Chapter 82

Luna and Yomi lectured me, and it seems the princess misunderstood what I said.

...Now that they mention it, I can see why.

"It was for the chocolate..."

If I were to say, "It was for the chocolate, so don't misunderstand!" now, I'd just come off as a tsundere.

It's so cliché that it's almost refreshing.

"It's best to leave her be for now."

"Hehe, let's focus on our guard duties, shall we?"

I really feel Luna and Yomi's kindness. Maybe what you should have is... a fiancée?

"By the way, why has he been glaring at me since just now?"

A young knight named "Grental Roien" has been glaring at me openly since a while ago.

Is it because I said something rude to the princess?

"Sir, you're usually so wise, but you're disappointing in moments like these."

"Hehe, that's what makes you cute, though."

Disappointing?! Luna's pitying look is intense. This, yeah, I could get used to it.

And Yomi always spoils me. I even feel a bit of motherly affection from her.

"Well, there's no point in worrying. I have something I want to confirm with that leader, too."

What I want to confirm is whether there are still any of his companions around here.

We managed to save them, but they might cause trouble again.

"Ah, I already asked about that. He said everyone here is all that's left."

Wow, Yomi is really efficient. If only I knew the location of their base...

"I already have that information. Would you like to hear it?"

What, is this girl too competent?

"The base is a cave about 6km from here."

It's still quite far. Since it's on the way, I'll summon Dain to destroy the base.

I don't want the goblins or orcs to reuse it. Also, we need to recover any supplies.

I can't leave my guard duties, so I'll have to leave it all to Dain.

"Captain, we're fine now, so let's move on. There's a place suitable for camping after we pass through this forest."

"Right. It might be dangerous in the forest. Let's go!"

Thanks to spatial awareness, I know there's a flat area beyond the forest, and I'm tired, so I want to rest a bit.

Plus, Luna and Yomi have a log cabin, so the princess can rest comfortably.

We could leave the mansion, but if the mansion appeared, wouldn't that be a bit much?

I definitely would be shocked.

The progress was quick. Despite being in the forest, almost no monsters attacked.

It's possible they're wary of the magic power Luna and Yomi used in the battle earlier...

"That's odd."

"Auwl, you think so too?"

Even for wild monsters with strong caution, there are too few of them.

"I hope nothing happens..."

There's no reaction from presence detection or malice sensing, so it's probably fine, but we can't be too careful.

"By the way, Auwl, I happened to see a lesser boar earlier and hunted it. Please use it for dinner."

...

This captain is skilled, but he reminds me a bit of Gura.

"Understood, I'll think of something to make with the meat."

"Great! This meat is famous for being easy to eat and having no strong flavor. I'm looking forward to it!"

Well, what should we have for dinner?

※※※

The forest felt strange, but nothing happened, and we managed to get through it safely.

We found a suitable place for camping and started preparing.

"Luna, Yomi, bring out the log cabin."

"Understood."

"Hehe, you're so kind."

No, no, if I make them feel special now, it'll be easier to ask for favors later.

'Kindness is not just for others'—that's my motto. Well, thanks to the creator god.

To put it bluntly, it's an investment for my lazy lifestyle. For that, I can work hard.

"Sir, you have a bad look on your face."

"Hehe, I'm glad you're enjoying it."

When Luna and Yomi brought out the log cabin from storage, there was a commotion, but the captain calmed everyone down.

Since there's no choice, I'll put a bit more effort into dinner.

While the knights were on guard, Luna and Yomi led the princess to the log cabin.

Inside, there's a water bed and a bath. Although it hasn't snowed much yet, it gets quite cold at night.

They were planning to set up a tent, but I used earth magic to create a room. It's a simple pit house, though.

Now, with the preparations done, what should we have for dinner? Something warm would be nice.

"Let's do a peony pot!"

I cut up the lesser boar and divided it into several types of meat. It's not as good as aged meat, but it should be delicious.

The freshness means the organs are also edible, which is a plus.

I washed the organs thoroughly and used the 'Purify' spell to make them safe to eat.

It's important to parboil the organs and meat to remove the scum and odor. Two rounds of boiling will significantly improve the taste.

Then, I cut the vegetables and mushrooms and put them in the pot. I added plenty of water, the peony (wild boar meat), and dissolved some miso.

Finally, I added umami seasoning made from cooking herbs and a bit of salt.

Incidentally, in the adjacent pot, I was cooking barley. After eating, we'll add wild cook eggs to make a rice porridge.

It should be very soothing for tired bodies.

When the food was ready, the princess came out of the bath, and the guards returned from their watch.

"Wow! It smells so good!"

Captain... Is he more excited than the princess?

"Your Highness, I'll test the food!"

"No need. You should trust Auwl by now!"

"Grumble... Even I'm not called by my name..."

Is it just me, or are Roien's eyes slightly bloodshot?

"Wow. It's such a gentle flavor. The meat is delicious, but these mushrooms don't seem ordinary. What is this seasoning? I've never tasted anything like it. Anyway, it's delicious, Auwl!"

"Mmm, I don't like you, but I'll admit your cooking is good! This is delicious!"

Roien might be a good guy. He's hard to hate, and he compliments my cooking.

The captain is already on his third helping, saying, "Delicious, delicious."

The other knights seem to be enjoying it too.

However, the princess has a discerning palate. I added mushrooms from the wild boar's back from the Oren village forest.

I thought the flavors would harmonize well with the same type of boar, and it was a good choice.

The rice porridge was also a hit, and the pot was empty in no time.

"I'm back, Master."

"Welcome back, Dain. Sorry for making you do the chores."

"No, it's an honor to be of service to you, Master.