Isekai Nonbiri Sozai Saishu Seikatsu - Chapter 196

After arranging the dishes, we eagerly sat down again.

“I’ll prepare the drinks.”

Franryule said, pulling a barrel of fizzy water from her magic bag.

I watched, expecting her to pour it into glasses. Instead, she opened the barrel and firmly squeezed a round, rainbow-colored fruit.

As a single drop of juice fell, the previously odorless fizzy water began to emit a fruity aroma.

“I see! Adding concentrated fruit juice makes it fruity!”

“Correct! Even plain water becomes quite delicious with it, so it should work well with fizzy water!”

She handed me a glass of fizzy water with a smile.

The color hadn’t changed much, but the aroma was completely different.

“Well then, let’s eat.”

We clinked glasses and drank the fizzy water.

A fruity aroma spread through my mouth.

It was like a mix of various fruit juices flooding in.

It felt slightly sweet at first, but the mild carbonation that followed washed away the sweetness beautifully.

“Mmm, delicious!”

“The refreshing feel of the fizzy water and the sweetness of the fruit is perfect!”

It was truly a refreshing drink, easy to drink without any weird sweetness.

This wouldn’t interfere with the meal at all.

“Well then, let’s start with the pork rose while it’s still warm.”

The pork rose was plated beautifully. Though it had been torn apart, Franryule had arranged it to resemble a rose, making it visually appealing.

I hesitated to ruin it, but my appetite won out.

I gently cut a piece with a knife and brought it to my mouth with a fork.

As the savory pork fat melted in my mouth, the aroma of the crushed spicy berries spread instantly.

“Delicious!”

“The olive oil enhances the flavor beautifully.”

Perhaps because it combined plant-based fat with plant-based meat, the pairing was excellent.

I’m not an expert in cooking, so I can’t say for sure, but I’ll ask Bandel-san when we get back to Grantel.

“The meat has no unpleasant odor at all.”

“Being plant-based, it lacks the off-flavors of wild meat and is healthier. It’s also less likely to cause weight gain than regular meat, making it effective for dieting.”

“That should make it very popular with women!”

“…Yes, exactly. It became so popular that it was almost over-harvested to extinction in the areas where it originally grew.”

I understood why the pork rose was being protected here.

With such taste, texture, and low calories, it was like a dream ingredient.

If something like that grew in the wild, it’s no wonder it would be over-harvested.

I was thinking of taking some home as a souvenir, but now I’m a bit hesitant.

I thought about this while eating the side dish of branch mushrooms.

They had a very satisfying, crunchy texture, but the taste was distinctly mushroom.

The pork rose’s meat juices had been absorbed into them, making them truly delicious.

Though they looked entirely like branches, they were quite interesting in their own way.

After finishing the pork rose, I moved on to the deep-fried grass shrimp.

Cooking had turned them completely red.

Seeing this color, I could fully recognize them as shrimp.

I picked one up with my hand and popped it into my mouth.

As I bit into it, a pleasant crunch from the shell breaking resounded.

“Oh! It tastes just like regular shrimp!”

“The subtle saltiness matches perfectly and it’s delicious.”

The flavor was not particularly strong or distinctive, but it was very stable and satisfying.

Their hind legs were well-developed, so when fried, they became wonderfully crispy and tasty.

The spicy bark was also delicious as a crunchy snack.

Washing down the rich flavors in my mouth with some fizzy water, I then ate the edamame that Franryule had prepared.

Opening the boiled, softened pods, I found green beans inside.

They resembled regular edamame but looked different enough to be interesting.

The gentle sweetness of the beans matched perfectly with the saltiness.

“This makes me want to drink some sake.”

“I see.”

However, since we were still collecting ingredients, drinking sake was out of the question.

That pleasure would have to wait until after the task was completed.

After finishing the edamame, I picked up some dried vegetable flowers.

The lotus root, sweet potato, and cabbage, which I hadn’t tasted yet, were also delicious, with their sweetness concentrated.

Just one petal could provide the necessary daily vegetable nutrients, making it an excellent ingredient.

It would be invaluable on long journeys where securing sufficient nutrition is difficult.

“Finally, we have water pear for dessert!”

Though Franryule had become quite full and hadn’t touched much of the other dishes, she seemed to have room for dessert.

She lifted the water pear from the water.

“Wow! It’s so soft!”

It looked like a pear, but the surface was very soft.

Just lightly squeezing it caused my fingers to sink in and deform it.

It felt like lifting a soft water balloon.

“Water pear is very soft, so be careful not to crush it.”

Franryule cautioned and I hastily cradled it gently in my hands.

As I wondered how to eat it, I saw Franryule biting right into it.

Using a knife would surely cause it to burst, spilling the flesh and juice inside.

Imitating Franryule, I bit into it directly.

The soft, mushy flesh melted on my tongue, spreading the juicy pear flavor throughout my mouth.

“It’s so soft and juicy!”

“Fresh pears are truly incomparable!”

In admiration, Franryule rested her hand on her cheek, looking enchanted.

It had a unique softness unlike jelly or pudding.

True to its name, it was quite moist, yet the flavor was rich.

Indeed, you could eat as much of this even with a full stomach.

It was no wonder Franryule eagerly reached for a second one.

“I never imagined we could enjoy such lavish dishes in the sanctuary!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed them.”

It was a simple meal, but I was glad she seemed satisfied.

I sprawled out on the sheet.

Seeing me lying on my back, Franryule chuckled but then followed suit, lying on her back beside me.

“Shall we take a nap like this?”

“If there were no requests, I’d love to do just that.”

The air was clear and refreshing, and the weather was perfect.

Taking a nap here would be truly wonderful.

“Moooooooooo!”

As I leisurely entertained such thoughts, a roar completely out of place in the serene meadow echoed.

The deep, rumbling sound shook our insides, causing the animals nearby to flee and the birds perched in the trees to take flight.

“What’s that!?”

Startled by the roar, Franryule and I jumped up.

Looking ahead, we saw a large red-bodied bull.

It stood easily over six meters tall, with twisted horns protruding from its head.

“Weren’t we supposed to be safe from monsters here?”

“Indeed, they’re not supposed to come here, although they do in very rare occasions. I’ve had my mercenaries investigate for years, but occurrences like this happen maybe once or twice a year…”

“In other words, we’ve encountered that low probability.”

“I’m surprised too.”

Franryule seemed surprised to see the monster that had come to the meadow.

…It might be my fault after all.

Encountering monsters unexpectedly in places and times I’d rather not is just typical for me. This time was no different.

“But it’s not unlucky! That’s the Byron my father requested for collection!”

“Really!?”

【Byron – Danger Level B+】

A large monster with a distinctive twisted horn on its red body.

It hides overwhelming weight and destructive power, easily mowing down even large trees with its charge.

As its anger rises, its muscles harden, enhancing its strength.

Despite its red color, it has very tender flesh.

It has a unique sweetness and satisfying texture unlike regular beef.

Eating it will relieve your fatigue and temporarily improve your muscle strength.

As Franryule said, it is indeed the Byron that is on the list.

“Eh! Eating it boosts muscle strength!?”

“Yes, Byron meat enhances muscle strength for three days when consumed.”

Having seen various ingredients before, this might be the first time encountering something that increases physical abilities just by eating it. My heart leaps at the prospect of collecting this unknown ingredient.

“What if we defeat it?”

“It doesn’t matter! However, with each attack, the Byron gets angrier and strengthens its muscles. As a result, its meat becomes tougher and tougher.”

“Understood. I’ll finish it in one blow.”

I understood what Franryule meant.

To enjoy Byron meat deliciously, it’s best to take it down with one strike before it can raise its anger level.

“MoOOOOOOOO!”

The Byron roared at us and charged fiercely.

A direct hit would mean being impaled by its massive horn. Or even a glancing blow could send us flying due to its overwhelming mass.

However, strangely, I’m not afraid.

Part of it could be because I’ve dealt with more dangerous monsters before, but simple tests of strength are my specialty.

Since entering the protected area, most of the monsters encountered have either been neutralized or required restraint due to their rarity.

But if it’s okay to take them down without holding back, then I’ll unleash my magic without reservation.

“Blizzard!”

I infused all my magical power and activated intermediate-level ice magic.

A surge of cold emanated from the magic circle, instantly freezing the charging Byron.

The Byron, which had been approaching at great speed, was completely immobilized, turned into an ice statue.

“…Such incredible magical power. I never imagined Shuu-san would have this level of ability.” Franryule exclaimed, surprised, as she looked at the now motionless Byron.

The surroundings were frozen over in a wide area by the aftermath of my magic.

Here and there, ice crystals had formed, turning this place into a frozen wasteland.

Come to think of it, even during the time at Ladeo Volcano, I had to hold back against Volkanos, and it might have been the first time I unleashed magic without reservation in front of Franryule.

“I may not have fine control, but this kind of thing is my specialty,”

By taking down the Byron with a single blow before it could get angry, its meat wouldn’t harden.

“Isn’t it a bit of a scam to call this a B-rank?”

“I just want to gather ingredients to my heart’s content; I’m not particularly interested in raising ranks or combat power,”

Franryule’s cheeks twitched as she smiled and revealed her true feelings.