The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, Chapter 116

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Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen: Frying Meat Under the Night Sky

The cheese fondue was completely devoured, down to the last crispy bit clinging to the pot’s sides. It was fragrant and delicious!

Gomamiso, who had eaten scraps of cheese-smeared bread and leftover sausage, was now contentedly snoozing on Mr. Ville’s lap.

As I sort through the drop items I’d received as souvenirs, which also serve as post-meal exercise, I’m amazed by the sheer quantity. Not just meat, but green wild herbs, brown mushrooms, and even eggs, albeit small ones… We certainly won’t be short on ingredients for a while.

“Wow, you got quite a lot of drops this time too…!”

“We happened to encounter a flock of fungbirds. We managed to catch a few.”

“Fungbirds?”

“You know those round mushrooms? Imagine them much bigger, with legs and a beak. It’s a bird with a mushroom-like shape, hence the name fungbird.”

“Mm. Can’t fly, but… very quick… The taste is… light… and delicious!”

Overwhelmed by the quantity, I had muttered almost to myself, prompting everyone to explain about the prey.

I checked Survival too, and it says they’re "extremely delicious," ma’am! The meat looks about palm-sized, a pale pink with some thickness. It looks tender, and as Ms. Aria mentioned, it’s quite lean. Hmm… I bet it’s the kind of meat that gets dry if overcooked! Quick high-heat cooking or slow cooking with residual heat might be the way to go.

…And with that in mind… we have mushrooms and wild vegetables, and the weather looks good tonight…

“How about using this meat and mushrooms for a skewered frying party for supper? We’ll reach our destination tomorrow, so it could be a little send-off celebration!”

“Agree! Fried food, it’ll be delicious!”

“Skewered fungbird… yes, that sounds wonderful.”

“I think it’s an excellent idea. Plus, there’s one person who still seems a bit down, right?”

“…Quiet… I told you I’ve made up my mind…”

As the mention of a skewered frying party caused a stir inside the vehicle, everyone’s gaze shifted to Mr. Ville following Mr. Ed’s words. Our leader, now the center of attention, turned away slightly, looking a bit embarrassed.

…Yup. Everyone had noticed after all.

Mr. Ville probably thinks he’s hiding it, but as we get closer to our destination, he seems to be getting a bit more somber… To be honest, the reason I suggested this fried food party… is because I was hoping it might lift Mr. Ville’s spirits, even just a bit. After all, I want our leader to be in good spirits, and even if he’s made up his mind, facing a challenge requires energy. I just wanted to help out a little.

“I’ll be making a sauce you haven’t seen before…! I think it’ll go perfectly with the fried food!”

“A… a sauce that goes perfectly with fried food…!? I’m going to get more ingredients!”

“A brand-new sauce…!? We’ve got to catch more prey for that!”

“Hey, wait! Both of you! Ville, Rin, I’ll bring these two back! Please don’t leave without us!”

“Ah, okay…”

Well then. Since I’ve already got the ingredients, I figured I’d propose tartar sauce—the golden partner for fried food—but the reaction was more than I expected.

…From Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed, that is…

The two of them, their eyes shining beyond mere sparkles to an intense glow, grabbed their weapons and dashed out of the car. Mr. Xenon, unusually flustered, hurriedly chased after them, his usual calmness seemingly a lie.

In such a small commotion, could I do anything but nod obediently? No, I couldn’t.

“…Sorry… I ended up making you worry…”

“Ah… I simply wanted to eat it myself. Plus, I already bought the ingredients for the special sauce, and when I saw such good meat, I couldn’t resist!”

“…I see… You’re right. Just imagining the taste of fried fungbird makes me feel hungry already. I assume you’ll be using some of that frozen stuff you froze the other day too, right?”

“Yes! The special sauce I’m making goes well with seafood as well!”

“That sounds exciting! Everything you cook is delicious!”

In the quiet car, Mr. Ville’s face showed a complicated smile, a mix of troubled and embarrassed feelings as he dropped those words. I’m not confident I responded well on the spot, but it seems it was enough. The tension disappeared from Mr. Ville’s face, replaced by his usual carefree smile. Perhaps I was able to help him gather some strength to face the wall ahead…

“Well then, shall I start the preparations while we wait for everyone to return?”

“…By the way, what kind of sauce is this special sauce?”

“Hehehe… that’s for you to find out when you taste it!”

I haven’t seen mayonnaise in this world, but I think it’ll be a hit. I believe the members of our party, the Gourmands, will like the taste, at least to some extent.

As I took out the ingredients from the fridge, Mr. Ville peered over my shoulder with great interest. I had to resist the urge to spill the secret right away to Mr. Ville, who was watching me with excited eyes. After all, I think keeping the mystery until it’s time to eat will help maintain his current high spirits.

Deliberately giving a meaningful smile, I slide the shelled eggs into the boiling water with a ladle.

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The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, Chapter 115

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Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen: A Marriage of Cheese and Ingredients

Preparing cheese fondue is simple. First, rub a pot with garlic and pour in just a splash of white wine. Bring it to a boil to evaporate the alcohol. Then, add cheese that’s been dusted with potato starch or cornstarch to prevent separation, along with some warmed milk. Mix it all together until the cheese melts, and you’re good to go!

The traditional method apparently uses a lot of white wine to melt the cheese, but considering I’ll be driving, I’ve kept it to just a hint for flavoring this time.

Just be careful not to let it burn!

“I feel like I’ve cut some corners today… I’m a bit sorry about that.”

“It’s fine, isn’t it? The most important thing is that you enjoy making it, Rin.”

“Ville is right. Besides, as I said before, we usually just have to gnaw on things as they are. Having it served as a proper ‘dish’ like this is such a joy!”

“When you put it that way, it really makes me want to cook delicious meals!”

By the time the patrol group returned with armfuls of souvenirs, most of the preparations were complete. Somehow, a mysterious sense of guilt crept over me, but Mr. Ville patted me on the back reassuringly. Mr. Xenon also smiled and soothed me, wholeheartedly agreeing with Mr. Ville.

Yup, knowing that they’re being so considerate makes me want to put my all into tonight’s dinner too.

“The ingredients are bacon, sausages, two types of potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, rye bread, cherry tomatoes, and a fiddlehead fern from the souvenirs… Feel free to request more if you need!”

“Dipping sausage in cheese… just thinking about it makes my mouth water.”

“When you pick something and it becomes a meal right away, it makes you feel glad you collected it, right?”

“Mm… vegetables too…”

“They’re refreshing, so I think they’ll be good as a palate cleanser. The slight bitterness might go well with the cheese.”

I had softened the carrot slices and bite-sized sweet potato and pumpkin chunks in the microwave. I boiled the regular potatoes in a pot and then gently shook them, making the potatoes a bit powdery. I thought the rough surface might help the cheese stick better.

From among the souvenirs the patrol group returned with, I quickly boiled what I thought would go well with cheese and added it to the table. It was a plant with tightly coiled fronds, like a spring. It looks a lot like ostrich fern, a mountain vegetable my grandpa used to gather in early spring back home! According to Survival, it’s called "fiddlehead fern." Apparently, it’s an easily accessible food source because it continuously puts out new shoots regardless of the season, expanding its habitat.

I also put out some crispy fried bacon cut into cubes and boiled sausages…

“And of course, when it comes to cheese, you can’t forget tomatoes!”

“They seem much smaller than the ones you bought before.”

“Ah, yes. There was a bargain set of smaller ones. They’re supposed to be delicious in their own way!”

I took out the tomatoes I had kept in a colander to prevent them from rolling around, and Mr. Ville tilted his head curiously. Yes, I’m glad you remembered about the tomatoes! The shopkeeper said that although they’re small, the flavor is more concentrated and delicious… so I couldn’t resist buying them! They’re larger than the cherry tomatoes from back home, but a bit smaller than a ping-pong ball… I think they’re just the right size for fondue.

I set up the portable camping stove on the table and placed the pot of cheese sauce firmly on it.

Then I arranged the plates of ingredients and forks around it…

“Well then, please help yourselves to the fondue!”

“Mm! Thanks, Rin!”

As soon as I heard everyone’s pre-meal prayer, our hands darted towards the ingredients. Meat seems to be the most popular, as expected. I should eat some meat before it’s all gone…! I skewered a nearby sausage with my fork and dipped it into the sea of cheese that bubbled gently. As I lifted it, the cheese stretched into strings. I twirled it to cut the strands and…

“Mmm…! Ah, delicious! This combination is amazing!”

“Yes! Sausage and cheese is a perfect match.”

“The bacon is excellent too! Meat and cheese truly go well together…!”

“The sweet potato is delicious as well! The sweetness of the potato with the salty cheese melting over it… it’s surprisingly good!”

Listening to the cheers from around the table, I bit into the sausage, its skin taut with meat juices. Rich, fatty juices flooded my mouth. The sausage, made with a special herb mix well-kneaded into the meat, had a subtle herbal aroma that was delicious on its own.

Add the richness of the cheese to that, and well… it’s an explosion of umami—a violent assault of flavor. My tongue feels like it might go numb from the amino acids running wild…! To calm it down, I quickly fondue a small tomato.

Thanks to the mix of several types of cheese, the sauce has achieved a godly balance of "rich but not cloying," which now coats the bright red tomato. The color contrast between the creamy sauce and the tomato is quite pleasing to the eye.

After appreciating the visual appeal, I pop it into my mouth in one bite… What? You’re wondering if it’s normal to eat it in one bite? Don’t sweat the small stuff!

“Ahhh… tomato and cheese go so well together…! It refreshes your palate, making the next bite taste even better…!”

“Mm. Tomato and cheese… delicious… I can eat this…!”

“Aria’s eating vegetables so eagerly. Rin’s influence is amazing…!”

As I bit into the tomato, bursting its skin, sweet and tangy juices flooded out. I know some people dislike tomatoes because of the grassy bitterness of the seeds, but these tomatoes have almost none of that. It’s there, but just a hint, which actually complements the cheese flavor nicely. The flesh melts in my mouth, blending harmoniously with the lingering umami of the meat juices and cheese before sliding down my throat. After swallowing, a refreshing aftertaste of tomato remains in my mouth… I think this will make the next bite of meat even more delicious.

Ms. Aria, following my lead, seems to have discovered the deliciousness of the cheese and tomato combo, her eyes sparkling.

Mr. Ed looks surprised at Ms. Aria eating vegetables so eagerly, but I think she showed potential for loving the tomato-cheese combo when she enjoyed the grilled tomatoes with cheese during our seafood barbeque the other day.

“Oh! The fiddleheads go well with cheese too!”

“Indeed… this makes me crave some alcohol.”

“Drinking during our journey is, well…”

“If we could, I’d certainly like to have some…”

“Mm… disappointing…”

I dip the fiddlehead, now an even more vibrant green after being boiled with salt, into the sea of cheese. As I bring it to my mouth, I’m met with the characteristic crunchy texture of the vegetable. There’s a slight bitterness, but when combined with the saltiness of the cheese and the subtle sweetness and richness unique to dairy products, it leaves an oddly addictive taste in my mouth.

Mr. Ville’s eyes, who had cautiously tried the fiddleheads, seemed to sparkle at the unexpected flavor. Though his comment is exactly what you’d expect from a drinker. The others who followed suit also had slightly disappointed looks on their faces as they continued to fondue various ingredients.

Ah… cheese and alcohol do go well together, don’t they…

As I coat a piece of pumpkin with cheese, I’m thinking in the back of my mind that maybe I’ll make this again as a celebration meal when this journey is over. By the way, I’d like to assert here that bacon & cheese and potato & cheese combinations were also undeniably delicious.

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The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, Chapter 114

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Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: A Pleasant Sightseeing Trip, Enjoying Unknown Scenery

After driving for a while, we reached a fork in the road. According to the navigation, the right path led to the town of Melnoa, while the left continued towards the royal capital. I sensed a slight "wouldn’t right be okay?" aura from one person in the cabin, but as per yesterday’s discussion, I turned the steering wheel left towards the capital.

“What should we do for lunch today? I’m thinking the main ingredients will be processed meats like ham and bacon, cheese, and eggs. Is there anything in particular you’d like to eat?”

“…Usually, we could only manage to gnaw on bacon as is, so having someone cook for us like this… it feels quite luxurious.”

“…The darkness is still deep, I see…!”

You might wonder, "Planning lunch right after breakfast?" But what can I do? This is the Gourmands! A party of food lovers! Long live gluttony!

While catching a faint yet heartfelt smile from Mr. Xenon, I couldn’t help but sense the lingering aura of darkness behind him as I mentally went through the leftovers in the fridge. Ah, that’s it! Let’s make cheese fondue!

The cheese in this world has a rich, milky flavor that’s delicious! If I add the umami from that bacon, wouldn’t it be perfect? We have some white wine left, and I bought milk too. I also picked up some cornstarch-like thickener the other day… I can do this!

“Well then, how about cheese fondue for lunch today? It should be delicious with both meat and vegetables!”

“That sounds wonderful! I’m looking forward to it, Rin!”

“Y-Yes! I’ll do my best!”

Mr. Xenon’s glowing, radiant smile was so powerful, but I managed to hold my ground. I’m amazing. Super amazing.

Ah, as expected, since the main road connecting the blacksmith town and the royal capital is busy, I’m driving on the unpaved side of the road. It’s quite interesting to see horse-drawn wagons, dinosaur-drawn dragon carts, and people traveling on foot.

Occasionally, I see someone speeding by incredibly fast—apparently, they’re like express couriers. It’s a popular profession among races known for speed or endurance. Of course, they dash down the Highway so impressively that they attract attention, and I’m sure some people urgently need their deliveries made. It makes sense there’s demand for it.

As per the prior information about a slight mountain pass, the scenery is gradually becoming more forested. Watching the changing view from the window is enjoyable in itself.

I ended this semi-sightseeing drive at a suitable spot, parking the Camping Car in a pleasant shady area a bit off the Highway, out of sight.

“Then… we’ll go take a look around!”

“We’ll be back soon!”

“I’m looking forward to lunch.”

“Alright, take care and be safe!”

With more trees around, visibility is reduced… So while I prepare lunch, Ms. Aria, Mr. Ed, and Mr. Xenon are going to patrol the surroundings.

Mr. Xenon’s smile is particularly dazzling, probably because I briefed him on the lunch menu. But Mr. Ed is no less charming with his playboy-cute style, Ms. Aria is a cute beauty, and Mr. Ville has that rugged handsome look…

Hmm. Everyone in our party is good-looking—except me, that is.

Huh? What about Gomamiso? Well… let’s say it’s annoyingly cute?

Mr. Ville and Gomamiso are on house-sitting duty, doubling as guards if needed. Quite the luxurious bodyguards, I’d say.

“Well then, shall I start preparing the meal?”

‘Me! Me too!’

“Need any help, Rin?”

“Let’s see… Mr. Ville, could you please take on the task of petting Gomamiso?”

“I-Is that okay?! I don’t dislike cats, you know…”

While receiving what the cat probably intended as affectionate nuzzling but felt more like headbutts to my shins, I headed to the kitchen. However, I couldn’t risk kicking Gomamiso as it wove around my feet, so… I scooped up Gomamiso and handed it over to Mr. Ville, who had come over. Mr. Ville’s eyes widened for a moment, but he soon squinted and started stroking Gomamiso’s throat. Seeing Gomamiso narrow its eyes and purr contentedly, it seems it doesn’t mind this arrangement.

According to Mr. Ville, he had been a bit envious since Ms. Aria had been constantly holding Gomamiso since we set out on our journey. Indeed, Gomamiso had been sticking close to Ms. Aria both in the passenger seat and cabin… I could even sense the murderous aura emanating from Mr. Ed all the way to the driver’s seat!

“So, what are you making today?”

“I thought I’d keep it simple with cheese fondue. I’ll melt cheese and dip vegetables and bacon in it!”

“That sounds delicious just hearing about it!”

“The cheese is from that shop you recommended, Mr. Ville, so I think it’ll be tasty!”

Mr. Ville’s strawberry-colored eyes sparkle at the mention of the menu, while Gomamiso’s ears perk up, probably hoping for some scraps.

I’ll do my best to live up to their expectations today too! Rolling up my sleeves, I open the fridge door to start by taking out the cheese.

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The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, Chapter 113

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Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: Delicious Food is Essential for Morale

After filling our stomachs with the meat and potato stew and roe rice, we spent the night near a small grove. I thought I heard some howling in the middle of the night, but without any warnings from Survival, and with everyone around… I ended up sleeping soundly. In the morning, I learned that there had been a pack of forest wolves nearby. Apparently, they’re intelligent enough to understand that attacking humans would lead to retaliation, so they just howled from a distance.

By the way, today’s breakfast is a thick-cut bacon and eggs dish using slab bacon I bought in town, leftover vegetable soup, and white rice. This thick-cut bacon… is insanely delicious! Being a preserved food, it’s made with a bit more salt, so you don’t even need seasoning when eating it with eggs. It’s well-smoked, so the surface is a deep amber color, but when you cut into it, you see layers of pink meat and white fat in perfect balance… When you fry it in a pan, the surface gets crispy while the inside maintains its meaty texture! When you bite into it, the fat and meat juices burst in your mouth, and it has enough chewiness to remind you that you’re eating meat. And this fat… it’s sweet! Rich, but not cloying at all. The shopkeeper said it was because "the pigs were raised on acorns," and it really is delicious! The moment you put it in your mouth, the smoky aroma wafts up your nose… and when you eat it with the runny yolk of a soft-boiled egg…! We cleaned our plates again today!

“Since you joined us, Rin, I can’t wait for mealtimes!”

“I totally agree with you. When she weren’t here, well…”

“Mm… hell…”

“We endured such hardships, wondering why we had to go through this ordeal just to complete quests.”

“O-Oh…”

After everyone showed such hearty appetites from the morning and cleaned their plates, this is the conversation we’re having… I’ve caught glimpses of the dark side of the Gourmands’ meals before, but I can’t help but wonder what kind of diet they’ve been living on…

Judging by the lifeless look in everyone’s eyes as they reminisce, I can only imagine…

“W-Well, I’ll do my best to plan the menu for today too…! Anyway, shall we get moving?”

“Right. At this pace, we should reach the town of Melnoa…”

“This time, let’s skip entering the town and head straight for the capital.”

“That would be best. Although Melnoa is an attractive place too…”

“Perhaps, they have good kitchen knives there…”

“Oh! That does sound interesting! But it’s probably better to enjoy that after we finish everything else.”

Being a blacksmith town, it seems you can buy not only weapons and armor but also high-quality knives, scissors, and other bladed tools there. It’s very tempting, but we should probably wait until after we report to the royal capital.

We finished cleaning up while chatting cheerfully, and as usual, I took the driver’s seat. Today, Mr. Xenon sat in the passenger seat.

“I see… The ride is so much more comfortable compared to the usual carriages we use.”

“Mr. Ville said the same thing. He said regular carriages make your butt sore.”

“That’s an apt description. After experiencing this comfort, I don’t think I can ride in a normal carriage again.”

Mr. Xenon’s eyes widened at the seat cushion, and he turned to me with a dazzling smile that could purify one’s soul. Damn it! He’s too handsome! Stop it! My HP is already at 0!

…Well, thankfully, he being in the passenger seat meant we were not directly facing each other, so I managed to avoid a critical hit. Phew, that was close… If I had been looking at him head-on, I would’ve ascended to heaven in an instant…!

“Your cooking is full of dishes I’ve never seen, even in the Elven village. I look forward to every meal.”

“Is that so? Now I’m curious about the food in the Elven village… What kind of meals did you have there?”

“We made ample use of the forest’s bounty… which sounds nice, but it was mostly tough game meat and wild herbs.”

“Ah… So, is it mainly wild game, not domesticated animals? That explains why you’re good at butchering…”

“We also had dishes using monster meat, but it’s a mystery why your cooking tastes so much better.”

As I drove, overwhelmed by the face value of this classic handsome elf chuckling happily beside me, Mr. Xenon kept bringing up topics that interested me or that I could easily answer while driving… Being handsome, considerate, and having a good sense for conversation… Hasn’t heaven given him too many gifts?

“Come to think of it, it feels like it’s been a while since we’ve been on a journey that spans multiple days.”

“Really? Didn’t you have long-distance quests before?”

“In our case, since we didn’t have anyone who could cook during camping… we had to rely solely on portable rations, which didn’t do much for morale…”

“Ah… I can see how that would throw off your nutritional balance too…”

“We could complete the missions, but the toll, including mental stress, was significant… So recently, we had only been taking on day-trip quests.”

Oops. Who would have thought there’d be such an unexpected side effect… I see… So their morale was so low due to the food situation that they were reluctant to take on missions…

No wonder they welcomed me, the cook, so enthusiastically.

“So, being able to go on multi-day journeys like this is all thanks to you, Rin.”

“Oh, no… I’m just cooking, that’s all.”

“For us, it feels like a gift from heaven. Please continue to take care of us.”

“I really enjoy cooking in this world too, so the pleasure is all mine!”

I said earlier that I "managed to avoid a critical hit" because he was in the passenger seat, right? That was a lie. Mr. Xenon’s radiant smile, which could outshine the sun, was a lethal weapon even from the passenger seat…

Handsome people are scary! That is what I thought once again, yup.

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The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, Chapter 112

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Chapter One Hundred and Twelve: No Rice, No Life

As I lift the lid off the pot, a sweet and savory aroma suddenly assaults my face. On the gently bubbling surface, golden circles of fat float—rendered from the mad otter meat. I take a quick taste of the broth, and wow, it is delicious! Rich but not overpowering… it has that perfect, well-extracted flavor!

“Alright, shall we eat?”

“Got it. Plates and drinks are ready!”

“As expected, you’re so prepared! As usual, please help yourselves!”

I heaped the freshly stewed meat and potatoes onto a large platter and placed it squarely in the center of the table. Ideally, you’d let it cool once and reheat it to allow the flavors to soak in more, but my stomach was already at its limit! Today, we’re eating right away!

Since we also had the golden roe from the milk trout, I didn’t use rice bowls but instead served the rice in deep soup bowls. Then, I took the roe out of the fridge… All set!

“I’m grateful to have food again today.”

“Bless this bounty I’m about to consume.”

“Gratitude for thy manifold blessings.”

“Humbly accepting thy kindness, I partake of this day’s fare.”

“Itadakimasu!”

Surrounded by steaming, freshly made dishes, everyone said their prayers, then reached for their utensils and chopsticks at the same time.

The first thing we go for is meat and potato stew. Meat is best when it’s hot, right? I totally get it! Of course, I have joined in the serving frenzy too! Fluffy potatoes, tender onions, slightly softened carrots, plump mushrooms soaked in the broth, and the mad otter meat—its fatty parts melting and the lean parts firm—I enjoy them all!

“This meat is amazing! It’s firm, but the fat just melts in your mouth!”

“The mad otter I ate back home was terribly greasy, but this has just the right amount of fat removed… I could eat this endlessly!”

Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon had barely taken a bite of the mad otter meat when they froze, their eyes widening. They gave me a thumbs up before diving back into their servings of stew with gusto. Well, I’m glad it suits their taste!

“The meat flavor is so rich. The broth is tasty, but the meat still retains its richness.”

“The meat… it’s so good… I’m in heaven!”

“You’re right, this meat is incredibly delicious! And the vegies that have soaked up its flavor… especially the potatoes…!”

The meat, packed tightly with fibers, had been simmered for quite a while, but it still held its shape. Yet, it isn’t tough at all. One bite and it easily tore apart. Is it because of the high density of muscle fibers and moisture content? When you bite down, the texture is firm yet elastic, and the juices and umami burst out from the inside.

The layer of fat on top wobbles and melts on my tongue, making for an interesting contrast. But personally, I think the true star of this stew is the potato. Potatoes that have absorbed all the umami from the meat and other vegetables—that’s the main attraction of the meat and potato stew. You could even say the meat is just there to flavor the broth.

By the way, in the Takanashi household, we always added aburafu (deep-fried wheat gluten) to such stew. It adds richness and is so delicious.

“…Indeed. Even I can eat vegetables like this. It’s good, really good…”

“It’s soaked up the flavors of all the ingredients! Oh, let’s add some roe too…!”

I deliberately cut the large potato pieces with my chopsticks, letting the broth soak into the cross-section… then took a big bite. The potato is so soft it can be mashed with just my jaw and tongue. It has absorbed all the umami, clinging to my tongue with a creamy texture. Follow that with a mouthful of rice as a chaser… It might not be the most elegant, but it’s truly delicious!

Mr. Ville, who had just tasted the caramelized onions, was helping himself to a second serving of the stew. Seeing him take care to include vegetables too, it seems he really enjoyed it.

Now then. While everyone is engrossed in the stew, I think I’ll indulge in some roe!

“…These are… fish eggs, right? Are they edible?”

“We ate them all the time back where I’m from. They were considered a delicacy!”

“I see… cultural differences in food, eh?”

Taking advantage of the fact that we had a whole large container full of roe, I generously topped my white rice with the golden eggs. Xenon watched me nervously as I did so. Well, I’ve heard that people in the West don’t eat much fish roe… I guess it’s not commonly eaten in this world either… Such a shame, when it’s so delicious…

The glistening golden roe pearls sat atop the pure white rice… Thanks to my care in preparing the marinade, they maintained their beautiful gold color! Before the rice’s heat could warm them up, here goes…!

“Mmmmmm! This is… incredible!”

“Wh-What’s wrong, Rin?! Does it taste bad?!”

“No, it’s the opposite! This is so good, no amount of rice would be enough… It’s delicious!”

Mr. Ville started rubbing my back in concern when I involuntarily let out a moan. Ah, I appreciate the gesture, but I’m sorry! It was just more delicious than I expected!

The roe pearls, slightly smaller than the ones I usually see, burst in my mouth, releasing their creamy contents and filling it with rich umami. The marinade had permeated well, and there was not even a hint of fishiness. The rice gently embraced and balanced out the intense umami that nearly numbed my tongue.

The saltiness of the roe enhanced the sweetness of the rice, while the rice brought out the roe’s savory qualities… This… this… I can’t stop eating it!

“Xenon, if you’re not going to eat it… I’ll take it!”

“Now, now, I never said I wouldn’t eat it. In fact, judging by Rin’s reaction, this seems like something I absolutely must try…!”

“Right? If Rin is that engrossed in eating it, it must be super delicious!”

“Let’s divide up what we have now. At this rate, Rin and Aria will devour most of it.”

While I was lost in my rapture over the golden roe rice, it seemed a friendly war over the roe had broken out right next to me… Though, blinded by the deliciousness of the roe rice, I hadn’t noticed at all…

…For the record, the roe war was apparently settled peacefully, with Mr. Ville dividing it up among everyone.

And I should note here that we managed to polish off both the pot full of stew and the container full of golden roe completely.

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The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, Chapter 111

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Chapter One Hundred and Eleven: Let’s Simmer The Meat And Potatoes. Is It Duck Meat Stew?

As soon as I park the car near the small grove, the rice cooker plays the "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" melody. It looks like the rice is done, thanks to the timer. While Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon went out for a quick patrol, I started preparing what’s not simple potato stew with meat, but rather potato stew with mad otter meat! I cut the peeled potatoes into bite-sized pieces and the onions into wedges. I also rehydrate some dried mushrooms I have leftover… I’ll keep the soaking water too, as it’ll make a good broth.

“Wow! It’s redder than I expected. Looks like duck meat!”

After preparing the vegetables, I took another look at the meat wrapped in bark… The contrast between the bright red meat and the pure white fat on top was quite striking.

When I lightly press it with my finger, it has a springy texture that pushes back. I wonder if this meat would be delicious no matter how it’s cooked.

“For now, it might be better to sear the surface…”

“Huh? Are you going to stew it whole?”

“No, I’ll cut it up after searing. The fat layer is quite thick, so I thought I’d lightly sear it first to render some of the fat.”

“Keeping it whole is good too…!”

“There’s a certain romance to a big piece of meat, right…!”

I rub some soy sauce and alcohol into the large, red, fatty chunk of meat on the cutting board to lightly season it. Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria stand beside me, watching my work with interest. It seems they’re curious about the cooking process. I wonder if watching like this might help improve their cooking skills. I think observing the process has some value, but to be honest, I don’t think they’re at that level yet…

“Now, I’ll sear the meat to render the fat and give it some color…”

“The fat is coming out…! It smells so good…!”

“There really was a lot of fat! I can see why it’s considered a tonic!”

When I put the meat in the heated frying pan, it sizzled loudly as the fat started to melt. Resisting the urge to poke it with chopsticks, I watch as the fat melts and pools under the meat. And it smells nutty and fragrant…! It’s hard to imagine such a delicious smell coming from that fierce-looking face! There’s no gamey odor or smell of blood at all.

Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria, peering into the frying pan, let out exclamations of admiration. They’re both wide-eyed, staring intently at the pan… It’s true what they say about couples starting to look alike…

Once enough fat has rendered, I quickly sear all sides of the meat to give it some color, then set it aside on a separate plate…

“Since we have this nice fat, let’s use it to sauté the veggies!”

“So many vegetables… but… I like the vegetables in your’s cooking, Rin!”

“That’s good to hear! Today’s vegetables will absorb the meat’s flavor, so I think they’ll be delicious!”

“…Rin, I won’t lose to you, okay?”

“Please stop, I’m going to die! We’re just talking about cooking here!!!”

I add the cut vegetables to the bubbling fat, stirring with a wooden spatula to coat everything evenly. The savory aroma mixes with the fresh, sweet smell of the vegetables—it already smells delicious! The golden fat is coloring the surface of the vegetables a beautiful golden hue. As I stir the pan to prevent the softened onions and slightly translucent potato edges from burning, I suddenly feel something odd…

Looking down, I see Ms. Aria smiling like a blossoming flower, gently tugging at the hem of my clothes and tilting her head. Wow, this beautiful and adorable wife! Isn’t this a bit unfair!? Her usually porcelain-smooth cheeks are slightly flushed rose-pink, and her ice-blue eyes seem to melt with warmth as she gazes at me… It’s truly… truly a feast for the eyes, but, um… Mr. Ed is staring at me like he’s about to bite through a handkerchief, his pupils dilated, so I’d really rather not, you know!

She immediately went back to her usual smile saying "Just kidding☆", but I bet she was at least half serious!

Geez! Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria are truly a monster husband and wife duo!

“A-Anyway… now I’ll add the mushroom soaking water and some regular water, then let it simmer a bit.”

“Just leave it like this?”

“Well, not quite. I’ll still need to add the meat, skim off any scum, add seasonings… it needs some attention.”

But I won’t back down! I’ll actively seize any chance to talk with a beautiful lady!

…Well, since we’re both women, I guess Mr. Ed lets his guard down a bit, which is probably why I’m able to get away with it.

I return the meat, now cut into 1cm slices, to the pot and start by adding sugar and mirin. They say you should add seasonings in the order of "sa-shi-su-se-so" for the flavors to penetrate properly. The aroma immediately became richer, making my nose twitch involuntarily. I think this is one of the joys of cooking—how a single seasoning can change the whole character of a dish.

…Huh? Are you asking what "sa-shi-su-se-so" means? It’s the initial letters of seasonings added for good flavor: “satou shouyu (sugar soy sauce), shiro shouyu (white soy sauce), su shouyu (vinegar soy sauce), seuyu (the historical name for soy sauce), and soy sauce"!

It’s a cooking basic, so it might be good to remember!

Just as someone might point out, "It’s all soy sauce!" I’ll add that soy sauce too and bring it to a quick boil! By the way, the original "sa-shi-su-se-so" of cooking was actually "sugar, salt, vinegar, soy sauce, and miso".

And that’s the finishing touch!

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The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, Chapter 110

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Chapter One Hundred and Ten: The Journey Goes On… Endlessly… With Occasional Breaks

Steel mole… According to Survival, it is just "edible." It’s an omnivore with strong carnivorous tendencies, so it often has a strong gamey smell. Its dull-colored fur is true to its "steel" name, hard enough to deflect dull weapons…

It’s beyond "If it doesn’t hit you, it doesn’t matter" and more like "even if your attack hits, it won’t do any damage"!?

W-wait a minute… is everyone going to be okay…?

“Burn it all up!”

With Mr. Ed’s shout, the mole seemed to be enclosed by an invisible wall, and then it was being incinerated within that space. As it burned, the space itself crumbled away, disappearing in the blink of an eye without even leaving ashes behind. Not even the usual black mist remained.

…I see. If physical attacks don’t work, magic is the way to go… Come to think of it, I wondered this in the dungeon too, but how exactly does Mr. Ed’s magic work?

Seeing that the steel mole had completely vanished, Mr. Ville and the rest put away their weapons and came back to me.

“G-Good work…! Are you injured… you don’t seem to be… but are you okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine. Is everything okay in here?”

“Gomamiso, the Camping Car, and I are all fine. So when you said it would get dirty, you meant that rain of soil…”

“Right. Usually, they hide underground and ambush their prey when it passes by, jumping out from below. I’m glad Aria noticed it.”

“Mm! I won’t let my guard down again!”

Although there was no noticeable dirt, everyone cast cleaning magic on themselves "just in case" before getting back into the car.

Ms. Aria returned to the passenger seat, puffing out her chest proudly.

…Yup. When Ms. Aria… um… puffs out her chest like that… well. I won’t say what, but it’s quite something, yup!

But seriously, if I had tried to pass through there and been hit by that upward attack… it’s terrifying to think about… There could be other monsters or magical creatures that attack like that. Just as how some attacked from water or underground, there might be enemies in the trees… I should proceed carefully.

For now, let’s avoid that big hole and get back on the path marked by the wheel tracks.

After that, we don’t encounter any more ambushes and I continue driving under a clear sky.

‘Bird! That’s a bird, right!? I know that!’

“Goma, do you like the outdoors? That bird does look tasty… doesn’t it?”

‘I like fish, but I also like birds.’

In the passenger seat, Gomamiso, held by Ms. Aria, is meowing while following the scenery outside with its eyes, and Ms. Aria is talking to it.

It’s really peaceful… except for Mr. Ed’s glaring eyes from the living area… yup.

As I drive through the beautiful weather, feeling a slight chill down my spine, I start to see a more firmly packed road ahead. It seems we’ve merged onto the main road heading towards Melnoa Volcano… or rather, the town of Melnoa.

Rhielle Lake was a lot of fun for me, but it doesn’t seem to be a major location. This is probably more of a branch road connecting to the highway rather than the highway itself. Still, it’s well-managed enough to be regularly cleared of monsters. This country must be pretty amazing…!?

“I was thinking of stopping for the day after we go a bit further. What do you think?”

“Sounds good… If we can prepare for camping before it gets dark, that would be best.”

“Thank you. If I find a good spot for camping, we’ll stop there for the night!”

Looking at the navigation progress, it seems we’ve covered about a third of the journey. Considering the battles and breaks we’ve taken, that’s a pretty good pace, isn’t it?

With Mr. Ville’s approval, I think it’s time to call it a day soon.

It looks like the sun will be setting soon, so I should decide on a camping spot.

As I continue driving with these thoughts, I see an area ahead with a decent number of trees, though not quite enough to call it a forest.

Hmm. Wouldn’t that area be just right…?

It’s just my personal opinion, but don’t you feel more at ease psychologically when camping near trees or rocks rather than in a wide-open space with nothing around? Even fish tend to gather around structures like that… maybe it’s instinctual?

Fortunately, there don’t seem to be any other travelers around, so let’s camp there today. Checking Survival, there aren’t any specific warnings either… so I think it should be fine.

“Ms. Aria, do you sense any enemies in that area?”

“…Hmm… I don’t sense anything… It’s okay!”

“Alright! Let’s stay there for tonight!”

I asked Ms. Aria just to be sure, but it seems safe!

Let’s camp here today!

I turn the steering wheel towards the small grove.

The sky is starting to turn a faint red.

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The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, Chapter 109

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Chapter One Hundred and Nine: Out Of One Crisis And Into Another!?

The road is smoother than I expected. It feels like we are following a path created by wheel tracks. There isn’t much shaking, and the tires aren’t getting caught… It is a very stable journey! The sky visible through the windshield is beautifully clear, with a striking contrast against the white clouds. A refreshing breeze comes through the slightly open window. Ah! It’s truly perfect weather for a drive!

Ahead, as indicated by the navigation, a fairly tall mountain loomed. White smoke is billowing from its peak. That’s probably the Melnoa Volcano I’ve heard about.

“The smoke is thinner than I expected. When I heard ‘volcano’, I thought it would be more… billowing.”

“Yes. It erupted a long time ago… Now it is… rather calm.”

“Ah, I see. I wondered if the road might be all bumpy from lava flows!”

There’s no sulfuric smell in the air coming through the window, and the scenery doesn’t look devastated by lava or volcanic ash… From what Ms. Aria is saying, it seems the volcano erupted long enough ago for the vegetation to recover fully, and now it just emits some smoke.

It’s probably like a low-activity volcano?

I can see the volcano, but it’s still too far to spot the town at its base.

You’d think I would have noticed such a tall mountain when I first came to this world, but I guess I was too confused to really take it in.

“…By the way… are you going to stew the mad otter…?”

“I have onions and potatoes, so I thought I’d cook it all together. Ms. Aria, do you prefer sweet seasonings? Or salty?”

“Hmm…! That’s a tough choice…!”

As I drove Campy towards the smoke-spewing mountain, Ms. Aria tilted her head, holding Gomamiso.

I have onions and potatoes, so I thought making it like a meat and potato stew might go well with rice.

From what I glimpsed through the gaps in the wooden sheets, the meat seemed to have a layer of fat on top of the red meat. Mad otters probably have plenty of fat to keep their body temperature in the water.

That meat should go well with either sweet or salty seasonings, right?

When I asked Ms. Aria, she seemed troubled by the choice…

I get it… It’s hard to choose… Both sound delicious!

“…Rin… can you stop the car up ahead?”

“? I can, but is something wrong?”

“…Feels like there might be something…”

“Huh?”

Ms. Aria, who had been pondering with a furrowed brow, suddenly looked straight ahead with a serious expression. Seeing her intense look, I couldn’t bring myself to ask for details.

I slowly applied the brakes, bringing the Camping Car to a stop.

Before I knew it, Mr. Ville, Mr. Xenon, and Mr. Ed, who should have been in the living area, had somehow made their way to the border between the driver’s seat and the cabin… near the flip-up counter.

“Rin. Open the door, please.”

“O-Okay… Is it alright if I stay inside the car?”

“It’s not that strong an opponent, so I think you’ll be fine. But we can’t leave it alone, it’ll be trouble!”

‘I shall protect you, don’t worry!’

I must have looked pretty anxious. Mr. Ed smiled and waved at me, but having grown up far from the world of battles and adventures, I can’t help but worry…

Gomamiso softly nuzzled against my feet as I unconsciously clenched my hands tightly in tension. It puffed out its chest proudly and patted the back of my foot with its paw.

…Yes, that’s right. You protected me earlier too!

As I finally let out the breath I’d been holding, Mr. Xenon stood before me with a gentle smile, staff in hand.

“Rin. After we get out, it would be helpful if you could back the car up a bit.”

“Understood. I guess a wider workspace, or rather, battlefield, would be better, right?”

“…More like, we don’t want this car getting dirty either. Well then, we’re counting on you!”

“Dirty…? Eh, what’s going to happen?!”

Leaving me with some mystery, they got out. Once everyone had moved a bit away from the vehicle, I put the Camping Car in reverse.

…Oh, amazing! The nav screen begin to transmit the image from the rearview camera! I hadn’t noticed because I never needed to reverse before!

I must have been about 10 meters away when suddenly a cloud of dust rose from the area where we were heading.

…No, rather than dust, it is more like the ground exploded, or… Something seemed to have burst up from beneath the ground, scattering soil. The airborne dirt rained down around the area with a pattering sound. Fortunately, or perhaps due to good preparation… thanks to the magic barrier Mr. Ed had cast, everyone seemed safe from the falling dirt. Thanks to following Mr. Xenon’s advice to back up, the Camping Car also avoided the sudden rain of soil.

I-I see… so this is what he meant by getting dirty…!

As the literal "dirt shower" subsided, a dull-colored front paw with sharp claws appeared on the edge of the hole that had opened in the ground. Something is wriggling its way out from the bottom of the hole.

It raises its eyeless head, twitching its pointed snout.

“Just as we thought! It’s a steel mole!”

“NGYUUUuuuaaaAAAuuUUUUAaaaaaa!!!!”

Mr. Ville’s voice as he readied his sword and the high-pitched, eerie roar squeezed from deep in the creature’s throat echoed under the blue sky.

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The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, Chapter 108

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Chapter One Hundred and Eight: Let’s Venture into the Unknown World!

After that incident, I was thoroughly questioned and lectured on the importance of "staying alert when going outside" and "properly reporting anything that happens.”

I’m sorry for letting my guard down…

Well, the consensus was "it’s good that nothing serious happened," so I guess it turned out alright in the end.

"Still, who would’ve thought mad otters were edible monsters…”

"Yeah, they do have such a gross-looking face, those mad otters.”

"In the Elven village, they were considered a kind of tonic, but they were eaten. I remember them being quite fatty…”

As we sipped our after-meal barley tea and Mr. Ville and Mr. Ed talked to each other, Mr. Xenon chimed in, sharing mad otter facts from his homeland.

Hmm… A tonic… I wonder if it is like how eel or yam is used to boost your strength. Sounds like the perfect food for adventurers!

But fatty, huh… That’s probably why they boil or stew it to reduce the greasiness.

"Well, since we’ve got it, I’m thinking of making a mad otter stew for dinner tonight!”

"I’m so excited!”

‘Me too! I want to eat too!’

"I’ll put my heart into it! I’ll give you some too, Gomamiso, so stop scratching my thigh!”

Ms. Aria and Gomamiso were particularly enthusiastic, having seen the real thing. I could see it in their eyes… I gave a thumbs up to Ms. Aria, who was looking at me with sparkling eyes, while lifting Gomamiso, who was scratching my thigh with its front paws.

The cat… I mean, Gomamiso may think it is not using its claws, but it still hurt a bit from the sheer force. It’s fine since it stops when I tell it to, but it’d be tough if we couldn’t understand each other…!

“At this rate, we should be able to get close to the town of Melnoa today, right?”

"Ah… if we’re that close, we could probably reach it tonight if I keep driving. The car does have lights, so I could manage…”

“There’s no need to push yourself too hard. Besides, the town gates will probably be closed at night.”

"Oh right, Ellarge had a main gate too!”

I thought about driving through the night to reach town if we were close, but I forgot about the curfew in this world… To be honest, I was a bit nervous about driving on a pitch-black road with just headlights, so I’m kind of relieved. I should get used to night driving for emergencies. Maybe I’ll give it a try when I’m more comfortable driving in this world.

"… We’re moving at quite a fast pace…”

"Of course! Pork cutlets… I mean, orc cutlets are waiting for us!”

“Orc cutlets, huh… Right, let’s use that as motivation!”

Our leader sighed with a worried look, holding a cup of barley tea. He seems to have made up his mind, but something’s still bothering him. Still, we’ve made progress since he’s not trying to delay anymore. I understand how Mr. Ville feels… Let’s do our best aiming for that post-mission celebration with orc cutlets!

…Well, I’m not sure if we can actually hunt an Orc King, but…

While internally thanking our party leader for lifting his face at the mention of orc cutlets, I poured a large amount of rice into the rice cooker’s inner pot, which had been cleaned with magic.

"For now, I’ll set the rice to cook. Cooking rice takes the most time, after all…”

"It’s a stew, right? Are you pairing it with rice?”

"Actually, the milk trout we ate earlier had eggs, which I’ve prepared. I thought it might be delicious over freshly cooked rice…”

Mr. Xenon tilted his head curiously as he watched me washing the rice.

I see… In this world, stews might usually be served with bread or something.

But today, we have milk trout eggs… milk roe! I really want everyone to try this with freshly cooked rice! Just imagine that golden milk trout roe over fluffy rice… taking a big, steaming bite!

I can’t see it not being delicious.

I set the timer on the rice cooker so it would be ready before dark, while everyone else had cleared the plates and cups.

I really appreciate that, yup.

"Well then, shall we head towards Mt. Melnoa? I don’t know the road from here on, so we might slow down a bit, but is that okay?”

"That’s fine. Take it slow and safe.”

"Understood! Alright, let’s get going!”

Now, I have no idea what the road ahead will be like… Will the grasslands continue, or will we enter a forest, or maybe even a desert…

But well, with Mr. Ville’s… our party leader’s approval, let’s proceed with caution.

Who knows what we’ll encounter… Will it be an ogre or a snake? Maybe we’ll even pick up Lady Luck along the way… Let’s go forth into this unknown world!

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