Chapter 205
The caravan under the tree cleared a small area for us to camp in . We wasted no time in setting up some tents and building a fire . I had been keeping the food for the horses in the hollow bag, and so I took it out and fed them . I also created some water in a bucket and drank .
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“They’ve had to run quite a lot today…”
“Surely they will be fine tomorrow?”
“Yes . The imperial capital is very close now . There should be no problem if we go at a moderate pace . ”
After he said this, I looked to the east and saw that there was a light, warm glow . Perhaps it was the lights of the city . A city that never slept…
“Now, let us eat . I was kinda hoping to dine on the Grendel, you know . ”
“Haha . But I have made quite a lot thanks to Mister Asagi . ”
We had decided to share the money with him . Of course, Daniela was fine with it .
‘We are not exactly in need of money now . And he did run off so desperately . We might as well reward him a little?’
And so with Daniela’s blessing, I had relayed the news to Mister . I knew he would object with his typical modesty, but I sort of just forced it onto him . We both took two-hundred pieces of gold and now had a place to sleep . It was an all-round good outcome, I thought .
“It will be our last night together, so I’ll cook this time . ”
I declared in front of the fire . Then Daniela stood up .
“Mister . Asagi is rather good with this cooking business . You should look forward to it . ”
“I see . Well, I certainly will!”
“I’m so hungry…”
Mister, Daniela and the driver started to talk enthusiastically about their favorites foods while I prepared the pots . You always had to start with a pot . I would put water in it and put it over a fire to make some soup!
“…”
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No, not really . Damn it…I wanted to join the conversation . I could tell them of the midnight beef bowls I used to eat .
“Beef bowls…I’d sure like that now…”
I muttered with a sense of nostalgia . Daniela overheard it .
“Beef bowl? What is that? Asagi . ”
“It’s a dish consisting of boiled beef on a bowl of rice . It’s great . ”
“Food from your old home…”
Daniela whispered sadly . Indeed, I was sad too . We had meat here, but not rice . No soy sauce either . Of course, I didn’t know anything about fermenting, so I wouldn’t be able to make it either . Now that would be a nice cheat to have .
“Well, I’m going to make something much better than that . So sit over there and drool with anticipation . ”
“What kind of vulgar woman do you take me for!”
Mister tried to calm the agitated Daniela . I just laughed and refocused my attention on the food .
Spicy meat skewers . Fresh fish grilled with salt . Vegetable soup . Bread . And fruit wine .
That might sound a little like fast food, but when displayed in front of us, it felt like a worthy last supper . There was so much that it didn’t fit on the low table I had made, and so we decided to spread a sheet on the floor of the wagon and place the food there where it could be enjoyed by the light of the lanterns .
“Let’s eat!”
The four of us put our hands together before reaching out to the food . I went for the fish . Daniela to the meat . Mister and the driver went after the soup . Personalities, eh…?
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To me, the crispy, salted fish was irresistible . Its flesh would fall apart in your mouth and was very juicy .
“Mmm…! Hot! But good!”
Daniela was eating meat that was covered in spices I had bought from the market in Usk . I had tested various combinations before reaching this one . The more you ate, the hotter it became . Sweat would rush from your forehead . I was confident that it would sell very well at the street stalls .
“The vegetables and bacon work so well together in this soup . ”
“The chunks are so big yet they are cooked through!”
I was also quite proud of the soup that Mister and the driver were having . I had made a lot of soups since coming to this world . And this was like its final form . A soup for vegetables . My only regret was not having any consomme .
“The meat also goes well with the bread . ”
Daniela’s hands stopped when she heard those words . In the next instant, one of the buns vanished . Daniela had snatched one faster than the eye could see . She put the meat inside and pulled out the skewer .
“Hmm… . ! Mmmm…mm…mmm…gg… it is not bad!”
The others looked intrigued, so I offered them some bread too . They copied Daniela and bit into the bread . Then their eyes widened and they looked at each other before taking another bite and then another . Perhaps it was too good for words…I was quite happy to see it .
I sipped on some fruit wine and watched them eat . It really was fun to eat with others like this… No, I wasn’t great in larger, noisier places, but this was a nice way to have dinner . It would be even better if there was another cook whose food I could compare mine too .
Well, we would arrive in the imperial capital tomorrow . Vellefrost, the imperial capital of the Empire of Flugelnia . What kind of place would it be? Now, I heard about sweets and parades, but nothing we had seen up until now suggested those things . Perhaps it was a culture that was still spreading . Either that or Daniela’s information was wrong .
In any case, we’d have the pleasure of discovering the truth soon enough . It was decided that Daniela and the driver would take turns on the watch tonight, and so I went off to bed . Well, we were in such a large camp . Surely no monsters would dare come close…
Asagi! Asagi, wake up!!”
“Huh!?”
My world spun .
I fell onto my nose before frantically peeling myself off of the floor . Apparently, someone had pulled my sheet from under me .
“What!?”
“Monsters! It is blood apes!!”
“Are you kidding me!!?”
I couldn’t help but shout . Those damned, bloody apes . Blood apes . My most hated monsters . Ambushes and Presence Block . And they came in such large numbers . I hate them .
I unsheathed Glampanzer and rushed out of the tent . The campsite was already a battlefield . I could hear the shrieking of the apes and the curses of the Adventurers as they fought .
“This looks bad . ”
“Hah! Do not just stand there, Asagi!”
Daniela shouted as she thrust her rapier between a blood ape’s eyes . Ugh . And we’re so close to the capital… This huge tree had all the appearance of a tranquil resting spot, but it had really just been a bloody nest .
“Damn you all!!”
“Aye, that is the spirit!”
I swung my sword with rage and a blood ape’s head flew into the air . Then I generated an ice sword with my free hand and slashed at the closest monster . I couldn’t use Icicle Inverse or Frostheim when there were so many people around . Even Legs of the God Wolf would be too dangerous . This was not good . Just the thought of having to slowly cut through them one at a time made me want to vomit . No one got away with disturbing my sleep . You damned apes!
Finally, the sun showed its face .
Finally . The sun . Showed . Its face .
“…I’m gonna throw up . ”
“Me too…”
Without sleep, without rest, we continued until the battle was over . Everyone was either staring at the ground or the sky . It was the sky for me .
“Mister Asagi… You’re safe…”
“Yeah . You too, Mister…”
“Yes . There was a commotion and I was told to evacuate…”
The Adventurers had led the merchants into a tent where they were shut in until morning . Those who could not fight had to stay still . I wouldn’t have minded joining them…
“Stil . . this is quite the sight…”
Mister said weakly . Adventurers sat, hugging their swords . Others lay spread-eagled on the ground . Some leaned against the tree . And even now, there were some who remained alert .
But all of them were covered in blood . And the ground was littered with so many blood ape corpses that it was difficult to walk .
“They counted about five hundred earlier . ”
“Five hundred…”
There were about fifty of us Adventurers, which meant that each had killed nearly ten… It didn’t really meet our salary . In fact, I was sure I had killed over twenty . I stopped counting after that…
“And about six Adventurers were caught off-guard and were killed . ”
“I see…”
Deaths… Well, it was such a chaotic battle . I could not be surprised by the outcome . Luckily the four of our company were all safe . Still…this had been a rough morning . Or night .
We would have to bury the dead first . This was what I assumed, but no one moved .
The morning sun was shining down on the wet pools of blood . And yet no one rose to their feet .