NOVEL NEXT chapter 49
49 – Fat Belly and an Excellent Hunter, You Say? (Laughter)
Voracious Veronia had many favorite foods.
As a member of the Wolf Tribe who loved meat, she didn’t discriminate against vegetables and fruits either.
And for a good reason.
“Eating a balanced diet is essential for fighting!”
She believed that having a healthy body was the most efficient way to fight effectively.
It was a well-known fact that consuming a variety of foods was beneficial for one’s health, even among humans.
Therefore, she didn’t have any particular preferences.
There were likes and dislikes when it came to food.
Veronia didn’t particularly have any preferences, but among all the dishes, her absolute favorite was:
Sweet desserts.
On days when a tough fight awaited her, she would always put something sweet in her mouth.
It was a secret tip that a senior fighter at the arena had given her when she was trembling in fear before her first fight.
-Eating this will give you courage.
When she put the sweet dessert in her mouth, it made her forget all the fear and anxiety she felt before a fight.
Having forgotten her fear, she won her debut match, and eating sweet desserts had become a routine for her ever since.
That’s when it began.
The reason why she became so fond of sweets.
At first, she started eating them to win fights, but now she enjoyed eating desserts for their taste.
“My mouth is bored! Bring me a sweet snack!”
Now, she would even eat desserts on days when there were no fights.
So far, there had been no shortage of desserts for her to consume.
She was the greatest warrior in Lillian, the highest paid and most highly regarded fighter.
When she went on trips, her taste for desserts never left her.
Veronia’s keen nose never missed the sweet scent.
That’s why she never spared the honey from Pumpkin-Bees.
One could confidently say that among the Rangin tribe, she had tasted the most diverse range of desserts.
Among the desserts she’d tasted, the gingerbread in front of her now ranked among the most delicious.
Although it was difficult to say it was the most delicious, it was definitely within the top five.
Of course, it was.
It contained high-quality honey from Pumpkin-Bees and the special seasoning Mana used by Lucas.
What particularly appealed to her was not only the sweetness, but also the amount of the gingerbread that filled the plate.
‘The most delicious dessert was only the size of a finger, which was disappointing…..’
This was different.
The sweet, melting, and crispy treat that filled her mouth still lingered vividly before her eyes.
‘Delicious. Delicious. So delicious!’
She wanted more.
It was a sensation of energy surging through her body.
Of course, she had already filled the essential sugar when she raided Pumpkin-Bee’s hive, but that was a different matter.
How could the snacks made by nature compare to those crafted by a top-notch chef?
Her tail wagged involuntarily.
With every bite of the treat, she swayed her navy-blue tail from side to side.
Veronia herself was unaware of the fact that she automatically wagged her tail when savoring the treat.
Maybe that’s why.
‘This must be delicious too, right?’
Even now, she caught sight of steaming ginger tea with wisps of steam rising.
A sweet scent permeated between the robust and spicy aroma.
Various fragrances, piercing her sensitive nose, surrounded and embraced her with each sip of the tea.
-It should be good for a hangover.
She recalled Lucas’s words when he first introduced it.
It seemed like he didn’t know why she had fainted.
‘Luckily.’
It didn’t seem like he had made any special mistakes.
Of course, she didn’t know.
To Lucas, who had experienced modern Korea’s drinking culture, Veronia’s antics, or rather, her mating rituals, were nothing at all.
“I’ll enjoy this too!”
Veronia cautiously took a sip of the still-steaming ginger tea.
Slurp!
“Kreaat!!!!”
Spicy!
Piquant!
In the face of the eye-watering spiciness, she instinctively stuck out her tongue.
But strangely, she didn’t dislike it!
The piquant and spicy taste of ginger instantly washed her mouth, which had been accustomed to sweetness until now, leaving it clean.
As the ginger tea slid down her throat, it rinsed away the lingering sweetness from the medicine.
As if trying to comfort the sweetness hastily chased away by the sudden burst of spiciness, the end was gently enveloped by the smoothness of honey.
The rich sweetness that lingered due to the medicine was swept away by the spiciness of ginger, and a new kind of sweetness took its place.
Yet, the piquancy of ginger still lingered.
“Nom nom.”
Unconsciously, Veronia savored the flavor.
Her appetite awakened.
Even though her stomach felt full from the dessert just a moment ago, the desire to eat more arose.
But more than that, what satisfied her was:
‘Warm.’
Her insides felt comfortable.
After the frenzy, this ginger tea warmed her languid body.
The strange warmth of the ginger tea filling her belly was oddly pleasant.
In contrast to the awakening effect of desserts, it made her body and mind pleasantly lethargic.
A feeling of floating, as if her body was loosening and gently drifting on water.
“What is this?”
Veronia asked, taking a sip of the ginger tea, and Lucas chuckled in response.
“It’s ginger tea made by infusing ginger and pears. It’s good for hangovers when you drink it with honey.”
“How intriguing! The ginger I know had a stronger aroma than this.”
Hoorooroop.
She repeated the act of drinking ginger tea and taking medicine.
It was a peculiarly addictive taste.
The spicy and savory flavor added to the sweetness, giving a strangely relieving sensation, as if stress was flying away.
Buzz buzz buzz! Her tail wagged involuntarily.
It was a movement completely unrelated to her will. She thought, ‘If only I could eat this delicious dessert every day.’ Every day. The distance between Lillian and this town was about four days of running for her. If she were to ride a horse, it would take about a week. It might be impossible to eat it every day if she were to work as a warrior for Lillian. ‘It’s difficult.’ However, desserts have the advantage of being able to be stored for a long time, so if she buys a large quantity and goes back, she might not have to come every day. ‘I’m not really into this.’ Andrea, the oblivious forest creature, pouted and stuck out her tongue, scrunching her face. She’s like an ungrateful elf. Lucas must have worked hard to make this, and she’s complaining about the side dish. How annoying. Step back! ‘If you don’t want to eat it, then don’t! I’ll eat it all!’ ‘What, what? Why do you get to decide?’ When Veronia tried to snatch the ginger tea, Andrea tightly gripped her own cup. ‘Is it because it doesn’t taste good?'”
“Who says it doesn’t taste good?”
“Then why won’t you eat it?”
“W-Well….”
Andrea’s eyes turned towards Lucas.
Seemed like she was gauging the chef’s reaction.
“J-Just can’t say it! Why should I tell something like that to someone like you?”
The attitude was firm.
Any further provocation might lead to an immediate fight.
Veronia sensed the fighter’s spirit reacting here.
Her emitted energy made the skin prickle and the hairs stand on end.
She wanted to fight this elf right now, but it didn’t seem polite to her benefactor, the one who provided her with food.
She couldn’t ruin the benefactor’s shop.
“If you don’t want to talk, then don’t.”
Veronia suppressed her eagerness with patience and withdrew her hand from the cup.
Since she said she would eat it, she would eat it well on her own terms.
“Ahem, it was delicious! Haven’t had a dessert this good in a long time!”
Even during this, her hand was reaching for the medicine.
Seeing this, Lucas chuckled and said, “If you enjoyed it, how about the next one?”
Lucas pointed out the crumbs and medicine on her lips.
Both Veronia and Andrea seemed satisfied with the taste of the medicine.
There was no reason to dislike it.
It was, after all, K-Tanghulu.
A dessert that had dominated Korea even before the trend of Tanghulu.
It had long been a dessert loved nationwide.
Andrea is already repaying the food expenses with her body, so it doesn’t matter to her, but Veronia is different. She already repaid the favor of helping her find honey with the bulgogi lunchbox. Medicine and payment should be separate. “Ahem, I am also a polite Lang tribe member! How can I just let it go after eating such delicious food? Moreover, earlier… no, because of the alcohol… I caused trouble, so if you want something, tell me! I, Lillian’s best warrior, Veronia, will help with anything!” “I’ll help with anything. Can you take responsibility for that statement?” “Of course! The Lang tribe doesn’t irresponsibly ignore the favors they receive!” “It seems like a very difficult situation.” I took a step closer as I stood up from my seat. “Even the best warrior may not be able to solve it.” “Challenging is the virtue of our Lang tribe!” “Indeed, not only will sweat pour and breathing become rough, but the mood may become so good that one can’t regain their composure. At first, it may hurt, but as you continue, the good feeling will make you forget that pain.” “…It’s an extraordinary situation.” I spoke while placing my hand on Veronia’s shoulder. “Of course, if you have money, you can repay with money.” “It’s okay! I have confidence in using my body!” Andrea, who had been observing us, intervened between Veronia and me. “No! Hey, no inappropriate things!” Andrea stopped me. “…What are you talking about, Andrea?” “Yes?” “Why would you ask for something like that?” “…Huh?” “Are all elves naturally mischievous like that?” “Well, well, because it’s a situation where sweat pours and breathing becomes rough, and the mood becomes so good…” Veronia sighed as she heard those words.
“Hoo, isn’t it obvious we’re talking about hunting?”
“Hunt…ing?”
“Yeah. It’s about finding a resilient prey, shedding sweat and blood, forgetting the physical pain, and experiencing the moment of achieving the goal! Isn’t that the virtue of hunting?”
“Don’t talk about hunting like that!”
Andrea, hearing Veronia shout at me, pinched her lower abdomen.
“You elves wouldn’t understand! Getting complacent in peace, letting your lower abdomen be caught like this…”
“Kyaaaaaah!!!!!”
Andrea, whose slim lower abdomen was caught, screamed and drew her sword.
Clang!
Veronia instinctively pulled out two short daggers from her waist and blocked her attack.
Sharp weapons clashed in the air, sparks flying.
“Wh-what are you touching! And I haven’t gained that much weight! I used to enjoy carnivorous delights while hunting not too long ago…”
At that remark, Veronia’s eyes alternated between Andrea’s face and her lower abdomen.
“Hoot!”
A derisive snicker.
A facial expression that said not to lie.
Andrea, whose pride was crushed, looked at me.
“Please tell me, sir. What path have I walked?”
“…”
I met Andrea’s gaze, asking for an explanation.
‘Hmm….’
An elf warrior who loves hunting and enjoys carnivorous delights.
Of course, that’s what she claimed.
‘But I’ve never actually seen Andrea hunt.’
When we first met, it seemed absurdly well-trained.
But what she did at the shop.
After coming to work, she ate the breakfast I prepared, processed ingredients, forced a smile while serving, had lunch, continued serving, attending to customers…
“Having dinner.”
…
Silence filled the restaurant.
The more so, the redder Andrea’s face became.
“Hahaha! Look at that! Your boss couldn’t even deny it! An elf who’s put on weight in the lap of peace!”
“I haven’t put on weight! Just a tiny bit.”
Andrea retorted to Veronia, her face moist with tears, glaring at me.
“Boss, you’re too much. I worked so hard, and yet… I used to be a renowned hunter!”
No, you didn’t show your hunting skills.
I couldn’t bring myself to say that. If I did, I’d burst into tears right then and there.
With a sharpened tone, Andrea spoke.
“Then let’s have a contest.”
“A contest?”
“Who can catch the more magnificent prey.”
“Not a bad idea! But who will judge?”
Andrea’s eyes turned to me.
Veronia followed suit, looking at me.
“Seems we have a suitable judge!”
“…Really going to do this?”
Andrea, you’re back on duty tomorrow.
Chapter 50
“The time limit is 6 hours! Hunt your prey within that time and return here! Any objections?”
“None.”
“Good! Then Lucas, wait here! We’ll be back with the prey!”
I looked at the two women.
“Take care. The judgment will be as fair as possible.”
“All right! Let’s begin!”
Veronia finished speaking and left the place swiftly.
“We will definitely win.”
Andrea’s face was ablaze with determination.
Whether it was the shock of being called fat or because I ignored her, I don’t know.
“Do your best. We’ll be waiting.”
“Yes, sir. Please judge fairly.”
Andrea also left in a hurry.
…
As the noisy elves and beastmen disappeared, the restaurant fell silent in an instant.
It’s been a while.
The restaurant hasn’t been this quiet.
“It’s been quite chaotic since Andrea arrived.”
At first, it was to properly train her as an employee, and recently, it was because she prepared ingredients with her.
Sitting quietly in a chair and enjoying the rare moment of leisure, I realized that they had left without doing the dishes.
“I guess I have to do the dishes.”
With nothing else to do, I washed the dishes, organized the trays for drying herbs, and put the ginger syrup in the refrigerator.
I finished organizing the small honey in a shaded place.
“It ended sooner than I thought.”
As I tidied up, it turned out it was done in less than 20 minutes.
“Shall I make rice cakes and dip them in honey?”
As I was about to put away the last tidy honey jar in the warehouse, I murmured, captivated by the golden glow.
A mixture of water and rice flour, steamed in a steamer to create a white rice cake dough.
Continuously kneading it until it became sticky and stretchy enough to cling to itself.
Whether made into cylindrical rice cakes or sliced into rectangles, lightly brushed with sesame oil and dipped in honey on freshly steamed rice cakes?
“There’s nothing tastier than that.”
Nothing adheres to the palate quite like freshly steamed rice cakes.
Even if they’ve been left for a day, lightly pan-frying them results in a crispy exterior and a chewy interior, creating a delightful rice cake dish.
“Plus, any leftover rice cakes can be used in other dishes.”
Rice cake soup, rice cake soup, rice cake noodles, spicy rice cakes, rice cakes, rice cakes, rice cakes…
Since there happens to be some recently harvested honey, it might be a good opportunity to make rice cakes.
“Quietly cooking alone, it’s been a while.”
Sometimes, a moment for cooking alone, akin to meditation, was necessary.
One can’t always engage in bustling and lively cooking.
The rice flour was quickly sifted.
Loading the polished grains into a clean, sterilized butchering knife, I quickly turned the rice grains into fine powder – a magical method that even a mill wouldn’t accomplish as well.
“Though they would do it well if I commissioned it to the mill…”
But going all the way there was also a task.
I mixed water and sugar into the finely ground flour using a method that ordinary people would never attempt.
I sifted the rice flour, resembling fine powder like frost, onto a sieve.
As the steam rose from the boiling water, cooking the rice flour placed on the sieve, I applied oil to the pot to prepare for kneading the rice cakes.
A gentle blue smoke rose from the steamer.
The scent of steamed rice tickled the nose.
It was slightly different from the aroma of cooking rice.
What can I say, it smelled a bit more rustic, as if it came straight from the countryside.
Rice cakes aren’t exclusive to rural areas, but there was something about that scent that felt that way.
A scent that evoked thoughts of a hometown far away.
A comforting scent.
Thinking it was well-cooked enough, I lifted the lid of the steamer.
A steamy mixture of rice dough, with grains of rice glistening, rested on the bamboo mat.
The clumps of rice flour seemed to stick together, resembling rice that had been broken into tiny pieces.
Touching the properly cooked dough directly would scald like it was still raw.
Wearing gloves, I gathered the edges of the cloth and lifted it all at once.
Placing the rice dough, now snugly tucked in the cloth, on a prepared mat greased with oil.
Sprinkling saltwater to separate the dough from the cloth, then pouring it onto the mat.
Using the mat to shape the dough was preferable, as touching it directly could result in burns.
“I wish there was a machine that could knead the dough for me.”
But with no magic guild or alchemist guild around here, that would be challenging.
“Oh, child, should’ve brought it with you when you came down here.”
There was a machine in the capital for kneading the dough used in bread-making.
I didn’t quite understand how it worked with some magical principles, but it made making rice cakes easy, so I used it often.
“The problem is the machine is too big; it’s impractical for personal use.”
Besides, even in the capital, there were many magical machines that I couldn’t use right now.
Sometimes, I miss the convenience of the capital.
“It was so handy to have so many auxiliary tools.”
Sighing, as I looked at the dough, it had turned into a white, resilient, sparkling substance.
Shaping it before it dried would be the last step!
I rolled the rice cake dough into a long shape, creating round and chubby cylindrical rice cakes.
The texture felt incredibly soft and chewy in my hands, providing a delightful sensation.
In comparison to the rice cakes made directly at the rice cake mill, it might be slightly inferior, but it was a creature with a sufficiently chewy and elastic texture.
“This should be enough.”
Finally, I brushed sesame oil onto the surface of the completed rice cake.
It was a measure to prevent stickiness by applying it to each other.
I cut the freshly made rice cake into a palm-sized length and brought two pieces.
The remaining rice cakes, made of a material that did not allow air to pass through, were wrapped using a tray.
It wasn’t as perfect as modern vinyl in completely blocking air, but stacking them up could achieve a similar effect.
While steaming the rice cake, the kitchen vibrated with the scent of the steamed rice cake filling the air.
I hummed a tune while smelling the fragrant aroma of toasted grains.
“Hmm~.”
I poured honey into a small dish.
“Come to think of it, because of Veronia, I couldn’t eat lunch properly, and I only had one piece of candy.”
It felt like I had eaten a lot, but my stomach was still empty.
Moving my body here and there, my stomach naturally growled.
Holding the rice cake in one hand, I enjoyed the pleasant scent of the rice cake.
“Oops, it’s hot~.”
My fingers, startled by the hot pain, grabbed it with a jolt.
The rice cake, still radiating heat, was emitting a tempting aroma.
Despite applying oil, the rice cake tried to stick slightly to my fingers.
“The texture is excellent.”
It meant it was made from good rice.
After waiting until it cooled slightly to the point where I could hold it with my hands, I grabbed the rice cake again.
I could feel the warmth.
A smile unconsciously appeared at the soft touch.
I grabbed the long and white rice cake and dipped it into the golden honey.
White and fluffy, a golden viscous liquid flowed down the soft stick.
It was truly a sacred sight.
Before more honey could flow, I took a bite of honey-dipped rice cake in one go.
“Mmm~~!!!”
The rice cake was divine, and the honey was invincible.
The chewy and bouncy texture quickly struck with a rich sweet taste. As I chewed, the texture of the rice cake gradually softened, revealing the savory taste of grains and sesame oil mingling with the sweetness.
Squishy.
“This turned out much better than I expected?”
What to say.
The flavor was more alive.
Ironically, it was tastier than when done by a machine.
Was it because it was kneaded with a sword sheathed in mana?
Come to think of it, when I steamed rice cakes in the past, I used to ask the mill to mill the rice.
Then, I modified a bread dough machine to shape the rice cake dough.
“Is this the taste of handmade?”
It took a little effort, but it was definitely a bit more delicious.
“As expected, natural seasoning….”
The powder starting with M was also an excellent seasoning, but adding mana definitely seemed to enhance its deep flavor.
“Delicious. Really delicious.”
While savoring the chewy rice cake, I dipped it in honey once again.
Drip, drip.
Golden transparent honey formed threads and fell.
“It’s delicious.”
The harmony of sweet and savory flavors pleased the palate.
Whether or not I dipped it in honey, there was an addictive quality to the deep flavor of the rice cake itself.
Moreover, it was something I hadn’t learned in science class, that chewing carbohydrates for a long time brings out a sweet taste.
Amylase, or amylase.
It was something I knew from a previous science class.
“It’s interesting how you can faintly taste the sweetness even if you just eat it.”
Enjoying the pleasant texture, I was in the middle of eating when the door banged open.
“I’m back! Hehehe!”
Veronia opened the door and entered.
“You came back faster than I thought. It hasn’t even been five hours.”
“I caught a big one, bigger than I expected!”
Caught a Tuo?
Not that I’ve been called the best fighter for no reason.
“How about this! The best prey I hunted! I’ll give this as a gift to Lucas, who gave me delicious food! Hahaha!”
Veronia, with a clenched fist, laughed heartily.
‘Andrea must be having a hard time with this.’
“Lucas, by the way, what’s this?”
“It’s barley rice cake. Want to try some?”
I cut a piece with scissors and offered it.
“Wow! What is this? The texture is unique!”
“Dip it in honey and try. It’ll be delicious.”
“With this texture and taste! It’s amazing! How is it made?”
“It might get boring.”
“It’s okay! Since there’s nothing else to do while waiting, I’ll listen with interest!”
“First, you need to make glutinous rice flour using soaked rice. And then…”
As I explained to her how to make rice cakes, time flew by in a blink.
30 minutes later, Andrea arrived, carrying the prey she had hunted on her shoulders.
The animal she had hunted was a wild boar.
It resembled a modern wild pig.
A wild boar and a bull.
“Well, it seems like I won, doesn’t it?”
Externally, Veronia’s victory was evident to anyone.
Although a wild boar was also a challenging creature to deal with, it was not comparable to a bull.
The bull was often considered a monster as formidable as an ogre or a troll.
I shared the same thought as Veronia.
Considering the size and power of the prey, there didn’t seem to be any element that could lead Andrea to victory.
That’s right.
It seemed that way on the surface.
“No, it’s too early to determine the winner.”
Andrea, biting her lip while making a disappointed face, and Veronia, confident in her victory, both turned to look at me.
“Lucas, what does that mean?”
“….”
“A hunter’s only purpose isn’t just to hunt, right? Isn’t that so?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“The reason for hunting is ultimately to eat that animal, isn’t it?”
“…Right.”
“Well then, we need to see how you handled the hunted prey.”
Veronia rebutted, refusing to acknowledge it.
“But considering the size and difficulty of the hunt, I…”
“Surely, we decided to bring back excellent prey. Isn’t that right?”
“Right. That’s true.”
“We hunted, but if we can’t eat it, that doesn’t make it good prey, does it? No?”
“…That’s also true.”
A glimmer of hope appeared on Andrea’s face.
“In terms of the size and weight of the captured prey, and the difficulty of the hunt, Veronia holds the advantage. So, if the taste and method of handling the prey are tied, Veronia wins. Agreed?”
She nodded slightly, a touch uncertain.
“I’m the one who suggested Lucas as the judge, so I’ll accept it. It’s fine to spare the subordinate members, but the judgment must be fair!”
“No trickery. Don’t worry.”
And I didn’t want to, anyway.
“Cooking is simple. Evaluate the ribs, the attached loin, and the rib meat, which can be judged together for taste. Agreed?”
“I agree!”
“No objections.”
Having the consent of both, I stood before the prey.
Wild boar and bull.
Meat I had butchered many times before.
I drew the butchering knife after a long while.
“Hoo.”
Ranslot, I will honor your will and butcher the meat.
Slicing!