The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World (Light Novel), Volume 1 Chapter 1

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This chapter is equivalent to chapters 2-17 of the web version.

Volume One, Chapter One

After loading my belongings into the storage space, I set off right away… and I have to say, this storage space is amazing. I never thought that such a modest space could fit everything—fishing rod, tackle box, and all the camping gear. It’s like a fourth-dimensional pocket, or maybe another dimension entirely… spatial magic sure is amazing…

You know what? I think I’m just going to stop trying to make sense of this Camping Car’s specs!

Still, this scenery is so peaceful and beautiful.

Well, except for the fact that I’m in the middle of nowhere in another world with no one around! There’s literally nothing and no one here. I’m way past feeling lonely or anxious—I’m actually starting to enjoy this situation!

By the way, I’m heading to a small lake that’s supposedly not too far from here. Even though I have access to drinkable water, don’t you want to secure water when doing outdoor activities? For things like washing, preparing ingredients, cooking in the open air, and various other reasons, you know?

…And yes, I’ll admit I have an ulterior motive—there might be fish in the lake. Since I have a fishing rod and some lures, how can I not want to try catching and eating fish from another world!?

…Huh? You’re wondering who’s guiding me there?

My Camping Car has a navigation system!

And get this—I found out when I started the Camping Car that it doesn’t even need keys!

That’s because I’m the skill user! The vehicle is linked to me, so I can start the engine without a key, and if I move a certain distance away, it locks automatically. If I come back, it unlocks on its own!

What kind of divine feature is this!?

And after driving for a while, I noticed that the Camping Car’s ride is exceptionally smooth. Given the cab-over design, with the driver’s seat right above the wheels, it should be really uncomfortable… but it doesn’t feel that way at all. If anything, it feels more comfortable than the compact car I used to drive before being sent here.

I also heard that higher vehicles tend to have poor balance, making them vulnerable to wind and rough terrain, and feel unstable when accelerating… but I don’t notice any of that. Honestly, this thing feels more stable than my old compact car.

The Camping Car skill is incredible!

‘You have arrived at your destination. Navigation complete.’

“Ah, yes, thank you very much.”

Out of habit, I thank the navigation system, turn off the engine, and step outside.

Before me stretches out a vast landscape: white clouds drifting lazily across the blue sky, verdant grasslands, and densely forested woods. The scent of dewy trees caresses my cheeks. And there is a vast lake, its calm surface reflecting the surrounding lush forest. The water is so clear that I can distinctly see the aquatic plants swaying at the bottom and small fish playing around them.

As I focus on the lake before me, thinking "maybe…"—and sure enough, a light green status window displays the lake’s name.

[Rhielle Lake (Water is drinkable)

A small lake in the east of Riessfeld.

Groundwater from the surrounding mountains springs up everywhere.

With no settlements nearby, a diverse variety of flora and fauna can be found here.]

Yup. The description for Survival said, "provides support on both physical and knowledge aspects to adapt to the natural and social environment," so I thought there might be some kind of assistance since I had no prior knowledge of this world. But I never expected it to be to this extent…!

Survival, you’re amazing…!

Though not as vast as the ocean, as I approach the gently rippling shoreline, I find stones of various sizes with nicely rounded edges scattered about. These would be useful, whether for sitting or building a simple fire pit. Countless pieces of what looks like dried driftwood are scattered around too—should save me the trouble of searching for firewood.

…Then.

Splash! Ripples spread across the water’s surface. My ingrained fishing enthusiast instincts immediately turn my head toward the sound, having heard similar fish activity countless times at fishing spots just yesterday. Sure enough, in my line of sight, a silver fish body breaks the calm surface in a rise…!

As I focus on the fish repeatedly rising, perhaps feeding on insects near the water’s surface, details instantly appear.

[Milk Trout (Edible: Extremely Delicious)

A giant trout-type magical creature inhabiting Rhielle Lake. Around this season, they voraciously feed in preparation for breeding.

True to its name, the fish is pure white and has plenty of nutrients and fat stored in its body.

Being a magical creature, it is free of parasites and can be eaten raw.]

Trout! TROUT!! TRRRRROUT!!!

No way! I can do trout fishing in this world too!? Seriously!? And native trout at that!?

“YAHOOOOOOOO! FISH! ING! TIME!”

I can’t help it. I’m too happy and excited to think straight! Before I can even consider what tackle to use or where the good spots may be… my body is already moving.

I dash into the cabin of my Camping Car parked by the lake, grab my rod, tackle box, landing net, and fish basket from the storage space, along with my polarized sunglasses, before returning to the water’s edge.

While the lake is too vast to see the outlet, I can spot an inlet from a river on the right side. A smallish rock near that inlet seems to be creating irregular water flows by breaking up the current.

Fish are still jumping quite actively beyond that inflow… Which means they’re probably near the surface…? Since I saw small fish that could be trout food swimming near the shore, I should try a lure that looks like a small fish!

I quickly prepare my fishing gear, attach the lure with my best track record… and cast it as far as I can. The lure cut through the air with a whoosh. Ohhh! It went further than I expected!

It lands with a plop, creating ripples just a bit beyond where the rises are happening… and then suddenly, the surface breaks with a huge splash as the lure disappears underwater.

“No way!? A strike right as it landed!?”

Though panicking inside, my body responds properly. I twist slightly while quickly reeling to ensure a good hook set.

Bang! As soon as I feel the weight on my rod, the drag screams as the line takes off. The occasional strong jerking sensation reminds me of the one big fish I’d caught before.

Using the rod’s flex to tire out the fish, I reel in then let it run, reel in then let it run… it is turning into a battle of endurance.

“Uwaa… this one must be huge!”

No matter how much I reel, it runs just as much offshore with no sign of coming ashore. But I can’t get impatient.

Stay calm, don’t panic, take it easy… it’ll naturally come closer once it gets tired…!

I can feel adrenaline coursing through my entire body as I sense the fish’s movements through the rod.

Will it get away, or will I land it?

My thoughts focused solely on that and…

“YESSSSSSS! MILK TROUT, GET IT!”

It felt like dozens of minutes, though it was probably more like ten or fifteen in reality. There’s no line break, no snapping rod, and no slipping away… After a grueling battle, I finally succeeded in landing the milk trout in the net.

“Wh-whoooooa…? What’s with… this size…!”

The body shape closely resembles a trout I often saw at the managed fishing ponds back home. Except it is white. When it comes to white trout, managed ponds sometimes stock a few albino trout to make it easier to see the school’s movements, but this is a completely different kind of white. While albino trout are more yellowish-white, milk trout are truly milk-white, with black eyes.

But what surprises me isn’t just the color. It is this milk trout’s size.

“…No way, no way… How many centimeters is this thing? It’s got to be well over 80 cm…”

The span between my thumb and middle finger is about 15 cm. Even measuring five spans, it’s still longer… and with that thick, plump body, it looks even bigger!

Great! The biggest catch of my life! It won’t even fit in the basket!

…Wait, that’s not the point right now!

A fish this size shouldn’t be possible to catch with a bargain-bin rod and some cheap fishing line! Well, maybe an expert could manage it, but with my level of skill, the rod should have broken or the line should have snapped, right?

Relief, awe, and confusion flood me as the tension breaks—my heart’s pounding, and my knees are trembling.

Even so, my eyes stay fixed firmly on the rod in my hands.

[Other World Fishing Set

A set of fishing rod, line, and reel made in a world different from this one.

Boasts incredible strength—won’t break, won’t snap, and securely lands hooked prey.]

…You’ve got to be kidding me, rod!? You were a clearance rod that didn’t even cost two thousand yen! And you too, fishing line! You were just a bargain bulk line on sale, but now you’ve become so… so… magnificent…!

Is being summoned to another world really this generous? Seems like only good things keep happening…?

Well, what’s caught is caught, and I’ll enjoy eating it!

I try to hold down the wildly trashing milk trout with one hand so I can finish it off. The fish is so big that when it slaps my arms and face with its flopping, it actually hurts quite a bit.

…Still, no matter how big it is, it is just a fish. Once I’ve got it pinned, I can finish it off with my small knife, which I always use for fishing. Aim for the backbone, and the blade slips right in!

Then I attach it to the stringer—a rope with hooks for keeping caught fish—that I have bought in case I ever caught a big one… and put it in the lake water… The water around the fish quickly turns red. Looks like the bleeding out is going well. It’s easier to drain blood while the heart’s still beating.

I feel a bit sorry for it, but I believe quick dispatch and bleeding are pretty important for good taste. They say you should also do nerve cutting, but even just proper bleeding makes a huge difference in taste! I got its precious life, so why not make it taste as good as possible?

“Alright! While it’s bleeding out, maybe I can catch another one? That would be great!”

Still riding the excitement of landing an unexpectedly huge fish, I check the line for damage before my next cast. Honestly, my knees are still shaking, but I’ve got to ride this big wave! You’ve got to catch them while they’re biting, because you never know when they’ll stop. Experts have techniques to get fish to bite even when they’re not in the mood, but I’m not that good… My personal rule is to catch them while the catching’s good.

Using the rod’s flex, I cast toward the offshore area again. Wait a bit until the ripples disappear, and if there’s no response, make some splashing sounds and ripples on the surface…

“YES!! ANOTHER ONE!!!”

It’s not right off the bat this time, but it doesn’t take long before the water’s surface splits again, and a fish takes the bait. The pull is still strong, and it’s making the drag screech as it darts around freely, but this one seems easier to reel in than the previous catch.

Could it be smaller?

“Or maybe it’s because I feel more confident knowing the line and rod won’t break…”

It isn’t that it is easier because the fish is small—it’s that, knowing the rod wouldn’t break and the line wouldn’t snap, I can focus entirely on reeling without worry.

The fish I net is around 70 cm long with thick flesh—it looks incredibly delicious. I pierce through its spine and tail area for bleeding, then attach it to the stringer and submerge it in the lake.

“This Rhielle Lake is amazing! Surely not all the milk trout here are this size?”

I want to fish more! But since my motto is "catch and eat," I don’t want to release them! Yet if I catch any more this size, they’ll go to waste!

Ahhh… what a dilemma… such a dilemma!

“Hmm?”

As I’m writhing in indecision about whether to cast again, something reddish-brown flashes at the edge of my vision. In the inflowing river current, something… reddish-brown…? The object, bobbing up and down as it drifts along, seems too large to be driftwood…

While I’m tilting my head in confusion, the current carries it into a bay-like bend in the river. As I strain my eyes out of curiosity, I can make out what appears to be a person wrapped in reddish-brown cloth lying there.

Ah, so it’s just a human. Good thing it’s not some fantasy monster…

“A HUMAN?!”

I catch myself just as I’m about to brush it off! No, no, I can’t ignore this!

The illustration’s description: a person lying down.

After setting down my rod, I approach closer and find that what’s lying there is not exactly a “human” but more of a “demi-human”.

I try to approach the fallen figure as quietly as possible.

Silver hair neatly trimmed, two horns growing from the forehead. A build that’s halfway between bulky and lean muscle, wearing what looks like leather armor and carrying something like a sword—the kind you’d see in fantasy manga or games.

“Oh… ohhhh… an oni, perhaps?”

Once again, Survival seems to be working well, allowing me to observe this otherworldly being calmly without much panic.

At first glance, he looks like an "oni" from old picture books, but he doesn’t seem particularly frightening—probably because his features aren’t as fierce as those illustrations. Though for an oni, he’s not wearing tiger-print pants…

By the way, about oni wearing tiger print panties… I vaguely recall hearing that it’s wordplay. The Japanese have two words for the northeastern direction, which are "kimon" and "usitora". "Kimon"—which, by the way, has another meaning of bad direction—is made up of the characters for "Oni" and "Gate,” while "usitora" is made up of “Ox” and “Tiger”. So, oni → ox and tiger → ox horns and tiger-skin loincloth → oni in tiger print panties. It’s like a game of associations tied to words for the northeastern direction… Though there may be other theories. Anyway!

Despite looking a bit intimidating, Mr. Oni has quite refined features… to put it plainly, he’s quite handsome. He seems about my age or perhaps slightly older?

“Oh, thank goodness! He seems to still be alive!”

Most importantly, his broad chest is rising and falling steadily, and despite being soaked, his complexion looks relatively healthy. He doesn’t appear to be on the verge of death, which is quite a relief!

I wonder if it’s safe to get a little closer…

“Um… are you alright? Are you conscious? Can you move?”

“…Ugh… yeah…”

Though nervously, I inch closer to Mr. Oni and call out to him. His closed eyelids flutter slightly open.

Like he’s searching for the voice’s origin or surveying his surroundings… his eyes look around. Either his mind isn’t fully clear yet, or his body won’t respond. By the way, Mr. Oni’s eyes are a brilliant ruby red, like fresh blood. They look like strawberry candies—quite appetizing.

“Hmm… You’re conscious but can’t seem to move… Being in the water is sapping your body heat, so I’ll drag you onto shore, okay?”

“Ah, no…”

Well, the most important thing is that he’s conscious!

But moving seems difficult… He tries to get up wobbly several times, only to collapse back down, and now he’s lying flat on his back. Sorry, but I’ll have to drag you out even if it’s rough!

Mr. Oni seems a bit flustered, but I’m not going to worry about that! I can’t just stand by and watch him lose more strength…

“Excuse me, but could you cross your arms, please?”

I circle around to his head, use my knee for support while lifting his upper body with both hands, and grab his crossed arms from behind…

“Sorry if this hurts… heave ho!”

“Ughhhh!”

And then, lifting the upper body a bit, I drag him slightly away from the water’s edge… and that should do it. Mr. Oni lets out a strangled groan. Yes, I get it. Being dragged across gravel and stones must hurt, even through clothes… But there’s really no helping it… I can’t lift or carry someone with such a large build by myself, I’m sowwy.

If this were a petite grandma… I could easily carry and transfer her, though! Don’t underestimate an acupuncturist who used to work at a day-care service and now makes house calls to care recipients! I even have a care worker certification besides being an acupuncturist!

…Huh? You want some acupuncturist trivia?

Well… let’s see… when you bend your toes, the center of your second toe—the foot’s index finger—touches a spot on your sole called "ura-naitei." If you apply moxibustion there during food poisoning, it works really well, so it’s useful to remember for when you get an upset stomach in another world!

…How’s that?

I think it’s perfect trivia for someone like me who’s going to be cooking and eating otherworldly ingredients…

And so…

While I’m lost in thought, whether from the pain of being dragged, the shock, or both… Something seems to have stimulated him, as Mr. Oni slowly sits up cross-legged.

Oh! Has he recovered a bit?

…Or maybe not…? Seeing him still drained with a hunched back even seated cross-legged… He didn’t look that exhausted when I first saw him, but I guess that’s something you can’t always judge by appearance…

“Um… I got you out of the water, but being in soaked clothes still saps away body heat, so I’ll grab something to wipe you down!”

I don’t have a blanket, but I should have a hooded towel poncho for sun protection. Just as I tell Mr. Oni this and start to leave…

“Soaked… Right… Rien (Clean), Folai (Dry).”

“Huh!?”

Mr. Oni, who seems to have just noticed he’s wet, wearily looks at his hair and cloak clinging to his face and body, then snaps his fingers. Suddenly, green and red light swirls around Mr. Oni’s body… and before I can even blink in amazement, his body and clothes, which had been soaked and muddy, become perfectly clean and completely dry, as if they’d been washed.

…Huh? What’s this!? Could it be… magic?

That’s straight-up fantasy!

Just as I’m about to be impressed, Mr. Oni’s body sways precariously. I managed to catch him just in time to prevent him from falling, but if I hadn’t made it, his head would have hit the riverbank stones.

Safe! That was safe!

“A-Are you okay?”

“…hu…”

“Hu?”

“…Hungry…”

“Eeeeh!?”

Shaking all over, Mr. Oni somehow raises his face, but along with words I don’t expect, his head droops again, and he seems to have lost consciousness. His body begins to lean towards me, but I somehow catch him and carefully lay down sideways, once again preventing him from hitting his head. Folding my hoodie into a makeshift pillow, I slid it under Mr. Oni’s head.

“…Hungry, huh…”

Grooooowl… a mysterious sound can be heard continuously from the vicinity of Mr. Oni’s stomach… Could this be his belly growling!? It’s so impressive! Well, with a physique as good as his, just basic metabolism must be amazing… The milk trout should be done bleeding by now—though it’s tastier aged—so I can make some dinner at least!

Besides, I’m starting to get hungry myself, and it wouldn’t sit right with me to ignore someone who’s starving. There’s a saying that even casual encounters are fated.

At the very least, I’ll provide you with food and shelter, Mr. Oni!

“…Guess I’ll sear the milk trout over a flame. As long as I’ve got fire, I can manage that!”

While running through cooking plans in my head, I start back toward the Camping Car… and, well, yup. I once again realize just how high-performance this Camping Car really is.

You see, even after moving away from the Camping Car that I summoned by activating the skill, I can call it to appear near my current location by turning the skill off and then on again!

How do I know? Because I just experienced it!

There was enough space where Mr. Oni fell for the Camping Car, but with no road to move it there, I wondered if I could make the vehicle disappear once I got back to it… Then the vehicle I could see in the distance vanished, and when I panicked and wished "Come out again!" it appeared right next to me.

…Apparently, I can control the skill on/off—or rather, decide whether to keep the vehicle manifested or not—and when manifesting it, it can appear near my location. So that’s what "using the skill user’s coordinates as the starting point" means! Amazing.

…Well, I still had to go back since I’d left the fishing rod and milk trout at the original spot.

I head back to Mr. Oni after retrieving the bled milk trout and fishing gear, then take out the camping supplies stored in the vehicle’s storage.

Well then, let’s begin our otherworld camping & outdoor cooking!

“First things first, I should set up a place for Mr. Oni to rest…”

I’m not heartless enough to leave someone who almost drowned lying out in the open. Better to set up the tent ahead of time so I can guide him there once he wakes up.

It’s just a small, easy setup tent I use for shade and breaks, but it’s better than nothing, right? With the car-camping mat on the ground, the gravel shouldn’t be too uncomfortable.

Then, gather some driftwood and grass, get the grill ready… I guess that’s about it for now? Instead of using the kitchen in the car, I plan to cook outside near Mr. Oni while keeping a fire going so he can warm up.

The temperature will drop as night falls, and even though he’s dry now, he was soaked, so his strength must be somewhat depleted… It would be terrible if he caught a cold without a heat source.

There are nicely rounded stones of good size scattered around the setup area, and while I dreamed of arranging them into a makeshift hearth… this time I’ll use my portable grill.

The portable grill makes managing the fire easier, and besides, it would be wasteful to spend time building a hearth. I need to get things done while there’s still daylight. Once it gets dark, it’ll be hard to see.

“…Still, there’s more to do, so I’ll light the fire a bit later!”

By the way, the Camping Car’s kitchen is truly something. Enough to get my cooking enthusiast blood pumping. I mean, just a glimpse of the fridge shows it even has nice-looking barley tea as a "service"!

…But now’s not the time to inspect it thoroughly. First, I need to do the prep work before dark! Detailed exploration can wait.

For now, I fillet the milk trout into three pieces using the deba knife—a special big knife for preparing fish—from under the sink.

Honestly, I feel slightly strange that a trout this size isn’t red meat, but I can’t help but smile at the thickness of the flesh and how the fat oozes out just from moving the knife. I scrape the meat left on the center bone and pop it in my mouth for a taste—sweetness and umami gradually spread across my tongue. The moist flesh has a smooth texture, melting away in my mouth. As expected of otherworld ingredients… It’s this delicious even without aging, and despite being so fatty, there’s no fishy smell or heaviness.

“Delicious…! The milk trout is incredibly delicious!”

Resisting the temptation to eat it as sashimi, I cut it into pieces slightly larger than bite-size, leaving the skin on.

Once skewered on barbecue metal sticks, I season the skin side generously and sprinkle plenty of salt and pepper on the flesh. That’s the trick. Anyway, when you grill it, the salt tends to wash away with the dripping fat and moisture from the flesh. Ideally, I’d love to skewer a whole fish so the juices do not drip out, but unfortunately, it is too big. Oh well, can’t be helped!

Since I didn’t know how much Mr. Oni would eat, I used the larger fish whole, but given its size, I got quite a lot of cuts. I don’t have enough metal skewers for all of this, so I’ll grill the extra portions as we eat.

The other trout I fillet, wrap in kitchen paper, and put in the fridge to age. I’ll make that into sashimi or carpaccio tomorrow. Survival said it’s safe to eat raw! As for the head, bones, and other scraps, I’ll throw them in a pot to simmer for stock. Might be useful for some dish?

With the ingredients ready, it’s time to prepare the fire!

I set up easily combustible grass, small twigs, and thinner branches in the portable grill, then use a lighter to set fire to the kitchen paper I borrowed and toss it in. The fire quickly spreads from the kitchen paper to the dead grass, then to the twigs… and slightly later, the thin branches catch nicely.

Once it settles down a bit, I add thicker branches… good. The thick branches have started burning successfully. Now I just need to add driftwood as fuel periodically, and it shouldn’t go out.

I set the wire mesh on top of the portable grill and insert the skewers diagonally through the holes away from the fire—perfect for grilling the fish!

“Camp cooking just isn’t camp without a fire, right?!”

After grilling for a while, excess moisture and fat drip down with a sizzle, creating smoke. This is the true pleasure of cooking over direct fire…!

The surroundings are completely dark now; twilight has fallen. Only the area around the fire stand remains lit, as if cut out from the darkness. The only sounds in the darkness are faint insect chirps, bird calls, and the crackling of flames and sizzling of grilling fish.

As I rotate the skewers carefully to prevent burning, the dripping moisture gradually decreases, and an even, nice color develops all over. Trout has a lot of moisture, so when salt-grilling, it’s delicious if you grill it well to remove the excess water!

Just as I’m thinking about calling out to Mr. Oni, I see him sitting up on the other side of the flames.

“Oh, are you awake? How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?”

“…Hungry…”

“Ah, yes. I’m glad you seem okay. It’s just about done cooking. Would you like some?”

Mr. Oni, still seeming a bit dazed, approaches the fire and mumbles. I offer a perfectly grilled fish skewer to Mr. Oni, who appears to be at his limit. His gaze bounces between my face and the fish skewer several times, head snapping up. Well, anyone would be wary of food from a stranger they just met.

Yet—

“Sorry… thanks!”

“No, no. We help each other in times of need.”

Giving in to the rumbling hunger, Mr. Oni accepts the fish skewer with downturned eyebrows, blows on it lightly, and takes a big bite. For a moment, his body freezes, and his ruby eyes go wide, but he immediately takes a second and third bite of the fish.

The illustration’s description: Oni and Rin eating fish skewers.

Even though he’s eating with such vigor you can hear his chomping, somehow it doesn’t look unseemly. Maybe because he has this air of refinement about him? I’m not really sure!

Well then, time for me to eat too!

I grab a nearby skewer, blow on it to cool it down, and take a big bite! Table manners and elegance are powerless in the face of barbecue’s charms.

The skin, roasted in its own fat, is perfectly crispy. Mmm, this is delicious just by itself! The first thing I notice is the fairly strong saltiness. But as I chew, sweet juices spread throughout my mouth, and the saltiness and sweetness blend together on my tongue. When I bite into the flesh that’s turned golden brown from the direct flame, fragrant white steam rises from the broken surface. Though the outside has cooled a bit from my breath, the inside is still piping hot, so I have to chew while taking in air to cool it down.

The fine, pure white flesh has been cooked to perfection with excess moisture removed, yet with each bite, the fat slowly seeps out from within, and it falls apart tenderly in my mouth. Just like I thought when I tasted it earlier, otherworld ingredients are amazing! The flesh doesn’t fall apart even without aging, and it’s packed with umami!

Great for fishing, great for eating—isn’t that perfect!?

That faint milky aroma that lingers in my nose at the end must be because it’s a "milk" trout.

Soooo delicious!

Now that my mouth is all hot, I gulp down the barley tea from the fridge in one go! My mouth cools instantly, the salt and fat wash away clean—it’s just perfect! Personally, I prefer highballs or shōchū highballs over beer, but this grilled fish goes really well with barley tea too!

When I come to, Mr. Oni, who has already finished one skewer, is staring at me fixedly. I receive the empty skewer and hand him another fish one. Once again, a momentarily surprised expression appears on Mr. Oni’s face, but it seems he cannot resist his appetite. He’s chomping down ferociously.

“Um, please take and eat as much as you’d like. There’s plenty more.”

When I point to the fish skewers sizzling over the embers, Mr. Oni gives a small bow. After quickly finishing the skewer he’s holding, he silently continues eating one skewer after another. His sparkling eyes seem to be saying "delicious, delicious," which makes me, as the cook, absolutely thrilled!

But at this rate, we might run out of perfectly-grilled skewers.

I add more firewood and place the fish slices directly on the grill mesh. Cooking directly over the flame requires careful attention to the heat, but right now there’s no time to worry about that! While eating the fish skewer in hand, I adjust the fire intensity and continue grilling the fish. Meanwhile, Mr. Oni’s eating pace shows no sign of slowing down. In the time I eat one skewer, he might eat about three!

Before I know it, Mr. Oni has devoured most of the skewered fish on the mesh… he polishes off almost all of that huge milk trout.

And finally, with his hunger apparently satisfied, Mr. Oni sits cross-legged on the other side of the flames and starts nodding off. You get sleepy when you’re full, right? I get it. You must be physically exhausted too, I totally understand. However, sleeping here might get chilly with the night breeze, and the ground is full of stones, which could be uncomfortable. So, I’ll lend you my tent, Mr. Oni. Well, I don’t have a sleeping bag, so you’ll have to make do with a car-camping mat and blanket.

“Um… behind you, there’s a tent… I mean, a solo-person canopy and a blanket… Please use it if you’d like.”

“…mm… thanks… I’ll… borrow it…”

When I approach and lightly tap his shoulder, Mr. Oni drowsily crawls into the tent.

Well… I might worry about him stealing my gear, but with the Camping Car here, I won’t be lacking much equipment-wise even if stuff gets taken. Of course, I’d be heartbroken if cherished items got stolen.

Besides, Mr. Oni gives off this kind, almost gullible vibe… He just doesn’t look like the sort who’d steal.

As I watch Mr. Oni crawl into the tent, Survival isn’t giving any warnings.

…Oh! Speaking of Survival—it’s quite an amazing skill!

When I was gathering firewood earlier, suddenly a bright red alert appeared as I was walking around, and it turned out there was a poisonous plant with sharp, thick thorns at my feet. I think it’s probably a system that warns me when there’s something that could be dangerous to me. So I’m guessing it would also warn me about beings or things that have negative intentions towards me, like "wanting to harm me" or "wanting to steal from me.”

Taking that into consideration, the fact that Survival isn’t giving any warnings about Mr. Oni… probably means it’s okay to trust him, I think.

More than anything, he’s the first person I’ve met from this other world, so I want to trust him!

“I should probably take care of the fire and go to sleep too.”

After confirming that Mr. Oni has wrapped himself in the blanket, I stand up from my folding stool. I transfer the contents of the portable grill to the ash container at my feet, close the lid, and the flames naturally go out. The ash container is really useful.

I’ll try using these charcoals later—they’re supposed to catch fire easily.

Looking up at the sky, I see two moons floating there. Is this a binary system, perhaps? With one crescent moon and one full moon—a sight impossible to see back on Earth—the feeling that I’ve come to a completely unknown world gradually sinks in.

After placing the ash container beside the vehicle, I sit down on the springy sofa by the cabin window.

“Wow, it really feels like a foreign land…!”

Beyond the glass window spreads a sky full of stars and the faintly white binary moons. Blue, indigo, purple… the night sky, not just a single shade of black but a complex blend of colors, looks more beautiful than what I saw back in Japan. Is it because there are no city lights? Or because the air is cleaner? As I watch the twinkling stars, my eyelids start to droop without me realizing it. Well, that’s to be expected. Being suddenly thrown from the ordinary into the extraordinary—how could I not be tired?

Just as my brain is about to be gently pulled into sleep, it sparks as if struck by an idea.

“Wait—no! Not yet! I need to check what the inside of the car is like while I can!”

I could feel my eyes, which were just about to close, snap wide open. With that momentum, I jump up from the sofa.

Whatever happens, I’ll have to live in this world for a while. Fortunately, I have excellent skills suited for survival and for mobile living. I want to use those advantages to travel around, sightseeing, and enjoying myself!

For that, I need to check what the inside of the car is like!

As they say, "Know your enemy and know yourself, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles!”

Now that I’m sitting up on the sofa, I can see the kitchen that’s been making me so curious right in front of me. Naturally, this is where I want to start investigating, yes!

A sparkling sink with a decent-sized prep space. A three-burner stove with enamel coating has a somewhat retro design. Below the sink are double doors that seem to be a storage space. Looking up, there are hanging cabinets with something stored inside.

To the right of the kitchen is a fridge about chest height, with a silver rice cooker on top.

Skimming the manual left nearby, it says the inner pot has a diamond coating that cooks rice to fluffy perfection with high heat.

What’s more, while it’s not much bigger than a regular rice cooker, it can cook up to two shō—about 3.6 liters—of rice! Amazing, this rice cooker! This is the type of rice cooker that would be too expensive to buy in stores, yup.

I run my hand gently over its round, simple form—hard to believe it’s such a powerhouse. The surface feels cool and smooth, with not a speck of dust.

“Hmm… isn’t this kitchen fancier than the one at my house?”

Under the stove sits a red box… a built-in microwave oven.

This one unit functions not only as an oven and microwave but also seems to be a high-end appliance that can grill, steam cook, reheat, defrost… and even air fry using superheated steam, as well as roast meat and make steamed dishes.

The storage space under the sink neatly contains cooking utensils like pots, pans, and knives, along with dishes, mugs, and cutlery. There are also heavier food items—alcohol, vinegar, canned goods—all arranged in order.

The hanging shelves above the cooking space hold frequently used seasonings like sugar, salt, and various spices. Interestingly, the labels on the food items are written in Japanese with various fonts. Surprisingly, they’re made in Japan.

“Now then… for the main event… the exciting fridge check!”

The fridge is a compact, single-person model, but still a two-door design.

And of course, when I open the door, the inside is far more spacious than the exterior suggests… though that’s pretty much become a given, hasn’t it?

What really shocks me, though, is how much is actually inside.

“Let’s see… white dashi, soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise… miso and rice vine… Oh yes! There’s butter and bouillon cubes! And even flour and rice…!”

The fridge contained various condiments, flour, and even rice in a clear container the size of a 2-liter bottle, along with a tsundere-like note saying "The contents are a service! It’s not prepared for you personally or anything!”

I poke around to see if there is anything else, but that seems to be the full inventory.

However, checking the fridge, hanging shelves, and storage space… how should I put it… the selection of food items seems to match what I have in my apartment’s fridge and pantry.

The miso and soy sauce are products from my hometown’s brewery, the butter is the same kind my father sent as a souvenir from his business trip up north, there’s that expensive bottled mayonnaise I’d splurged on as a treat for myself, and even my stockpile of canned tomatoes…

The decisive factor is that among the rows of spice jars, a jar of my homemade special spice blend has slipped in. Though I don’t understand how this works, I’m honestly very grateful. When living in a completely unknown world, familiar tastes play an important role in maintaining your daily spirits!

Besides, with staples like flour and rice, I shouldn’t have too much trouble with food, and I should be fine wandering around sightseeing for a while as planned, right?

Perhaps because I feel relieved about having sorted out immediate meals, my forgotten fatigue and drowsiness begin to hit me hard again.

Fighting against my swaying vision, I climb the stairs to the bunk bed. Actually, I’ve secretly always dreamed of sleeping in a camping car’s bunk bed… Now I can finally experience that dream-like comfort…!

Without trying to suppress my spreading grin, I eagerly stretch out on the bed.

It’s softer than I expected… or at least, I think I feel that way… Soon after, my consciousness slips into the dark abyss.

◆◇◆

Ah, it’s currently 6 AM. Though it’s already light outside, there’s still a thin fog lingering, giving off a distinct "early morning" atmosphere.

You might wonder why I’m up at this hour, but I am. I just happened to wake up. The bunk bed was so perfectly comfortable that it felt like I had just put my head on the pillow… and then it was morning. I woke up around five, maybe from excitement… I thought about going back to sleep, but instead decided to try catching some milk trout during the morning feeding time!

So I caught a 70 cm milk trout and returned to the car, but…

“I’m so sorry! Thank you so much!”

“Oh, no, it wasn’t anything special, really… um, it’s a bit awkward for me, so could you please lift your head?”

Mr. Oni, who was apparently already awake, noticed me and is now bowing deeply, almost like a prostration. No, no, please stop! I didn’t do anything that grand! On the contrary, thanks to Mr. Oni eating that meal, I got to enjoy fishing again today! So please lift your heeeead!

When Mr. Oni finally straightens up at my desperate plea… compared to yesterday, there is much more life in his face. Yup. Proper nutrition and rest are important for outdoor activities.

…Though I’m curious about what he’s holding… is it tree bark?

“Um… what’s that wooden wrapped thing…?”

“Oh. It’s Almiraj meat. I happened to spot one and hunted it, as thanks for the food and bed.”

In Mr. Oni’s hands is something wrapped in what looks like kyogi—wood, shaved paper-thin for wrapping things.

Though I thought it might be improper, my curiosity got the better of me, and I asked about the contents. Mr. Oni slowly unravels the wood wrapping in front of me. Inside is a pale pink… meat?

“Almiraj… you mean, that rabbit-like creature with a horn?”

“Yes. Since it’s a rabbit, the meat’s delicious, so I thought it would make a good gesture of gratitude.”

The term sounded vaguely familiar, and after desperately searching through my memory, I remembered it from a TRPG session. If I recall correctly, it was a monster that looked like a rabbit with a single horn on its forehead…! Mr. Oni added more details as I timidly asked.

Oh! I was right! So Almiraj are tasty! I see. It’s like rabbit meat. I’ve always wanted to try rabbit meat!

…But is it really okay to accept this…?

It was not that I wanted to be thanked by him; I’m just a timid chicken who couldn’t ignore someone in need… Yet, getting such apparently delicious meat as a thank-you gift feels a bit too much.

“Oh… do you dislike rabbit meat?”

“No, not at all! It’s just that I wasn’t expecting any thanks! Really, please don’t worry about it.”

“No, I have to. You lent me valuable food and even a place to sleep. While I don’t think this is enough to repay saving my life, won’t you accept it?”

“…Uh… okay, I’ll accept it. Thank you very much.”

“No, I’m the one who should be thankful. You really helped me! Thank you.”

Half intimidated by Mr. Oni’s serious expression and half thinking this would just go in circles… I accepted the Almiraj meat.

It’s not like I’m short on food or have nowhere to sleep!

…But the atmosphere made it impossible to say that…

Looking at the meat I received, the clean pink color without excess blood, contrasting with the light marbling of fat, looks absolutely delicious.

…I feel bad for making him go to such trouble…

“…Come to think of it, why did you end up washed up in that condition?”

“Well… It’s an embarrassing story that shows my foolishness, but…”

After placing the meat in my tackle box to keep it from warming up with my body heat, I asked something I’d been wondering about. I’ll just set the milk trout I caught on the grass. Since it seems like it may be a long story, we both sit down on suitably sized rocks. Standing the whole time would be tiring, after all.

According to Mr. Oni, while he was bathing, small monsters called a "Ferretta" playfully stole his belongings, including his food supplies, and scattered them around…

Though he managed to recover his camping gear, albeit muddy, the food had been ravaged and ruined. Starving, he tried to pick some berries from a tree on the riverbank, failed → fell into the river → went bobbing along downstream…

Furthermore, the camping gear he’d managed to recover was also lost while being swept down the river.

All he had left were his identification and travel money safely tucked in his underclothes, plus the weapons and armor he was wearing…

You are so unlucky, Mr. Oni.

“Wait… Is Ferretta such a dangerous monster?”

“No. They look cute and aren’t very strong in combat, and are generally docile… But they’re very curious, move in groups, are quick, and quite dexterous, so they tend to snatch unfamiliar items and run off…”

“Ohh…! So you just run into their mischievousness?”

“It’s no joke when you’re on the receiving end…”

Mr. Oni heaved a deeeeeeep sigh, with an expression like he’d just swallowed a bitter bug. Well, almost dying from some playful mischief does warrant that, I suppose…

Hm? Wait? Then…

“…Does that mean you’re currently without any food or camping gear, just the clothes you’re wearing?”

“Well, that’s about right…”

Mr. Oni’s head drooped dejectedly. Ah! Sorry! I didn’t mean to poke at it! I just got a little curious…

“Ugh… I apologize for showing such a pathetic side! I’m Ville. You really helped me yesterday. Thank you!”

“So you’re Mr. Ville! I’m Rin. As they say, kindness begets kindness, and you’ve already repaid me, so please don’t worry about it!”

Oh! So Mr. Oni’s name is revealed. Mr. Ville, huh? It suits him perfectly.

And I deliberately didn’t give my family name. Well, you see, when it comes to "family names" in what seems to be a medieval fantasy setting, regardless of whether it’s Eastern or Western, I feel like only nobles, wealthy farmers, merchants, or other important people had them… I mean, even though I’m a bit of an ignorant girl—albeit with some backbone!—having a family name might raise questions, and I’d rather avoid troublesome situations, you know?

When I smiled and extended my hand for a handshake, Mr. Ville sighed with a troubled expression.

“Well… shouldn’t you be a bit more cautious?”

“Hmm… in my amateur opinion, if you were a bad person, I don’t think you’d have brought thank-you meat, explained your circumstances, told me your name, right?”

“…Oh?”

“If you wanted to steal, you could have taken my belongings and fled before I woke up. And in a secluded place like this, if you planned to kidnap me, you could attack without me noticing, and there wouldn’t be any evidence left…”

…Yup. Even if he tells me to “be more cautious,” someone who takes the trouble to bring me a thank-you gift and honestly explain his situation—could that same person really mean me harm? Hmm…

Survival isn’t warning me either, and if he had such intentions, I think it would have happened long ago…

Though I feel bad for Mr. Ville having to deal with someone like me, even in theory, if he wanted to assault, kill, or rob me, at this isolated Rhielle Lake shore where there’s no one as far as the eye can see, it wouldn’t even become a crime scene, let alone an unsolved mystery.

As for gaining my trust to steal something from me… it would be more cost-effective to part ways with me, who currently has nothing, and find another target instead of wasting his time.

…And above all…

“Somehow, you just don’t seem like a bad person to me, Mr. Ville…”

“W-Well… certainly, I swear to heaven I have no ill intentions toward my benefactor, but… hmm…”

In the end, the biggest reason is that, right now, Brother Ville in front of me, with a complex expression and a slight frown, somehow doesn’t seem like a bad person. While I may not be the best judge of character, he seems like a better person than those people at that saint summoning place, yup!

Sure, there’s the option to not trust him, but after our fates crossed like this, wouldn’t that be kind of sad?!

“By the way, since you can travel alone, does that mean you’re actually experienced with traveling, Mr. Ville?”

“Hmm? Ah, yes. Despite my blunder, I’m actually a fairly capable adventurer.”

I sit up straight on the rock and look directly at Mr. Ville’s face again. Sensing the change in atmosphere, his eyes met mine with renewed intensity.

I thought this might be a good opportunity, depending on how you look at it. If Mr. Ville would let me travel with him to the nearest village or town, I could provide food and lodging, and in return, he could protect me and share information about this world—it could be a win-win situation!

“An adventurer! So that kind of thing really exists here!”

“Ah, yes. Most towns and villages of a certain scale have a guild or branch… What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… It’s just due to some circumstances I didn’t have an opportunity to see one…”

So, there really is something like an "Adventurers’ Guild"! It’s like a world straight out of a fantasy TRPG world.

While telling Mr. Oni, who is looking quite puzzled, a version of the truth, I continue to search for the right words:

“Um, so… er… would it be possible for me to travel with you until you reach your destination? I can provide food and lodging.”

“Huh…? Oh, no… while that would be perfect for me, are you sure? You don’t seem to have much luggage…?”

“Ah. Well, you see, I have, um… various skills like being able to identify edible things, so I can procure things locally.”

“Really!? As a big eater, I envy that skill!”

I’m not lying. My trusty Survival tells me whether something is edible or not, and among the "various skills" there is the Camping Car…

Hearing this, Mr. Ville forgot to blink for just a moment before breaking into hearty laughter.

Right? Survival is really useful! Though it probably won’t help at all in combat.

The fact that there’s no warning alert from Survival probably means it’s safe to trust Mr. Ville. Well, if he does agree to let me travel with him, I think I’ll have to tell him about the Camping Car at some point, but I’ll wait for the right moment. Until then, I’ll try to dodge the subject somehow…

“So if it’s not too much trouble, I’d be grateful if you’d let me accompany you. I have certain circumstances, and I’m not very familiar with things around here…”

“No problem. If it won’t inconvenience you, I’d consider it a blessing. Counting on you!”

A bright smile and firm handshake are universal signs of friendship!

…And then… grrrrowwwl… Mr. Ville’s stomach starts complaining of hunger. As if in response, my own stomach growls too.

“…Shall we discuss the details while eating?”

“…Sorry… I’ll at least go gather some firewood.”

Anyway, despite the dramatic interruption from Mr. Ville’s stomach, I’m looking forward to feeding our growling bellies and discussing our new alliance!

After watching Mr. Ville’s back as he apologetically went to gather firewood, I quickly turned around and jumped into the Camping Car. If possible, I’d like to keep the Camping Car a secret until after the meal. It would surely become a big deal, and if it becomes a big deal, I’d need to explain that too… and above all, if there’s trouble before the meal, the food won’t taste as good…

I place the Alumirage meat that I received as a thank-you into the fridge. While at it, I grab the milk trout fillet, a bit of rice, salt and pepper, and olive oil from under the sink. I also take out the pot of concentrated broth I made yesterday and place everything near the Camping Car’s door so I can quickly carry it all out when I need it. It would be a shame if some animal got to it while it’s outside. Going back to the kitchen, I grab a cutting board, plates, a frying pan, a folding mini-table that I will be using as a cooking surface, and two folding chairs to take outside. The reason I have two chairs is that one is a small, simple fishing chair, and the other is a larger camping one with a backrest and armrests. Considering our size difference, I figured Mr. Ville should take the bigger one.

For today’s breakfast, I’m thinking of making rice gruel with milk trout stock, carpaccio, and foil-steamed milk trout that I caught today. I chose carpaccio instead of sashimi because I added olive oil with the desperate hope that "it will be a bit more filling…!”

Of course, I plan to adjust both flavors so they can be mixed into the gruel as ingredients if desired. I hope the meat left on the bones I boiled yesterday to create the broth wasn’t too bland because I want to use it as an ingredient. By the way, I disposed of the organs and bones by simply digging a hole and burying them. May they return to nature. Amen.

While I’m at it, I might as well look around the lake for more ingredients. If there are any wild plants growing, they could go in the gruel too.

With such expectations in my heart, as I approach the nearby water source, there is an abundance of "wild plants." The plants are something called “wild parsley,” and when I nibble a leaf, it tastes and smells a lot like regular celery. However, near this wild parsley grows a very similar-looking poisonous grass called… poisonous wild parsley. According to Survival, it contains a plant-based neurotoxin that could be lethal…

“Oh, you are so capable, Survival!”

It would be nearly impossible for an amateur to identify and gather these correctly—they look so similar! But that’s the power of Survival. Even with poisonous plants around, I’m fine!

Since celery roots are delicious, and wild parsley tastes similar, I pull them up with the roots and fill a colander to the brim. I’ll use half for breakfast. I think it’ll taste great in the gruel. For lunch, I’m thinking of briefly boiling it and serving it as boiled greens. The crisp texture and fragrance should be delicious.

As I return from the waterside and start preparing, Mr. Ville comes back too. His shoulders slumped when he saw the mountain of wild parsley piled in my colander.

“A… are you going to… eat that grass?”

“This won’t be the main dish, of course! I’ve got the fish I caught yesterday and today that I’m planning to use. How do you feel about a gruel-style meal?”

Mr. Ville blinks in confusion at my question.

“I like gruel, but… is it really okay for me to eat too?”

“Of course it is! We’re traveling companions!”

“…I see… Thank you!”

I wouldn’t do something as demonic as eating by myself! When I answered immediately while clenching my fist, Mr. Ville’s face lit up with joy. "I’ll prepare the firewood," he said, splitting large driftwood. I’m really grateful since only the large driftwood that I couldn’t handle yesterday remains in the area.

Once the fire stabilizes a bit, I season the scaled and gutted milk trout with salt and pepper, wrap it in aluminum foil, and put it in the fire to steam. Then I set up the wire mesh and frying pan, and first sautéed the rice in olive oil.

It would probably taste better with garlic or fresh grated ginger here, but unfortunately, they weren’t in the fridge. There was ginger powder in the spice box, but that’s different… It’s dried, after all… Since both garlic and ginger keep well, I should look for them at a market somewhere.

When the rice becomes translucent, I lightly season it with salt and pepper, add the milk trout broth, flaked meat from the bones, and a bit of soy sauce, then move it to a low-heat area to cook slowly. Stirring too much makes it sticky, so I only stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning. I deliberately left it uncovered to reduce the liquid while simmering.

Meanwhile, I thinly slice the milk trout that has been aged overnight and arrange it on a plate. Just one fish makes quite a portion! I top it with tender wild parsley leaves, drizzle salt, pepper, and olive oil over it, and the milk trout carpaccio-style salad is complete!

Mr. Ville’s eyes keep glancing this way. Judging from his stomach’s cries that I can hear from here, he must be quite hungry.

“Ah—please wait just a little longer! It should be done soon…!”

“Well… I’m sorry… I just can’t control it…”

“I totally understand. The smell while cooking really stimulates your appetite!”

While speaking to Mr. Ville, who is covering his eyes with one hand and hanging his head, I stir the contents of the frying pan.

Hmm… the rice seems to have softened just right, so I add the chopped wild parsley, briefly simmer it, and it’s done! There’s too much liquid and it’s not al dente enough to call it risotto, but since I sautéed the rice, it’s a "risotto-style" gruel. I also take out the foil-steamed fish, and when I open the aluminum foil, a fragrant aroma tickles my nose.

I hand a bowl full of gruel and a spoon to Mr. Ville, who can’t wait any longer. I also plate half of the steamed fish and put it on the mini table. Since he probably can’t use chopsticks, I add a serving spoon and a fork for the carpaccio-style salad.

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

“Itadakimasu!”

With our individual prayers and words before the meal, it’s time to eat!

The well-simmered gruel has turned thick—more like a creamy rice porridge than soup. After cooling it well and taking a spoonful, the gentle sweetness of the rice and milk trout spreads throughout my mouth. Perhaps because the ingredients are fresh, there’s absolutely no fishiness. Using alcohol when making the broth and soy sauce for seasoning probably helped too. It’s lightly flavored, but the broth still comes through, leaving no unsatisfied feeling.

Although it is supposed to be the leftover bits remaining after making the broth, it is surprising to find that when you bite into the meat, the umami flavor spreads from deep within. The cooked wild parsley is super fragrant, making the potentially heavy, thick gruel refreshingly delicious, and its crispy texture feels especially nice among the soft gruel!

The foil-steamed fish is also perfect—so simple to make yet so delicious. Unlike grilled fish, it hasn’t lost its moisture, so the texture is soft and fluffy, almost melting on the tongue. Despite being fresh-caught, the umami clings to the root of my tongue.

“…”

“? What’s wrong, Mr. Ville? Does it not suit your taste?”

“No! That’s not it! I never… never imagined I could eat such delicious food from outdoor cooking…!”

“Eh!? It’s just gruel and steamed fish, you know?”

Mr. Ville had stopped moving after taking one sip of gruel. When I called out, thinking maybe he wasn’t used to the taste, he responded with fierce intensity.

Um, well… I do think it turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself, but I don’t think it deserves that much excitement…?

Ignoring my confusion, Mr. Ville is earnestly consuming the gruel. His gaze falls on his quickly emptied bowl…

“…Rin…! Um, I’m sorry, but could I have… seconds?”

“Ah, of course! Please eat plenty!”

Mr. Ville timidly held out his empty bowl.

Since I made it in a large deep-type frying pan, there’s still plenty of gruel left, so I’d be happy if he ate as much as he likes!

“Mmm… the carpaccio is delicious too!”

I brought the carpaccio-style salad to my mouth to cool it down after the hot gruel and steamed fish.

…Yup! This is unquestionably delicious too! After all, there’s no raw fish smell or any unpleasant odor at all. The moment it enters my mouth, the faintly sweet fat of the milk trout spreads across my tongue, followed slightly later by the saltiness of coarse salt slowly melting. The vivid fragrance of wild parsley and refreshing olive oil brings everything together with a light finish.

Despite being thinly sliced, the texture is surprisingly firm, with a springy resistance when chewed… something between crunchy and chewy. Would it make sense if I said it’s like flounder sashimi but with slightly more firmness?

When put into the hot gruel, it becomes like a makeshift shabu-shabu—a type of hot pot dish where thinly sliced meat and vegetables are cooked at the dinner table by swishing them in a simmering pot of broth—with the half-cooked flesh crumbles tenderly in my mouth.

“Yup. I think this turned out pretty good!”

While I’m here praising my own cooking again like "Wow, I made something really good…", the silent Mr. Ville is eating the food I made with sparkling eyes beside me.

I suddenly gaze at the sky that’s gradually growing brighter. Today’s otherworld sky is also high, blue, and clear.

◆◇◆

“You’re quite the cook, Rin! Were you a chef or something?”

“Cooking is just a hobby. I simply enjoy making various dishes!”

After filling our stomachs, we finished tidying up after the meal and taking down the tent. Now we are sipping on the mysterious barley tea that doesn’t seem to deplete, even though I drank a lot yesterday, and Mr. Ville is looking at me with impressed eyes.

Hmm, my cooking skills, huh… I wonder about that?

I think the food I make is delicious, but how is it for others? My family and friends said they liked it, but they might have just been being polite… I think Mr. Ville probably feels that way because he’s hungry. Hunger is the best spice, after all.

For me, cooking is less a hobby and more like… “I want to try that! And that too! Guess I’ll just make it myself!” That’s how I operate—just a plain glutton following my cravings. Since I just make whatever I want based on my cravings, I probably couldn’t be a professional chef.

More importantly, I’m curious about this never-ending barley tea… Is it like some kind of eternal spring of tea?

No way… right…?

“By the way, Rin. This is just my personal observation, but… who exactly are you?”

“Gulp!”

Oops!

What’s with that sudden fastball!?

Pretending not to notice my almost-spitting-out-barley-tea moment, Mr. Ville continues speaking casually:

“At the very least, I’ve never seen foldable chairs like the ones we’re sitting on, this metal stand for a fire, this strange-textured canopy—or even the bedding.”

“Uh, umm… that’s…”

Oh no! Mr. Ville is really sharp!

Well, I suppose you need to be observant and good at deduction to be an adventurer… Though being on the receiving end of such sharp observations makes it hard to know how to respond!

“Well, whatever you are, Rin, you saved my life. Unless something truly serious happens, I swear I won’t deliberately try to harm you.”

“What… what exactly counts as… ‘truly serious’?”

In response to Mr. Ville’s suggestive words, I unconsciously spoke hesitantly, and he shrugged his shoulders while giving me a gentle smile.

“Let’s see… things like betraying or trying to harm my comrades, I suppose.”

“You don’t have to worry about that! I’m a healthcare worker, even if just a minor one. I would never intentionally harm anyone!”

On my pride as a medical professional, I would never voluntarily hurt a comrade…! But since he’s pressed this far, maybe I should tell him about my circumstances and skills? After all, if we’re going to travel together, I can’t keep quiet forever, and with my personality, I doubt I could keep it secret until the end… Rather than slipping up halfway and making him suspicious, it might be better to tell him everything from the start. If things turn sour after that, like being targeted for my skills or if the atmosphere becomes hostile, I’ll just escape in the Camping Car!

“Um… er… Mr. Ville. There’s something I’d like to tell you before we set out.”

“What is it, Rin? Is it something so serious you need such a solemn expression?”

“Well… how should I put this… it might be faster to show you.”

Although I have made up my mind, I suddenly don’t know how to start, so I sneak a glance at Mr. Ville sitting across from me. Despite probably knowing something is up, Mr. Ville tilts his head while holding his cup of barley tea, and with his robust physique, the gap between his appearance and actions is frustratingly cute.

…Ugh… a friendly, handsome guy can be a bit troublesome sometimes…

For now, I’ll send a hmm… thought wave to the Camping Car saying, “Please let Mr. Ville see you too.” Seeing is believing, after all.

The next moment, there is a clattering sound as a chair falls over. Mr. Ville has suddenly stood up. The Camping Car that was always in my sight must have become visible to Mr. Ville’s eyes as well.

“R-Rin… this is…!?”

“Ah… sorry for startling you. This is, well, the skill I wanted to tell you about.”

“This is…!? Rin… who exactly are you…?”

“Well… I’m just a humble acupuncturist and care worker…”

While Mr. Ville stared at the Camping Car in amazement, I bowed my head at the edge of his vision. Yes. I’m aware that I’ve involved him in something incomprehensible, and I feel sorry about it. In Mr. Ville’s eyes as he looks at me, I can see undisguised wariness mixed with surprise and confusion. …Well, that’s natural. I’d feel the same if something this bizarre happened. That’s exactly why I think I need to keep explaining until Mr. Ville is satisfied. Just like with medical procedures, informed consent is important in daily life too, right?

“Well, um, I’m not sure where to start, but I came to this world through something called a ‘saint summoning.’ I’m a foreigner here.”

“Saint summoning…? I’ve heard of it in bards’ poems and old tales, but… someone actually performed such a thing?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure myself, but the people nearby were saying something like ‘saint’ and so on…”

“A saint, huh… In the old tales I heard as a child, it was about a woman called from another world who purified monsters and brought peace to the world…”

“Ah. That certainly sounds like a tale…”

Judging from Mr. Ville’s skeptical expression as he tilts his head, it seems the "saint summoning" has become somewhat fictional. It’s probably in the category of myths and legends rather than just old tales. However, there are at least two people—myself and that unknown high school girl—who were actually summoned to another world…

What on earth is this deviation?

“So, the two of us were summoned, and I was labeled ‘useless’ and sent to this area.”

“…If that saint summoning really happened, and they summon people at will, then judge someone ‘useless’ without checking and forcibly relocate them to such a remote area… If you really were useless, you’d be dead by now!”

“…I think that might have been their intention… They said something about how even looking at me was disgusting…”

After we both sat back down in our chairs and refilled our tea, I roughly explained what had happened so far. Mr. Ville, who was initially surprised, ended up hanging his head dejectedly with his hand on his forehead by the end.

…Yup. I thought those people’s actions were cruel, but it seems they were absolutely despicable even from Mr. Ville’s perspective.

I’m glad my sense of morality wasn’t wrong!

“So this skill activated after you were transported here?”

“Yes. It’s apparently a ‘Special Skill’ that only activates outdoors. I can store and retrieve quite a lot of items in here.”

Not telling lies, part two. That four-dimensional storage can hold quite a lot, after all! Well, even setting aside the four-dimensional storage, the Camping Car itself can carry a decent amount of stuff…

“I see… But to call this ‘useless’… While it might not be directly useful in combat, wouldn’t this be incredibly valuable for marching and logistics?”

“I wonder about that? Since I was summoned indoors, they probably couldn’t see the skill. Besides, while it might be useful for small groups, it probably wouldn’t be very effective for army-scale operations…”

“No. If you can control a box with large-capacity storage that can store and retrieve items at will based on the user’s coordinates, you could transport large amounts of food, medical supplies, weapons, and armor with just you and a single horse to ride. It’s perfect for maintaining supply lines.”

“Eh… that’s scary.”

If I alone could maintain supply lines, wouldn’t those people gleefully work me to death if they found out!? That sounds super exploitative!?

…Come to think of it, from Mr. Ville’s tone, maybe he doesn’t recognize the Camping Car as a vehicle? Looking back, he called it a "box," so it probably just looks like a large box to him. Well, I suppose it’s hard to imagine such a mass of metal moving by itself… Sometimes I wonder how something this heavy can move too, and even though I understand the principles, I still wonder how airplanes fly…

It’s beyond imagination!

But rather than that, Mr. Ville’s pondering expression gives me uneasy thoughts.

…If, by any chance, he captures me and takes me back to that country where I was summoned, I’ll definitely be worked to death! No way!

“Hey, Rin. What do you plan to do from here on?”

“Hmm… honestly, my food and shelter are manageable, so I’m thinking of enjoying this world for a while.”

“I see… so you have no interest in becoming a war hero…”

“None at all! Especially not working for people who summoned me without permission and then threw me away!”

“That’s understandable… I wouldn’t feel right seeing my benefactor being used up either.”

I secretly glanced at Mr. Ville through Survival when he broke the silence… but no red warning frame appeared. …I wonder if… it’s safe?

He did say earlier that he "won’t deliberately try to harm me," and I believe those words!

What should I do from here, what should I learn, and how should I live…

As I was deeply lost in thought, Mr. Ville suddenly looked up. Hmm? What’s with that resolute expression? Is there something on your mind?

“Hey, Rin. You said earlier you wanted to ‘enjoy this world,’ but how exactly do you want to enjoy it?”

“Huh? Well… umm… let’s see…”

“You need money and identification to enter towns, you know?”

My thoughts came to a halt when he asked that directly.

…That’s right… even though I thought I wanted to ‘enjoy’ it, I hadn’t thought about the specifics! …Come to think of it, I don’t even have any money from this world!

Even with my professional qualifications, my main profession is acupuncture… I don’t know if they have the tools here, or how to handle the procedures for opening a practice… I can do some massage too, but again, I have no idea about the procedures for starting a business.

I could probably gather and sell edible things using Survival… but I don’t know if I need to go through intermediaries, if I need permits for private sales, or what the rules for trading are… And above all, I have no way to protect myself if I encounter dangerous creatures!

And whether starting a business or going to sell things, I have neither money nor identification to enter towns…

…Wait a minute?

Could I be… in a dead end…?

“…From your expression, you seem quite troubled?”

“Yes… The situation is worse than I thought! I have neither money nor identification!”

“I thought that might be the case… then… if you’re willing, would you be interested in being in charge of meals for me… for our party and handling simple cargo transportation?”

“Meals and cargo…? By being in charge of meals, do you mean becoming a chef?”

Mr. Ville peers into my face as I fall silent, lost in thought.

The word "party" lifts my spirits for a moment. So adventurers do form parties! Do they explore dungeons!? Do they split into front and back lines, have melee areas, and use allies as cover!? While it’s the ultimate fantasy world lifestyle and I’d like to see it up close, I can’t cook well enough to serve as a proper "cook"…

“We don’t need anything too elaborate like a ‘chef’ would make. Just cook whatever you want to make, however you like…”

“But then, wouldn’t it end up like the meals earlier? Can’t anyone make that kind of thing?”

Cook, huh… As I tilt my head in thought, Mr. Ville quietly averts his gaze.

“…Well… somehow our party ended up with people who all produce catastrophic results when they try to cook…”

…Eh… wait… what? Seriously…? That bad?

“We dive into dungeons, fight monsters, search treasure chests… But when we, exhausted, camp, all that awaits us is burnt raw meat and soup that’s either tongue-numbingly salty or watery as plain hot water!”

“I’m not quite sure what you’re saying, but… well, I get the idea…”

…Burnt raw meat… what kind of contradiction is that…? Probably meat that’s charred on the outside from too much heat, while the inside is still bloody and juicy rare…? And soup that’s either too strong or too weak, all-or-nothing… either reduced too much or with too much water? But is cooking really that difficult…? If you follow recipes more or less, it shouldn’t turn out that badly…?

“The fish you grilled yesterday… had perfect doneness and seasoning!”

“O-Oh…?”

“Even this morning’s porridge wasn’t burnt to charcoal on the bottom, nor was it hard and crunchy from being undercooked!”

“What kind of porridge is that!? Did you eat that!? You’re speaking from actual experience!? What a disaster!”

“Yeah, every quest turns into a major disaster! We’ll pay you, and you can spend your free time however you like when not on a quest! So please! Help us!”

Before I knew it, Mr. Ville’s face was right in front of mine with a terrifyingly serious expression.

Perhaps remembering past disasters made him even more passionate about recruiting me? Mr. Ville firmly gripped both my shoulders with such intensity that I thought he might start shaking me.

Um… yup. I understand. I’m a foodie too, so I know how depressing it is when food doesn’t taste good. And if the food turned out to be such a disaster, I’d probably search for a cook with the same intensity… But still… there’s no need to get so… dramatic about it. Besides, there must be plenty of adventurers who can cook, so it doesn’t have to be me…?

“…Rin… you’re making a face that says ‘it doesn’t have to be me,’ but capable cooks are already exclusively contracted with other parties… Meeting a free one like you here is such good fortune!”

“Hehe… You read my mind… So, there are exclusive contracts…”

“More importantly, I don’t think it’s a bad deal for you either. You can save money while helping us, and visit various places during a quest!”

“…When you put it that way, it does sound appealing…”

Being able to travel to various places… isn’t that exactly the kind of sightseeing I want to do? Moreover, it’s incredibly appealing that I can help others with what I can do and get paid for it!

“Besides, even if you managed to enter a town, wouldn’t it be easier to work with me, who knows your circumstances, than to build relationships from scratch with people who know nothing about your situation? I can support you and help bridge relationships with the others.”

“Ohhh… having someone to back me up would be really helpful!”

“Of course, I can’t say the journey will be 100% safe, but our party has skilled individuals, and we have a female member too, so you should feel somewhat secure.”

The illustration’s description: Ville holds Rin by the shoulders.

Whether he notices that I’m slightly dazed and unable to keep up with the current situation or not… Mr. Ville is telling me about the details of his party members, but… wait! Just let me organize all this information in my head for a moment! Well… how should I put it… I feel like I’m being recruited with an incredibly enthusiastic presentation…

But when I think about it, I guess he has a point… If someone said, "I’m from another world and have useful skills! But I don’t know common sense here!" I feel like that someone wouldn’t fare well.

In this world where I can only rely on myself, Mr. Ville’s offer to help is quite welcome. Given my current situation without even basic living expenses, refusing wouldn’t be a good choice.

“…But that’s just a formal excuse.”

“Huh?”

…And then. As I was listening to Mr. Ville’s explanation, an unexpected phrase came up. A formal excuse…? Isn’t that an unusual phrase for a presentation? I look up without thinking, and right in front of me is Mr. Ville’s face, looking somewhat shy and embarrassed.

“Is it wrong for me to personally like and want to help the kind-hearted benefactor who saved me when I was about to collapse from hunger?”

“…Huh!?”

“What’s with that voice? Isn’t it natural for me to want to help you, who tried to help others despite being in a difficult situation yourself? I’m just saying I’ve taken enough of a liking to you to want to spare you unnecessary hardship.”

“N-no, no… You don’t need to… think that much of it! If anything, I feel bad about it!”

I couldn’t help but make a strange sound when hit with that handsome power up close, but it’s not my fault!

…Even though he has somewhat scary features, being told "I like you" face-to-face by an undeniable handsome guy is embarrassing! I understand it’s about the obligation of hospitality, but still, the impact is considerable.

Handsome guy, koeeeeeeeeee!

…Still…

“At the very least, I want us to get along and understand each other, assuming you will join our party. So…”

…Let’s reach mutual understanding on what will satisfy us both is what he wants to say, right?

With his crimson eyes narrowed and a predatory smile that practically said “I won’t let you escape,” Mr. Ville made my maiden heart skip a beat for just a moment—Takanashi Rin’s greatest lifetime blunder!

What a blunder it was!

“By the way, since you came from another world, is there anything that seems strange to you about this one?”

“Hmm… in a word, everything seems strange. After all, in my world, there weren’t any people who looked like you, Mr. Ville, and there wasn’t any magic…”

“Is that so? …Well, I’m glad you’re not unnecessarily scared of unfamiliar appearances, but shouldn’t you be a bit more cautious…?”

“Yes, you’re right. I’ll be more careful from now on…”

I mentioned Mr. Ville as an example of something strange, but honestly, so many things have happened since yesterday that his appearance doesn’t surprise me much anymore… I mean, it’s not that I’m not surprised, but compared to the Camping Car and Survival, the impact is a bit less intense… how should I put it…

“…Why do I feel a weird sense of unease all of a sudden? Eh, whatever. As you can see, my race is the dragul.”

“Dragul…”

“We excel in both physical strength and magical power, but we’re known for being so inefficient with energy consumption that I might have starved to death if you hadn’t helped me.”

“Oh! Then I helped you at just the right time, Mr. Ville! I’m glad I made it in time…!”

Dragul is a non-human race, right!? This world is becoming more and more fantastic!

…Still, I never expected Mr. Ville to be such a high-energy consumer… But while he has combat abilities but gets in trouble when hungry, I have no combat abilities but can find and cook food… In other words, could Mr. Ville and I make a good combo, complementing each other!? Could we become close enough that he’d call out "Hey, partner!"?

“Still, if I bring you into our party, Aria will never let you go…”

“Ms. Aria… you mean…”

I dig into my memory for what I heard earlier. Mr. Ville mentioned that name during his little “presentation”—she’s one of his party members. If I remember correctly, she’s a stunning beauty with a perfect hourglass figure, a thread-user who fights with incredible finesse—and as if that wasn’t enough, she’s also a “spider-person” and a married woman. That’s… quite the combo.

“…If I remember correctly, she’s the thread-wielding lady who loves both meals and sweets…?”

“Yeah. I eat quite a lot myself, but Aria eats a lot too. She’s been wanting another female companion in the first place.”

Yes, I got it right!

By the way, even though she’s a spider-person, her appearance is completely human with hardly any insect-like features. Also, her husband is a party member too—Mr. Ed, who works as a magic alchemist. Apparently, he’s head over heels for his wife Aria and keeps trying to flirt with her and get lovey-dovey.

Normies should explode. No mercy.

“…No, it’s not just Aria. Ed and Xenon also eat quite a bit.”

“Ah… I’ll do my best as the one in charge of cooking. Don’t worry. I’m used to preparing plenty.”

Mr. Xenon is an elf priest.

When you hear "elf priest," you might imagine a fragile-looking person who loves nature and only eats vegetables and fruits, but from what Mr. Ville says, he’s actually quite wild and doesn’t mind holding grilled meat on bones in both hands and chomping down on it, despite his appearance.

…I kind of want to see that now… an elf heartily devouring grilled meat in both hands!

…Still, I wonder how much Mr. Ville’s party eats…? But I’m sure it’ll work out somehow! They say they can hunt as much as needed if we run short on ingredients. Time to put my experience cooking for up to eight people back at my parents’ place to good use!

…Though I’m a bit worried about Engel’s coefficient… In other words, how much will be earned, and how much of that amount will be spent on food?

“By the way, where does the basic food budget come from?”

“We take a fixed percentage from the quest completion rewards and money from selling drop items to cover food and medicine costs. The remainder is split equally as individual rewards.”

“Ah, I see… So the amount for shared expenses like food and medical supplies fluctuates based on income.”

“So, about your individual reward… is it okay if, in the beginning, we split it into five and you get sixty percent of that portion?”

60% of one-fifth…

After completing a quest, the reward will be divided among the five of us, excluding shared expenses—let’s call this a principal reward. From my share, I return one-tenth to each of the other party members… is that how it is?

If I think of it as a training period, it makes sense not to get full pay. After all, I’m leaving the life-threatening combat to them and being protected, so in a way, it’s fair.

“…I understand, that’s fine. I’m grateful just to be guaranteed any reward at all.”

Though there was a slight pause before I responded to Mr. Ville’s apologetically delivered terms, as I wanted to think it through, I could sense him letting out a slightly relieved breath.

When it comes to money, I think it’s better to be careful.

If the principal reward doesn’t increase, the individual rewards will decrease as more people share it. Since we can’t predict how much my joining the party will raise the basic reward… and thus the principal reward… I think it’s difficult to decide my portion.

Besides, although they’ve apparently wanted a dedicated porter for the party, that doesn’t necessarily mean the other members will readily accept me, who was hired by Mr. Ville’s decision alone… And is it really okay for me to suddenly join the party when I haven’t fully mastered my skills yet…?

“Hey, Rin. Would you like to explore this area a bit? You might get a better grasp of things if you try using your skills and exploring while actually moving around.”

“Eh? Is that alright?”

While I was caught between feeling personally very grateful for being allowed to join the party and feeling sorry about potentially becoming a burden… Perhaps noticing my indecision, Mr. Ville made the suggestion. He has amazing observation skills.

“I’d also like to know how much stamina you have… how much you can actually move. It’ll make it easier to plan for when we enter dungeons later.”

“Ah, is it like planning for a march? That’s indeed crucial… physical strength and athletic ability are important factors to consider.”

I totally get that. When making functional training plans, I remember how important it is to create small, achievable goals step by step based on the current situation.

Making plans while ignoring the current situation will only lead to failure. It’s important to know reality… to know your current capabilities.

“Also, Rin, I think your skill is very useful, but no matter how powerful it is, it’s not an omnipotent ability.”

“Yes, I kind of figured that…”

“That’s exactly why you should use your skills as much as possible and know what you can and can’t do with them, what you can and can’t cover.”

Mr. Ville’s perfectly reasonable words cooled my head a bit. Thinking about it calmly, I completely agree.

While Survival is quite capable, I had somewhat noticed that it’s not all-powerful.

Survival helps me stay alive… but it’s not something where “having Survival means you’ll definitely survive”.

For example, if Survival tells me "You’ll die if you don’t fight!" could someone like me—who’s never been in a "battle" in my entire life—defeat an opponent with my bare hands…? No matter how hard I try, wouldn’t someone accustomed to fierce life-or-death situations have the upper hand…?

For instance, even if Survival tells me "This person is dangerous, run!", could someone like me actually get away? I’ve barely done any sports. If it’s a matter of physical stamina, I could probably shake them off with the Camping Car as a last resort. But what if it’s something like a power struggle or massive conspiracy—something that requires wisdom and knowledge to escape…? That would probably be difficult to escape too. I can’t imagine someone like me—who knows nothing about this world’s circumstances, common sense, or anything else—could successfully flee. They’d just skillfully corner me and block off my escape routes.

…That’s right. No matter how capable Survival is, it’s hopeless if I’m the pathetic one who has to use it. Because the one who integrates and judges the information and knowledge Survival gives me, and ultimately makes the final decision, is still "me"…!

Besides, the Camping Car can’t be used everywhere either. Being outdoors is the minimum requirement; I need a certain amount of space to deploy it, and even to drive it, I need roads with adequate width…

…In the end, I guess it means I need to train not just my skills but myself as well. The direction is different, but in terms of "polishing your own abilities," this world isn’t any different from my world…

And if I have an opportunity right in front of me to learn about my current situation and understand my skills…

“I’m sure I’ll cause you various troubles, but please take care of me, Mr. Ville!”

“All right then, let’s go. We’ll walk a bit and see if you can forage anything in that forest.”

I store the cooking utensils I had outside and the camping gear Mr. Ville used in the Camping Car, stuff my water bottle, candy, and towel into the body bag I always use when moving around so I can take them out quickly…

Now then, it’s time to plunge into the fantasy world!

“Oh, wait! One moment.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t think particularly strong monsters appear around here, but just in case, wear this. It’s a rock deer leather mantle. It’ll be a bit hot, but it’ll help with defense.”

“Fweh!?”

Just when I thought he was stopping me, Mr. Ville wraps the mantle he was wearing around me… he is seriously a thoughtful person, yup.

But I’m very grateful for the increased defense, so I’ll borrow it… Actually, for something called a leather mantle, it’s soft and supple… Isn’t this quite a fine item…? However, while it reaches about knee-length when Mr. Ville wears it, when I’m wrapped in it, it reaches down to my ankles…

Ugh…! I’m not short! I’m not short! I’m properly over 150 cm tall! Calm down… my inferiority complex!

“All right, let’s go, Rin. We’ll go at your pace.”

“…Y-Yes…”

I want to scream, "Stop it already! My life points have long since hit zero!"—that’s how dazzling this nice guy’s smile is.

…Mr. Ville is caring, handsome, and super nice, but being near him means no amount of hearts would be enough!

Handsome guys are scary!

◆◇◆

So… at the moment, I’m walking side by side with that terrifyingly handsome man, Mr. Ville, heading toward the forest. As expected of an active adventurer, he is quite talkative about various things. Apparently, he’s an adventurer currently based in Ellarge, and this time he was traveling alone on personal business when he unexpectedly met with an accident… That’s the summary.

Bad luck danced with him, I guess. My condolences.

So, the city of Ellarge is across the lake… and after we finish this tutorial-like gathering practice, we’re planning to head there.

The forest seems to be on slightly elevated ground, and after walking for about an hour and a half, we come to a gentle slope. The side of the path becomes an incline. It’s probably about three meters high. Above the slope appears to be a mixed grove of various broadleaf trees.

Ah… the air here is so refreshing!

“Whoa…! The air tastes so good!”

“The air… tastes good…? Can that even fill your stomach?”

Mr. Ville is saying something rather unpoetic next to me as I take deep breaths, but I don’t care!

Maybe it’s because the lush branches create just the right amount of shade? The sun is quite high and its rays are warm, but the wind brings a comfortable coolness. The borrowed leather mantle is a bit hot, but that makes the breeze that passes through all the more delightful!

Burr, burr.

[Serene tranquility / Seeps into my stomach / Sound of insects]—A heartfelt haiku by Rin Takanashi.

“Mr. Ville, are you already hungry?”

“A bit peckish, yeah.”

When I turn toward Mr. Ville, surprised by the unexpected stomach growl, I find Mr. Oni tilting his head and smiling while holding his stomach.

…The destructive power of an approachable, handsome man is scary!

But, all things considered, I’m getting hungry too… When you wake up early, you get hungry early too… Yup, I should probably make some long-lasting snacks for us to keep on hand when I have the time.

“Oh! I found something good!”

“What is it, Rin?”

“Something’s growing over there! Looks like berries! Look!”

“…Berries… where?”

While looking around for something to satisfy our hunger, a certain tree catches my eye. In the sunlight filtering through the leaves, I can see slightly greenish-white, red, and deep purple berries. It looks exactly like the mulberry tree that was planted along the walkway in the park near my home!

Mr. Ville is using his hand as a sun visor, searching with "Where?" but he hasn’t found the tree yet. Hehehe… my food-searching eyes have already spotted several similar trees!

“They’re growing right there! Look, on top of that bank! The red and deep purple ones!”

“Ah, those! …But are they edible? Many tree berries can be poisonous, you know?”

Over there! I pointed, and finally, Mr. Ville seemed to understand. Though at the end he even crouched down next to me to match my eye level… was it really that hard to spot? And he muttered something slightly concerning… Well, it’s true that many wild plants can be poisonous. An upset stomach would be one thing, but dying would defeat the whole purpose…

[Halberry (Edible: Delicious)

A type of berry. Small grains come together to form a single fruit. When ripened to deep purple, they are sweet and delicious.

Unripe ones are sour and hard, not suitable for eating raw, but can be processed into jam and other processed foods.

The dried leaves can be steeped to make medicinal tea.]

“Survival says… they’re not poisonous and they’re delicious!”

“Is that so? Alright, let’s go pick some!”

“Eh, so fast! Wait up, please!”

The moment he learned they were edible, Mr. Ville’s excitement visibly increased. He took a light running start toward the slope, and before I knew it, he had easily jumped up, kicking off the slope just once to reach the top.

…Mr. Ville’s physical abilities are amazing!

Ugh… I can’t let myself fall behind!

…Though I definitely don’t have those kinds of physical abilities!

But I used to be quite the tomboy who would climb trees, revetment blocks, jump from barn roofs, and slide down handrails like a wild child!

I must still be able to climb this bank with my old skills…!

I take what seems like enough distance, get a running start, and… Here I go!

“Are you alright, Rin?”

“…Thank you… for your help…”

In the end, while I managed to climb partway up with momentum, I couldn’t make it all the way to the top. Hmm… I could have sworn I used to climb things more easily back then… C-Could it be… my weight!? Is it my weight!?

What’s more, even though I desperately climbed using both hands and feet, I ended up needing Mr. Ville’s help when I lost my balance with just fifty centimeters to go… The ground under my feet crumbled, and I almost fell, but Mr. Ville grabbed my arm and pulled me up.

I don’t think it’s my fault that the cheers of " FIGHT!" and "Give it your all!" ended up echoing in my head.

…But while Mr. Ville lifted me up so easily, wouldn’t that put quite a strain on his arm!?

Thinking “Hurting an adventurer’s arm—unforgivable! Death sentence! My death sentence!” I hurriedly examine Mr. Ville’s arm that has pulled me up.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Ville! I must have been heavy! Is your arm okay!? Does it hurt anywhere!?”

“What’s wrong, Rin? Why are you so panicked… I don’t feel any pain at all?”

…Well. At this point, there doesn’t seem to be any pressure pain or movement pain, and no signs of inflammation… I think?

Even when I study Mr. Ville’s expression, he just looks completely unfazed.

Just as I’m thinking he might be okay…

“One or two Rins are pretty light. I’d be fine even if you were heavier.”

“Ehhhh… I don’t know what face to make at a time like this!”

He says these words that no woman can ignore with a completely innocent face.

…Mr. Ville, if I were any heavier, I’d be a snowman…!

Feeling oddly frustrated, I press my thumb against the brachioradialis muscle as I continue the examination. I could feel dense, firm muscle packed under my finger.

Damn it! Such good muscles! The muscle fibers are so young! There’s so little swelling!

“Ow ow ow! Rin, that hurts! What is this? Why does that spot hurt!?”

“Ahh… yup, it’s pretty tight there… must be because of your job, I guess?”

Feeling guilty about Mr. Ville’s cry of pain, I lightly massage around his elbow and forearm before letting go.

The top of the slope is, as expected, a mixed forest. The spaces between trees are wider than I thought, allowing sunlight to reach all the way to the ground. The underbrush looks trimmed—maybe it’s maintained regularly?

“Yeah. This area is rich in nature, and merchant caravans traveling the nearby highway sometimes gather things from the forest. Every few months, the guild sends adventurers and woodcutters to maintain the forest.”

“Adventurers go too?”

“Wild beasts and monsters appear here. We thin them out regularly to keep the highway safe.”

“I see!”

Come to think of it, when I first came to Rhielle Lake, I might have passed near this forest! Though it wasn’t paved, I remember the ground was packed down and easy to run on… Right. If it’s a road that caravans use, of course it would be maintained.

According to Mr. Ville, if the schedule is the same as usual, the forest maintenance and monster culling should have been done recently, so we don’t need to be too cautious yet.

That’s a bit reassuring.

Back in my old world, there were always news stories about people getting attacked by bears or boars while foraging for mushrooms or mountain greens…

Now then. I pull out the convenience store bag from my body bag and immediately start gathering while being mindful of moderation!

Of course, I’ll only take what we’ll use for snacks… only what we can consume ourselves. I intend to keep that consciousness in mind. The forest’s bounty belongs to everyone, after all.

The trees aren’t too tall, and they branch out from low near the roots, so even someone not very tall like me can easily pick the berries. The berries that have ripened to an almost black color fall off easily with just a light touch. Since they can also be used as ingredients for medicinal tea, I think I’ll take some of the soft-looking young leaves too.

When I pop a large berry into my mouth, sweet and rich juice floods out. Maybe because there’s a slight sourness in the aftertaste, I feel like I can keep eating these without getting tired of them. Yup. It tastes very similar to the mulberries I ate in the past. I carefully pick a decent amount, avoiding any bug-eaten or those not fully ripe, and as my palm fills up, I drop them into the convenience store bag.

“Mr. Ville, please don’t eat them as soon as you pick them!”

“Ah, sorry. They’re sweet and sour and delicious, so I just… but aren’t you eating them too, Rin?”

“…Was I found out? These halberries are yummy!”

You know… You just can’t help eating them before they go in the bag.

Both Mr. Ville and I are picking halberries, but we’re also sampling them quite frequently…

Ah. Maybe he got a really sour one? Mr. Ville is making quite a face.

…Feeling a bit sorry for him, I offer him a slightly larger berry I just picked, and he eats it without a word. This one must have been sweet, as he nods approvingly.

“Mr. Ville, your mouth is a mess!”

Mr. Ville’s mouth area is already stained purple as he enthusiastically eats with his strawberry-colored eyes sparkling. Perhaps it was unfortunate that I noticed that stain, as I unconsciously wiped around his mouth with my mini towel.

…

…Ah! I messed up…!

Since I sometimes wipe people’s mouths as part of meal assistance, my hand moved without thinking! And what’s more, even after wiping, the color won’t come off easily… I’m so sorry! Though I quickly withdrew my hand, Mr. Ville doesn’t seem particularly bothered.

“Hm. Ah, sorry… Rien (Clean)!”

Slightly furrowing his brow, his fingers snap, and the same pale green light I saw yesterday appears, quickly removing the stains around Mr. Ville’s mouth. What’s different from yesterday is that the light now wraps around my body too, cleaning the fruit juice from my fingertips and the mud stains on my clothes from climbing.

“O-Ooooooh! It’s so clean now! What was that?”

“It’s a type of ‘livelihood magic’. It is super useful for adventures when you can’t take baths or do laundry.”

I couldn’t help getting excited like a child at seeing my clean hands and clothes, but can you blame me? Even my slightly sweaty body feels as refreshed as if I’d just taken a shower!? Amazing! Magic is amazing! Fantastic!

…Hmm? Why’s he looking at me like…?

When I nervously turn to Mr. Ville, he’s looking at me with an expression that’s somewhere between endearing and lukewarm…!

Damn it! I’m just someone who lacks age-appropriate composure! A hopeless person who never outgrows their childishness!

By the way, I asked why he was bathing in the water when there’s cleaning magic, and the answer was simply "While walking, I got hot and the river water looked refreshingly cool!"… What a boyish reason! Though Mr. Ville seems level-headed, it’s hard to imagine him doing something that reckless while traveling alone… maybe he was starting to get hungry at that point, and his reason had already half-flown away…?

…Well, regardless, I’m just glad he’s alive…

…While chatting like this and continuing to snack, we managed to gather enough halberries to make the convenience store bag feel heavy.

My fingers turned purple again, but well, that can’t be helped. Getting delicious things requires some sacrifice.

…Yes. I sacrificed my fingertips… sacrificed to appetite…

By the way, I should note that while Mr. Ville did put some of his picked berries in the bag, he was also doing quite a bit of snaking.

… What? Snacking is bad?

Just a moment ago, Mr. Ville had to cast his cleaning magic again on both our mouths and fingertips, so what about it? I’d say Mr. Ville and I are equally matched when it comes to our appetites, yup.

“Rin!”

“Huh? Choke!”

Just as I started reaching for a branch on the next tree, thinking I’d gather some more… Mr. Ville’s sharp voice shook my eardrums. At the same time, my body is pulled forcefully, and my nose bumps into something hard. Despite almost dropping the bag from the impact, I miraculously managed to keep a tight grip—I’m super amazing!

In front of my eyes is an unexpectedly hard leather breastplate. The scent of maintenance oil grazes my nose… Feeling my body being confined, I lower my gaze, wondering what’s happening, and find thick arms wrapped around me. My gaze shoots up to find Mr. Ville’s face, his sharp eyes glaring into the depths of the forest.

Eh…!? What’s happening!?

…Wait… am I… being embraced by Mr. Ville right now!? The moment I realize the situation, embarrassment floods over me.

No, no, wait, come on! I’ve held a man before, sure—but never in my life has a man held me!

My face feels hot as if all the blood in my body has rushed to my head… Yet the core of my mind grows coldly clear. Mr. Ville holds me close with his left arm while wielding a double-edged sword in his right hand. Following the direction of his sword, I see three black bird-like creatures… scratching the ground with their sharp talons, looking ready to pounce at any moment.

What are those… huge crows…?

[Phantom Fowl (Edible: Delicious)

A bird-type monster living in mountainous regions.

　　　　　occasionally attack humans.]

…Mon… sters…?

In an instant, my world turns red.

Survival overlay fills my entire field of vision with red frames.

A sensation runs through my brain, making my skin crawl and hair stand on end.

Any sense of adventure I had has long since vanished. I never knew the presence of death could feel so close…!

It’s not just Survival speaking anymore—instinct whispers: run if you don’t want to die…!

“…!”

“Stay calm, Rin! They’re not formidable enemies.”

“H-hah…! Th-those… Ville… mon-sters…!”

“I’m here, Rin. You don’t need to be afraid.”

Perhaps my innate fear of death, experienced for the first time, overwhelmed Survival’s mental stabilizing effect.

As my body instinctively tried to thrash about, he held me even tighter. Mr. Ville’s large palm patted me gently, trying to soothe and distract my body as I pathetically struggled to speak through my constricted throat. That light stimulus let a breath escape with a whoosh.

The warmth of another person, transmitted through the fabric, slowly melted my fear-frozen body… my brain. My rigid body and thoughts began to move again. The moment I felt my lungs start working, my trembling voice broke out in fragments.

…Ah! I wanted to be more composed…!

Judging that I’m quite frightened, Mr. Ville’s arm around my waist tightens even more. My forgotten sense of embarrassment resurfaces at the soft, low voice in my ear and our increased proximity. For a moment, my cheeks flush hot, only to pale again at the sight of the monsters before me. I’m quite the emotional rollercoaster.

Above all, get it together, me!

This is no time to be confused! I need to get through this crisis before I can go sightseeing!

…Nevertheless, I feel a little calmer now!

I’m still scared, but I’m composed enough to hold my ground!

Looking up at their screeching cries that set my nerves on edge, the monsters are making quite a racket, as if mocking my fear. While glaring at them, trying not to be intimidated or looked down upon, I focus on Survival.

[Phantom Fowl (Edible: Delicious)

A bird-type monster that inhabits mountainous regions. They move by hopping between low branches and the ground.

They prefer sweet fruit and berries, giving their meat that fragrance and sweetness. Their eggs are also edible.

Aggressive and occasionally attack humans, but manageable if not in large flocks.]

…I can read it!

Earlier, I could only see fragments of the description… or rather, I only noticed the parts that caught my attention.

Even after reading it properly, it’s still scary, but at least it’s somewhat better than before. It says "manageable" right there! Well, not that a complete novice like me could do anything, but panicking like that was definitely the wrong move!

It’s fine since Mr. Ville protected me, but what would have happened if I’d been alone… I really needed to stay calm in this situation… I’ll reflect on this deeply.

“I-I’m sorry, Mr. Ville… I’m calm now…”

“Hm? You’re alright now?”

“Yes… Sorry for the trouble.”

As my head clears, this close contact becomes incredibly embarrassing. After all, I’m practically pressed against Mr. Ville’s chest right now.

This is… this is a bit much!? For a woman with zero romantic experience, this is way too much to handle!

I try to create some distance by lightly pushing against his chest, but Mr. Ville’s arm doesn’t loosen. Instead, he takes his eyes off the monsters and peers at my face.

The monsters must have seen this as an opportunity.

With an especially loud cry, they charge forward vigorously. I could even hear the dry sound of my throat tightening.

However…

Mr. Ville, while still holding me with one arm… and without taking a single step from his position, cut down all three monsters in the blink of an eye. The severed heads dance before my eyes with fresh blood, then dissolve into particles finer than mist and quickly disappear in the wind.

…The threat is… gone…

A heavy thud echoes through the silent forest. My knees had given out, and I collapsed on the spot.

Seeing this, Mr. Ville hurriedly sheathes his sword and kneels to meet my eyes. His crimson eyes, tinged with worry, lock onto mine, holding me captive.

“Come to think of it, this was your first time seeing monsters, let alone being attacked by them.”

“…Mr. Vi…lle… ugh…”

“Scary, wasn’t it? It’s okay now.”

“I’m… so… sorry for… the trouble…”

I roughly wipe away my tears and grab Mr. Ville’s offered hand as he stands up first, then pull myself up with a grunt.

…No, normally I can stand up by myself! I have no trouble with basic movements! It’s just that right now, my knees aren’t quite back to normal after that shock…

Seeing my tear-stained face and dirt-covered clothes, Mr. Ville casts another cleaning spell on me.

By the way, the bag of halberries I dropped during my panic fortunately suffered minimal damage, with just some slight crushing at the bottom. …Could it be that even in that situation, I unconsciously tried to protect the food…? That’s incredible.

Furthermore, the three bird-like monsters whose heads had been severed and rolled on the ground each turned into a pile of black feathers, beaks… and meat wrapped in wood wrapping like the Almiraj meat Mr. Ville gave me this morning…

“…Huh? What’s this…”

“Ah, right. Rin, you wouldn’t know. When you defeat ‘monsters,’ they somehow leave behind ‘materials’ like this. We call them ‘drop items.’”

“Materials… drop items…”

“Materials like these are often requested by the guild, and alchemists sometimes use them on the spot to craft combat items.”

In front of me, as I’m too shocked to even cry or sniffle anymore, Mr. Ville unwraps the wood wrapping and mutters, "Looks delicious." …Ah. So you are hungry after all.

Well… but really, materials and drop items, this really is like the world of RPGs or TRPGs… In the system I used to play, you’d roll two six-sided dice after defeating enemies to determine what you could salvage.

…Well, in my case, while I had good rolls during character creation and as a game master, when I started adventuring as a player character, it was like I was cursed to have an expected value of 4 on 2D6. Being one point short was totally common, TOTALLY.

…Ah. By the way, I collected the "materials" from the ground using some convenience store bags I had in my body bag. Apparently, Mr. Ville originally had a large collection bag too, but it was lost during the river incident…

Well, it won’t take up space if we put it in the Camping Car’s fourth-dimensional storage space.

Incidentally, regarding the uses for materials, the feathers can apparently be processed into decorations for armor and clothing, or accessories, and are quite in demand. The beaks and claws are used as ingredients for various potions.

Hmm. Hearing about their uses makes it even more fantasy-like… hmm?

As I bend down to pick up a small feather from the ground, I notice something behind the tangled branches of the low shrubs…?

I focus on Survival to get a better look at this "something.”

[Freshly Laid Eggs (Edible: Delicious)

Eggs of the phantom fowl. Fresh ones can be eaten raw.

Although a bit small, they are packed with nutrients and have a rich flavor.

The shell is hard, requiring skill or strength to crack.]

…Freshly laid… I see!

I apologize, but since the concerned parties have already become materials and meat, I’ll help myself to the eggs too. I’ll do my best to make them delicious… rest in peace…

While saying a prayer in my heart, I reach in and find four eggs slightly smaller than chicken eggs rolling in the nest.

“Mr. Ville, Mr. Ville! Eggs! I found eggs! Please clean them!”

“That’s fortunate… but… cleaning for eggs?”

“Yes! I want to remove the dirt from the shells!”

Though the shells are hard, eggs are still eggs. I carefully collect them to avoid dropping any and bring them to Mr. Ville. Despite his dubious expression, he casts the cleaning spell on the eggs as I requested.

Of course, there’s the fact that eggs left in the wild probably have dust and dirt on them… but…  Well, you know… birds are THAT, right? They have a cloaca, right? Both waste and eggs come out of the same opening, right?

…The spell seems to have cleaned my hands too while it was at it, but I should still wash them with water just to be safe…

Still, isn’t it incredibly lucky to find eggs? I don’t think there were any in the fridge, and this really expands our menu options and possibilities! For now, I’ll use them as planned to make snacks to feed our hungry stomachs.

“Hmm… maybe I’ll make berry cookies. If there’s extra, I could make jam… and if we had milk, I could make muffins too…”

“Berry cookies? Muffins?”

“They’re both baked sweets. I plan to mix in halberries, so they should be sweet and tart.”

“Baked sweets! That sounds exciting!”

“Well, it’ll take some time to make them…”

To be honest, I haven’t had any sweets since being transported here, and I’ve been craving something sweet. I think sweets are necessary as a lubricant for a tense lifestyle.

Walking back on the original path after going down the slope, the road ahead seems to open up a bit. Maybe we can take a break?

Sweets made with otherworld ingredients, huh… I wonder how they’ll taste. Will they have a wild, natural flavor? Or will some incredible chemical reaction create a surprising taste?

Anyway, with empty stomachs, we find ourselves searching for a place to rest while I’m daydreaming about my first taste of sweets in this other world.

After walking a bit further, we find a clearing by the roadside, about the size of a small plaza. Maybe it’s used as a rest area? Judging from the traces of campfires on the ground, people probably rest and camp here.

Though there’s no one here besides Mr. Ville and me, I set up the invisible Camping Car further back in the clearing since I don’t know what kind of accidents might happen. For example… what if a runaway horse suddenly charges in and wrecks the Camping Car!? Since I have no way to fix it if it breaks, it’s important to consider "what-if" scenarios… Well, maybe I’m overthinking it!

“Ah, right! Let’s set up your boarding permission, Mr. Ville!”

“Boarding… permission?”

“Ah… um… actually, this thing… would you believe me if I said you can get inside and move it?”

“…Huh!?”

Wow! Mr. Ville’s making such a dumbfounded face! It’s quite a refreshing expression! But I understand how he feels. It’s hard to believe when you’re told that something you thought was just a "big box" can move… And on top of that, even though I made the Camping Car’s appearance visible and showed it carrying luggage, I haven’t gone in or out of the car, so I guess that makes it even more unbelievable…

“This… moves…? Well, I don’t think you have any reason to lie, but… it moves…?”

“It’s hard to believe, isn’t it…? Honestly, if you asked me to explain how it works, I’d be at a loss for words too.”

“Does it move using some kind of magic?”

“I’m sorry! I don’t know that much!”

It seems like instead of gasoline, it’s powered by something called magic particles, but whether it purely replaces gasoline and drives the engine or generates a magical propulsion force is a bit unclear… It makes engine-like sounds and has vibrations, but there’s a possibility that it’s just made to look like there’s an engine, maybe?

Anyway, as long as we get the result of "the car moves," I don’t care if it’s an engine or magic! In front of the dumbfounded Mr. Ville, I mentally ask the Camping Car to "let Mr. Ville ride too" as my heart desires.

…I’m not sure if anything particularly changed, but it should be fine, right?

“Well, instead of standing around talking… please come in!”

“…Can I… really… enter?”

“It’s fine! It’s not dangerous at all!”

I go in first and peek out through the open door at Mr. Ville, who’s making an indescribable face. It’s like a mixture of hesitation, doubt, anxiety, fear… and undisguised curiosity, all stirred together.

Even so, I think it’s amazing that he steels himself and comes inside anyway.

He walks in slowly, carefully scanning the surroundings with open caution. It’s kind of like watching an action movie protagonist cautiously entering a room where enemies might be hiding. It might be rude to say this, but the phrase "scared but curious" fits perfectly. Still, I think his curiosity is amazing as his eyes are drawn to the interior and furniture, looking around restlessly.

But somehow, I have this image that "adventurers" are curious and brave on one hand, but careful and timid on the other. I think you wouldn’t go adventuring if you weren’t curious and brave, but you’d quickly lose your life if you weren’t careful and timid…

“Let’s see… put away the meat… take out butter and flour… bring down sugar and spices…”

While Mr. Ville is still apparently in the midst of confusion, I toss the freshly dropped phantom fowl meat into the chilled compartment, then take out butter and flour from the fridge, and bring down sugar and spices from the shelf.

I’m going to forget about calorie intake for now and make cookies while dreaming of sweet temptations. Today, I plan to make two types: berry cookies and ginger spice cookies. In the world of sweets, where precise measurements are required, cookies are capable children that can turn out delicious even with rough proportions!

Well, there’s a digital scale tucked away in the corner of the kitchen, which I’ll gratefully use. But even without a scale, I feel like they turn out tasty if you make cookies with roughly [flour : sugar : butter = 2 : 1 : 1] ratio.

This time, I’ll add eggs to the mix and make drop cookies!

…Come to think of it, I was wondering why the barley tea never runs out, no matter how much we drink… and the rice that I used half of this morning was full again when I checked earlier… what’s going on… Really, right now I just want to shout at the top of my lungs, "WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THIS CAMPING CAR’S KITCHEN!”

Well. Anyway, I’ll make snacks now!

I wash about two handfuls of halberries under running water and set them aside in a colander to drain… Then I measure out 100g of sugar… prepare two 100g portions of flour, mixing one with ginger powder, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon from the spice box…

And then, scrape butter from the can with a spoon, putting 100g in a stainless steel bowl, but… wait… Amazing! It regenerates as if nothing happened right after I scrape it!? Could this also be thanks to those "magic particles"!? …Well. Let’s not think about it…

Maybe because he judged there was no danger after seeing me start making snacks so defensively, Mr. Ville seems to have let his guard down. Now he’s just looking around the car interior with curiosity.

From behind me as I start fiddling with the oven to preheat it, Mr. Ville’s voice comes down, tinged with awe and confusion:

“How should I put it… There are so many devices I’ve never seen before. You handle them well, Rin…”

“They were common tools in my world, so. I think you’ll be able to use them too once you get used to them.”

Mr. Ville was curiously looking at electrical appliances that probably don’t exist in this world, like the fridge and rice cooker, when he turned back to me with a sigh.

It’s like being told to use machines you’ve never seen before without any prior knowledge. You’d be full of anxiety and fear, wondering if you might break them or make them explode. But they’re not that difficult to use, so I’ll at least explain how to use the microwave function later.

“Oh, it’s heated up! Perfect!”

I start preheating the oven and briefly place a stainless steel bowl with butter in the warmed chamber. This makes the butter soften in no time. You just have to be careful not to burn yourself or melt it completely—it’s a handy trick.

Once the butter has softened, I quickly take it out and mix in sugar, whipping it with a whisk until it becomes a whitish cream with air incorporated. I think this thorough mixing is probably what creates that perfect crispy, crunchy texture…

Mr. Ville, who had been observing the interior of the Camping Car, is now standing beside me, watching me work. Perhaps because I mixed too vigorously, some of the mixture splattered onto his finger. His red tongue darts out to lick it off.

“…It’s sweet…”

“Well, of course it is—it’s butter and sugar! Do you dislike sweet things?”

“No, not at all.”

Glancing sideways, I notice his strawberry-colored eyes gleaming with surprising intensity.

Both fat and sugar are pure energy. While it might not fill you up completely, it should help with calorie intake and raising blood sugar levels.

Into the well-mixed bowl, I crack an egg with a slightly grayish shell, revealing a vibrant orange yolk. The description said the shells were "hard," but they’re only about as hard as premium local chicken eggs! As I lightly beat it with the whisk, the white butter cream quickly takes on a custard-like yellow hue. After thoroughly mixing to prevent separation, I switch from the whisk to a rubber spatula and divide the mixture between two bowls.

“Mr. Ville, could you please wipe the moisture off those halberries over there?”

“Are you going to add these?”

“Yes. I’m planning to add halberries to one batch and bake them a little thicker.”

“What about the other half?”

“I’ll mix in some spices for that one. It’ll be sweet… but with a nice spicy, aromatic kick.”

Since Mr. Ville seems quite free as he peers at my work, I might as well have him help out. As they say in the Takanashi household, "Put idle hands to work, even if they belong to your parents!”

I hand him the berries in a colander with some kitchen paper to dry them.

Meanwhile, I’ll sift plain flour into the bowl and fold it in with the rubber spatula until the floury texture mostly disappears, preparing the dough. "I’m done," Mr. Ville says, handing me the halberries, which I fold in gently, trying not to knead or crush them.

…Yup. Since they’re soft berries, they inevitably get a bit crushed during mixing. But that makes the dough somewhat marbled and looser, perfect for drop cookies.

As I line a baking sheet with parchment paper and start dropping spoonfuls of dough onto it, it seems the preheating has finished right on cue. While sliding the sheet into the beeping oven, I pull the other bowl closer.

Mr. Ville watches the orange-lit oven interior with sparkling eyes as it emits a low, quiet humming sound.

The berry juice simmers and bubbles as it roasts, occasionally spilling out as the dough rises… Yup, watching sweets bake is always fun! When I was little, I loved watching my mother’s cookies and cakes bake too.

In the quiet space filled with the rich, sweet aroma of baking butter and sugar, mixed with the fresh, sweet-tart smell of cooking berries, I quietly fold the spiced flour into the other bowl.

When the oven signals that the baking is done, I open the door to find perfectly browned cookies arranged on the sheet. Despite the rich sweet-tart aroma wafting around, the cookies themselves look somewhat eerie, with their dough stained purple by juice from the burst halberries.

I’m using a barbecue grill rack placed over a clean bowl as a makeshift cooling rack for these piping hot berry cookies, but… I can still feel the burn-worthy heat radiating from them as Mr. Ville looks back and forth between me and the cookies.

“Hey, Rin. Can we eat these now?”

“They’re still hot, so I think we should wait a bit longer, Mr. Ville.”

“You mean… we have to wait while smelling this aroma with them right in front of us?”

“Well, when you put it that way… yup… let’s eat them!”

I was going to suggest waiting to avoid burning our mouths, but… when he looked at me with such a shocked and disappointed expression, I had no choice but to agree… Besides, I myself was fighting the urge to say "I want to eat them now!" It’s hard to resist the temptation of freshly baked cookies!

Mr. Ville picks up a cookie that’s almost too hot to hold and takes a big bite. However, he doesn’t make any sound about the heat.

…Actually, he’s not making any sound at all.

He’s too absorbed in eating, his eyes sparkling with delight.

That looks quite delicious. Well then, I should have one too!

“Hot! But so delicious!”

“This is… great! Delicious!”

Even after blowing on it to cool it down, the cookie that breaks open and enters my mouth is still quite hot. Maybe it’s taking longer to cool because of the moist dough and the fresh halberries. The center of the thick, mounded dough has a fluffy texture thanks to the eggs, crumbling delicately in my mouth—almost like a soft sponge cake. But the thinner edges are nicely browned, giving them that proper crispy cookie texture. While it might threaten to dry out your mouth, the juice from the mixed-in fresh halberries prevents any uncomfortable dryness.

…Actually, the amount of juice makes it quite juicy in your mouth. And that halberry juice, even though some moisture must have evaporated in the heat, maintains its vivid sweetness and tartness, with the flavors becoming more concentrated. When the rich, sweet cookie dough combines with the intense yet somehow light sweetness of the halberries in your mouth, it’s absolute nirvana! The fresh sweet-tart aroma that lingers after swallowing is nice too.

These cookies turned out to be delicious in two or three different ways with just one bite! Well… since they’re not just purely sweet, they’re dangerously easy to keep eating… how terrifying…

“Ah! But I messed up!”

“Hm? What’s wrong? They’re so good I could eat them endlessly?”

“I meant to make these as snacks for us, but they won’t keep long…”

Yup. I totally overlooked that!

Even though they’re baked, using fresh halberries means there’s too much moisture. Super juicy cookies like these will get moldy in no time…

As I pick up a cookie that’s cooled down a bit, I can feel its moist texture where the halberry juice has seeped in… Yup. It’s more like a thin sweet bun than a cookie! Well, they should keep until tomorrow if we refrigerate them… ah…

“I’ve done it… ate them all…”

“I couldn’t stop either… Too delicious… Sorry!”

“No, they were meant to be snacks anyway, so I guess it worked out… though, would it be alright if we save the spice cookies for tomorrow and beyond?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Sorry for making you worry about it.”

Somehow, all the berry cookies that were supposed to be on the makeshift cooling rack have completely disappeared.

We really did it… We ate them all… This isn’t even about shelf life anymore…

It’s just that… sweets are so good! We felt so happy that our hands just wouldn’t stop reaching for more!

The whole idea started with, “Let’s make something that’ll last and keep us fed!”—and yet somehow, we ended up eating it all at once. How did that even happen?

I guess I should bake another batch of those firm, long-lasting cookies… I still have the spices out, so maybe spice cookies again? Yup, sorry. I really do like spice cookies.

Still, our original goal of “soothing our hunger” and my personal craving for sweets were both satisfied, so let’s call that a win! The cookies were quite moist, though — eat too many and you start craving something to drink. I hand Mr. Ville some barley tea, but his gaze is fixed on the other bowl.

“Rin, what’s that?”

“Oh, these are for ginger spice cookies. They’re delicious in their own way too.”

I drop spoonfuls of the spice cookie dough onto the cooled baking sheet. I try to keep the thickness even and thinner than the berry cookies. I’m hoping they’ll bake through faster and get crisper… though we’ll see how that works out.

Mr. Ville, having devoured the berry cookies in no time, reacts quickly, but I’m absolutely determined to save at least some of these for future snacks…

“…This one has… quite a different aroma…”

“Hehe… right? It’s quite a stimulating scent for your nose, isn’t it?”

About ten minutes have passed since I put the spice cookies in the still-warm oven. Now the car is filled with a sweet aroma mixed with a fresh, spicy kick. I can say this with confidence—the charm of spice cookies lies in the fact that they’re not just sweet. They’ve got a unique kick to them.

Peeking into the oven with Mr. Ville, the cookies look well-browned in the orange light. About five more minutes of baking to drive out the moisture… come to think of it, do I have any airtight containers to store the cookies?

“Oh, right! I used a Tupperware to bring the ingredients!”

“Tup-per what?”

“It’s a container with a lid that seals tight!”

I stand up in the sweet-scented air and head toward the dimensional storage where I keep the camping gear and recent drop items.

…How should I put it… when you open it, it’s like a storage room. There’s my fishing cart, tackle boxes, rod stands, and drop items scattered around the large room, and when I think "I wanna check the cart," suddenly the cart appears right in front of me. Then, while searching through the cart thinking "I want a tackle box," the tackle box ends up within easy reach, and well…

I try not to think too hard about it, but you can’t help wondering…

Anyway, I successfully found the Tupperware in the cart. And it’s a pretty big one with a gasket!

It’s the one I used for marinated spare ribs for dinner on my solo camping trip, or rather, fishing trip. I had put the spare ribs in a plastic bag, but I kept the bag in the Tupperware to prevent leaks or tears. You never know what’ll come in handy in life! In the end, it stayed spotless with no leaks, so I just stored it as is—but since it’s for cookies this time, I’ll wash it just in case.

When I look up, the sweet aroma that had been wafting around has grown even stronger. …This smell really makes me want coffee… Sure, barley tea is delicious, and cold barley tea with meals is justice, but for me, cookies with extra ginger and strong spices go best with slightly sweetened milk coffee—that’s my personal justice!

…Though I wonder if coffee even exists in this world? I’ll have to look for it when I get the chance!

“By the way, what kind of place is the city of Ellarge?”

“Well… It’s one of the larger cities on this continent, with many non-human races living there.”

“Non-human…”

“…Ah, right. You don’t know about this, do you?”

I sit on the sofa set up by the cabin window—equipped with seatbelts for use while driving—carefully eating the spice cookies I’d saved for tasting from the first batch while listening to stories about our destination.

According to Mr. Ville, we’re currently in "Riessfeld," a fairly large island nation. Being surrounded by sea, it had limited contact with foreign species, which led to unique evolutionary developments like draguls and other native species. Adding to this, long ago, elves and dwarves who were fleeing from humans—who were overwhelmingly numerous in other countries—came to Riessfeld, along with humans who had fallen in love with them. This led to the current state where various races coexist. While it was once treated as an uncivilized land crawling with non-human magical creatures, perceptions gradually changed over time. Now they actively trade with various countries—though only with those that don’t discriminate against non-human races… There are also scholars who visit to study the unique ecosystem, making for quite an active movement of people and goods.

With that in mind, our destination, the city of Ellarge, is a seaside port town that serves as a trading hub for various races and goods…

“No wonder adventurers gather there.”

“Yeah. More people mean more jobs, and more information too.”

“Makes sense.”

…Hmm… Thanks to Mr. Ville, I feel like I understand a bit more about this world… or at least this country.

As my brain starts running low on energy from processing all this new information, I pop the last piece of spice cookie into my mouth.

The slightly sweet morsel releases trapped spice aromas throughout my mouth as I chew the well-baked cookie. The gentle sweetness and fragrance of cinnamon and nutmeg enhance the spicy ginger aftertaste. That occasional hint of bitterness must be allspice? Sweet, spicy, slightly bitter… as these flavors threaten to scatter across my palate, cardamom, the queen of spices, brings it all together.

…Ah… I really want coffee…

I’ve been thinking about it since baking, but now I really want coffee! I want to wash down these lingering sweet and spicy flavors with slightly sweetened milk coffee!

“Hey, Mr. Ville. Since it’s a port town, do they have coffee? It’s a drink made by grinding and brewing roasted black bitter beans…”

“From your description, it sounds similar to ‘kafa’… Shops selling ‘fragrant tea’ should also have it, I think.”

“Fragrant tea? They have tea too!? Hooray!”

“They’re imports from southern countries, so they’re fairly expensive.”

Ooh… I guess imported goods are fancy and high-class here too?

I like coffee, but I also love black tea… Yup. Gotta save money… For my cultured diet!

Until then, I’ll make do with blended herbal tea made from halberry leaves and wild herbs. Grandma used to say that even if individual herbs have strong characteristics, they blend together when mixed! Her homemade tea made from chameleon plants went down so smoothly.

“By the way, how long will it take to reach Ellarge from here?”

“About three days on foot? Faster if we use horses…”

“Three days!”

Th-that’s quite a journey… Well, I guess it’s natural since we’re walking.

Let’s see… Assuming we walk at four kilometers per hour for eight hours a day with breaks, that’s 8×4×3=96km…!

The number doesn’t seem that impressive, but that’s because I’m used to cars from my world… Wait, I do have a car!

“The Camping Car! The Camping Car could cover a hundred kilometers in just over three hours!”

“No way… in three hours!?”

I jump up from the sofa with excitement, but I have no regrets.

Mr. Ville looks at me with surprise, but I DON’T CARE!

That’s right… That’s right! I have the Camping Car!

I drove from where I was transported to Rhielle Lake at a leisurely speed of 30-40 kilometers per hour without any problems! If the road to Ellarge is like the highway we were on earlier—unpaved but well-packed—or if it’s grassland with short grass, couldn’t I drive at about the same speed? Of course, I can’t go 70 or 80 kilometers per hour, but it should still be about ten times faster than walking, right? And if the road conditions are good, I might even manage 50 kilometers per hour and get there even sooner!

Mr. Ville’s face screams, “Unbelievable!”, but I’m convinced it’s possible! Assuming an average speed of 35 kilometers per hour, we can get there in less than three hours!

“Since it’s around noon now, if we leave right away, we should arrive while it’s still light out!”

“H-hey, Rin! Where are you going!?”

“To the driver’s seat! I can’t drive from the cabin!”

“Driver’s seat… like a coachman’s perch…?”

No sooner have I declared "Strike while the iron is hot!" than I fling open the door and jump outside, with Mr. Ville’s flustered voice calling after me.

This isn’t self-driving or remote-controlled, so I can’t just relax in the cabin while it runs!

As for Mr. Ville… what should I do? Though the environment will be different, maybe I should have him ride in the passenger seat? After all, this will be the first time the Camping Car moves with Mr. Ville in it, and wouldn’t it be better to share the same space rather than leaving him alone in the cabin? Isn’t it better for mental health to have someone to chat with, rather than sitting alone in a moving space with no idea what’s going on?

“Mr. Ville, would you like to sit in the passenger seat… next to me? The view is nice, I think!”

“…Alright, let’s go!”

When I made this suggestion, after a moment’s hesitation, he nodded with a face that showed both anxiety and curiosity about the unknown experience.

Don’t worry too much—I’ll be careful not to crash!

I have a gold license for not having had an accident over five years, after all! As I guide Mr. Ville, who has followed me out of the cabin, to the passenger seat, my heart swirls with excitement and anticipation for the yet-unseen town.

…Still, I pray we don’t run over any monsters or beasts…! And even if we do hit something, please let the Camping Car avoid major damage! Needless to say, thinking about this matter that affects both my lifeline and future prospects, I added a traffic safety charm to my shopping list for the town.

I must say, as expected of an adventurer, Mr. Ville managed to climb into the high passenger seat easily after I demonstrated how to get in just once.

…However…

“Do I need to secure myself with this rope? Won’t I be unable to move quickly if monsters or bandits attack?”

“Ah, well. I understand how you feel, but the Camping Car has a concealment effect, so enemies probably can’t see us?”

“Even so…”

“Monsters are scary, but accidents from collisions and such are scary too! The impact is supposedly tremendous…!”

As expected of an adventurer, or perhaps I should say… he was extremely reluctant about having his body restrained by the seatbelt…

I tried my best to persuade and convince the grimacing Mr. Ville as he pulled at the seatbelt, lecturing him about safety with more vigor than the license renewal course…

We finally settled on "We’ll wear seatbelts because the Camping Car has a concealment effect so enemies can’t see us, and a barrier effect so they can’t get in"!

Wow, I never thought that getting him to wear the seatbelt would take more time than getting him into the car!

Wrapped in a strange sense of accomplishment from completing this task, I start the Camping Car’s engine.

Mr. Ville jumps, probably startled by the vibration and deep bass sound resonating in his gut.

“Well then, departure time!”

“Whoa-oaah!?”

Glancing at Mr. Ville, whose expression mixed curiosity with anxiety about this unknown experience, I press down on the accelerator.

After driving for about half an hour, Mr. Ville seems to have gotten quite used to it. He is excitedly looking at the scenery flowing past the window at considerable speed and mindlessly opening and closing the dashboard—clearly still thrilled about his first time in a car now that he knows it was safe.

…I guess boys never outgrow their love of vehicles, no matter how old they get…

“…This is amazing…! I was imagining it would be like a coachman’s perch, but there’s no comparison!”

“Is it that different?”

“Completely different! The cushioning wasn’t nearly this good, and the shaking was terrible… riding in a horse-drawn carriage felt like your rear would split into four pieces!”

“Ah… well, they probably don’t have anything like suspension…”

Without shock absorption mechanisms, the bumps would transfer directly…

So that’s how it is… your rear splitting into four pieces? Though I’ll probably never have the chance to ride one, that makes horse-drawn carriages sound terrifying!

Setting aside talk of frightening transportation methods, the Camping Car is making steady progress along the highway.

Despite the unpaved road, we barely felt any shaking or vibration—either the suspension is exceptional, or some kind of "magical" force is at work… Though thinking about it just leads me in circles since I’ll never know the answer.

The scenery around Rhielle Lake had been grasslands with occasional groves and forests—we’d been driving through rutted meadows. But now we are on a properly paved brick road. Had we reached a major highway?

The well-maintained road, incomparably better than before, is wide enough for horse-drawn carriages to pass each other—like something out of those Western frontier dramas I watched as a child. It is perfect for the Camping Car, so I gratefully made use of it. Thanks to that road, we can travel at an average speed of 40 kilometers per hour, slightly faster than I expected.

“This is incredibly fast…! Have we reached the Large Highway already?”

“The Large Highway? Is that like a main road?”

“Yes. It’s the road that connects the royal capital to various regions.”

I see. So the Large Highway must be like an expressway, branching off into somewhat maintained roads like the one before, and paths that were barely more than animal trails… And the level of maintenance probably corresponds to their importance…

If that’s the case, the city of Ellarge must be quite significant. Well, I suppose that’s natural since it’s the only port town serving as a gateway to foreign countries and a center of trade.

Through the window, I could see several settlements passing by that seemed to serve as post stations. This wasn’t something we saw around Rhielle Lake. I wonder if Rhielle Lake isn’t considered very important?

Well… fishing for milk trout was fun, sure, but if someone asked whether there was any industry… yup, no. Maybe camping? And then—the thing I’d been dreading happened… Being a well-maintained major highway… horse-drawn carriages and travelers besides the Camping Car start appearing little by little!

I can still avoid them while their numbers are few, but once we get closer to town and there are more of them, wouldn’t we be unable to move?

“…Rin. I have a suggestion—perhaps we should get out of the Camping Car a bit before Ellarge and walk the rest of the way?”

“You’re right, we never know when we might cause an accident… and the fact that the vehicle is invisible is problematic…”

“We can’t expose the Camping Car either, the risk would be too great.”

“Guess we’ll have to sneak our way through somehow…”

It seems Mr. Ville has been thinking along the same lines.

If other people could see the Camping Car, they could take evasive action or something, but since it’s invisible…

In reality, a carriage might suddenly change course and crash into where the Camping Car was running, or a traveler might suddenly jump out. I don’t want such a brutal journey where we’re constantly wondering if we’ll crash or not! The stress is unbearable! Besides, we’d have to get out of the car to enter the town anyway, and then, from others’ perspective, people would suddenly appear out of empty space.

…It would be strange if that didn’t cause a commotion…

But if the Camping Car’s exterior became visible, I could only foresee chaos with people asking what it was, who made it, and demanding to know its specifications…

Either way it would cause a commotion… seriously…

As a galloping horse dashes past at a speed that can probably shatter bricks, I pull over to the side and let out an exasperated sigh.

Should I just drive on the unpaved side of the highway…?

As far as I can see, there is no border, like a step or ditch, between the brick-paved section and the unpaved section beside it. No eccentric travelers or carriages seem likely to try running on the unpaved area either. Well, if asked which you’d rather walk on, easy or difficult terrain… which would you prefer?

“Mr. Ville, please hold onto the handrail!”

“Huh? Why suddenly—Whoa!?”

After confirming there were no people or carriages ahead, I pressed the accelerator a bit harder and turned the steering wheel to the left. Though invisible to the eye, there must have been some kind of barrier, and a jolt transmitted as we crossed over something.

The ride quality itself wasn’t much different from when I was driving through the grasslands around Rhielle Lake. Compared to driving on the paved road, there is slightly more vibration, but nothing major.

Well within acceptable limits.

“Alright! We’ll keep going like this until we’re near town!”

“That’s quite the forceful solution!”

“As long as we make it work, right?”

Hearing Mr. Ville’s amused laughter—something must have struck a chord with him—I readjust my grip on the steering wheel to avoid letting the bumpy ground take control.

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