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The sun had slipped behind the mountains, and the ravine was already getting dim. Here, it would be dark before long.

(Better wrap this up quickly and get back to camp.)

I took the cleaned organs, pulled a bag out from another pouch, and put them inside. The Jackalope’s meat I wrapped in cloth. There were some edible wild greens in this ravine, too, so I gathered a few. Then I wrapped them in another cloth, left the ravine, and headed straight back to the campsite.

Since the camp was at a slightly higher elevation than the ravine, I could still see the sun in the western sky when I arrived. But in less than thirty minutes, it would disappear between the mountains.

(I’d better get the fire going while I still can.)

I grabbed a handful of twigs and one thick log, put them in the hearth, and chanted “Fire.” The twigs flared up instantly, the flames licking over to the log.

(Ah, magic is like cheating.)

I laid out the materials from today’s hunt.

(Not bad for less than an hour’s work—fufu♪)

I wanted to store the rabbit meat for two or three days first to let it age a bit. I could just put it in a stone-walled chamber underground. But I decided to at least take the ribs out and use them today.

First, I took the organs and scrubbed them hard with some rock salt I’d picked up earlier. I didn’t skimp on the ground salt at all!

For the meat, I rubbed salt all over, then separated the ribs and stored the rest in the stone room.

The stone room, by the way, was another cheat of mine. I’d used the Earth spell Rock Block to produce stone, then cut it into slabs with my sword and assembled it. The stone table I was using as a cutting board was made the same way.

Normally, you wouldn’t be able to just cut rock like that, but this was due to Marsh’s mastery as a smith. It was all thanks to his craftsmanship that this sword was so amazing! Yup, there was no disputing that! Which meant I got to take it easy—ahahaha!

Anyway—enough of that! I put the cut ribs in a pot with water and set them over the fire.

(Might as well toss in some of the organ bits, too. Ah, I really wish I had some root vegetables… With just root vegetables and organs, I can make a delicious stew. Oh! I know! Tomorrow I’ll hunt one or two more rabbits and make a proper motsunabe!¹ They’re fresh, so even a simple hotpot will have plenty of flavor.)

I tossed in the wild greens I’d picked earlier.

They were called Nobiru— a wild plant that looked like a cluster of thin green onions. It grew in bunches and could easily be mistaken for a weed.

Pulling it up revealed small bulbs at the base, about the size of a Chinese onion. Their taste was somewhat spicy, like ginger. They were really delicious. The leaves of the Nobiru were also much larger than those of normal Japanese wild onions. Chopping them in the stew would probably help remove any gamey smell.

There were also fuki, or butterburs. Though this variety was much bigger than the kind I was familiar with. Here, fuki had a bitterness like celery—addictive in its own way. It would give the soup a nice depth, so in it went!

I boiled the fuki in a small separate pot first, peeled off the outer fibers, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and added it to the soup.

As I gently skimmed off the scum while it simmered, the stew started to look just right. I seasoned it with salt and pepper, then added a pinch of garam masala from my supplies.

(Whoa! It suddenly turned into a spicy-scented soup! Let me take a sip… mmmhh, not bad at all.)

Before I knew it, the sun had set completely, and the forest was pitch-dark.
With no other light sources, the fire in the hearth was the only thing pushing back the darkness, painting everything around me in shades of orange.

(Maybe I got too absorbed in cooking.)

I lit my lantern with the help of the hearth fire and placed it on the table as a small light source. It was finally time for dinner.

I ladled some soup into a dish, replaced the pot with a grill over the hearth, and began roasting the organs. After having rinsed the organs from the rock salt, I’d rubbed them with some salt and pepper I’d brought with me.

While they cooked, I sipped the soup.

The Jackalope broth had a wonderfully rich flavor. Maybe root vegetables would’ve added more depth, but as it was, it was still delicious—wild and hearty.

Eventually, the organs finished grilling.

(Ahhh, that aroma is irresistible!)

I quickly popped a curled, pale piece into my mouth. The fat burst forth as I bit down, coating my tongue.

“Oh… so good! This grilled intestine is so goood!!”

It wasn’t exactly the same as what I used to eat, but it was even better!

(Ahh… the fat—it’s just unbelievably good! The heart also has a delightful crunch to it! And the liver, just salted—freshness really makes all the difference! Beer. I need beer! Please. Someone. Beer! … Ahem. Pardon me—just a cry from the depths of my soul.)

This went to show how good these organs were.

Well, I was also only fourteen, so drinking was off-limits. But someday, when I was old enough, I was definitely having a beer with this. I’d heard the legal drinking age here was twenty—talk about a proper law-abiding country.

Still, I already knew that beer existed in this world. Papa Howard didn’t drink it much—he preferred malt whiskey and often sipped it by himself. Maybe someday I would get to share a drink with him.

At some point, I’d devoured all the organs I had prepared. I still had soup left for tomorrow’s breakfast.

After washing up and putting things away, I decided to get ready for bed. I’d gotten up early this morning, and staying up late in the middle of the forest didn’t seem wise.

(Well… last time I camped out, I mostly… spent my time… doing… certain things… And, well… tonight will probably be the same… Yup, nothing else to do, so… might as well slip into the tent early…)

I tidied up, tossed a chunk of Demonic Beast-repelling aromatic wood into the hearth, and went inside. The smoke from that wood could keep weak Demonic Beasts—like the ones that usually stayed in the Safe Zone—away for the night. One piece of the wood was enough to make the camp safe until morning.

Inside the tent, I removed my gear, stripped down to my undergarments, and crawled into my sleeping bag. A blanket would’ve been nicer, but it was too bulky. Since it was only a week-long trip, I’d gone with the compact sleeping bag instead, and it was still plenty warm.

The nights in the forest were long, and I’d be spending the whole week like this, so I intended to enjoy it.

Ah, but I needed to watch my voice! I’d gotten used to thinking it was fine to be loud in the forest, which is why I usually did it, but I had to be careful now! If Aria and the others noticed, that would be bad.

(Oh yeah! After I wake up tomorrow morning… I’ll head down to the ravine for a bath… mm…)

***

“Having a stream nearby is so convenient! Being able to wash up right after waking is a lifesaver. I got so dirty yesterday.”
“Guess I’ll wash my underwear too. Bathing in the open in the middle of the day feels so freeing—Huh?”
“…Huh?! What?! I feel eyes on me!!! No way—where?! From above?! … Ah—Millie?! Crap!! This is inside Aria’s camp’s line of sight, isn’t it?! She saw me?! She saw me, didn’t she?! Saw my butt?! Uuu… Millie… my butt…”