Chapter 204: I Ate the Worm
Before me lay a vast expanse of white earth.
An endless, barren wasteland stretched as far as the eye could see. There was no grass or trees, no water to be found, just an overwhelming white landscape.
“What is this place…?”
Rest tilted his head in confusion. He had no recollection of the moments leading up to this. Where was he, and what had he been doing? What was the purpose of his existence, and why must he die? Above all… was he truly Rest? It felt as if he might have been someone else entirely.
“…………?”
As he observed his surroundings in despair, he noticed that the white ground was not flat. There were hills and holes scattered about, a landscape rich in undulations. This was his first visit to this place; he was certain of that. Yet… Rest recognized it.
“Could this be… the Moon?”
Indeed, the cratered terrain resembled the lunar landscapes he had seen in photographs back when he was in Japan. He stood in the very spot where Apollo 11 had landed, where astronauts had once tread. It was impossible… or so Rest thought, until he looked up and saw a blue planet above him.
Earth. It was indeed blue.
“Wha…?”
However, something strange began to unfold in this lunar scenery. From within one of the craters, a massive white creature crawled forth. It was as large as a bear, with slick, white skin. It had no eyes or nose, and where a face should be, pink tendrils writhed.
“Monsters…!”
“GYSHAAAAAAAH!”
The creature emitted a bizarre sound and lunged at Rest, a spear clutched in its short arms aimed directly at him.
“Rest, Rest!”
“Wha…!”
Called sharply by his name, Rest’s eyes flew open. What had he been doing? Confusion clouded his mind.
“What’s wrong? Why are you holding meat? Did it not suit your taste?”
Yuri, standing before him, asked with concern. The memories flooded back to him, igniting recognition in his mind.
(That’s right… I was eating the dinner that Yuri and the others made…)
In his right hand, Rest held a meat skewer. The savory aroma wafting from it was still warm, indicating that he hadn’t lost consciousness for long. He felt as if he had been reincarnated into another world, but he decided it was merely his imagination.
“…It’s nothing. Just a bit of a daydream, perhaps…?”
“Oh? So it really wasn’t to your liking?”
“No… it’s not that it’s bad…?”
He took another bite of the meat skewer. The texture was pleasantly chewy, reminiscent of cartilage. Though it had a slight odor, the sauce managed to neutralize it effectively. Seasoned with ginger soy sauce, it had a flavor akin to bonito. Surprisingly, it wasn’t bad at all.
“The first bite sent my consciousness soaring into the cosmos, but… what is this? It’s unexpectedly addictive…”
This wasn’t just flattery. It was genuinely delicious. Despite its indescribable flavor, one bite made him crave another… it was a taste that was strangely addictive.
(Delicious, but… it’s actually frightening to find it so good. What is this meat?)
“This… it’s worm meat, right?”
“Ah, yes. As expected of dragon species meat. Isn’t it delightful?”
“Dragon species… right, worms are related to dragons…”
Dragon meat is a highly sought-after delicacy. Being a subspecies, it was no surprise that worm meat could be delicious as well.
“This soup isn’t bad either… it has a rich flavor.”
“Ah, that’s made from the broth of the worm’s bones. For some reason, it turned green…”
“I-I see…”
Rest tried not to think too deeply about it as he brought the soup to his lips. Watching him, Ula’s expression remained stoic, yet her cheeks flushed a bright red.
“…I’m happy.”
It seemed that Rest’s praise for the dish brought her joy. The girl, with her doll-like demeanor, trembled with delight.
“The moon is beautiful.”
Beside Ula, Ostre was lost in bliss, a meat skewer in hand, thoroughly enjoying the moment.