446 - - Chapter 444 Advice

Moon healed my hangover, and we decided to go sightseeing in the royal city since it was too late in the afternoon to have an adventure. After browsing the stores at the market, Flare led us to a place where wild boars were being roasted whole. For the little ones who were excited about the whole roasted boar, I decided to solve everything with money, taking a cue from the Japanese during the bubble era.

"No, I don't hear you saying that all of a sudden. ......"

Huh?　I said I would pay double the original price, but the sweaty old man looks annoyed. Can't I pay twice as much?　Are they taking advantage of your weakness and charging you a higher price?　If twice as much is not possible, does that mean three times as much?　Even though I'm a bubbly guy now, I used to be a petty citizen, so I'm a little hesitant to triple my money, you know?

"Um, well, how much would you be willing to bake extra?"

I'll give you up to 2.5 times.

No, it's not a question of price. We only use wild boars with small wounds and in good condition. We can't handle a sudden request for three more boars. And even if we get the boars, if we start grilling now, it will be done at night. Can you wait?

...... Well, I see it wasn't a question of price. If you don't have the stuff, you can't add it. You can't say that money doesn't have a cousin, and you can't add the whole roast that's being cooked right now to ....... I can't be that bubbly.

It would be easy to get a boar if I ask Sylphy to get it for me, but it's hard to finish it at night, so I guess I'd better give up for today. However, thinking of the little ones, I can't just say I couldn't do it.

"Well, can you do it tomorrow, please?"

I'll explain that I'll make a reservation and make sure I get it tomorrow, and the little ones will have to put up with me today.

"Well, I can't say for sure since some of our regulars have reservations. If we can get more boars in good condition?

Can't you promise me tomorrow?　......It's hard to get a whole roasted wild boar, isn't it? Well, I understand that you can't promise anything because it depends on the outcome of the hunt, but it's hard to convince the little ones if you don't know if you can or can't get them.

"If I bring you a boar in good condition tomorrow morning, will it be okay?"

It's too much trouble. Let's go hunting in the woods tomorrow morning with Belle and the others. I'm sure Belle and the others will be satisfied with a catch they've hunted themselves.

Hm?　Yeah, if you've got the stuff, it's no problem if you just grill it. Well, if it's too small or too big, we might not be able to handle it."

Does size have anything to do with it? Well, it would be hard to roast a huge boar or something like that. Considering the nature of the Bells, this is quite important information.

If they didn't know this information, they would have been sure to refuse to roast the giant boar that Belle and her friends had so proudly caught. That was a close call. I should have asked them if there is any other information we need.

****

"Keep the wound as small as possible and bring down a boar of the right size. Sylphie will carry you when you've got him and come back with you. Go on then."

Kyahoo... cue... search... coo... it's a big one. Big ones!

The belles are flying high through the early morning forest. They seemed a little disappointed that they couldn't get a whole roasted wild boar yesterday, but were easily put in a good mood when I explained that they would have to hunt and roast the boar themselves.

The food stall recommended by Bell and his friends was delicious, and the fact that we couldn't get a whole roasted boar yesterday seemed to have worked out for the better, since the boar was our goal for the day.

Flare seems to target the largest boar within the acceptable range for roasting. ...... right?　You do understand that if you catch one too big, you can't roast it whole, right?　I did my best to explain it to you earlier, so it's okay, right?

I'm starting to get worried about ....... I wonder if their fighting instincts were stimulated by the hunting.

Well, Bell and the others can probably catch at least 5 wild boars, so even if Flare catches a boar too big, there will be enough to roast the whole boar. We can recover even if we fail...we'll just have to trust them this time.

"Master!　We'll just have to go our separate ways and digest the request, right?"

While I was staring at the end of the forest where Bell and the others had disappeared with some anxiety, Gina spoke to me with a bubbling voice. Not only Gina, but also Sara, Marco, and Kikka looked somewhat excited.

Before entering the forest, I had accepted a request from the Adventurers' Guild, but since it was my first time, I chose a simple one. It's not that exciting, or maybe she is simply excited to be in a new place for the first time.

Unlike Bell and the others, Gina and the others are going to get hurt, so even though I've asked Nomos to escort them, I'd better warn them to be a little more cautious.

"Yeah. But since it's our first time in this place, we have to be very careful. If you let your guard down and get hurt, you'll be roasted tonight. ......"

Oh, Gina and the others' faces tightened up even without saying the last word. I'm sure I'm feeding them a pretty extravagant meal, but still, the whole roasted fish is very appealing.

With the fluttery feeling gone, I send Gina and the others off to the forest with a sense of relief. Nomos seems to be a bit of a pain in the ass, but he's just a tsundere after all, so he'll protect the kids well.

"Well then, let's go exploring too. Dory, please help me identify the mushrooms.

"Mm-hmm. Okay."

Dory nodded happily when I asked her for a favor. Dory seems to be enjoying the abundance of nature. Hmm?　Sylphy is looking at me with a stern look.

"Sylphie. Why are you looking at me like that?

Did I do something to offend?

"Don't you know why I'm looking at you like this, Yuta?"

I'm asking you because I don't know, but if I tell you that honestly, you'll be in an even worse mood. I'm not going to beat around the bush to get snakes out.

"Uh-huh. I don't know. I'm sorry if I offended you, but can you tell me why?"

"Huh. You don't have to apologize ....... I'm just a little bit annoyed that Yuta would summon the Great Spirit of the Forest to help him sort out mushrooms."

After Sylphy sighed, she told me the reason for her jitters.

Hmmm......... you are right when you say it. The mushroom soup and grilled skewers I had at the food stall yesterday were so delicious that I'm going to take all possible measures to go mushroom hunting, but I'm obviously overpowered if I think about it calmly.

Sylphy the Great Spirit of the Wind and Dolly the Great Spirit of the Forest. And if we add Moon, the lowly spirit of life who is not interested in hunting, we can easily dominate this continent. With that group of people hunting mushrooms...well...Sylphy must be wondering...

"Well, you see, Tamamo seemed to have joined the hunting too, and since this is a big forest, I thought Dory would be pleased too. It was never about hunting mushrooms, was it?　...... sorry. The mushrooms were so delicious that I was floating around."

I tried to make a bitter excuse, but in the end I couldn't take it anymore and apologized honestly.

"Well, it's just like Yuta, but you should remember that we are powerful beings. I'm afraid that if I don't, I might inadvertently do something strange even to spirits and spirit kings who haven't made a contract with us."

I can't deny it at all. ...... I felt like friends with Ruby and the others, and I can't deny it at all, because I'm the one who would give in to Master Light's fluffiness and Master Dark's s*x appeal.

I feel like I've been losing respect for the spirits lately, and I should remind myself that Sylphy and the others saved my life, and that spirits are scary people if you make them angry.

"Sylphy. Thanks for the advice. Dolly, I'm sorry I summoned you for such a strange reason.

"You're welcome. Your honesty is a virtue of Yuta's."

"Hmm, I am happy to be summoned to the Great Forest, so please don't mind me.

His attitude suddenly turned upbeat. Dolly didn't seem to be angry either, so I guess this time it was just a simple warning to me for getting carried away.

It's really nice to get a warning like this when I'm about to get a little carried away. I'm blessed, since there are spiritists whose contracts are suddenly broken by the spirits.

"Well then, let's go look for mushrooms.

"What?　Can we keep on picking mushrooms?"

I was indeed going to cancel the mushroom hunt?

"I advised him because Yuta seemed to forget that we are powerful beings. I don't care if you're picking mushrooms or babysitting, as long as you understand our power. Besides, Yuta's face was dangerous yesterday, but he was so entranced that I'm interested too. I'd love to have a drink with some delicious mushrooms."

They said they would give me a break with delicious mushrooms and alcohol. Thank you for your kindness to give me a break with alcohol.

"I'll splurge on mushrooms and booze tonight. But what do you mean my face is in danger?　I'm not sure I'm hearing you right?"　

I appreciate the advice, but having my face treated as a hazard is a different story.

"It's not that Yuta's face is dangerous. It's just that yesterday, when you ate mushrooms, your face was dangerous.

Ah, that time. I can't help it. Some weird poem was playing in my brain. .......

<< mushrooms...... it's a mass of deliciousness. Ah, mushrooms......, the mellow aroma that permeates the nostrils. Ahhhhhh mushrooms......, the fascinating crunchy texture that echoes through your brain. Ah mushrooms. Oh mushrooms......>

Yeah, I can't help but look dangerous when I think about this. But forgive me, the taste of mushrooms hit my soul.

Various mushrooms such as enoki, shimeji, maitake, eringi, etc. are grilled on skewers, simple but full of flavor. And then there is mushroom soup with lots of ingredients. And the basis of the taste is the soup stock made from the best dried shiitake mushrooms.

Even for Japanese people, shiitake mushroom soup stock is a nostalgic taste, and the taste of natural shiitake mushrooms, which are thicker and more delicious than artificial shiitake mushrooms, will make you ...... happy and make you fall flat on your face.

Let's go mushroom hunting!