Chapter 52: Three-Horn
“I feel like I’m eating better than when I was in the city,” Retze said, gazing off into the distance while nibbling on a Mountain Snipe.
“It’s not just your imagination; I’m dying for some alcohol,” Dean replied, his face practically drooling as he spoke.
“Red of Ene.”
“Ripe berries, black pepper flavor, sweetness and subtle spiciness—this Black Snipe will surely pair well with it,” the Butler chimed in, responding to Ash. Is that the name of a drink? Red wine? It’s impressive how he can eat with his hands and still look refined.
We simply roasted the meat over the campfire and drizzled it with a sauce made from the innards and chicken bones, but whether it was the campfire magic or the quality of the ingredients, it was incredibly delicious.
“Unbelievable! I never thought you could bake bread in a pot… I still can’t forget the shock from that second morning,” Chris said, savoring the side bread spread with liver paste.
Since I didn’t bring a mortar, I chopped the liver finely and crushed it with the back of my knife. The innards of the Mountain Snipe are considered a delicacy, but even aside from that, liver is rich in iron and vitamins A and B, so I wanted to make sure to get my fill on this meat-and-fish-heavy journey.
I wished I had some milk to remove the gamey taste, but saltwater is enough for bird liver. And I might be the only one worrying about nutritional balance, but still!!
It’s now the fourth night of our journey.
The Black Mountain Snipe was caught by Dean, Chris, Ash, and the Butler. They must be amazing, considering how difficult it is to catch something that zigzags through the air. Lately, I feel like everyone is really passionate about securing ingredients.
While they were hunting, I was preparing the campsite with Retze, keeping an eye on our belongings. I didn’t have to worry about water and food, so I was busy doing various tasks away from the river. I didn’t recognize the area around me, but I felt like we were about to enter the Giant Lizard zone. If I climbed a tree, I might catch a glimpse of the steep cliffs.
The demon beasts attacking us included giant spiders, black wolves, and red bears—somewhat stronger than the usual ones. Honestly, I can’t tell the difference between the demon beasts and the regular wolves or bears. Because of that, Dean and Chris usually pair up with someone else while I stick with Retze.
“Are we not setting up a tent today?”
“Need a hand, Lord of Dusk?” Dean and Chris asked.
“Then I’ll gladly accept your help.”
“I’ll happily become your servant!”
I’ve gotten used to Chris’s dramatics.
“Isn’t that a bit too far apart?”
“Even though it’s dark, we shouldn’t be too close either.”
I took a water bottle and a piece of firewood from the campfire and moved away.
“What about that branch?”
“I processed it while you were away.”
During the day, I could see Retze at the campsite, but now, aside from the glow of the campfire, the darkness made it hard to distinguish any figures.
The flexible branches were tied together to form a dome shape. In the center, there was a small stone pile for the campfire. I stuffed the firewood in and lit it. I had plenty of firewood prepared, but I needed to make sure it didn’t flare up too much.
“Hold that down.”
“Huh?”
“Next, here.”
“Got it.”
I wrapped the branch dome with a sheet; it looked a bit awkward, but it should be fine.
“Thanks.”
“Was it too cold with just the blanket?”
“No, I was thinking of making a steam bath.”
“A bath…”
I lifted the edge of the sheet and splashed water onto a flat stone half over the fire. Instantly, a sizzling sound erupted, and steam billowed into the small space covered by the sheet.
Sweating in the instant sauna and then jumping into the river would be perfect. Digging a hole by the riverside like we did on the island seemed a bit tricky since it kept collapsing as I dug, so this was much easier.
“Lord of Dusk, you truly have no equal when it comes to comfort.”
That was a rather peculiar compliment!
After that, those who wanted to took turns entering. In the end, everyone did. Since it was a steam bath, it took a while for everyone to finish, but it couldn’t be helped. In the pitch dark, Dean and Chris ventured into the forest for more firewood, but again, it couldn’t be helped.
The weather was nice, so I decided to sleep without a roof (the sheet) that night.
The next day, after finishing my daily walk and breakfast, we set off. Even though we had a late night, thanks to the bath, everyone seemed to be moving faster than the day before.
—It seemed Dean’s spirit was unhappy, as it was nowhere to be seen today. Is it that you shouldn’t wash Dean to make him stronger? What’s up with that?
There are many spirits in the forest, especially near the riverside where they tend to gather. To keep them from approaching me, the assisting spirits that went ahead were spreading the word, so it was peaceful. However, I started to notice a spirit cloaked in a black color that looked like ink dropped in water.
I wanted to catch it and give it a name, but I had to hold back during this investigation request. Before I could feel pity or pain, a sense of mission to capture it welled up inside me. Whenever it came close, I couldn’t help but want to grab it!
“Hey, Giant Lizard!”
“Three-Horn!”
Dean’s urgent voice was followed by Chris’s suppressed shout.
Ah, so it really was close. Or maybe its habitat is just that wide. Which is it?
“Three-Horn in this depth, huh? Seems certain,” Retze muttered, looking up at the sky.
The demon beasts that emerge from the shallow forest are usually one-horned or tiny hornless ones. Apparently, within a week’s worth of exploration, that’s the norm. Just how vast is this forest? It truly deserves to be called a great forest.
Yet here I am, feeling so accustomed to seeing two or three horns that I’m not even moved by it.