Chapter 10

Holding a spear in one hand, I listened intently.

When I heard the croaking of mountain frogs, I approached stealthily, taking care not to make a sound, and quickly captured them.

I repeated this hunting by the water.

I had set a goal to catch enough for everyone, but it wasn't as easy as I had hoped.

Moreover, the worst thing happened—

"Ah!"

I slipped on a rocky area and fell into the river.

Needless to say, I was drenched from head to toe.

Fortunately, it was shallow, but I hit my body hard and even got a cut on my face. It hurt, subtly but surely.

I retrieved the spear that had fallen on the rocks and returned to where the horse was to get my bag. The mountain frogs were hanging from the saddle.

I was lucky to have fallen into a clean river. If it had been a dirty one, the mud smell would have been impossible to get rid of.

I looked around for a place to hide. Seeing a large rock, I decided to change my clothes there.

Being completely naked in the great outdoors takes quite a bit of courage. However, I started to shiver and my teeth were chattering. I had to dry and change my body to avoid catching a cold.

When I took off my coat, something fell from my hood with a "clunk."

"Whoa, what, what...!?"

It turned out to be a river fish.

Since I had it, I gratefully accepted it.

Realizing that I hadn't fallen into the river for nothing, I felt a bit better.

I undid my braid, wrung out the water, and took a towel from my bag to dry my body.

I had to change my underwear as well.

I decided to dry my wet clothes on the rocks here.

I applied the village's secret wound ointment to my injuries. For the bruised areas, I rubbed in diluted lemongrass essential oil to promote blood circulation.

I was glad I had brought a well-stocked first aid kit.

My hair was still wet, but I couldn't stay here any longer. I had to prepare dinner for everyone.

The wet hair felt cold against my skin, so I braided it on both sides and gathered it at the back of my head.

By the way, everyone had brought bread and dried meat for lunch. I would eat mine when the time was right.

I returned to the spot the captain had designated and started building a makeshift stove with the stones around.

Then, I lit a fire. I gathered firewood and used a match to start the fire.

When I lived in the village, I usually kept the stove fire going and used flint when necessary. Matches, which can be easily lit, are really convenient.

First, I had to eat lunch.

The main dish was the river fish I had just obtained. I was afraid of parasites, so I removed the internal organs.

I skewered the fish on a stick and grilled it before the fire got too big.

I decided to keep it simple with just salt, as the herbs would add enough flavor.

After a few minutes, it was nicely grilled.

I took the bread from my bag and ate it with the fish.

After a prayer before the meal, I bit into the fish.

The skin was crispy, and the salt was just right. The fish was fatty, and I could taste a hint of sweetness when I chewed.

I ate it all, leaving only the head and bones.

I drizzled honey on the fluffy bread and enjoyed it.

Smearing honey all over the bread would be a luxury in the village. Hooray for the knight squad.

I was full. I buried the fish bones in a hole so the other team members wouldn't notice. Evidence disposal complete.

I lay down on the grass carpet for a while to rest, but as the sun started to set, I had to start preparing dinner. I stretched and slapped my cheeks to get motivated.

I took the mountain frogs I had been dissecting by the river out of the leather bag.

Mountain frogs have plump legs that are delicious.

I cut up three of them. If I made them into fried chicken, one leg per person would be a bit too little.

However, fried chicken is the most delicious, so I decided to season them with herbs and not use them in the soup.

I cut the upper bodies into small pieces for the soup. I also added the heads. This way, no one would know what kind of meat it was.

I boiled half of the meat and skimmed off the scum, then seasoned it well with medicinal garlic, chili peppers, and other spices. I added morel mushrooms halfway through and continued to simmer.

I tasted it. The mountain frog broth was rich.

I took the soup pot off the stove and put a small pot on the fire.

I sautéed the broom grass and medicinal garlic I had picked earlier, along with the mountain frog meat, in olive oil until it was crispy.

I added this fragrant mixture to the soup. It was complete.

Before I knew it, it was getting dark.

I lit the lantern to brighten the area.

The second dish was fried mountain frog.

It was a simple dish, just frying the seasoned meat in a little olive oil.

Just as the team members of the Second Expeditionary Unit returned, the timing was perfect.

I greeted the captain, who looked tired.

"Welcome back."

"Yeah."

Thanks to my efforts, we had cleared the target number of kills.

We would be able to return in the morning.

"Thanks to Zarra, it ended quickly."

Urgas said, and Deputy Captain Berry nodded in satisfaction.

"I'm glad I could help."

Zarra said with a wink. Watching her easily handle a battle axe as tall as she was, I wondered where such a slender body could get such strength.

Everyone seemed hungry, but I kept an eye on their condition.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

Previously, after returning from battle and eating, I noticed that everyone was covered in minor injuries.

They all said it was fine, but if left untreated, the injuries would leave scars and take longer to heal.

It seemed that eating before treating injuries had been the norm, but from now on, I would make sure to treat injuries before eating.

I checked each person.

Urgas had rough hands, so I applied moisturizing ointment.

Deputy Captain Berry had a scratch on her cheek, so I washed it and applied ointment. She had apparently caught a branch while moving around. As a woman, I thought she should be more careful with her face.

The captain had a cut on his chin. I thought it was from a branch, like Deputy Captain Berry, but it turned out to be a shaving accident. What a shame. I treated it with ointment.

Zarra was unscathed. Impressive.

Garu's fur was matted, so I combed it for him.

Once the hygiene tasks were done, it was time to eat.

Zarra seemed to be helping with the serving. Watching her neatly and quickly set the plates, I wished I could be as efficient.

I felt a gaze.

Looking to the side, I met Zarra's eyes.

"Oh, Mel, that hairstyle is cute."

"Ah, thank you."

I explained that I had accidentally fallen into the river and gotten my hair wet, which surprised her.

"Water can be really dangerous!"

"Yes, I'll be more careful."

It was touching to have someone worry about me.

I cut the bread and placed it on the plates like a lid.

Once everything was ready, we said a prayer before the meal.

"Risris, what's today's ingredient?"

Urgas asked a good question, but I didn't answer.

"I thought I'd let you guess what kind of meat it is."

"You brought meat?"

"No, I got it during the day."

"I see."

I turned to Zarra and issued a challenge.

"Zarra, if you can't guess what kind of meat this is, join our unit."

"Well, I know a lot about meat."

"Great! I accept!"

Zarra accepted the challenge. She narrowed her eyes and carefully chewed the meat in the bowl.

"Let's eat."

At the captain's command, everyone started eating.

"Mmm, wow, it's delicious."

Urgas seemed to like it. Deputy Captain Berry's cheeks were relaxed.

Garu, who had a sensitive tongue, was waiting for it to cool down.

"The bones are edible, but please chew them well before swallowing."

Mountain frogs have many bones. If I removed each one, it would take all night. The bones also add flavor to the broth, so I cooked them in.

"Captain, how is it?"

"It's delicious, but I have no idea what kind of meat it is. It's as mild as fish but has a flavor like chicken."

"Hehehe."

The captain didn't know.

I glanced at Zarra out of the corner of my eye.

She was chewing the meat carefully, as if trying to identify it.

She drank the soup and then picked up a piece of fried frog leg.

I did the same and took a bite.

The crispy leg meat had a fragrant aroma. The meat fell off the bone and was full of flavor when chewed. As the captain said, the texture and taste were somewhere between fish and chicken.

This was a favorite of an old man who lived nearby. I would catch them and bring them to him for pocket money. I had only tasted it once. It wasn't greasy and was quite delicious.

Zarra ate it neatly and observed the structure of the legs.

Since I had cut off the feet, it shouldn't have been easy to identify the creature.

Everyone ate it cleanly, and I felt relieved.

Finally, I asked Zarra.

"Did you figure out what kind of meat it is?"

"Absolutely not. When I chew it, a little juice comes out, but it's not greasy and the aftertaste is light. I've never eaten such meat before."

I almost laughed. Even Zarra, who had worked in a restaurant, hadn't eaten mountain frog meat.

"But you said you went to the river, so it must be a water creature."

I was startled by the question.

I had given a hint without realizing it.

"So, what is it?"

"Hmm, I don't know, but maybe a rare water bird?"

"Too bad!!"

At that moment, Deputy Captain Berry said, "Welcome to our team!" with a smile.

Zarra shrugged with a troubled smile.

"So, Risris, what kind of meat was it?"

"Mountain frog."

The atmosphere in the room froze.

"Frogs...?"

"You must be joking?"

"Are you kidding?"

"It's true."

The other team members, except Zarra, clutched their heads. They seemed more delicate than I thought.

"I've been had."

"I'm sorry for giving you such a difficult question."

"Yes, I was thinking it had more bones than a bird, but I never thought it was a frog."

I was glad I had fooled them.

This meant Zarra had become a member of the Second Expeditionary Unit.

"But, Zarra, are you really okay with this?"

"Okay with what?"

"Being on our team."

"Ah—"

Zarra whispered in my ear.

"Mel, your cooking was so delicious that I decided to join the team the moment I took a bite."

My face turned red when I heard this.

That was a killer line.

I thought city men were scary.