Cooking with Wild Game (LN) Volume 4 Chapter 2

The Day of Decision

Translator: Skythewood

Editor: Tok.u.mei, Ratorasepo

1

The next day after we met Kamyua Yost, Ai Fa and I visited the Lutim village early in the morning.

To be honest, Ai Fa and I couldn’t handle that madman by ourselves anymore.

After heading to the south of the Wu village, we found five large houses grouped tightly together. This was the Lutim village, and I had visited this place several times before the wedding to consult the newlywed’s opinions.

Fortunately, Kaslan Lutim was already up when we visited the ma.s.sive main house.

「Hey, it’s Ai Fa and Asuta. What’s the matter?」

Kaslan Lutim received us with a smile.

The house head Dan Lutim was still fast asleep. But that was fine since Kaslan Lutim was the one with an earnest character, and a flexible, open mind. We needed to consult him now.

「Sorry for visiting at such a time.」

「It’s fine, the custom of the Lutim house dictates that husband and wife don’t need to work three days before and after the wedding. I’m very happy about your visit.」

Kaslan Lutim had a calm smile.

Even so, I still felt guilty about visiting the groom two days after his wedding.

But we were very confused and had to seek the opinion of a third party.

「Yesterday, when Kamyua Yost visited the Fa house, our conversation developed in an unexpected manner.」

When Kaslan Lutim brought me into a large hall that was on par with the Wu clan in terms of size, I started the topic.

What we wanted to discuss was the insane idea proposed by Kamyua Yost last night.

「Why do we have to open a stall in the Post Station Town?」

When I answered in a panic, Kamyua Yost didn’t seem bothered at all.

「For the sake of making the denizens of Forest's Edge stronger and more prosperous of course.」

I sighed, then scratched my head on reflex.

「If I open a stall, why would the denizens of Forest's Edge obtain more strength and become more prosperous? I don’t get the logic behind your words.」

「Why? Asuta, you might have come from a foreign land, but you are now a member of Forest's Edge. When you become wealthy, that means life in Forest's Edge will be more prosperous too, right?」

「Don’t think so. The earned copper plates will only make the Fa house richer. Furthermore, there are only the two of us in the Fa house, with no other kin or family. No one will share our gains.」

「Hmm? What do you mean?」

I started explaining to the uncle that the denizens of Forest's Edge was a tribe that deepened their bonds through blood ties.

He probably knew, but I still told him that 「commerce」 didn’t exist in Forest's Edge. And so, money would stay within relatives.

Still,there was a faint smile on Kamyua Yost’s face.

「I can’t agree with that. Going by what you said, the denizens of Forest's Edge don’t care about anyone except their family. What I mean is, do you think everyone but your family is insignificant?」

「That’s going too extreme. Of course we have friends too. But even if we become wealthy, it will have nothing to do with their lives.」

「That’s only if you hog all the wealth like the chief clan.」

At this point of the conversation, Ai Fa had completely showed her hunter’s eyes.

That was a natural reaction. I wasn’t angry yet, but my distrust of this uncle had been pushed to the limits.

「I’m just chatting about something that flashed across my mind, I never thought you would be so resistant against it.」

「… Of course. Even for idle chatter, that came out of nowhere.」

「Is it? I think this sudden inspiration isn’t bad at all. After all, opening a stall in the Post Station Town isn’t that hard.」

Kamyua Yost said casually. He was about to get up, but he sat back down and stroked his stubby beard.

「I got it. I will explain to you from the very beginning. The first thing on my mind is the value of the kiba meat.」

「… The value of the kiba meat?」

「The people in Forest's Edge sell kiba horns, tusks, and hides in exchange for food. In that case, why not sell kiba meat?」

「The people in the city don’t eat kiba meat, right? They fear the kiba, and even mock the Forest's Edge denizens as 《Kiba Eaters》.」

「Only the locals in Genos fear kiba. The travellers and migrants are just influenced by them.」

「No, that might be so——」

「Let me ask you, do you think it is right for the people in Genos to discriminate Forest's Edge denizens as 《Kiba Eaters》 and fear them? Will that make the denizens of Forest's Edge happy and proud? If the denizens of Forest's Edge don’t mind, then it’s okay. I can understand why you don’t want the people in the city to know how delicious the kiba are. You are free to ignore my proposal… But if that isn’t what the denizens of Forest's Edge really think, I really can’t imagine a reason why you won’t sell the kiba meat.」

The denizens of Forest's Edge discovered the delectability of kiba only recently, in this very month—— There wasn’t any point for me to rebuke him like this.

Since we could peddle kiba tusks and horns, there wasn’t any reason why we couldn’t sell kiba meat.

「You want me to open a butcher shop in the Post Station Town? Is that really profitable?」

「You won’t earn money in the Post Station Town if you start with a butchery right off the bat. We need to let them know how tasty kiba meat is. That’s why I suggested for you to open a stall…  Not a butchery, but a food stall.」

「……」

「If you succeed, the kiba meat could then be sold as merchandize. Everyone thinks that kiba meat is nasty and stinks, but if your delicious food becomes popular in the Post Station Town, you can overturn this misconception. When everyone will be willing to pay for kiba meat with copper plates, your success will lift up Forest's Edge, right?」

Kamyua Yost looked really chirpy, as if he just wanted to chat.

「The tusks and horns from one kiba could be exchanged for at most one silver plate. The hide goes for about the same amount. The hunters in Forest's Edge risk their lives to hunt, so this pittance is too unreasonable… I found this unsettling since a long time ago.」

「However—— the denizens of Forest's Edge lived for eight decades this way. If we destroy this pattern now——」

「Asuta, what I’m going to say might be a little rude. You just became a denizen of Forest's Edge, right? I asked my friends in the Post Station Town, they have never seen a foreigner in Forest's Edge clothing in the past.」

「… And so?」

「I just want to tell you that I might be more familiar with life in Forest's Edge than you.」

Kamyua Yost had an arrogant smile.

「There are plenty of hunter’s pride hanging on Ai Fa’s neck. The Wu clan has many kin, and there’s also the Tsun clan hogging all the prize money… Asuta, have you ever interacted with the other houses before?」

No.

Why did Kamyua Yost ask that?

「The answer is simple. When you know what kind of life the average denizens of Forest's Edge are living, you won’t be against the idea of improving their lives.」

「The average—— Forest's Edge denizen? You are not even a denizen of Forest's Edge, how would you know——」

「I’m not a denizen, so this is just my guess. If I’m wrong, I hope Ai Fa will correct me.」

Ai Fa didn’t say a word.

However —— I sensed another agitated emotion other than rage in her fiery eyes.

「Most of the Forest's Edge denizens only eat aria and poitan because they couldn’t afford other ingredients. Only a minority of the Forest's Edge denizens has as much savings as Ai Fa, most of them are suffering in poverty. Their homes are empty, and not because they wish for an ascetic lifestyle. Many couldn’t afford aria and poitan, and couldn’t eat anything except kiba meat, leading to a premature death—— That’s my a.s.sumption. From the information I garnered in the Post Station Town, and inspecting Forest's Edge personally, that’s the conclusion I arrived at. Ai Fa, am I wrong?」

「… The capable houses lead wealthy lives, and the powerless families lead impoverished lives. That is just the way things are.」

「Which means, there really are people who only live by eating meat in Forest's Edge, and die prematurely. There are even those who fail to hunt kiba and starve to death. Is that true?」

「… To avoid being forced to such an end, we have to work hard and become stronger. That’s what I have been taught since young.」

「Since the denizens of Forest's Edge teach their children this concept, that means such a risk exists.」

Why did things end up like this?

I started deluding—— that compared to Ai Fa who seldom mingled with the other denizens, Kamyua Yost from the city understood the situation in Forest's Edge better.

「Outsiders have a clearer view.」

Kamyua Yost smiled again, but his expression changed this time.

He narrowed his drooping eyes, and a clear light appeared in his purple iris, like an elderly philosopher—— Even though he was clearly suspicious, his eyes were as intelligent as Grandma Jiba’s.

「The denizens of Forest's Edge live a honest life… If the kiba gets hungry, it would charge out of the forest and destroy the farmlands of the Genos. To keep the kiba from starving, the people in Forest's Edge are not allowed to forage food from the forest. As a mere man, I couldn’t understand why they would rather starve to death than violate such an unfair agreement. Not just that, the kiba that the denizens of Forest's Edge risked their lives to hunt is only worth a silver plate or two. I don’t agree to such a way of living. I think the people in Forest's Edge should have a more prosperous life.」

「But… Excessive wealth will make one depraved. Just like the Tsun clan…」

「Their wealth was obtained by unjust means without any effort. I don’t think Ai Fa and Donda Wu would become depraved because of wealth. Even if the necklace on Ai Fa’s neck increases by a hundred, she won’t give up on being a hunter, right?」

Ai Fa—— she definitely won’t give up.

It was the same for Donda Wu.

The Wu clan would hunt large numbers of kiba everyday, but they would just use the copper plates to buy vegetables or accessories for their daughters. They won’t squander any of it, or neglect their hunter’s work. They spent all their time hunting kiba and felt proud about that.

The figure of Shin Wu appeared in my mind.

That youth had to support five family members.

And of course, they wouldn’t starve if he could rely on the other kin in his village. But for the sake of protecting his family, he would go as far as to adopt the dangerous 『sacrificial hunting style」.

If instead of being from the Wu clan, he would be like Ai Fa and come from a family with few blood kins—— he would need to hunt a little more than one kiba every two days to provide enough aria and poitan for his family.

「What do you think? My opinion is that the people in Forest's Edge should live with more abundance. Do you believe that is unreasonable?」

「… From what I have seen, I don’t think the denizens of Forest's Edge are living a life of misfortune.」

I have met the women of Forest's Edge at the water source before, and also saw small groups of men heading into the woods. Even though I never mingled with the other houses, I often saw them walking around Forest's Edge. Their eyes were clear and bright, although not to the extent of the Wu clan.

They might be poor and discriminated in the city, but they didn’t seem to be living a life of misfortune.

「I agree with you. The denizens of Forest's Edge are a tribe that keeps to themselves… That is why I hope they can live a more prosperous life.」

Kamyua Yost closed his eyes, concealing his unfathomable gaze.

When he opened his eyes again, he smiled casually again.

「I’m just sharing what I thought on a whim. I will let the two of you judge the rest. Only the denizens of Forest's Edge can decide the future of Forest's Edge. Please choose a path you think is right, and strive forth.」

「… Are you still insisting this is something you just thought up?」

Agitated emotions came over me, and I glared at Kamyua Yost’s unfathomable face.

「After knowing I was the chef for yesterday’s banquet—— you requested to have dinner at my place in order to ascertain my cooking skills?」

「You flatter me, I’m not that brilliant… However, when I saw the blissful faces of everyone feasting on the kiba, I was confused. Since kiba is so delicious, why don’t they sell meat along with the tusks and horns?」

Kamyua Yost mentioned casually.

My head was a mess.

It was probably the same for Ai Fa.

This man—— just who was he?

「Asuta, after dining with you, I’m certain that your cooking will sell in the Post Station Town. But what I think isn’t important. The crucial thing is, which path is the right one for the denizens of Forest's Edge?」

Kamyua Yost stood up briskly, his cloak rustling in the air.

「It is your freedom to choose whichever path you like. If you wish to discuss further details, you are welcome to visit me anytime. I will be staying in the 《Kimyusu’s Tail Inn》 until the 15th of next month. I will also visit you when I come to Forest's Edge to scout again—— only if you still welcome me.」

Kaslan Lutim remained calm the entire time, and didn’t interject at all before I finished.

At the very end, he commented——「What a surprise」.

「No one from the city ever interacted with the people of Forest's Edge in such a way before. How surprising.」

Ema Min Lutim had excused herself, so only the three of us were left in the room.

I leaned forth and asked:

「What do you think? After listening to Kamyua Yost’s words, what should we do?」

「That will depends on what you think. If you want to know my views——」

This is too r.e.t.a.r.ded… If Kaslan Lutim were to answer like this, Ai Fa and I might have an easier time.

But reality was cruel.

「—— I think his proposal makes a lot of sense.」

Kaslan Lutim said with certainty.

「I see…」

「Yes. It’s not against the rules to exchange kiba meat for copper plates. If we plan to do so, the residents in the Post Station Town have to taste the kiba meat first. Regarding a prosperous life for the denizens of Forest's Edge—— I concur with that man’s opinion.」

Kaslan Lutim showed no hesitation in his eyes.

If Kamyua Yost would have had these eyes, I might have agreed to his proposal without any hesitation.

This couldn’t be helped. Leaving aside the fact that everyone has different personalities, Kaslan Lutim was a denizen of Forest's Edge, while Kamyua Yost was from Rock City, their background was drastically different.

「Excessive wealth will make people depraved—— That’s how I feel. Do the denizens of Forest's Edge think this is an insult?」

「No. After all, you already know about the depraved Tsun clan, so having such thoughts is unavoidable. However, this is similar to hamburg steak, right?」

「H-Hamburg steak?」

「That’s right. Those who are not disciplined will be obsessed with the taste of hamburg steak, and allow their teeth and jaw to turn weak. Medicine will become poison if taken in excess. In my eyes, excessive wealth is the same thing.」

Kaslan Lutim smiled quietly.

「For example, eight decades ago, the people in Forest's Edge suffered greatly from poverty. They didn’t have proper weapons and didn’t know the habits of kiba. They were prohibited from foraging the forest for food —— Many either died from fighting the kiba or hunger. That’s what I learned from Jiba Wu.」

「… Yes.」

「Even so, the people in the past still lived in Forest's Edge proudly, and learned the skills and knowledge of hunting kiba. They sold the kiba’s tusks and horns to buy steel, pots, food, and cloth, successfully building the lives we have now. The Wu clan and Lutim house are wealthier, and are purchasing other types of ingredients and accessories for the women on top of daily necessities. Grandma Jiba and the others knew how tough the past was, and are satisfied with their current life. As long as people like that exist—— a wealthy life won’t make us depraved.」

「Yes.」

That’s all I could muster.

After hearing Kaslan Lutim’s words, my feelings became clearer.

Ai Fa listened to our conversation quietly. What were her thoughts about this?

「… I want to make an a.s.sumption…」

Kaslan Lutim continued speaking seriously.

「Asuta, If your work in the Post Station Town is successful, and the kiba meat is sold for copper plates—— As only the kins of the Wu clan has learned bloodletting from you, we will be the only ones who can  peddle meat.」

「That’s right.」

「If the Wu clan’s wealth increases with time and surpa.s.ses the Tsun clan in the future, wouldn’t the people think that hunting kiba is the right path to a prosperous future?」

I was shocked.

Kaslan Lutim smiled.

「I don’t know what Kamyua Yost is thinking. Going by what you said, he is planning to weaken the Tsun clan’s power. And so I wondered what I would think if I were in his shoes —— and so, I tried thinking what kind of impact the selling of kiba meat will have on the Tsun clan. But in order to arrive at the conclusion I stated earlier, he needs to know that 『Only the Wu clan and their kins have learned bloodletting』.」

That man probably knew that already.

Compared to Kamyua Yost’s schemes, Kaslan Lutim’s conclusion surprised me more.

「Kaslan Lutim. You… You are incredible. I can’t think that far ahead.」

「I’m not that good. My only strong points are thinking and hunting kiba.」

Kaslan Lutim stared at me with his honest eyes.

「However, I have not seen Kamyua Yost in person before. I can’t trust someone I have never met. But I trust you, Asuta and Ai Fa… What are your thoughts about this?」

Ai Fa answered his query.

There was a strong light in her blue eyes as she looked at Kaslan Lutim’s earnest face.

「Kaslan Lutim, I can’t talk about such lofty aspirations like you. No matter what happens in the future, I don’t think the Tsun clan can regain their guts as a denizen of Forest's Edge.」

「Yes.」

「However—— If Asuta and my decision can benefit life in Forest's Edge a little… I will feel pride in that.」

「… I see.」

Kaslan Lutim smiled gently.

He turned towards me.

「I concur with what Ai Fa said. But we don’t understand Kamyua Yost enough, and can’t agree to his proposal so easily. We need to check for any traps in his suggestion.」

「That’s true, you are right.」

Kaslan Lutim nodded firmly.

「Ai Fa, Asuta, when you find the right path and need any help, don’t hesitate to visit again if you need the aid of house Lutim. You might not be kins of house Lutim, but you are good friends that are trustworthy. House Lutim will always welcome you.」

「Yes, Thank you. I’m very grateful.」

I reached out my right hand unconsciously, then pulled it back quickly.

「Sorry. In my country, shaking hands is a sign of friendship. I don’t think there is such a custom in Forest's Edge.」

「I just need to shake hands?」

Kaslan Lutim tilted his head quizzically, then extended his right hand.

I gripped the hunter’s big strong hand with all my might.

He grasped my hand with equal strength.

「Asuta, your capability might far exceed my imagination. I hope you can be a medicine for Forest's Edge.」

After Kaslan Lutim said his piece, we left the Lutim house.

2

After leaving house Lutim, we headed straight for the Post Station Town.

We wanted to end this preposterous issue as soon as possible, so we decided to visit Kamyua Yost during our trip to buy a pot.

Ai Fa placed a necklace worth 20 kiba into a bag usually used for vegetables, and hung it under her underarm.

After Kaslan Lutim told us the shortest route from house Lutim to the Post Station Town, we pa.s.sionately—— actually, we weren’t that hot blooded—— walked towards the Post Station Town.

「… The more I think about it, the more ludicrous this proposal seems.」

I said to Ai Fa on the way there.

「It is surprising that down to earth Forest Edge denizens like you and Kaslan Lutim actually agreed to this. However, everyone wishes for the denizens of Forest's Edge to live a more prosperous life after all.」

「That’s only natural. I experienced the pains of such poverty too.」

Ai Fa looked away, and muttered:

「I told you before, right? When my father Gill couldn’t do his work as a hunter due to a leg injury, the Fa house almost got wiped out. The Fa house didn’t have any kins. If my shoddy trap didn’t capture a young kiba—— at that time, we would have starved to death.」

「Oh right… You did mention that.」

「When the entire family was forced to the brink, I understood how terrible my father felt. I don’t think anyone should undergo such pain.」

「… Hmm.」

「This idea might be coming from a citizen of Rock City, but, as long as we earn the money by our own means, even Donda Wu who hates Rock City won’t be able to complain about this. This is a match between Forest's Edge and Rock City.」

Ai Fa finally glanced my way.

Her voice was heavy, but her eyes were clear..

「… As long as you are by my side, we will have the upper hand in this fight.」

「What, I won’t give you anything even if you flatter me you know?」

I felt so proud that my heart was almost bursting. In order to hide how I felt, I intentionally showed a cheerful face.

「But we need to investigate Kamyua Yost first. If that uncle has any schemes, things will be bad. We need to ask about opening a stall in the Post Station Town, and try our best to probe what his true intentions are.」

「… You are right.」

Ai Fa’s expression became serious and she turned to the front.

Letting the people in the city understand the value of kiba meat is a ludicrous fight.

But since Ai Fa and Kaslan Lutim found great meaning in it—— I was willing to fight this uphill battle.

First, we need to face the man of dubious origins again—— Kamyua Yost.

The first step of this battle was to determine if this man will be a medicine to Forest's Edge or a poison.

And so, we went to the Post Station Town once again.

The sun had already gone past the peak, compared to our last visit, we arrived later, and there were more people in town.

Before us was a 10 m wide stone street, with tall buildings erected on both sides of it. All sorts of people in various attire were walking around. The huge Totos Moa were pulling wagons. The crowded streets were hot, noisy and full of heat from the people.

The crowded Post Station Town made me dizzy. I turned to Ai Fa as I walked in the crowd.

「Let’s settle the troublesome matter first. Besides, I don’t want to visit the inn with an iron pot.」

Where was that 《Kimyusu’s Tail Inn》Kamyua Yost was lodging?

On a closer look, almost all the buildings here had gigantic signboards, with curvy hieroglyphs drawn on them.

I asked Ai Fa what the signs said, and she answered:「How would I know.」

I could only ask a pedestrian.

And so—— We started observing the people in the city once again.

The pedestrians were roughly divided into four skin colours, yellowish brown, ivory, black and white. Yellowish brown and ivory were about equal in number. Blacks and whites were relatively fewer.

Most of the people who were looking at Ai Fa with suspicious eyes had yellowish brown skin.

Those with ivory skin had similar reactions.

In comparison, the whites and blacks didn’t show any fear or disdain in their eyes—— However, their att.i.tude wasn’t friendly. Some didn’t care about us at all, while others stared at Ai Fa curiously.

I thought it would be more appropriate to talk to someone that looked similar to me, so I decided to talk to a ivory skinned youth.

「Excuse me, do you know about an inn called 《Kimyusu’s Tail Inn》?」

The youth had short brown hair. He stopped in surprise, and alternated his gaze between Ai Fa and me suspiciously.

His face—— showed no signs of fear.

Or any obvious hint of disdain.

He seemed troubled and confused.

「……《Kimyusu’s Tail Inn》 is that building with red roof tiles.」

「I see, thank you.」

The youth quickly turned and left.

I have nothing to do with the denizens of Forest's Edge! He seemed to be doing his best to express this fact.

That was a natural reaction, so I scratched my head.

「Alright, let’s go.」

Most buildings here were built from wood, and at first glance, the bare wooden planks could be clearly seen. But there were also many walls and roofs that were painted either red or green.

Were they decorations or some form of preservatives? Maybe both? I couldn’t tell.

No matter what, we have arrived at our first destination.

This large building had two floors like the other houses. I saw a cursive drawing on the sign board, a part of it resembled the feathers of a bird..

When I tasted a meat bun in the Post Station Town last time, Kamyua Yost said that was a kimyusu meat bun. The meat inside the bun tasted as bland as chicken fillet, so that was probably the name of a type of bird.

「……Ai Fa, are you alright?」

「What’s the matter?」

「Nothing, just that this is probably the first time you entered a building inside the Post Station Town.」

Ai Fa shrugged silently.

Her gestures were implying:「There isn’t any place more dangerous than the forest, is it?」

However, I think the real threat to hunters weren’t the horns of the kiba but the blades wielded by humans. But if we were to leave now, there wouldn’t be any progress.

The door to the inn had metal hinges instead of a sliding door. As there wasn’t any handles on the door, I placed my hands on the double door and pushed it open gently.

「Welcome…」

The other party’s voice stiffened midway.

A middle aged man sat behind a waist high counter and looked at us in surprise.

He was a slightly plump man with yellowish brown skin.

I couldn’t tell his stature since he was seated behind the counter, but he didn’t seem to be too tall.

He had a cylindrical shaped hat on his head, wore grey clothes and a grey ap.r.o.n. I often saw such a style of clothing on the streets.

「… Here for a meal?」

You ain’t here for lodgings, right? The store owner’s large eyes seemed to be intimidating us.

The contempt in his eyes exceeded his fear.

「No, we are here to visit Kamyua Yost who should be lodging here.」

「Kamyua?」

The middle aged man opened his eyes wide in surprise again, with still a hint of caution on his face.

He then muttered:「That madman…」 and turned his neck to gaze the inside of the inn.

「Kamyua! You have guests! Can I let them in!?」

There was a restaurant inside the inn.

It was afternoon, meal time had already pa.s.sed and the crowd in the restaurant was spa.r.s.e. There were three long wooden tables and chairs inside. The atmosphere here wasn’t bad, and reminded me of the cabins in ski resorts.

However—— the men seated inside had a dangerous air around them.

They had different hair and skin colour, but all were burly built with sinister faces. Three out of the five had leather chest armour and steel gauntlets. They had weapons like blades, axes and maces on their waist—— and they were drunk.

If they could earn a livelihood, I wouldn’t mind them drinking in the afternoon. However, I found their gazes to be unpleasant when they turned their faces our way.

Curious gazes.

Looks of contempt.

Suspicious stares.

And—— l.u.s.tful leerings.

They didn’t fear Ai Fa.

Some of them acted as if they were looking at something filthy, others showed a malicious smile like Doddo Tsun.

The atmosphere was terrible.

「Hey, Kamyua, are you there? Are you asleep!?」

The middle aged man yelled again.

「Yes!」

At this moment, a cute voice rang out.

A boy with light brown hair ran out from the depths of the restaurant.

The boy was about ten years old and had a pair of brown eyes filled with intelligence.

「Are you Ai Fa and Asuta from house Fa? Welcome! I’m Kamyua Yost’s disciple Leito. This way please.」

Disciple?

In what sense?

The boy’s light brown hair was rather long, and his face was gentle.

He wore a sleeveless shirt and long pants, with a small pouch and knife on his waist, and leather boots on his feet. His dressing was tidy and looked kind and docile, if I was his family, I would definitely tell him not to get involved with that suspicious looking uncle.

But I was a guest and not his family, so I could only follow the boy’s lead and meet with Kamyua Yost.

「Hey, since you are in my restaurant, you have to place an order.」

The middle aged man called out to us.

「Oh, that’s right. What would you like to have?」

The boy turned towards us.

「Hmm? It’s my first time in a place like this, I’m not too sure——」

I whispered to the boy:

「Also, I don’t have any copper plates right now.」

「I see, I got it.」

The boy smiled gently and turned towards the owner.

「I want to order two zozo tea. Please add it to our tab. We will be sitting at the usual place.」

「Alright.」

The middle aged man waved his right hand.

As I looked at the stairs leading to the second floor, the boy, me and Ai Fa entered the inn in that order.

The eyes of the men drinking alcohol followed us.

Fortunately, they didn’t taunt us when we pa.s.sed by their table.

At the end of the pa.s.sage, I saw an entrance without any door. After pa.s.sing it, I saw a room which was about the size of the restaurant. The tables were smaller, but much more numerous than the other room. The other furnishing was about the same.

I saw the familiar golden locks in the furthest seat.

That was Kamyua Yost.

He was sleeping soundly.

He leaned against the wall behind him while seated in his wooden chair, with his long legs resting on the table rudely. He breathed steadily during his slumber.

There weren’t any other guests in the room.

「Kamyua, your guests are here! The guests from Forest's Edge you have been waiting so eagerly for. Get up!」

The boy sat beside Kamyua Yost and clapped loudly before his nose.

「Nyaa.」

Kamyua Yost made an unhappy grunt.

I’m sorry, but that wasn’t cute at all.

「Ughh, what is it? I still want to sleep more… Hmm? Ai Fa? Asuta? You are here so soon!」

He opened his slightly drooping eyes, and a gleeful smile appeared on his long face.

「That was unsightly of me. Please have a seat! Leito, get them some tea.」

「I already asked the inn owner to send some over. You can put your legs down now.」

「Ah, sorry sorry.」

The feet in leather boots disappeared from the table, and the boy wiped the table nimbly with a rag.

「Please have a seat.」

「Thank you.」

After sitting down, I realized that Ai Fa was a little hesitant.

Speaking of which, I had never seen a chair in Forest's Edge.

Even so, Ai Fa still sat down coldly with her cape flowing behind her.

「Oh, I never imagined that you would visit just one day later. Ai Fa, Asuta, I’m really happy.」

Kamyua Yost gave a big yawn after saying that.

「Sorry sorry, I was working the entire night and lack sleep.」

「I see. What work did you do after that?」

「Hmm? I was scouting out Forest's Edge the whole night.」

「… Aren’t you afraid of the Gizu biting your legs?」

「Compared to kiba and hunters, those Gizu are nothing.」

By the way, the Gizu they mentioned were about the size of weasels. They were nocturnal and had a likeable appearance, but ate rotten meat like munto. It was said that wounds from their bite would rot.

「Since you made the trip to visit, have you seriously considered my proposal?」

「We hope you can provide us with some information to help us make our decision. However, the main reason we are here in the Post Station Town is for shopping, and this is along the way.」

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, since he was taking things so lightly, I responded with the same att.i.tude.

We couldn’t let him lead us by the nose.

「Here, the zozo tea you ordered.」

The previous middle-aged man came over.

He placed porcelain cups before Ai Fa and me.

The grey round cups had handles with wavy patterns carved on it. It looked like a beer mug.

「Oh, the owner is serving us personally, thank you for your hard work.」

「What choice do I have, my daughter is too scared to come here.」

That man glared at Ai Fa and me.

He wasn’t tall, but he was stout and burly, and should be quite strong.

「Kamyua, anyone who places an order is a customer in my shop. But in case of any disturbance, I will have to ask you to leave.」

「Have I ever caused any trouble before? You worry too much.」

「… Whatever. But this is still a restaurant, go back to your room if you want to sleep. You have to order something if you want to sit here.」

「Ah, you have a point. Leito and I will each have a zozo tea—— and also give me one person’s portion of Kimyusu salted meat.」

「There’s four of you, but you are only ordering one portion.」

The man turned and left after saying that.

Even though he was in the service industry, the middle-aged man was very rude. Was it because he dislike the denizens of Forest's Edge? Or was he always so brusque towards Kamyua Yost…? Probably both.

When I fell into deep thoughts, Ai Fa scrawled her nose as she sniffed the tea. Just like an animal.

「… What is this?」

「Since it’s called zozo tea, it’s probably tea made from that shriveled snake-like vegetable.」

I remembered this herbal fragrance. Maybe zozo wasn’t an ingredient meant for cooking.

「Should your reaction mean that Forest's Edge doesn’t have the practice of drinking tea? Please have a try, just think of it as experiencing a different culture.」

「…Kamyua Yost, I have no reason to accept your offerings.」

「Didn’t you treat me to a meal yesterday? This is just me returning the favor.」

「That was in exchange for the fruit wine you brought. We have no debts between us now.」

「…Asuta, what should we do?」

Kamyua Yost looked my way.

I fell into deep thought.

「In that case, Ai Fa, let’s give him something in return? Since we didn’t bring any copper plates with us, we can barter with him by offering something of similar value.」

After tilting her head slightly, Ai Fa took out a palm-sized package wrapped in fake rubber leaves.

「This is kiba jerky, are you willing to accept this in exchange?」

「Kiba jerky! I’m intrigued! Leito, this is kiba jerky!」

「Uwah, let me try some later.」

Ai Fa looked at the two of them as they conversed.

She met two citizens of Rock City that didn’t shun kiba meat. As Leito was a disciple of Kamyua Yost, his reaction wasn’t a good reference, but we still made a mental note about this.

By the way, after I took a sip of zozo tea, I found the strong fragrance of the tea very palatable, I didn’t mind its taste.

Sitting in a chair and sipping tea made me a little nostalgic of home.

「Well then… it’s about time to go into the main topic.」

Resting his elbow on the table, a smile appeared on Kamyua Yost’s thin face.

3

「It’s easy to open a stall in the Post Station Town. Erecting a new shop is tedious, but everyone can peddle their merchandize in the market after paying a cheap venue fee.」

「Cheap venue fee?」

「Yes. Just one white copper plate for ten days, a great bargain, right…? That’s about one kiba worth of tusks and horns.」

「One kiba can be exchanged for one white copper plate… Wait, how many red copper plates are in one white copper plate?」

When he heard my question, Leito who was seated beside Kamyua Yost opened his eyes wide.

That was only natural. My question was like asking how many ten yen coins a hundred yen coin could be exchanged for.

「Ten red copper plates are equivalent to one white copper plate. You remember the kimyusu meat bun Tara ate? You can make the money back by selling ten of them. Increasing the number of stalls in the market will also improve the prosperity of the Post Station Town. The venue fee is just a small token.」

「Please wait, let me think… One kiba can be exchanged for ten meals of aria and poitan… Hmm? I see, a serving of our meal costs about one red copper plate.」

「Dinner last night was too sumptuous, if you want to operate a food stall, the portion needs to be half of dinner. Or even less. It will be best to set the price at two red copper plates. If it is too cheap, it will earn the ire of other stall owners.」

「And so, a.s.suming the ingredient cost is also half of dinner last night, that will be half of a red copper plate. Calculating simply, selling one portion will yield one and a half red copper plates as profit—— We just need to sell seven of them in ten days to offsets the fees.」

「Yes. But if you need to rent a stall, you will need to pay another white copper plate as rental.」

Even with the stall rental, we just need to sell 14 portions to break even. What an easy business.

… a.s.suming that the pedestrians were willing to eat kiba.

「Meat is usually more expensive than vegetables. Everyone uses higher quality vegetables than aria or poitan. a.s.suming the owner of that meat bun stall wants to make a profit, she needs to sell ten to twenty meat buns daily. But with the traffic in Post Station Town, this is not difficult.」

Kamyua Yost smiled gleefully.

「How about it Asuta, do you understand why I proposed for the two of you to open a stall? With your culinary skill and the power of the kiba meat, I don’t think you will fail.」

「If our business flourishes, the citizens of Post Station Town will acknowledge the value of kiba meat and their discrimination towards Forest's Edge will gradually fade. I see, there are plenty of benefits in running this business.」

I imitated Kamyua Yost and propped my elbows onto the table and leaned forward.

「Well then—— Kamyua Yost, what do you stand to gain?」

「Hmm, do you think I want to earn some profit? Let me think—— How about giving me a tenth of the pure profits, excluding the ingredient and venue fees to me as thanks.」

「This has nothing to do with money. We just want to know your objective.」

「I already said that I just want to satisfy my own sense of camaraderie! As long as the denizens of Forest's Edge are no longer seen as avatars of horror and the hunters gain more profit, I will be satisfied.」

His uniquely colored eyes looked Ai Fa’s way.

「Ai Fa, did you think my actions last night were out of pity for the denizens of Forest's Edge? I didn’t mean that. I just really like the denizens of Forest's Edge. I can’t be a part of your tribe, so I can only share my ideas with you. Can you understand my feelings?」

「… I don’t think you are pitying us. I believe you are having fun at our expense.」

「That’s great! ——Hmm? Is that a good thing?」

「Don’t mind it, Kamyua. You are always distrusted by others.」

The boy said something mean with a smile.

After hearing that, the subject himself said with a smile 「That’s true.」 Since he already admitted it, we two as bystanders couldn’t add anything.

「Hmm… I see…」

「What are you so troubled about? I already told you plenty of times, only the locals in Genos would be afraid of the denizens of Forest's Edge and kiba for no reason. Besides, the threat posed by the kiba isn’t causing any major catastrophe, and the denizens of Forest's Edge just treat them as harmful pests. The people of Genos already lost their fear of kiba. Instead of the kiba, they are afraid of the people of Forest’s Edge.」

Kamyua Yost pulled his gaze away from Ai Fa and looked my way again.

「It might sound strange, but if the denizens of Forest's Edge would set up a stall in the Post Station Town, no one will dare to visit. But you look similar to the people in the Post Station Town. When they see you selling kiba cookings, they will be confused and curious about you. The southerners and westerners will not hesitate to try your kiba dish. As your cooking is perfect, you will definitely draw in the people in Genos by word of mouth.」

「I see…」

「To be honest, I don’t think such a trivial matter will wipe away their discrimination against the denizens of Forest's Edge.」

Kamyua Yost narrowed his eyes in a smile.

When he smiles like this, his expression becomes similar to grandma Jiba, as if he could see the way the world works.

「The denizens of Forest's Edge have beast-like eyes, extraordinary strength and keep to themselves, that’s why they are feared and respected. This has acc.u.mulated over 80 years. Actually, their nature doesn’t fit the impression which the citizens have of them. I don’t mind the people in the city fearing the denizens of Forest's Edge. After all, I have no expectations of the people in the city working happily with the denizens of Forest's Edge.」

「What—— do you mean by that?」

「The hunters from Forest's Edge can continue to be aloof. Hunters are not suited for a peaceful town… I don’t want to see depraved hunters… However, I will be angry if anyone looks down on hunters and think of them as a lowly existence. The citizens can fear and respect hunters, but they should think of them as a sacred existence, not as evil monsters.」

「……」

「We need to wipe away the wrong misconception the citizens of Genos have and stop them from seeing the denizens of Forest's Edge as 《lowly kiba eater》. Who exactly are the ones protecting the fields of Genos, stopping the hara.s.sment of the kiba and contributing to the prosperity of Genos? I hope they can figure that out.」

「… I wish you were always showing such a face when talking to us. It would make me believe every word you say without any doubts.」

I remained cautious in my words.

「To be honest, I don’t think you are lying. But I still don’t understand why you are still so persistent with regards to the denizens of Forest's Edge… May I ask, is changing one’s faith a huge matter in this continent?」

The boy Leito was surprised again.

Kamyua Yost’s eyes remained clear.

「It’s very big. Only those who had experienced it will understand how it feels.」

「I see… Eight decades ago, the denizens of Forest's Edge abandoned the southern jungles and moved to Morga Forest. It has been a long time since then, are the denizens in Forest's Edge able to understand how you feel?」

「Of course. That’s why my sense of camaraderie will always be one-sided… It has been eighty years after all. There isn’t anyone older than eighty in Forest's Edge, right?」

Grandma Jiba is probably the only one who was that old.

I still didn’t trust this man enough to bring up Grandma Jiba.

I answered with a vaguely:

「Who knows?」

「…Asuta, since you insist that you are not someone from this continent, you don’t worship the four G.o.ds either, right?」

「You are correct. But I’m a denizen of Forest's Edge, so my faith lies with the western G.o.d, even if only in name.」

「Hmm, from this perspective, you fit really well in Forest's Edge. The denizens of Forest's Edge used to worship the G.o.d of the south Jaguar but switched to the western G.o.d Selva. However, their faith lies elsewhere right from the beginning—— What they worship is the forest, not the G.o.ds. They see the forest as an irreplaceable existence. Perhaps, it is their simple and selfless lifestyle that draws them to me.」

Kamyua Yost closed his eyes, hiding his incredible light under his eyelids.

A difficult to describe calm filled the entire room—— At this moment, a third party broke the silence.

「Here’s the zozo tea and the kimyusu salted meat you ordered.」

With a thud, the third party placed a giant plate on the table.

The middle-aged man had served our orders.

Kamyua Yost watched the man as he turned and left quickly, and an elusive smile appeared on his face again.

「Asuta, try this. This is a dish sold in the Post Station Town. You worked as a chef before, so this will pique your interest, right?」

「… I already tried a Kimyusu meat bun at a street stall.」

「I see. But this dish tastes different from that meat bun.」

I shifted my gaze on to the dining table.

There was a large plate filled with stewed meat and vegetables.

The vegetables were completely dried up, and a translucent, gooey sauce covered the white meat and several types of vegetables.

On closer inspection, I found diced aria and pula in there, as well as mashed chachi.

This dish had the refreshing fragrance of herbs similar to lilo.

Several pieces of white wraps, which looked like the wraps used in dumplings. This was probably used to wrap the dish before eating it.

The presentation and the aroma of the food weren’t bad.

「Please try some. If you don’t have any appet.i.te, just a bite will do. Please do have some, since the zozo tea alone can’t compare to your delicious jerky.」

I wanted to try it out of pure curiosity.

I glanced at Ai Fa to confirm with her, then picked up the spoon and the small wrap.

Making a rough estimate of the number of wraps and the number of vegetables, I scooped two spoons of it onto the wrap.

After rolling it up into a small crepe, I took a bite——

It was very salty.

The flavoring relied completely on the herbs and their fragrance.

The aria was overcooked, the chachi wasn’t cooked enough, and the pula had a hint of bitterness—— with a side of kimyusu meat that was as tasteless as chicken breast.

On a whole, it wasn’t too bad.

A simple taste.

The meat had been pickled to extend its shelf life. The chef then cooked it together with the vegetables. The chachi will taste better if it was cooked a little longer. Aside from that, this dish didn’t have any flaws worth mentioning.

However—— If you asked me if I was willing to pay money for this, I would be hesitant.

「kimyusu salted meat is the most popular dish in this inn. It has a strong taste and is well suited to be a snack with beer. I think it costs three red copper plates. The people here will eat something light in the day, and when night falls, this inn will be filled with patrons. Everyone will show a satisfied expression when they eat this dish.」

Kamyua Yost smiled like a Cheshire cat.

「The dishes in the Post Station Town are mainly extensions of a home-cooked meal. They are made by the wives and daughters of the inn owners. In Genos, chefs can only be found inside the castle walls.」

「… I see.」

「Asuta, can you rival this salted meat dish and kimyusu bun with your cooking?」

「Are you taunting me? I’m not that r.e.t.a.r.ded, and will not act rashly.」

It was about time to leave. After finishing that piece of kimyusu salted meat, I drank the rest of my zozo tea.

I then whispered to Ai Fa:「Do you want to ask any questions?」. She just shook her head quietly.

「I will discuss with my house head again, and with our friends in Forest's Edge. If there aren’t any problems—— I will then take you up on your suggestion.」

「Asuta, you are really careful! That is a good point about you.」

It’s your fault that I’m so cautious. I shrugged.

「Kamyua, if we make up our mind to open a stall in the Post Station Town, can we discuss this with you again?」

「Yes. You can also speak to the relevant person directly. One of the managers for the marketplace is the boss of this inn, Milano Mast. Anyway, you will be fine if you come over to the 《Kimyusu’s Tail Inn》.」

「Thank you. We have not made our decision yet, but your suggestion made me think about many things. Even if we don’t open a stall, in the end, I’m still glad to have spoken with you.」

「I’m happy to hear that… Are you going already? Leito, I leave the rest to you. After finishing this salted meat, I will take a little nap.」

「Alright. Asuta, Ai Fa, let’s go.」

I looked a little confused at the boy who was all smiles.

「Go? Where? We are going back to Forest's Edge after buying our things.」

「It won’t take too much of your time. Tara’s father wishes to thank you. He runs a stall in the marketplace, I will bring you there.」

During my first visit to the Post Station Town, I met a girl called Tara.

Back then, Doddo Tsun was drunk and stirring up trouble in the Post Station Town, and Tara was almost dragged into it. Ai Fa and I intervened and saved her.

That was already ten days ago. I felt a little embarra.s.sed that her father wanted to thank me.

「Why don’t you go and meet him? Tara is a good kid, she will be a beauty in a few years. Now is a good time to befriend her.」

The one who made such a r.e.t.a.r.ded speech was not the boy of course, but his mentor.

I wasn’t Hikaru Genji, so I smiled wryly and stole a peek at Ai Fa… And for some unknown reason, she was staring at me coldly.

< p="">

Just what kind of person did she think I was?

「Alright then, I will take my leave.」

「Yes, I look forward to meeting the two of you again.」

In the end, no other customers came into the room aside from us, and we headed to the entrance.

The group of men we saw earlier were still drinking in the inn.

One of the men looked our way, his gaze looked drunker than earlier.

「Hey, black-haired kid! How did you make a 《Kiba Eater》 woman your thing? Can you tell us how you managed to do that?」

Hmm, they probably wouldn’t let us go so easily.

I had one rather bad habit. I wouldn’t mind others insulting me, but if they were to make fun of Ai Fa—— I would lose my cool.

「Instead of hunting kiba, she realized hunting men is an easier way to bring in money! Hey 《Kiba Eater》, can I buy a night with you with two copper plates?」

I turned towards the men.

Two things happened at this moment which held my roar in my throat.

Ai Fa who was walking behind me grabbed my arm, and the boy Leito walking in front of me said quietly:

「Please stop. They are my mentor’s guest. A slight towards them means a slight towards my mentor, understand?」

The voice of the boy had yet to break, and his high pitched words didn’t bore a shred of emotion.

He looked at the men. I couldn’t see his expression, but I did notice the changes in the appearances of the men.

The two men who were making the crude remarks stood stiffly with their bottles in their hands.

Their faces—— looked as if they saw a ferocious beast in the jungle, their eyes wide and face stiff.

「What’s wrong with you guys?」

The other men shook their companion’s shoulders.

Leito glanced at them sideways, then smiled at me.

「Sorry about that. Let’s go.」

As expected from a disciple of that man.

After I started walking with a sigh, Ai Fa poked my back.

「Hey, I already told you not to get agitated since you can’t protect yourself. You are too reckless sometimes.」

「…Ai Fa, you become reckless as well when hamburg steak is mentioned.」

「That has nothing to do with what I’m talking about right now.」

She then poked me a few more times as we left the 《Kimyusu’s Tail Inn》.

4

After exiting the building, the sun was still high in the sky and the streets crowded.

「What are you planning to buy?」

「Hmm, I want an iron pot. It’s sold in the marketplace.」

「Iron pot, huh. How big?」

「It’s quite large, about this size.」

The diameter was about 60 cm, and about 30 cm deep. I used my arms to make a half circle.

「The iron pot is heavy. Can I bring you to Tara’s stall? It’s located at the edge of the marketplace.」

「Erm, well, Ai Fa, is it fine?」

「Whatever.」

I couldn’t see any change in emotion on Ai Fa’s face.

But she looked a little tired.

That worried me a little, and I asked her softly:「What are you thinking about?」

「After listening to what he had to say, my impression of him remains unchanged. I don’t think he intends to deceive us, but—— in my heart, he is still a suspicious character.」

「I see.」

I could understand how she felt.

I didn’t think Kamyua Yost was lying.

That man harbored deep feelings towards the denizens of Forest's Edge.

But his pa.s.sion was too intense, which felt out of place to me.

Besides, there are other issues aside from that guy.

Leito led us along the stone paved path as I thought:

If I open a kiba snack stall in this city, will there really be business?

We just stepped outside when the gazes from the pa.s.sersby fell on Ai Fa. Not all of them are negative, but the denizens of Forest's Edge would always be out of place in the city.

Even though Kamyua Yost said carefreely that「Just target the travelers in the beginning」, would it be that simple?

If the business were to fail, we would only lose our copper plates. But acting rashly might deepen the animosity between Forest's Edge and the Post Station Town, which would be terrible.

Even if Kamyua Yost had no intention of tricking us, he might still have misjudged the situation. We needed to investigate further.

I wondered if there is anyone who is neutral in the Post Station Town. I wanted to learn their opinion.

While I was still feeling troubled by it, we reached the marketplace.

A familiar woman was inside the stall, making meat buns for the kids.

It had just pa.s.sed noon, the time when people start to eat a light lunch. On a closer look, I realized that the food stalls around the area were all crowded.

A youth was eating as he walked, having a white wrap in his hand that held brown meat and green vegetables.

A group of men was drinking along the side of the road and snacking on food that looked like bird claws.

I heard a rowdy chatter and looked that way. What I saw was similar to an outdoor restaurant, with a wide roof over it. People sat on chairs and chatted as they sipped on stew in wooden bowls.

「… Why are you looking all over the place?」

「Well~ I’m doing market research.」

I didn’t know how things would turn out.

If I want the development to be to our advantage, I needed to gather more info.

Besides—— I was the only one in Forest's Edge who could do that.

If someone like me didn’t appear in Forest's Edge, Kamyua Yost would never have thought up such a crazy plan.

With some practice, the women of the Wu clan would be able to cook a dish on the level of that salted meat.

However, I don’t think the denizens of Forest's Edge would be capable of 「running a business」. They bartered kiba tusks and horns for copper plates, then used the plates to exchange for food. On the surface, this was definitely a form of commercial trading, but the denizens of Forest's Edge didn’t think of it as such.

In the first place, selling wild games they hunted to traders was different from doing business with an undetermined number of customers.

If I could be of use in such a way, I will do everything within my power.

Since Ai Fa and Kaslan Lutim thought this was the right path, I won’t hesitate in walking down it.

To stop them from making the wrong choices, I had to look carefully at the places they couldn’t see, listen to the sounds they couldn’t hear and convey these to them accurately.

「Oh, that’s the stall. Tara is there too.」

When I heard Leito saying that, I raised my head and found myself at the end of the marketplace.

Before us was a road flanked by trees, and the stone walls surrounding the castle town could be seen far off to the left.

We pa.s.sed by this place the last time too. As I thought about that—— a surprised voice from a girl came from the left.

「Asuta onii-chan! Leito, you really brought him here!」

Tara appeared before us.

She was wearing an orange one-piece dress today too as she stood under the roof of a certain stall and waved at us.

That stall—— only had a flimsy roof, with a large piece of cloth laid out on the ground and vegetables arranged on it, a simple vegetable stall—— Ai Fa and I bought aria and poitan here before.

A burly man stood beside the girl as he waited for us with a stiff smile.

After Ai Fa and I looked at each other, we walked towards them behind Leito.

「Asuta onii-chan, long time no see! Thank you for saving me the previous time!」

「It’s nothing, no need to thank me. You helped me a lot after that too.」

「I can’t do that! If not for onii-chan, Tara would have been squashed like that bun! Thank you!」

Tara had shoulder length dark brown hair, and her dark brown eyes were lively. An energetic eight-year-old girl.

The middle-aged man stood beside Tara, his hair and beard were similar in color to her, and both of them had yellowish brown skin.

This color combination could be commonly seen in the Post Station Town, so I didn’t notice the resemblance between them earlier.

The hair and eye colors of the Wu clan vary widely, so I thought the people of this world wouldn’t be affected by genetics in such a way and overlooked this detail.

No matter what, this was the second time I have met them.

The middle-aged man stood up straight and took off the white cloth wrapped around his head. He lowered his head, covered in unkempt hair and streaks of white, towards Ai Fa and me in a bow.

「E-Excuse me, you saved my daughter Tara a few days ago… I-I’m very grateful. I wanted to t-thank you in person, so I troubled you to make a trip here…」

Cold sweat rolled down his rounded face.

Even though the denizens of Forest's Edge terrified him—— he still wanted to thank us.

「You are welcome. Tara has also been a great help. When we were almost taken away by the guards, we managed to avoid being interrogated because Tara testified for us.」

「D-Don’t mention it, it was nothing…」

He was burlier than the inn owner we met earlier. He mentioned before that he grew his aria himself, which meant his work straddled both agriculture and peddling.

People born and bred in Genos would probably fear the denizens of Forest's Edge—— I felt bad about him showing such a face in front of his daughter.

Tara also had a blank expression, as if she felt lost.

「… Your daughter only met with