Isekai Nonbiri Sozai Saishu Seikatsu - Chapter 172

By the time the exchange of eyeballs and items was completed, the sky had become completely dark.

However, around us, campfires were lit, illuminating the surroundings brightly.

The head of the Geinos, mounted on a pedestal, was illuminated, emitting an eerie atmosphere.

Returning to the dismantling site, the Geinos had been completely dismantled and separated into different materials.

The meat was handed over to the women to be used for cooking, while the skin and fangs were neatly washed.

“Shuu-san, we’ve got the materials cleanly!”

Running over, Lumia’s hands held folded Geinos skin and fangs, as well as venom sacs stored in a case.

“Could it be that you were also involved in dismantling, Lumia-san?”

“Yes, this was my first time dismantling such a large monster, and it was very enjoyable!”

She had a slightly sweaty forehead, with an expression as if she had completed her task. It seemed that Lumia had actively participated in the dismantling work.

She seemed sturdy despite her appearance.

Rather than helping with cooking, it seemed more like Lumia to assist with dismantling.

“Both of you, gather over here soon, the feast is about to begin.”

After storing the materials in the magic bag, we were called by Leilushka and moved to the center of the square.

It seemed that the feast would be held outside, with us seated on richly decorated carpets.

Wood was stacked and lit on fire, blazing like a campfire.

One by one, carpets were laid out, and freshly cooked dishes were brought over.

Although there was a desire to help with the work, since we were also guests, we decided to wait quietly.

As we watched the square becoming lively, all the Dark Elves took their seats.

The sight of everyone lining up in a circle in the hall was quite spectacular.

Each cup was filled with wine that I had brought in barrels. It seemed they promptly provided juice for those who couldn’t drink alcohol, like children.

You could see the Dark Elves getting excited in front of dishes and drinks that they don’t usually encounter.

However, when the leader, Gail, cleared his throat loudly, the noise quickly died down.

“Now, let’s raise a toast to the subjugation of the Geinos infesting the marshlands and to the peace and prosperity it has brought to our village!”

“To peace and prosperity!”

“To peace and prosperity!”

With Leilushka’s clear voice leading the toast, we clinked our glasses together.

“To peace and prosperity!”

“To peace and prosperity!”

Lumia, Leilushka, Gail, and I clinked our glasses and then took a sip.

After the toast, I glanced at the array of dishes.

There were dishes like fish meunière and a stew that seemed to use Geinos meat.

There was also a salad with swamp shrimp and agar, as well as lotus roots fried in tempura batter.

The ones wrapped in batter were probably deep-fried swamp shrimp.

Leilushka must have prepared and cooked the dishes promptly.

However, I couldn’t figure out what the large, chunky fried food next to it was.

“What’s that next to the marsh shrimp tempura?”

Lumia asked, apparently sharing the same question as me.

“Oh, thats fried swamp toad.”

“I see, toads.”

“They’re delicious without any poison, unlike poisonous swamp toads.”

In this world, toads are also valuable food.

Due to the existence of monsters like giant toads, toad meat is popular among people as a food source.

It’s even sold as skewered meat at food stalls in Grantel, so neither Lumia nor I feel any aversion to it.

“Oh, this is delicious!”

“It’s juicier than the giant frog you eat in Grantel.”

Piercing it with a fork and taking a bite, it was incredibly juicy, almost like chicken thigh meat.

It tasted so good that it wouldn’t feel out of place being served as fried chicken.

“That’s good. Thanks to Shuu’s guidance on this ‘tempura’ thing, it tastes even better than usual. Look at how happy everyone is.”

Looking around as instructed by Leilushka, I saw many Dark Elves surprised as they tasted the swamp toad tempura.

Discovering a new taste must feel fresh to them, accustomed as they are to their usual diet.

“It’s good to see them enjoying it.”

“However, it’s still difficult to get the batter and the cooking just right. It’s hard to make the outside crispy and the inside juicy, like Shuu’s marsh shrimp tempura.”

“You’ll have to gain experience while adjusting the oil temperature. Also, trying frying at a lower temperature first and then raising the temperature for a second fry might help.”

“I see! That might create that kind of texture!”

Leilushka exclaimed, quickly jotting down notes on the memo paper she had obtained.

It seems like they’ve taken a liking to the tempura.

After eating the swamp toad tempura, they tasted the marsh shrimp salad.

The salt-boiled marsh shrimp was naturally delicious.

The seaweed-like substance was slippery and had a faint acidity to its taste.

“What is this seaweed-like thing?”

“That’s called swamp grass. It has a unique texture with a bit of stickiness and acidity. Well, it’s like edible grass commonly found around here.”

【Swamp Grass】

A type of grass that grows in humid swamps.

It’s covered in slimy mucilage, with a crunchy texture being its distinctive feature.

The mucilage is highly nutritious and has a beautifying effect on the skin.

“It seems to have a beautifying effect.”

“Really!?”

Casually murmuring the appraisal results, Leilushka asked with interest.

The Dark Elf women who happened to overhear the conversation also directed serious looks our way.

“Yes, it’s information from the appraisal…”

“I see. Until now, I thought of it as just a side dish, but it seems like I need to change my perception of it.”

“I-is that so?”

The eyes of the women, including Leilushka, gleamed suspiciously.

Even though they lived on the frontier, it seemed they had a high appreciation for beauty.

“Come to think of it, everyone here has such beautiful skin, don’t they? Maybe it’s because they frequently eat swamp grass.”

Amidst such conversations, Lumina pondered leisurely.

It felt like there was more attention to the ingredients than to beauty.

“Speaking of which, Lumina-san, your skin is beautiful too. Is there anything you do regularly to take care of it?”

“I apply potions to my skin.”

“Potions!?”

“Yes. They help maintain moisture and skin condition, and they’re effective for minor skin issues too.”

“I-I didn’t know that. That potions could be used like that…”

“Same here.”

I hadn’t known potions could be used in such a way.

No wonder Lumina and Saffy had such beautiful skin.

If I were to tell the women in Grantel, starting with Rabis, about this, potions would probably sell like hotcakes.

Even the Eld’s mud pack caused such a stir. It’s regrettable for everyone, but it’s best not to spread it too widely.

With such thoughts in mind, I nibbled on the fried lotus root.

The lotus root, fried to a crisp, is incredibly delicious. It’s coated in a sweet and savory sauce that makes it hard to stop eating once you start.

However, it feels different from the lotus root I usually eat.

【Marsh Lotus Root】

Lotus root grown in the depths of the marshland.

It has a stronger umami and sweetness compared to regular lotus root.

Its lotus root grown in the marshlands around here.

This lotus root, grown in such a fertile marsh teeming with life, has richer a flavor and sweetness compared to normal ones. It’s understandable.

“Now that we’ve finished with everything, let’s move on to the main dish.”

Leilushka says, ladling soup from a large pot.

In it, there’s a stew made with Geinos meat, leeks, mushrooms, and more.

It’s the main Geinos dish for today.

As I receive the filled bowl, I notice chunks of Geinos meat floating in it.

Although it doesn’t look particularly appetizing, I’ve confirmed it’s edible through appraisal.

As someone who loves to taste the flavors of unknown ingredients, I lift the spoon without hesitation.

The Geinos meat sits on my tongue along with the light soup. When I bite into it, the meat easily tears apart, reminiscent of chicken breast.

“Mm, it’s delicious.”

“The broth seeping from the meat is very nice.”

It was a light yet flavorful soup, reminiscent of chicken broth. It paired perfectly with the herbs and tasted delicious as usual.

Normally, snake meat tends to have many small bones, but thankfully, Geinos meat seems to lack them, making it easy to eat.

Since the meat hardly shrank from cooking, the satisfaction was also substantial.

“The leeks and mushrooms in it also taste good, don’t they?”

“Despite their fierce appearance and abilities, they have a gentle taste.”

“Indeed.”

Lumia chuckles at my impression.

This time, we prioritized gathering poisonous materials, so we couldn’t collect edible ingredients like this much.

Next time we come, I’d like to take the time to gather materials other than poisonous ones.

The Dark Elves’ feast continued until late at night, with the campfire flickering and illuminating the sky.