Chapter 7

Before the sun set, I and the golem returned home and began to process the deer.

However, there was no space inside the house to do the processing, so we decided to hastily build a processing shed outside.

There was space in the house, but it was better to separate the processing area. I didn't want the house to become bloody and smelly.

So, I grew some trees behind the house and built a shed.

Inside, there was a large table and enough space to move around comfortably.

Processing the deer is quite a physical task, so I made sure the golem could enter and work.

From plowing the field, I knew the golem was good at simple tasks.

I wanted the golem to do anything I could do.

"Place the deer on the table."

The golem placed the green deer it had been carrying on its shoulder onto the table.

I had already removed the internal organs the day before, so all that was left was to skin and process the deer.

I could eat the organs, but since this was a creature I had never seen before, even though it resembled a deer, I was a bit scared and decided to skip them.

Well, there are plenty of other parts to eat, so it's fine.

I turned my staff into a knife and handed it to the golem.

Recalling the words the neighbor had taught me, I tried to instruct the golem on how to skin the deer. The golem followed my instructions and quickly skinned the deer.

"Wow, you're good at this."

The golem's movements with the knife were confident and precise.

The golem was much better at it than I was, even though I had been taught by the neighbor.

The sharpness of the knife helped, but the golem's strength was the main reason it could so easily skin such a large animal.

Yeah, it's better to let the golem do this kind of work.

It's not that I was intimidated by the golem's skill; it's just the right person for the job.

After skinning the deer, the next step was to process it by body part.

The structure of the body seemed almost identical to a deer.

I explained the process to the golem, and it quickly and efficiently processed the deer with the knife.

The golem was impressive, but the knife, which maintained its sharpness despite being drenched in blood and fat, was also amazing.

Normally, you would need to dip the knife in boiling water to clean it, but that wasn't necessary here.

After processing the meat, I wrapped each piece in leaves.

The leaves I found in the forest had preservative properties, similar to bamboo leaves, so they were better than ordinary leaves.

I wanted to store the wrapped meat in the refrigerator, but since I had no such appliances, I placed it in a shady spot inside the house.

"I wish I had an underground storage."

If left out, the meat would spoil quickly, so I turned the knife into a shovel and had the golem dig an underground storage.

Using the cooler temperature of the ground, it wouldn't be as good as a cold storage room, but it would be better than leaving it in the house.

The golem dug the soil.

"Wow, that's fast."

At this rate, we should have a decent storage by sunset.

While the golem was digging the storage, I moved to the field and planted the mountain vegetables and tree fruits I had collected. I carefully transplanted them from the pots.

Then, I used the power of the blessing to promote their growth, just as I had done before.

Udo, urui, fuki, kogomi, zenmai, and origo berries.

Today alone, I added six new crops.

Including the graveringo and pink cherry, I now had eight types of crops.

"This field is getting a bit cramped."

The field, which had a lot of open space, was starting to feel cramped.

Exploring the forest, I was sure to find more crops, so it might be a good idea to expand the field for the future.

◆

As the golem finished the underground storage and moved the processed meat inside, the sun began to set.

I went inside the house and, as I did the day before, had the golem light the hearth.

The fire roared, and the golem, as before, retreated in fear.

It seemed that a day or two wasn't enough to overcome its fear of fire. Perhaps with time, it would become less afraid.

I used the wood I had created as firewood to stabilize the fire, then filled the pot I had made today with water and placed it over the fire.

Thanks to its stone construction, it didn't catch fire.

While it didn't conduct heat as well as an iron frying pan, it still managed to boil the water.

I added the aono and tobihigo I had collected the day before.

I tried eating the blanched and cooled aono.

It had a delicate sweetness, similar to bamboo shoots, and a crunchy texture that made it delicious even without much seasoning.

The tobihigo had a unique aroma and bitterness. It was oddly addictive, and I wanted to eat more, but I had to be careful as it could cause diarrhea if eaten in excess.

With the mountain vegetables ready, it was time for the main dish: the deer meat.

I planned to deep-fry the mountain vegetables in origo oil tomorrow, but right now, I just wanted to eat the meat.

First, I needed to prepare the oil.

In the kitchen, I placed the origo berries on the table.

Normally, you would crush them with a hammer and strain the oil through a cloth, but I didn't have a suitable cloth. My clothes were the only option, but I couldn't afford to tear them.

So, I decided to do it roughly.

I made a wooden bowl and tried to crush the origo berries in it.

...No, it's too hard. The skin of the origo berries is quite tough, which is why a hammer is recommended.

This is where my partner comes in.

"Can you crush the origo berries?"

The golem easily crushed the origo berries.

A large amount of oil came out of the origo berries. I had the golem squeeze them as much as possible, and the bowl was filled with enough oil.

Some of the broken skins of the origo berries also ended up in the bowl, but I carefully removed them.

There were some small pieces left, but they weren't a big deal.

I returned to the hearth, heated a frying pan instead of the pot, and poured the origo oil into it.

The oil heated up, and a mellow aroma, similar to olive oil, filled the air.

I sliced the deer's loin into manageable pieces and placed them in the frying pan.

The sizzling sound of the oil was satisfying.

"Good sound."

The house was quiet, so the sound echoed well.

Some might think it's lonely to cook meat alone in a large house, but it's nice to enjoy the sound of the meat cooking in the silence.

The golem was there, but after observing for two days, it seemed it didn't eat food.

I wondered if the golem could survive without food or if it needed light and water like a plant.

While thinking about this, I flipped the meat as one side was cooked.

There were some burnt parts. Since I couldn't adjust the fire like a gas stove, it was difficult to control the heat.

I adjusted the heat by moving the frying pan and watching the size, shape, and color of the fire.

The other side was evenly cooked and didn't burn.

I placed the cooked loin on a wooden plate and added some aono and tobihigo.

"Alright, the origo oil-grilled deer is ready."

The mountain vegetables added color to the dish. A good meal starts with a good presentation.

I wanted to cut and eat it right away, but it was a bit awkward with the golem watching me intently.

"Do you want some water?"

I poured water from the canteen into a cup and offered it to the golem. The golem took it and started drinking.

Ah, it seems the golem, being plant-like, can drink water.

Even though the golem was just drinking water, having it nearby made me feel like I was eating together.

"I'll eat now."

I used the knife and fork I had made to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.

The knife wasn't as sharp as the one made from the divine tool, but it managed to cut the meat.

I finally brought the long-awaited meat to my mouth.

The meat, infused with origo oil, had a strong, robust flavor.

It had a slightly wild taste, but the lack of extra seasoning allowed me to taste the sweetness of the meat.

"It's delicious, but I could use some salt and pepper."

Compared to the seasoned meat from my previous life, it felt a bit lacking.

But to expect that right away would be a luxury.

Thanks to the large deer, I had an unlimited supply of meat. I should enjoy the meat in front of me.

I ate another piece of meat and added more to the frying pan.

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