Volume 1 Chapter 13 The Great Hawk Operation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Mr. Zenom’s blacksmith has a courtyard surrounded by a U-shaped building──roughly twice the size of the classroom. The air smells faintly of iron and coal from the nearby forge, mingling with the earthy scent of freshly cut wood. The cobblestones beneath my feet crunch as I step across the space, the warmth of the forge seeping into the cool morning air.
You can drag in cargo wagons to load and unload, and if you close the gate, no one can peek in from outside. It’s a pretty handy multi-purpose space, and there’s always a hum of activity, whether it’s hammering metal or testing new weapons.
Usually, we use it for testing bows or trying out swords, but sometimes we do dangerous work indoors that can’t be done elsewhere. On days like today, the courtyard feels even more alive, as I hang the quail bodies under the eaves, a strange but familiar ritual now.
Recently, strange objects have started hanging under the eaves of this courtyard. Hanging on the string are bodies of headless birds about the size of a turkey. The sight is unsettling to anyone who isn’t used to it.
It’s the dead body of a naked brown quail with its feathers plucked, and of course, I’m the one who hung it there. The first time I did it, Mr. Zenom scowled at the sight, his face a mixture of disgust and curiosity. But after tasting the smoked gizzards and ham-like salted meat, his expression softened, and he became a silent supporter of my odd hobby.
Starting with one body, the number has steadily grown, and now about three bodies normally hang there. The courtyard, with its earthy, metallic charm, now also carries the scent of meat curing in the air.
Mr. Zenom didn’t like the hanging quails at first, but after realizing how good smoked gizzards and ham-like salted meat are with sake, he’s quietly accepted it.
Recently, I decided not to sell the quails I hunt in quests to the guild or butchers. Something about the whole transaction left a bitter taste in my mouth.
The quails I bought from me for around 400 gold are being resold by Mr. Chaa at nearly 10,000 gold to a butcher in the neighboring town. If you call it business, okay, but I don’t like feeling exploited.
I checked the neighboring town’s butcher too, and he said the buy price for quails from me is still about 400 gold. Apparently, the merchant guild has a set standard for this. I grit my teeth, thinking of the difference. It’s hard not to feel like I’ve been taken advantage of, especially since I do all the work myself.
Maybe I should try to skin and butcher them myself, so I secretly watched the butcher at work. The young man was clumsy with his movements, his brow furrowed as he worked, while I crouched behind a stack of crates, cloaked in Stealth to avoid detection. Watching him gave me a sense of superiority, but also curiosity. How could someone mess up something so simple?
To sum it up, with my high Dexterity, it wasn’t that hard to do. The combined effects of Hunting, Crafting, Cooking, and Lifestyle skills probably helped a lot. I was starting to see the fruits of my training in the sharp, confident way I handled the birds.
Mr. Zenom also said he used to fell prey during his adventurer days, and he taught me some tricks. I remember one lesson well: “Always take the time to do it right. Rushing leads to wasted meat.” He even showed me how to summon a High Slime to clean up after butchering.
* * *
Now, about today’s catch──I’ve already bled the bird right after killing it. The warm blood trickles down the side of the bird, pooling on the cobblestones. My hands are steady, practiced in this grisly task.
My disassembly work starts with securing feathers that can be used for arrows. The feathers shimmer in the light, iridescent and sleek. Good feathers without distortion are rare, and you can only get about ten from one bird. They can be sold for a high price even as feathers, and they are also materials for making arrows. I carefully pluck them, mindful not to damage them.
Next, I pluck the feathers. The young worker at the butcher shop was struggling, but for me, it’s a delicious task. (I’ve gotten better at this than I ever thought I would.) Thanks to this work, I gained sewing skills from Crafting and tailoring skills from Life Skills.
Just by skillfully plucking the feathers, I keep gaining experience in artisan skills. With my dexterity at 18, I’m in a state of invincibility right now, each movement smooth and precise.
After plucking the feathers, I remove the organs. The butcher left them in to age, but I only take out the gizzard, liver, and heart, throwing away the rest. It’s a waste, but it’s better not to eat organs I don’t know how to cook.
At this time, my high slime summon is a big help. The green, gooey high slime looks a bit strange, but it absorbs unwanted garbage and keeps purifying it. I watch as it slurps up the discarded parts, the slime’s tendrils reaching for each scrap.
A high slime is handy to have in every household, but it’s said to be a servant of the God of Purification, Keras, and is actually quite a noble being. Ordinary humans can’t summon it, it seems. I didn’t realize it at first, but I suppose my connection with the earth spirits allows me this strange privilege.
Since I’m a disciple of the earth spirit dwarf, it seems I can summon it as an exception. I was surprised to find out I had become a spirit vessel without even knowing it.
I hang the disemboweled body for a few days to age it. Conveniently, flies are also under the God of Purification’s control, so if I have the high slime set up a barrier, they won’t come near. There’s a theory that meat with maggots is delicious, but I don’t want to adventure that far. (I’m not that adventurous, after all.)
After hanging today’s catch under the eaves, I take down a quail that has aged nicely and start to prepare it.
I’ve gotten quite used to the task of removing the meat. I feel a strange sense of pride in the efficiency of my work now, a skill honed over time. Thanks to that, I gained disassembly skills from Hunting and cooking skills from Life Skills.
My cooking skill is also gaining experience. I think cooking skills are mainly for home cooking, while culinary skills are for professional chefs, right? Both are similar skills, but since the supportive effects stack, it feels pretty good.
Bones make good soup, but I always end up with leftovers, so I give them to High Slime. Throwing away usable parts feels wasteful, but apparently it’s seen as offering to the gods, so I get some praise for it.
Still, I want to use everything without waste someday. If I think carefully, I can probably cook with blood too. (Maybe that’s a bit too much… but it’s worth considering.) I want to find time eventually to come up with new recipes.
When I finish disassembling, Mr. Zenom comes and starts putting his favorite parts into the smoker. He’s a man of few words, but when it comes to smoking meat, his hands move with expert precision. I pulled out an old smoker that was gathering dust in the corner of the kitchen, but Mr. Zenom, who got hooked on smoking, built a big, really fancy one. His craftsmanship always surprises me.
I leave the smoking to Mr. Zenom and start making pickles. Marinating with honey and herbs is a sneaky little trick; chicken ham is so delicious. (I sometimes think I enjoy the cooking process more than the eating.)
After the work is done, I have High Slime purify the area and then send me back. I hear it can also purify my body dirt, but I’m a bit scared of getting covered in slime, so I hold back. (Maybe next time.)
Time for a water bath in the bathhouse. I’ll use the water carefully, since I’m the one drawing it up. It’s a chore, but it feels almost meditative.
It’s summer now, so a water bath is fine, but I want a hot bath in winter. Filling a bathtub with hot water is kind of a luxury for commoners, but maybe I can do it for free using the waste heat from the forge.
It’s been about two months since I came to this world, but I’ve realized I’m no longer chubby. My abs are showing and my arms have gotten pretty thick. I don’t like being super muscular, but I’m happy my strength has improved.
Even with low ability stats, you can get stronger with training. It’s strange to see how much I’ve changed, not just physically but in the way I approach things now.
* * *
Lately, I’ve been hunting a brown quail every day, but neither Mr. Zenom nor I can eat a whole turkey-sized bird by ourselves, so I end up with lots of leftover salt-pickled and smoked meat. The excess meat piles up, and the thought of wasting it nags at me.
Bread is cheap here, but meat is very expensive. Many villagers will probably never taste expensive quail meat.
It seems it’s not good if I sell meat directly to the villagers. They say I need to go through Mr. Chaa the butcher, or the Merchant Guild will get mad. But I found a secret path.
Sharing. It’s a warm tradition of giving part of what you got to close friends. The merchant guild can’t complain about acts without profit.
What do I gain from sharing for free?
I became the most popular person in the village. Every time I walk through the village, I’m greeted with smiles and waves. It’s a good feeling, though sometimes I can’t help but wonder if I’ve started to be known more for my meat than for anything else.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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