Chapter 126
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 126
It was an ancient truth that meat boiled or steamed in alcohol was guaranteed to be delicious.
The sharp aroma of the alcohol masks any gamey odor, and the gentle heat softens the toughest meat.
Conveniently, he had the perfect ingredient on hand.
"So…"
Candy Trap Tree
A tree with a base that swells like a round piece of candy. It is hermaphroditic; while its leaves grow on the outside, its fruit develops inside the swollen trunk. If the highly sweet and bitter fruit of the Candy Trap Tree is not harvested in time, it begins to rot. Depending on various conditions, the rotting fruit mixes with the tree’s sap to become vinegar, juice, or potent fruit wine.
"Yes, this is it."
Gio pulled a small ceramic jar from the basket held in Dana’s mouth. Having just returned from an errand to the ice storage, Dana spat the basket out with a ptui. Gio promptly popped a piece of Golden-Step Sheep meat into her mouth.
The non-picky, omnivorous cat had no qualms about raw meat. Unlike an ordinary feline, Dana the Anti-Cat possessed rows of tightly packed teeth, and she chewed the meat with gusto.
"Mrrr?"
"Good girl."
She had been growing visibly larger by the day, and he hoped she would eat plenty and grow as big as a pig. That way, instead of blowing raspberries on her belly just once, he could do it five times. Gio smiled warmly.
"The great thing about the Candy Trap Tree is that the fermentation level varies from tree to tree, so the flavor is slightly different for each one," Gio mused, examining the contents of the jar. "This one… the woody aroma is definitely strong."
The characteristic heaviness of the alcohol, which set the tongue ablaze on contact, was intense. It was accompanied by a plant-like bitterness that seemed to coat the palate. Combined with the natural scent of the Candy Trap Tree itself, it even gave off a smoky impression.
As expected, this liquor was delicious enough to drink straight. So much so that he suspected true connoisseurs would never forgive him for using it in his cooking.
"Even the Abilas Rainforest didn’t have naturally brewed alcohol like this."
"..."
"Honey, want a taste?"
"Kurrrr."
"It’s wonderful to see my children eating so well. They’ll grow up so fast."
Gio tried to pour some of the fruit wine onto a small plate, but Honey completely ignored him, squeezing himself into the narrow mouth of the ceramic jar. Gio watched to see how far he would go. Before long, Honey’s squishy face popped out with a shloop.
"..."
"..."
A water bird, perched just over the rim, tilted its head.
"Kkoong?"
"Oh dear."
"...Kkoong, kkoong, kkoong..."
"I guess it didn’t taste good, did it?"
"Kururuk."
"Well, they say alcohol isn’t for everyone. It might be too early for a child."
"Kkoong…"
"Do you want to try enjoying it properly?"
Arjio, who enjoyed alcohol as much as he did a bloody battle, gladly offered his advice.
"There are a few ways to enjoy fruit wine, child. You can hold it in your mouth to feel its weight and texture, analyze the unique astringency of the plant, appreciate the aroma of the fruit itself—or even savor the lingering aftertaste."
"Kuruk."
"It must still be difficult for a young one like you to enjoy alcohol. As for me, I have kept it close since I was young, as I particularly enjoy such sensations. But if it really doesn’t suit you, there is always the option of using it in cooking. And as luck would have it, we’ve hit the jackpot with a perfect bottle."
Whether it was the choice of a cat with a keen sense of smell or if she had simply grabbed the most visible one, Dana had brought back the fruit wine that paired best with meat out of all the bottles he had collected in his spare time.
"With ordinary alcohol, the aroma and flavor are mostly lost during cooking, but the liquor here has a special quality. That won’t happen. This steamed meat dish is going to be quite delicious."
Gio had always found it regrettable that when cooking with alcohol, its flavor and aroma would mostly evaporate. However, things harvested from this forest did not vanish so easily.
"You could say it has a powerful vitality."
"Kurrrr?"
"Yes, just like you."
Gently kneading his son perched on his shoulder, Gio soon turned toward the Teddy Bear.
"So…"
"..."
"Why is my father keeping his distance like that?"
"Kkoo…"
"Is your newly changed son really that unfamiliar to you?"
Gio’s hair, which had been a deep wine-red, faded to a brilliant platinum blonde.
"How about now?"
"…Kkoo."
"Yes, I am the same person. Nothing has changed at all."
"Kkoo-kkoo-kkoo."
The ancient god who had once ruled an entire dimension laughed and clapped his hands. It wasn’t exactly a situation that called for applause, but there was no one there to point that out.
Giovanni smiled, gave his father a hug, and stood back up.
"Hmm."
His hair turned deep red once more.
"Still, if this is how it is, I’m worried about how our mermaid siblings will react."
"Kkoo?"
"Indeed, it is almost time for those children to arrive. My, oh my…"
Arjio laughed.
"This will be fun."
It was bound to be a highly entertaining meal.
* * *
"..."
"Ah, our princess has arrived."
"Dammit."
Aria, the Mermaid Princess, stabbed her own eyes.
"An impurity has been added to my Gio."
Aria grumbled as red blood trickled from her eyes. Looking exactly like a crying child, she made Arjio burst into laughter. He coaxed Aria, who was hesitating on the second floor, toward the dining table.
"Calling me an impurity… wouldn’t that break your teacher’s heart?"
"How did the personality of someone who doesn’t even resemble Giovanni end up in there? Weren’t only 'Gios' of similar natures supposed to gather?"
"Oh, my student. My disciple. Why can’t you see that in the end, we are all the same Gio?"
"I know that."
Aria, whose eyes had already healed, clicked her tongue and stared into Arjio’s vivid golden eyes. They didn’t evoke a peaceful sea bathed in sunlight, but a cold lump of gold drenched in blood.
Yet, within them lay a familiar affection. It was a love she could never forget, a love she could never mistake.
"...That gaze cannot be replicated."
"How honest of you."
"I know that you are, in the end, my teacher."
That was no lie.
"It’s not as if I didn’t expect things to turn out like this someday."
The 'Gios' of this portrait were highly diverse. Even just between 'Seo Gio' and 'Giovanni', there were many differences. Their ages, their builds hidden by clothing, their skeletal structures, their skin tones, and even the types of expressions they could make were all distinct. It wasn’t so strange for a crimson Gio to be added to the mix.
At that, her mentor asked, "If so?"
"..."
Before sitting, Aria gently took the hand of Giovanni, who had escorted her to the table.
"Gio," she said in a soft voice, "I wish to dine with you."
"...As do I."
Giovanni offered his usual smile in return.
"I happened to come up with a rather excellent recipe, and I wanted to show it off."
"Then you should have just shown off the recipe. Why were you wearing that face?"
"I suppose you didn’t like Arjio’s face. I felt I should explain…"
"...Sigh…"
Staring at Giovanni’s awkward smile, Aria let out a small sigh.
"You could have easily explained with words."
"But is there any explanation clearer than showing you directly?"
"You certainly have a shameless side."
Only then did Aria sit in the seat Gio guided her to.
"Is this the new dish you made?"
"Yes. The aroma is wonderful, isn’t it?"
"I catch a hint of alcohol. It seems like it will be a delicacy."
"I believe it won’t disappoint."
Gio, whose hair had returned to black, sat opposite her. As if accustomed to this, Honey and Dana climbed onto the table, and the Teddy Bear infused with the Sun God also took his designated chair.
And…
"..."
Aria looked around.
"What are those water birds doing?"
"They are simply watching to see if there might be something for them to take."
"Why would there be something for them to take?"
"I believe it’s because of the ones who took the golden wool—a byproduct of the sheep—earlier."
"Golden wool?"
"The hide left behind by the meat currently sitting in front of you."
"Ah…"
Aria nodded, watching the water birds by the window observe them with sparkling eyes.
"First one thing, now another—even a Golden-Step Sheep has appeared. What a strange world."
"There were no such creatures in our homeland."
"If there had been, we might have been able to divert the humans' attention."
"It was indeed a fleece so beautiful that most humans would find their greed impossible to resist."
"So it would be best not to show it to the outside world. Well, that is just my personal greed speaking, of course."
The mermaid still did not trust humans.
"I worry because you, Teacher, lack caution in the strangest ways."
"Aria, you have truly grown into a wonderful adult."
Gio admired how his disciple looked out for him. Even though he was currently the black-haired Seo Gio, he naturally wore Giovanni’s smile. It was thanks to being fully synchronized.
"You used to be so prickly and hot-tempered."
"Oh… just how far back into the past are you trying to go?"
Yet, Aria had to admit that part.
"I know I had many shortcomings back then."
When she had first entered the world, Aria had been sensitive and sharp-edged. She suspected everything that approached her, struggled to acknowledge anyone, and felt irritation and disgust toward anything that stood in her way.
"Compared to those childhood days, I’ve softened quite a bit, too."
"To be honest, I don’t think you’re all that different now."
"Ha, it is only because I am in front of you, Teacher, that I can act so relaxed."
"Trying to get me emotional all of a sudden?"
"I didn’t say it to move you."
Aria didn’t even look at the food, instead merely playing with her water glass.
"Who else could I be this honest with? I couldn’t even do so in front of my brother, Iser, because I had to lead him."
"..."
"I’ve become quite experienced. I’ve grown adept, and I’ve learned how to smile in front of anyone, regardless of my personal likes or dislikes. Just as you told me, Teacher, it has been of great help in interacting with others."
She looked at Gio with her pearlescent eyes.
"Is this the kind of 'growth' that pleases you?"
"It might be, or it might not. Besides, whether it pleases me isn’t what’s important."
"You are as elusive as ever."
When Aria let out a mock sigh, Gio chuckled softly—a small, warm laugh directed at his endearing student.
"So, do you not intend to eat?"
"Just thinking that this meal was prepared by some unknown scoundrel makes my stomach turn."
"But that unknown scoundrel could very well be your teacher."
"It is precisely because I know he is my teacher that it feels even stranger. For things to change in an instant like this…"
It was a truly bizarre feeling.
"..."
Yet, she simply hadn’t adapted to it; it wasn’t so bad that she wanted to reject it.
"...As I said earlier, the aroma is good, at least."
"That is because the aroma of the alcohol I used remains fully intact."
"The meat is incredibly tender."
"I boiled it once, then grilled it, steamed it, and finally drizzled the sauce over it."
"I will never understand how cooking can be so tedious."
And yet, it was a dish whose deliciousness matched the effort put into it.
"Since you drizzled the sauce separately, is it a bit different from a stew?"
"It certainly is. Doesn’t it allow you to taste the flavor of the meat much better?"
"You said it was Golden-Step Sheep meat, right? Yes, it is quite a delicacy."
The meat, as deep black as if coated in squid ink, yielded tenderly to her teeth and parted easily along its grain. Yet, its uniquely springy texture added a pleasant chewiness, making it highly satisfying to eat.
The aroma rising from the meat itself was particularly impressive. A sharp scent, similar to spices like garlic or onion, drifted up from her tongue. The rich, savory flavor and juicy oiliness welling up from the meat were beyond description.
"Strangely, spending time with you, Teacher, makes me feel like I’ve become an accidental gourmet."
"I shall take that as a compliment."
"You make me overthink while eating."
"It was a compliment after all."
"No one is better at interpreting things to their own liking than you, Gio."
The sauce was also quite good.
"My tongue is tingling a bit."
"I didn’t add any hot spices, but it’s likely because the alcohol I used was strong."
"Doesn’t alcohol usually evaporate completely during cooking?"
"The alcohol itself has mostly dissipated, but perhaps it’s because the aroma remains fully intact."
"I can’t understand how the aroma alone can be this strong."
"Mermaids are particularly sensitive to strong flavors, after all."
"No…"
Aria murmured to herself.
Isn’t it a miracle in itself that someone of my caliber can feel this way?
Aria had accumulated power to the point of rivaling an Evil God. Having 'grown' over such a long period, there was no way she could be the same as an ordinary mermaid.
Yet, she was able to enjoy Gio’s cooking as if she had become a completely ordinary person.
Did he tailor the dish to match my status?
Or…
Is it simply that anyone can enjoy Gio’s cooking exactly as he intended?
Aria believed it was likely the latter. Hadn’t Gio made even the Sun God, who possessed no appetite whatsoever, wait eagerly for his cooking? It was truly a bizarre and marvelous ability.
He did it simply because he wanted to share his cooking with everyone, whether that person was a monster who had transcended the limits of mermaids or a Teddy Bear who had once been a god and was thus devoid of taste.
"..."
Aria asked.
"...Is there no bread to go with this?"
"I have some pre-made. Would you like some?"
"The sauce is quite delicious. I’d like to dip some bread in it."
"Then I will warm it up for you right away."
Gio stood up and placed the pre-baked bread into the oven.
Perhaps wanting a bite, a golden water bird flew over and perched on the shoulder of the Black Cloak. The other water birds by the window also fluttered closer with soft splashing sounds, as a large hand gently stroked his little children.
"Yes, the smell of baking is nice, isn’t it?"
"Kururuk."
"Let’s wait just a little longer."
The crackling of burning firewood, the aroma of the bread turning an even deeper golden-brown, the warm heat radiating from the hearth, and the clattering of the Teddy Bear’s utensils…
"..."
Aria took it all in.