Chapter 7

Half of the content overlaps with the protagonist's perspective in Volume 04. If you don't like it, please skip it.

Since it's impossible to disassemble a monster while holding a child, I hung a hammock for camping between the trees from the subdimension, wrapped the child in a blanket, and placed them in it. Otherwise, their limbs might have fallen through the mesh.

I then set up a barrier. This would keep the child safe from beasts and block the smell of blood.

I've never been this considerate, even to the youngest and newly adult recruit at my workplace.

The sleeping child, breathing softly, was adorable. I would never think this way about that guy.

After finishing the bloodletting of the Rezail, I spread a thick sheet of hemp I had prepared in an open area and started to disassemble one of the beasts, lowering it from the tree.

The skin can be processed into decorations.

The claws and fangs can be used as weapons.

The meat and muscles, needless to say, are for eating.

The bones can be used for soup.

The organs, except for the liver, are too gamey and bitter to eat, so I discard them.

I disassembled the beast to the minimum necessary and stored it in the subdimension. Since the subdimension is a different dimension, there's no worry about the meat spoiling. I can process it later when I return to the castle kitchen.

By the time I finished, the moon had moved significantly. It would be dawn in about two hours.

I burned the unnecessary sheet, inedible organs, and other parts with magic and cleaned my hands and knife with magic. After finishing the work, I searched for a water source and confirmed its general location. It would be more convenient to move to the water's edge. I'll take a break after moving the child there.

---

When I woke up, it was already dawn.

Thanks to the strong barrier I set up around us, no monsters came near. I would never do this alone.

The child next to me was sleeping peacefully.

In the light, the child's well-defined features were truly adorable. However, the emaciated body was heart-wrenching.

I resolved to feed the child properly and started to get ready.

What does this child like?

Given the child's thinness, they might not have eaten properly for a while.

There are very few edible items for a young child in this forest. Many plants that look harmless can be toxic. It's a wonder the child survived.

If I'm going to feed the child, a warm, light meal with a mild flavor would be good. Or, a sweet fruit unique to this forest that the child hasn't tried before.

Since the child is sleeping soundly, there's plenty of time to prepare.

It's bright now, so only herbivores will come out, and no monsters will enter the barrier at this time. I'll get everything ready quickly.

---

I harvested plant-based ingredients not far from the lake.

Sweet Nyada fruit, which only grows on tall trees.

Sil wheat for porridge.

Versatile wild Tashi potatoes and Bellmon roots.

Wild herbs.

I also didn't forget to gather dry wood for the fire.

With these, I can make a decent meal.

When I returned to the child, they were still sleeping soundly.

I tentatively touched the child's cheek, but they showed no signs of waking.

The child's cheek was smooth and plump, like fermented dough. I imagine it would be soft and supple if the child weren't so thin.

...This kid is just too cute. What is this creature? Everything is small, soft, and warm. Just looking at them is soothing.

I've worked in the Northern Demon King's Castle since I became an adult, so I rarely interact with children. But I can understand why the villages around the castle are so child-centric.

I'll make a delicious meal for the child.

---

First, I set up a simple stove and started a fire. Without this, I can't cook.

I took a small Rezail bone, washed it, and broke it into pieces that would fit in the pot.

I boiled it in water, removed the scum, and seasoned it with herbs and salt and pepper. I continued to simmer it, removing the scum regularly to make a decent broth in the wild.

I decided to make Sil wheat risotto for when the child wakes up. I'll serve the sweet fruit as dessert.

Once I made this decision, I needed to soak the Sil wheat in water to soften it.

---

...They're not waking up, but it's okay, right?

But it feels wrong to wake them up when they're sleeping so soundly.

I ate a few Nyada fruits for breakfast and lunch. They were ripe and sweet.

The fruit is large, so one should be enough for the child.

The soup is coming along nicely, and the child will wake up when they're hungry.

---

The soup had become quite rich, so I started making the risotto.

I strained the soup through a cloth, and it turned a clean milky white in the bowl.

I threw the bones and herbs used for the broth into the stove and used fire magic to dry them out before adding more dry wood.

While the fire stabilized, I washed the pot and finely chopped a small amount of Tashi potatoes and Bellmon roots on a small cutting board.

I added a small amount of Rezail fat to the pot, heated it, and sautéed the chopped vegetables until they were glossy. I then added the soup from the bowl.

While the vegetables cooked, I drained the excess water from the soaked Sil wheat and added it to the pot. Once it was soft, the risotto was almost complete.

---

...Huh? What's that sound?

I looked around, but there was nothing suspicious.

I returned my attention to the pot and seasoned the risotto with salt and pepper, tasting it to check the flavor.

This is a pretty good meal for the outdoors.

---

Gurgling...

A clearer sound than before.

The source was the sleeping child.

"......"

I tried bringing a ladle of soup close to the child.

Gurgling...

"Hehe. Kid, wake up. Your stomach is telling you it's time to eat."

"Food..."

The child's stomach responded beautifully. I suppressed a smile and called out to the child, who woke up and started to stir.

"You've got a strong stomach for such a small body. It was growling the whole time I was cooking."

The child, still groggy, looked up at me with wide, soft flaxen hair and large, rare purple eyes that seemed to be on the verge of spilling over.

When they woke up, their cuteness doubled. Any small animal would pale in comparison.

"...Uncle, who are you?"

However, the high, sweet voice that came from the child's cute little mouth was not at all cute.

I'm still single and not that old!

"Stop calling me 'uncle.' Call me 'big brother.' I won't feed you otherwise."

"Big brother."

Feeling embarrassed, I waved the food in front of the child to correct them, and they immediately corrected it, their eyes fixed on the food.

...Children are so instinctive.

"Children are at their best when they're honest. Be careful, it's hot."

I served the risotto in a wooden bowl and gave the child a teaspoon to make it easier for them to eat.

The child blew on the food to cool it down, ate a bite without suspecting any poison, and savored the flavor for a moment.

The next moment, they started to eat the risotto, moving their small hands with great effort.

After a while, tears appeared in the child's eyes, and they started to sob, but they continued to try to eat, though it was difficult.

As expected, it had been a long time since they had a warm meal.

I took out a clean towel, wiped the child's face, and helped them blow their nose.

They seemed to feel better and started to eat again, and I couldn't help but pat their head.

They were truly small in every way.

The child finished every last grain of risotto and every drop of soup.

"Want more?"

When I asked the child, who had finished eating, they shook their head vigorously.

"No more. Thank you."

The child, who had only eaten about half of the wooden bowl, made me frown.

"Don't be polite, kid."

"I'm full. It won't fit."

I was about to tell them to eat more, but they hugged their stomach, patted it, and let out a satisfied sigh.

...They might have been hungry for a long time, and their stomach might have shrunk.

Still, I didn't expect a child's stomach to get so full.

"...You've got a good stomach."

"My stomach is full. Thank you, big brother."

I couldn't help but comment, and the child beamed at me.

I was reminded of the immense cuteness of a young child's smile.

---

"Now that you've eaten and settled down, let's introduce ourselves."

After clearing the remaining risotto from the pot with a ladle, I started the conversation.

It's unusual for a child to be alone. If possible, I wanted to deliver them to their destination.

The child, looking up at me as if trying to see my face, seemed like an angel.

"I'm Dilnan. I'm the captain of the cooking team at the Northern Demon King's Castle. I'm 325 years old. I came here to hunt meat."

When I introduced myself, the child tilted their head. It's the first time someone hasn't reacted to my status. I'm in a pretty good position.

Women usually change their expression, and men often try to gain some benefit.

The child's reaction, as if to say "Why?" made me explain further.

"Thanks to you, it was a successful hunt.

The monster you were about to be eaten by... it's called a Rezail. It's a rare species that only exists here and is very delicious.

The meal I just made was made with Rezail bones and Sil wheat."

Hearing this, the child's eyes lit up, and I felt no guilt as a cook.

"So, who are you?"

After a pause, I asked the child.

"Well, my name is... probably Yuri."

"What do you mean by 'probably'?"

I couldn't help but ask the child, who seemed a bit confused.

"It's written on this... on my wrist. 'Yuri.'"

The child showed me a golden bracelet with the name "Yuri" engraved on it.

A protective amulet, a magical item given to noble children with protective magic.

However, the ambiguity in the child's response raised a bad suspicion.

"...How old are you?"

I tried a simple question, and the child looked down.

"...I don't know. When I woke up, I was here, very hungry, and chased in the dark."

This clearly indicates memory loss.

Was a child brought into the "Deep Forest" in some incident? The eastern side has had many noble family disputes.

It's also possible that the child's guardian was attacked, and only Yuri managed to escape.

The trauma of a child being chased must have been immense.

"I understand. You don't have to force yourself to remember. It's getting dark, so go to sleep, kid."

The child's eyes were getting sleepy. It would be cruel to ask more.

I rubbed the child's head and encouraged them to sleep.

"But, the scary things will come again."

Yuri, trying to stay awake, was still haunted by yesterday's fear.

"I'm here. I can handle any monster that comes near."

"Big brother, are you not going to sleep?"

To reassure the child, I told them I wouldn't leave. Yuri seemed to be worried about me. What a good kid.

Despite the child's young, lisping speech, they understood my words well and were a smart child.

"I'm not a kid. I can stay awake for about five days without any problems.

You must be sleepy. If you're scared, sleep here."

I lifted the child's small body and placed them on my knee, wrapped in a blanket.

I patted the child's back gently, and they fell asleep quickly