Chapter 4: Cooking with a Rookie

1

At last, the day arrived. That night, the people of the Rutim clan were invited to a celebration before they held the wedding.

Apparently, it was the custom at the forest’s edge to meet for an inconspicuous party with just the relatives seven days before a wedding, like they were doing here. From what I heard, they would hold a series of banquets, first with the groom’s Rutim clan tomorrow night, the day after that with the bride’s Min clan, and then finally the Lea family, with whom they had deep ties. It sounded like a real pain of a custom to me, but the only part that mattered on my end was tonight: The first celebration in the chain, held at the house of the highest ranking person involved. In other words, the banquet that would be held at the main Ruu house.

I would be in charge of the stove for the event, which was a weighty responsibility. And on top of that, Ai Fa and I had an agreement with the head of the Ruu clan, Donda Ruu: If this banquet didn’t satisfy Donda Ruu and the head of the Rutim clan, then the Ruu clan and every family affiliated with them would cut off any and all ties with the Fa clan. And if that happened, the heir to the Suun clan, Diga Suun, may come after Ai Fa again. Plus, on top of that, if Donda Ruu tried to force such a cruel fate on Ai Fa, the elder of the Ruu clan, Jiba Ruu, had decided to renounce her clan and join the Fa house. Rimee Ruu also cared about Ai Fa just as Jiba Ruu did, so all that would surely cause her to suffer greatly.

I couldn’t help but sigh at what a complicated mess this had turned into.

But still, there was only one thing for me to do: Present Donda Ruu with a delicious meal that would satisfy him.

◇

“I’ll be counting on you all today,” I said with a deep bow in the Ruu family kitchen.

I had my white towel wrapped around my lengthening hair, a white t-shirt under a buttonless vest, my necklace with its eight sparkling blessings, a grigi berry bracelet, an ethnic-looking cloth around my waist, and white shoes, adding up to the sort of hybrid outfit I’d grown accustomed to wearing.

The knife that was my old man’s heart and soul was placed atop my work space.

I was totally prepared, physically and mentally.

Ai Fa stood by my side, and three women were in a row across from us.

The chief Donda Ruu’s wife, Mia Lea Ruu.

The oldest daughter of that pair, Vina Ruu.

And lastly, their second daughter, Reina Ruu.

“So Reina Ruu is the only one carrying over from last time, huh?”

“Yes! It would have been Lala normally, but she seemed reluctant for some reason, and I really wanted the chance to study more of your cooking techniques... So I traded with her.”

“You’re a real lifesaver. Our odds of success are way higher with at least one person who knows how to handle things.”

I was just talking logically rather than paying mere lip service, but for some reason, Reina Ruu’s face went red and Ai Fa shot me an icy glare.

However, I was determined not to let anything throw me today. Of course, that didn’t have anything to do with my screw up last time. But still, I intended to take on this challenge with a dauntless spirit.

After all, the fates of numerous others were riding on how I wielded my knife today.

“What, so you don’t think we’re reliable? How rude! I won’t lose out to Reina when it comes to manning the stove just yet,” Donda Ruu’s better half said with a hearty laugh. She was big-boned and sported plenty of meat on her body, had red hair with a bit of white mixed in, and bold brown eyes. She wore the single-piece outfit characteristic of married women, and seemed like a trustworthy lady.

Vina Ruu stood next to her, fidgeting with her long hair and looking bored. She was completely different from her mother in every way, from her hair to her eyes to her physique. Her eyes looked drowsy, and her lips were full. The contours of her body were positively stunning, and she exuded pheromones. It was as if she’d been born for the purpose of enchanting men.

She wasn’t blushing bright red all over at the sight of me anymore, but in exchange, she seemed to have replaced her usual friendliness with pure apathy.

Anyway, looking at the three of them sure did remind me of how I hadn’t informed them of the brutal agreement I had with the head of the clan.

“Well then, here’s the plan for today. There are going to be 12 folks from the Ruu clan, three from the Rutim, plus me and Ai Fa, adding up to 17 in total. I’m only looking to prepare a special menu for Jiba Ruu,” I started, keeping things extremely business-like. “As for everyone else, we’ll be making the same giba stew and baked poitan, and then grilling giba meat. I was thinking we’d make hamburgers for Jiba Ruu, but, um... have you been making her giba stew specially so it was easier to eat, normally?”

“We have. We dice up her aria smaller so they’re easier to chew, and then heat them up in a separate pot. And we put all the meat in our pot, since Granny Jiba gets plenty of hamburger to eat,” Mia Lea Ruu answered with a smile.

Reina Ruu had a serious look on her face and was hanging on my every word, while Vina Ruu looked like she was trying to catch her balance as she stifled a seductive yawn.

“I see. That’s what I’d like to do too, then. Now, about the cooking... Are any of you especially good at preparing the giba stew or the baked poitan?”

“Reina is the best at baking the poitan. We’re all about equal at preparing the giba stew, but Vina here is easily the worst at manning the stove.”

“Got it. Then Reina Ruu will be in charge of the poitan, while you’ll handle the giba stew, Mia Lea Ruu. I’ll leave most of that up to you. Vina Ruu will be in charge of the meat along with me, and will lend everyone else a hand, alright?”

“...I’ll just be a hindrance though, won’t I? Should I just have Granny Tito Min or Rimee take my place...?” Vina Ruu said, sounding a bit sulky for some reason.

In other words, she was feeling inferior to Reina and Mia Lea Ruu because of their cooking skills, huh?

While pondering on how intricate of a personality she had, I broke out in a smile and said, “No, that wouldn’t do. You’re a woman of the Ruu clan too, so let’s give this our all together. I have every intention of taking care of my task as well.”

Vina Ruu didn’t say anything.

“Alright, Reina Ruu, could you get started on the poitan? And please help her carry stuff, Vina Ruu.”

Vina Ruu really was sulking now, but she still obediently followed Reina Ruu out of the kitchen.

“So? What should I do, Asuta?”

“Right, there’s something I want to ask you, Mia Lea Ruu. I heard that you’ve been adding baked poitan to the nightly menu since I manned the stove, but have you also been adding the various vegetables from your pantry to the giba stew since then?”

“That’s right. Otherwise, it would be the exact same flavor every single night. And besides, when we make it, we just can’t get rid of that giba stench. So we need to add stuff like tarapa or lilo to cover up the smell.”

“Huh, so you add lilo, too? But isn’t that way too harsh?”

“It covers up most of the giba stench as a result, though. Hey... what’s with that meat you brought here, anyway? Those hamburgers were just the best, but that giba stew not having any smell about it was a real shock, too! Just what sort of magic did you use to make it that delicious?”

“It wasn’t magic at all. It’s just the result of draining the giba of its blood when it’s caught. That’s why it’s a job for the men, not the women.”

“I see... Then I guess there’s nothing we can do about it. There’s no way those stubborn bastards would listen to what you have to say.”

As I watched Mia Lea Ruu sadly slump her shoulders, I continued on with, “Well then, I heard that you pull out all the stops for this banquet thing, but what exactly does that entail here at the forest’s edge? Do you use all sorts of those vegetables in your pantry?”

“Yeah, that’s right. We go right ahead and toss plenty of those veggies, which are way pricier than aria or poitan, right on into the pot. Well, that said, if you just did it without any planning, you’d end up with something inedible.”

“I see. Then you throw them in after thinking it over carefully... Well then, I don’t mind if it’s just based on your personal preferences, but if we were to make a giba stew without the stench like I did last time, which of those vegetables do you think would be the tastiest?”

“Hmm? Well, tino goes well with anything. And if there’s no stench, there’s no need to add lilo or tarapa... Gigo wouldn’t be any good. It’d just end up all mushy like when you add poitan. And it might be a little on the bitter side, but I think pula would be pretty nice. Ludo and Lala may end up frowning about it, though.”

I was at the point where the names of people and foods were becoming a jumbled mess in my head. If I mixed up the pula with Lala and threw her in the pot, she’d probably get pretty angry.

“Then it’s tino and pula? Should we go with those two for today?”

“Huh?! No, don’t! If the taste were to become a mess thanks to me running my mouth, that’d be a real waste of you coming all the way out here. And we have guests from the Rutim clan here today, too!”

“It’s alright. You’ve got to be ready to take on the challenges that come your way. And besides, if you don’t get creative with it, your cooking will never improve.”

I glanced over at Ai Fa as I said that. Even though I was saying the complete opposite of what I had last time, she just silently watched over me with a look of strength in her eyes.

I explained today’s entire plan to Ai Fa in advance. She was pretty surprised at first, but at the end she said, “I leave it all up to your judgment.”

I wanted to respond to that trust.

“...By the way, how has the clan head seemed lately?” I threw out there.

Mia Lea Ruu had been deep in thought, but with that she gave a pleasant, “Oh?” Had she been simulating the giba stew in her head? Sorry about that.

“What is it about the clan head? You two met with him three days ago, didn’t you?”

“Right. I wouldn’t think there’d be any changes after that, but have there been?”

“Changes, huh...? Now that you mention it, I feel like ever since that night, he’s been randomly pouting. And I think I’ve spied him going into Granny Jiba’s room pretty often, too. Is he getting lectures or something?”

No, that wasn’t it. Granny Jiba was well aware of Donda Ruu’s nature, so she wouldn’t be trying to lecture him at this point. The wise elder had long since chosen her path, and I couldn’t imagine she had any further use for Donda Ruu at this point.

Then... Was Donda Ruu heading to Jiba Ruu in the hopes that she would talk him out of this foolish contest?

I seriously hoped that was the case.

Donda Ruu was related to Rimee and Jiba Ruu, so there was no way he seriously sought Ai Fa’s destruction... That was my heartfelt wish.

But regardless of the truth of the matter, the die had already been cast, and what I needed to do wouldn’t change.

I reigned in my feelings, then set about my work.

“Now then... I should start preparing the meat. There should be plenty of time to finish the soup after the poitan start coming together, so shall we go over how to cook the hamburger for Jiba Ruu?” I asked, opening up the bundle of giba meat I had brought with me.

Last time we stuck with just leg meat and shoulder roast, but this time I prepared three different types of meat.

To be honest, after all my experimenting, it was proving difficult to secure enough of each type for everyone, so I was actually starting to think there wouldn’t be enough for me and Ai Fa right at the end there. But just two days beforehand, Ai Fa came back with another young giba in the 50 kilo range, clearing that up nicely. And so, rather than not having enough, we actually ended up with a bit extra.

I carefully laid the meat out on my cooking station bit by bit, only for Mia Lea Ruu to worriedly ask, “That’s a giba’s torso, isn’t it? You showed me that it’s ever tastier than leg meat, but still... The Rutim clan head is coming today. Wouldn’t it be better to just stick to using leg meat?”

“Huh? So the Rutim clan head won’t eat torso meat either?”

“I don’t know. But since our clan head looked so annoyed over it, I’d imagine the Rutim clan head could definitely react the same way. Plus he’s even more short tempered than our leader, so wouldn’t it be better to err on the side of caution?”

Someone even more short tempered than Donda Ruu... He sure sounded dangerous.

But there wouldn’t be enough for everyone to just eat leg meat, and besides, that would make for a completely dull menu for the meal.

“You and the other women didn’t seem to be especially opposed to eating the torso meat, though. Why was Donda Ruu so against it?”

“I’m not sure. But Jiza and Darmu didn’t seem to have any objection to his words, so maybe the men have some sort of suitable reason...”

A suitable reason for the men, huh...?

I’m pretty sure I remember Donda Ruu yelling something like, “Only scavengers like the mundt eat the giba’s torso!” And then he added some sort of thing about, “How dare you feed something like that to a proud hunter of the forest’s edge?!”

But Ai Fa also lived as a hunter, yet she never showed any hesitance to eat giba torso. I turned around to Ai Fa to ask just what the deal was, only to find my clan head with an even more puzzled look on her face.

“Mia Lea Ruu, I have something I wish to ask you. Is it true that the Rutim are second only to the Ruu clan in terms of power?”

How rare, for Ai Fa to address a member of the Ruu clan.

Mia Lea Ruu looked a bit happy as she responded, “Yeah, that’s right,” with a nod. “The Rutim certainly wouldn’t fall short of the Ruu in terms of strength, and the clan head Dan Rutim is also an excellent hunter. That much is certain.”

“I see. So that’s why he would think of giba torso as nothing but mundt food...?” Ai Fa said to herself, and then turned to me with an undaunted expression on her face. “Asuta, there’s nothing to worry about. Just carry out your own task as planned. If the head of the Rutim reacts the same way to the idea of eating giba torso as Donda Ruu did, I’ll convince him.”

“Huh? You understood the reason behind all that, Ai Fa?”

“Yes, most likely... At any rate, you can’t complete your cooking without using the torso meat, correct? In that case, you should just do what you need to rather than worrying about it.”

There was no hesitation in Ai Fa’s eyes. So I had to stop hesitating, too.

This wasn’t my fight alone. The fate and name of the Fa clan were also on the line.

Ai Fa and I needed to use every power at our disposal to prevent this from becoming a tragedy for the folks around us, too.

2

A few hours passed, and we had finished the cooking with some time to spare.

Two of the four stoves had pots of giba stew simmering (in the giba soup style, as I’d come to call it), and there were piles of baked poitan atop plates. Now all that was left was to grill the meat and wait for the guests to arrive.

“Hey, Asuta... Is this really going to be alright...?” Vina Ruu asked in a worried voice. She was seated listlessly leaning up against the wall, cradling one of her knees.

My plan for this event placed a bit of a heavy load on her.

“This banquet is really important, right...? I’m not exactly confident...”

“You’ll be fine. At least for right now, there aren’t any problems.”

“But after this...”

“We’ll just have to pray everything goes according to plan.”

As she hugged her knee tight, Vina Ruu shot me a very reproachful sidelong glance.

Just having this thought was probably enough for my character to be called into question, but her large breasts were being smooshed by her knee, and I could clearly see them squishing even through her clothing, which made for quite the erotic sight.

“Asuta, could it be... That you hate hearing complaints, so you’re trying to offer me up as some sort of sacrifice...?”

“What the heck? What reason would I have for doing something like that?”

“I mean... I’m nothing but a pest to you, right?”

The rest of the women were out front getting some fresh air. That must have been why she felt willing to raise the topic, but I still panicked a bit when I saw that the door was left wide open.

“T-That’s not true. I feel just like I told you before. I just seriously want you to stop thinking such crazy things.”

“But... Even if I can change my way of thinking, I can’t change how I feel, right?” Her smooth cheeks got just a little redder. “Do you really believe I did all that just as part of some sort of plan? Do you honestly think a woman who held onto her virginity till she was 20 could go and do something like that...?”

“N-No, you see...”

“Ugh... That heir to the Rutim clan who’s coming today is one of the guys who I turned down,” she said, hiding her face behind her knees. “If I make a big mistake at the celebration before his wedding, the head of the Rutim clan will really give me hell again... Agh, I just want to drop dead already...”

“I-I’m telling you, it’s alright! Even if you screw up, all the responsibility will still fall on me! It was all my doing, right?! But if you succeed, you’ll get the glory for it!”

Vina Ruu shot me a sidelong glance from behind her knees.

“You say that now, but you plan on betraying me at the last moment, don’t you...?”

“I’d never do that! I swear on this knife!”

With that, her slightly droopy brown eyes started to tear up in a somehow coquettish manner.

“That’s just not fair... How am I supposed to change how I feel...? I feel like you’re just teasing me, sometimes being cold to me and then going and acting all kind...”

Then what exactly do you want me to do?!

And then, a voice called out coldly from behind, “What are you getting all worked up about?”

Apparently I’d been the only one raising my voice. I felt a chill run down my spine thanks to my own carelessness.

Ai Fa was standing in the entrance to the kitchen, looking back and forth between me and Vina Ruu with a piercing gaze.

“It seems the Rutim have arrived. Wouldn’t this be a good time?”

That statement instantly caused me to change gears. I gave a nod, then turned back towards Vina Ruu.

“Alright! Well then, let’s get started! Vina Ruu, I’m counting on you to do it as we planned!”

◇

“Hmm! So you’re the outsider staying at the Fa house, huh?!” a loud voice suddenly called out as I was carrying in the giba soup pots along with Mia Lea Ruu.

A large man I didn’t recognize was there in the seat of honor. He was so big that even having Donda Ruu seated next to him didn’t make him look any smaller. Naturally, I was talking about his height, but his breadth and thickness were impressive, too. He was wearing a vest just like me, but that only really covered his shoulders, leaving his potbelly fully exposed. On top of that, he had a shiny bald head, thick eyebrows, a big nose, mouth, and eyes, and a broad chin with a dark brown beard. With that brown skin and the ethnic outfit, he really was the spitting image of an Arabian genie.

Right now he was giving a hearty smile, but I could certainly see his rage driving not just Vina Ruu but the world at large to despair.

I placed the pot down atop a stove to keep it warm, then got down on my knees and gave a bow.

“I’m Asuta of the Fa clan. I was allowed the honor of manning the stove for today, alongside the women of the Ruu clan.”

“Ooh, that’s right. I heard someone from another family was supposed to be preparing a different sort of exciting dinner for us. We’ll still end up with the same giba meat in our bellies, but I’m definitely interested to see what you have in store! I’m really looking forward to this, Asuta of the Fa clan!”

“I sincerely hope that it’s to your liking,” I replied, keeping things formal, as awkward as I may be at it, then stood up and said “Well then...” I mean, I cooked at an eatery. I wasn’t the chef for some french restaurant or the hostess at some fancy joint or anything. I generally didn’t greet customers with anything more than a “Hey there!”

As Mia Lea Ruu started having a pleasant chat with her guests, I moved towards the room’s exit. And as I passed on by, I took the chance to observe the other guests. Toward the head of the seating, there were a man and a woman I didn’t recognize off to the left and right. They must’ve been the heir to the Rutim and his fiancée.

If I recall correctly, the groom’s name was Gazraan Rutim. He was a large, honest looking man. In terms of physique, he probably wouldn’t fall short of the eldest son of the main Ruu house, Jiza Ruu... And speaking of which, Jiza Ruu himself was seated next to the man, giving off his usual intense pressure.

Their dads were both giants, but they possessed robust bodies to match those men, and they seemed to exude the sort of character and intensity you would expect from the heirs to their clans. I could firmly sense a sort of silent dignity about them.

Everything about Gazraan Rutim’s face was big, which he must have gotten from his father, but rather than being fat he had something of a square look about him, which I wouldn’t quite call all that handsome. His dark brown hair was cut nice and tidy though, and there was a gentle shine in his blue eyes that seemed both really masculine and sincere. I couldn’t help but think he’d probably make for a good husband.

On the other hand there was the bride, whose name was Ama Min, I think.

After the Ruu, Rutim, and Lea, the Min clan was a mainstay of the Ruu’s followers, and I heard Granny Tito Min was born to that family. In other words, when a woman married into a family, she added her old name to the new one, which told where she came from. So when Tito Min entered the Ruu clan she became Tito Min Ruu, and in seven days this woman would be Ama Min Rutim.

Hmm...

That my following thought was the ridiculous delusion of Ai Fa Tsurumi, huh? was a secret I would take to my grave.

And maybe it would be Asuta Fa... At any rate, it was nothing but a stupid thought that had no chance of coming true.

But anyway, the bride was Ama Min.

She was neither too thin nor too fat, and she was a perfect height. She looked like she was in good health, had great posture, and even seemed to have a great upbringing. Her blackish brown hair was done up in a sporty style and her pale blue eyes shone bright. She looked neat, tidy, and serious, but she didn’t appear timid in the least. She simply sat there silently as she waited for the banquet to begin.

Her age couldn’t have been all that far removed from mine. It was amazing seeing how calm she was before her own wedding. Honestly, she made the similarly aged Reina Ruu look pretty childish in comparison.

Well, at least in this blockheaded 17 year old’s opinion, an innocent and bright young girl was more appealing than a woman who was more calm and relaxed than you would expect from her age. And on top of that, a girl who’s usually cool but will occasionally be super open with her feelings and kicks you in the leg, and has eyes like a wildcat... No, no, I should drop that.

Anyway! The two really seemed to make a good pair.

I felt a little awkward somehow, getting their wedding’s celebration mixed up in this weird fight.

And just as his wife had mentioned, the very man who brought our fight here had quite a displeased look on his face. When I went to talk to the person next to him he looked off towards nothing at all and kept on chugging down the fruit wine like he had been doing for a while now.

I kept on walking while worrying that he may not be able to make out the taste if he drinks too much, only to find a tilted gaze fixed on me from below.

It was coming from the second son of the Ruu house, Darmu Ruu. He was the only one I didn’t meet when we visited three days ago. I guess that meant we were seeing each other for the first time in two weeks. As always, he had a stiff, vicious looking face that reminded me of a wild wolf, as well as that glint in his eyes that he got from his father.

If it weren’t for that predatory face and those eyes, he would probably be the most handsome of the Ruu men. But thanks to his history with Ai Fa, he was also the only one of them I absolutely couldn’t forgive.

And so, I put just a bit of strength in my gaze, only for him to suddenly and unnaturally avert his eyes. What was that about? Looking at his stiff face from the side, I saw that he was seriously frustrated and sulking.

After bowing to the youngest son who had his cheeks resting on his hands like he was about to collapse, the third daughter who was outright ignoring me, and the youngest daughter who was energetically waving my way, I went to exit the banquet hall. Before I could do so, though, I ran into Ai Fa, Vina Ruu, and Reina Ruu, who were carrying the last pot and the plates of poitan.

“Ooh?! What’s that? Is that seriously food?!” I heard Dan Rutim yell out in astonishment from behind me, and then I returned to the kitchen.

It was already getting dark out, but there were candles set between the banquet hall door and the separate building, so I didn’t have to worry about where I was stepping.

I made it back to the kitchen before long and waited for the women to return, feeling seriously nervous before the big showdown.

“Sorry, we got caught up talking with everyone. They were really surprised by the baked poitan.”

They ended up coming back with a rather energetic older woman in tow.

Well then, time for the initial skirmish.

“I’m sure they’ll have all sorts of things to say, so I’ll be the one to bring the plates to the seats of honor,” I said, grabbing wooden plates with the main dish, only for Mia Lea Ruu to call out to me.

“Hey, are you really going to be alright? Our clan head has a really displeased look on his face, and I just can’t help but worry...”

It was a little scary seeing her look so serious, considering she was always so bright and cheery.

I guess it was the gravity possessed by a woman who raised seven children while also managing all the housework.

While thinking how my mom would be about her age if she were still alive, I replied, “The only way to end things peacefully would be never involving ourselves with the Ruu clan ever again. I didn’t want that, so I had to get a little rough and pick a fight with the head of your clan.”

Mia Lea Ruu looked shocked and astounded... and then she smiled.

“Got it! I can’t quite side with my husband’s enemy, but I’ll be rooting for you to at least not get killed, so give him everything you’ve got!”

With that, she gave me a hearty slap on the back. It hurt like hell, but it also made me happy.

“Well then...” I said, holding a plate in both hands as I exited the kitchen.

And then, Ai Fa called out, “Hold on. Don’t go off on your own,” and hurriedly caught up to me, holding the same sort of plates that I was. “What did you intend to do if those large men flew into a rage? You don’t have the strength needed to protect yourself, so don’t go acting alone.”

“Hey, I might have said I was picking a fight, but I wasn’t exactly planning on a slugfest.”

“Are you saying it wouldn’t be a serious matter if one of their fists suddenly came flying your way?”

“...I’d probably die.”

“In that case,” Ai Fa said, drawing her face in close, “Don’t leave my side.”

Ai Fa’s face was like that of a gallant, brave prince, so much so that I couldn’t help but think it might be nice to be reborn as a princess in my next life, assuming such things existed.

Hey wait, isn’t this pretty much my ‘next life’ as is?

It wasn’t so bad of a second life, either.

I really was happy as that thought passed through my head.

“Thanks for waiting. These are the last dishes.”

I entered the banquet hall alongside Ai Fa.

Donda Ruu and Dan Rutim were in the seats of honor.

Off to the right were Gazraan Rutim, Jiza, Darmu, Ludo, Lala, and Rimee Ruu.

On the left was Ama Min, Tito Min Ruu, and Sati Lea Ruu. Oh, and there were empty seats for the three who helped cook.

Kota Ruu was babbling away in a cradle behind Sati Lea Ruu.

Setting aside the infant, those faces greeted me with brilliant expectations, displeasure, and complete emotionlessness.

With everyone’s eyes on us, Ai Fa and I approached the head of the group.

I offered the plates I was holding to the two clan heads, while Ai Fa did the same for their heirs.

The second they saw what was inside... a rage ignited in Donda Ruu’s eyes, and Dan Rutim yelled out, “What the hell is this?!”

3

“It’s cooked giba meat.”

Fortunately, no fists came flying my way. I just got eyes like flames staring me down as an angry roar smashed into me.

The three women arrived in the now dead silent hall and started laying out plates from the right. It was much more reserved, but I could sense some confusion from over that way, too.

Ama Min said “My...” as her eyes went wide.

Gazraan Rutim remained politely expressionless.

It wasn’t like I had gone and presented some bizarre dish. The reason it had caused such confusion in spite of that... was probably because you could tell it used the torso even at a glance.

The glare in Donda Ruu’s eyes burned intently. Meanwhile, there was a vein throbbing on Dan Rutim’s bald head as his thick lips quaked with rage.

“Donda Ruu! What the hell is the meaning of this?! Are you going to explain this to me?!” he roared angrily once again.

Donda Ruu slowly, silently turned to face him.

“This... This giba meat... It’s from a giba’s torso, isn’t it?!”

Sure enough, the Rutim family didn’t seem to eat anything but the giba’s hind legs, either.

Things were turning out just like Mia Lea Ruu had feared.

“...So it seems,” Donda Ruu responded in a low voice. He had transcended mere anger, and his voice sounded so grave that it was like I could feel my insides shrinking up in fear.

“What the hell do you mean, ‘So it seems’?! This is a celebration for the wedding of the eldest son of the Rutim main house! What the hell are you thinking, serving this mundt food for such an event?! The Ruu and the Rutim are tied together by blood deeper than any other clans...!”

“I don’t know anything about it.”

The force behind that voice caused Dan Rutim to suddenly swallow his criticism.

Dan Rutim’s big goggle eyes stared at Donda Ruu, clearly showing how hard he was finding this to believe.

“You don’t know...? What does that mean, Donda Ruu?”

“I just ordered that kid over there to man the stove for this incredibly important banquet. I had nothing to do with anything beyond that.”

As he heard that, Dan Rutim’s burning anger pointed my way instead. It was so intense that I could see his forehead quivering.

“Cook! You were entrusted with the Ruu stove, and knew this was a celebration for our Rutim wedding, but you prepared this mundt feed?!”

“It’s not mundt feed. It’s giba steak. I’ve prepared spare rib, shoulder roast, and leg meat for our guests to enjoy.”

As I explained, Mia Lea Ruu and Vina Ruu headed back to the kitchen to grab new plates, while Reina Ruu proceeded further in to assist Jiba Ruu.

Now then...

For the moment, the focus was the content of the plate in front of the honored guests, giving off steam. Just as I said, they contained giba steak.

I had prepared this menu based on the thought that having a chewy texture was key. Naturally, that wasn’t the only reason I went with this, but it just made sense when you were considering staple meat dishes.

Since it was steak, it didn’t involve any unusual cooking techniques. It was all about regulating the heat as you cooked it.

The leg meat was just like it sounded, while the shoulder roast used the meat from the back to the shoulder. The spare rib, meanwhile, was rib meat still on the bone.

In fact, all of the dishes atop the plates had plenty of meat still on prominent bones.

Thanks to that, there was no mistaking them for meat that came from the rear legs.

“This... This mundt feed...!” Dan Rutim carried on, his lips quivering again.

I wasn’t a person of the forest’s edge, so that spare rib looked incredibly tasty to me. The shoulder roast and leg meat weren’t lacking in impact either, though. They had some serious volume to them, with a thickness of roughly 2.5 centimeters.

It had taken some real effort to overcome that thickness.

In terms of preparations, all of the meat was very sinewy, so I started by putting a cut through them. And then I was afraid that the leg meat would become too tough when it was cooked because it had such a high amount of red meat, so I beat it in a clean pot to break down the fibers some. All that was left was to sprinkle one side with rock salt and pico leaf and then leave it to sit for 10 minutes, which finished off the prep work.

Then I plopped down some fat into a metal pot that had been heated over a strong flame, stirred it around for about 10 minutes, then added in the meat with the pico side facing down.

Once it reached a golden brown, I moved the pot to a stove on a low flame.

It depended on the strength of the fire, but after roughly two minutes the meaty juices would come bubbling up from the red surface of the meat, telling me it was time to flip it.

Up until now, that was just the preparation method for steaks at the Tsurumi Restaurant (800 yen). But I wasn’t dealing with beef; this was giba meat. I was a bit scared of leaving some red to the meat. Ai Fa told me that rare meat was out of the question, too.

And so, though I would normally finish it up over a low flame, I instead returned it to the stove with the high flame at this point.

If I had to make it well done rather than rare or medium, it would take too long to do it with just a low flame, and if I cooked it for that long the meat juices would steadily seep out, too.

As a result, I ended up cooking the reverse side quickly over a strong flame too, adding in fruit wine, and then blasting it with a quick burst of heat like I had done with the hamburgers. Then when I figured the alcohol had burned off I opened the lid, waited till the surface was golden brown, then returned it to the low flame. Once I saw the clear meat juices bubbling up on the cooked surface, it was finished.

With that, I had a complete cooking method.

After that, I just had to experiment with what thicknesses worked best with this cooking process. If I made it too thin, though, it wouldn’t be all that different from the grilled meat that the Ruu family often ate. And as a result of that experimentation, I settled on a thickness of roughly 2.5 centimeters. That made them decently thick, as far as steak went.

It would be pretty tough thanks to the fact that I had to make them well done, but that shouldn’t be any problem for the people of the forest’s edge, who frequently ate hard, dried meat. And Ai Fa went ahead and proved that for me.

This was a giba steak, challenging the limits of thickness.

I firmed up my resolve to challenge Donda Ruu with that menu, but it seemed like first, I needed to take on the even more wild head of the Rutim clan.

“Only scavengers like the mundt eat a giba’s torso!” Dan Rutim yelled out. “The only ones who would think otherwise are powerless families who can’t even hunt giba!” As he roared that out, Dan Rutim’s gaze shot over towards Ai Fa. “Ai Fa of the Fa clan! That’s a rather splendid necklace you’re wearing, but are those tusks and horns just for show?! You’re hunting plenty of giba, but you’re living on by stealing food away from mundt?!”

There was a rather dangerous looking expression on Dan Rutim’s large face. I’m sure if he had a blade at his waist, he would be reaching towards the scabbard.

“No, there aren’t any humans out there who would do something so bizarre. So does that mean you’re making light of my clan, thinking it’s fitting for the Rutim to eat the same thing as mundt...?”

“Neither Asuta nor I have any intention of insulting the Rutim, our brethren at the forest’s edge. Could you not try calming down at least a bit, head of the Rutim clan?” Ai Fa asked, incredibly calm and composed. Her blue eyes actually looked even clearer and more chilly than usual. “Also, there is one question I wish to ask you. Are you perhaps thinking that eating the torso of a giba shows your lack of strength as a hunter? Is that why you have flown into such a rage at the mere sight of it being presented at this banquet?”

“What are you saying, all of the sudden?! If you do a proper job as a hunter, the meat from a giba’s legs should be plenty! What else could be greater proof of your weakness as a hunter than eating the torso meat?!”

“So that really is it.” Dan Rutim was heating up, but Ai Fa’s tone of voice was just getting chillier. It wasn’t just that she was calm and composed, though. No, it was like the chill of a steel blade. “In that case, it would seem the Rutim and Fa clans have rather different customs. I’d like to offer an apology for failing to realize that point... The Fa clan was never as well off as the Ruu or Rutim to start with,” Ai Fa said while staring right at Dan Rutim’s frightening face. “For example... When I was young, my father Gil hurt his leg and was not able to hunt for a while. We used up our horns and tusks, and eventually had nothing left to eat but dried meat. At that time, a young giba fell into a crude trap I had set, and my mother Mei brought it back whole to our house.”

It was rare for Ai Fa to talk about her parents.

As my breath caught in my throat, Ai Fa kept on strongly yet firmly talking by my side.

“My mother cooked not only the giba’s legs, but its back meat as well. What you teased as ‘stealing food from mundt’ referred to such desperate circumstances, correct?”

“...Yeah, that’s right. Starving folks will even eat a giba’s torso and head. That kind of weakness isn’t permitted of the people of the forest’s edge!”

“Very well. My father certainly was a weak hunter back then, for driving his family to the brink of starvation. At least when discussing that time in particular, he likely wasn’t even worthy of being called a hunter. I’m well aware of how greatly that must have caused him to suffer. After all, for a hunter of the forest’s edge, weakness is a sin,” Ai Fa said, her words carrying some serious force.

Then, she did something I never would have expected.

I had been thinking she was going to fly off into a rage like Dan Rutim, but instead, she broke out in a smile.

“But we only discard a giba’s torso into the forest because we don’t need it, so eating it while still fulfilling one’s duty as a hunter should bring no shame. This meat is fittingly delicious for such a celebration, so I ask that you keep that in mind, head of the Rutim clan.”

“Fittingly delicious for a day of celebration, you say...?”

Just when it looked like the bald giant was about to yell something else, his son calmly said, “My father, Dan Rutim. No matter what they may present, those are the actions of the Ruu clan. Even if they should spit upon us, we should follow the proper customs. Regardless of if it’s mundt feed or a giiz’s intestines, as long as those in charge of manning the stove eat the same thing, we must partake in that blessing alongside them.”

“But Gazraan...!”

“If they have committed a sin, we shall question that after we eat.”

His voice remained perfectly calm from start to finish, but his blue eyes were closed, as if to hide how he was feeling.

Now that I think of it, Donda Ruu didn’t say a word the other day until he had finished eating. It wasn’t until he was done that he started yelling about how it was mundt food and poisoned his soul and all that.

I had been told that manning a stove meant taking charge of everyone’s lives for that night. So no matter what food was presented, it wasn’t something you could complain about. But if you judged it as something that dirtied your life or soul after eating, then the one who manned the stove would be questioned for having betrayed the trust between you.

How would this earnest looking young man behave if he determined I had defiled the soul of the woman who would become his wife? It pained me just imagining it.

“Sorry for the wait...” an old woman’s hoarse voice called out.

Just like on that prior night, Granny Jiba had come to the banquet hall with Reina Ruu’s assistance.

Dan Rutim’s bald priest-like head was still flushed bright red, but his son placed his right hand on his father’s left shoulder and gave a bow. Ama Min did the same with the reverse hand and shoulder, also bowing.

“Well then, let us begin the banquet. You all should take your respective seats,” Donda Ruu stated, his voice solemn with a boiling anger behind it.

4

“We give thanks for the blessings of the forest...” Donda Ruu stated.

Apparently even if it was a big banquet, they still kicked things off with the usual ritual rather than a special one.

“We offer our gratitude to Mia Lea, Vina, Reina, Ai Fa, and Asuta, who manned the flame and gave us our life for this night...”

Everyone chanted along, but I’m sure Dan Rutim must have been boiling on the inside. I couldn’t imagine that rage would dissipate so easily, no matter what was being said.

No, if I was going to have him acknowledge the value of this meal, it would have to be by having him actually taste it.

Today’s menu consisted of giba steak, giba stew, and baked poitan.

The steak came in three varieties: leg meat, ribs, and shoulder roast.

The soup was light on meat, but used three types of vegetables, including aria.

The poitan were served as they had been in the Ruu house for the past however many days, with a large serving meant for everyone piled up on three big plates. They actually looked more like lightly colored hotcakes than okonomiyaki. They must have each been made with the two poitan you needed to eat each day, and the men were eating between two and four of them.

Now then...

I was interested in everyone’s reactions, but first up I needed to check how it tasted myself.

I started off by picking up the spare rib.

I ran a metal skewer I had borrowed from the Ruu house through it then supported the bone with my other hand, and finally bit into the piping hot meat. It was well done, so there wasn’t a lot of meat juice and a good bit of the fat had cooked off, too. Ribs had a layer of fat overlapping them to start with, though, so it was still pretty juicy even after grilling it so thoroughly. And you could just bite into the familiar pork ribs rather than having to slice it into thin bits, which made for an explosive flavor.

The fatty parts were soft, while the meat itself was a little tough. When I filled my mouth with both at the same time, it made for a truly pleasing texture and chewiness.

And since I was a big fan of pork ribs in both the usual and the Okinawan style, I couldn’t get enough of the flavor.

Yup, this turned out well.

After giving my jaw a break with some baked poitan, I moved on to the shoulder roast. It looked like it had a good bit of fat to it, too. However, it was more of a cohesive lump than meat taken off the rib, giving it some serious chewiness. And it was 2.5 centimeters thick, too.

As I chewed away, a smooth, delicious flavor filled my mouth.

A good bit of the meat juices had flowed out while cooking this one too, but the fat was all still trapped inside, so it wasn’t dry in the least.

It made me want to scream out, “Meat! Yes, this is real meat!”

Heck, it was enough that it would probably make someone with a bit of a weak stomach wince.

I thought it was pretty darn delicious, though... But eating it made me feel a bit like my jaw was going to give out.

Next up I had my fill of giba soup, which Mia Lea Ruu poured for me. Following her suggestion, this batch had the tino and pula added to it. I had already given it a taste test, but tino was a vegetable that looked like a rose made out of lettuce. It was ever so slightly leafy but had hardly any flavor, with its main benefit being how enjoyable of a texture it provided. That texture was actually closer to cabbage than lettuce. It got mushier as it heated up, but in exchange the soup seeped into it, making for a pretty exquisite flavor. At the very least, it wouldn’t lose out to those pseudo-onions, the aria.

On the other hand, pula was a vegetable with a rather strong bitterness to it. It was shaped like a fleshy ginkgo leaf and was about the size of one, too. In terms of color, it was a deep green. At first I was a little uncertain about it, but now that I tasted the result, the unique bitterness added a rather nice accent to the dish. And even after being heated up, it didn’t get all that mushy. It was cut pretty thin, but it still had some real snap to it. It was a pretty fresh flavor for me, but if I had to compare it to a vegetable I was familiar with, I’d probably have to choose bell peppers.

At any rate, the flavor of the giba soup had clearly improved. It really gained a greater depth, after adding a variety of vegetables to the dish.

Still, this soup got its main flavor from the stock made out of giba meat, so if you added vegetables that didn’t pair well, it definitely would have wrecked the taste. The power of a mom sure was impressive, being able to manage all this despite being from a world that hardly paid attention to flavor. I mean, the success of the dish was all down to Mia Lea Ruu’s efforts.

Now then, with this, I had sampled most of the menu. All that was left was the leg meat.

It was a pretty formidable foe for me, but if I didn’t take a bite I would never get anywhere. I screwed up my courage, and then sunk my teeth into the lump of meat.

In that very moment, a shout filled the room.

“W-What is this?!” the voice called out, clearly from someone who had lost control of themselves. And that someone just happened to be Dan Rutim.

He had frozen in place, still holding the spare rib in his hands. There was fat smeared all around his big old mouth.

“Hey, you! Just what in the world is this meat?!”

His wide-open eyes were staring straight at me.

While thinking to myself, Well, guess he couldn’t wait till he finished eating to share his impressions... I went ahead and replied, “As I said, it’s giba rib meat.” Then I decided to tease him a bit and added, “Is there something up with it?”

“Ugh...” he let slip, his moist lips trembling. “...It’s delicious!” he yelled out, then took another emphatic bite of meat. It almost looked like he was going to bite all the way down to the bone. “It’s so good! This meat is amazing! But why? Why would giba ribs taste so fantastic...? They’re supposed to be nothing but mundt feed!”

“It’s not mundt feed. In my country there was an animal that greatly resembled a giba, and we used all parts of it when cooking.”

“B-But a giba’s torso is supposed to stink so bad you can’t eat it...!”

“That’s just because you didn’t know the proper technique for preparing it... Or perhaps I should say because you didn’t have the need to learn it. The people of the forest’s edge haven’t solely been hunting giba for food, after all.”

I hadn’t been planning on giving a lecture in the middle of dinner like this, but well, my jaw was feeling awful tired, so this worked out just fine.

“The giba population won’t be impacted even if you kill fifty of them a day, making them a terrifying pest. The people of the forest’s edge have continued to hunt them at the risk of their lives, to protect the fields of the western kingdom. And as a result, you ended up with a surplus of meat, right? And so your people just discard the giba torso into the forest for the mundt, as it’s a pain to prepare and more easily retains a giba’s stench. Those actions may be completely natural, but... Every part of the giba is delicious. I prepared this meal so that all of you would understand that fact.”

Dan Rutim’s face looked like that of a sleepwalker as he listened to my words while tearing away at the meat. Meanwhile, Donda Ruu sat silently by his side, just chewing his meat as if he couldn’t hear a word I was saying.

Everyone else reacted in their own way, too.

Rimee Ruu was chewing away and satisfying her appetite as she watched me, while Jiza Ruu was probably quietly looking back and forth between me and the clan heads. I just couldn’t tell for sure, because his eyes were so narrow.

Reina Ruu was staring at me intently while helping Granny Jiba, sure enough, the wives were happily eating away while pretending not to notice Dan Rutim’s astonishment.

Gazraan Rutim and Ama Min merited special mention from amongst the group. They were also eating in silence, but occasionally they would glance at each other and quietly share a little smile. Ah, they sure looked happy.

And as for Ai Fa... She was staring pointedly at Donda Ruu while chewing away at her meat.

“Head of the Rutim clan, Dan Rutim... How about trying some of the leg meat?” I threw out there, feeling like an idiot being the only one talking while everyone else remained silent.

“I’ll give it a try. Ooh, this is great, too!” Dan Rutim said with a nod.

I secretly thought to myself that with his shiny head and round belly, he looked sort of like a big baby.

“That leg meat doesn’t stink for the same reason. With giba meat, if you perform something called bloodletting, you can get rid of most of the stench. So it’s possible to make a delicious meal with just leg meat, but I hope that today will teach you how delicious other parts of the giba can be.”

“It’s good! It’s really, really good! This stuff with the bone is my favorite! But the leg meat’s fantastic too!”

He was like a completely different person compared to how he was before eating. I mean, he was just being so earnest that it was actually making me feel a bit embarrassed.

“It also makes sense to just bring back the legs with you if you lack the manpower to carry back a giba’s massive frame whole. But at least to me, when a big family like the Ruu here bring back a whole giba each time to skin and then throw away everything but the legs, it feels like a real waste.”

“My clan brings them back, too! We... We’ve been just giving something this delicious to the mundt...?!”

Hmm... It really was tough dealing with someone being this earnest.

“Anyway, as long as they perform bloodletting when they capture it and then dissect it appropriately after peeling the pelt, anyone can prepare meat this delicious. It certainly isn’t anything difficult. I mean, if a rookie can manage this much, then anyone should be able to, if they put their mind—”

“What need is there to go through all that extra effort?” Donda Ruu finally interrupted. Amazingly, he had apparently finished eating all his meat in this brief period of time. I’d still just taken a bite or two out of the ribs and roast... “Such things are pointless to the act of partaking in a giba’s life force. Us hunters have no use for such things,” he continued in a frighteningly calm voice.

I was shocked to see that man was able to speak in a quiet tone... Actually, looking around, his whole family looked surprised, too. Rimee and Ludo Ruu kept passionately chowing away even so, but pretty much everyone else had stopped in their tracks.

That was just how unusual the situation was.

And so... we’d finally reached the critical junction.

“...That may be so, for the sake of just living.”

I could feel the moist sweat clinging to my back.

This time around, the taste of my cooking alone wouldn’t be enough. No, to satisfy this man, I needed to use words, too.

To be honest, it was a real heavy burden for a mere chef in training. But even so, I needed to do it, for the sake of the girl sitting beside me with a fire in her eyes, too.

“A life of just eating and sleeping would make you no different from a wild animal... But that’s not how you people live. No, the people of the forest’s edge work for the sake of living, and support their family, and find happiness in that. That lifestyle is completely different from how people lived back in my old country, but at their core... I don’t think there’s all that great of a difference.”

“Hmph. What are you prattling on about, kid? Are you trying to deceive not just my family but me as well with that tongue of yours, which is even more skilled than your hands?”

“I’m not that skilled at all, actually. In fact, to be honest, I still have a long way to go. And I had no intention of deceiving your family, either.”

I looked around at everyone present. At the twelve members of the Ruu clan, the two of the Rutim, and the one Min clan girl. And at Ai Fa.

Everyone but Ai Fa looked worried about what was about to happen.

What was coming next was a fight. Then, an apology, followed by mutual understanding. At least, that’s what I thought.

“I didn’t trick your family. I just wanted them to experience the joy of eating something delicious. At first it was just about Jiba Ruu, but Rimee Ruu praised my cooking and called it tasty, so I wanted to feed all of you something good... I grew conceited, I think.”

Donda Ruu didn’t say a word.

“As a result, I received a great number of blessings. For that, I’m truly grateful. But... on the other hand, I ended up resenting those of you who didn’t praise me. I especially hated you, Donda Ruu, for ridiculing my cooking like you did. So to be honest, I had made that request to man the stove again in order to get back at you.”

“I was already plenty aware of that. You don’t need to go on about it at length.”

“Please allow me to do so anyway. The words are nearly the same, but this time I can speak them from the heart.”

With that, I uncrossed my legs and got into the same deep bow I had made three days prior.

“As an inexperienced chef, I served you, the head of the Ruu clan, food that may well have ate away at your hunter’s soul. For that, I would like to once again offer my apologies.”

5

“...What sort of farce is this?” Donda Ruu asked in a low voice.

“It’s no farce. I’ve repeated what I said to you three days ago, but now I truly mean it.” While still down on bended knees, I raised my head and looked straight at Donda Ruu. “My cooking may well have been poison for a hunter’s soul. It was the eldest son of the Ruu house, Jiza Ruu, who taught me that.”

Jiza Ruu turned my way with a look of surprise. It really must have shook him to cause that expression to show on his face.

“I’m sure it’s just as Jiza Ruu had said. The food I made on that night is ‘poison’ for hunters... Well, that may be an overstatement, so I should say it can become poison.”

“Hold on, Asuta. What are you saying? What did I say to you?”

“Didn’t you say that if someone ate nothing but such soft meat, their teeth would grow weak and fall out? That’s probably the truth.”

“Huh?! Then my teeth will all fall out like Granny Jiba’s?” Rimee Ruu asked, frozen while holding a wooden plate in both hands.

I gently smiled back at her and said, “No. If you just eat it once or twice, nothing will happen at all. That may be true even for a hundred or two hundred times. In fact, you could be alright even eating it a thousand or two thousand times.”

“Oh, then it’s totally fine! Thank goodness...”

Being rather earnest herself, Rimee Ruu gave a big sigh.

Sure enough, the man in his prime and the girl of seven or eight each had their own fitting reactions.

By the way, the bald old guy who seemed to be regressing and acting a bit childish himself was nodding along to what I was saying enthusiastically while tearing into his meat. He didn’t know anything about the giburgers, though, so it didn’t really have anything to do with him at this point.

Anyway, for now, my focus was on Rimee Ruu.

“Right, you don’t have anything to worry about. But what was it that you said to me three days ago, Rimee Ruu? Was it that you could eat hamburgers day and night, and didn’t have any need for your old meals?”

“Yeah! I mean, hamburgers are so tasty!”

With that, I glanced over at Donda Ruu, only to find the head of the Ruu clan silently glaring back at me with flames in his eyes.

...It was honestly kind of troublesome, the way the old guy to his side was just nodding along.

“That’s no good, Rimee Ruu. If you eat nothing but hamburgers day and night, each and every day of the week, then your teeth really may end up growing weak. And even if you’re fine, your children’s teeth may end up weak. And if those children eat nothing but hamburger too, then their kids could end up with even weaker teeth... The people of my country ended up with weaker and weaker teeth like that.” I was basing this on stuff I only vaguely remembered, with a bit of trickery mixed in. But regardless, I kept on sincerely spinning my tale. “I have to confess that today’s meal was a failure, at least to me... After all, I can’t really eat it properly.”

Everyone’s eyes went wide, aside from the men of the Ruu clan (Ludo Ruu excluded).

“This meat is too tough and hard to eat. I’m satisfied with the ribs, and the fatty shoulder meat is edible enough, but the leg meat really is tiresome to eat. I think about half this thickness would be just right.”

“No way! The leg meat is really chewy, but it’s not tough at all! I love this meat too!” Rimee Ruu exclaimed.

“Then could you eat my share for me? My mouth just can’t handle it... It simply isn’t possible for me.”

I looked back over at Donda Ruu, but he was still sitting there, silent and expressionless.

This was the first part where I needed to hold firm.

“That’s the sort of people I come from. I could never become a hunter. For example, there were people in my country whose work taxes their bodies... Um, let’s call it a mock battle. They make a living by comparing their strength and skills with a bat and ball rather than swords and shields, and striving to achieve victory.”

Hopefully at least the basic gist got across. Anyway, I was trying to explain pro baseball players.

“Those men wring out all of their strength while using that bat and ball. They clench their teeth while doing so, and apparently some of them have ruined their teeth in the process. And so they put a sort of padding in their mouth with the appropriate toughness, to bite down on instead of their teeth.”

That was a mouthpiece.

To be honest, I didn’t really know what I was talking about. I was just reciting something I’d once heard my old man say. He mentioned that teeth were really important, and that wasn’t just limited to baseball players; it included boxers too.

And so, I expanded the scope of the discussion in the same direction.

“...There were also more direct contests, which involved hitting each other with fists. They also use the same padding to protect their teeth, but it’s a much greater matter for them. I heard that apparently, the destructive power of punches was completely different depending on if they were using one or not. By being able to bite down without restraint, they were able to display even more power than usual.”

Everyone was slowly eating along as they listened to my story, puzzled looks on their faces.

Donda Ruu remained unshakably expressionless, though.

“There’s a strong relation between biting and wringing out the depths of your strength. I believe the hardness of teeth is affected by the nutrition of what you eat, so it may not quite be accurate to say that they grow weaker. But even so, if you only ever eat soft foods, I’m sure the gums that support your teeth, your biting power, and your jaw strength would weaken. That’s why I’ve changed my way of thinking about what you said, Jiza and Donda Ruu. That this was poison to a hunter’s soul, that would cause your teeth to weaken and fall out.”

Everyone was silent.

“Of course, I’m sure you weren’t thinking so deeply on the matter when you said that, and Lala Ruu didn’t like that soft meat despite being a woman, so maybe it simply comes down to tastes. But I had a different thought, too: Just what would have happened if you had fallen as deeply in love with my cooking as Rimee Ruu did, Donda Ruu?”

What came next wasn’t based on vague recollections or trickery. No, it was how I truly felt. My true, undiluted thoughts.

I should have thought everything through this thoroughly before I presented my food to the people of the Ruu clan half a month ago.

“I used techniques that didn’t exist at the forest’s edge in my cooking. As a result, the majority of your family called that food amazing. But if you all had reacted that way and unconditionally accepted my cooking, then you really could have ended up eating nothing but hamburgers day after day. That thought causes me to tremble.”

The bud of that thought was planted in me some time ago, since I saw Ai Fa become so insistent on eating hamburgers. Of course that made me very happy, but at the same time, I also felt uncomfortable about it.

Naturally, she also ate tough dried meat alongside the hamburgers every day, so there wasn’t any chance of her losing her jaw strength. But still, it wasn’t good to be so insistent on eating hamburgers.

On the off chance that change in diet happened to harm Ai Fa, I’d want to strangle myself to death. And that thinking applied to the Ruu clan, too.

I strongly felt the need to tell these folks, who had become involved with a person like me from another world in such a strange manner.

And then, three days ago, I saw that sight.

Those manly, fierce warriors heading off into the forest to hunt giba... When I saw their wild energy, I grew even more certain in how I was feeling.

My cooking could become poison to the people of this world.

“This isn’t about my country, but I heard a terrifying story that if you give alcohol to a tribe that had never heard of it before, the majority of them would become unable to live without it. I don’t believe my cooking holds that much power, but even so, it frightened me... The idea that my cooking could have a negative effect on people.”

Was it getting through to everyone?

At any rate, we finally hit the climax of this long-winded speech, which had already gone well beyond the limits of my skill as a speaker.

“That’s why I wanted to convey the knowledge I possessed. That if you ate nothing but soft meat there was a danger of your teeth and jaw growing weaker, and that giba torso could be a delicious dish rather than mundt feed if you just put in a little extra time. And I wanted to provide you with the joy of a tasty meal rooted in those ideas.”

When I glanced her way, I found that Ai Fa had finished her meal and had started staring at me rather than Donda Ruu at some point. It seemed like there was an incredibly gentle light in those eyes, somehow.

“Now then, I guess it’s about time to reveal my trick: The only dish I made today with my own two hands is the hamburger Jiba Ruu is eating.”

“What?!” Dan Rutim yelled out.

With few exceptions, the rest of the group was also astir, too.

“Reina Ruu made the poitan and Mia Lea Ruu handled the soup, while Vina Ruu prepared the meat dishes. I just provided her guidance on how to do it. There was a bit of burning along the way, but we had excess meat, so it wasn’t a problem. And I don’t think there’s any issue with the results, either.”

Everyone’s gazes seriously darted around, but most of them ultimately settled on Vina Ruu. They were all full of admiration, and yet despite Vina Ruu hiding her expression behind her long bangs for some reason, I somehow got the feeling that she was seriously glaring at me.

“This is a simple dish made solely by grilling meat. Figuring out the ideal flame strength and thickness of meat to use took a good bit of time, but now that I know the answer, that information can be easily shared. It doesn’t require as much labor as hamburgers. Wouldn’t you agree that it would be plenty possible to have such dishes each day without needing to sacrifice other work?”

I got the feeling a gentle gaze was pointing my way from somewhere. But well, gazes didn’t actually have a physical presence to start with, so I was probably just imagining things.

Anyway, I also felt like Granny Jiba was fixated on me from Donda Ruu’s side, too.

And so, I wrapped up my speech to her, Donda Ruu, and everyone else present.

“My intention was to come up with a menu that suited you people of the forest’s edge, who are hunters by nature. And I wanted it to be something that you all could make by cooperating as a family, even if I wasn’t around. Hopefully, with this the bonds between the Ruu family can grow deeper, and an unknown outsider like me coming to the forest’s edge can turn out to be a medicine rather than a poison... That’s what I was thinking about as I carefully studied how to grill delicious meat for ten days.” With my knees still even, I gave another bow. “As food presented by a chef, it probably wouldn’t be wrong to call this a ridiculous failure I couldn’t even taste test, but I’d like to think that it was a great success as home cooking meant to be eaten as a family. If it serves as medicine for you all, then I’d be glad... My apologies for speaking so long in the middle of your important banquet. Please, continue with your meal.”