Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Bigger It Is, the More to Eat
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Delicious!
Delicious!
Pastel shoved the meat pudding into her mouth frantically. It was wolf-shaped, but it tore apart like jelly when pulled by hand.
The black pudding squished in her mouth. Sweetness exploded. Her taste buds tingled sharply.
The world sparkled.
An unprecedented overwhelming sensation washed over her.
Her mind was pushed aside, and her soul awakened.
Black dreamlight.
Pink phantasm.
Was this what a master chef's dish tasted like? Even that wouldn't soothe the soul.
Pastel stuffed the two carcasses into her subspace and flopped down. Her lips curled up goofily.
Was this isekai food?
It was a shame she hadn't tried it sooner. What had she even lived for until now?
She smacked her lips.
No more?
The corridor's chill tickled her back. She snapped out of it slightly and shivered as she hurried to her feet.
"Ugh."
She brushed the dust off her winter dress. Rubbing her arms, she looked around the corridor.
There was only a descending staircase against the blocked wall.
Was this some attic storeroom? In a grand mansion, the attic wasn't just one room but an entire zone.
She had no idea why she was in the attic. Was it okay to leave the family head in such a cold attic?
Before heading down, she rummaged through two more new rooms. There was nothing to find. They were completely empty.
Not even a speck of sawdust?
Her teeth chattered at the family's pathetic state of assets.
"Father...!"
You've stripped it clean!
She stabbed at the air with the table leg.
Just you wait. I'll make you cough up every last coin.
From today on, my life's goal is filial impiety. No one can stop me.
But first, I need to deal with these servants who abandoned the family head in the attic. What do they take the head of the house for, with hierarchy like this?
Did they all quit? With the head being an idiot and the son-in-law turning into a marriage scammer who can't even pay wages?
Too plausible a guess. What loyalty would they have for a family that can't even cover living expenses? Her heart stung.
"Godless wretches...!"
The table leg stabbed at the air. She understood, but as the victim, she didn't want to.
She gazed fondly at the sturdy round tabletop and table leg. You're all I can rely on. Sorry for thinking you were trash when we first met.
She hugged her only retainers tightly and headed for the stairs.
She glanced down the stairs. Was something right there? Hard to tell.
She descended the stairs cautiously.
As she turned, a long corridor stretched out.
Suddenly, a thick smell of blood wafted through the air.
Pastel stared blankly at the scene.
Sunlight poured in through the wall shattered by an explosion. Giant beast claw marks stood out vividly, mingled with bits of flesh, stained red.
Her trembling hand touched the dry bloodstains on the floor.
Red footprints, red handprints.
Several people who had moved to block the stairs.
Unarmed resistance had left those red marks. No bodies remained. Their struggles had been devoured and chewed without a trace.
The last red footprint ran past the beast toward the broken wall. It hesitated, left a print, then leaped to the ground. The beast pursued in a crash.
A scrap of torn fabric fluttered on the broken wall. It was fine cloth used for the head maid's uniform.
Emma, the head maid?
You taught me to read. Even when everyone else gave up, you stayed till the end.
Thanks to you, I can read now. You have no idea how relieved I was.
Her trembling hand clutched the scrap of cloth.
I wasn't abandoned after all.
Her throat tightened.
I was protected.
Those with faith died. Only the lone surviving family head remained here. Weeping.
Tears fell on the wind.
From the high floor to the ground, to the garden.
Black shadowy monsters howled.
A massive magic circle in the garden's center leaked black energy.
Her teary gaze glared at the garden.
Who.
Who built that abomination in my mansion?
Who arbitrarily slaughtered my loyal retainers?
Her face hardened.
She wiped her tears with her sleeve.
She pocketed the bloodied cloth.
She gripped the flimsy spear and shield.
Faith in her heart, dagger in her resolve.
No matter how long it took, as a dignified family head.
As one worthy of protection.
The girl turned her steps as usual.
She opened a door and inspected a new room.
One by one, carefully.
Pastel glumly stared at the wall mirror.
Rummaged four places, and all I find is this?
Not even furniture—just a mirror matching the wall. A grimy girl in a pink winter dress reflected back. Dingy.
The girl in the mirror pondered, then lifted the table leg. She swung it at the mirror. A sharp crash rang out.
The pink shape shattered, shards spilling.
She picked up a suitable triangular piece.
Yay, mirror shard acquired.
Pastel hummed la-la to the door and poked the triangular mirror outside. Adjusting the angle, she peered in—the corridor reflected clearly.
"Oh, much safer."
A million times better than sticking her head out.
Pastel practiced a few times, pocketed the mirror, and stepped into the corridor. She glanced at the stairs and the red scene, then quietly turned to the new path.
At the path's end lay a blocked wide space. The angle hid the sides. Probably corridors there.
No obvious danger.
But those blind spots felt off.
If a wolf was hiding, eek, friend! She'd trip and get bitten for sure.
"Hehe."
Pastel proudly raised the triangular mirror. It gleamed.
New retainer!
Recon's all yours!
Trusting the mirror, she advanced cautiously.
As she neared the wide space, she peeked left and right with the mirror.
Rectangular space, no furniture.
None.
She walked on, then peeked again.
None?
Not like some dungeon trap.
She walked and checked one side.
Hmm, yeah, nothing.
Then the other side.
A black shape reflected in the triangular mirror.
A bull as tall as Pastel.
The bull tilted its head at the mirror.
The mirror shrank back.
Pastel backed away step by step. She retreated from the space as if nothing happened.
She quietly tucked the mirror away.
Then, belatedly, her mouth gaped open in shock.
A bull in the blind spot? Instant-death situation.
Oh, friend—eek! Squawk!
She looked down at the flimsy round shield and table leg in her hands. A bull that size came to mind.
Who knows if it'll work.
But she couldn't starve either.
Pastel focused her mind and infused her brain with courage. Brain cells, go berserk.
That's a bull-sized meat pudding, meat pudding.
Fresh, super sweet.
Her salivary glands tingled.
Her eyes spun.
Ooh.
She wiped her drool with her sleeve.
Gambler-level courage welled up.
I can do anything!
Hell with it—a bull that size, stab it a few times with the table leg and it'll moo~ and drop.
The table leg stabbed the air.
Good, simulation complete.
Operation underway.
Pastel gripped the flimsy round shield and table leg tightly.
"Charge...!"
She ran like a drunken soldier.
The open space unfolded.
The black bull eyed her and snorted. Its forehoof scraped the floor. It lowered its head and charged. Its weight shook the ground.
Pastel leaped to the side. The black form whooshed past, shaking the air. Her skin prickled.
She gripped the wooden spear tightly and thrust at the passing bull. The spear poked bluntly into the black hide.
Tough hide and packed muscle pushed back. The spear bounced off. Pastel staggered from the recoil.
Ah, damn it.
Regaining her balance, she watched the bull. It turned, scraped its hoof, and lowered its head.
Pastel sprinted full speed to the wall. Upon reaching it, she spun around. The bull closed in.
She braced the wooden spear horizontally against the wall. The tip aimed at the bull's head.
Come on...!
The bull's head reached the tip. It targeted the eye. The bull twisted and slammed into the spear.
In slow time, a massive impact jolted her gripping hand. The wooden spear crushed against the bull's head and splintered explosively. Wood shards flew.
Pastel hastily released the spear and dove to the ground. Right after, the bull's head smashed the wall. A thunderous boom.
She gripped the floor to rise. The bull bellowed. The black form lifted a foreleg. Shadow fell.
She rolled. The hoof slammed beside her. The impact shattered the stone floor. A boom, debris scattering.
Not over yet...!
Pastel dropped the shield. She snatched a flying stone shard with her hand. Sharp pain stung her palm.
She quickly pushed off the ground and kicked hard. Leaping up, her body floated.
She charged the bull as it raised its foreleg. Clinging on, she mounted lightly—the bull startled and froze.
Pastel looked down at the panicked bull.
Rough breaths escaped her.
"Like bullfighting?"
I don't.
She stabbed the stone shard viciously into the bull's nape. It scraped the hide, and the bull roared. The black form shook wildly.
This stone sucks...!
Pastel clung with all her strength. With one hand, she tossed the stone and rummaged her pocket.
The triangular mirror emerged.
The mirror shard gleamed sharply.
She inhaled and slammed it into the nape with full force. The hide tore. Black energy spurted like blood.
The bull screeched. Its black body bucked front and back. Fore and hind hooves smashed the ground in succession. Thunderous booms.
Pastel gripped the embedded shard tightly. She inhaled and shoved with all her might. Hya! The hide ripped, flesh split. Black energy erupted violently.
The bull roared. It bucked hugely, flinging the weakened Pastel off. She crashed onto the rough ground. Ack!
She forced her body up.
The bull swayed. It staggered, then its massive body collapsed. A heavy thud.
Pastel exhaled roughly.
Her body throbbed.
"Hoo, hoo."
Got it?
Yeah, got it?
Her lips crept upward.
She steadied her slightly wobbly body and swept back her messy pink hair.
She glared at the bull carcass.
"Nothing special, acting all tough."
Stab stab, and it went moo~ and died.
"Moo~!"
Hahaha!
Laughing alone, Pastel paused at a sweet aroma.
Ah! Meat pudding!
She dashed over and buried her face in the carcass.
The massive carcass vanished into her soul storage.
Moments later, Pastel flopped down with a goofy grin.
Whoa.
If I can keep eating meat pudding, this life's not bad. Am I actually happy?
Gurgle.
Nah.
Gotta raid the kitchen. Empty stomach's no place for potions—what a mess.
She pocketed the triangular mirror and shield.
She prayed for the shattered wooden spear.
"Thanks to you, I caught the wolf. Thank you."
Then she laughed to herself.
Talking to a non-person—what am I doing?
Whew, without dessert, it'd have been disaster. Meat pudding relieved the stress. Gotta eat more.
She nodded and stretched.
Her body brimmed with energy.
She strode confidently into the new corridor.
A long corridor unfolded, with stairs midway. A wide space like the entrance hall loomed ahead. Beyond it, another new corridor continued.
As Pastel scanned it, she spotted shiny silver on the corridor floor. Her eyes went wide.
Huh? Huh?
That?!
Long and sharp iron.
"Lo, lo, lo, long!"
Longsword...!
Pastel dashed over and picked up the longsword.
Heavy iron weight.
Chipped teeth, but it was a real longsword.
Wow.
Finally, a proper weapon!
She raised it like a hero.
The blade sparkled in the window sunlight.
"Longsword!"
My friend!