Chapter 55

I bought some skewers from a food stall and quickly wrapped up my stroll through the city of the other world. I’m curious about the city, but once I caught the smell of grilled meat, I couldn’t resist. I couldn’t think of anything else but the meat.

Even though I knew the magic bag would keep the skewers hot, I still walked quickly. I returned to the inn, got the key from Martha, and entered the room.

"Yuta, meat!" "Kyu kyu" "Meat" "Ku ku"

Bel and the others were circling around me, unable to wait. They’re so cute.

"Alright, let’s start with the yakitori I bought first. I’ll take the skewers out for Rain and Tamamo, so wait a moment."

I handed the yakitori to Sylph, Bel, and Tulu, and took the meat off the skewers for Rain and Tamamo, placing it on a plate. The yakitori was quite large, almost like a jumbo-sized skewer, similar to the size of barbecue skewers. I can’t help but drool.

"Alright, everyone can eat now. Bel and Tulu, be careful of the skewers."

"Okay," "Got it."

Do they really understand? Bel and Tulu bit into the meat with enthusiasm. I’m worried. ...I guess spirits can’t be hurt by attacks, even when eating. I wonder if they can get hurt by skewers while eating?

"Meat is delicious," "Kyu kyu," "I like meat," "Ku ku ku ku"

Bel and the others are beaming with joy. It seems they really enjoyed it. They’re devouring it with all their might.

"Yuta, aren’t you going to eat?"

Oh, I got carried away watching them. I should eat too, or the hot food will get cold. I took a big bite out of the large piece of meat.

Mmm. I chewed and savored the meat. The flavor is simple, just salt, but the meat is incredible. The texture is elastic and has a firm bite, like free-range chicken.

The more I chew, the more the rich meat juices and fat flood my mouth. The salt alone makes it this delicious, and this meat is cheap in this world. Amazing. I wish I could add some pepper too. The yakitori sauce would also go perfectly.

If I grilled it over charcoal and added some yuzu pepper, I could drink all night. Raphard... they live in the sixth layer of the labyrinth. I’ll have to harvest them.

"Yuta, eat more!"

Bel’s voice brought me back to reality. Looking at Bel and the others, their eyes are pleading for more. They have quite an appetite. I guess spirits don’t need to eat to grow, but they might not grow even if they do eat.

...Well, it’s fine. If children want to eat, it’s an adult’s duty to let them. Probably.

"Alright, this time it’s the orc skewers."

I handed out the orc skewers as I did before, and took the meat off the skewers for Rain and Tamamo. When I told them they could eat, they bit into the meat with the same enthusiasm.

Orcs. I was hesitant, imagining a bipedal pig-faced monster, but the stall owner said it’s the most popular meat on the Eltrude continent, so I decided to try it.

My intuition whispered to eat the orc meat before seeing the actual orc. If I saw it first, I might not want to eat it. I should eat it now.

The orc skewers are also simply seasoned with salt. It’s a bit disappointing that they were cooked over a regular fire, but they look delicious.

I hesitated for a moment, but Bel and the others were enjoying it, and Sylph was eating it normally. I took a deep breath and bit into the orc skewer.

The overwhelming deliciousness spread in my mouth. ...The orc meat is amazing. The appearance is similar to pork belly, and the amount of fat is incredible, but the fat isn’t greasy at all.

The fat is smooth and has a sweet taste. The meat has a slight gamey flavor, but when combined with the fat, the wildness is suppressed, creating a rich and intense meatiness.

If I made braised pork with this meat, it would be delicious. I want to eat tonkatsu too. The orc fat would make a crispy tonkatsu. I need to get some orc fat. The monster meat is surprisingly delicious, which is shocking.

"Hey, Sylph. The orc and raphard were delicious, but are they considered common meat? Is there even better meat?"

"Raphard live in the labyrinth, so they’re not that common, but in terms of meat quality, they are. There are many delicious meats. The meat of higher-level monsters is much more delicious than orc."

So the quality of the meat is good. If I can combine it with Japanese cuisine, I bet it would be incredibly delicious. For example, the meat I’ve always dreamed of in the fantasy world...

"Sylph, there are dragons in this world, right? Dine mentioned sea dragons before. How is dragon meat? Is it delicious?"

"Dragon meat is the best in this world. The taste varies by type of dragon, but overall, it’s delicious."

So dragon meat is delicious. Dragon steak. I can’t imagine not eating it after coming to this world.

"Can you beat dragons, Sylph?"

"Hehe. Do you want to eat dragon meat? I can beat most dragons. But be careful, as some dragons have important roles and shouldn’t be fought."

Wow. I can probably eat most dragons. The possibilities are endless. I can’t even imagine what it would taste like.

"Sylph, where do dragons live?"

"Hmm, they tend to live in places where their attributes are strong. Fire dragons often live in volcanoes. If you go deep into the labyrinth, you’ll find dragons. Lower-level dragons can be defeated by Bel and the others, so you can try."

Dragons live in the labyrinth. Of course, dragons should be in the labyrinth. The labyrinth and dragons are almost synonymous.

I thought about asking Sylph to go dragon hunting right away, but I decided against it. If I taste the best meat first, the other delicious meats I encounter later might pale in comparison.

As I progress through the labyrinth, I’ll encounter various delicious meats, and eventually reach the pinnacle, like dragon meat. This process is the best. I’m getting excited, but if I get dragon meat, I won’t be able to resist eating it.

After eating two large skewers, Bel and the others seemed satisfied and were playing on the bed. They usually float, so they might like the feel of the bed.

Unexpectedly, a relaxing time flowed. I deeply felt the value of being in a civilized area.

***

Dinner time arrived, so I headed to the dining room. Since I can’t eat with Bel and the others, Sylph is the only one who came with me, and the others are waiting in the room.

I wish there was a place in the labyrinth city where we could all eat together. Even if I have the food brought to the room, having six servings of food in one room feels strange.

"Hey, bro, are you going to eat? Today’s special is orc steak. It’s delicious, so look forward to it."

When I entered the dining room, Kalk explained the menu proudly and led me to a seat. I already ate orc meat, which is a bit disappointing.

I thought about trying other dishes, but apparently, the menu changes daily, and there’s only one main dish besides the side dishes. It’s not like a Japanese family restaurant.

"Bro, are you going to have ale? Meat goes well with ale. It’s extra, though."

Kalk grinned and recommended it. He’s a good salesman. I wonder if this eight-year-old understands the taste of meat and ale.

"Sure, I’ll try the ale if you recommend it. But can Kalk taste ale?"

"Every time. I don’t know what makes ale delicious, but everyone says meat goes well with ale. If you’re an adult, ale is fine."

"O-Okay."

...Watching Kalk run off to place the order, I wondered if I was just manipulated by a child. I must have looked pitiful, as Sylph was giggling. I shouldn’t underestimate the children of this world.

I changed my mood and observed the surroundings. Hmm, since this inn is close to the labyrinth and the adventurer’s guild, the people in the dining room are all tough-looking. They’re probably all adventurers. I think I saw some animal ears, but I quickly looked away.

I want to confirm the animal ears, but I’d rather see them on a beautiful woman. This place is full of muscular men. I don’t want to get excited by animal ears here. As I was thinking, Kalk brought the food.

"Bro, sorry for the wait. Call me if you want more ale."

"Ah, okay."

My eyes were drawn to the food in front of me. I guess the lack of women in this inn is due to the food.

A large, thick piece of orc meat, similar to pork loin, was grilled and topped with a mountain of sliced, cooked garlic. It looks like a man’s meal. The side dish seems to be stir-fried cabbage.

When I cut the meat, it was surprisingly tender, and the thick piece was well-cooked. I took a large piece, added some garlic, and stuffed it into my mouth.

When I chewed, the outside fat, meat, and garlic mixed in my mouth, creating a violent and intense flavor. It’s delicious, but... I’m worried I won’t be able to sleep after eating this at night.

It’s a passionate, almost primal taste... If I eat this kind of food every day, I’ll probably become more aggressive. Maybe this is the kind of food adventurers need.

I chewed the thick meat and washed it down with the ale that was brought with it. The meat is incredibly delicious, but the ale is warm and has a strong wheat flavor. It’s like a malt drink with added alcohol, without any carbonation. I think it would be surprisingly delicious if chilled.

Next is... bread. It’s been a while since I’ve had grains. When I picked it up, it was hard. Is this the kind of bread without yeast, as often seen in light novels? I could probably make money if I had the knowledge, but I’ve never made bread before. Can I make it with dried grapes?

It would be easier if I could eat fluffy bread regularly. Or if I had rice, it would be perfect. When I tore a piece of the hard bread, the inside was also brown. It looks like whole wheat bread.

When I tasted it, it had a good texture, and the flavor was better than I expected. I could taste the simple, rustic wheat flavor and a hint of salt with each chew. But chewing continuously made my jaw tired.

Hmm. If this is the default bread, I’ll need to try to improve it, even though I don’t know much about it.

I finished my meal, chewing the thick piece of meat and the hard bread with determination. The taste was wild but delicious. The ale could be enjoyable if chilled, and if I can improve the bread, the food in this world might not be bad.

I told Kalk it was delicious, paid for the ale, and returned to the room. It’s been a while since I’ve had proper bedding. I’m looking forward to it.

Thank you for reading.