Volume 6 Chapter 86 The Last Supper
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The day had been packed with a bunch of stuff, but I managed to get back to the abandoned ship before the sun dipped below the horizon. As I crossed the river under the crimson glow of the setting sun, a late-summer breeze whispered through the air.
Such a nice season, easy to spend time in. Soon enough, the cold of winter would creep in.
Is there some way to help those who lost their homes? I wondered. I could probably take care of about ten people without much trouble. A hundred? Maybe if they pitched in with work. A thousand… well, considering this place is pretty much depopulated, there probably aren’t that many residents combined.
But if I forced them to move? That’d just spark war. Maybe I should just go to war then? A king who can’t properly support disaster victims can hardly complain when that’s the excuse someone uses to attack him. That’s how things usually go in this world. But if I start that, it’s just pumping the fire for a bigger fight.
Whether or not I worry about it, I’m still alive—and alive means hungry. Meals are both a blessing and a trial. Heaven or hell, it depends all on the cook’s skill. When it comes to cooking, I feel pretty much omnipotent.
For everyone who’s been working hard, I think I’ll treat them tonight.
Inside the magic bag, I had mountains of my home-cooked dishes packed away. I’d made them by renting out a cooking school’s kitchen. Earth’s cooking tools are seriously handy—the gas stove, especially. Those commercial ones that let you control the fire’s full power? Nothing beats that satisfaction.
Let’s see… tonight, beef stroganoff. I pulled out the commercial-sized pot. It’s big enough for fifty servings, but I wonder if that’ll be enough for this crowd.
Ms. Claire and El eat like there’s no tomorrow. And Tizzy, hitting a growth spurt, eats a ton too. Ms. Nina’s related to Tizzy somehow, still a mystery, but she casually downed three convenience store rice balls earlier, so I doubt she’s a light eater.
Antfolk can go long stretches without food, but their magical-bag-like organ lets them stockpile, so when they do eat, they really eat.
Advanced spirits don’t need food, but if they want it, they can chow down endlessly.
Maybe I should pull out another pot just in case. I’ll decide while watching. Frapatica looks like she’d eat forever if she wanted. I wonder if she actually digests it, though…
I heaved the steaming pot of beef stroganoff onto the side table with a grunt. The sturdy walnut furniture creaked under the weight. Including the pot itself, it weighed more than Ms. Shirakaba. A cook needs muscle to survive. Carrying me is easy now; carrying El might be a bit much.
”Wow, what a splendid pot~desuwa,” Tizzy praised, eyes wide.
Huh? That’s what caught her attention?
The stockpot is pretty handy, so I bought it straight from the manufacturer. At first, the president wasn’t keen on selling directly, but when Bro Jirou flashed a stack of cash, he happily sold all their factory stock. That’s how I snagged this pot for less than wholesale price. The ingredients inside cost way more. By this world’s standards, it’s almost a fairy tale—metal’s worth is sky-high, even though there’s tons of ore underground.
”This white porcelain deep plate is also wonderful~desuwa.”
Those plates? They’re from a 100-yen shop. Did Ms. Shirakaba notice? Her face barely twitched.
Since I bought them wholesale, they cost even less than a hundred yen. Disposable, sure—but you can wash and reuse them if you want. Plain and simple design, but handmade ceramics in this world are a big deal. These wouldn’t embarrass a noble’s table.
I have fancier ceramics stashed away for gifts, but these might make good souvenirs for the hungry Baron. Especially since Ms. Nina’s praising them so much. In this world, that’s no small compliment.
”That’s curry, right? Watching everyone enjoy it looks so delicious, I feel envious,” Ms. Nina said.
Nope, not curry. It looks similar, but the smell’s totally different.
”Oh, I’ve eaten it loads of times already. ‘Beef’ is the Japanese word for cow meat~desuwa,” Tizzy said, nervously trying to act confident. He was scared at first and couldn’t really eat curry, but now he’s trying to play it cool.
”Then it’s beef curry, huh? So what does stroganoff mean?” Ms. Nina asked, sounding like a noble girl chatting over tea.
It’s a silly conversation, but I kinda like these moments. I’m glad Ms. Nina’s still alive.
”Tizzy, beef stroganoff isn’t curry. It’s more like beef stew. Huh? Is it different from beef stew, Amada? How does that work?”
Ms. Shirakaba doesn’t seem very knowledgeable about cooking. Blowing Snow’s better at it.
I heard beef stroganoff’s a standard dish in basic cooking classes. I got involved with a cooking school once, learned a few recipes, but the teachers were mean-spirited and only taught basics.
”Simply put, if you add sour cream at the end of beef stew, it turns into beef stroganoff.”
Not a lie.
”What’s sour cream?”
”If you don’t have that, plain yogurt works. The kind that’s just about to spoil and goes sour is good.”
”Ah, I see. If you mix yogurt into hayashi rice, it might taste similar.”
Huh. Hayashi-yogurt doesn’t sound half bad.
Beef stew dishes can get greasy and heavy, but adding sour fermented dairy at the end lightens the aftertaste.
Demiglace sauce in hayashi rice is also tough on the stomach. I added a ton of tomatoes to balance it, but tomatoes won’t grow in this world’s wall barley-contaminated lands.
Milk’s a luxury here, but not impossible to get.
Looks like everyone’s loving the beef stroganoff. El and Frapatica are devouring it like beasts. When they eat happily, it’s the best reward for a cook.
Ms. Nina and Tizzy eat elegantly, as expected of a princess. Their manners are flawless—but they eat like athletes.
”I see. The tartness of the dairy lightly cuts through the richness of the beef fat.”
”On Earth, I guess raising livestock is super cheap? A world where commoners can eat dishes kings and nobles used to enjoy? That sounds like an ideal place.”
Japan’s food culture is truly blessed—though most stuff is imported. Because of that, I had to get a passport and be dragged around overseas.
Since I buy meat and cheese wholesale, I’m set for a while. But if I start handing out food to disaster victims, supplies might run out fast.
”Nope, this world’s unbeatable wall barley always has something to say.”
”Did this year’s wall barley harvest go well?”
”Oh, it was wild. We packed so much it couldn’t fit in warehouses. Filled empty houses, breweries running full tilt. Maybe we should keep cats in warehouses. Great pest control, plus I love cats.”
”That’s risky. If mice get worse, diseases could break out. Might even attract flying whales.”
Ms. Shirakaba’s basically an animal lover. She’s got farm trauma but doesn’t hate cows.
”Can we get some cats?”
”Ms. Shea has a few at the castle. Not enough, so foxes and weasels from the forest help out. Amada’s got quite the menagerie, huh? Or is this fantasy?”
We need to promote foxes as divine messengers so people don’t hurt them.
Building a shrine to honor foxes would be great. I should tell Mr. Donovan. Maybe get advice on the hearth memorial? Priorities are kinda all over the place.
Apparently, the Sabroa Dukedom has extra wall barley from over-harvesting. I was thinking of stashing it in my magic bag. Maybe I should go back alone once. Using the teleport gate and Hover Shield, a day trip’s possible, though it’d be rushed.
”Do you think you can save Lady Uno?” Exceneca asked, while Frapatica looked away.
”Lady Uno… looked okay. We made eye contact. She definitely saw us. She was kinda, a little, angry.”
She spotted us from kilometers away—dragons are scary like that. Frapatica’s something else.
Even with my best binoculars, I couldn’t see Uno’s expression clearly. I felt waves of anger. She was pouty. Does that mean she wants help fast?
”Since Uno can fly, why doesn’t she just escape?”
”Isn’t her dragon power sealed?”
”She was definitely angry. Probably thought only Lady Uno was being left out while we were having fun eating snacks.”
Frapatica’s theory was way off.
”Huh? That way? No way.”
I can’t say it’s impossible with Uno, though. Kinda like a self-made trap they’re falling into.
I was mad at the king who took Uno, but until I get the full story, I gotta avoid fights. Is the king the villain or the victim here?
”That binoculars thing is amazing~desuwa,” Ms. Nina said.
”I used to own a telescope, but this is next level.”
Ms. Nina and Tizzy get along well.
The binoculars I lent them are a bit pricey, made by a domestic manufacturer. My uncle said they’re better than what Yamamoto Isoroku used back in the day. Sounds impressive, but it’s really just a hundred years’ tech gap.
It’s low-tech—no batteries—but the optical glass and crafting precision have advanced.
The build is simple; good dwarf craftsmen could probably replicate it. Military-wise, it’d be a huge asset here.
I gave the dwarfs a batch of used ones my uncle found. They’ll break them quickly, so it’s a good trade.
Optical gear is cheap in the used market. They bought lots of useless stuff, but the dwarfs will be happy.
”Princess Auroora has that classic princess-general vibe. She’d probably look great with binoculars.”
Huh? Ms. Nina sounded weird. Maybe talking about Princess Auroora was a mistake? Uh oh.
”Amada lacks delicacy. I’ll teach you slowly later.”
Ms. Shirakaba laughed, but her eyes weren’t smiling.
A maiden’s heart is complicated. I thought I understood a bit, but nope, still clueless.
”I think that’s what makes it fresh and nice, but that’s just him,” Tizzy muttered.
She wasn’t bullying Ms. Nina, right? There’s a thin line between teasing and bullying. I worried.
Their relationships are a mess—complex, political. Adult stuff.
Yet they can be childish over sweets or anime. So hard to understand.
Negotiating with King Kauidor seemed tough, but making a girl smile? Way harder.
”Um, I have business in the royal capital tomorrow. How about everyone takes the day off and relaxes here?”
”I agree!”
”Can I stay up all night watching anime?”
I’m glad they agree, but wow, anime fans are all around. Good thing I didn’t show them my game console.
”Ah, I’m coming too. As bodyguard and guide.”
If Frapatica comes, it’s a hundred-person squad, but the Hover Shield is for one. The rubber boat is slow, so no day trips.
”It’s okay! I can fly, see, see?”
Frapatica shrank into a tiny flame fairy—Pii-Pii size.
Spirits can do anything. Knew that, but still cool.
”Can’t you help Uno in that form?”
”That tower’s impossible. It’s tied up by old agreements and stuff. It’s unraveling, but breaking it feels wrong. Lady Uno’s probably stuck too.”
Is the prison a precious cultural relic? I was ready to smash it without hesitation, but guess I’ll keep it in mind.
Once the day off was set, everyone gathered in Ms. Shirakaba’s room, making a ruckus.
Sometimes, you gotta let your guard down. Keeping tension all the time strains your mind and body.
There were a few people cheering, but honestly, they didn’t seem to really think about what was happening.
* * *
As I mapped out the shortest route to the teleportation gate in my head, my mind sharpened. Tonight, sleep probably wouldn’t come easy. If Frapatica could manage it, maybe we should leave now—she’s got crazy night vision, so traveling after dark wouldn’t be a problem.
To prep for whatever, I handed out three days’ worth of supplies to everyone—instant noodles, retort packs, canned goods, all the reliable preserved food that’s a godsend in situations like this.
I carefully explained El’s allergy to wall barley. Earth wheat flour was fine for her, so it must be that specific barley causing the problem.
Frapatica fired up the generator, charging all the batteries to full. As long as we didn’t overuse the air conditioning, we could probably last a few days.
”Okay, no forgetting anything,” I reminded myself.
Even this late at night, Ms. Nina was there to see us off. She watched everything I did. It was a small thing, but it made me really happy. Feeling shy, I jumped spiritedly onto the water’s surface.
With a smooth turn and Hover Shield activated, I glanced back. Ms. Nina waved her hand from the wreckage, looking like a beautiful girl from some fantasy movie scene—almost unreal.
”Really, it’s not about dexterity or anything,” Frapatica said, gripping my head in her tiny fairy form.
”I’m the most dexterous person in this world, you know,” I replied.
Earlier, while speeding across the river at night like some sports car, I got cursed by the ‘Curse of the Sky’. That caused me to fall hard, making a huge mess of myself. No injuries, thankfully, but my clothes got soaked. I’d been planning to meet with the cardinals, dressed in my best outfit—guess I should’ve changed before the event. Well, lesson learned.
”A goblin mage’s prank, huh? Should I just burn everything down?” I joked.
”Nah, you just got careless,” Frapatica said.
This was the frontier after all. Goblin—weak little pests—were probably suicidal trying to mess with humans. They were curious, hot-headed, cruel sometimes, but super fragile. The goblin mages could use magic, but only once before their magic power ran out. Ms. Shirakaba told me it’s better to ignore them and run if you get caught first.
So, that’s exactly what I did—ignored and ran.
Learning from mistakes, slowing down a bit, and actually using my stealth skills properly. I maxed out stealth a long time ago, so I got lazy. That’s dangerous. I wish I could unlock the limit, but maybe next time. Not now.
—
Within an hour, I was back in the town where I’d reunited with Ms. Nina and the others. It was a large town, but not a single light shone anywhere. Creepy, like a town of the dead.
Having met the lich known as the King of the Dead, nothing scared me anymore. Still, the gross feeling stuck.
Because finding the teleportation gate alone was tough, I brought Frapatica along. But the Fire Advanced Spirit turned out to be more of a burden than help. After being dragged in circles and eventually declared lost, dawn was already breaking.
The teleportation gate was hidden deep in a small dungeon on the town’s outskirts. No time to fight dungeon monsters, so I skipped all that.
Jumping into the gate, I followed the coordinates to the Sabroa Dukedom. Shea-Shea had just finished breakfast. It was supposed to be a heartfelt reunion—nope. Straight away, I got dragged to the warehouse for the job of storing wall barley.
”Huh? The king’s back, right? Yet everyone’s acting normal.” Mr. Raoh just glanced at me sideways, nodded lightly, and walked off.
Was I being treated too lightly? Had no one even noticed I disappeared? No way.
Mouse damage was bad, so I stuffed all the wall barley into my magic bag in one go. The mice, suddenly with no hiding place, scattered in confusion. One by one, they got hunted by creatures that looked like weasels. Maybe servants of the Beast God? There was even a pure white one—an ermine, maybe?
The magic bag is seriously convenient. Tons of barley vanished in an instant. Shea-Shea was exhausted beside me. Maintaining a grain warehouse was way harder than I thought. Sorry for dumping this all on you.
Before I knew it, it was noon. Oh no. But Mr. Donovan had already called the Cardinal for an appointment in secret. I hadn’t even explained anything yet. The man was way too capable.
Surprisingly, the Cardinal himself came to Sabroa Dukedom. Apparently, a new high-speed train carriage opened, and he often visited for the hot springs. Being an enemy, this place was safer than the Great Temple in the royal capital. By the way, the secret brothel’s staff worked as shrine maidens under Mr. Donovan.
For the audience, I borrowed the conference room of Keras Temple, still under construction. It wasn’t a delay, but new expansion work—believers were multiplying fast. God Keras was a major goddess, but also one of impurity, so not that popular. Thanks to Donovan’s effort, something incredible was happening.
They said there were at least ten conference rooms now—almost the same scale as the Great Temple in the royal capital. The priests there were struggling since the Holy Kingdom lost the war.
Thanks to Miss Floria’s success, we got the right to navigate the canal, and things were looking good—for now.
They prepared the best room for me. A huge wooden desk sat in the middle, made from a solid piece of precious wood—valuable in this world. Actually, they brought even better furniture, but this was still impressive.
The Cardinal barged in, knocking loudly.
”Hey, Saint. You’re the real deal, huh? Crossing the world’s walls three times—just luck, or are you truly an apostle of the gods?” he said, carrying a jug of alcohol, no attendants.
”In a place where no one’s watching, you’re just an old man,” I thought. Probably on purpose.
”No doubt the Saint is genuine. Until you finish the gods’ mission, nothing can take your life. Your safe return was written in the world’s fate from the start,” Donovan said, eyes shining.
I get his meaning, but if that logic’s true, I’m basically invincible—miraculously avoiding death no matter how many times I cross back to Earth.
”The alcohol here is great. I want to drink now, but if you have something important, tell me before I get drunk,” the Cardinal said, friendly like a buddy.
Still, I knew this man could kill me if he wanted.
”I heard a star’s going to fall in a certain place. I want to evacuate the people there, but it’s in another country, so options are limited. Worse, the king of that country…” I started.
”The king kidnapped the dragon Lady, Mrs. Uno? Divine punishment, Saint,” the Cardinal interrupted.
Even high-ranking priests don’t seem to fear gods much, at least in front of believers. His true colors showed now.
”Can you speak so lightly about oracles and divine punishment?” I snapped quietly.
He just chuckled, “Even saints become capable, huh?”
Trying to pry info. Can’t trust him.
”Stars falling—how does that connect with the kiln offering? Fire?”
”The star’s impact shakes the ground and blows fierce winds. Anyone trapped under rubble would fear fire most.”
”So you’re gathering fire spirits at the altar? And you know exactly when they fall?”
”I know the date and place. Damage scale is an estimate.”
”Good. Leave it to me. I’ll save every innocent soul. Fuhihihi.” He grinned, plotting to steal all the credit. Not that I minded.
”Don’t worry. Fuhihi, I’ll leave threatening that silly king to you, Saint.”
The Cardinal’s info pointed to King Kauidor. The guy’s trying to reclaim old territory using the dragon’s power. Born in a generation where dragon blood has thinned, he’s desperate to restore the royal family’s strength. Maybe he thinks he’s noble. The victims? Uno and neighboring countries—now all vassals of the Larse Empire. So, this might be an uprising.
He gave me a handkerchief with a scribbled map—his biggest territory.
”I know many in the Empire. I could introduce a good general. But what about ten barrels of Sabroa sake instead?”
Sabroa sake? I have my ideas… But dragging the Empire in means war.
”Hey Saint, life’s fun, huh? Fuhihi.” The Cardinal’s face was flushed.
Drinking straight spirits is dangerous if you’re not used to it. Dwarves don’t care, though.
”Alive means half fun, half pain, right?”
”What’s that? Saintly words? Many live with only pain. You’re too blessed. Fuhihi.”
Just a drunk fool. His saintly act and this drunk version? Total gap.
”Happiness depends on the heart. Rich doesn’t mean blessed, poor people praise life. Priests must guide hearts and turn everything good.”
Donovan’s still amazing—improvising deep lines like a pro.
”He’s important. An apostle with divine messages. I’m just a fighter. To gods, I’m a pebble on the road, no, worse—a filthy insect. Fuhihi.”
Self-deprecating when drunk? Alcohol’s dangerous. Gotta be careful selling it.
”This booze confuses hearts. That’s why the Great Temple controls it! Fuhaha.”
”Well, fine if I get paid. I’ll handle dwarves and local consumption.”
I just decided that—unilateral diplomacy. Shea-Shea will be mad.
Cardinal chats casually, then snatches big profits like wet-fish. Clever.
Anyway, turning our backs on the Great Temple ruins business. Having manufacturers sell is tough. Proper negotiations make it a decent deal.
The Great Temple’s help with disaster victims is huge—they have the power and know-how to help the weak. It’s a chance to boost their influence, so they cooperate. Still, that’s a burden off me.
I should plan for divine retaliation, too. Priests are experts, main shrine oversees them. Surely, they won’t anger the gods.
Then I’ll focus all strength on rescuing Uno. Looks like King Kauidor’s behind this.
Though it’s annoying Uno’s actually enjoying being a captive princess.
But maybe that makes strategy easier. As expected—and even more—I have to make sure Uno enjoys herself.
Notes:
• Ms. Claire – 22-year-old centaur attendant to Joa, with a chestnut horse body and wavy hair. Level 18 mounted archer. Recently enslaved, retains her own will. Her bow skills are sealed due to subservience. Bought by the protagonist as a companion, alongside Joa
• Ms. Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• Tizzy – Claims to be Duke’s daughter, a noble with advanced magic skills. MC and Ms. Shirakaba lover.
• Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• El – She is a giant woman, appeared as Saburou’s captor, living alone in a large tent, skilled in hunting and cooking, proposes marriage to Saburou.
• Frapatica – Advanced Fire Spirit, brown skin, fiery red hair, striking red leather bikini armor, youthful beneath a mature appearance, Edo-girl speaking style, kind, offers her name as a sign of trust
• Shirakaba – A paladin who seems to be a skilled fighter. He’s introduced as someone with a strong defense and healing abilities.
• Jirou – Male. Saburou’s other older brother. He is a shady businessman with a villainous look. He is more understanding of Saburou’s experiences in another world due to his exposure to light novels and anime. He is also tight-lipped, which makes him a good confidant for Saburou’s secrets.
• Donovan – Head Priest of the Great Temple. He has a newfound respect for the MC, referring to them as a ‘Saint.’ His actions suggest he is highly organized and influential within his organization.
• Exceneca – Lady Uno’s butler girl
• Kauidor – A kingdom, appeared as the main culprit, a target for rescue. A nation with a dragon-blooded royal line, seeking to marry Uno, a potential threat.
• Shea-Shea – Mauro’s daughter. Hurt by Alexander. Became an eager fiancée after advice from protagonist.
• Raoh – Pakkyamara. An infamous, scheming, but somewhat incompetent senior adventurer known for meddling with hero summoning rituals; often gets beaten up as a result. The one who want japanese food.
• Keras – God of Purification in this world. While not directly involved in the narrative, Keras is referenced through the High Slime, a noble being that serves as a servant of the god. The High Slime is summoned by the protagonist due to their connection with the earth spirits and their status as a spirit vessel. A figure who purified the cursed old Toyata Village, making it a viable relocation site.
• Holy Kingdom – Located on the east of the continent.
• Miss Floria – Elegant, silver-haired noblewoman in her 40s, referred to as an ‘older sister’. Judge of the Supreme Court and Baroness. Former tutor of Princess Auroora. Initially stern but warms up, showing a playful side. Close with Ms. Nina (Princess Auroora’s doll copy), treating her like a sister. Trustworthy and explains legal matters clearly.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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