Chapter 203: Eating the Worm
Rest set up the Monster-Repelling Barrier, ensuring the safety of the campsite. However, this did not mean that today’s mission was complete. A significant challenge still lay ahead: the actual consumption of the dinner prepared by Yuri and Ula.
“Ah, Rest! Dinner is ready! Should I bring it over to you?”
Yuri called out to Rest, who was supplying magical power to the barrier.
(She’s here… it’s happening…!)
Rest swallowed hard, a nervous gulp escaping him. Yuri and Ula had been cooking, using the defeated worm as their main ingredient. He had tried his best to block out the suspicious sounds of their cooking, but they reached him nonetheless.
(To be honest… I don’t want to eat it. I’m scared…)
Though he had never experienced it before, Rest felt as if he were a human about to eat surströmming for the first time. For context, surströmming is a canned herring known as the smelliest food in the world.
(Herring is fine; it’s food after all… but a worm is definitely not food. No one in recorded history has ever eaten one…)
No sane person could feel hungry after seeing that mud-covered, massive body, oozing with its eerie bodily fluids. If it were permissible, he would want to fly away from this place immediately.
“Rest?”
“Ah… I’ll be right there.”
Called again by Yuri, Rest reluctantly stood up. He poured a bit more magical power into the magic circle beneath him, ensuring the barrier would remain intact for a while even after he left.
“This way. Come on.”
“Ah…”
Dragging his heavy feet, Rest followed her to the dining table.
A table and chairs were set on the ground. Ula was there, along with her attendant, Arly. And then there was Ostre, who looked as if he were awaiting execution.
“Count Clover…”
“Ostre-dono…”
Though they had only met today, there was an inexplicable sense of connection between them. It felt as if they were bound by a bond that transcended time and status.
(We are comrades… Let’s fight together and survive!)
(Yes… I wish you good fortune in battle…!)
Through telepathy, they exchanged such thoughts as they took their seats at the table.
“Alright, everyone. Dig in without hesitation!”
“A feast!”
Seeing that everyone had gathered at the table, Yuri and Ula brought out the dishes. The first item placed on the table was skewered grilled meat. The meat, cooked to a brown hue, was drizzled with a savory sauce that wafted an enticing aroma. Next came a bowl of soup, a green liquid resembling green curry, filled with vegetables and meat.
“Looks… delicious…?”
Surprisingly, the appearance was somewhat decent. It was at least edible, at least based on looks alone.
“There’s dessert too, so look forward to it!”
“Dessert…”
Rest wished they would stop snatching away his hopes. He didn’t want to know that even after dealing with the immediate threat, a boss still remained.
(No, no… Dessert and the worm shouldn’t be related. There’s no way that hunk of meat could turn into a sweet treat…!)
(So, as long as I eat the dish in front of me, I’ll be fine. Count Clover!)
(Yes, that’s right. I must believe that… I shouldn’t let go of hope…!)
“What’s wrong, you two? Aren’t you going to eat?”
Yuri tilted her head, noticing the two communicating naturally through telepathy.
“If you don’t eat quickly, it’ll get cold!”
“Let’s eat quickly?”
Even Ula urged them to hurry. The word “messu” sounded like it had a different meaning. He hoped he wouldn’t be “summoned” to the heavens.
“Don’t worry… any poison can be dispelled with magic. Since it’s cooked, there shouldn’t be any parasites…”
Rest muttered to himself, trying to reassure his nerves as he picked up a skewer of grilled meat.
“Namu san…!”
And then, with determination, he took a bite of the fragrant meat.