NOVEL WEB
Chapter 83.4 - The First Year at the Academy - Fierce Warriors (4)
We returned to the entrance of the forest, suspending the goat from a sturdy tree branch.
Although we could have started the butchering process right there, there was a risk of interference since we had ventured a little deeper into the forest. Besides, the first time is bound to take longer.
I propped the goat against a thick tree and began explaining the butchering process.
Ted had mentioned that they sometimes butchered livestock in his village, but he had no experience since he abandoned the village at a young age. The others didn't even need to touch the goat.
"First, let me make it clear. The goal of adventurers is to obtain valuable materials for money. As much as it pains me to say this, bulky meat is often abandoned. For monsters, it's the magic stones, and for animals, the fur and horns become important sources of income. Especially magic stones, they're valuable. Unless in dire circumstances, make sure to collect them. Now, let's begin. We'll start with bleeding."
As soon as I plunged the knife into the goat's neck, its blood gushed out.
Lola immediately stepped back, but the others watched intently.
After bleeding and removing the internal organs, I showed them the skinned part and left the rest to them.
Even if it ends up full of holes and becomes worthless, it's still a valuable experience.
In the meantime, I gathered the internal organs and washed them with [Pure Water].
Since the town was nearby, I planned to bring them back this time.
Nelio had said, everything is edible. But I decided to discard parts that seemed difficult to handle or required complicated preparations.
After a while, we had tattered fur and meat covered in cuts.
Since it was too heavy as it was, I divided it into the torso and legs.
Ted and Jemma took care of the torso, while Nails, Elliot, and I took care of the legs. I didn't intend to lend my strength, but I couldn't leave it to Lola to carry. She'd probably collapse.
We arrived home when the sun was beginning to turn red.
Noticing our voices, Lily appeared from the backyard. She seemed to know our plans and had been waiting for our return.
Since she looked cold, I invited her inside and immediately lit the fireplace.
As soon as we set our luggage down, everyone slumped onto the table.
I prepared some tea and left it there before them.
"Good work, everyone. We've obtained a sufficient amount of materials. With this, our first request is complete. Since we managed to bring down a goat, why not use it as practice for outdoor cooking and make dinner?"
"Oh, meat dishes!"
Ted and the three were overjoyed, and Elliott, Lola, and Lily also agreed with smiles on their faces.
And so, we decided to cook the meat, but the problem was that none of us had any experience in cooking it.
Ted's siblings and Gemma were barely making ends meet for the day, Nails' mother was responsible for cooking, and Lola and Elliott had their mothers or household staff cooking for them. As for myself, I relied on pre-made meals or eating out, so I wasn't skilled in cooking.
Well, we'll figure it out somehow.
We have some Regill mushrooms as well. I asked Ted and Gemma to cut the meat and organs. Nails and Elliott were preparing the vegetables and marinating the meat. Lola, Lily, and I took care of the preparations and cooking.
But as we started, the two girls couldn't be more different in their approach.
Lily proceeded cautiously, while Lola was more casual.
She tried to dump a handful of salt into the pot, but Lily blocked her.
It didn't seem like Lola had learned much about alchemy.
Her reasoning was, "Since everyone is tired, I thought a strong salty taste would be good."
It was an eye-opener to see someone like her creating a potential disaster in the kitchen.
I asked Lola to take care of the cleanup.
Despite this little incident, the cooking was completed, and we enjoyed it with some store-bought bread.
The hungry children gathered around.
Ted and Gemma went for the grilled goat skewers, while Lola and Elliott, who weren't hungry children, reached for the soup.
I choose the goat offal and Regill mushroom soup. I could already imagine the flavors, and I wanted to savor the delicate taste with my first bite.
"Well, we have quite a bit of meat left over. Should we grill it? Maybe as a souvenir?"
Ted and Gemma did a high-five with skewers in their hands.
While smiling at the two of them, Nails and Lola also expressed their gratitude. Nails had his mother waiting nearby, and Lola probably wanted to show the results of our mission to her parents.
"I hope it lasts longer anyway."
Ted blurted out as he tucked into his goat meat.
That's true. No matter how much he roasted it, there was still more than half of the goat meat left. Usually, goats have less meat than cows or boars, but the Holubar breed had quite a bit, partly because of their large size.
"Well, if we want it to last longer, we could make jerky…"
"That's it!"
Elliott exclaimed, and Ted jumped in on it.
"And then, Lola followed up, saying, "How about smoking it? We have a supplier for that."
"Oh, smoking!"
Ted's palm spun around excitedly.
But I restrained him.
"Hold on a second. Smoking is the work of specialists. There will be processing costs involved."
"Since it's already processed, it shouldn't be much of a hassle. The profits from selling the materials will be more than enough. Besides, if we moderate the aging, it will be ready by the end of the year."
"Ah, I see. The end of the year."
I remembered as prompted by Lola's words.
In this world, it is common to celebrate the New Year with family.
Even before coming to Selene, I used to welcome the end of the year and the new year with my fathers in Reedwald.
I see, so that's why Ted was talking about preservation.
When I glanced in their direction, Ted and Gemma were stealing glances at me.
Well, they seem eager to come.
"How about celebrating the New Year together?"
"Is that okay!?"
"I don't mind. I'd be alone otherwise. I can't offer much hospitality, though."
Ted, Gemma, and even Nails cheered, albeit a bit late.
Lily looked apologetic but happy.
I invited Lola and Elliott to join us, and they got on board with two words.
"Oh, then can I invite Elphimia-san too?"
"Good. I'll ask Lambert and Felix to join us."
On another day, Lola and I went to the dormitory and invited Lambert, Felix, and Elphimia. They all agreed to join without hesitation.
With me included, we had a total of ten people.
This year's end-of-the-year celebration is going to be lively.
.𝗰𝗼𝐦