A Stable Food Supply – Part 04
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Translator: Kell
That night, all the villagers baked bread.
Ever since we ran out of flour and bread that we brought from Wenias as temporary provisions, the villagers had been living off the meat, fish, and vegetables that could be harvested in the vicinity of the village.
We had given up on bread for winter, since the wheat we planted in the fall wouldn’t be ready for harvest until next year, but once we saw the flour, no one could resist anymore.
There were two stone kilns in the village. One of them belonged to the tavern, while the other was in a dilapidated bakery. Naturally, the bakery’s oven was larger and could bake bread for thirty people at a time.
The bakery, which had been abandoned for a long time due to the lack of flour, was quickly repaired. The oven was cleaned and lit, and the villagers rushed to the baked bread with great joy.
To go along with the bread, I seared the fattiest part of the boar I had just hunted, and cut it up for all the villagers. Crushed bones could make for some delicious soup tomorrow.
I made stew using the best butter and fresh milk from the cows, and set it down on a long table in the square. The kids in the village went crazy.
I looked around at the festive villagers and noticed that the silver-haired woman was nowhere to be found. With a loaf of freshly-baked bread, a cut of meat, and a bowl of stew for two, I headed for the lake on the outskirts of the village.
The suspicious-looking building standing on the bank of the river was a Magic shop and Zero’s house.
“I’m coming in.”
I entered without knocking and found Zero waiting for me in a messy house, the only neat space being the table.
While it was called a Magic shop, it was basically a normal house with a section for visitors. Even the guests’ corner was turned into a writing desk, a dining table, or any other use, depending on Zero’s mood.
Tonight, the corner was going to be used as a dining table.
“You are late, Mercenary,” Zero said. “I was getting tired of waiting, and I am about to starve to death.”
“Then come on out to the village.”
“I wanted it all to myself.”
“The food?”
“You.”
“I see.”
I put the food on the table without making any fuss. She gave me a displeased look, which quickly turned bright as soon as she saw the food.
“Your responses have been less than amusing lately,” she said. “Do you not feel anything when I say I want you all to myself?” She was reaching for the bread in the basket.
I set a small barrel of wine on the table to block Zero’s hand.
“Oh,” she said. “Wine?”
“Yup.”
“Did you not decide sometime ago not to let me drink?”
“Because you bother others when you’re drunk. But it’s just you and me right now.”
I poured wine from the barrel into wooden cups and placed them in front of us. Sitting down, I raised my cup lightly.
“To your divinations,” I said.
“To your hunts.”
We then downed the contents of the cup in one gulp. The first liquor I’d had in a while sent my blood pumping. I shook my head a little.
“Whoa. That’s some strong wine.”
“You are weak, Mercenary. I can finish a whole barrel myself.”
“For the record, there won’t be any challenge. I know very well that you’re a monster who can empty a large barrel by yourself.”
“What a bore,” Zero said, happily pouring an additional cup of wine. She only took small sips this time. She dipped a whole piece of bread into the stew without cutting it up, then took a big bite. She licked off the stew around her mouth and shivered in ecstasy.
“I never realized how sweet bread is until now. I thought I could be content with just your stew, but bread tastes best with it. Also…” She reached for the boar meat. It had gone cold and was a little tough, but she grabbed it with her bare hands, shoved it into her mouth, chewed a little, and washed it down with some wine.
As I watched Zero slurping away, I too reached for the meat. I didn’t put a lot of salt, but the sweetness of the fat was irresistible.
“Hey, witch,” I said. “Did you know that the neighboring town’s pantry was being raided?”
“No. Was it being raided?” She looked puzzled. “Oh, so that is what it meant.”
“What do you mean?”
“Divination works by organizing vague information obtained from demons and spirits. In searching for the best prey, I saw the rage and sorrow of strangers. I had a feeling that if you went on the hunt, you would be able to dispel their negative emotions.”
“Only a feeling?”
“Who cares? Everything worked out perfectly. Once trade starts, our village can sell fresh meat to the neighboring villages during the winter. This is a huge first step.”
“I’m sure they can hunt themselves, so I doubt things will go that well.”
“Hmm, I see. I can use divination to learn about the troubles of the neighboring villages. If we can provide solutions to their problems…”
“Don’t be too hasty, witch.”
“Hmm?”
“We’ll take it slow. Think about it. The people they find suspicious appear whenever they’re in trouble, solve their problem, then leave after receiving payment. It’s just downright creepy.”
Zero stared at the air, wearing a thoughtful look. “Like a witch. I might get burned at the stake eventually.” She nodded.
You could be helping others out of the goodness of your own heart, but if the same person kept solving problems, people might think that you were the one causing problems in the first place.
We just have to wait until they ask for our help.
“It is best to keep a distant relationship with other villages,” Zero said.
“Exactly. Like us.”
“In our case, we are too close.”
Chuckling, Zero wiped the remaining stew off the plate with a piece of bread.
“Well, I guess I’d better…”
I was about to stand up when Zero’s leg quickly stretched out and poked me in the knee, causing me to sit back down in my chair.
“What?” I said.
“I thought it would be cold tonight.”
“…What?”
“You are not going to leave me here alone on this cold night, are you?”
I sighed. “I was gonna say I’m gonna prepare the bed.”
“Hm… I-I see. I see.” She sounded unusually awkward.
I gathered up the used dishes and put them away in the kitchen, which was occupied by a number of shady-looking items.
I’ll take them to the tavern tomorrow and wash them.
I headed upstairs to the bedroom, where Zero was waiting for me.
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