong as the pickled Chitto. I could taste the bitterness of the green pepper-like pula, which gave variety to the taste.
The Fa house didnt have much seasonings available: just rock salt, Pico leaves, myam, and fruit wine. But we obtained Tau sauce a few days ago and the spice called Chitto fruit today. The repertoire of flavors increased greatly, which stimulated my tongue and stomach.
How blissful I thought to myself.
Hmm? Ai Fa, whats the matter?
When I realized it, Ai Fa was tugging on the corner of my vest.
Her face looked a little scary.
Give that.
You an the Kiba Chitto? It is as spicy as the Chitto hotpot, you know?
But I havent tried it yet.
No, you dont need to force yourself to try it.
Shut up and give it to .
She suddenly scowled her brows and nose like a cat.
With no other choice, I gave her the plate.
Dont beat up because its too spicy, alright?
Shut up.
With that, Ai Fa glared at the Kiba Chitto as if it was her sworn enemy and then hesitated for a few seconds before shoving the bright red at into her mouth with a spoon.
She started chewing and teared up right away. But she didnt go on a rampage like before and just drank so Tau sauce flavored Kiba at soup.
Ai Fa took another bite of poitan and then said to with teary eyes: Give that too.
Ehh? Do you still want to eat Chitto hotpot? Dont be a masochist!
I told you to shut up.
She ignored my counsel and snatched away the plate of Chitto hotpot.
After hesitating for a while again, Ai Fa ate it.
Her eyes turned watery.
H-Hey, Ai Fa, are you alright?
Im fine.
Ai Fa wiped her eyes with the back of her hand like a kid.
Okay, I will eat half, so you eat half of this too.
Eehhh? Thats too reckless! I told you to not push yourself!
Im not pushing myself. I really want to eat it.
After saying that, she took another bite of poitan as if she wanted to swap the flavor. Her words werent convincing at all. I was saddened when Ai Fa turned down this dish, but she didnt need to push herself.
Whats with your face? I already said I want to eat it, are you going to reject it?
No, but
I really want to eat it. My mouth hurts and my eyes will run when eating it, but its strangely appetizing. As if there is an evil spell cast on these dishes.
After saying that, Ai Fa took another bite of Kiba Chitto.
She probably wasnt doing this out of consideration for but due to being addicted to the spiciness.
It hurts Asuta, are my lips swollen?
Ai Fa suddenly leaned her face towards .
Her lustrous lips had a wet gleam about them.
Your lips are as beautiful as ever.
She slapped my temple this ti.
Its all because the way you are eating makes it so delicious, thats why it stirred my appetite! What a problematic dish.
Even though it is too spicy for you, you still think these two dishes are delicious? If that is true, I will be really happy.
Honestly, I dont know either. But I just want to keep eating it.
And so, Ai Fa kept drinking theChitto hotpot soup and muttered with teary eyes: It still hurts
3
At noon, I brought the sa bunch of people and gathered in the Cryptic Venerable Inn once again.
Sorry for the wait. This is the dish made from pickled Chitto.
The expressionless Neil and Shumimaru stood before as I placed the two plates on the table.
I made the Chitto hotpot at ho and had just finished reheating it. The Kiba Chitto was made in this kitchen.
After the pickled Chitto was reheated, its aroma beca stronger. Vena Wu and Shin Wu inconspicuously took refuge near the window, taking care not to show any changes in their faces in order to be polite.
I see, this is really different from a dish made from raw Chitto, Im looking forward to it.
Neil picked up the plate with the Kiba Chitto.
But you have to buy the pickled Chitto from , so the ingredient cost will increase greatly. Will you make a profit?
The ingredient cost of this dish is twice that of the other dishes, but cooking with raw Chitto takes too much ti, so I plan to use pickled Chitto for this al.
The cost should decrease if I used Chitto fruit, but I would need more ti to research before I could present a dish that matched the dish made from Neils homade pickled Chitto.
I planned to start researching raw Chitto dish from today. Even though I could get kiba at cheaply, I shouldnt ignore the profit margin.
Shumimaru would be leaving Genos in less than half a month, so I hoped he could taste the dish which I felt was the most delicious right now. That was the reason why I made the Kiba Chitto and Chitto hotpot.
Well then, through the dark lord an.
Neil and Shumimaru picked up their spoons.
Both of them tried the Kiba Chitto first.
After they took their first bite This was the first ti I saw Shumimaru opening his eyes so wide.
But he didnt give any comnts. He just picked up the bowl of Chitto hotpot, took a sip, and then closed his eyes in silence.
Hows the taste?
When I asked that, a shout Incredibly delicious! drowned out my voice.
The one who yelled wasnt Shumimaru, but Neil. He was trembling with the plate of Kiba Chitto in his hands.
What a strong seasoning! This is indeed the taste of the pickled Chitto I made, but thats not all, right? You added myam? Did you add myam?
The innkeeper was expressionless just now like Shumimaru, but he was looking at in shock right now.
Ah, y-yes. I also added so Tau sauce.
So its Tau sauce! Its really savory. But the key to the taste lies in the kiba at after all. This at goes perfectly with pickled Chitto!
Next, Neil grabbed the bowl of Chitto hotpot and slurped it down noisily.
This is great too! The taste is really deep! This is completely different from adding smashed Chitto into the soup! To think there is such a way of eating pickled Chitto Ah, splendid! I can wolf down a few bowls in one go!
You flatter .
As I just stood in place, stiff from surprise, Neil finished the Chitto hotpot. I wasnt sure if he was too hyped or if this was the effect of Chitto fruit, but his ivory skin turned completely red and he was sweating profusely.
My custors will be so happy! Ara, I never thought that my pickled Chitto can be eaten in such a way! Asuta, the rumors are true, you are really an outstanding chef! Im so lucky to have t you, I must offer my thanks to the western god Selva and the eastern god Semy! This dish is really
At this mont, Neil finally ca to his senses and looked at Shumimaru beside him in a panic.
Shumimaru remained expressionless as he stared at the innkeeper.
My My apologies! I showed my emotions before a custor from the east
Fine, it is. An important friend, Neil is.
Shumimaru answered calmly, and Neil lowered his beet red face.
Shumimaru, what do you think?
To avoid the long silence turning awkward, I interjected nonchalantly.
Shumimaru turned to and narrowed his eyes into a thinner slit than Jiza Wu.
Delicious, it is. All your dishes, the best.
And then, I saw the corners of his thin lips rising for the first ti, and he showed a gentle and warm smile.
A sha, this is. My emotion, showing But, good, it is.
T-Thank you.
I was really glad.
As we were talking, Neil took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, cald himself down, and then said:
Ahh, what a surprise. Both dishes are delicious, I cant decide. If possible, can you provide these two dishes on alternate days?
Thats fine. But this hotpot needs to be cooked for a longer ti, so I hope you can continue stewing it over a weak fire after Im done with it
Thats fine. I will already make so profit from the 30 pickled Chitto you will be buying from every day, so I am happy to help.
It seed the number of als had been set to be 30.
And so, I successfully made a contract with the Cryptic Venerable Inn.
Asuta, you are really an incredible person. Why is an excellent chef like you staying in the Post Station Town? Are you from the castle town?
No, of course Im not from a big place like the castle town. However, restaurants are quite common in my hotown.
Excuse , may I ask where you are from? The western kingdom?
It had been awhile since soone asked that question.
Im not from this continent. My hotown is an island country called Japan. I dont know the reason, but when I woke up one day, I found myself collapsed in the Morga forest.
Japan I have never heard of that place. After all, only people from the northern kingdom Mahildra have dealings with people from foreign continents.
I see. I have no idea how I got to this continent.
Neil tilted his head puzzledly, while Shumimaru narrowed his eyes in deep thought and looked worried.
So you are not from the western kingdom, huh. I finally understand why you can live in the Forest's Edge so easily and get along with the denizens of Forest's Edge.
Even though Neil had reverted to his polite and expression self, he was still chattering a lot.
This is wonderful. I visited Semu when I was young and was srized by their mysterious culture. But I still couldnt forsake the western god and move to Semu. However, I hope the citizens of the four major nations can grow closer to one another.
I see. But arent the western kingdom Semu on friendly terms with Jaguar?
You are right. But friends are just friends, and wont beco family. If a child is born between citizens of both countries, the child can only choose one god and lose one of their parents.
This was the first ti I heard of that.
Neil showed a slightly bitter smile.
I wanted to take an easterner as my wife, but I cant give up on the western god and dont want to force the other party to forsake her religion. So Im still a bachelor at such an age.
In that case, the innkeeper Naudiz from the Big Tree of the South Innwho had dual heritage from the south and the west must have had a complicated family history.
I thought only those with parents from hostile nations, like Kamyua Yost with his northern and western bloodlines would face such issues.
I have always been interested in you who has broken the barriers of race and makes a living in Forest's Edge. To be honest, Im really happy to see you live so freely So you werent a citizen of the four gods from the very beginning.
Neil leaned towards suddenly.
Forsaking a god is a big thing. Thats why the denizens of Forest's Edge who abandoned their belief in Jaguar and beca citizens of Selva had such hard lives. This had always pained . Asuta, a non-believer like you will definitely bring a huge change to Forest's Edge, please lead them to a better future.
The most I can do is to cook them a al.
Thats good enough.
Neil couldnt help smiling.
His smile was really warm, which made feel that he didnt need to suppress his emotions.
Everything went smoothly after that, and we left the Cryptic Venerable Inn without any incident.
As we walked down an alley, we would cross path with other people from ti to ti, although traffic wasnt as busy as the main stone-paved road. At this mont, Shumimaru said to quietly:
Asuta, not this continent, you are from?
Ehh? Yes. I didnt have the chance to tell you that.
I did tell him I was from Japan before but didnt ntion that Japan wasnt a country on this continent.
To others, this wasnt important, but I wasnt sure if I was mistaken, but Shumimaru seed a little lackluster.
Sorry, I should have told you sooner. I didnt an to hide it
No, dont matter, you where from. Foreign friend, I think of you. But why you strange, now know I You star, no see.
Star?
Brethren, star read. Malefic star go, he know. But you star, he see no.
He quickly narrowed his high cornered eyes; a beautiful light shone in the dark pupils between his eyelids, and he looked at carefully.
Worried, your future, I was. So, read your star, my brethren did. But, no read he say brethren, not there you.
Thats
I wanted to ask further, but I was hesitant to.
The uneasiness I had been suppressing in my heart was growing.
Before my uneasiness seized , Shumimaru grabbed my fingers calmly.
But, Asuta, here. Important friend, you are If you, allow , think you friend.
Shumimaru, you are my important friend too.
I tried relaxing my stiff expression into a smile.
Im not sure if saying this to a custor is appropriate, but I had always thought of you as a friend. I will feel lonely when we part in ten or so days.
Even in, different lands, we two, friends still. The Silver Vase, to Genos, will return. Even when, Semu back, visit Genos, still will. See you again, hope to.
After the Blue month ends, Shumimarus Silver Vase would leave Genos and continue doing business in the western kingdom. Next, they would go to the capital before returning here. And, finally, they would return to their ho country Semu.
As long as we were alive, we would have the chance to et again.
As long as we were alive
As long as I wont get teleported sowhere out of the blue.
But even so
I would never forget the people I t in this world.
Even if I got transported to another realm or return to my old world and die in the ensuing fire, I wont forget the people I t in this world and the life I had led until the mont my conscious fades. After renewing my resolve, I finally smiled at Shumimaru.
Thank you. No matter how far we are apart, I will pray for your safety and well-being.
Your conversation is like a couple that just got engaged
Vena Wu interjected unhappily.
Besides, you will still stay in this city for more than ten days, right?
Yes. Until, end, blue month.
Shumimaru squinted his eyes a little troubled and let go of my fingers.
Left, twelve days. Happy, eat your food.
Yes, I will work hard to cook delicious als every day.
By the way, has he given up on Vena Wu? It wasnt my business, but I was still worried about that.
I fell into deep thoughts again. Shumimaru and Vena Wu believed in different gods. Officially, the denizens of Forest's Edge were citizens of the western kingdom Selva.
If they were to be wed, one of them would need to change their religion. Like what Neil ntioned earlier, this was no easy task.
Furthermore, Shumimaru was the bandleader of a Semu caravan that travels between Genos and the other city in the western kingdom, while Vena Wu was the eldest daughter of a tribal chief in Forest's Edge. Their status and position wouldnt allow them to easily disavow their religion If they were to be together, they would need to cut ties with many of their kins. That would be difficult.
Im not even sure if Shumimaru has really fallen for Vena Wu, so no point worrying about that.
However, if my premonition or delusion turned true, I hoped for no one to get hurt in the end.
Even if we believe in different gods, we were still living in the sa world.
If even the people in the sa world couldnt obtain happiness, my future would be dim.
I hoped my precious friends wouldnt have a tragic future With that wish in mind, I prayed quietly.
1
It had been three days since I decided to officially cater als for the Cryptic Venerable Inn.
Today was the 22nd of the Blue month.
After closing shop, I asked Kamyua Yost about the issue of the ownership of the Totos again. I then asked sothing I had been curious aboutthe diet of a traveler.
Well, a travelers als are simple. When they have to spend more than a day on the road between towns, travelers will need to bring ready-to-eat als with them. I think I told you before, the jerky sold in the Post Station Town is a classic ready-to-eat food.
We were staying inside the restaurant of the Kimyusus Tail Inn.
Ludo Wu accompanied as my escort, and Kamyua Yosts disciple Leito was also standing beside him.
The most common and cheapest way is to boil the poitan, dried aria, and jerky together in a pot. People who are more well off will add so rock salt and herbs. You can imagine how that tastes. Even the cheap snacks in the Post Station Town are tastier than this poitan soup.
I see, boiling poitan, aria, and jerky, huh. If aria and fresh at are used instead of dried aria and jerky, that will be just like a kiba pot eaten by the denizens of Forest's Edge.
Ludo who was not used to sitting in chairs and was leaning against the wall interjected suddenly. Kamyua Yost looked at him and showed his usual cheery smile.
This must be the knowledge that the forebears of the Forest's Edge learned from the town. If not, the denizens of Forest's Edge wouldnt have known that they can live healthily by eating these vegetables. You only had the chance to buy vegetables from the town after moving into the Morga forest.
I see, thats why the nutritious aria and poitan beca the staple food of Forest's Edge. After hearing you saying that, I finally understand.
When he heard say that, Kamyua Yost nodded sagely
Thats right. People can live a healthy life by eating aria, poitan, and at every day. Not just that, they are cheaper than the other vegetables too, a perfect ingredient. Not just travelers, soldiers will add jerky and dried aria into their poitan soup too.
Soldiers too?
Yes. Im not talking about the guards in town, but soldiers in a war zone. And of course, the aristocratic commanders will be enjoying fine cuisine in the safety of a castle.
I said I see, and brushed off Kamyua Yosts joke.
Why are you so interested in the diet of a traveler? Are you planning to abandon Genos and run away to Jaguar or Semu?
Thats impossible. It is almost ti for to hand the kiba jerky to the Semu caravan. Im curious how the jerky they bought will be eaten.
Hmm? Then you should ask the people from the caravan. The way the food is prepared for easterners and westerners is different.
No, they wont be eating them, they will be reselling to custors on their journey. The ones tasting jerky will be westerners. So I want to listen to your opinion.
When he heard say that, Kamyua Yost clapped his hands excitedly.
I see, reselling, huh. The further away from Genos, the fewer bias people will have towards kiba. Thats great business sense.
Is that so? Thinking about it carefully, those people are willing to but kiba jerky from at the market price of Karon jerky. If they want to make a profit by reselling it, the kiba jerky will be sold at a higher price than Karon jerky. Can they really sell it?
You dont need to worry. Karon and Kimyusu are very cheap in Genos. In so cities that dont have large livestock farm, the price of at will be twice that of here.
I see, I thought to myself quietly.
Contrary to my expectations, the longer I talked to him, the more useful information I obtained. I heard that Kamyua Yost spent most of his ti every year wandering the world, so he was very knowledgeable.
So there are farms raising Karon and Kimyusu as cattle. No wonder the price of these two types of at is relatively stable.
Thats right, the neighboring city Dabaggu is renowned for their large Karon farm. It is within half a days ride on a Totos. Thats why they would send large amount of Karon at to Genos everyday But the people in the Post Station Town can only eat the leg at of the Karon.
Eh, is that so?
Yes, the at from Karons torso tastes nicer and is more tender than the leg at, so the castle town would buy all the torso at, resulting in the Karon at in the Post Station Town being so cheap.
I couldnt ignore these words.
Im sorry, but are the Karon jerky sold in the Post Station Town also made from leg at?
Probably. Only travelers and soldiers would eat jerky. The calf at tastes worse than the thigh at and cost less too, so they probably made jerky from the calf at Whats the matter? Why do you look so serious?
No, my stall had only been using the chest at of the kiba to make jerky. Because the thigh and shoulder at that doesnt have much fats tastes more bland when made into jerky.
Even so, why wasnt the jerky business improving at all?
Seeing how troubled I looked, Kamyua Yost stroked his thin chin.
The kiba jerky you gifted last ti does taste better than the Karon jerky sold in the Post Station Town. However, travelers wont care too much about the taste of jerky too much. They will soak it in the poitan soup anyway, so they cant tell the difference in taste anyway.
In that case, what about using powdered poitan as food? It can be eaten after grilling it on a journey. The jerky and aria can be boiled in water, which will be a sumptuous al.
Yes, thats a great idea. But right now, only the denizens of Forest's Edge know how to grill the powdered poitan into a form like fuwano, right?
Ah, thats true. Then, we can spread this skill in the Post Station Town
Asuta, is that really fine?
Kamyua Yosts tone changed.
He didnt have his usual pretending-to-be-retarded smile and was grinning sagely instead.
Asuta, you are selling kiba food in the Post Station Town, so for every 100 als you sell, there would be 100 Karon or Kimyusu dishes that wont be sold. But despite that, your business is still unaffected, do you know why?
The reason, huh Because the people in town fear the denizens of Forest's Edge?
Thats not it. Like I said, the people from Dabaggu are the ones selling the at in Genos. The snack stall owners might be unhappy about their sales dropping, but they are just the wives of innkeepers earning chump change on the sideline. Even if their stall closes down, they wont beco holess and wander the streets.
I see
Its the sa for the Dabaggu people, their losses arent that heavy that they will pick trouble with you. After all, Genos isnt their only clients, and they will sell tens of Karon every day. They will sell a few less Karon at most, and only the cheap leg at. They wont be happy about it, but it isnt worth complaining about, and they will at most click their tongue and forget it However, if you intend to expand your business through the sale of poitan, you need to be careful.
But why? I asked him with a look.
Kamyua Yost put an elbow on the table and smiled quietly.
Because the people in the castle town raise fuwano crops, while the Post Station Town people grow the cheap poitan. If the people of Post Station Town find out how delicious poitan are and wont buy fuwano, the nobles who manage the northern farmlands will suffer huge losses. Can you imagine how dangerous this is?
Is that so I can understand that
Im not stopping you from doing this, but you are trying to improve relations with the people in the city right now, so doing that is dangerous. Teaching the people of the Post Station Town how to make poitan delicious is a dangerous weapon against the nobles, I hope you can keep this in mind.
In order to live on, there are tis when you need to wield your blade. But if you misti the mont you wield your blade, you might hurt your allies. Be careful when you wield a blade.
Kamyua Yost smiled cockily after saying that.
2
I bade Kamyua Yost farewell and, when I returned to the Fa house, there were already several won waiting for there.
Hi, everyones so early Hmm? Whats the matter?
Here, the jerky as promised.
The timing was just right. I asked these houses to help make the jerky ordered by the Silver Vase.
Shumimarus Semu caravan Silver Vase ordered 40 kg of jerky from . I felt that this was a good chance to distribute the wealth to everyone, so I not only bought at from them, but also asked them to make the jerky.
Thank you, everyone. I will check one at a ti.
Rii Sudora and I brought the equipnt for the stall into the room and then ushered the won in.
There were mbers from the three houses here, which were the Fou, Latzu and Gazu houses. The Latzu and Gazu houses were further away from the Fa house, so this was the first ti I had t the won from their houses.
Let start first.
The woman from the Fou house gave a large sack used to carry vegetables.
I opened the sack and saw a lot of jerky rolling around inside. I picked one palm-sized jerky at random and then sliced off the edge with a knife.
They used Pico leaves and salt to completely remove the moisture before smoking it, and the jerky beca as tough as wood. I put the slice of jerky into my mouth, and the strong saltiness and taste of herbs, as well as the condensed taste of the kiba, spread in my mouth.
The taste was fine. They used at that had been properly bloodlet.
I then placed the jerky on a board and then cut the tough jerky cleanly in two from the middle. The jerky was rock hard, proving that the middle was completely dry.
Well then, thank you for your hard work Erm, please wait a mont.
I picked out the copper plates from todays earnings and handed them to the woman from the Fou house.
Seven white copper plates and red copper plates each, please check it.
Yes.
The womans face turned as stiff as the jerky.
Seven white copper plates and red copper plates each. In terms of tusks and horns, that was roughly six kiba worth.
It was rare for the denizens of Forest's Edge to sell such a large amount of jerky. Hence, such a chance might not co again. Even if it did, I would arrange for the other houses to take the job. I already told them this plenty of tis when I gave them this job, but even so, the remuneration was imnse for them.
Well, next batch of jerky, please.
The jerky brought in by the Latzu and Gazu houses was fine too.
The won didnt look overjoyed and looked relieved instead. They accepted the copper plates respectfully.
Asuta, the Sudora house will bring you the jerky tomorrow, we will be in your care.
Rii Sudora who was seated beside bowed courteously.
At this mont, soone knocked on the door from the outside.
Im Ema Min Lutim, I have brought four won from the Wu clan kin houses over. Is Ai Fa or Asuta in?
Ah, it was Ema Min Lutim again. I stood up.
Ema Min Lutim visited the Fa house yesterday and two days ago too. She brought 3 Totos yesterday and one Totos the day before yesterday.
Did she find more Totos? I opened the door carefully and was relieved to only see won from the Forest's Edge in front of .
I saw an unexpected face. It was a girl of petite stature, her brown hair was tied up like an onion She used to be the youngest daughter of the Tsun clan, but was now a mber of the Lutim house, Zwei.
Hello, Ema Min Lutim. I didnt expect to see you three days in a row, is there anything I can do for you today?
Yes, Im visiting with my family Zwei. She wants to ask you sothing Lets finish the work with these won first, alright? They have brought the jerky they made with them.
There were won from the Lilim, Mufa and Mamu houses, kins of the Wu clan I wasnt familiar with.
When splitting the job of making the jerky, I prioritized the poorer houses as much as possible. But only the Fou, Latzu, Gazu and Sudora houses learned to bloodlet by the deadline. So I gave the rest of the jobs to the Wu clan. Mama Mia Lei then used her discretion to assign the job of making jerky to the houses who were not so well off as the Wu clan and Lutim house.
So kin houses of the Wu clan were impoverished like the minor houses, the Fou and Latzu. The won werent dressed as nicely as the Wu clan mbers and had a plain air about them.
The denizens of Forest's Edge were hardworking and honest, no matter how wealthy they were. All the jerky they brought was fine and good enough to sell.
Alright, its fine. Thank you, everyone, for your hard work. I will ask you for help again if the chance arises.
We are very thankful too Asuta of the Fa house, will we get in your way if we observe your work?
The woman from the Mamu house asked.
Its fine.
After answering, I turned towards Zwei.
But before that, you have business with , right? Whats the matter?
Was it a grave matter related to the Tsun clan?
Zwei grunted Hmmp! and then folded her slender arms before her chest.
Let tell you first, this wont be a short conversation, you know? It might last until the sun goes down, are you okay with that?
That will be troubling. I need to prepare for my business tomorrow, as well as dinner.
In that case, you can listen to as you work! If you dont give a satisfactory answer, I wont go back to the Lutim house!
She appeared a little emotionally unstable.
With no other choice, I prepared the ingredients needed for my work and started dicing the aria as I listened to Zwei.
Asuta of the Fa house, you asked seven houses to make jerky, right? I want to confirm sothing about that.
Ehh? You want to talk about jerky?
Yes, what else should I talk about?
Only six days had passed since Zweis grandfather Tay Tsun passed away. I thought she would be talking about that and even braced myself for it. It seems like I thought too much.
The remuneration for this job is seven white copper plates and red copper plates each, correct? And the jerky will require the chest at of two large kiba Anything wrong so far?
Yes, you are right.
I asked each house to prepare 6 kg of jerky.
To make 6 kg of jerky, roughly 15 kg of abdon at was needed. In order to extend the preservation period, all of its moisture had to be removed.
In that case, why did you only pay 12 red copper plates to the Wu clan?
Huh?
The Wu clan sells one kiba to the Fa house every day, correct? Even though one kiba only costs 12 red copper plates, just the jerky from the chest at alone can earn 77 red copper plates? Isnt these numbers strange?
She glared at with her eyes where the white part was more prominent as she spoke with a screechy voice.
Well
I chopped the aria as I calculated in my head.
First, I need to tell you sothing. The price of fresh kiba at being too low has always been bothering . But there isnt any so-called market price for kiba at, so we are pricing the at of the kiba based on their tusks and horns.
Or rather, Mama Mia Lei insisted that the Wu clan had plenty of excess at and didnt want any money for them. I had to convince her with such a price.
And so? How did you co up with the price of jerky?
I used the Karon jerky sold in the Post Station Town as a reference. I asked everyone to make 600 red copper plates worth of jerky; the Fa house will take 10 percent as commission and divide the rest equally among the seven houses.
Every house is paid 77 red copper plates which is equal to 539 red copper plates, the Fa house only takes 61 red copper plates. Hmmp, looks like your calculations are correct.
The eight won around us listening in looked troubled. Their ntal arithtics probably couldnt keep up with us. Besides, they thought such things were aningless.
Zwei wasnt fazed by their reactions and rambled on.
In that case, the price of the fresh at should be benchmarked against the price of fresh at in the Post Station Town too, right? How much does the at of that Karon thing cost? Not 12 red copper plates for one, correct?
I had never been to a butcher, but the price of at you buy for your personal needs and bulk purchases by inns or stalls are several folds different. That might be so, but the price of the kiba right now is really low.
So how much does it cost exactly?
Was she testing my ntal arithtics?
Normally, 100 g of Karon at costs one red copper plate. When the Big Tree of the South Inn procured the sa amount of at, they could push the price down to as low as 0.37 red copper plates.
I used 12 red copper plates to purchase around 40 kg of at from the Wu clan. I didnt know what kind of animal the Karon was, or how big it was. I didnt know how much one Karon cost, so I had to assu it weighed as much as a kiba.
Which ant
In a normal market, 1 kg of Karon cost 10 red copper plates, so 40 kg will cost 400 red copper plates.
If I calculate in terms of bulk sale, 1 kg is 0.37 red copper plates, so 40 kg will be 148 plates.
The difference between these two numbers was huge, but normal people wont buy 40 kg of at in one shot. The price was so high because they are buying in small quantities.
Anyway, the bulk sale price is about 148 red copper plates.
It seems like you are oppressing the Wu clan and buying at less than a tenth of the price!
Zwei shouted and then squinted her eyes suspiciously.
And isnt 148 red copper plates too little? How much does the sa amount of jerky cost?
When making jerky, its weigh will fall by more than half, if we compare the price of fresh at with jerky Hold on.
100 g of Karon jerky was 1.5 red copper plates.
If the bulk price of Karon at was 0.37 red copper plates
Hmm, the price of jerky is four tis that of fresh at.
Four tis!? Why so much!?
Rock salt is used when making jerky, and, considering the expenses involved, this is a reasonable price, right? There is also the workmanship involved in making jerky, and the cost will increase if you buy from a retailer instead of a supplier.
I dont understand. It feels like I have been conned.
Was that true? Then lets do a thorough calculation.
If we made 10 kg of fresh at into jerky today, we would need to preserve it with Pico leaves and marinate it with salt. After smoking it, the fresh at would shrink to 4 kg of jerky. The salt used was about 5% of the ats weight. 10 kg required 500 g of salt, which was 3 red copper plates.
The 10 kg of fresh at was priced at 37 red copper plates, and after adding the price of the rock salt, that would be exactly 40 red copper plates. The price of jerky was 1.5 red copper plates per 100 g, 4 kg would be 60 red copper plates.
The ingredient cost of 40 divided by the price of 60, multiplied by 100, that would be 66%.
So the price was very reasonable and not expensive at all.
I concluded by using the actual numbers:
The cost of fresh at is 37 red copper plates, while the price of jerky is 60 red copper plates Taking away the cost of rock salt, the earnings are 20 red copper plates, you know? Is that really cheap?
This price isnt cheap in Genos. However, their strategy revolves around selling large quantities with thin margins, so the calculations would be roughly the sa even if you use Karon at instead of the kiba that Im selling.
If I prepared the at myself, the cost ratio of the Kiba burger would just be 25%. If I used Karon at instead, the cost ratio would spike to 65.8%. Simply put, the sa would apply to the other stalls too.
Hmmp so in order to earn money, you are buying at from the Wu clan for cheap?
You misunderstand. I had negotiated with them many tis to raise the selling price, but Mia Lei Wu refused to accept. She thinks the excess at should just be returned to the forest anyway.
This girl had an economic sense that the denizens of Forest's Edge lacked. With her standing right before , I couldnt help feeling that this was a good chance to set an appropriate price for kiba at within Forest's Edge.
Well, Zwei and Ema Min Lutim, can you help tell Mia Lei Wu that I want to and the selling price of kiba at? Not just for the Wu clan, I plan to buy at from the other houses too, so I want to use this chance to set an adequate price.
I see. Are you going to set the price at 148 red copper plates, just like Karon at? The price will rocket ten tis.
Im fine with that. Or rather, this is the right choice. Our goal is to let the people of the Post Station Town buy the kiba at at an adequate price.
Zwei finally quieted down and looked at as I finished up chopping the aria.
I get it. Looks like you really want to let all denizens of Forest's Edge benefit and arent taking all the profit for yourself.
Of course. This might sound a little cocky, but the Fa house wont have anywhere to spend the money no matter how much we earn.
But you can buy anything with copper plates.
Is that so? Copper plates cant buy bonds and trust, right?
After I made that joke, Zwei grunted loudly.
I was planning to interrogate you until it gets dark, but it ended so quickly.
Thats wonderful. Zwei, it has been a aningful discussion, Im very satisfied.
I wasnt being polite, I really felt that way.
In the Forest's Edge, Zwei who was so obsessed with copper plates was an abnormality. However, in order to bring prosperity into Forest's Edge, soone with economic senses like her was necessary. Speaking of which, the most out-of-place person in Forest's Edge was . This was the first ti I t a fellow tribe mate who could see things from the sa perspective as . I was secretly happy that an abnormality like her was now a kin of the Wu clan.
I finished my business. What now, Ema Min Lutim?
Well, there are no chores to do even if we rush back, so lets observe Asutas cooking.
Ema Min Lutim smiled happily, and Zwei wavered uneasily when she saw Emas smile.
At this mont, soone pulled open the door from outside without any hesitation.
Only a family mber could open the door without permission, so, naturally, the one who entered was Ai Fa. Ai Fa was also heaving a 60 kg kiba on her shoulder today, and she threw a sharp sideway glance at the scene inside the room.
Welco back, house head. So you hunted sothing today too.
After Ai Fa restarted hunting two days ago, this was the second kiba she got. There wasnt many kiba during this season, but the harvest by the Fa house was incredibly bountiful.
I received the house head with a smile, but she showed a cold expression and said: You seem really happy today, huh.. She didnt enter and just closed the door.
What did she an by happy? I was clueless.
The only thing different today was that there were nine won in here with , and many won had been visiting recently. Maybe this was a bit too many.
Sorry, Asuta.
Ema Min Lutim bowed towards .
Huh? Ah, no, you dont need to apologize.
Is that so?
She tilted her head and then leaned towards my ear.
Aside from and the lady from the Sudora house, everyone else is young unwed won, so maybe Ai Fa is unhappy about that?
I was shocked and stared at Ema Min Lutim who was leaning in. There was a cheeky smile that befitted her age on her ever-calm face.
And so, the 22nd of the Blue month ended peacefully.
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