Chapter 40
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Bortong Restaurant
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Why are you so late? Was the process complicated?”
Bankers asked. He, River, and Dink had been waiting in Dry Root Village for over half a day when Dane finally returned alone.
“Yeah. The former captain left behind a ton of stuff.”
Dane explained everything in detail. At the mention of the debt being passed on, River’s fist trembled.
“So that’s why you went to the self-governing body.”
Just as Bankers said. Dane had received polite guidance and headed to the Engola Self-Governing Body headquarters.
Despite his young age, he wore a Grade 5 badge, had striking looks, and possessed an impressive amount of money that matched them perfectly, so he was immediately recognized as a VIP customer.
For such a person to resolve even the headache that was Lucas made the self-governing body view him as nothing short of a benefactor.
Lucas himself had been equally shocked by the amount of money Dane had.
The income from hunting monsters, selling their meat and byproducts, was substantial. Even before settling up with the management office.
Dane had used a portion of it to acquire a single pasture and sign up for hay delivery service. Up to that point, it was purely a new contract, and the compensation for damages would be covered with the horses he already had.
It was meant to be a straight trade with Dink anyway, so there was no loss. Lucas seemed to regret not thinking of it sooner.
‘He acts like that on the outside, but to me, he’s basically a lifesaver.’
Dane thought as he watched Lucas gaze at the sky with a deep sigh.
In fact, even if it meant paying a larger sum as compensation, he would have done so gladly.
Acquiring Dink had saved him a tremendous amount of time, and above all, the benefits from inheriting his grade were incalculable in monetary terms.
Lucas might have acted and decided in ways that were hard to understand, speaking carelessly, but Dane knew full well that it was all for the hunting party—and ultimately for River.
But since Lucas himself didn’t show it, Dane didn’t bother expressing gratitude.
“I was looking around usable pastures, so it took a bit. The self-governing body will come pick up the horses soon. They said to deliver Dink’s hay to Mekardo Village, and after that, once a merchant company is selected for delivery, they’ll handle it, so we can head straight to Mekardo.”
For his first task as captain, it was neat and well-planned. Bankers nodded in silent admiration.
“What about Lucas?”
River asked.
“Oh… He said he’d feel bad seeing your face, so he just left. Said we’d run into each other somewhere, but not to forget him?”
“Feel bad, my foot… He brought it on himself.”
She said that, but she seemed to feel a similar sentiment. Turning away as if she didn’t want to show her expression, she stroked Dink’s snout and said,
“Dink! You don’t have to hide out in a pasture anymore. You’ll travel everywhere with us.”
As if understanding her words, Dink let out a small sound and rubbed his head against River’s body.
* * *
Mekardo lay at the eastern edge of the Fold region. They had to travel as far again as they had from Leighton.
The memories of leaving Mekel Mountain and wandering alone resurfaced for Dane, filling him with fresh emotion.
Back then, he had been alone, wandering for a long time. But now he had his team members, and Dink, who was incomparably faster than Dane on foot.
And the vague ideas from back then were taking concrete shape, one by one.
On the way to Mekardo, Dane’s Butchery Party didn’t neglect monster hunting. If there was new monster information or a request at a relay station, they didn’t forget their duty as a hunting party and rushed in.
It was to eat, but also to stock up on things to sell. The Yadus Trailer and the storage compartment in the carriage filled up with meat.
In doing so, he thought,
‘Just recruiting a merchant company isn’t enough.’
What he’d felt visiting villages was that overcoming the taboo around monster meat was harder than expected. He couldn’t demonstrate catching and cooking it right in front of them every time. That’s why he’d made the Yadus Trailer, but relying solely on word-of-mouth felt insufficient.
‘I need a surefire way to let people know…’
With a good product and a solid distribution network, it had to be spread widely. Dane, who knew better than anyone the importance of advertising and promotion, racked his brain, recalling various methods.
After a few days like that, the grand bridge leading into Mekardo finally came into view. It was the only path crossing the moat as wide as a river.
It was much faster than expected. Dink, who made it possible, stepped onto the bridge without hesitation.
“Monster!!!!”
“Gahhh! Where are the guards!!!!”
“No… That’s an herbivore. It’s a Tricerator!”
“Herbivore or not, it’s mid-to-large size! We’ll get trampled dead!!”
The sudden appearance of a mid-to-large monster sent the pedestrians on the bridge into panic as they fled.
“Haha, what a reaction!”
Bankers laughed heartily at the fleeing crowd, reassuring them it was fine. To prove it himself, he climbed down from the driver’s seat, patted Dink’s flank, and walked alongside.
That made for an even stranger sight. A lizardman soothing a monster.
“It’s effective, though.”
Dane said.
Only then did people calmly observe Dane’s Butchery Party. Fear soon turned to curiosity.
Bankers enjoyed the attention with pleasure, while Dane pondered deeply, his mind filled with the word “promotion.”
River felt uneasy but didn’t show it.
Harboring their own thoughts, Dane’s Butchery Party entered Mekardo.
* * *
Mekardo was a massive, highly developed city incomparable to the root villages, smaller than Foldtown but brimming with an unmatched vibrant energy.
There were no restrictions on entry. With all sorts of races gathering, people came and went freely.
Surrounded by the bustling crowds, Dane’s Butchery Party headed first to the station at the city entrance for stabling horses and carriages.
The station staff panicked at the unprecedented situation.
“Uh… Are you really okay storing a monster here?”
Unlike the low-level employee, his superior was utterly calm.
“A Tricerator is an herbivore. However they tamed it like a cow, it should be no issue. Plus, they’re paying enough storage fees to cover anything extra. In Mekardo, money is law. No reason to refuse.”
With countless merchant companies and caravans passing through, the station was vast and grand. There was plenty of private, spacious area for large carriages and even Dink.
Seeing that Dink seemed quite pleased with his new quarters, the Butchery Party stepped out onto the streets feeling refreshed for the first time in a while.
“As expected of a merchant city! The whole city feels like one big market!”
Bankers exclaimed repeatedly. He said it was his first time in Mekardo too.
Now separated from Dink and the carriage, the street gazes didn’t particularly fix on the trio. With diverse races mingling noisily, Dane’s Butchery Party wasn’t an especially odd combination.
River looked a bit tense, conscious of others’ stares, but before she knew it, she was drawn into the city’s lively atmosphere.
‘Yeah… In this huge city, how many people would recognize me? It’s been a long time, and I’ve grown a lot too.’
With that, she put on a mask, exposing only her eyes.
“The air feels bad since it’s been a while in the city.”
Dane, who had been watching River, nodded as if it made sense. Bankers, who had found her sudden quietness odd, didn’t pry and instead stretched exaggeratedly as he asked,
“Where to first? Check out merchant companies?”
“Nah. Let’s eat some meat first and get a feel for the place. I heard from the Engola Self-Governing Body that there’s a great meat restaurant in Mekardo.”
River flinched inwardly at Dane’s response.
“Oh, that sounds promising. Where is it?”
“Bortong, I think? Don’t know the location. Let’s find it.”
Dane took the lead into the bustling streets without hesitation. River followed, tilting her head slightly.
‘Not Lakes… Bortong?’
* * *
Fine Dining Bortong.
The exterior was flashy, but the interior was even more luxurious.
The spacious hall, composed of a single room, had tables spaced out generously, emphasizing the beauty of empty space.
A massive chandelier brightly illuminated the high-ceilinged interior. Ornate monster byproduct decorations filled the gaps between isolated tables. Everything screamed that the food here was exorbitantly expensive.
“Haha, this place is seriously upscale. Gotta be pricey.”
“Why are you acting like a prince, Krukushu?”
Dane lightly tapped Bankers’ shoulder. The “prince” looked embarrassed.
Dane’s Butchery Party was led by a server to an empty table. Menus were handed out to each.
“Quite a variety of dishes. Seems like they’ve got pretty much every beast with legs.”
“River’s cooking is still the best, but occasionally eating out like this isn’t bad. No, River should take a break and eat others’ cooking too.”
Dane subtly praised River while gauging her reaction. But River ignored him, busily scanning the restaurant’s atmosphere.
Dane asked the waiting server,
“I’d like to order dishes a la carte. Is that possible?”
Meat wasn’t just from monsters. The command of the God of Butchery ‘Kaipatu’ included all meat. He’d assumed ultimate meat would come from monsters and put it off, but any meat he hadn’t tried was more than welcome.
Since a la carte was cheaper, the server hesitated briefly before forcing a smile and replying,
“Our principle is course meals, but… We’ll accommodate you.”
But when Dane ordered every meat dish on the menu, the attitude shifted dramatically.
“We’ll prepare it right away.”
Soon after, a colorful array of meat dishes piled up on the table. The manager came out personally to explain them.
“Flambéed Muska wild boar tenderloin steak with fig wine, scale goose foie gras wrapped and grilled in Verat Lake lotus leaves, served with sous vide potato and Chaik mushrooms…”
The explanations went on endlessly. River listened intently, but Dane let it wash over him.
Once the introductions of the table’s dishes ended, the chef himself wheeled out a cart. It was treatment befitting the large order.
“This is Louis Bortong, owner and head chef of Bortong Restaurant.”
The large, rugged-faced chef gave Dane’s group a light bow.
‘This man…’
River was mildly surprised inwardly at the familiar face but didn’t show it. The final dish was served.
“Bortong Restaurant’s signature dish: ‘Bortong Osso Buco,’ braised Hollein mountain goat shank with saffron tomato sauce. Please enjoy.”
Once the chef and manager left, Dane surveyed the lavishly arrayed table.
‘The meats in each dish are shining… They must have used the most delicious cuts.’
The dishes, which looked meticulously prepared even to the eye, offered diverse flavors. Every one delivered complex, deep umami.
“The taste is super refined!”
Bankers gave an apt evaluation.
Even so, if he had to pick a winner as a dish, Dane would side with River’s.
Bortong’s cooking felt like showcasing the chef’s skill by combining ingredient flavors, whereas River’s highlighted the starring meat while downplaying the chef’s presence. A subtle difference.
“Definitely the signature… This shank braise is incredible.”
“Yeah. It’s delicious. You can really feel the effort put into it.”
But River didn’t seem to agree. While Dane and Bankers relentlessly shoveled food into their mouths, she took just a couple bites of the shank braise and wiped her hands.
“It tastes good, but it’s lacking… How is this supposed to be the best meat restaurant?”
She wasn’t alone in that thought. Even those at the neighboring table, eating elegantly, seemed to feel the same.
A middle-aged man who looked like a wealthy merchant vented to a woman who could be his daughter.
“Ah… Something’s off, but I can’t put my finger on it. Is it because she’s the disciple? Can’t quite match the perfection.”
“Bortong’s owner is whose disciple?”
Dane’s group naturally perked up at the neighboring table’s conversation.
“There’s this famous chef named Rudelber. This shank braise was originally that old man’s signature, but this one’s different somehow. It tastes good, but it doesn’t have that feeling of your whole body relaxing.”
“Then why not go to his restaurant? We went through the trouble of reserving, tch!”
The woman pouted and turned her head away in a huff. The middle-aged man waved his hand placatingly to continue.
“Hey, if that place was still open, I would’ve said so… A few months ago, the restaurant shut down, his disciples scattered, and there’s talk the old man retired. Can’t eat it even if you want to. Anyway, don’t be mad at yourself. You haven’t been in Mekardo long, so it’s natural not to know.”
That was when it happened.
-Clunk!
River stood up abruptly, her chair toppling backward. Her sudden action drew gazes not just from her comrades but from other tables too.
“Could you tell me more about that story?”
Without waiting for a reply, River moved to the neighboring table.