Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: How Do You Make Food?
I frowned, propping my chin up with one hand.
Staring at the campfire that was still crackling away, I sifted through my memories.
What went into human food?
Paper... was goat,
dirt... was dwarf.
Right, a restaurant.
What did they sell at a human restaurant?
I lapsed into thought once more.
I'd only been to a restaurant three times in my life.
The first time, I wandered in without knowing what it was,
the second, I thought it was an inn and left immediately,
and the last, I went out of curiosity but took just one bite because it was too sweet and bailed.
'...Even those flimsy memories are necessary.'
I strained to recall memories I'd never bothered to keep.
Rummaging through my head,
the hazy scenes gradually came into focus, one by one.
The bustling noise.
The smell of oil.
The bubbling sounds.
And,
the people darting busily through it all.
As soon as I sat down, the server handed me a menu.
Utterly unfamiliar things I'd never seen before.
No matter how long I stared, I had no clue, so I just pointed at something random.
The food that came out a moment later was
a yellow disk piled high with something snow-white, fluffy, and so airy it vanished the instant it touched my tongue...
...utterly sweet and tasteless.
I glanced
surreptitiously to the side.
The human who had ordered something similar to mine
picked up his knife and began slicing the disk.
Then,
he cut it into thumb-sized pieces and popped one into his mouth.
'So that's how you do it.'
I carefully picked up my knife, mimicking him.
The disk was thicker than the plate,
sliced smoothly,
and tasted so revolting it twisted my face into a grimace.
When I stabbed it with a fork, it sank right in,
and in my mouth, it squished.
Even before I swallowed, the cloying sweetness invaded forcefully.
"......Ugh."
An indescribable unpleasantness coated my tongue.
No mana at all,
the white part cold, the yellow disk warm,
and it mushed up like mud in my mouth before slowly melting away.
"Can't eat this."
I set a gem on the table.
Shaking my head slightly, I left just like that.
Someone called out from behind, but I ignored it.
'Can't feed her something that awful.'
Let's think of something else.
Things humans carried and ate on the streets.
Things the occasional children I'd encountered begged for.
And...
Also...
'...Ah.'
I remembered.
Gazing at the campfire made the memory sharpen.
The brazier in the center of the inn.
A large pot bubbling atop it, white steam rising.
When the innkeeper stirred it with a ladle,
a tangy, hearty aroma spread.
At that time, for sure—
I'd been sitting alone at the most remote table,
and the humans were busy ladling from the pot into their own bowls.
And,
as they ate it, smiles played on their lips.
"Whew, nice and hot."
"Stew's the best for winter."
That's right.
Stew. That was its name.
Another memory surfaced.
As I watched them for a good while, someone approached me.
It was the innkeeper.
"Why aren't you getting any, sir? Give it a try."
I had no intention of eating,
but seeing my empty table, the innkeeper set down some stew and left.
I picked up the spoon and cautiously stirred.
Brown broth with steam rising gently.
Colorful chunks floating within.
I stared blankly for a while, then,
under the innkeeper's expectant gaze, scooped up a sip and put it in my mouth.
"This is..."
Far better than expected.
Thick and hot,
and the smell wasn't bad either.
At least no excruciating sweetness that burned the tongue.
"...Stew."
I murmured slowly as I rose from my seat.
That level,
the child might eat it decently.
Besides, this cabin had a pot.
Though it'd been shoved in the corner unused and forgotten.
Recalling more as I headed to where the pot lay discarded.
Broken branches,
rotted cloth and leather piled messily.
From the midst, I pulled out an old pot with a broken handle.
I dusted it off.
Inspected it this way and that.
"Hm..."
Not bad.
The bottom was still solid, no holes.
Though the rim was a bit rusted,
dust inside,
and scorch marks blackened on the outside.
'Just needs washing.'
I grabbed a few rotted cloths and headed outside.
Rolled up my sleeves.
Slowly poured water from the well bit by bit, wiping the pot.
Putting strength into my hands.
While taking care not to dent it.
I meticulously scrubbed away the rust and dust as best I could.
Only after scrubbing for ages
did it look clean enough to call pristine.
"...Good enough."
I swept back the bangs stinging my eyes and stood.
- Creak—
"Ah, broken again."
I kicked aside the plank that was once a door.
Holding the water-filled pot, I stood before the campfire.
Come to think of it, there's a rod above the fireplace.
"...Meant to hang it there, probably."
First time realizing the rod's purpose since coming to this cabin.
But,
this pot's handle is busted, can't hang it.
'Just hold it, whatever.'
I added more firewood,
waited for the flames to flare up.
Lifted the water-filled pot.
Thrust both hands deep into the campfire so the flames licked the pot well.
"Boiling nicely."
Now,
the remaining issue was ingredients.
Gazing at the boiling water, I tried to recall what went into the stew.
'...Let's see.'
Brown broth.
Chunks cut to uniform size.
Some brown,
some yellow,
some red, orange too.
Textures all different, it seemed.
Some mushy,
some firm.
The yellow one mashed easily with the tongue,
like wet dirt crumbling, I recalled.
Most still a mystery even now, but one I knew.
'Rabbit meat.'
Innkeeper said it had rabbit meat.
Not sure exactly which chunk was the rabbit.
"...Rabbit. Gotta catch one."
I set the pot by the fireplace and stood.
Before leaving, I looked at the child.
Her eyes still closed, but her breathing more peaceful than before.
Her complexion much improved.
Her cheek felt warm to the touch.
Good thing grinding the horn worked.
"Gonna feed her some more when I get back."
She'd tossed a bit,
blanket slipped down some.
I readjusted the blanket, carefully covering her body.
"Be right back."
With that farewell, I headed out to catch a rabbit.
The forest was serene.
The breeze cool,
but sunlight filtering through the canopy still warm.
"Where to look."
Dig in the dirt?
Fly up and scan?
Either way, been a while.
"Still bright out."
Experience told me flying in daylight was a hassle.
Hoping for a rabbit out in the open, I walked slowly.
How long had I gone?
Fallen leaves rustled faintly.
A subtle presence.
'...There is one.'
Beyond the grass, a rabbit's round form.
Grazing, head down, body bobbing.
I crouched low.
Approached without a sound.
"Gotcha."
Grabbed its ear and lifted.
It squealed strangely, probably hurt.
"Quiet."
Sighing, I tucked it against my chest.
Shivering, but tamer than before.
"...Now what to do with you."
Holding the rabbit, I stood still for a while.
Dragons are mostly carnivores,
and rumors say we enjoy human flesh, but I've never.
Fishy and tough.
Meat's not my taste.
Dunno about others.
Dragons don't care much for kin anyway.
Still.
Best to ask the source for this.
"How should I eat you?"
The rabbit just trembled.
This one,
or the child in the cabin.
No answer from either.
"...Sigh."
I looked down at the rabbit.
Small build, fur white as snow.
'Idiot that stands out, not blending into surroundings at all.'
My brief impression of the one in my arms.
"At least handy for winter. Why come out before then?"
Though, about to die anyway, pointless.
I readjusted my hold and turned toward the cabin.
Come to think of it,
overheard a hunter in the market.
To prepare rabbit,
skin and de-fur it.
Had no need then, so skipped the 'how'.
"Should've listened back then."
What now?
Scratch with claws?
Too hard, might mush it, inedible.
"...Just toss in boiling water alive?"
The rabbit thrashed.
Seemed to hate that.
"Fine. Kill first, then toss in. ...Ow, why bite."
As I strolled leisurely toward the cabin,
the bright sun had given way to red sunset blanketing the forest.
"Day goes fast."
Arrived at the cabin before I knew.
The door was ragged but still a door.
'...Need a new one.'
Shouldered it open.
The campfire still burned, thankfully.
The child too.
Still alive, breathing.
"Horn first?"
To free one arm, readjusted the rabbit.
It trembled faintly in my hold.
Ah, right.
"Gotta kill it outside."
Blood splatter inside.
Then mop floor with wet cloth again.
Hassle just thinking about it.
"...Out we go."
Sighing, I stepped outside.
The moment I tried to shoulder the door again—
"Uh..."
A small sound
came suddenly from behind.
Faint, like it might vanish any second.
But—
in this silence,
it rang out all too clearly.
I slowly turned my head.
The child's eyelids trembled ever so slightly.