“Sure, is Isia really entering the Elf Kingdom now?”
[Yes.]
With a small sigh escaping his lips, Yujin responded to the voice coming through his smartwatch.
“Keep following, Tia. Report if anything happens. If there’s an emergency, head over to the Mangja Seongnyeo.”
[Just one question.]
“What is it?”
[Why aren’t you going yourself?]
“……..”
At those words, Yujin, who was about to drink water in the kitchen, stiffened.
“Is there a reason I need to tell you?”
His voice sounded normal, but Yujin felt it was trembling badly.
“I was too lazy to go. I didn’t want to. Does that answer your question?”
[…Let’s go with that.]
It was as if Tia was generously letting it go this time, causing Yujin to abruptly put down the water he was about to drink and grumble.
This is frustrating.
Hah, it’s been decades, but I’m still bad at controlling my emotions…
“Tia Lauria.”
[Yes.]
“I’m sorry, but haven’t we agreed not to pry into unnecessary matters between us? For both you and me.”
[That was the agreement. It was just personal curiosity. I apologize if it upset you.]
“No, I was being a bit sensitive. I’ll hang up now.”
Yujin noticed how verbose the usually taciturn and principled skeleton knight became when moments like this arise.
Hah…
After turning off the smartwatch, Yujin buried himself deep into the sofa.
I’m tired.
Despite not having done any broadcasting, dungeon diving, or raids, Yujin felt utterly exhausted.
Since Isia accepted his request, Yujin hadn’t let his guard down for even a moment.
No, it wasn’t just that he couldn’t relax. He hadn’t been able to sleep either. It felt as if someone was choking him in real-time.
Naturally, there was no one who would harm Yujin.
He was the first among Returnees to attain S-rank, a formidable force, and had continued his activities as an S-grade hunter for decades, second only to Yeonseo.
However, Yujin didn’t care about his strength at all.
How could he return?
How could he face them, the Elves, again?
No matter how strong he is, could he solve their problems?
No.
My strength is a lie.
My strength is an illusion.
My accomplishments are hypocrisy.
How could someone as false as me face them with any dignity?
Of course, no one knew what Yujin had done.
“Olga…”
Whenever he closed his eyes, the image from that time resurfaced.
Her reassuring visage, her blood-soaked hands…
“I was the one who burned it. How could I forget?”
Even if she said it was fine or insisted otherwise,
Yujin would never be able to forget.
Yujin would forever curse himself.
●●●●●
Elf food is delicious.
The unknown lotus root, served with a tangy sauce, offers a delightful crunch as a side dish.
And the rice made from the grains cultivated by the Elves is warm and fluffy, upending all notions of what rice should taste like.
“Num num…”
It’s delicious.
Everything is delicious.
So very delicious.
But…
There’s no meat.
“…….Sigh….”
“Shia! You have to try this too! Normally we Elves eat tofu steamed just to enjoy its pure taste without seasoning, but since you’re here, the Elf chefs specially crafted suitable seasoning and vegetables for the tofu!”
Well, the tofu is delicious too.
It must be tofu made from the beans nurtured by the World Tree and Great Forest, rejecting any comparison to the cheap tofu bought outside.
Though I’m not a huge tofu fan, I bet you can’t find tofu anywhere else that tastes like this.
Yes, this is really tasty.
Dipped generously into a slightly salty and sweet sauce, mixed with rice, it’s the ultimate delicacy.
But there’s no meat.
“Elves don’t typically have bread for dessert, but since you’re here, Shia, we proudly put in some effort! Isn’t it delicious?”
“….Yeah, it’s good.”
Chew chew..
About 70 years ago, I absolutely loathed bread containing raisins when I was in school.
The dried fruit’s odd fragrance and sweetness would ruin the texture and taste of the bread without enhancing its flavor.
But the Elf-made bread was undoubtedly different.
This was sweet and fresh, as if they’d used fresh grapes instead of dried ones.
And on top of the bread, large chestnuts were scattered in case dried fruit wasn’t enough. If there were to be a bread contest on the outside, I would wager my wrist that this bread would emerge victorious.
This bread is truly… incredibly delicious.
I’ve never tasted anything like it in my life.
I can’t hold back my praise.
But there’s no meat.
There’s no meat in this.
Meat. Meat. Meat.
There’s no meat.
“……….Thank you for the meal.”
“Hehe, did you enjoy it?”
“Yeah, it was really good.”
That is no lie.
All the food provided by the Elves truly deserves the description of divine flavor.
But there was no meat.
I was relieved Olga didn’t ask me, “Was the meal satisfactory?”
Had she done so, my inability to tell a lie would have forced me to violate my own ethics and beliefs, spitting out falsehoods.
“Hmph… One more bowl please.”
“Yes! Agasa, our guest demands more!”
“Understood, Lady Olgania.”
In the end, I couldn’t ignore the served meal, so I chose to eat everything without leaving any behind.
Leaving food is a sin.
Ignoring food is committing a grave sin against the land that nurtured those crops and seeds.
It’s also a sin toward the sunshine, wind, and sky that brings rain, as well as a great sin toward all those who cultivated and cooked these ingredients, so in my dictionary, leaving food behind is simply not an option.
In any case, the Elves were stealing glances at me, pretending not to notice that they had a rare outsider dining with them.
“Wow, already ten bowls…”
“The chef from the noble Elm House made an effort at Lady Olgania’s request.”
“I understand the deliciousness of this, but do humans typically eat this much?”
“Probably not, last time I went out, even the sturdy human men didn’t eat this much…”
“Wow, you eat well.”
Fundamentally, Elves consume little food, replenishing their energy and vitality from spirits and natural life force.
They reportedly eat less than half of what an average adult man consumes daily. So, from the Elves’ perspective, they probably never saw someone eat as much as I do.
There’s even a bit of a joke among the Elves that being a good eater makes one a desirable groom or bride.
Not that my eating a bit more makes me potential groom or bride material among the Elves.
Why?
Because there’s no meat.
Ah, that root fruit salad would be great with meat…
Ah, this warm rice would be perfect with meat…
Ah, putting meat in this bread would just…
Ah, if I just cut some bacon into this potato soup…
Ahhhh, meat.
Meat.
Meat.
Meat!
“Is it good?”
“Yeah, it’s good… um…”
Olgania’s cheerful smile slowly brought my dining time to an end.
○○○○
And then, a little later, at midnight.
I attempted to sneak away from my room.
The night in the Great Forest is exceedingly beautiful.
The glimmering light filled with spirits and life, glowing in deeper shades than the moon and starlight, brightens the darkness.
Even in pitch-black darkness, the light of the Great Forest indicates the way for the Elves, who live snugly in its warm embrace, as if the World Tree itself was saying it would cradle its children even in the dead of night.
Apart from the knight order and the guards, most Elves fall asleep at the early hour of 10 PM.
Elves have a lifestyle pattern somewhat akin to rural elders, going to bed early around 9 or 10 PM and waking up at 6 AM to offer reverence to the Mother World Tree for protecting the Great Forest, beginning their lively mornings.
Grumble…
And I’m the fallen Mangja Seongnyeo who has become accustomed to a city lifestyle, staying up late with my smartphone and internet usage, only to fall asleep in the early hours.
Moreover, if I go a day without eating meat, my body automatically tries to reject everything.
What am I supposed to do with that!
Fortunately, while the average Elf’s sensory enhancement is said to surpass that of humans, it wasn’t particularly difficult to evade the guards watching the building unless it was at the level of the Elf Elanar, whom I had clashed with during the day.
While I may not be suited for stealth compared to Menelapie, I can still utilize my sensory enhancement to hide my presence when I intend to.
“Ahem! Ahem!”
“Are you alright, sister? If you’re struggling, please rest…”
“I’m fine. I can manage.”
“If it gets tough, just let me know. Several other sisters have already succumbed.”
Fortunately, the Elves seemed oblivious to my departure, busy chatting with one another.
Although the fact that an Elf blessed by spirits and the World Tree is coughing is a little concerning…
However, more importantly, I need to soothe my grumbling stomach first.
Even if the guards and elves had good night vision, thankfully, no one seemed to notice me as I successfully slipped into the forest.
“Huff…”
Taking out the drone camera I had hidden in my chest, it thankfully seemed to be intact.
“Oh, it didn’t break.”
Despite my body being stronger than steel, I had been worried that there might be damage from stashing it between my breasts.
Fortunately, the drone’s durability exceeded my expectations.
It was functioning perfectly and the mute mode was properly activated.
Crafted with the technology of Returnees, the drone appeared to be the size of my head, but the actual internal space was significantly larger than it looked.
During the last raid dungeon in Andong, one transport drone was capable of carrying supplies to last a month, right?
Even though this drone, provided by the Hunter Association, was utilized efficiently for streaming, the astonishing part was the storage capacity.
Thanks to that, I always kept seasonings, condiments, chives, flour, and even a certain amount of water and cooking wine handy inside the drone.
Originally, I had planned to take the in-flight meals prepared by Yeonhwa.
Since those were optimized to suit my taste just in case the Elf’s menu didn’t fit, I had ordered a massive amount, enough to last through my stay in the Elf Kingdom, but because of those damn little pests…
“Ugh, forget it. Let it go. I am a Seongnyeo.”
What can I do even if I’m angry?
What has happened has happened…
That doesn’t mean I can take out my anger on the Elves’ lives.
Moreover, since the Elves acknowledged the misunderstanding that arose after I became a guest of Olga, Elanar as their commander even bowed his head to me, right?
I understand that it’s no small matter for an Elf to bow their head, and if the commander did, it certainly was a sincere apology toward me.
Anyway, I was now out in the Great Forest of the Elves.
The reason?
There was no meat in the dinner.
“…..”
I had come out to seek suitable prey, but the Great Forest of the Elves was remarkably quiet.
There were the occasional sounds of insects, but unless I was on the brink of starvation, I wouldn’t dare to think of roasting insects.
Right now, I was here to fill the minor malicious void created by not being able to eat meat.
For reference, meat basically contains trace amounts of malice.
Though it can’t compare to monsters or humans, food that carries emotions.
For example, when eating beef, the fear and pain felt by the cow when it’s slaughtered linger slightly in the meat, allowing me to fill the malice by consuming it.
Of course, it’s like dropping a single drop of water into a massive dam but hey…
“Hmmm, something to eat….”
I glanced at the Elf stable in the distance.
For reference, Elves ride enormous deer called Emoon rather than horses.
Those towering deer are essential cavalry that grants them speed and agility.
Well, in the previous world, I’d encountered them a few times, and they tasted quite delicious.
Or rather, not just quite, but it was one of the best dishes in my life as the Mangja Seongnyeo.
It was when I visited the desert Elves.
Generally, the Emoon they prepared was vastly superior in taste to any ordinary meat. Back then, I had looked for the desert Elves after the war with the demon king, to restore relations.
The desert Elves treated my companions Menelapie, Teresa, and me to a special dish, supposedly to entertain our presence.
Not some plain meat grill but present in nuanced flavors, ranging from flowers, pistachios, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, onions, and chives, all meticulously washed before they cooked premium rice, the staple of the desert Elves.
Then they finely chopped the seasoned leg meat of Emoon aged for a day, stir-fried it with the vegetables and rice along with various spices, finishing it off with a delicate spice from the desert-specific flowers.
That was really unfathomably delicious.
To the extent that Teresa, who normally wouldn’t touch food, clapped after just one bite, claiming she didn’t need to eat anymore.
Naturally, I longed to taste that exquisite dish again, and just as I was eyeing the precious Emoon…
“……..slurp.”
[….!!!]
[Wooaah!!!]
“Whoa, what’s with you all?!”
As if noticing my salivating gaze, several Emoon that had been awake started thrashing about in panic.
Thanks to that, the Elf on duty in the stable scrambled to calm them.
“Tch…”
No, regardless, I wouldn’t eat someone else’s livestock, which can be considered both as property and as companions.
…Honestly, if there hadn’t been guards, I might have succumbed to the temptation of stealing one Emoon for a feast.
Nah, I’m a Seongnyeo.
Even so, I mustn’t consume another’s pet or livestock that hasn’t done wrong!
Get a grip, Isia!
“By the way, what should I eat….”
The Great Forest of Elves is a place where you can nourish yourself significantly just by munching on wild herbs growing abundantly.
However, conversely, it’s a green hell of starvation for me.
What on earth should I eat!
“Ugh…..”
It wouldn’t do for me to simply munch on twigs.
Imagining myself burying my face into the tree bark like an insect wasn’t exactly dignified, you know…
“Sniff, sniff…”
At that moment, I lifted my head at the suddenly enticing aroma wafting through my nose.
This smell is… coming from meat?
Wait, let me rephrase that.
This isn’t meat smell.
This is the scent of malice.
And it has a rather rich scent.
However, the air didn’t change, nor did it seem like Chaos Ants were overflowing.
Just to be sure, I expanded my sensory enhancement, but I couldn’t detect any Chaos Ants in the vicinity.
“Let’s follow the smell, for now.”
Following the enticing scent of malice, I took steps forward.
I’d like to turn on the drone camera and chat with the viewers while preparing my meal, but… I guess that would have to wait?
“Is this it?”
After following the strong scent for a while, I reached a gigantic tree.
“…What a size.”
It wasn’t merely a large tree.
This massive tree, dominating the night sky, emanated a presence that felt profoundly distinct from ordinary trees.
Well, whatever.
I definitely couldn’t pass up on the aromatic scent coming from this tree.
Since I had no meat to eat, this was the least I could do.
Let me reiterate, the Great Forest of Elves offers excellent taste and rich nutrition, even from weeds and tree barks.
Even if I were to find myself stranded here, I wouldn’t need to worry about starvation, thus I felt a bit hopeful about taste expectations.
“Let’s see.”
After picking one leaf and smelling it, it indeed had a pleasant aroma.
Yes, it had the basic fragrant notes of an herb or a spice, but the underlying hint of malice that subtly emerged made my salivary glands tingle.
Like how one instinctively salivates upon seeing a pot of ramen boiling at midnight.
“Well, what can I make with these leaves?”
Leaves… Leaves… If it’s leaves… Could they be used like cabbage leaves..?
The thought of making leaf pancakes or flower pancakes came to mind.
In fact, flower pancakes could feature various ingredients on top, changing with the seasons.
In spring, you’d use azaleas; in summer, yellow roses; in autumn, chrysanthemums; and in winter, jujubes or mugwort.
That said, I personally loved mugwort pancakes.
Thinking back, it’s been quite a while since I last had one…
Alright.
I’ll create some leaf pancakes today, mixing the basic concepts of florals and cabbage leaves for inspiration.
Where else might I find such a large, nutrient-rich, and, even more importantly, malicious leaf?
Though the lack of meat is indeed a shame, the mere existence of malice stimulating my appetite grants this undertaking ample worth.
“Let’s start plucking suitable leaves…”
The memory of when my grandmother used to make me flower pancakes comes back vividly.
While I could no longer remember her face, I still recall how she would knead sticky dough for a long time before flattening it and frying it in a pan full of oil for a perfect finish.
She patiently made sure not to add the flowers initially, adding them later in the frying process, resulting in beautiful decoration and good taste.
Anyway, what I want to do today is akin to making flower pancakes or cabbage pancakes with those leaves.
To be honest, I don’t have high expectations.
How tasty can leaves really be?
I’m doing this primarily due to the subtle hint of malice within this tree.
“First, I’ll mix two cups of pancake flour with one cup of water.”
It’s crucial to knead the flour until it becomes thick and chunky.
Imagining a resurrected Mangja Seongnyeo kneading pancake flour by the glow of fireflies in the middle of the night would undoubtedly bring laughter to anyone witnessing such a scene.
Oh, I also remember hearing I need to add eggs. Thankfully, within my drone, I have a separating jar for wyvern egg yolks.
Who would have thought my preparations would come in handy like this?
“Hehe, once I get back, I’ll have plenty of wyvern eggs.”
It’s still a wyvern egg.
Highly versatile and tasty.
But first, I need to process this massive leaf.
Once the pancake batter becomes thick, I’ll add a pinch of salt…
“Frying pan… frying pan….”
What? There’s none…
“What should I do…?”
Looking around, I realized I’d need to grab a suitable flat stone.
It’s a bit thick, but with some work, I could carve it down. To eliminate any potential stone powder, I used purification magic, ensuring it was a fair substitute for a frying pan.
Creating fire using my powers isn’t difficult.
It’s more effective to generate heat using my powers for cooking on a stone rather than a gas burner, given that basic heat won’t efficiently raise temperature on the stone.
Speaking of which, wasn’t it like this when I first met Yeonhwa and grilled Black Minotaur meat?
The Black Minotaur’s tenderloin was incredibly tasty…
Nah, for now, let’s focus on making the leaf pancake.
“Alright, add some cooking oil on the stone…”
Seeez!
“Yikes!?”
Surprised by the unexpectedly intense heat, the cooking oil began popping in every direction the moment it met the stone.
Naturally, oil splattered all over my clothes and skin; my resilient Mangja Seongnyeo body might not get burned, but it’s as if I’m drenched in cooking oil.
“Damn it…”
What am I doing here?
What’s this even about, leaf pancakes…?
“Sigh, focus.”
I carefully adjusted the distance from the heat to maintain proper temperature.
Okay, this is good.
Now it’s time.
“Then, spread the pancake flour onto the leaf… Oh, that’s looking good.”
Thanks to the sticky pancake flour mixed with wyvern yolk, the leaves were more appealing than I anticipated.
Now, I’ll drop it onto the stone.
Seeezzz…!
“Whoa, o…o….”
The delightful scent wafting through the air.
Why does it smell so good?
Hold on, genuinely, isn’t that an unusually delightful aroma?
If the smell is this good, how could the taste be anything but sublime?
To compare, rather than frying a leaf, it seemed more akin to the aroma of seasoned, aged beef.
Just the smell alone could make one drool in exhilaration.
With such an enticing aroma, it would be quite strange if the taste turned out to be bad.
“…slurp, this looks delicious.”
In all my years, I’ve never felt such hunger towards a leaf pancake.
Never would I have expected this, to feel like this.
I think I could spend the entire night feasting on these leaf pancakes…
“Shia?”
“Uh, um? gulp.”
Olgania…?
What is Olgania doing here at such a late hour?
My surprised gaze met hers as I stood there munching on a leaf pancake.
Oh, maybe she’s hungry too and followed me?
In that case, I can share some with her.
Ah, but I should make new batter without the wyvern yolk to share it with her…
“Shia, what are you doing with the World Tree leaves?”
“…………Eh?”
Clatter!
Hearing those words, I dropped the pancake batter I had been holding.
