Chapter 15: Reunion 2
Dean was busy dismantling the rabbit, removing its horns and checking for the presence of a magic stone before stowing it away in his bag. If we head to the Adventurer’s Guild with the horns, we can claim a reward for the hunt.
“Are you taking the rabbit too?”
“Two of them are for lunch, and the rest I’ll take deeper into the woods to feed the bears and wolves. If we leave them here, they’ll come out into shallow areas.”
“I see.”
“The smell of blood attracts bears and wolves. If you’re not confident in taking them down, it’s best to bury it or burn it right there.”
I had been stuffing everything into [Storage] until now. So, I can’t just teleport home today for lunch.
Since I still had the fear of being on an uninhabited island, I made sure to carry water, salt, and sugar with me, so I was safe. I had them in both my bag and [Storage]. While I had some food packed in [Storage], I couldn’t just pull it out, so I might as well hunt another rabbit.
Since I was progressing alone, Dean’s advice was quite educational.
He taught me various things, like how to track demon beasts and navigate through the forest. Yeah, having a mentor around really is the best way to learn.
I encountered a monkey demon beast for the first time. It was notorious for appearing in human settlements and snatching up children to eat, making it highly disliked. However, it wasn’t very strong unless in a group.
“That over there, the grass with the yellow-edged leaves is called Gold Coin Grass. It’s a ridiculous plant used to scent the wine of the wealthy.”
Looks like we’ve finally reached our destination.
“Does it… make things taste better?”
Dean shrugged in response to my question, as if to say, “Who knows?”
I took a whiff, but it smelled like a mix of grass and earth…
“I don’t want any.”
“Neither do I. But since it’s for the rich, they can be charged without hesitation.”
If it were something like medicinal ingredients, I might have some inner conflict about whether only the wealthy should benefit, but this seems like a way to swindle foolish rich folks.
If I didn’t have a pantry and came across rice, I’d probably be willing to pay a fortune for it, so maybe this is a win-win situation.
To avoid it from disappearing, I decided to leave half of it behind. Gold Coin Grass doesn’t grow in the winter when the ground freezes, but it sprouts new shoots all year round otherwise.
Among them, the new shoots in spring and the ones with strong scents during this season are said to be quite expensive. By the way, Gold Coin Grass is also known as Gifu Butterfly Grass, and its official name is different. It’s completely treated as a money-making plant.
According to [Appraisal], it seems that Gifu Butterfly Grass is effective against Yellow Spot Disease, which is spread by butterflies. I might keep a few stalks instead of selling them to look up the recipe and make some medicine. Unlike cooking, the recipe doesn’t show up in the appraisal results until you either look it up or make it.
I prepared for lunch by the riverside. While Dean was stacking stones for a windbreak for the campfire and handling the rabbit, I went to gather firewood.
I just needed to cut some dry fallen branches and carry them back.
“Oh? You’re really quite rough around the edges, huh?”
“If I cut them smaller, it would be a hassle to carry.”
I know the size of firewood! I’ve been starting fires while living on an uninhabited island!
For now, I peeled the bark off to make tinder. After that, I just needed to cut the wood into various sizes.
There were also herbs growing nearby, so I gathered some while keeping an eye on the meat. Once it was cooked to a certain extent, Dean cut it into manageable pieces and cooked it some more. I thought it would be a whole roast, but undercooked meat is scary, so this should be fine.
If the rabbit is overcooked, it becomes dry and has an unpleasant smell. Getting the cooking time just right is tricky.
While I was seriously watching the cooking process, Dean picked up his sword.
“Uh… Sorry if I startled you.”
“Hm?”
I thought it was a bear, but it turned out to be a lion. No, not Leon, but Leora.
“What are you doing here?”
“Well, I came to hunt bears. Right now, I’m just here to fetch some water.”
I wanted to ask something else, but if he’s on the run, he probably wouldn’t say it in front of Dean. Is it bad to call him by name?
“Do you know each other?”
“Yeah.”
“This is Ash. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Dean.”
Ash gave me a knowing glance, and I felt relieved that not mentioning names was the right call. Maybe he chose a pseudonym based on his hair color? It’s different from the ash color in Japan, but it’s a beautiful bluish-gray. He still has that intimidating look, though.
“I apologize for leaving you halfway during the guidance last time. I will definitely pay for the potion.”
“Don’t worry about it. I feel bad for making you guide me while you were injured.”
“No…”
“Just in time, the meat is ready. Why don’t you join us for lunch?”
Dean invited Ash to join us, and it seemed like we were about to enter a cycle of apologies.
The meat was a bit overcooked.
“If you can hunt bears, paying for the potion should be easy, right?”
“Well, the lodging fees are a bit tight. It’s a small town, but there are a lot of people, so the competition for rooms is fierce.”
I raised an eyebrow at Ash’s words. I didn’t recall any competition for rooms…
“Hm? Where exactly are you staying?”
I thought to myself that Dean really doesn’t have any social anxiety as I cooked more meat. Next time, I should bring some herbs too.
“Well, it’s just a bed and a desk… But it costs a gold coin a day, which is quite steep.”
“…Wait, you’re being overcharged, aren’t you?”
I couldn’t help but interject into Leon’s story.
“It’s clear I got stuck in a bad inn, but why didn’t I notice?”
Even I, who am still new to this world, could see that.
“Was it through the Guild’s introduction?”
“…”
“…”
Upon hearing the story, it turned out it was a referral from Pink Head. I couldn’t help but glance at Dean with half-open eyes.