Chapter 124: Campfire
Dinner around the campfire.
Shiva is roasting fish seasoned with herbs over a distant flame, while bacon and cheese are sizzling on skewers.
There’s also a bit of venison, but most of it is stored away for later. Dean and Dinoss seem fine with tougher meat, but we have fish today.
To be honest, I secretly brought some koji. I’m slathering it on the venison. I also brought kelp for the fish!
Since we have horses this time, a little extra baggage isn’t a problem. The area where the horses are is covered with a tarp. At first, I thought about making a horse cover to protect them from the cold, but I settled on a wind and rain shield, as some types might feel too hot.
I opened the bag of oats and tied it to a tree, so Ruta and the others should be munching happily.
In the pitch darkness, the crackling of the campfire echoes softly, and the orange flames cast shadows around us.
“Cheese and ham~”
“Bacon! Cheese!”
“Cheese, bacon, and venison!”
“It looks like you’re having fun, but let’s stay alert.”
I won’t make the same mistake again; I’m keeping my guard up. And eat your vegetables too.
The problem is that without using Exploration, I can’t sense anything around us. I carefully melt the cheese to avoid dropping it, pulling the skewer closer to place it on my bread and take a bite.
Of course, the cheese is raclette. When melted over a fireplace in Switzerland, this is the cheese to use. It smells a bit strong to me when it’s raw, but cooking it alleviates the odor, blending the gooey and crispy textures into something incredibly delicious.
It’s great on grilled onions, turnips, bacon—everything tastes good with it.
“This is different from the camping I know.”
“It seems like things have gotten a lot more convenient while I’ve been away from the adventurer life. I wonder what else has changed?”
Dinoss and Shiva look puzzled.
“This is the latest trend in camping.”
The butler smiles.
“It’s trending!?”
“Mainly with this group.”
Retze reaches for the fish.
“Is it you!?”
Dinoss suddenly looks at me, and I quickly turn my face away.
Please don’t identify the culprit.
“The hammock is made from the skin of a horned giant lizard, and it might be safer to curl up in it against the demon beasts around here.”
I explain the features while avoiding eye contact.
“While kobolds use fire, it’s not a guarantee, but it gives us some time to either retaliate or escape. And stop mentioning giant lizards.”
Retze adds, and I can’t help but imagine foil-wrapped food. Kobolds are the monkey-like demon beasts.
“Not that it matters now, but…”
“I was trying my best to pretend I didn’t notice, so don’t spill the beans.”
“Considering the amount we hunted, it doesn’t add up!”
The butler wears a subtle smile, while Dean dangles a skewer with bacon in front of me. Chris gestures around at the tarps and hammocks, guiding us with his hands.
“Hmm, this is…”
Ash is obliviously holding marshmallows over the campfire.
“There’s raspberry jam.”
I want to toss in chocolate and bananas too, but I’m holding back, fearing I might get scolded.
Ash loves sweets, but he prefers them with a bit of acidity. The combination of strawberries and fresh cream seems to be his favorite.
“There’s a guy making bombshell statements while avoiding eye contact.”
That’s just my imagination; I can’t hear Retze’s voice.
We chat while eating neatly, then clean up after the meal.
I, along with the children and Dinoss, make sure to dispose of any smelly leftovers—demon beasts and carnivores, of course, as well as rats—by tossing them into the river.
Walking through the pitch-black forest, holding hands with the children, feels a bit like a test of courage… but not really. The children, accustomed to the darkness, feel completely safe with Dinoss (their father) around, no matter how dark or forested it is.
When we return, Retze is tossing some green, cedar-like leaves into the campfire to mask the smell of food and repel insects.
“It might not matter since it’s going to rain, but just leave it there for insect repellent.”
He hands me a branch that’s emitting white smoke, and we each place it under our hammocks.
I thought about raising the hammocks to adult knee height for easy access in case of emergencies, but with the heavy rain looming, I set them at waist height.
It’s tiring to try to balance when I’m not used to it, but if I just let myself relax, it feels pleasantly loose. I wrap myself in my sleeping bag—though it’s not really a bag—and drift off to sleep.
My watch is the third from the last in the morning. After my watch, I’ll stay up and head home, so I’m going to sleep now.
Early to bed, early to rise! Tomorrow’s wake-up time is too early to be called morning. Just as I’m about to fall asleep, I hear the soft patter of rain hitting the tarp.
The watch might be cold, but the sound is soothing to my sleepy ears.