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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