NOVEL WEB Chapter 96.1
Nutritious Chicken Kinchaku
“…Hermine, what is this?”
“Meat.”
“…Yeah, I got that it’s meat, but, what kind of meat?”
“Why don’t you appraise it and find out?”
Yuuri sighed at Hermine, who was smiling cheerfully. The meat in front of him was clearly processed and ready for consumption. That much was obvious. However, it was a kind of meat he had never seen before. That alone might not have been so concerning, but Hermine had called it a “trophy” with a bright smile, which piqued his curiosity. What did it mean to call it a trophy instead of a gift? Having no other option, Yuuri activated [God’s Eye] to appraise it. He figured Hermine wouldn’t explain anyway, given her beaming smile. The results of the appraisal were…
—Wing Cocco Meat. Meat from the Wing Cocco monster. The cuts are equivalent to those of a chicken. Lean meat is mild, with light fat content, making it easy to eat. Among bird-type monster meats, it is relatively easy to obtain. Roughly on par with a known brand of premium chicken.
As usual, the last line was specifically tailored for Yuuri. Compared to the increasingly whimsical descriptions from [God’s Eye] lately, this was a refreshingly straightforward appraisal without any cooking suggestions. Thankfully.
“…So, Wing Cocco. Is it fair to think of it as a flying chicken?”
“It’s a bit bigger. Hmm, it’s slightly larger than what I can hold in both arms.”
“Got it. That helps me picture it. But why is this Wing Cocco meat a trophy and not a gift?”
“Because I took it down myself!”
With a dazzling smile, Hermine’s words made perfect sense to Yuuri. Indeed, it was a trophy, not a gift. The monster’s meat was properly bled and then processed by the adventurer’s guild on-site after she defeated it. Some people handled the processing themselves, but Hermine wasn’t skilled at that. The reason? She didn’t have the strength to carve it. As a bow user, meat-processing wasn’t her strong suit. Freshly butchered and processed chicken meat was now in Yuuri’s possession. Thinking about what dinner to make, he remembered that there was some fried tofu in the fridge. If chicken and tofu were both on hand, then there was only one dish to make—chicken kinchaku.
“Alright, Magg, let’s start by mincing this Wing Cocco meat.”
“…Understood.”
Magg, the assigned cook for the day, nodded silently. He nodded but then glanced around, bowed slightly to Yuuri, and walked off. Puzzled, Yuuri picked up the Wing Cocco meat and headed to the kitchen. For some reason, Hermine followed him. Perhaps she was curious about the meal. Yuuri set the Wing Cocco meat on the cutting board. The meat was clean and ready, but mincing it would be labor-intensive. Using a knife to finely chop and mince meat is no small task. While contemplating this, Yuuri picked up a knife, and Hermine, who had followed him all the way to the kitchen, tapped his shoulder. When Yuuri turned, Hermine’s eyes were sparkling.
“Hey, Yuuri, can I try mincing it?”
“…What?”
“Remember when Kurresh and Lelei were doing it? It looked fun.”
“…Did it look fun…?”
Well, to each their own, Yuuri thought. He handed Hermine a spare apron. She washed her hands and donned the apron, eagerly facing the chunk of meat. Since it couldn’t be minced right away, she started by cutting it into smaller pieces before pounding it. Watching her happily work, Yuuri turned to his own tasks. He retrieved the fried tofu from the fridge and cut the rectangular pieces in half. After making several pieces, he inserted his fingers to open them up, checking to ensure they formed pouches without any tears. Once he had enough for everyone, plus a little extra, he prepared the other ingredients. While Hermine focused on mincing, Yuuri handled the carrot and burdock root. Both needed to be finely chopped, though the burdock would also be soaked in water to remove excess bitterness. After two water changes, the burdock was strained and combined with the carrots in a bowl. When Yuuri turned to check on the mince, he blinked in surprise. Because there, working the mince, was not Hermine but Urgus.
“…Why is Urgus making mince?”
“…Shut up.”
Earlier, Hermine had been happily mincing. At some point while Yuuri diced vegetables, she switched places with Urgus. Hermine was now on the other side of the counter, sipping herbal water with a pleased smile, apron off, signaling she was done. Yuuri tilted his head, and behind Urgus, who was laboring over the mince, Magg gave a thumbs-up. Magg, who’d grown just a bit more playful recently.
“…Magg, shouldn’t you be the one working if Hermine is done?”
“Strength work.”
“True, mincing is a strength task.”
“Appropriate.”
“…I mean, Urgus is good for that.”
“Broth.”
“…Ah, you were making broth?”
“Understood.”
With an air of quiet confidence, though his face was as expressionless as ever, Magg pointed at the pot on the stove. Inside was a broth made from kelp and bonito flakes. Was he trying to say that he’d done his part? …The devotee of dashi had mastered the art of making it as well.