Chapter 2: Price and Determination

1

“Ah, I can see the place where I wash stuff. It finally feels like we’ve made it back home, now,” I muttered while breathing heavily. With that, Ai Fa turned towards me despite having been silent the whole way back.

“What’s with that voice of yours? You have the endurance of a ten year old child, Asuta.”

“Ooh, at least I don’t fall below Rimee Ruu... And hey, you finally said something to me, Ai Fa!”

Ai Fa immediately gave a “Hmph,” and turned back around, picking up the pace.

“Ah, hold up! At least let me drink some water! My throat’s been parched for a while now!”

I mean, I had walked for nearly an hour through the mountains carrying over 16 kilos of luggage. It felt like the skin had worn away on my shoulder where the vine met it, and my legs and back were trembling. I may have been even more exhausted than back when we built the stoves.

By the way, as for the rope bridge of terror, Ai Fa not only took two trips in order to carry my portion too, she also led me across by hand. Well, I’m sure it was due to not wanting her panicked clan member to suddenly hug her from behind again, but at any rate, it was super embarrassing and I didn’t want Rimee Ruu or anyone to find out.

Anyway, I was granted my chance to rehydrate.

“You really are pathetic...” Ai Fa said, her words stabbing at my heart as I gathered up the water trickling from the rocks and drank it.

Ah, it was like sweet nectar.

And having talked to me for the first time in a while already, Ai Fa shifted her tone a little and then continued on, “...You haven’t asked me anything, Asuta.”

“Hmm? You mean about what that old-timer was saying before? Well, there’s all sorts of stuff that I’d love to ask, but I always talk to you about this world at nighttime.”

While placing my hands on my knees and getting my breathing back in order, I looked up at Ai Fa’s face.

“You’ve been using your own judgment to decide what order to tell me stuff, right? And I don’t want to nitpick your choices. I mean, this world is still overflowing with stuff I know nothing about.”

Ai Fa didn’t say a word.

“But if you’re in a better mood now, then there is one thing I’d like to chat about... What did you think of that guy?” I asked, looking down at my own feet as I did so. The bag full of poitan and tino was sitting there, as well as a container of fruit wine.

Ai Fa left without it, but I figured the fruit wine didn’t do anything wrong, so I carried it along with me. Plus the design was a bit different, so I couldn’t help but be curious about what type of wine was inside.

“He was an unbelievably fishy old-timer, but I didn’t think he was a real villain or anything. I was just a bit curious as to how you felt about a guy like him.”

“...I have nothing to say.”

“Wait, are we getting moving again already? Hey, hold on a second!”

I had no other option here, so I slung the bag back over my shoulder and took off after Ai Fa, huffing and puffing all the while.

Even though she was carrying more than me, Ai Fa was walking along totally smoothly.

“If you don’t want to talk then I won’t try to force it out of you, but you seemed pretty on edge back there. Are you bad at dealing with guys like that?”

“...I have no words for anyone from the city of stone.”

“You talked a good bit, though... And wait, aren’t I even more of an outsider than that old-timer? If you try talking to someone, you may find you get along with them better than you expected, you know.”

“...Are you saying we get along?”

“Ahaha! I sort of expected as such, but your mood still hasn’t recovered at all! I’ve been prodding at an open wound all this time!”

“That’s not what I meant to say...”

With that, Ai Fa’s gaze become a bit darker again.

“What’s so strange about me right now?”

“Strange, huh...? It’s just, it seemed like you were thinking about something seriously, I guess? You’ve had a real grave look on your face all the way back from the post town.”

“I don’t know. I think that may have been the first time I’ve talked with a resident of the capital like that, so I’m all mixed up.”

She looked at me with a dark gloom in her eyes, like a lost child.

“What’s so strange about me?”

“No, you’re not strange...” I said. “It’s only natural to feel mixed up after having that sort of a conversation, so you’re not strange at all. I only understood about half of what was being said, but I’m sure it’ll have a big effect on your future... On the future of the whole forest’s edge, right?”

Ai Fa didn’t respond.

“I think I said it already a while back, but that sort of heavy responsibility isn’t yours to bear. If it’s beyond your control, then you should just forget about it.”

Did I go a bit too far, there? But that was half of how I really felt, though.

If what that Kamyua Yoshu guy had said was the truth, then it was possible the Suun clan could lose power while the Ruu clan took charge of the forest’s edge, bringing everything to a peaceful conclusion. But it was also possible it wouldn’t go that way, too.

We still weren’t even all that thoroughly aware of what sort of man Donda Ruu was. If that wild man took over in place of the Suun clan and started acting like even more of a tyrant than they did, I would feel really bad for Rimee Ruu and Granny Jiba, too.

And besides, I couldn’t discard the possibility that he had been feeding us nothing but nonsense, either. He knew a bit about the state of affairs at the forest’s edge, but it was also possible he was just teasing us on a whim, so I probably shouldn’t go believing him so lightly.

That was only half of how I felt, though. The other half of me wanted to believe what Kamyua Yoshu had said. I wanted to tear away the right to lead the forest’s edge from the Suun clan. If that happened, there’d be no need to worry about Diga Suun’s sneaky, cowardly actions, and besides, we’d ended up with even more bad blood with the Suun clan after today.

That man who called himself Doddo Suun... It would be a close match as to whether he or Diga Suun was more of a petty jerk, but guys who knew so little shame were actually kind of scary. He was drinking in the middle of the day, and then caused a commotion in the post town. I honestly never would have imagined that someone so vulgar existed at the forest’s edge.

Those guys had no right to lead the people of the forest’s edge... At the very least, I was certain of that much.

Darmu Ruu from the Ruu clan is definitely trouble too, but nowhere near as much as that guy. And if Darmu Ruu’s a wolf, then that guy’s just a stray dog... Actually, I guess that’s pretty rude to stray dogs.

I mean, he was undoubtedly a human being. One who had been afflicted by the poison known as culture, at that.

“...You’ve been keeping rather silent, haven’t you?” a woman’s voice suddenly asked. Naturally, it had come from Ai Fa. “You told me not to forget my surroundings, but then you became lost in thought yourself, Asuta.”

Every now and again, Ai Fa would make a face that made her look younger than she really was. And every time that happened, I couldn’t help but be shaken... So right now, I was seriously thrown off guard.

“No, I wasn’t thinking about anything all that difficult. I was just wondering if animals known as dogs existed in this world.”

“Dogs? Are you talking about how varb wolves came down to human settlements, and their children got along with man? That’s nothing but a legend of the western kingdom, and could be true or an utter fabrication,” Ai Fa said with a frown. “If you want to eat those dogs or whatever, then go to the city of stone. I don’t know anything about them,” she continued on, looking to the side in a huff. A real, good and proper huff. I felt all jumbled up inside, no longer able to tell if I was more annoyed or just finding her adorable.

“Alright, alright already! Let’s switch to a more enjoyable topic, then! Listen, now that the showdown with Donda Ruu is over, I was thinking of tackling a new dish. I mean, my jaw feels like it’s going to fall off after so many nights of doing nothing but testing out steaks.”

Ai Fa stayed facing away from me, but she glanced over at me out of the corner of her eye.

“...Will it be tastier than hamburgers?”

“I won’t know until I try making it. And hey wait, wasn’t the steak good too?”

“That’s true, but... I really do love hamburgers best.”

“Huh?! Didn’t you say the steak was equally tasty? That’s why I decided it was ready for taking on Donda Ruu, you know!”

“They’re equally tasty... But I love hamburgers more.”

I was prepared to start arguing with her, but I was so caught off guard that I forgot what I was going to say. I mean, I think this was probably the first time I had ever heard Ai Fa say the word “love.” At first she said, “When it comes to food, there is no good or bad taste,” but now she had not only said something was “tasty,” but that she “loves” it, too.

It was such a drastic change that I was frankly left feeling astonished.

“You said your teeth could grow weak if you eat nothing but soft meat, but I chew dried meat too, so there should be no worry, right?” Ai Fa asked, looking down a bit with her head tilted to the side. It was seriously unfair the way that she was pouting and shooting me upturned eyes from the side, too.

It was made all the worse by the fact that she totally wasn’t doing it intentionally, either.

“In that case, I really do love hamburgers.”

“I-I get it. Then we’ll go with hamburgers tomorrow. Just let me take on this new dish for tonight.”

Ai Fa looked down even further, and appeared to be holding back a smile. All I could think was thank god my hands were both occupied with luggage.

Well, we had only just finished that showdown with Donda Ruu. We may have something new to worry about, but there was still nothing wrong with taking it easy for today, at least. We’d recharge our spirits thoroughly, and then we could worry about the thing with Kamyua Yoshu tomorrow.

As that thought passed through my head, we finally reached the front of our house, only to find a new cause for concern waiting for us there, in the form of a man and woman who really suited one another.

It was Gazraan Rutim and Ama Min, who were set to be married in six days.

2

“We’ve been awaiting your return, Asuta and Fa Clan Head Ai Fa.”

Gazraan Rutim deeply bowed his head. He had a bit of a square face, as well as some rather large facial features. He wasn’t particularly handsome, but he had a real sincere, solemn look about him.

“I’m glad we were able to meet with you. It was about time that we would have had to return to the Rutim house.”

Ama Min gave a bow, too. Her black-brown hair was done up in a rather beautiful manner, and despite her rather calm appearance she also seemed pretty intelligent and energetic, too.

“Gazraan Rutim and Ama Min, just what did you come here for?” Ai Fa asked with a look of concern, still not having fully gotten into clan head mode, only for the pair to smile wide in sync.

“We came here to make a request of the two of you.”

To be honest, I was getting nothing but a nasty premonition from that.

If it was about manning the stove at their wedding, then we already firmly turned them down through Donda Ruu when we were leaving this morning. But even so, I still had a bad feeling.

“At any rate, we’ll be conspicuous out here. Come inside the house. Asuta, take charge of his steel,” Ai Fa said, grabbing the poitan bag from me with the hand that had fruit wine dangling from it, and then she hurried on inside the house.

While feeling more than a little flustered, I accepted the blades that Gazraan Rutim was holding out.

“A-After you.”

These were our first guests since Rimee Ruu had visited a good while back. And honestly, I had no idea how I was supposed to handle them.

Ai Fa came back out of the pantry pretty soon and seated herself near the middle of the main hall, then our two guests sat down in front of her an appropriate distance away. Feeling lost, I ultimately decided to sit down next to Ai Fa, still holding the blades I had been handed.

Nobody complained, so I guess I didn’t break any of the forest’s edge’s etiquette.

“First off, I would like to offer my thanks. I’m truly grateful for last night’s splendid banquet, Ai Fa and Asuta of the Fa clan.”

“Yes, it really was an amazing meal. You made our precious celebration into a night of joy that we will never forget.”

Having such an earnest and sincere pair offer me their thanks like this was making me want to bow right on back at them.

And actually, having just returned from the hustle and bustle of the post town, I was seeing these two in a whole new light compared to last night, like a symbol of honest rustic simplicity.

Did Gazraan Rutim always have such an unwavering gaze? And did Ama Min always have such a refreshing expression on her face?

I don’t know if it was down to lineage or just personal differences, but the Ruu clan had a lot of folks who were absolutely overflowing with energy and life, while I felt more of a quiet dignity from these two, with strength like that of a large tree that had taken root in the earth.

Ai Fa sat with one knee up in the air and stared at the pair, having finally regained her usual harsh expression as head of the clan.

“We were glad to have fulfilled our responsibility, manning the stove in the place of the Ruu clan... But what is it that you want to request of us? If it’s in regards to the banquet for your wedding, we already turned that down through Donda Ruu,” Ai Fa said, showing no intention of beating around the bush.

The pair replied, “Right,” and then bowed their heads together. “That’s exactly what we wish to discuss. My father Dan Rutim made that request even though it goes against the customs of the forest’s edge, but when we heard about it...”

“We thought it was an amazing idea, too. Just how wonderful a night would it be if that came to pass?”

They weren’t married yet, but these two were already perfectly in sync.

I could see an incredibly earnest excitement and joy in their expressions and gazes. Plus, they just seemed honestly concerned that their thoughts and feelings may not get across.

This was a different matter entirely, though.

The Rutim clan held the greatest power of all the families under the Ruu clan, and Gazraan Rutim was the heir to the main house. It was just too great of a responsibility, manning the stove for his wedding.

I just had to rely on Ai Fa’s decisive personality to take care of this.

“But it would make no sense for a member of the Fa clan to handle such a task, when we have such weak ties to the Rutim and Min clans. A clan’s happiness should be shared amongst its members... Asuta said as much last night, too.”

Yes, that’s exactly right. I went ahead and gave a nod to show my agreement.

And then, Gazraan Rutim’s unshaking gaze fell firmly on me.

“Asuta. You may belong to this Fa house, but I heard that you come from another country entirely, rather than this forest’s edge. And that you made your living as a chef.”

“Right. I was just a trainee helping my old man out with his work, but that’s correct.”

“I don’t know much about exactly what kind of work that may be. But it’s something akin to those folks who sell meals in the post town, is it not?”

“That’s right. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that assumption.”

“Well then... Will you sell that cooking of yours to us?”

“...What?”

I didn’t quite get what he was saying. Sell my cooking...? How, here at the forest’s edge?

“What I’m saying is, we would like you to man the stove for the banquet not out of good will, affection, or duty, but rather in exchange for an appropriate price. We would like to buy your cooking-related techniques, knowledge, and labor for just one night. That is our request.”

I was just... so shocked that I couldn’t speak.

“As you are part of another clan, Asuta, we won’t ask you to celebrate our union. And we only just met, so it would be even more ridiculous to try to force you to grant us this favor out of kindness and good will. As such, we thought the only path towards gaining your aid would be to pay you for it.”

“T-That’s... But...”

“I intend to offer as much of a payment as I can. That’s how much value the food you make is worth. We want to share the happiness that we all experienced last night with the rest of our family, as well as the clans related to us. And for that, we need your aid, Asuta.”

As he said that, Gazraan Rutim removed the necklace of horns and tusks around his thick neck. There were far more there than there were even on Ai Fa’s. Ama Min gave a gentle smile and removed hers as well. It had the usual three horns and tusks that were given to girls by their fathers.

They were offering me those necklaces, the proof of their pride as a hunter, and the love of their parents.

“At the banquet, it will not just be the Rutim, but over 100 guests from those under the Ruu clan. This alone would obviously not be enough to pay for all of their meals. However, I will get one horn or tusk from each person there, as a blessing. Added together with Ama Min’s that would make 200 in total. And if that still isn’t enough, I’ll be sure to hunt down enough giba to make up the difference, so—”

“Hold on! I can’t accept this!” I yelled out, gripped by something practically akin to fear. “I-I’m nothing but a half-baked chef in training. I’m not suited to such a big job... Plus, I mean, I’m an outsider. I still don’t even properly understand the ways of the forest’s edge, so entrusting me with something so important is—”

“You’ve already shown us your strength. We don’t have any unease about this matter.”

“S-Strength...? Do you mean the steak from last night? Like I said yesterday, that was made by the strength of their family alone. I could teach you how to cook it right away, so—”

“But to create a taste like that, you need to start when the giba is captured, right? You said as such last night.”

“I’ll teach you! How to bloodlet, and dissect it, too! I’ve still only prepared three giba myself. And you’ve been skinning their pelts to start with, so it shouldn’t take long for you to pick it up.”

“You also repeatedly mentioned that ‘hamburger’ dish last night, too...”

“You’re better off not knowing that taste. If you become obsessed with it, it could become a poison to you.”

“I’d like to think that we’re not so foolish,” Gazraan Rutim said with a smile. It was a powerful grin, overflowing with manly confidence and gravity. “If I was told something was a poison to hunters, I would never put it in my mouth. However, you mentioned that it would be perfectly fine eating it a thousand or even two thousand times, didn’t you, Asuta?”

“T-That was just speculation. I don’t really know. But I definitely don’t think it’s wrong to say that if you eat nothing but soft foods, your teeth and jaw will grow weaker.”

“If someone were to corrode their own soul after hearing those words, it would simply be down to their own weakness. That’s nothing for you to worry about. That’s why you told us so, isn’t it?”

Gazraan Rutim placed one fist gently on the ground, and then leaned forward. I couldn’t spot any changes in the steadfast expression on his face. Maybe this young man had been quietly growing, too.

“I am a hunter. And so, I can’t explain it as well as you likely could, but... At any rate, I would like to share this feeling with everyone. If your joy in living is heightened, then the strength of your wish to keep on doing so grows in turn. The joy that you brought us has given Ama Min and I strength. And I want to convey that strength to everyone else. Not just the Rutim, but also the Ruu, the Min, the Rei, the Maam, the Ririn, and the Muufa... Because we are in a time like this, we must become stronger, and carry out our duty as hunters.”

By a time like this... was he talking about how corrupt the Suun clan had become? I didn’t exactly feel like I could wrap my head around all that at the moment.

“L-Like I said, I’ll teach you all my techniques. Bloodletting, dissecting, baking poitan, and making the steaks from last night should all be plenty manageable in six days. And I already taught the women of the Ruu clan some of this...”

“What about that ‘hamburger’ dish?”

“There’s no reason you need to force yourselves to learn how to make that one. It takes too much effort to prepare, so it’s not a fitting dish for the people of the forest’s edge, right?”

“My apologies, but it’s up to we people of the forest’s edge to decide whether or not it’s suited to us. No... You’re a member of the Fa clan and one of our comrades, so I shouldn’t be talking down to you like that. But still, it’s up to us to decide which path we wish to take.”

“No matter how much effort it may take, if it can grant us even greater happiness, then that’s what we wish to do,” Ama Min chimed in, speaking up for the first time in a while. “What should we do to live? Gather firewood, dry pico leaves, and skin pelts? Our ancestors thought on what they should do to live more full lives back when they decided to live here at the forest’s edge 80 years ago, and passed that down to us through our parents. One day, I will give birth to Gazraan’s child... and I want to show that child how to live an even happier life.”

“No one would dare let their other work fall short while taking extra time cooking. But if someone wants to take that extra effort, then that’s because they believe there is worth and value in doing so. People who see that much meaning in hamburgers will put in that effort, and those who don’t will not. That’s all there is to it.”

“No, but why are you so insistent about the hamburgers when you’ve never even eaten them?”

“It’s not like we’re fixated solely on them. I just want you to wield the whole of your strength,” Gazraan Rutim stated. “That’s why we’re making this request to you. Not to someone who learned your skills, but to you personally. We would like you to show us the whole of your strength, just for one night. That’s why we want to pay you.”

“Hold on, I...”

I didn’t have any further words. It seemed that I was more confused and shaken than I had thought.

And then, Ai Fa quietly spoke up, having been silent up until now.

“It would seem that Asuta is tired. He apparently has no more stamina than a ten year old child. He used up all of his energy just by carrying luggage back from the post town... My apologies, but could you wait until tomorrow to hear his response?”

“Yes, of course. Well then, Asuta, may I say just one more thing?”

“...Alright.”

“Last night, you said that you wanted to be medicine rather than poison. I think the same from the depths of my heart, that this power must not be poison. But if it can be a medicine, then this power may lead the people of the forest’s edge to greater joy in life, bonds, and strength. It was such thoughts that caused us to hasten here. I hope that if you wish it, our paths shall overlap. Well then, excuse us.”

3

Currently, it was the middle of the evening. We had our chance encounter with Kamyua Yoshu this morning in the post town, and then Gazraan Rutim and Ama Min were waiting for us upon our return, leaving me seriously overloaded. And so, I threw myself into my cooking to temporarily avoid reality.

However, today’s menu was super simple. Excluding the baked poitan, it took less than an hour to finish.

In the metal pot, I simmered aria and tino. Then, I sat some extra aria and tino atop a pseudo-rubber tree leaf, for adding in later. I cut the aria into slices and wedges, and the cabbage-like tino into bite-sized pieces. Beside it I placed giba meat, with the three varieties of rib meat, roast, and shoulder meat. I tried to make the cuts around five millimeters thick, which was as thin as I could manage, and then arranged them in a neat circular shape.

Atop a wooden plate was a reddish, sticky liquid. It was a dipping sauce I had made using a fruit wine base. I heated up the fruit wine until the alcohol burned off, and then I fine tuned the flavor using salt and pico leaf. It had a nice, sweet flavor to it that I’m sure Donda Ruu would complain about.

“Alright! It’s finished, Ai Fa!”

Ai Fa looked back at me with a face that said, “What is?”

Well, I’m sure from the point of view of the people of the forest’s edge, it would look like I had just lined up some raw meat.

“This is called shabu-shabu. You use that boiling water to cook the meat, and then you eat it.”

The question mark floating above Ai Fa’s head still didn’t disappear.

Well, I guess it was simpler to have her experience it firsthand rather than trying to explain it. And so, I pulled out the secret weapon I had prepared for this day.

I had shaved down a nearly scentless grigee branch, making a pair of chopsticks.

“First, you put the meat into the pot like this.”

I heard a strange “Wha...!” sound, and when I turned around to look, for some reason Ai Fa’s face had turned red and she was covering her mouth.

“What? What is it? I don’t think I did anything embarrassing...”

“S-Shut up! What is with that gross way you’re moving?!”

“Hmm? This is just how you use chopsticks,” I said, clacking my chopsticks together, only for Ai Fa to go “Wha! Wha!” as her face grew all the more red... Apparently she was just embarrassed by the way she couldn’t suppress her own surprise.

“Moving on... You place the meat in the water like this and then slowly move it side to side, until all of the red is gone. Shabu-shabu. Shabu-shabu.”

“...What is that strange chant?”

“It’s a good luck charm, so that the meat will cook nice and tasty.”

Then, when the rib looked nice and properly cooked, I placed it atop Ai Fa’s wooden plate. And I grabbed some of the aria and tino flickering about inside the pot, too.

“The issue is, it’d be a little tricky to eat the three aria you need a day. Ah, anyway, eat up. If you’re not fond of it, we could switch over to a regular stew.”

She then muttered something inside her mouth. No wait, I knew what it was now: a chant of thanks for the forest’s blessings and towards me. Even then, Ai Fa still looked at the wooden plate with a bit of doubt.

Using her wooden spoon, she scooped up the meat and aria soaked in sauce and chucked it into her mouth.

“Shabu-shabu. Shabu-shabu... Well, how’s the taste?”

“...It’s soft.”

“Well, that makes sense, since it’s rib meat. Here, try out some leg meat next.”

“...It’s harder than it is in the soup.”

“Shabu-shabu. Shabu-shabu.” That was probably enough of that. “Lastly, there’s the roast.”

“...It’s soft.”

“No, um, now that the showdown with Donda Ruu is over, I’m not especially concerned with firmness. If it’s not to your taste, I could switch it over to a soup. What do you think?”

Ai Fa was deep in thought, a serious look on her face. In the meantime, I went, “Shabu-shabu” while boiling my own rib meat.

“You don’t have to worry about it so much. Why not just throw your thoughts out there?”

She still didn’t respond, so I went ahead and tossed my cooked rib meat into my mouth.

Ah, this is good.

After more than 10 days of nothing but steak and hamburgers, this sort of boiled meat felt entirely fresh, and I just couldn’t get enough of it.

We had eaten a meat soup at the Ruu house, but there really is a subtle difference between just heating something up and boiling it. Plus, this was shabu-shabu. The aria and tino flavored the soup slightly, then I threw in a bit of rock salt, and there was the fruit wine sauce, but those were the only bits of flavoring, so there was no deception here. But then, there was no need for that, as the giba meat was just that powerful. It was such a rich, direct meat flavor, flowing out more and more as I chewed, leaving me hesitating as to when I should even swallow.

It really was a bit quirky, and I got the feeling it was a bit tougher than pork, but since I cut it so thin there was no issue there. Even when I tried the toughest cut, the leg meat, it wasn’t too chewy at all, instead having a perfect texture.

“Man, this is delicious! Well, that’s what I think, but what about you?”

She still looked to be a little lost in thought, but Ai Fa still responded, “It’s good. It’s just... it feels a little slow, only being able to eat a bit at a time.”

“Ah, yeah, I can understand how you feel. I frequently get pretty tired of it in the back half, too, and just want to chuck it all in. Especially with pork... No wait, giba, which needs to be heated thoroughly till all the red is gone.”

“So why don’t you just do that from the start?”

“Eh? Hmm...No, well, that is one way to eat it. The benefit to doing it this way is that each and every bit comes out nice and piping hot, I guess. To be honest, I haven’t eaten this dish all that much myself.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I mean, we didn’t serve shabu-shabu at the shop, after all. And we didn’t eat out much, but my mom...” I said, suddenly hesitating without thinking, but now that I’d come this far, I had to finish my statement. “...When my mom was alive, she’d make it now and again.”

Based on what happened back at the post town I figured it was best to not talk too concretely about my old world, but was that really the case?

Ai Fa’s eyes narrowed just a bit, and she looked down at the boiling pot.

As I scratched my head, I threw a bit of firewood into the stove.

“...How old were you when your mother lost her life?”

“Hmm? I was seven. What about it?”

“So young...?” Ai Fa said. As she looked up, I could see the surprise clearly on her face. “So then, you haven’t eaten this dish ever since?”

“Ah, well yeah, probably. When it was just me and my old man, hot pots just seemed too lonely... Ah, no, but it doesn’t feel lonely with us two now, though, right?”

“...?”

“Gah! I dug my own grave there! No, you see, going with a hot pot is kind of a staple for family cooking, I guess... So when my family went from three to two, it just felt a bit lonely to me! Sorry for the gloomy subject!”

Ai Fa blinked in surprise, looking like she didn’t quite get it.

“I can’t say I fully understand. So you don’t find it unpleasant to eat this meal together with just me?”

“If I did, then I wouldn’t have made it, right?”

“I see. I’m glad... Now I don’t need to hit you.”

“That really is good!”

“...Hand me that,” Ai Fa said, sticking out her right hand.

“Eh? You mean the chopsticks? Didn’t you call them gross?”

“You made extras, though, didn’t you?”

She noticed, huh?

I had prepared an extra pair of chopsticks, hidden behind the ladle and plate meant for scooping scum.

“Well, I mean, I thought maybe you could use them, so I made them, but these are pretty tricky, you know?”

“It wouldn’t make sense for me to be unable to use them when you can,” Ai Fa said, her frown growing deeper.

And so, I gave a hurried lecture on how to handle chopsticks while making sure the aria and tino didn’t get overcooked.

“Oh, this is simple,” Ai Fa said while successfully grabbing a wedge of aria just three minutes later.

Hmm... Well, she’s got a good grip on it, so it’s fine, but she definitely didn’t have the proper form down. She had her first chopstick between her thumb and index finger, while the second was between her middle finger and ring finger, but she was handling them even more skillfully than I was.

It wouldn’t look perfect as a silhouette, but well, I guess I should just drop the matter for now.

“Right, then let’s get back to it! Be sure to keep eating the aria, alright? Well, if there’s extra though, we can just sauté it with the meat at the end.”

I saw Ai Fa nodding “Yeah,” out of the corner of my eye, then I added some more firewood and bit into some baked poitan.

“Asuta, where is this meat from?”

“That’s the roast. It comes from the back.”

“I see,” Ai Fa said, putting the meat in the pot, and then... “Shabu-shabu, shabu-shabu,” she started chanting.

I unwittingly spit out the poitan I was chewing and started choking.

“What are you doing? Don’t waste food,” she said while glaring at me, then continued on, “Shabu-shabu, shabu-shabu.”

While desperately holding back my laughter I told her, “If it’s too much of a hassle, you can just do it in your head.” Even so, I hoped from the depths of my heart that I could enjoy this sight just a little while longer.

4

And so, our carefree dinner came to a close.

After finishing the usual tasks of cleaning up after the meal and closing the lid on one of the candles, the time came to face the trouble at hand.

“There’s something I want to say first, Asuta,” Ai Fa quietly stated while doing up her golden hair with both hands. “All of Gazraan Rutim’s words from before were directed towards you. Of course, as the clan head I will offer my opinion and advice, but it is up to you to make the final decision.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“And furthermore, you don’t need to consider the Fa house’s standing in this matter.”

“Huh?”

“This is a legitimate transaction. Nobody will face punishment if you happen to fail, and the relationship between the Fa and the Rutim won’t grow any stronger if you succeed. There is nothing to gain or lose here other than your fee.”

Her done-up hair fluttered gently in the dim light. As a general rule unwed women didn’t cut their hair, so Ai Fa’s was very long.

“Then what about those two? If I screw up, what happens to them?”

“Nothing at all. They would lose the trust of their family and face ridicule, but that’s all. They would just say the Rutim heir ruined his own wedding, tossing aside his own pride as a hunter in such a ridiculous manner.”

“Ah, I really do appreciate the way that you come out and say things at times like this... Ugh! Seriously, what should I do?!”

“Don’t be so loud. What exactly are you worrying yourself about? From how I see it, this would be a perfectly safe battle for you, with no concern about what happens if you lose,” Ai Fa said, tilting her head a bit as she leaned back against the wall. “What Gazraan Rutim and Ama Min seek is the food that you have made up until now. There’s no need to seek to display originality. Steak, hamburger, soup, and baked poitan... Those alone would be enough to surprise most everyone at the banquet and have a real impact.”

“That may be so, but... But normally, you spare no expense for a banquet and throw all sorts of vegetables in the pot, right? That’s what Mia Lea told me yesterday. That’s why I made the off the cuff decision to use tino and poitan.”

Ai Fa’s hair was still swaying. Maybe the animal fat candle was a bit off, but for some reason it was harder to see her face than usual.

“And so, no matter what unique cooking method I may employ, I’d hardly be using all the different vegetables you normally would, so some folks may feel dissatisfied, or uncomfortable, or even angry, right? Plus, if my cooking doesn’t suit someone’s tastes, it’d ruin this special banquet for them, wouldn’t it?”

Ai Fa didn’t say anything.

“Plus, this time it’s the actual wedding ceremony. There could be hard-headed oldtimers there or even guys more stubborn than Donda Ruu, and they may insist that the old way of stew with poitan heated up in it is better. 100 people means 100 different tastes, obviously, and I had my pride as a chef hurt just from Donda Ruu’s disparaging remarks alone. And I can’t keep holding onto the pipe dream that everyone will accept my cooking unconditionally, right?”

“Asuta, you... What are you so afraid of?” Ai Fa asked, sounding puzzled. “Gazraan Rutim said he wishes for you to man the stove, even so. It is the most important banquet of his life, and that is the life force that will be presented to his irreplaceable family and related clans. And he wishes to entrust all that to you. Is that not a great honor?”

“It is. It’s too much of an honor, which is exactly why I’m so intimidated. Gazraan Rutim and Ama Min have complete and utter trust in me, and want to leave this incredibly important work to me. To be honest... that makes me scared.”

“...I just don’t get it,” Ai Fa said, her shadowy silhouette shrugging its shoulders.

I stood up and then sat down right in front of Ai Fa.

“What is it...?” she asked, shooting me a doubtful expression. Her brows were a bit furrowed, but she had a much calmer look about her overall than I had expected.

“Sorry. I couldn’t see the expression on your face, and it was making me nervous. If it’s irritating having me up so close, then could I at least relight the other candle?”

Ai Fa slowly shook her head, then she said, “Asuta, you even carried out your agreement with Donda Ruu, so why are you so uneasy now? This is the first time I’ve ever seen you act so timid in regards to your cooking.”

“...It’s because my own desires and feelings were all mixed up in it up till now. I wanted to help Rimee Ruu and Granny Jiba, and I also wanted to satisfy Donda Ruu, which were strong feelings inside me that caused me to take on some pretty reckless challenges. But this time, it’s different.” While staring into Ai Fa’s beautiful blue eyes, I continued on, “I have no ties or debts to Gazraan Rutim or Ama Min. And what they said may have very well been right. It may be for the best for me to get involved. But I...”

“You’re not from this world?” Ai Fa butted in, looking a bit displeased. “It would seem your eyes have grown a little clouded at the moment, Asuta. You were able to find the right path when facing Donda Ruu, but now it would appear you can’t see anything at all.”

“W-What?”

“Do you not understand? You don’t need ties or debts. It doesn’t matter if it’s what’s proper or not. Gazraan Rutim already mentioned that’s not for you to decide, did he not? Those two simply want you to lend them your power.”

Suddenly, she grabbed my arm. We were already close, and now Ai Fa had drawn her face so close that our noses were almost touching. And her scent drew nearer too, cutting through the lingering smell from dinner.

“You aren’t the one who decides your own value, here. That’s for Gazraan Rutim and Ama Min to do. Obligations, bonds, good will, and kindness have nothing to do with it and aren’t necessary. They recognized your strength, and asked you to sell it to them for one night. That’s what it means to pay a price.”

“That’s...”

“Whether or not what you receive is as good as you thought it would be is the concern of the buyers, not for the seller to worry about. Asuta, you...” Ai Fa started, but then looked lost in thought for a moment before continuing, “Today, you bought food from the post town, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad, either.”

“And why did you spend money on something like that?”

“Huh? That’s because... it just smelled good, and didn’t look bad, either.”

“Was the taste worthy of the cost?”

“No, I think it was pretty high considering it cost as much as a container of fruit wine.”

“And yet you didn’t complain and demand your money back?”

I... felt like something just became clear to me.

“You saw value in that dish, and you paid the price for it. Gazraan Rutim and Ama Min have seen value in your cooking too, and said they wish to pay for it. After making a purchase the buyer can think whatever they please, but they won’t complain even if they’re dissatisfied.”

“Ai Fa...”

“And besides, they already know how your cooking tastes. That taste is precisely why they said they wish to pay you. You said that you made food and sold it to make a living back in your homeland, so why do you reject that? I simply cannot understand it.”

“I know... I get it, Ai Fa. I finally understand what I’m afraid of.”

Gazraan Rutim and Ama Min really were just customers. We didn’t have any bonds or debts between us. There was nothing tying us together at all. If I were to refuse this request, there wouldn’t even be any reason for them to complain. And if anyone were to complain about my cooking, I wouldn’t need to feel responsible.

And that... was precisely why I was scared.

Having a price attached to my cooking, and serving it as a product... That scared me more than anything.

“It’s... not as if I had my own shop. The place belonged to my old man, and all I ever did was just help out.”

In order to sort out all the thoughts floating through my mind, I went ahead and voiced them.

Meanwhile, Ai Fa silently listened.

“It was my old man’s food that the customers paid money for. I boiled rice, cooked meat, and chopped up vegetables, but even so... Ultimately, that wasn’t my cooking. It was my old man’s. At least, that’s what I think.”

“Right.”

“And then, I came to this world. I met you, and I started cooking for the two of us. Then I met Rimee Ruu, and Granny Jiba, and Donda Ruu. As a result, I ended up serving my cooking to a good number of people... but I wasn’t doing business. I was just feeding folks what I thought they’d like to eat.”

“Right.”

“That’s why I didn’t raise a hand in the bet against Donda Ruu last night. I wasn’t needed as a chef. And so, I thought what would satisfy him was home cooking from his family.”

“Right.”

“But this time, it’s the exact opposite... I’m being sought out as a chef.”

I felt a chill run down my spine. Even though it was cooler than mid-day, it was still warm enough outside to be in such light clothing... and yet, my knees had started trembling.

“To me at least... that’s frightening.”

Ai Fa said nothing to that.

“This is completely different from the blessings from the Ruu clan. I don’t know if the cooking of a half-baked chef like me is worth having a price on it or not. And having folks without any bonds or debts to me impartially and calmly judge that... Frankly, I think I’m afraid of that.”

“You may say that, but...” Ai Fa started, moving her face closer after having temporarily moved back. “Your eyes were so dark and gloomy before, but now the light has come back to them.”

“Yeah... I mean, this is the first time in my life that someone’s really counted on my skills as a chef. I’m incredibly scared... but I’m also incredibly proud.”

“Then you’ll accept?”

“...I’d like to,” I squeezed out.

My stomach was tying itself up in a knot, and it felt like I was about to throw up the meat and poitan I had only just eaten.

“Those two are counting on me... so I’d like to work hard enough to earn that price. I want to do a job good enough that I won’t feel ashamed in the least as a chef.”

The trembling wasn’t stopping, and I really did feel like I was on the verge of vomiting. I was seriously surprised by how much of a coward I was.

And then... Ai Fa’s hand touched my cheek so gently that it was almost like she wasn’t even making contact. Her eyes were staring at me from super close up.

“...I’m proud of you, too,” Ai Fa quietly muttered.

As I looked back at her, before long my trembling suddenly stopped.