Chapter 3: The Night Before

1

It was now the following day, the 13th of the white month.

Having handed off the stalls to Li Sudra and Ama Min Rutim around when the sun hit its peak, I was heading out while feeling more than a little excited. That was because for today, the plan was to stop by Yang’s stall for a snack on my way to the inns.

We had the same members in our group as yesterday, meaning I was accompanied by Reina Ruu and six hunters, including Ai Fa and Ludo Ruu.

And my clan head was walking right alongside me as she questioned, “Asuta, why exactly are you wearing such a giddy expression?”

“Hmm? I really look that excited? It’s just that I’m looking forward to seeing what sort of stall that Yang guy has set up.”

“Really? But why?”

“I don’t really know how to answer that, but... Well, I feel like I can relate to the man on a lot of levels, and I also can’t help but be curious to see how it’ll turn out when a chef from the castle town makes a dish using ingredients from the post town.”

“Right? I’m quite curious, too,” Reina Ruu agreed with a smile.

As she glanced at that grin, Ai Fa murmured, “I see... Still, even if you share a common enemy, by opening a shop, does that not make him a... what was the term, business rival?”

“Wow, so you know terms like that, Ai Fa?! But yeah... That might be part of why I’m so anxious to find out what sort of dish he’ll make, actually.”

And this was also a part of the grand yet somewhat hare-brained plot to spread knowledge of what baked poitan was like throughout Genos.

Considering what I saw from Yang yesterday, I had no doubt that he was putting his pride as a chef on the line with this job. And I couldn’t help but get my hopes up thinking of what sort of dish he would be making, as someone who believed the value of a dish wasn’t solely in the cost of its ingredients.

“Asuta, is that the place, perhaps?” Reina Ruu asked, tugging on my sleeve.

Looking ahead, I saw there was a crowd gathered in the direction we were heading.

It was on our right, directly in between the section of town with the stalls and the one where the inns were all lined up. There had to be forty or fifty people there, and they were half-blocking off the ten-meter-wide road.

“Yeah, looks like it.”

Feeling impatient, I headed right on over to the crowd. And instantly, the fragrant aroma of heated milk fat filled my nostrils. That was even more evidence that this had to be Yang’s stall.

“Whoa, there are so many people around I can’t even tell what’s going on. Looks like business is booming even more than expected.”

“Indeed. If you wish to get a better look, would you like to get up on my shoulders?” Ai Fa asked with a dead serious look.

And she even started to bend down, so I replied in a fluster, “No, I’m fine! Let’s just wait our turn. I mean, buying Yang’s cooking is the reason I came here in the first place.”

“I see.”

With that, we joined the end of the line.

Still, we were in a large group with six hunters. And when they noticed our presence, the part of the crowd who were just staring with curiosity started to look troubled and retreated. As that reaction implied, roughly eighty percent of the people gathered around the stall were clearly westerners.

Dang, at this rate we’ll be interfering with his business.

Still, thanks to that, his stall came into view, no longer hidden by the crowd.

The stall was built the same as the ones we rented, and there was a young woman smiling and taking orders from the customers.

Next to her was Yang in a chef’s uniform, passionately cooking away, and there were soldiers standing guard on either side. Since they were clearly better equipped than the town guards, they must have been men under the house of Daleim. And the stall was flying a flag embroidered with the emblem of the house of Daleim, too.

This sure is something. So he started doing business without hiding the fact that he was a chef employed by a noble, huh?

And considering they even had soldiers guarding it, I would have thought their set up would be too showy for the townsfolk and cause them to avoid it... but the stall seemed to be flourishing.

This spot at the southern extreme of the stalls was definitely a prime location, which I doubted could be claimed without paying the appropriate premium. Since it was adjacent to the area with the inns, there was a lot of foot traffic, and the sun had just about hit its peak at the moment, so it was the middle of the busy period for such food stalls.

Still, this was the first time I had ever seen so many customers lined up for a single stall. It was every bit as bustling as our giba cooking stalls were for the morning rush.

“Ah, Sir Asuta. So you really did come,” Yang called out when our turn arrived, looking up from his cooking.

He was wearing a white chef’s uniform very similar to the one I had been forced to wear while being held at Cyclaeus’s manor, along with a cylindrical hat. Though he was skinny, his face was a nice, healthy color, and it was coated in sweat as if to prove just how hard he had been working.

“I’m glad to see business is booming for you. Good work there.”

“Yes. Things seem to be going adequately for the first day,” Yang replied with a solemn look and a nod. “My apologies, but since there are customers waiting behind you, could you please place your order?”

“Right, um...”

At that, my gaze turned toward the woman beside Yang.

Her long, dark-brown hair was tied behind her head, she was wearing what looked like a scarf around her head, and she had on what looked to be a high-quality frock and apron. Yes, she certainly seemed like one elegant young woman.

In all likelihood, she was probably frightened by the hunters surrounding me. After all, her face had gone rather pale, even as she forced a weak smile.

“Welcome. It is one red coin each. Which color would you like?”

“Huh? Color?”

The woman nodded, pointing to the right hand side of the counter in front of her. There were three different types of poitan sitting there on display.

All of them looked to have a diameter of around fifteen centimeters. That made them a size or two smaller than the ones I used for the myamuu giba, and they were round and flat in shape.

What really surprised me, though, were the colors. While one was the familiar cream color I had expected, the other two were pale orange and green, of all things.

“The white one uses gigo, while the orange one is nenon, and the green has nanaar mixed in. They all cost a single red coin, so please choose whichever color you like best.”

I was even more surprised to hear they had used vegetables to add color.

While I had been the one to inform them that mixing in gigo made the texture fluffier, that vegetable was also cream colored to start with, so it didn’t produce any changes in the coloration.

Nenon were a vegetable with a very similar color to carrots, and nanaar... I still hadn’t used any in my own cooking, but it seemed to be something similar to spinach.

Still, the cost is just one red coin, huh?

I ultimately accepted that the reason for their pricing was the size. Each one looked to use about half as much in terms of ingredients as what I used in my myamuu giba.

That first kimyuus manju I had ordered in the post town had cost one red coin for a small one, too. One would be enough for a child, while an adult could just order two. The plan must have been that by keeping costs down, even people stopping by for the first time could afford to give it a try without really worrying about what they were spending.

“Umm... Is something the matter?” the girl asked with a slightly worried businesslike smile.

“Well then, we’ll take one each of the orange and green ones,” I replied.

We had decided that Reina Ruu and I would each order one of Yang’s dishes.

“Thank you. Please hold on for just a moment.” This girl must have also been a resident of the castle town with ties to the house of Count Daleim. After all, I hadn’t seen anyone here in the post town handle customers so elegantly before.

At any rate, Reina Ruu and I each paid a single red coin, and Yang prepared the snacks in response.

Inside the stall was a massive metal pan, which held a light brown filling as it cooked. And wafting through the air was the sweet scent of karon milk fat and herbs. Soon, that gooey brown paste was wrapped up in poitan. The shape used was the same as my myamuu giba... In other words, a triangular crepe shape.

“Thank you for waiting.”

“No, thank you. Anyway, I’ll let you know my thoughts later.”

“Right. And you have my gratitude for coming all this way,” Yang replied, his tone still quite formal, with a slight bow of his head.

I couldn’t imagine he had ever done business directly facing customers like this in the castle town. But he seemed like a straight-laced, sincere man to begin with, and he was concentrating fully on his work rather than falling prey to distractions. And ever since meeting with Mikel, it seemed his distrust toward the people of the forest’s edge had relaxed, and his superficial politeness had started feeling far more real.

Having gotten what we came for, we hurriedly departed from the stall. And with that, the crowds of onlookers once more gathered around the place. I gave them one last glance, and then we took a breather a bit further away.

“The scent is simply wonderful, isn’t it? So this is the smell of karon milk fat?” Reina Ruu asked, a serious expression on her face as she looked down at the snack Yang had prepared. Hers was orange, while mine was green.

“That’s correct. And then there’s the smell of the karon meat, and it seems like he used herbs, too.”

“I see. Honestly, I’m a bit nervous at the thought of eating meat that isn’t from a giba.”

However, Reina Ruu had already tasted kimyuus and karon meat while helping out with the cooking lessons for Milano Mas at The Kimyuus’s Tail. That meant she was preparing to taste this dish knowing how bland skinless kimyuus and karon leg meat were as ingredients, as well as how many steps I had used to prepare them.

“Well then, shall we give it a try?”

“Right.”

Simultaneously, the two of us bit down into the poitan.

Instantly, the smell of the butter-like milk fat and some unfamiliar herb filled my nose. It seemed to be nicely harmonized, and also rather sweet. In terms of what I was familiar with, the herb seemed like it might have been something close to cinnamon.

And then, the deliciousness of the well-cooked karon meat and vegetables spread throughout my mouth.

What vegetables had he used, exactly? At the very least I could sense the sweetness of aria and nenon, but it seemed like he had employed a variety of others, too.

That nanaar vegetable he had mixed into the poitan was supposed to be fairly leafy tasting, but it seemed to be lost in the overall flavor of the ingredients. And since he hadn’t used gigo, the poitan tasted somewhat dried out, but thanks to the juices from the fillings, it wasn’t all that big of an issue.

If I had to sum it up briefly, I’d say the dish was made to emphasize its sweetness. The sweetness from the milk fat, the karon meat, and the vegetables... And that cinnamon-like herb was likely what was tying it all together.

On top of that, it seemed like he hadn’t used any further seasonings aside from that herb. The karon leg meat must have been pickled in salt, but there was no real salty flavor to the dish. It was possible even the salt was to make the sweetness stand out further.

He must have come up with this while thinking about how to put the milk fat at the dish’s core.

It was difficult to get a hold of any proper seasonings other than rock salt here in the post town, so I had decided to make the aroma of myamuu, the sourness of tarapa, and the sweetness of fruit wine the core of the flavors I employed. By pairing salt and pico leaves with those, I had managed to create dishes I could feel satisfied with.

In contrast, Yang had built his flavor around milk fat and that cinnamon-like herb I didn’t even know the name of.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was shockingly tasty. Personally, I wasn’t all that into dishes that focused strongly on sweetness, and so I would have chosen a different direction myself. Still, I could sense it must have taken extraordinary skill to draw the sweetness out of that meat and those vegetables, and then bring it all together with the milk fat and herb.

To cut to the chase, it felt like a flavor that had been perfected. And I’d never had a dish in the post town before that I had felt was this well put together.

“Did he grill the meat and then cook it together with the vegetables?” Reina Ruu asked, her expression as serious as always.

“Yeah. He must have grilled the surface of the karon with milk fat, then boiled it together with the vegetables and some herbs until it got nice and soft. He used aria and nenon... and maybe tino and chatchi?”

“I do believe he used tino, yeah. Though the shape is completely different.”

“Ah, and I think he added skim milk when boiling it too. That should be why it has such a mellow flavor.”

Though the portions were quite small, Reina Ruu and I got wrapped up in analyzing it after taking a single bite. As for the hunters surrounding us, they were pointedly paying attention to the highway rather than us.

“The color of this poitan surprised me a bit at first, but it doesn’t seem to have impacted the taste, does it? I’d say that the one with the gigo mixed in must be tastiest then, right?”

“Yeah. I figure this is probably a trick meant to catch customers’ attention. So the nenon doesn’t impact the taste at all...?”

“I... don’t believe it does. But it may just be that I can’t sense it.”

“No, I’m not getting any taste from the nanaar either, so I think you’re probably right. Still, should we give each other’s a try just to be sure...?”

Instantly, Reina Ruu’s face went bright red.

And in the same instant, I got a fairly strong kick in the leg from behind.

Turning around, I found Ai Fa turned aside in a huff.

“Umm, Asuta... My apologies, but to eat the same dish as someone who isn’t a member of your house... Well, it’s considered best to avoid that when possible for people of the forest’s edge.”

“A-Ah, sorry. I wasn’t thinking there, huh?”

I remembered sharing my hamburger steak with Rimee Ruu in spite of that, and Ludo Ruu had given some of his manju to Tara, so maybe small children just didn’t count.

At any rate, this was clearly an error on my part, so I just earnestly accepted the pain in my calf.

“It certainly smells real tasty, though. Reina, could I have just a bite to try?” Ludo Ruu called out, his gaze remaining fixed on the road all the while.

Reina Ruu just replied, “Alright,” and held out the partially eaten dish toward her younger brother.

“Ah, Ai Fa, if you want, then—”

“I don’t need it.”

And so, I went ahead and took a second bite.

In the meantime, Ludo Ruu bit down on his sister’s snack and let out an unintelligible, “Hrngh... Is this tasty? I mean, it’s not especially bad, but still...”

“I think it came out wonderfully for something devised in just two days. How should I put it...? The flavor feels properly thought out.”

“I don’t really get it... I definitely think the cooking you two make is way tastier, though.”

That was down to us having the advantage of giba meat on our side. But at the very least, I didn’t feel this dish fell short of the kimyuus meatballs or fried karon strips I prepared for The Kimyuus’s Tail. Of course, Yang had his own advantage in the form of milk fat, but even so, this felt like a nearly perfected dish nonetheless.

On top of that, the colorful poitan and smell of milk fat captured the eyes and noses of passersby, and he was selling the dish for just one red coin. All of that was key in a business strategy too, beyond just the taste. Nobody was a chef by trade here in the post town, and so Yang’s skill was definitely on full display.

“Hey there. So you showed up after all, eh?” a voice called out with a chuckle. The large westerner who had spoken had his cloak’s hood pulled far down, but I could see gray bandages wrapped around his mouth. In other words, it was the bodyguard Zasshuma.

“Ah, hello. It seems like things are off to a smooth start.”

“That’s right. This level of interest should be plenty for the first day. It seems to have calmed down quite a bit by now, but at first there were tons of folks shocked that those were really poitan,” Zasshuma said as I saw his eyes clearly grinning over the shoulders of the hunters. “And man, you chefs sure are something else. It’s not often you can get such good cooking at a place in the post town. I’d prefer something that goes a bit better with booze myself, though...”

“Ah, so you tried it too?” I asked, causing Zasshuma to scratch his head through his hood.

“I mean, that is a crucial part of our plan, y’know. Though I feel a bit bad now for still having never tried your cooking...”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that.”

From looking at him, was Zasshuma born somewhere near Genos? If so, that would also likely make him someone who had always avoided the people of the forest’s edge.

Polarth had also said he had trouble bringing himself to eat giba cooking, but there was likely no helping that. And he was fighting alongside the people of the forest’s edge despite his background, so I had no intention of complaining.

However, there was one other point that was bothering me.

“Now that I think about it, it looks like pretty much only westerners gathered around Yang’s shop.”

“Yeah, but there’s no surprise there. I mean, the easterners and southerners all head to your place instead. And we won’t get anywhere fighting one another for customers, now will we?”

That perspective might well have been correct if you were only considering immediate sales. But our ultimate goal was teaching westerners just how good giba meat tasted. With that in mind, Yang’s shop had a good chance of ending up as our greatest rival in the future.

Of course, if that happens, we’ll just have to face him head on.

And I figured this rivalry was sure to get me fired up in a good way.

On top of that, other shops would definitely start handling milk fat after this, so I had to figure there was a good chance cooking in the post town would level up as a whole.

But I can use milk fat too, and I’ve got new ingredients like fuwano and kimyuus eggs to work with. If I can just secure the personnel, I should try increasing the number of stalls and selling new dishes.

That would all have to wait till after settling things with Cyclaeus, though. If things didn’t go well there, then at that point popularizing giba meat wouldn’t be my concern anymore.

“Well, it’s unheard of up till now for a chef employed by a noble to go opening a shop in the post town. That alone is enough to attract plenty of attention. And it’s also good news for us to have the townsfolk notice the place, with the emblem of the Daleim house flying so clearly,” Zasshuma chimed in, seemingly having collected his thoughts. “It’s already known throughout the post town that a member of that house played a key role in rescuing you when you were abducted by Count Turan’s daughter. I figure anyone who hates you people of the forest’s edge will want nothing to do with a shop like that... But on the other hand, I can’t imagine the place would be doing this well if it was flying the emblem of Count Turan instead.”

“I see... Yeah, I think you’re right.”

The majority of the westerners present had looked shaken seeing hunters of the forest’s edge. But it was true that they didn’t look all that fearful or disgusted by us.

“News of the conflict between the people of the forest’s edge and Cyclaeus has spread a good bit, and there’s been a good bit of criticism toward that noble’s character. It seems that Gazraan Rutim fellow sure has a knack for reading the flow of the times. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I was honestly a bit surprised to find out there was a guy like that living in the settlement at the forest’s edge.”

“Yeah. He’s surprised me plenty, too.”

“It’s nice to talk to someone like him. Once all this trouble clears up, I wouldn’t mind sharing a drink with—” Zasshuma started to say, but then his eyes suddenly narrowed. “Well, guess it’s no time to be saying stuff like that, though. Hey, I’m going to ground for the time being, so you all should take care, too.”

“Huh? What do you—?” I began responding, only for Zasshuma to swiftly blend into the crowd. I looked all around in utter confusion, only to notice Ai Fa glaring to the north.

“Ludo Ruu, those soldiers fall under Cyclaeus.”

Instantly, the hunters formed a circle around me and Reina Ruu. And thanks to the close quarters, our shoulders were bumping into each other in the center of the ring.

“People of the forest’s edge... How fortuitous to run into you here.”

A larger figure had approached from the north, stopping in front of us. He was clad in formal white leather armor and a helmet, with a long sword dangling from his hip. From what I could recall, this was one of the officers who I had seen guarding Cyclaeus back at his manor.

“You are Asuta and Ai Fa of the Fa clan, are you not? I am the commanding officer of Count Turan’s first bodyguard unit, Jimon. Are there any members of the leading Ruu clan among this group?”

“I’m the youngest son of the main Ruu house, Ludo Ruu. Exactly what business do you have with me?” Ludo Ruu questioned with a hunter’s gaze burning bright in his eyes as he stepped forward toward Jimon.

The crest of Count Turan was emblazoned on the officer’s chestplate, and so his confrontation with a hunter of the forest’s edge was gathering a lot of attention from passersby.

In the middle of that uneasy murmuring, Jimon calmly stated, “I have a message from my lord, Count Cyclaeus Turan. I ask that you accurately convey it to the leading clan heads of the forest’s edge. The content relates to the meeting in two days...”

With that, Jimon informed us of two matters. And when she heard the second one, Ai Fa’s blue eyes blazed with fury as she shouted back, “Don’t be ridiculous!”

2

Several hours later, we had returned to the Ruu settlement in the same manner as yesterday, having finished our work on time.

However, there was a rather gloomy feeling hanging in the air today. And the rage of the hunters still hadn’t abated, with Ai Fa foremost among them.

“Ah, good work, everyone. What’s going on...? You lot are wearing some scary looks there, y’know,” Bartha of Masara called out with an inquisitive tilt of her head. She really had started to become just another member of the settlement, and was currently chopping firewood with a hatchet. Ryada Ruu was there keeping an eye on her again, and he furrowed his brow while Mida stared down at us vacantly.

“We ended up getting a real ridiculous message from one of Cyclaeus’s underlings. Ryada Ruu, is my old man still out in the forest...?”

“Yes. The sun’s still high in the sky, so I’d imagine it will be a while yet before he returns.”

“I see. He’s sure to be furious too. Well actually, sometimes he’s surprisingly calm about stuff that makes us rage...”

“Well, what in the world is it? As long as it’s something you can tell me, then out with it already.”

Bartha’s lion-like face was starting to look nervous, too.

Turning back her way, Ludo Ruu scratched his blond head of hair.

“It’s not exactly the sorta thing we need to hide from you. But you see, that Cyclaeus bastard went and thrust some ridiculous conditions on us for the meeting on the day after tomorrow.”

“Conditions?”

“Yeah. The first is that he’s shifting the place to his manor in the castle town instead of Turan. The excuse is that he’s not doing well, and it’d be troublesome to have to leave his home.”

That alone wouldn’t be enough to get angry over. And so, Bartha still looked confused as Ludo Ruu continued on.

“You can’t set foot in the castle town without a pass, though. And only ten people not participating directly in the meeting will be allowed through. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Since the people of the forest’s edge were going to bring along Zuuro Suun and the others, they planned to have dozens of hunters accompany them as bodyguards. It would just be a few hunters including the leading clan heads at the actual meeting place, but the others would have stood by outside the building, prepared to charge in if anything happened.

“Hmm... So our request to bring along Zuuro Suun and the others put them on edge, then?”

“Hmph! That would make a lot more sense than believing his illness conveniently just happened to worsen, right?!”

Of course Jimon ultimately kept insisting it was due to Cyclaeus being in poor health, and also that we didn’t need any more bodyguards at the meeting place. And his tone said that if we didn’t accept the demand, it would be seen as an act of rebellion.

“And the other demand was even more ridiculous. That damn noble bastard went and told us to bring Asuta to the meeting place!”

Even Ryada Ruu’s eyes opened wide in shock at hearing that.

“Bring along Asuta, you say? But this is ultimately a meeting between Cyclaeus and the leading clan heads of the forest’s edge, isn’t it? Asuta should have nothing to do with it.”

“I’ve got no clue what he’s thinking! He just went on and on about some nonsense!” Ludo Ruu shouted, kicking the ground.

It seemed like I might well have been the calmest one present, so I took up the role of explaining.

“Their excuse is that they see my birthplace as an issue, apparently. There’s no real example of welcoming someone from overseas into one’s clan, so they said it should be handled more carefully...”

I didn’t fully grasp the customs of this world myself, so I had quite a time trying to understand what Jimon was saying.

But the gist of it was that people from overseas were not children of the four great gods of this continent, and should have their own heathen gods. And so, someone with such a background shouldn’t be welcomed so recklessly.

“Asuta is a fellow person of the forest’s edge! He thinks so himself, and we don’t have any issue with it, so what business do you have butting in?!” Ludo Ruu had shouted out several hours back, but Jimon still looked cool-headed as he shook his head.

“Then you are saying Asuta of the Fa clan is also currently a child of Selva?”

“Yes, or at least I consider myself one.”

“In that case, provide proof of that fact.”

Naturally, I had no idea what he was talking about.

Jimon gave a condescending nod. “I wouldn’t mind even a ritual toward Jagar or Sym. As long as you are not a child of Mahyudra, the gates of Selva will remain open to you... But of course, as long as one is not a child of Selva, they cannot be allowed to live in the Morga forest’s edge, which is Genos land.”

“I’m sorry... I don’t really understand what you’re saying.”

“Indeed. In other words, that serves as proof that you do not come from this continent.”

“Hold on a moment! It’s not as if we get what you’re saying either!” Ludo Ruu loudly protested, earning him an icy glare from Jimon.

“It seems the people of the forest’s edge have not been required to learn the customs of the children of Selva. Though it’s quite difficult to understand, that was the agreement between Duke Genos and the leading clan head of the forest’s edge eighty years ago, and so nobody can blame you for that. You people of the forest’s edge are likely the only citizens of this continent who do not know how to perform a ritual to the gods.”

“Hmph! Then Asuta shouldn’t have to—”

“The people of the forest’s edge can be determined at a glance thanks to your unique appearances. And none of you have formed ties with people outside of the forest’s edge up until now, so there has been no need to question any of your backgrounds. And yet, now you advocate for this man from overseas, this Asuta of the Fa clan, as being a child of the western god, and he has been earning coins here in this land. Count Turan believes that to simply let this pass would create an improper precedent in regards to any other mysterious visitors from overseas,” Jimon stated, sounding unconcerned all the while. “Despite Lady Lefreya’s misconduct, we cannot simply ignore the presence of Asuta of the Fa clan. If he intends to continue living as a person of the forest’s edge and a citizen of Genos, it’s only natural that he will require the approval of Duke Marstein Genos.”

“In the same breath that he apologizes for her ‘misconduct,’ he goes and thrusts that ridiculous demand on us...?” Ai Fa questioned in a sharp, chilly tone like a blade of ice. “Does that Cyclaeus noble have no shame in his wretched soul?”

“You should watch your tongue, Ai Fa of the Fa clan. No matter how much anyone may slander him for it, the count cannot go turning a blind eye toward Asuta of the Fa clan’s lineage now that it is known.”

It was looking like a commotion that would inevitably end in the guards being called was about to erupt.

If I hadn’t mediated things by shouting out, “We should first ask the leading clan heads how to proceed!” things seriously might have taken a turn for the worse. That was just how furious Ai Fa and Ludo Ruu seemed.

“In other words, that Cyclaeus bastard wants to get a hold of Asuta and everyone from the Suun clan! It’s so obvious it’s laughable!” Ludo Ruu shouted as Ryada Ruu deeply furrowed his brows. Though the boy was deeply emotional and open, it really was rare seeing him this angry.

“Or maybe Cyclaeus is just afraid of the people of the forest’s edge running wild at the meeting. Maybe he thinks the leading clan heads wouldn’t go making any rash moves with a hindrance like me around.”

“That’s got nothing to do with it! I mean, we were already taking along Yamiru Lea and Tsuvai! That Cyclaeus jerk is definitely after you, just like his daughter was!”

Ludo Ruu’s eyes were searingly bright with the look of a hunter.

And while Ai Fa remained expressionless, there was an even more dangerous light shining away in her eyes.

“But you know just how resolved we are about the meeting two days from now, don’t you...? With that in mind, it makes sense for that Cyclaeus noble to be on guard, hearing tell of our intentions,” Ryada Ruu calmly stated. “And when they permitted Gazraan Rutim to spread that information, the leading clan heads were likely thinking that not only was it alright if that made Cyclaeus wary, but also that it would make it easier to measure the man’s true intentions.”

“What the heck?! If doing that put us at a disadvantage, it just makes us look like idiots, doesn’t it?!”

“The thought may be that any such disadvantage is too slight to truly count. At any rate, nothing will be settled by us causing a fuss. As Asuta said, we just have to wait to hear the decision of the leading clan heads.”

Still, it felt like the conclusion had long since been decided.

The other side was in charge as the ruling class. If we didn’t want it to be taken as rebellion, we had no way of fighting against them saying the meeting place was wherever they pleased, or that ten bodyguards was plenty. And it was the same for how my situation would be handled.

Ai Fa and Ludo Ruu were so furious precisely because they understood that. With just two days left till the meeting, Cyclaeus had reared his head to strike.

At any rate, though, we weren’t getting anywhere by discussing all this stuff without the leading clan heads, so for the time being we focused on the work at hand.

The hunters aside from Ai Fa and Ludo Ruu all departed, while the remaining members of our group headed for the kitchen. Rimee Ruu was on duty there today, and she had already started baking poitan.

“What are you so upset about, Ludo and Ai Fa?” the young girl asked with a tilt of her head, and so Ludo Ruu loudly started his explanation again as I began slicing meat.

With that, having accompanied us again today, Bartha called out, “Despite being at the heart of the matter, you sure look awful calm.”

“Yeah. I’ve just got to abide by the decision of the leading clan heads. I really don’t like the thought that I’m causing everyone trouble... But I don’t want to say something like, ‘If only I weren’t around,’ either.”

“Hmm... You’re surprisingly gutsy, eh, kid?”

“That’s not true at all. Inside, I’ve got plenty of anger and fear.”

But Ai Fa and the others were getting mad enough on my behalf that I just felt sorry and grateful, which left me in a strangely calm state of mind.

At any rate, this wasn’t just my personal issue here. I wanted to be a person of the forest’s edge, and had been accepted as such, which meant this was an issue shared by everyone. So I wanted to think it over with my comrades and choose the best path forward possible.

“Still, that sure is something, that you don’t even know how to perform the ritual to your god. I never figured there was a tribe like that here on this continent,” Bartha said, thrusting her burly right arm straight out as she spoke, and almost grabbing at her heart with her left hand. “‘I, Bartha of Masara, swear on my soul that I am a child of the western god Selva.’ That’s all you have to do.”

“Ah, and that serves as proof that you’re a western citizen?”

“It’s easy, right? But if someone lies in the ritual, their soul is shredded into four after death. Noble or bandit, this oath is the one thing that can’t be taken lightly,” Bartha said, then chuckled as she lowered her arms. “Well, not that you’ll be asked to prove your god as long as you don’t get closer to the border with Mahyudra. Still, folks with northern looks like that Kamyua Yoshu are made to do it here and there.”

“Ah, I see.”

If Shumiral married into the forest’s edge, he would never again be permitted to call himself a child of Sym.

And if he hid that and kept doing business in Mahyudra even so, he could someday be asked to prove himself and have his loyalty to the western god revealed... That was the sort of thing we were talking about.

Changing gods really is a big deal...

In that case, I needed to firmly resign myself to being a child of the western god Selva.

Fortunately, I wasn’t exactly religious back home. I believe my mom’s funeral was done in the Buddhist style, but honestly, I couldn’t even say which sect. So I wasn’t all that concerned about swearing myself to some god I knew nothing about... And if that was the only way I would be permitted to call myself a person of the forest’s edge, I didn’t exactly have a choice.

But the fact that those customs weren’t conveyed to the people of the forest’s edge... Doesn’t that mean the old lord of Genos hadn’t really felt like accepting them as true comrades right from the start?

Or maybe eighty years back, the leading clan head didn’t care about all that and had just ignored it.

And yet, the people of the forest’s edge were originally supposed to have come from the Southern Kingdom of Jagar. Granny Jiba had been alive back then, so would she know of that ritual to the gods? Or did the people of the forest’s edge always live solitary, secluded lives, never possessing such knowledge from the start?

The people of the forest’s edge really are an unusual tribe... I thought to myself, only to feel like giving an awkward chuckle at my own thoughtlessness there. After all, nobody was more unusual than me. For the sake of convenience I had been acting as if I came from overseas, but in actuality, I would have to say I came from another universe entirely.

And I had gone and died once already. I had leapt into a burning building, only to be crushed by falling debris. I couldn’t imagine that pain was nothing but a dream or illusion, and this new world I found myself in was full of stuff that fell outside of what I’d call common sense. And yet, I had kept on living this second life of mine.

I was supposed to have died, so why did I look just like I had in life? And this was a completely unfamiliar world, so how could I communicate with the people here? What sort of twist of fate had led me here to begin with, even...? I still didn’t have the slightest clue as I stood here in this place.

Even so, I decided to live as a person of the forest’s edge... As a member of the Fa clan, together with Ai Fa.

Since I had already died once, I surely had no way of returning to my original world.

The only reason that fact hadn’t driven me to despair was because I met Ai Fa.

And whatever suffering I had to face, I was prepared to do so head on in order to protect this new happiness I had found.

If Cyclaeus finds fault with that, then I’ll fight like a madman in order to protect my place here, I thought as I finished slicing up the meat for the myamuu giba.

“Alright, now let’s move on to preparing dinner,” I called out, causing Rimee Ruu to turn around.

“You’re making soup today, right, Asuta? What sort of soup is it, though?”

Fortunately, Rimee Ruu didn’t seem shaken at all, even after hearing what her brother had to say. She just seemed to trust in her clan head, saying, “It’ll all be fine if we just leave it to Papa Donda.” That apparently left Ludo Ruu dumbfounded, so he was leaning up against the wall and sulking.

“Yeah. Today, I’m planning on using karon milk. The stuff we brought by wagon yesterday.”

I had purchased ten liters of karon milk from Yang, and it was sealed in jars and being stored in the pantry. A night had passed now, so the fat should have floated to the surface by this point, making it finally time to produce some milk fat. And then, I would use the remaining skim milk to prepare a soup.

“Sorry, Asuta. Could I have a bit more time before helping you out?” Reina Ruu called out while working hard at making patties. For today, I had promised to instruct her on how to make milk fat and handle karon milk.

“Yeah, no need to rush. I’ll do a bit of experimenting on my own in the meantime.”

The lard I used yesterday was still sitting on one of the stoves. Naturally, I sealed it up as best I could in a suurub leaf, but once the stuff was used once, it couldn’t be put back in its jar. It would take several tests to determine how long the oil was still usable after oxidizing, and I intended to confirm that in the form of cooking practice.

Fortunately, I’ve got no lack of ideas for fried dishes.

Yesterday, in addition to the giba cutlets, I also used the same breading to coat minced giba meat and fried it to make menchi katsu for Granny Jiba, with her weak teeth. And for today, I was going to try out a third fried dish.

After lighting the stove, I first started by boiling chatchi. While that was cooking, I went ahead and minced some spare giba sirloin and rib meat bits.

“Is it hamburger steak...?” Ai Fa quietly asked.

“No, this is a different dish,” I replied.

“I see,” she said back, closing her eyes again.

“So if it’s not hamburger steak, then what is it? And you’re using chatchi, too?” Ludo Ruu questioned, peering curiously into the pot after finally regaining his calm. Now that I thought about it, he was quite fond of chatchi.

“Well, I’m working on a recipe to be sold. I’m trying to make a dish called croquettes here. Would you like to try a taste, Ludo Ruu...?”

“Is it really alright?” the boy asked, his eyes sparkling.

At that, Rimee Ruu whined, “No fair! Why does only Ludo get to try? I want some too!”

“Ah, sorry. I only planned to taste test it myself, so I just prepared enough for one.”

Perhaps I was being a bit of an excessive worrier, but I was planning on making some giba cutlets for tomorrow night’s dinner, so I wanted to hold back from having everyone eat fried foods multiple days in a row, even just as taste tests.

But I had gone ahead and responded to Ludo Ruu in spite of that in order to show at least a little gratitude to him for getting so angry on my behalf. Still, Rimee Ruu looked awfully upset.

“Like I explained yesterday, eating fried food every day can be bad for your health. And you’re little, Rimee Ruu, so I think it’s better to stay on the safe side.”

“Ludo’s little too, though!”

“Not as much as you are!”

My casual proposal had gone and incited a quarrel between the siblings.

Timidly, I turned to face Ai Fa, but fortunately she took the initiative and said, “I don’t need any. If it’s too delicious, then a taste test alone will leave me feeling unsatisfied.”

Her face also seemed to add, “And that’s not the dish I want to eat, either.”

“A-Anyway, I’m planning to make a few giba cutlets for dinner tomorrow night, so cut me some slack, okay? And this dish in particular is meant to be sold.”

“But if you’re making it, then it’s gotta be tasty!” Rimee Ruu adorably puffed up her cheeks.

“Ah, I’ve got a whole mountain of failed attempts nobody ever saw... But if you’re that curious, I’ll set aside a sample for you next time I make it, alright?”

Now the little girl’s eyebrows drooped as she stared up at me and asked, “You really mean it? Do you promise?”

“Yeah, I promise.”

“Hmm... Alright. Then I’ll let it go for now.”

With a dejected shrug of her shoulders, Rimee Ruu returned to baking poitan. And with a triumphant look, Ludo Ruu let out a “Hehehe!” The pair really did have a twisted relationship.

And with that, I collected my thoughts and got back to work.

First up, that meant dicing up aria and quickly frying them in a bit of lard.

Once the ingredients grew nice and soft, I added the minced meat, then adjusted the flavor with salt and pico leaves.

Following that, I picked out the chatchi once it was completely boiled, then mashed it with a grigee pole while it was still hot. Atop a wooden plate, I roughly mixed together the fried ingredients and chatchi, then made them into little sand bag shapes to finish the base.

After that, just like with yesterday, I used fuwano flour, a kimyuus egg, and baked fuwano crumbs in turn to create a coating, and then fried them in lard.

But for today, I also intended to make a replacement for Worcestershire sauce.

Since the people of the forest’s edge had previously only gotten by with the salt from their jerky, I felt like it was best not to go overboard on that front, just like with the oil. But the folks from the post town always ate meat pickled in salt rather than pico leaves and were probably more fond of salty flavors as a result, and they likely had a greater need of it in their diets too. And so, I whipped up my Worcestershire sauce replacement using plenty of tau oil.

I had already roughly worked out the recipe while I was being held at the Turan manor. First I boiled mashed tarapa and aria in a pot, then once it cooled down I added tau oil and fuwano flour. The sourness from the tarapa, the sweetness from the aria, and the thickness from the fuwano flour combined with the tau oil that was just like soy sauce to make something that tasted very close to Worcestershire sauce.

If I could dribble in some mamaria vinegar too the taste would get even closer, but that stuff only existed in the castle town. And I ultimately had to stick with ingredients that could be purchased in the post town when developing my dishes.

“Asuta, that dish certainly looks interesting...” Reina Ruu said with a pained look as she worked on her tarapa sauce.

“Ah, yeah. If it goes well, I was thinking of using it at an inn. And if that happens, I’ll be sure to teach you how to make it properly.”

The dish had even more chatchi in it than giba meat, and I was certain it would click well with the folks in the post town. But they supposedly got even less oil in their diets than the people of the forest’s edge, so I’d have to talk with the inn’s owner about that.

At any rate, I set about finishing the dish.

Just like yesterday, I sunk the base into the heated lard. And soon enough, a pleasant crackling sound once more filled the kitchen.

The lard was still clear, so that meant it should have been good for one or two more uses. But I had no tool for straining the oil, which made it a pain to remove the impurities each time.

Now that I think about it, can Diel still not come out to the post town?

If I was going to keep frying food, I’d really like to get a hold of some new cooking tool to help with that, like a wire mesh. There didn’t seem to be anything like that sold in the post town, though. And so, it was times like this that I really wished I had a reliable metalwork seller like Diel around.

But to her father, Cyclaeus is an important business partner, so he must not want to have dealings with any people of the forest’s edge.

And if we took down that wicked noble, they’d be out of a lot of work. Would that earn us their anger if it happened?

As I felt a vague lonely feeling at the thought of what my relationship with the girl would become if things played out that way, I lifted the now golden brown croquette out with metal skewers.

“It looks and smells perfectly tasty. You said it was called a croquette?”

“Yeah. I can’t quite call it a proper meat dish, so it may not suit the tastes of you people of the forest’s edge.”

But I figured in the post town, they could be sold in a small portion as a side dish.

To digress further, I also thought it might be good for the people of the forest’s edge to eat more side dishes, too.

Last night, I served up a shredded tino and tarapa salad alongside the giba cutlets, as well as boiled gigo. Since my meals undoubtedly used more salt, sugar, and oil than what they had eaten for dinner in the past, it seemed important to also add additional nutrition by pairing vegetables like that.

I feel like Ludo Ruu would probably enjoy it if I could make something like a potato salad with chatchi... I thought to myself as I lightly drizzled my sauce over the croquette, still dripping with excess oil.

“Alright, it’s done. It’s hot though, so take care not to burn yourself.”

After splitting the little croquette in two atop a fresh plate, I held out one half to Ludo Ruu.

And when I popped the other half into my mouth... A truly nostalgic croquette flavor burst forth.

I just couldn’t get enough of the piping hot potato-like chatchi. Normally the giba meat strongly asserted itself, but this time around it took a support role. Still, it had a nice chewiness and a delicious flavor as always. And the crunchiness added by the fuwano crumbs really was excellent.

Did my old man know that lard was this excellent for fried dishes? At the very least, I hadn’t.

My impression had been that such animal fats left a far more oily taste in your mouth, but that wasn’t the case at all. In fact, the aftertaste was actually refreshing instead, and seemed to include plenty of sweetness and delicious flavor.

Well, at any rate, the croquettes didn’t seem to lose out at all to the cutlets in terms of flavor.

Feeling totally convinced that this would work as a new dish to sell, I gave a big sigh... Only to suddenly have my collar grabbed.

“Huh? What the? What is it, Ludo Ruu?”

The young hunter wore an incredibly serious expression as he got right up in my face.

“It’s crazy good...”

“Ah, really? I’m glad to—”

“It’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted! Even more than steak and stew and hamburger and cutlets! Seriously, what the heck is it?!”

“Well, like I said, they’re called croquettes, and—”

“Make more! Lots more! That was nowhere near enough!”

Despite being smaller than me, Ludo Ruu was definitely stronger, and he was seriously shaking my head at the moment.

“Y-Yeah, but you know, fried dishes are a problem in terms of nutrition, so... I-I’ll make them again soon, alright?”

“When is ‘soon’?! Tomorrow?! The day after?!”

The contents of my head were being so thoroughly shaken that my vision was steadily growing white. Either I was about to faint, or I was heading for a concussion.

The one to ultimately save me, unsurprisingly, was Ai Fa.

“Ludo Ruu, you’re getting too worked up,” she stated in a low, calm voice. With that, the pressure vanished from my chest and Ludo Ruu stepped back.

And then, the world started swaying again. Or wait, was it my skull that wouldn’t sit still?

As I felt like I was about to bonelessly collapse, I was propped up by a strong force accompanied by warmth, and instantly a sweet smell seeped deep through my nose and into my mind.

“Asuta is as weak as a woman or child. You can’t be so rough with him.”

“But it was just so crazy tasty!” Ludo Ruu wailed like a little kid.

I could still see little white lights twinkling in my eyes, and that voice sounded so distant.

“At any rate, calm yourself so we can talk. Did we not just recently discuss how continuously eating any dish can prove dangerous?”

On the other hand, Ai Fa’s voice seemed real close. Like I could hear it from right behind my ear.

That made sense though, seeing as Ai Fa was hugging me tight from behind. Since I had no strength in my legs, my clan head was supporting my whole weight, and her arms were both wrapped firmly around my chest.

“Gah, sorry! I’m alright now, Ai Fa!”

“Which part of this do you call ‘alright’? There’s no strength in your body at all,” Ai Fa replied in a displeased tone, squeezing my body even tighter.

“But if you tried it too you’d get it, Ai Fa! It’s unbelievably tasty!”

“Each person has their own tastes, you know. I believe we already had this discussion involving steak in the past.”

“In that case, croquettes are definitely the tastiest dish out there for me!”

“Then that’s even more reason you just have to be patient. Think of it as a trial, in order prove Asuta’s strength is medicine rather than poison.”

Ai Fa had continued arguing with Ludo Ruu from over my shoulder.

And in the midst of that, Rimee Ruu butted in, “No fair! If it’s that tasty, then I want to try it too! You better make some for me too next time, okay?”

“R-Right.”

“I wanted to try it too. Even more so, seeing how it’s a dish meant to be sold.”

“Yeah, that’s for sure. I’d love to give it a shot.”

Even Sheera Ruu and Bartha were chiming in, now.

That nobody was even commenting on how Ai Fa was hugging me from behind was honestly making me feel so embarrassed I could die.

And then finally, even Reina Ruu added, “It really isn’t fair...” with a resentful look.

As I went and gave a deep sigh, Ai Fa whispered into my ear, “There’s no need for you to worry. To prove your strength is a medicine, it will sometimes require patience.”

“Y-Yeah...”

“I am bearing it as well, so it is illogical to think that Ludo Ruu and the others cannot do so. But if you handle us crudely as we are enduring, then you will face a fitting retribution...”

At that, there was such a firm pressure around my chest that I really did feel like I was about to die. Was this my recompense for failing to provide my beloved clan head with hamburger steak for so long?

At any rate, there was only a day and a half left until the meeting.

3

The following day, the 14th of the white month, had arrived. In other words, the day before the meeting with Cyclaeus.

There was a restless air slowly permeating the post town. It seemed that the rumors unleashed by Zasshuma were really starting to take off.

The people of the forest’s edge suspected Cyclaeus of a great crime. Tomorrow, they would be meeting with the man to discuss how the relatives of the criminal known as Zattsu Suun would be dealt with. And if both sides could not come to an agreement, it was hard to say just what would happen... Soon everyone in the post town would hear how things were about to boil over.

For the time being, the plan for our stalls was to take tomorrow off. Our business with the inns would also pause, but today I’d be selling them enough raw meat to last for three days. As for what would happen the day after tomorrow onwards, that would depend on the results of tomorrow’s meeting.

And in the midst of all this, Yang’s business was chugging along nicely. From what I heard, he sold all two hundred meals he had prepared for the first day. Since it was normal for places selling miniature-sized meals like that to generally only sell around fifty, that was certainly a remarkable accomplishment.

Plus, from what I observed on my way to the inns, Yang’s stall was looking every bit as lively again today.

However, I sensed a slight change in the customer base this time around. Yesterday there had been a roughly equal ratio of men to women, but today there definitely seemed to be more of the latter. On top of that, there also looked to be more children around, too. Perhaps that shouldn’t have been surprising, though, considering it was a dish that emphasized sweetness. And the colorfulness might have also helped to make it popular with women and children, too. Also, there were unsurprisingly very few easterners and southerners, and even among the westerners, I couldn’t see any of the rough types who chugged down fruit wine in the middle of the day.

It really was seeming more and more like Yang was drawing the exact opposite type of clientele as our stalls. Put another way, that meant he was getting the customers that we lost. I shelved that thought carefully in the back of my mind as something I should consider later.

But at any rate, it was clear that Yang’s shop was undoubtedly prospering.

And as of today, there were three inns and four stalls using baked poitan, all of them using it as a direct substitute for fuwano. Having obtained the assistance of the house of Saturas that ruled over the post town, Polarth had already roped in that many places to sell it. He was also offering processed powdered poitan at cost price, charging no additional service fee. And he additionally provided the method of coloring them as part of his sales experiment, it seemed.

As I walked through the stall area, I was able to confirm that those places seemed to be fairly bustling. They must have been attracting interest because of the unusual coloration from the nenon and nanaar, as well as the novel method of cooking poitan, an ingredient folks hadn’t really paid attention to up till now. Of course, using the same sort of baked poitan as Yang’s business, which had been earning quite a reputation throughout the post town, obviously didn’t hurt.

Additionally, the shops that answered this request also got priority when it came to learning how to make milk fat. So, in the not-too-distant future when those shops handling baked poitan started using butter too, they were sure to earn an even greater reputation.

It really was thoroughly plotted out.

And the introduction of milk fat couldn’t have been something Kamyua Yoshu had expected, so Polarth and Yang must have come up with that strategy entirely on their own.

At this rate, the idea of poitan and fuwano switching places really might not have been just pure fantasy. Just as Polarth had once said, poitan was notably cheaper than fuwano, so there was no reason for anyone to avoid either purchasing or selling it.

“These changes are sure to reach Cyclaeus’s ears soon enough. And he may just sneer at it for now, but once he learns both the Daleim and Saturas houses are involved, well, I can’t imagine he’ll be keeping his calm then,” Zasshuma had said with a chuckle.

But ultimately, this was all groundwork to corner Cyclaeus. It would still be quite a while till results would truly start showing, so as things stood, we wouldn’t be dealing him a knock-out blow just yet. Still, we could put pressure on him with the message, “Your prosperity won’t last forever,” digging a hole in the sturdy castle walls surrounding him.

Thanks to that, it might really have been more of a check against the people surrounding Cyclaeus.

In actuality, the head of the house of Daleim had given his tacit approval to his son’s actions, despite finding them outrageous. And while I didn’t know how far the house of Saturas had actively involved themselves, they were lending Polarth a hand at the bare minimum. Cyclaeus’s stronghold was slowly yet surely crumbling.

“Tomorrow, you’ll finally be marching into the castle town...” Dora said with a deeply serious expression as we approached his shop after work to purchase vegetables for dinner. “That meeting of yours is supposed to start when the sun hits its peak, right? Then it should be over by the second or third hour.”

“Yeah, but I don’t really know the details, either.”

“At any rate, it surely won’t take till the sun sets... If your people don’t exit the castle gates before then, will it become another huge commotion?” Dora asked, his expression somewhere between anger and grinning. “At the very least, I’d definitely head over to the gates again. And the southerners and easterners would never keep quiet, either.”

“Right. So we’ll do our best to return safely before that happens.”

“Aah, still, I can’t help but worry! And the fact that you’re going too is the biggest worry of all!” Dora exclaimed, now looking dejected.

Dora had feared that the people of the forest’s edge might destroy Genos itself, and yet he was also deeply concerned for our well-being at the same time.

Naturally, that was because the leading clan heads had gone and accepted all of Cyclaeus’s conditions.

Ryada Ruu had called it perfectly when he predicted that Donda Ruu had been prepared for Cyclaeus to pull something like that right from the start. Just as should be expected from the man’s brother.

“Just like Gazraan Rutim said, the reason behind bringing along a whole mess of hunters as bodyguards was to conspicuously show off our resolve. It was a threat, to let them know that we were ready to use force to resist depending on the attitude they took,” Donda Ruu had stated at dinner last night. “But the other side still didn’t realize that we were planning on bringing along that many men. We just let them know we were bringing the former members of the Suun house, yet they had such an overblown response... So they must be looking to prepare for this to end in violence too, in their own way.”

“So what should we do, then? Just accept their ridiculous demands?” Ludo Ruu retorted, sounding clearly displeased.

Donda Ruu, however, grinned like a wild beast.

“What reason do we have to reject them? Gulaf Zaza and I will both be there at the meeting place. Same for Dari Sauti and Gazraan Rutim. No matter how many hindrances we’ve got, there’s no chance they’ll ever get the better of us. And that goes even more so when they’re allowing us to bring along ten bodyguards, too.”

“But they’re going to take your blades at the meeting place, aren’t they? And the other side will have fully-armed soldiers, so—” I started to object, but Donda Ruu’s expression remained utterly unchanged as he turned my way.

“Yeah, but we just need to snatch away some blades from those soldiers if things turn violent. And we won’t be the only ones dealing with hindrances...” Donda Ruu replied, his eyes turning into an intense blue blaze. “Before those hack soldiers from the castle town could put so much as a scratch on one of my allies, I’d grab that Cyclaeus noble by the scruff of his neck. And if those soldiers keep resisting even so... Then they’ll really see some violence.”

It was true that I really couldn’t see Donda Ruu or Gulaf Zaza getting taken down by soldiers.

Just as Dora had worried, the greatest concern really might have been Cyclaeus underestimating the strength possessed by the hunters of the forest’s edge and foolishly resorting to violence.

“Still, there’s no chance of us taking up arms first, at any rate. If things end in violence even so, then it will be down to the laws of Genos to determine whether it’s us or Cyclaeus who are criminals... And that’s what’s most important,” Donda Ruu stated, his blazing blue eyes firmly fixed on me. “Regardless, I won’t be handing anyone over to Cyclaeus, be it you or the former members of the Suun. And if he’s going to go complaining about your birthplace, then just go ahead and explain yourself away with that skilled tongue of yours, Asuta of the Fa clan.”

“Right. Understood,” I replied with a big nod.

“Hold on,” Ai Fa calmly chimed in. “If that is the decision of the leading clan heads, then I will also obey. However... If Asuta’s being taken along, then allow me to accompany him. As clan head of the Fa, that is one point I absolutely cannot yield on.”

“There are six people set to head to the meeting. The three leading clan heads, and the hunters accompanying them... Gazraan Rutim, the Fou clan head, and the Beim clan head...”

Ai Fa just silently listened.

“However, they were the ones who went and thrust new conditions our way. If they insist that we must bring along Asuta of the Fa clan, then we’ll tell Cyclaeus we’re also bringing the Fa clan head, who invited him into the forest’s edge in the first place.”

“You have my gratitude,” Ai Fa said with a bow of her head.

And so it had been decided that both I and Ai Fa would be attending tomorrow’s meeting.

“Come back safely, alright?” Tara said, her eyes tearing up.

“Of course,” I nodded back at the girl and her father. “I’ll make it back okay for sure. I promise you that I’ll do everything I can to make sure that happens.”

I couldn’t even properly use a blade to fight, so I shouldn’t hold any real responsibility on that front. But I would still believe in my allies putting their lives and pride on the line for the same goal, and I would also do everything that I could.

And with that, we said farewell to the father and daughter pair and departed from the post town.

Back at the forest’s edge, the last great task to prepare for tomorrow still awaited us.

◇

“Hey there! Long time no see, Asuta and Ai Fa!” Rau Lea greeted us upon our arrival at the Ruu settlement. In actuality, it hadn’t been all that long since we last saw him. Only about four days or so.

“Ah, Rau Lea. What’s up?”

“What do you mean ‘what’s up’? I brought Yamiru Lea. And since I lent you guys my totos, we had to walk all the way here.”

“Huh? You came personally, even though you’re the clan head?”

Until I was kidnapped, Rau and Yamiru Lea had paid frequent visits to the Fa house on totos-back. Was he just as light on his feet as Dan Rutim, to walk all the way here?

“All my clan members who are able to work are needed back home! And besides, this is one task I’ve got no intention of yielding to anyone else,” Rau Lea replied, his eyes burning bright with the look of a hunting dog. “Asuta... Today you’ll be serving Yamiru Lea and the others food you personally prepared, won’t you? I’d like to attend too. What do you say?”

“Huh? I don’t mind at all, but isn’t that more a question for Donda Ruu?”

“I’ll handle talking to him! But I have your approval, right?” Rau Lea asked, breaking out in a relieved grin. “You have my gratitude! Ever since that festival of the hunt, I’ve been seriously itching to eat your cooking again! The Lea women really have gotten a lot more skilled, but they still don’t measure up to you at all!”

“Right, well, I’ll do my best not to disappoint you.”

I was about to ask where Yamiru Lea was, only for a booming voice to shout out from behind, “Oh, Asuta!” I turned to look while still holding onto Gilulu’s reins, and unsurprisingly I found Dan Rutim standing there.

“Long time no see! The thing is, I’ve got a request I’d like to make of you, so—”

“Ah, right, if it’s about dinner, then could you just let Donda Ruu know?”

“My! Did you read my mind?!”

All I could do in response was give a long-suffering chuckle.

As Dan Rutim stood there with his eyes opened wide in shock, I spied Gazraan Rutim and a woman behind him.

“So you’re finally back, Asuta? Ludo Ruu, we’ve brought Oura...”

Oura was Tsuvai’s mother and had once been Zuuro Suun’s wife, and currently she fell under the Rutim clan. Her dark brown hair was evenly cut at around shoulder length, and she was slender with a graceful face. She looked so young it was hard to imagine she had given birth to Tsuvai, though her expression remained quite listless, especially her darkly clouded eyes.

“It’s good to see you again, Oura. Tsuvai’s walking back with Ama Min Rutim’s group, so I’d imagine she’ll arrive soon.”

“I see...” she quietly responded with a nod.

I hadn’t seen her since Tei Suun’s burial out in the forest. The impression I got from her hadn’t changed at all since then, but I didn’t know whether that was something to feel glad or uneasy about...

“There’s still a good bit of time left until dinner. Where should Oura wait until then?” Dan Rutim asked Ludo Ruu, but Rau Lea was the one to answer.

“I tossed Yamiru Lea into the empty house over there. I figured I’d give her a bit of a chance to talk with her former family.”

“Huh? Do you mean Mida? Or—”

“Zuuro Suun, Diga, and Doddo. Right now, Gulaf Zaza and his people are keeping watch outside the house.”

“In that case, how about you head over too?”

Oura’s shoulders twitched a bit in response to Dan Rutim’s words.

“Right... As long as I have permission...”

“There’s no need to hold back! Since you cut ties, you were forbidden from meeting each other frequently. But thinking another way, times like this are pretty much your only chance to talk, right?”

“I’ll go talk to Gulaf Zaza, then,” Rau Lea chimed in, leading Oura toward the vacant house where we had been sleeping.

Though it was pretty unusual for him, Dan Rutim looked a bit worried as he watched them leave.

“Hmm... It’s already been a month since Oura and Tsuvai joined our Rutim clan, eh? It seems like they still aren’t ready to open up to us yet, though. Personally, I’d like to give them the Rutim name as soon as possible, but still...”

“That just goes to show how massive an influence Zattsu Suun had. I believe it’s best that we don’t rush, and allow time for their feelings on the matter to settle,” Gazraan Rutim replied while looking quite calm, and then he turned my way. “By the way, Asuta... Would it be possible to ask you to prepare dinner for several more people, rather than just my father Dan?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah. I was already expecting more than twenty people, so having to add on more is no big issue...”

“In that case, I would absolutely like to ask you to do so. Would five people be alright...?”

“Of course. But who exactly are you talking about?”

“Dari Sauti, Gulaf Zaza, the Fou and Beim clan heads, and myself. In other words, everyone who shall be attending tomorrow’s meeting,” Gazraan Rutim replied, breaking out in a grin. “Dari Sauti came to me, saying if Donda Ruu, Zuuro Suun, and all the others were going to eat your cooking, then we should just go ahead and gather everyone involved. Gulaf Zaza brought Zuuro Suun and company here personally and still remains, while Dari Sauti said he wanted to come anyway to discuss things in preparation for tomorrow.”

Back at the festival of the hunt, Dari Sauti had said that Gulaf Zaza should also eat my cooking. That if he was going to oppose the actions of the Fa clan, he should properly learn firsthand the sort of strength and joy our clan and the Ruu had gained by accepting delicious cooking into our lives.

“If you approve, then I was thinking of borrowing the Ruu clan’s totos and going to summon the Fou and Beim clan heads. Dari Sauti is already set to head this way after finishing up his hunting work, after all.”

“Hmph! So you intended to leave me out of all your plotting?! How cruel, Gazraan!” Dan Rutim huffed.

His son Gazraan Rutim just chuckled back, “My apologies. You have a far more vigorous appetite than others, Father, so I was thinking it best not to add to the burden on Asuta. I certainly never meant any malice by my actions, though.”

“What’s that?! Did you hear what he said, Asuta?! Now that he’s married, he thinks he can discount his old man!”

“Ama Min Rutim has nothing to do with it.”

I burst out laughing without thinking.

Still, if the guest list was swelling that greatly, then I couldn’t waste time.

“Well then, I’m going to set about preparing dinner. Will you go get permission from Donda Ruu, Dan Rutim?”

“Yeah, just leave it to me!”

Since it was uncertain what would happen in terms of business the day after tomorrow, I went ahead and just bought all the vegetables we’d need ahead of time. So it would be possible to make things work in terms of ingredients, I figured.

Still, seven more guests made for a fairly significant additional load. I needed to hurry up and get to work.

“Hmm, so how many are we preparing for altogether, then?” Reina Ruu asked as we headed toward the kitchen.

“There are twelve in the main Ruu house, seven in Yamiru Lea’s group, and then three more between me, Ai Fa, and Bartha... Then six from Shin Ruu’s house, so we had twenty-eight to start.”

Since I had wanted to ask for Sheera and Tari Ruu’s help, the plan had been to make dinner for Shin Ruu’s house too.

“Adding in these newcomers, we get thirty-five people we’re preparing for. But some of that number eat more than normal, so I think it’d be good to aim for enough for fifty.”

“Fifty people’s worth... That’s enough for a banquet, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. But if we all work together, we should be able to pull it off.”

We had roughly three hours remaining. But since tomorrow would be a day off, we could all throw everything we had at getting dinner ready on time. So with that in mind, it at least seemed doable on paper.

“Ah, welcome back! Asuta, I baked the poitan!”

When we got to the kitchen, we found that Rimee Ruu and company had already started working.

“Thanks. We’ve got more unexpected guests, though. Sorry, but could you prepare enough for ten more?”

“Ten more? Got it!” Rimee Ruu replied, taking off running toward the pantry.

“Hold on,” Sati Lea Ruu called out toward the girl’s tiny back. “You’re skilled at manning the stove, Rimee, so you should help Asuta. Allow me to handle the poitan.”

“Thank you, Sati Lea Ruu.”

“Think nothing of it,” she replied with a gentle smile. “Besides, all the stoves here are being used for different dishes, aren’t they? So I’ll go bake the poitan at Shin Ruu’s house.”

It might well have been true that Rimee Ruu was more skilled at manning the stove than Sati Lea Ruu, but the latter was likely the only one around who could see that at a glance. With such a strong lineup gathered here, there was no way we had anything to worry about.

“Well then, the process we need to follow is just like I explained, so I’ll be counting on each of you. And I’ll fill in Sati Lea Ruu’s spot.”

Between the women of the main Ruu house and Shin Ruu’s family, we had eight people cooking here in total. The only one missing was Granny Tito Min, who was looking after Kota Ruu.

“Oh, and I’m sorry this is so sudden, but I was thinking of adding ribs to our initial menu.”

“Ribs? Why is that?” Sheera Ruu questioned, and I shot her a grin.

“It seems Dan Rutim will be attending, so I figured it’d be best if we add them just to be safe. No matter how wonderful a meal we prepare, I could still see that man feeling sad if there weren’t any ribs.”

“My...” Sheera Ruu said with a smile.

From next to her, Lala Ruu added, “But you know, is it really alright to expand the menu when we’re already preparing a ton of meals?”

“By adding another dish, we can reduce the amount of the others that we need to prepare. I doubt it’ll have too big of an impact on the total amount of work needed. And at any rate, I don’t think we’re at risk of being too late for dinner.”

“Hmm. Well, if you say so, then I don’t especially mind.”

It really was only natural for Lala Ruu to worry, as the plan was already to prepare eight different dishes for today.

Considering the number of people we were cooking for and the fact that we were trying to convey the notion of what the Fa clan’s actions truly were to Zuuro Suun and his family, through showing them just what kind of food we were selling in the post town, the thinking had been that it was best to offer as wide of a variety as possible.

So today’s menu consisted of giba burgers, myamuu giba, cubed giba meat stew, meat and chatchi stew, giba sauté arrabbiata, giba cutlets, giba soup prepared with tau oil, giba soup prepared with karon milk, and now finally giba spare ribs. That made for a grand spread of nine dishes in total.

Among those dishes, I could yield control of the giba burgers, myamuu giba, and giba soup prepared with tau oil to Reina and Sheera Ruu. For the rest, I had to assign tasks as efficiently as I could to everyone else.

“Well then, I’ll be returning home to prepare the hamburgers along with my mother.”

“Right, I’m counting on you. Reina Ruu, could you prepare the soup? I’ll go carry in the karon milk. Ai Fa, could you help me transport the jars...?”

“Right.”

With that, Ai Fa and I exited the kitchen along with Sheera Ruu. However, as the girl from the branch houses walked in front of us, she suddenly stopped and I almost unintentionally bumped into her.

“Darmu Ruu... I see you’ve returned.”

Sure enough, I could see the man in question over Sheera Ruu’s shoulders. His long black hair was tied up in back, he had a deep scar on his right cheek, and his eyes shone like a wolf’s... Yup, that was the second son of the main Ruu house, Darmu Ruu.

Half a month ago, he had headed to the Zaza settlement to help watch over Zuuro Suun and the others. Now that they had been moved to the Ruu settlement, it was only natural that he had returned.

“It has been some time, Darmu Ruu... I’m glad to see you doing well.”

“Yeah,” he nodded back at Sheera Ruu, and then his blazing glare turned my way.

Then, he grabbed hold of my upper arm and firmly tugged.

It seemed like Ai Fa was about to immediately object, but before she could, Darmu Ruu grumbled, “I have business with Asuta of the Fa clan.”

“What sort of business do you have with him? Regardless, to just grab him like—”

“I won’t get rough with him. If I break that promise, you can take my right arm.”

With that same line he had given in the past, Darmu Ruu started dragging me away from Ai Fa, still holding firmly onto my arm.

Then, once we had marched around ten meters, he stopped. It was far enough that I could still see Ai Fa and Sheera Ruu, but our voices wouldn’t reach.

Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I saw that my clan head looked ready to come running over at any moment, while Sheera Ruu was clinging to her arm to stop her.

“L-Long time no see, Darmu Ruu,” I threw out there, offering a perfectly ordinary greeting to start with.

Letting go of my arm, Darmu Ruu then brought his face in awfully close.

“Asuta of the Fa clan... Are you an idiot?”

“Huh? Well, I know I’m not especially sharp, but still...”

“You told me before that you wanted to protect Ai Fa, didn’t you? So why did you go and fall into the enemy’s hands?” the second Ruu son questioned, his blue eyes boring into me as he glared from up close and personal. “You said you wanted to protect her thoughts and feelings and even her pride. Were those words meant for nothing more than to escape in that moment? That’s all the resolve you’ve got standing at Ai Fa’s side?”

My chest felt like it had been pierced, and I couldn’t bring myself to immediately respond.

And all the while, the look in Darmu Ruu’s eyes grew all the more intense as he brought his face even closer.

“I told you I would end you if you failed to protect Ai Fa. But if you go and die on your own first, there won’t be anything left for me to do, now will there?”

The tone in Darmu Ruu’s voice made it seem like he was desperately trying to hold back his rage.

And as if he could restrain it no longer, he suddenly grabbed my shoulders.

“What do you think will happen to Ai Fa if she loses you now? You’ve dug yourself a spot deep in her soul, so do you know much despair she would feel if you were gone?”

I felt like I could hear the bones in my shoulders start to creak. However, Darmu Ruu’s words hurt even more than that.

“That’s what it means to protect Ai Fa. Before you can start worrying about her dying out in the forest, you need to concern yourself about staying by her side. If you can’t even understand that much... Then why did I even...?”

“I get that! Or at least, I think I do...”

I was fully aware that no matter what I said now, it would just sound like an excuse.

But even so, I still felt the need to speak my mind.

“Even though I’m too weak to protect myself, I want to keep on staying by Ai Fa’s side... To live long, satisfying lives together, sharing our fate until we meet our natural ends. Maybe these words aren’t persuasive in the least after I screwed up so badly... But if nothing else, those feelings are no lie.”

Darmu Ruu didn’t say a word.

“This incident thoroughly taught me just how powerless I really am. But even so... I want to stay with Ai Fa.”

For a while longer, Darmu Ruu remained silent as he glared into the depths of my eyes, and then eventually he roughly shoved away my shoulders.

Then, he masked his eyes with his hands as if he were suffering from some awful headache.

“I’m begging you...”

“Huh?”

“Please, don’t make Ai Fa suffer any more than you already have,” Darmu Ruu quietly muttered, turning his back to me.

With that, he swiftly departed, and then Ai Fa and Sheera Ruu came running on over to me.

“What in the world was that about? I don’t understand at all, Asuta,” Ai Fa angrily stated, getting her face up as close as Darmu Ruu’s had just been. “Whether it’s the night of the banquet or just now, why does that second son always look at you like that?”

“Yeah, well... To put it simply, he was just chewing me out for falling into enemy hands.”

Ai Fa brought her face in even closer, not looking satisfied in the least.

“That was the failure of the hunters guarding you. There’s no logic in blaming you for that.”

“That’s not true. And since pretty much nobody else blamed me for it at all, I actually appreciate Darmu Ruu doing so.” That was how I earnestly felt.

With a frown, Ai Fa stared deep into my eyes just as Darmu Ruu had done. “I simply don’t understand. You seem to grow more untalkative after quarreling with that second son, Asuta.”

“Yeah, that may be so.”

As Ai Fa pulled back, this time she gave a displeased frown.

Next to her, though, Sheera Ruu broke out in a delicate smile.

“Well then, I’ll be returning home. I’ll return soon, once the hamburger preparations are finished.”

“Right... Ah, thank you, Sheera Ruu.”

As she moved to turn around, Sheera Ruu smiled even deeper.

“I haven’t done anything you need to thank me for... I simply listened to my own feelings, Asuta.”

With that, Sheera Ruu left too.

After giving a little sigh, I firmly slapped my cheek with my right palm.

“What are you doing, Asuta?” Ai Fa questioned, her eyes opening wide.

“Ah, I was just trying to get myself fired up again. Alright, let’s get to carrying those jars!” I said, shooting my clan head a grin.

With a hearty furrowing of her brow, Ai Fa firmly pressed her own palm up to my cheek.

“That looked quite painful, Asuta.”

“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all.”

With that, I took Ai Fa’s hand in my own, and we headed for the pantry.

The sun was right in between its peak and the point where it would set, steadily creeping along toward the west.

4

And so, the world grew awash in the light purple hue of twilight.

The time for dinner had arrived.

As for the place, it was being held outdoors, in the central plaza.

The main Ruu house might have been big, but it would still be quite difficult for them to accommodate this many people there. After all, there were already twenty-six people set to attend before adding on sudden guests like Dan Rutim, so it had been decided in advance that we would be eating outside.

We had also already bought the goods needed for that in the post town. Specifically, cloth to lay out on the ground and large plates for serving the food.

“I can pay for them, since we’ll be able to use them again for later banquets,” Reina Ruu had said, so the funds had come from her earnings.

It had already been seven days by this point since the Ruu clan had begun doing business on their own. Doing some simple calculations, they should have earned 2700 red coins from sales, and since they didn’t need to pay extra for personnel or giba meat, over seventy percent of that should have been pure profit.

Naturally, those earnings belonged to the Ruu clan itself rather than Reina Ruu and the other girls personally, but apparently Donda Ruu had no objection to using them for this kind of thing.

And so, now there were several large cloths spread out in front of the main Ruu house, atop which we laid out the numerous large plates.

In the center was a stand made of stone, on which sat the pots full of soup. And surrounding that were the attendees, who had swelled to a total of thirty-five.

Twelve members of the main Ruu house and six from Shin Ruu’s branch family.

Seven former members of the Suun clan.

Me, Ai Fa, and Bartha for another three.

Then there were Dan and Gazraan Rutim, Rau Lea, Dari Sauti, Gulaf Zaza, and the Fou and Beim clan heads, our seven additional guests.

It really was quite a large group, almost like we were throwing a banquet.

But rather than smiles, everyone in the crowd wore serious expressions as their faces were illuminated by the bonfires. Rimee Ruu and the young children from Shin Ruu’s house were the only ones present whose eyes were sparkling with excitement.

“Well then, I see our dinner is ready for us to begin. However...” Donda Ruu started in a solemn tone, seated at the head of the group. “Tonight’s dinner has a further meaning beyond simply taking in the life needed to make it through the day. Especially to those of you who have inherited the blood of the criminal known as Zattsu Suun.”

Those relatives of that wicked former clan head were all seated in a row directly facing Donda Ruu.

Zattsu Suun’s son, a man currently awaiting execution: Zuuro Suun.

Currently not belonging to any clan, and working for the Dom to atone for the crime of fleeing custody: Diga and Doddo.

Falling under the Ruu clan: Mida.

Belonging to the Lea clan: Yamiru Lea.

Now members of the Rutim clan: Oura and Tsuvai.

Those were the seven in question.

“While Zattsu Suun was the leading clan head of the forest’s edge, he committed countless crimes. And though none of you were any more aware than we were that he had fallen to become little more than a bandit... you did follow the unacceptable rules set by that man, and for ten years pillaged the forest of Morga.”

Donda Ruu’s piercing gaze pinned them down, one by one.

“And even after Zattsu Suun fell ill and stepped down from his position, the new clan head Zuuro Suun ordered the branch houses to keep following those same wicked rules...”

Zuuro Suun just kept listlessly hanging his head, motionless.

“Zuuro Suun’s three sons shamelessly committed numerous outrages, both at the forest’s edge and in town.”

Diga and Doddo showed no signs of looking up, either.

Despite Mida’s stomach grumbling at the food before him, he earnestly kept his gaze fixed on Donda Ruu.

“Furthermore, the women lacked the strength to keep those foolish men in check, and one closed off her heart entirely...”

Oura sat there quietly, keeping her knees together and listening.

“Another didn’t realize her family’s guilt...”

Tsuvai looked away, wearing her usual displeased expression.

“And yet another plotted to bring even further chaos to the forest’s edge.”

Yamiru Lea remained expressionless. However, her eyes flicked up to stare at Donda Ruu.

“Your punishments have already been determined. Having been the one to take over as leading clan head, Zuuro Suun must pay for these crimes with his life, but the rest of you were instead stripped of your clan names. Though they had become part of the Dom clan, Diga and Doddo yielded before Zattsu and Tei Suun, so for the time being we are having them prove the state of their souls to us. However, there exists no law here at the forest’s edge that demands you all be punished further.” At that, Donda Ruu thrust out his clenched fist toward the group. “Tomorrow, you shall stand before that noble of Genos who wishes to mete out greater punishment to you all. In your own words, you shall explain how you have nothing further to feel ashamed of. While we shall lend you our aid as your comrades, what will be tested is your own pride and convictions. But if you lack those traits as people of the forest’s edge, we shall be unable to help you. If nothing else, make certain that you fully understand that fact.”

No one said a word in response.

And then, Donda Ruu slowly lowered his arm.

“Furthermore, there are those who have started doing business in the post town, hoping to bring greater prosperity to the forest’s edge and our people. It goes without saying at this point, but of course I speak of Ai Fa and Asuta of the Fa clan. Up until now, only a small portion of the clans, we of the Ruu and those under us, as well as the Fou and Sudra, have lent them our aid. However, it’s an undeniable fact that they have earned an astounding number of coins.”

Everyone continued to remain silent.

“Zattsu Suun attacked townsfolk and pillaged Morga in an attempt to achieve much the same goal. He sought greater strength and wealth to fight back against the nobles of Genos, and he ultimately strayed from the proper path. But what about us...? Are the Fa and Ruu clans doing what’s right? I believe those of you here who share Zattsu Suun’s blood have both a right and a responsibility to learn that for yourselves. And so, we have this dinner.”

Still, not so much as a word from the former members of the Suun clan.

“This introduction has gone on long enough, though. If I don’t wrap it up, some old fool’s liable to start causing a fuss at any moment,” Donda Ruu said with a grin, as Dan Rutim looked rather displeased over on my left.

“I’ve got no clue who you’re talking about, but while you’ve rambled on and on, the food’s been getting cold, Donda Ruu!”

At that, Donda Ruu closed his eyes and abruptly started the pre-dinner prayer, “We give thanks for the blessings of the forest... And we offer our gratitude to Asuta, Ai Fa, Mia Lea Ruu, Sati Lea Ruu, Vina Ruu, Reina Ruu, Lala Ruu, Rimee Ruu, Tari Ruu, and Sheera Ruu, who manned the flame and gave us our life for this night...”

It made for quite a spectacle, over thirty people all reciting that.

Once the pre-dinner prayer was finished, Donda Ruu said, “Now then...” only to express his misgivings, though it was quite unusual for the man. “How exactly should we eat all this? It looks like you’ve prepared quite a bit, but our arms aren’t that long.”

“That’s certainly the question. I’d like to think we can overcome it through the spirit of cooperation, though,” I replied in as bright a tone as I could manage, trying to clear away the gloomy air hanging over Zuuro Suun and his family. “Reina Ruu also bought lots of individual plates, so please go ahead and split the food off onto those. And if you want something far away, you can have the people nearby pass the plate, right?”

Our crowd of thirty-five was currently seated in a circle, with the food placed in the center. I figured it would be tough to do it buffet style while we were sitting, and so I had worked something out in advance.

“For now, we’ll go ahead and just dish out the soup to start. Everyone, please feel free to eat up.”

“You say that, but I don’t even know where to start!” Rau Lea happily chimed in from Ai Fa’s right.

There was plenty of everything, piled up atop the huge tray-like dishes lined up before us.

The giba burgers with fruit wine sauce.

Myamuu giba, in which the aria, tino, and pula were all cooked together.

The cubed giba meat stew, which was boiled with whole aria.

Meat and chatchi stew, with piping hot chatchi as its selling point.

The giba sauté arrabbiata, which added chitt seeds to the tarapa sauce.

Giba cutlets, which were accompanied by a heaping helping of fresh salad.

The giba spare ribs, which were carefully glazed in a teriyaki substitute sauce and grilled.

And a mountain of baked poitan piled high, as well as a stir fry of various vegetables.

It was true that with all this, it was only natural to have difficulty choosing from all the options. And this was definitely the most packed menu I had ever prepared.

With this dinner, nearly all of the Ruu settlement’s store of giba meat would be exhausted. For half a month now the hunters had been on break, and besides, meat pickled in pico leaves only lasted for around twenty days regardless. In fact, it was actually pretty amazing that they were able to have enough for the festival of the hunt, tonight’s dinner, and even enough to use in business on top of that.

Of course, it wasn’t as if they’d entirely run out immediately either tomorrow or the day after, but if they didn’t hunt fresh giba soon, even the great and powerful Ruu clan would end up starving. Naturally, they could use their earnings to buy karon or kimyuus meat instead... but nobody from the forest’s edge would ever think that way.

So is this whole fight with the nobles just seen as a big, unnecessary pain by the hunters of the forest’s edge? I thought to myself as I rose from my seat and started dishing out the soup, which was my responsibility as head chef.

First up was the new dish, giba soup prepared with karon milk. It was another recipe I had more or less completed back at the Turan manor.

I made a stock from thoroughly boiling giba shoulder meat, aria, tino, chatchi, and nenon, then added karon skim milk, plus raw poitan for thickness. The seasonings were just salt and pico leaves, without anything like milk fat in it. It ended up as something like a healthy and refreshing milk soup.

I went ahead and dished that out onto wooden plates, only to notice at some point Reina Ruu had also stood and was setting places, starting from the head of the group.

And then there was a loud shout of, “Ooooh!” When I turned to look, I found Dan Rutim looking completely taken aback, frozen in place and holding spare ribs in both hands.

“A-A-Asuta, these ribs—”

“Right. I tried changing up the proportion of tau oil and fruit wine a bit. And I also added a special ingredient called chitt seeds, but does it suit your tastes?”

“It’s delicious! So delicious it’s to die for!”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Now that I thought about it, the Fa and Ruu were the only clans that purchased tau oil, so Dan Rutim must have only had a chance to enjoy the stuff during the festival of the hunt.

“Asuta, Asuta, this flavor—”

“Right, as long as the Rutim clan can get a hold of tau oil and chitt seeds, they should be able to make it too. I’ll ask the inn owner I purchase tau oil from if it would be possible to order more.”

“How is it that you’re able to read my mind like that, Asuta...?”

Yes. How mysterious.

At any rate, Dan Rutim had thoroughly pulverized the gloomy and solemn feeling in the air, and instantly things turned as lively as any banquet.

The women were cheerfully chatting away as they started out by grabbing the nearby dishes. And it seemed like, unsurprisingly, the more unfamiliar dishes were garnering more attention than the old standards like giba burgers and myamuu giba.

“Whoa, this is so strangely soft!” Dari Sauti loudly proclaimed.

When I looked, I saw that he had cubed giba meat stew atop his plate.

“That’s boiled giba chest meat. Is that softness maybe a bit unsatisfying for a hunter after all?”

“No... I was surprised, but I have no complaints about the taste. In fact, it was actually so delicious that it caught me off guard.”

Next to him, the Fou clan head was eating the same dish and gently sighing, and in the next spot over the Beim clan head was looking at his plate of myamuu giba in shock.

“This... is supposed to be the same dish you served at the clan head meeting, isn’t it?”

“Yes. We changed the taste a bit by using an ingredient called tau oil, though.”

On top of that, the dishes everyone ate back then had been prepared by the Suun women Mia Lea Ruu and I had taught. By the time we got to the myamuu giba they had grown fairly capable, but there was an obvious difference in how it turned out compared to this version, which had been prepared by Sheera Ruu.

As that thought was running through my head, a voice shouted out, “Ow!” from behind. “Asuta, the inside of my mouth hurts! Is this dish really alright?!”

That had come from Rau Lea, and he had giba sauté arrabbiata atop his plate.

“Yeah. That dish uses a spice favored by easterners called chitt seeds. I kept the spice down quite a bit compared to the version that I sell, but is it still too much?”

“Hrmm... It’s like I accidentally bit down on a clump of pico leaves...” Rau Lea grumbled, and yet he took another bite of the dish. “It hurts, but it’s tasty...”

“In that case, I’m glad. If it hurts too much, then you can use the soup to soothe your mouth.”

Next to Rau Lea, Bartha was eating the same dish while taking hearty swigs of fruit wine.

“That sure is clever of you, using chitt seeds of all things. You pretty much can’t get a hold of them without ties to a merchant from the east. Still... that skill of yours is something else, Asuta.”

“Thank you. But I didn’t make this meal all on my own. I had the help of everyone from the Ruu clan, too.”

The members of the Ruu clan, both the main house and branch family, all seemed to be enjoying the food.

The women had taken the initiative in passing the dishes around, and they were bringing them to the men, too. I could spy Rimee Ruu and Shin Ruu’s little brothers smacking their lips and wearing brimming smiles while eating meat and chatchi stew and giba spare ribs.

Mia Lea Ruu and Granny Tito Min were seated beside Granny Jiba, and they were eating giba burgers, cubed giba meat stew, and the special soft dish, giba menchi katsu, that I had prepared just for the elder.

Ludo Ruu was talking to his older brother Darmu Ruu about something or other after seeing him again for the first time in a while, and looked to be recommending the giba cutlets. And atop the boy’s plate sat the specially-made giba meat and chatchi croquettes he had begged me to prepare.

Lala Ruu had gone to deliver the soup to the group from Shin Ruu’s house, and took a seat with them to eat her own food. It wasn’t normally something you saw during dinner, but apparently it was acceptable to change places during this event.

Donda Ruu was discussing something with Jiza Ruu while wearing a serious expression, and next to him Sati Lea Ruu was feeding Kota Ruu the broth of the giba soup prepared with karon milk. It seemed the child had finally reached the point where he could handle baby food. In all likelihood, Kota Ruu was part of the first generation that would be raised solely on the new type of cooking I had brought here to the forest’s edge. That thought alone caused me to tense up.

Still, aside from a small portion of the group, everybody was smiling. It really was just as lively as a banquet.

It was at that point that my eyes met with Gazraan Rutim’s.

I gave him a nod, and then glanced over the whole group.

The soup had made it around to everybody. However, there were some who hadn’t so much as touched their plates. Naturally, they would be the group of seven seated at the foot of the crowd. Oh, and Gulaf Zaza, who was right near them, looked like he had done nothing but just keep on drinking fruit wine.

Placing some of the leftover giba spare ribs and meat and chatchi stew on a couple plates, I went and headed over that way.

“Hello, Zuuro Suun... And Diga and Doddo, too. It’s been a while.”

Diga had been hanging his head, and now he sluggishly looked up.

I unwittingly gulped when I saw how shockingly haggard he had become.

Diga had been so big and muscular, but now he looked about as thin as the Fou clan head. His eyes were sunken and his cheeks gaunt. When added to his already flat features, that gave him one seriously gloomy-looking face. Plus his hair was unkempt and there was stubble all around his mouth, making him seem like a different person entirely.

On the other hand, Doddo’s appearance hadn’t undergone quite so much of a shift. He appeared to have slimmed down a bit, but his robust frame probably kept him from losing too much mass. And there hadn’t been much of a change in his face that looked like a stone lion, or his short and stout build. It just felt like he was entirely lacking in drive.

And then, there was Zuuro Suun.

It really was my first time seeing the man since the clan head meeting.

Originally he had been a fat man even larger than Diga, but he had completely shriveled up. He really looked at least a whole size smaller than he used to. His flabby skin had grown flaccid, and now his face looked like a deflated toad. Though his little black eyes were partly obscured under their heavy lids, I could still see they were cloudy, and reminded me of a dead fish. Like how Oura and the members of the Suun branch houses had once looked...

This... This is even worse than I expected.

The only one in the group facing a death sentence was Zuuro Suun. It just hadn’t been carried out for nearly a month now, due to Cyclaeus’s demands that we hand him over.

And when he had learned of Cyclaeus’s persistent demands, he had cried out to be killed immediately.

Was Cyclaeus hoping to wipe out Zuuro Suun by his own hand? Or was his plot to reinstate the Suun as the leading clan, like Yamiru Lea had once hypothesized? The truth was still unclear, but Zuuro Suun himself had begged for death. But that request had been denied, and the man had been left a walking corpse.

On top of that, the skin around his wrists was abraded and red with blood. And that went not just for Zuuro Suun, but also Diga and Doddo. Was that because they usually had leather straps binding them? Even now, they had leather straps around their ankles, with a line between them only about thirty centimeters long. That sort of binding was meant for criminals, so that they would be able to walk, but not run.

They just sat there in place, looking like nothing more than dolls made of mud despite all the dishes laid out before them.

All of this is because I exposed the Suun clan’s crimes...

I had no regrets when it came to Diga and Doddo. They had committed vile acts again and again, so somewhat drastic measures were probably needed in order to handle them. And no matter how pitiful their circumstances became, I wasn’t likely to forget my grudge over how they kidnapped Ai Fa.

But with Zuuro Suun, it was different. Thinking on how my deduction meant this man would lose his very life... It felt like someone had grabbed hold of my stomach. Even if I told myself I had no other choice, it was still pretty damn hard to make peace with.

Even so, I couldn’t bring myself to look away from this pathetic figure. The leading clan heads decided he was to be executed, and the people of the forest’s edge accepted that fact. All of our comrades here at the forest’s edge were prepared to shoulder the burden of his death. And so I set the plate I was holding in front of Zuuro Suun, somehow managing to hold myself together in spite of the stormy emotions threatening to drown me.

“Won’t you please eat my cooking, Zuuro Suun...?”

The man didn’t move in the least. Was he even registering that I was in front of him?

To the right of those central three sat Mida and Yamiru Lea, while Oura and Tsuvai were to their left, and none of them seemed to have touched their plates, either. Even Mida apparently hadn’t eaten at thing.

“Mida, are you not going to eat? I’m pretty confident in all the dishes we made today.”

“Mmh...”

Mida’s little eyes just kept on staring at Zuuro Suun and the others. In the past, his attention had been more focused toward Yamiru Lea, Tsuvai, and Oura, so I had thought maybe he cared about them more than the men of his former family. But now, as he held his loudly gurgling stomach, Mida just kept on staring at his father and brothers with pain in his eyes.

“All of you must have heard Donda Ruu’s words, too...” Gulaf Zaza eventually stated in a low, deep tone from nearby. The impact of the man’s voice was enough to cause Diga and Doddo to flinch and cower even further.

“We’re heading to face off with that Cyclaeus noble in order to make up for the crimes of your father and grandfather, Zattsu Suun. Do you not even have the pride and convictions needed to at least try to wipe away your past shame?”

“I-I...”

“Zattsu Suun betrayed all of us and brought disaster to the people of Genos without us knowing. Regardless of his methods, Asuta of the Fa clan is giving his all in an attempt to mend the relationship that man distorted. And so Donda Ruu figures you all need to taste the cooking he’s selling in the post town, too. Will you insist on continuing to feign ignorance, even after hearing all that...?”

“P-Please hold on, Gulaf Zaza. Being questioned by you would make anybody shrink away.” While internally giving my sincere gratitude to Gulaf Zaza for what he was trying to say, I went ahead and continued on, “Food isn’t tasty when you force someone to eat. So please, everyone just dig in and enjoy it.”

“What are you even saying...?” Gulaf Zaza questioned while taking a swig of fruit wine, his eyes shining bright like some will-o’-the-wisp.

With a calming breath, I turned back toward the former members of the main Suun house.

“Still, let me speak my mind at least a little longer, Zuuro Suun. And you too, Diga and Doddo. We’ve had nothing but bad blood between us. You caused the Fa clan some serious harm, while we worked to expose your crimes, so it’s not like we’d feel any affection toward one another.”

None of them said a word.

“However, ever since Ai Fa took me into the Fa clan, I’ve tried to live as a simple person of the forest’s edge. I want to think of all of you as comrades, and have you feel the same way about me. And Donda Ruu made it clear that you’re still fellow people of the forest’s edge, too. And in that case, I would also like to be your comrade.”

Still nothing.

“Zattsu Suun was so worried about the future of the people of the forest’s edge that he strayed from the proper path. And we’ll need everyone’s help to get us back on the right track.”

“I don’t believe Zuuro Suun possesses the strength needed to comprehend such complex matters as he is now,” Yamiru Lea stated, suddenly standing and walking over next to me. Then, she kneeled down and picked up her father’s plate of soup.

“Now then, drink up. Didn’t you have just as much of an interest in delicious food as Mida, Zuuro Suun?”

The man’s vacant eyes turned and looked at Yamiru Lea.

“There are very tasty fruits and vegetables growing out there in the forest of Morga, aren’t there? But Asuta’s cooking uses even more delicious ingredients from the fields...”

Her father’s trembling fingers reached out and grabbed the plate.

After giving a satisfied look, Yamiru Lea then turned her attention toward Diga.

“Diga, you used to love the kimyuus meat you bought with coins, didn’t you? Even though you didn’t have the courage to head into the post town yourself.”

“Huh...? I...”

“The giba meat Asuta prepares is more delicious than that, though. Did you perhaps find the cooking from the clan head meeting insufficient? Even so, today’s dishes are certain to satisfy you.”

With that, Yamiru Lea grabbed the plate of food I had brought and placed it in front of him.

“You’ve grown so thin because the food given to you by the Zaza and Dom clans isn’t enough to satisfy you, right? Just go ahead and eat this already.”

Diga timidly reached out and grabbed the plate.

Seeing that, Yamiru Lea turned toward Doddo.

“Doddo, that goes for you too. You aren’t even allowed to drink your beloved fruit wine anymore, so you should feed your appetite instead to satisfy your body and soul.”

Doddo showed no response to his sister’s words.

“Can you not hear what I’m saying?”

For just an instant, Yamiru Lea’s eyes once more flashed with the look of some poisonous snake.

And in response, Doddo let out a hoarse “Eek!”

“Goodness, none of you have any guts at all. Without the title of the leading clan behind you, you can’t even pretend to act confident, can you?”

Yamiru Lea slowly rose to her feet, and now she faced Mida’s way.

“Mida, you should hurry up and eat, too. If you dawdle too long, everyone from the Ruu and Rutim will snatch it all up.”

“Right...”

“Are you really alright with not eating even a single bite of this grand feast?”

“Yeah... I’d hate that...”

“Then eat. I’ll go get some food for you,” Yamiru Lea stated, turning around. And as she did, her eyes glanced at me. “Asuta, are you also not having anything? You shouldn’t be putting up with hunger to deal with these fools.”

“Right. But you haven’t eaten yet either, have you, Yamiru Lea?”

“I’ve been drinking fruit wine,” she replied while turning away in a huff, and then started grabbing food. And as she leaned over seductively, she looked back toward Oura.

“Oura, could I have you help me? I don’t have enough hands to carry all this.”

“Yes... Of course, Yamiru... Ah, I mean Yamiru Lea...”

At her daughter’s prompting, Oura also stood and started helping. And seeing that, I went ahead and lent a hand, too.

“Thank you, Yamiru Lea. I figure I probably couldn’t have gotten them moving on my own,” I whispered to her, only for her to shoot me back a chilly glare out of the corner of her eye.

“I don’t see any reason for you to thank me. They were just being such pathetic cowards that it was making me angry.”

Just what exactly were things like in the Suun house back when they were still family?

That clan head was depravity personified, the eldest son rested on his laurels as his successor, and the second son was a crude, violent drunk. The youngest son always seemed out of it, while the youngest daughter had no doubts that the prosperous Suun were the supreme rulers of the forest’s edge. And as for the clan head’s bride and her father, they had eyes like dead fish.

Just how had the eldest daughter conducted herself in the midst of all that, when she had wished from the depths of her heart for the clan’s destruction, despite being eyed as a true successor by the previous clan head, who was the root of all that evil?

At the very least, I couldn’t imagine she used to portion out food for the clan head with an angry look back then, like she was doing now.

“Hey, Mida, are you eating properly?” some small children asked while running over with plates.

It was Rimee Ruu, as well as Shin Ruu’s younger siblings.

“Look, it’s myamuu giba! It’s gonna run out if you don’t get some soon, so we brought it over!”

“Right... Thanks...”

“Mida, make sure you share with Tsuvai and everyone,” Yamiru Lea added.

“Right...” Mida replied again, with a tremble of his cheeks.

At last, his little piglet-like eyes had started shining again.

5

“Now then, eat.”

Yamiru Lea, Oura, and I had lined up plates of food in front of the men. As we did that, Zuuro Suun and Doddo listlessly sipped at their soup, while Diga began eating the meat and chatchi stew anxiously.

After watching them for a bit, Yamiru Lea picked up a single plate and turned around, to approach the fierce hunter with a giba head sitting atop the pelt he wore.

“Won’t you eat too, Gulaf Zaza? Though he also objects to the Fa clan’s actions as you do, the Beim clan head seems to be quite passionately sampling the flavor of these dishes.”

“I’ve got no reason to go listening to your impertinent remarks...”

“Oh, is that so? Well, do as you please.” Yamiru Lea elegantly left the plate in front of Gulaf Zaza, before returning to her own seat. “Well then, let us eat, Asuta.”

“Right.”

I had lost the chance to return to my own seat, and so I took my place sitting across from Yamiru Lea.

And then, I heard a strange “Ungh...” sound.

Turning to look, I found that Diga had bit into the giba cutlets and frozen in place.

“This is my first time seeing that dish,” Yamiru Lea remarked, taking a bite of the giba cutlet on her own plate.

And then, her eyes opened wide in shock.

“This... This dish is amazing, Asuta.”

“It seems those giba cutlets are super popular with the people of the forest’s edge. But eating too much of that stuff could make you put on weight, so you should watch out for that.”

Since I didn’t want to use a nasty word like “poison” when everyone was eating, I softened my statement, but Yamiru still worriedly went “Huh?” and ran her hand over the graceful contours of her stomach.

“Ah, no, this much shouldn’t be any problem. You don’t have to be that worried about it.”

I must have been smiling more than she cared for, as she said, “What an unpleasant man you are...” with an upturned glare.

“It’s very tasty, isn’t it, Tsuvai?” I suddenly heard a voice whisper.

It had come from Oura, who was eating some myamuu giba Mida had shared while gently staring Tsuvai’s way. As for the young girl, she just silently kept munching on the contents of her plate.

Then, I noticed that Diga and Doddo were passionately chowing down, too. Their plates of soup were now empty, and they were stuffing their cheeks with meat and vegetables. And before long, large tears started streaming down from Diga’s eyes. As he held back his sobbing as best he could, he bit into his meat and slurped down tarapa broth. Despite being coated in stubble, his face was as messy as a child’s. Doddo, meanwhile, was silently yet desperately scarfing down food. It was like watching a starving wild dog devouring prey for the first time in too long.

“It looks like that wasn’t enough, huh...?” Rimee Ruu said to no one in particular as she timidly watched them go. “I’ll go get more. What do you wanna eat, Mida?”

“I want to eat everything...”

“Got it!” Rimee Ruu replied before she took off running with the boys.

In their place, two new figures approached, one very small, and the other holding her hand: Granny Jiba and Ai Fa.

“Do you mind if we interrupt a little...?”

The pair sat themselves down next to me, with Granny Jiba now facing the former leading clan head.

“Zuuro Suun... I’m certain this is the first time we’ve ever met face to face... I am the mother of the Ruu clan head Donda Ruu’s father, an old bag of bones by the name of Jiba Ruu...”

Zuuro Suun’s vacant eyes turned toward Granny Jiba.

In his hands, he held a partially eaten plate of soup.

“I haven’t ever met Zattsu Suun, much less you... The Suun settlement is far from where we Ruu dwell, after all... But I did know Zattsu Suun’s father, who was clan head before him...”

Zuuro Suun didn’t say a word.

“I suppose it was seventy years ago now... The Gaaze had been the leading clan, but they were taken down by giba... And the Reema who were their followers had also fallen... The Suun and Ruu clans were the only ones left with the strength needed to lead our people... We had split to the north and south and each kept to our own giba hunts...”

Still no response.

“At that point I was the only one left with the blood of the main Ruu house flowing through my veins, so the Suun were entrusted to become the new leading clan... After all, no matter how many members our clan and those under it may have had, a woman like me would not be allowed to lead our people... But the Suun clan head had been a splendid hunter, and so we had no concerns allowing him to take on that role...”

Her wise blue eyes remained fixed on Zuuro Suun’s flaccid face.

It seemed to me like there was a ripple slowly but surely spreading in the former leading clan head’s murky gaze, like someone had thrown a pebble into a lake late at night.

“The clan head of the Suun, our new leader, was a truly fine man... Even the wild Zaza and Dom devoted themselves to him... And Zattsu Suun was raised with the example of that splendid father of his ever in front of him...”

Zuuro Suun remained silent.

“Even so, Zattsu Suun strayed from his path... And yet, I’m sure the man still had many thoughts about how he wished to lead us people of the forest’s edge properly... He just chose to turn onto a path that was ever so slightly wrong... Or perhaps he had been walking the wrong path from the very start...”

Even now, the former leading clan head didn’t say a word.

“Eighty years ago, when we moved to the Morga forest’s edge, the Gaaze were still our leading clan... And it’s possible the Gaaze clan head chose wrongly when forming ties with the lord of Genos... In the black forest of the south, we interacted with no one and lived with the forest as our god, so we didn’t know how to properly connect with outsiders... I have thought about that a great deal...”

Zuuro Suun still wasn’t responding.

“But no one could ever blame the Gaaze clan head... No matter who was in charge, things would have turned out the same in the end... But if we have been walking an improper path, then we need to get back on track... Though the post of leading clan has passed from the Gaaze to the Suun, and now to the new three leading clans... I believe we must all come together and search for the right way forward...”

Granny Jiba gently placed her fingers like withered branches over the back of Zuuro Suun’s swollen hand.

The man’s shoulders trembled, but he didn’t show any signs of further movement.

“And so, Zuuro Suun... You too must please lend us your strength until the very end, as a comrade here at the forest’s edge... And don’t say such a sad thing, that you wish for your own death... When your crimes must be paid for, your comrades will swing their blades at the correct and proper moment, after all...”

Zuuro Suun didn’t respond even to that.

“But you know... Zattsu Suun already paid for his crimes with his life, so I don’t believe seeking his son’s death as well is the right path to take...”

At that, Granny Jiba’s clear gaze turned to Zuuro Suun’s right, so that she was now looking at Yamiru Lea.

“You’re Yamiru Lea, aren’t you...?”

“Yes,” the woman replied, fearlessly staring back at Granny Jiba.

The Ruu elder’s wrinkled face shifted into a grin.

“That goes for you, too... You shouldn’t go offering up your life like that for your family, understand...? That sort of pride may be beautiful in its own way, but it definitely isn’t right to try to take anything and everything on your own back... You’re another of our comrades here at the forest’s edge, after all...”

Yamiru Lea looked like she was holding herself back from clicking her tongue as she glared my way.

Granny Jiba had to be referring to how Yamiru Lea had said if Cyclaeus was demanding the Suun clan be handed over, we should just offer her up as Zattsu Suun’s successor. Naturally, I hadn’t just gone and spread that all over the place, but I figured it probably reached Granny Jiba’s ears by way of Rau Lea.

At any rate, I really hadn’t ever imagined the day would come when I would find Granny Jiba and Yamiru Lea having a conversation.

“Ruu clan elder Jiba Ruu, it is not as if I don’t understand that point of view, but I have my own way of thinking as well.”

“Hmm... And what would that be, then...?” Granny Jiba asked with a smile, while Yamiru Lea stared back with a defiant look.

“If that Cyclaeus noble is plotting to reinstate the Suun clan, then the people of the forest’s edge only need hand over Zuuro Suun and myself,” Yamiru Lea stated while brushing up her finely braided blackish-brown hair. “Then I would become the new head of the Suun, as well as the leading clan head. At that point I simply need to pretend to obey Cyclaeus, then expose what he’s really plotting.”

“Ridiculous. Who’d accept a woman like you as the leading clan head?!” Gulaf Zaza shouted in a crackling voice, apparently having been listening in attentively.

Yamiru Lea shot the man a bewitching glare out of the corner of her eye.

“It may be a completely foolish method, but is it any more so than this gaggle preparing to take up blades against the nobles if things come to it? At the very least with my way of doing things, no one will have to shed their blood for the time being.”

“Are you really a person of the forest’s edge...? Even Gazraan Rutim doesn’t go around dreaming up such crafty plots. That sort of trickery is fit only for nobles to wallow in!”

“And what’s so wrong about using trickery against someone attempting to employ it against us? I believe that’s far wiser than trying to solve anything and everything through force.”

“That won’t do, Yamiru Lea... We cannot have you commit to such falsehoods to protect ourselves... And besides, a slight mistake, and you and Zuuro Suun would lose your lives under that plan, would you not...?” Granny Jiba replied while wearing the same smile and shaking her head. “You are now a member of the Lea clan, rather than Zattsu Suun’s flesh and blood... And so, you don’t need to keep trying to take everything on your own shoulders...”

“It’s not like I truly believe such thinking will get through to those stubborn leading clan heads, either...” Yamiru Lea stated in a displeased tone, stealing a glance at Zuuro Suun for just a moment.

Yamiru Lea might have thought up this plot back when Zuuro Suun panicked and shouted how they should scalp him rather than hand him over to the nobles... Perhaps she thought the man could act at least a little more resolutely if she were by his side.

But sure enough, there was no way Gulaf Zaza or Donda Ruu would give permission to a sneaky plot like that.

“It certainly is reassuring, having someone like you around... Please lend the leading clan heads your strength tomorrow, Yamiru Lea...” Granny Jiba said, then she thrust a plate of food toward the former leading clan head. “Now then, go ahead and eat Asuta’s cooking, Zuuro Suun...When I lost my way too, it helped me somehow find my strength once again... Let Asuta’s dishes restore your strength, so you can give everything you have as well...”

As an irregular light was kindled in his murky eyes, Zuuro Suun accepted the plate. As he held onto it with trembling fingers, he scooped up some of the cubed giba meat stew, which had been boiled until it was nice and soft.

And when he listlessly bit down on the giba meat... a single stream of tears spilled down his flaccid cheeks.

“I...”

“Yes, what is it...?”

“I was afraid... of my father Zattsu...” Zuuro Suun murmured in a tone that reminded me of a sleepwalker as he chewed the meat.

And Granny Jiba just quietly listened to what he had to say.

“But I wasn’t able to find a path forward other than the one my father had forged... I just had to believe his words... That someday we would all walk that same road with the clans under us, and live new lives together where we didn’t need to bend to the nobles... I thought that otherwise we would all be destroyed by the Ruu clan...”

“Right, the fates of your dozens of relatives living in the Suun settlement depended on your every move... I was once a clan head myself, so I know how difficult that can be...” Granny Jiba said, her eyes narrowing as her gaze seemed to drift to some far off point. “But you’re not carrying anything on your shoulders any longer... The rest of us are taking care of your precious family and those who committed crimes under your command now... So you can share that responsibility with everyone else, and help search for what we think is our best future...”

As the tears streamed down his face, Zuuro Suun kept on eating.

“Allow me to ask just one last question, Zuuro Suun...” Gulaf Zaza chimed in, his voice rumbling. “Did you really not know about the crimes committed by Zattsu Suun and his ilk in town...? Answer truthfully, on your pride as a person of the forest’s edge.”

“I didn’t know... Or actually, I had thought it strange when my father Zattsu suddenly brought in so many coins from nowhere... But I was so frightened I couldn’t bring myself to ask him where they had come from...”

“Your crime is your weak character, Zuuro Suun,” Gulaf Zaza uttered in a truly resentful tone, and then he suddenly grabbed a plate of food. With his white, sturdy teeth like fangs, he bit into the giba cutlets. “You feared your father Zattsu Suun, the Ruu clan, those nobles from Genos... and in the end, you even feared the Zaza and Dom clans that fell under you. That sort of weakness is unacceptable for a person of the forest’s edge. It will always be my greatest shame, having respected a weakling like you as the leading clan head.”

Zuuro Suun offered nothing in response.

“But if you were even half as strong-willed as your father or your oldest daughter there, Zattsu Suun would have revealed everything to you and plotted to have you succeed him. Then even more blood would have been shed throughout Genos,” Gulaf Zaza stated, his wild, bestial eyes blazing just as fiercely as Donda Ruu’s did. “Your weakness is something we people of the forest’s edge cannot accept... But in a ridiculous twist of fate, it served to put a stop to Zattsu Suun’s obsession and grudge... Or maybe that’s just down to the forest’s guidance, too,” Gulaf Zaza said, washing down the giba cutlets with fruit wine. “At any rate, your punishment will have to wait till after things with the nobles are settled. So until the final moment before your soul returns to the forest, keep on living as a person of the forest’s edge.”

Though Zuuro Suun didn’t speak a word, tears came trickling down his cheeks.

Granny Jiba gently smiled.

Diga and Doddo kept on silently eating.

And even Gulaf Zaza was sinking his teeth into the remaining giba cutlets.

It was then that Rimee Ruu’s group returned with a “Thanks for waiting!” holding fresh plates of food. They were rather late coming back, so perhaps they had been held up by other family until Granny Jiba had finished talking.

And at last, it seemed like this long back and forth had come to a close.

But then, someone unexpected suddenly spoke up.

“Hmph! So everyone’s just gonna listen to the new clan heads’ decision?!”

It was Tsuvai.

She had stood and puffed out her slender chest as she glared around at everyone present. And when her eyes reached Yamiru Lea, they fixed in place.

“Hey, Yamiru, if you’re talking about Zattsu Suun’s successor, wouldn’t I be way more fitting than you?”

“What are you saying? As the youngest of us siblings, you’re unsuited for that role,” Yamiru Lea replied, shooting Tsuvai a dubious look.

“Hmph!” Tsuvai snorted again. “But Zattsu Suun and Grandpa Tei are the only ones who were judged as criminals, right? And I’m the only one who shares both their blood equally! So I’m the one most suited to be the successor to those criminals!”

Zattsu and Tei Suun were Tsuvai’s two grandfathers. And Tei Suun’s daughter Oura was currently staring at her child with a bewildered look.

“Tsuvai... There’s no logic behind saying the child of criminals is a criminal themselves...” Granny Jiba calmly called out.

Tsuvai’s big eyes glared back at the old woman, burning with a rebellious spirit.

“I don’t care! I just don’t care about all this stupid nonsense at all! If you want to go to war with the nobles, then just go ahead!”

“Tsuvai!”

Slipping away from her mother’s grasp, Tsuvai suddenly fled into the darkness.

And in a fluster, I rose to my feet to chase after her.

She should have been completely safe as long as she remained in the Ruu settlement, but there was no way I could just leave her be. And so, I followed after her, relying on the moonlight to guide my way. Fortunately, though, she was even more slow-footed than I was.

“Tsuvai, what in the world is going on with you?” I questioned as I grabbed the shoulder of that small figure clad in her dress.

Instantly, she shouted, “Don’t touch me!” as she scratched the back of my hand. And she also glared at me with eyes like flames. “You must be feeling awful good about yourself, Asuta of the Fa clan! The Suun clan has fallen, and everything’s gone your way! You really are the number one hero at the forest’s edge!”

“Hero...?”

As I found myself at a loss for words, I suddenly noticed someone standing at my side.

Unsurprisingly, it was Ai Fa. She must have entrusted Granny Jiba to someone else and followed after us.

And even here out in the dark, where the light from the bonfires didn’t reach, Tsuvai’s eyes were still burning bright.

“You mean how you said the one who earns the most coins is the most admirable? That probably comes from Zattsu and Zuuro Suun teaching you that strength and justice come from prosperity... That sort of thinking is prejudiced and wrong, though.”

“Hmph! Then what are you earning all those coins for?! Wasn’t that part of some plan to bring prosperity to the poor forest’s edge?!”

“Yeah, that’s true, but...”

“So you’re right, while the Suun clan was wrong! That’s why the Ruu clan who backed the Fa are thriving, while the Suun were destroyed! There’s no mistakes there! You all are heroes, and the Suun are just criminals!”

“Zattsu and Zuuro Suun are criminals for the mistakes they made while acting as leaders of our people. What issue could you have with that, exactly?” Ai Fa calmly asked, only for the flames burning in Tsuvai’s eyes to grow even more intense.

“But Zattsu Suun and my father weren’t the only criminals! Grandpa Tei was one too! He got executed as a criminal, didn’t he?!”

“That was because Tei Suun pointed a blade at us and the townsfolk, so—”

“Grandpa Tei just couldn’t go against Zattsu Suun! No one in the Suun clan could have, so why is he the only one treated like a criminal?!”

“Like I said, that’s—”

“I know! Grandpa Tei killed a lot of townsfolk along with Zattsu Suun! And then in the end he tried to kill you, Asuta, and the Sudra clan head struck him down for that crime! You didn’t do anything wrong! Grandpa Tei did! And he had to pay for his crimes with his life!” Tsuvai wailed while stomping her feet. And then, tears started gushing forth from her big eyes. “I hate you all!”

“Tsuvai...”

As I stood there dumbfounded, Tsuvai thrust out a tiny finger toward my chest.

“If someone doesn’t hate you, even if it’s just me... Then it’d be way too sad for Grandpa Tei, wouldn’t it?!”

At that point, Tsuvai pushed her forehead up against my chest and started sobbing like a child. Actually, she was still twelve... This small girl really was just a child.

Still unable to speak, I turned my head and found Ai Fa’s eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she quietly stared at Tsuvai’s back.

Placing my hands on Tsuvai’s slender shoulders, I got down on my knees. And with her face now buried in my shoulder, Tsuvai sobbed even harder.

“Tsuvai... Just like Donda Ruu said, no matter what crimes they may commit, it doesn’t change the fact that they’re still fellow people of the forest’s edge,” I said, gently placing a hand atop her head, with her hair pulled back into an onion-like bun. “Zattsu and Tei Suun both lived as people of the forest’s edge, and died that way too. Donda Ruu and everyone are doing the best they can to inherit their anger and the regrets they left behind, and carry them forward the right way... Or at least, that’s what I think.”

“I hate you all... I really, really hate you...”

“I know.”

As we stood there under the blue light of the half moon hanging in the night sky, no one approached us.

And as every single one of us carried our own unique thoughts and feelings in our hearts, the day before the showdown with Cyclaeus came to a close.