Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Red Wolf Steak

『 Translator – Divinity 』

"I've obtained a valuable skill. Thank you."

If it's Magi Detoxification, it was a skill I had heard of.

An indispensable skill for Hunters who cook monster meat.

That skill, which can detoxify the magi within monster meat with a single hand gesture, I was able to obtain despite not being an Awakener with a cooking trait.

'Indeed, this ability is truly a blessing.'

Being able to get along familiarly with Constellations like friends and receive gifts like this, how could it not be a blessing?

Carrying the Red Wolf carcasses, I headed towards the mountain.

"Well... since we decided to finish the Gate subjugation here. I'll go cook in the mountains."

(Anonymous 1): Good, of course... you will come back here again. My hunch says so.

"Why would you say such a thing? I really want to rest now."

(Anonymous 1): Well now, wasn't that battle just now thrilling? Somehow, you will come back to this Gate.

It was thrilling.

Moreover, my swordsmanship proficiency increased a lot in an instant. Because Anonymous 1's teachings were valuable lessons you couldn't learn anywhere even if you paid money.

"Eh, I don't know. I don't want to come here."

Still, I want to rest.

It was true that subjugation was thrilling, but I don't want to spend my remaining life just subjugating.

Carrying the Red Wolf carcasses on both shoulders, I went up the mountain path. It was the neighborhood back mountain; when I heard the local elders talk earlier, they said it was okay to camp on the plateau near the summit.

'They said cooking is allowed, but be careful not to start a fire.'

They said there's a cave, so rest there.

From what I heard, it seems the villagers occasionally go to the cave to rest and clean it up. So I also promised to clean up neatly afterwards before heading up the mountain.

(Father of Crops): I should teach you farming methods good for mountains.

"It's okay, farming next time."

(Anonymous 1): Yeah, if you've come all the way to the mountain, it's time for cooking!

(Water God of Cheongha): Traditionally, mountains next to rivers are good for traveling. Isn't that unique expansive feeling of looking down at the river from a high place really nice?

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Agreed.

(Father of Crops): Traditionally, rain and sunlight are a great help to farming. How about trying to farm once with help from me and the God of Rain and Sunlight?

(God of Rain and Sunlight): I never said I'd help.

"I never said I wanted to farm either. Later, later."

It's a rather persistent request that might be worth granting, but what can't be done, can't be done. Because I don't have the leisure to plant seeds and wait, watering them for days on end.

"Whew, finally arrived."

I arrived at the cave around the time I roughly refused Father of Crops's request.

It's true I was a bit annoyed, having diligently climbed the steep slope for about 30 minutes.

Besides, carrying heavy wolf carcasses on top of that, there's no way I'd feel good on this spring day.

However....

"The climb was worth it."

Perhaps because it's a cave located near the summit, the scenery is killer. Compared to the ground level, clouds hang at a not-so-high altitude, and the waves of the river reflecting sunlight are visible at a glance. And the farmland here and there, along with old houses characteristic of the countryside, evoke a feeling of nostalgia.

"Shall we start cooking right away then? I'm hungry."

(Anonymous 1): Good, I'm hungry too.

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Ah, my mouth is watering already.

(Father of Crops): ...I should look for food ingredients that pair well with meat.

(Water God of Cheongha): I believe in you, Descendant.

Hmm, well now.

Everyone's confident I'll give them Red Wolf meat....

"There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world."

After speaking coolly, I smiled and placed the wolf carcasses on the ground. The Constellations are all thankful people who've done at least something for me; couldn't I give them a piece of meat? It's not like I can eat it all by myself anyway.

The reason I'm acting like this is.

(Anonymous 1): Hey, if you act like that, I'll be really hurt... really... I taught you swordsmanship and gave you a skill....

(Water God of Cheongha): ...Descendant, the skill I gave you before isn't easily obtainable either. I just didn't make a show of it, but I took on quite a big burden!

(Father of Crops): I'll find ingredients that go well with meat, okay? Please.

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Let's see, my precious Stealth skill and Coin. They were all useless, it seems. Right, I've lived long, so I should just die. What's the point of living while doing useless things anyway. Ahyu, shit.

It's because these reactions are cute and funny.

Not a single one can shout 'ungrateful bastard' and instead expresses their sulking indirectly.

Those Constellations, said to be so noble, who even transcended human power far beyond and reached the realm of gods.

When such Constellations sulk so cutely like this, how could I not play such jokes?

And this is a slightly cunning thought, but....

(Water God of Cheongha): I'll think of it as giving my descendant an allowance and sponsor later. So please send a little tribute later. I'm begging you like this! Huh? You punk, can you treat a god from the foundation myth so carelessly like this!!

In this way, on top of the cute reactions, I can even elicit sponsorships.

"Haha, understood. Of course, I should give it to you."

Stopping the joke at an appropriate point, I picked up my sword.

"Constellation Anonymous 1-nim, excuse me, but could I ask you to share the recipe?"

(Anonymous 1): Hmph.

Is this person still sulking?

He's a bit petty compared to the power he possesses.

"Could there be anyone else who cooks monster meat as well as you, Constellation-nim? Please help me just once. I'll learn well and make good use of it."

(Anonymous 1): Ahem, ahem. That's right, if there's a fellow who does it as well as me, tell them to step forward. Fine, I'll teach you.

(God of Rain and Sunlight): ...Envious. I'm good at making it rain too.

(Father of Crops): I'm good at farming too, Jinwoo.

(Water God of Cheongha): I'm good at everything. Only praising Anonymous 1 makes me, as a god of the foundation myth, a bit uncomfortable.

"That you are all amazing people, don't I know it? Of course, I know."

Simple.

That's why I like these people.

Alright, enough idle talk. I began skinning the Red Wolf in earnest.

(Anonymous 1): Throw the hide away or deal with it yourself.

I plan to keep it and sell it later. Because monster hides are traded at quite a high price.

'He said I should strike down thinking of shattering the bones, not cutting them, right?'

I started butchering according to Anonymous 1's instructions.

Shatter the bone and tear off the meat near it. I had to tear off the meat in a crude manner. It was tougher than I thought. To what extent? I even had to infuse my sword with mana and use the [Sword Strike Enhancement] skill.

'Good.'

Although I got nagged a little by the Constellations, I think I separated the meat not badly for the first time.

I gathered the pieces of meat in one place as Anonymous 1 instructed.

'Magi Detoxification.'

I finally used the skill I just received via sponsorship.

A light green light radiated from my hand, and then black smoke slowly rose up from within the meat.

(Anonymous 1): Good, looks like it's all out now. Slice it away!

"Okay."

Lifting the flat side of the sword, I struck the smoke as it was, dispersing it.

(Anonymous 1): I don't really need to teach you how to grill meat, right? Looks like you'll do fine on your own.

"Yes, thank you."

Even though I might look like this, I'm someone who delved into cooking quite seriously. Because my dream was to be a restaurant owner.

'...Have I achieved my dream to some extent with this too?'

Receiving sponsorships from Constellations and sharing the food I cooked. The thought occurred that this too, in a way, might be the role of a restaurant owner.

Anew, I wanted to live long.

"Looking at it after preparing it all like this, it looks like beef."

It's already evening time.

Because I ended up skipping both breakfast and lunch today doing the subjugation and butchering, I'm starving to death.

I placed the Red Wolf meat, which looked like beef tenderloin, onto a frying pan greased with butter and oil.

The Red Wolf itself is a fire-wielding wolf-type monster. It was a C-Rank monster because its speed is relatively slow and its biting strength is strong, but since they act in packs, they are among the harder C-Rank monsters to subjugate.

Nevertheless, the reason this fellow is popular is its fantastic taste. Perhaps because it's a fire attribute, even if you just grill it roughly, heat transfers well to the inside, it's tender, and it gets a smoky flavor.

I've never tried eating it myself either, only heard about it like this.

'But now I finally get to try it.'

I grilled several pieces of meat.

And I took out a Golden Apple. I squeezed the Golden Apple, strong in sweetness and aroma, hard, bursting the juice onto the meat, and slowly flipped it to let the fruity aroma evaporate to some extent.

'Good....'

The outside browned with a good Maillard reaction.

After wrapping it in foil and letting it rest for a moment, I roughly sliced it with a kitchen knife.

Seuuk—!

It slices smoothly like cutting pudding, very smoothly.

The inside of the meat showed a suitable light pink color; it seemed much better cooked than I expected.

(Anonymous 1): Can't wait.

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Not giving this is a crime. If you don't give it, I'll somehow make it rain immensely on Earth.

(Water God of Cheongha): I won't be able to just stand by either.

(Father of Crops): The combination of Golden Apple and meat, it's novel, eh? If I don't eat this now, I'll die.

Watching the Constellations whose way of speaking was getting increasingly casual, I chuckled.

Right, I should give it. Because I can't watch my viewers die.

First, I cut the meat topped with Golden Apple juice and butter well and put it in my mouth.

"Oh."

I was amazed right after the first bite. It's not expensive for nothing. Actually, I couldn't understand how one chunk of meat cost 1 million Won, but with a taste like this, I think it might be possible. Moreover, as someone who found out how difficult the process of removing magi and butchering is, I could empathize with that price.

"The flavor of the Golden Apple adds to it, making it even more delicious. It melts gently in the mouth, and has a flavor between beef and pork. The texture feels really soft, how should I put it? As soon as you put it in your mouth, it crumbles and a savory taste instantly spreads."

(Anonymous 1): Ah come on, hurry!!

Unable to resist the Constellations' urging, I sent one chunk of meat each.

(Anonymous 1): ...You have a talent for cooking, huh? It's more delicious than the taste I used to eat. Sh*t, this is killer!

(God of Rain and Sunlight): This is it.

(Father of Crops): F*ck, this is a taste that can come from a Golden Apple?

(Water God of Cheongha): Wow, this is really it... crazy taste.

Hmm, I thought the Constellations' words and actions couldn't get any more casual, but I guess an abyss exists everywhere. Seeing such casual words and actions keep coming out....

"It's delicious, right?"

The Constellations poured out chat messages agreeing.

"You have to give payment."

I showed my capitalist smile. Under an LED light I'd turned on in the cave, I touched my thumb and forefinger together and rubbed them.

(Anonymous 1): ...Wait. I'm rummaging through my pockets.

At that moment.

"Uwaaa... this looks really delicious."

A young child stood at the cave entrance, drooling profusely while looking at me.

(Anonymous 1): Extort something from that kid too! Get even a single coin and give him meat!

'...Trash, real trash.'

(Water God of Cheongha): Truly trash.

(Father of Crops): Wow, that's a bit much.

(God of Rain and Sunlight): ...The honor of Constellations plummets to the ground.

(Anonymous 1): It's a joke, a joke.

Well, all that remained was just Anonymous 1's ugly side.