NOVEL NEXT Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Dinner Preparation
Chapter 81: Dinner Preparation
“War… it’s quite exaggerated, isn’t it?”
Menas glanced at us again, wearing an expression of surprise mixed with disbelief.
The other members of the caravan had more or less the same expressions.
…Isn’t it exaggerated?
Edda, on the other hand, alternated her gaze between me and Elizabeth, looking at us as if we were a bit crazy.
“Seriously, isn’t Bonus… a bit crazy?”
“Don’t say what you’re thinking! Haa… didn’t I promise Edda to show her our cute pet?”
“Oh, right, you did say something like that. A pet… huh…”
Edda looked even more astonished.
No, Elizabeth is cute, isn’t she!
“Hey, Bonus. With just that one, could we take down Savoia?”
“…No! My Elizabeth is not the kind of child to do such a thing!”
“Meeeh!”
Since Edda and Jeda kept saying rude things, I protested for Elizabeth.
“And we have three demons said to be able to change the tide of battle if just one is present… Even though I saw Kuro fight for the first time, I don’t think even the Empire’s elite forces can make such crazy moves, right?”
“Gugyau~?”
“Well, they didn’t gather as companions to fight… Ah, but Kuro is cute~!”
“Gyau! Gugyau~!”
I felt a bit unreasonable for wanting to charge into Savoia like this, but it’s too late to do anything now, so I decided to just admire Kuro and forget about it for now.
“Hey, hey, Bonus, can I, um, touch this kid a bit…?”
“Mee~”
“Huh? Oh, yeah, it seems fine… probably. Her name is Elizabeth.”
Edda approached Elizabeth timidly.
Alright, now Edda won’t be able to escape from Elizabeth’s charm anymore.
She’s joining the ranks of the crazy ones.
The other members of the caravan timidly approached as well.
You guys are going down with me!
“But it’s fortunate we met like this. There’s a lot to talk about, but let’s have dinner for now. I’ll prepare the ingredients today!”
“That’s true. Thank you very much. Hehe… It feels like it’s been a long time since we had a meal together here.”
“Whaat’s this… Aah, nooo…”
While Menas responded with a refined smile, her daughter Edda clung to Elizabeth, starting to make obscene sounds.
…Did Menas also have a time like Edda’s?
Although Elizabeth seemed to be appealing something to me with a slightly troubled expression, for now, I’ll leave her alone.
Sorry, Elizabeth!
Anyway, I’ll start preparing the meal while lightly greeting the other familiar faces.
Honestly, I didn’t expect much, but I met Menas at just the right time.
There’s a lot to talk about, but the members of the caravan must be tired from such events.
First, let’s eat.
“The aroma is nice. What kind of wood did you use for smoking?”
“We happened to find some good wood recently… Hey, old man, are you really going to use those spices?”
“If I don’t use them now, when will I? Ah, isn’t this grilled too much? Hm? Is it okay?”
“It’s fine~. This part tastes better when it’s cooked well.”
“Hey, is this sauce okay? It seems like the color is off, doesn’t it?”
“Oh, no, this is–”
I also tried to help with cooking, but Mil and Jeda promptly kicked me out.
Now, for some reason, they’re having a power struggle over cooking.
While suspiciously monitoring each other’s seasonings and cooking skills, they’re efficiently progressing with the cooking.
Shiro and Kuro are peeking with interest as Edda and Elizabeth feed Kohaku.
Gisella and Zamza seem to be assisting in setting up the tent.
They’re chatting amiably with the other members of the caravan.
I feel a bit idle.
Should I proceed with talking to Menas first…?
“So, I really thought I was going to die this time. It was really touch and go.”
“That’s what happened… I had some awareness of the Black Wolf mass spawning incident, but I never expected Bonus-san to be involved. It’s surprising… no, rather, it makes sense.”
“On our way from the Empire to here, a considerable number of monsters spawned. If this was a secondary event, the original must have been truly terrifying.”
While the dishes were being prepared, I finished explaining the situation to Menas and the others.
Menas didn’t say a word while I was talking.
Her eyes occasionally flickered as if comparing the information in her mind, but she remained still, listening intently.
Even the usually cheerful Gazat listened with a terribly serious expression.
Certainly, the safety of trade routes, the relationship between the Tamir Empire and the Kingdom of Lenas, and the future of Savoia are all life-and-death matters for Menas and his group.
Menas and his group must know far more about the Tamir Empire than we do.
They must have gleaned even more from the information I provided.
I hope they make good use of it.
“In fact, Menas and the others were quite worried, so they came this far. But I’m really glad to see everyone looking well.”
“Thank you, Bonus-san. Negotiations within the Tamir Empire unexpectedly took longer than expected, so this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. If the timing had been worse, it could have been dangerous…”
“The information you’ve given us is truly appreciated. Actually, within the Tamir Empire, succession struggles are starting to surface, and their impact is gradually affecting civilian life. Especially for those of us who travel from town to town, it’s a time when we need to gather more information and be more vigilant.”
Menas and Gazat seemed even more serious than I had expected.
Between the two of them, they began discussing their future plans.
“Ohh! What’s this… What a fragrant smell… Aah… delicious…”
“This is amazing! The unique spiciness harmonizes with the meat’s oil… Mmm! Irresistible!”
“It seems I was mistaken. Despite being young, you’ve done well. You’re skilled enough to cook this meat.”
“I thought he was just a crazy old man, but this is impressive. I have to acknowledge his cooking skills.”
Excited voices from Mil and Jeda can be heard.
For some reason, with even more seriousness than Menas and his group, Mil and Jeda are applauding each other’s skills and shaking hands.
Jeda even has tears in his eyes for some reason.
Was the meat we ate after such a long time really that good…?
“It seems the dishes are ready.”
“Gugyau gugyau~”
It seems Kuro is heading to help with serving and other tasks.
It’s a bit awkward to talk to Menas and the others in this atmosphere, but I want to consult with them about the reconstruction of Vaintz Village now…
“In fact, I wanted to talk about the village at the center of this incident–”