Chapter 44

Chirp chirp.

The sunlight streaming through the cracks of the window signaled the arrival of morning.

It was a clear and refreshing day, the kind of morning anyone would welcome—unless, of course, you were one of those rare humans who inherently disliked sunny weather.

Yet, in the midst of such a morning, I sat quietly, lost in thought.

The source of my worry was a careless remark I had made the day before.

It was…

Rustle.

Suddenly, my ears caught the sound of something rustling outside the door.

It wasn’t a deliberate attempt to announce their presence; rather, it seemed like someone was cautiously waiting by the door. But that very cautiousness only served to irritate my nerves.

Wait, is it already morning?

Creak.

“Ah! Kurt, good morning!”

“Hm. What a coincidence. I just woke up myself. Since we’ve run into each other, why don’t we have breakfast together?”

“Coincidence…”

The two of them acted as if they had just happened to pass by my room, but there’s no way such a “coincidence” could happen every day at the same time.

If I hadn’t noticed their presence in the room, they would’ve waited for minutes, pretending it was all a coincidence.

“Alright. Let’s eat.”

But I chose not to call them out on it and instead decided to gather the cooking ingredients and head downstairs with them.

Whatever, it’s fine.

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When we reached the first floor, an unexpected person greeted me.

“Hey! Kurt! Over here!”

“What? Why are you here?”

“I wasn’t calling you, I was calling Kurt.”

The one calling me while drinking beer in the morning was none other than Serena, a woman with striking wavy red hair.

“Ah, Serena. Did you rest well last night?”

I asked Serena, carefully observing her condition.

She had seemed fine during dinner last night, but since she had nearly died because of me, I couldn’t help but feel concerned.

“Uh, yeah? I’m fine. Hehe…”

“That’s good to hear.”

“No, wait. Since we’ve met so early in the morning, why don’t we have breakfast together?”

“Drinking several beers early in the morning while waiting for Kurt on the first floor of the guild is a coincidence… Huh. That’s a funny joke.”

“What, what are you talking about?”

Karina smirked at Serena’s words, pointing out the obvious.

But if you think about it, isn’t that statement applicable to herself as well?

Anyway, it’s about cooking again.

Serena seemed to have been impressed by the meal I made last night, as her goal appeared to be eating my cooking again.

Well, seeing her appetite overflowing even in the morning, I guess I don’t have to worry about her mental state.

“Alright. Sit and wait. I’ll cook something up real quick.”

It’s not like there’s much difference between cooking for three or four people.

“Kurt’s cooking… in the morning?”

But at my words, Serena’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected this.

Did she not expect me to cook?

Then why was she waiting for me on the first floor in the morning? Was it not to eat my cooking?

“Were you waiting for me to eat my cooking? Or was there something else?”

“Huh? Ah! No, you’re right! I was waiting to eat the food you’d make. Hehehe…”

“Well, then, the three of you can wait together. I’ll have it ready in no time.”

With that, I grabbed the ingredients and headed to the Adventurer Guild’s kitchen.

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As I returned to the kitchen with the ingredients, I found myself lost in thought again.

While I was with the others earlier, it hadn’t crossed my mind, but now that I was alone in the quiet kitchen, my worries resurfaced.

It had started as a casual remark, something I’d said without much thought.

But that one remark had grown unexpectedly, now occupying most of my thoughts.

I stared blankly at the ingredients in front of me, pondering.

Maybe I should just…

No, that’s not it.

When cooking, I should focus solely on how to prepare the ingredients in front of me.

There’s no room for distracting thoughts.

Especially now that I’ve already prepared to cook…

Having steeled my resolve, I shook off my distractions and began cooking.

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First, I needed to prepare the meat from the Fruit Tree Antlered Reindeer, which I had hunted yesterday and received as a gift from Mari and Karina.

The meat of the Fruit Tree Antlered Reindeer had a distinct aroma, as if the fruity flavor had been amplified several times over, but its overwhelming presence meant it had to be the main ingredient.

It wasn’t suited for enhancing other ingredients or harmonizing with them.

Thus, the best cooking methods were grilling or steak.

However, those dishes felt a bit heavy for breakfast.

Of course, the other three would happily eat it, but I didn’t feel like making something so heavy.

So today, I decided to make a dish using the Fruit Tree Antlered Reindeer meat that was grilled but still light enough for breakfast.

The cut I used was from the belly, similar to pork belly or beef brisket.

I’d call it the Fruit Tree Antlered Reindeer Brisket.

This part of the meat had less muscle and more fat, making it rich and savory when grilled, which made it a preferred cut.

I sliced the meat thinly, like cutting paper.

Normally, I prefer cutting meat with some thickness to preserve the texture, but for this dish, thin slices were more appropriate.

After coating the kitchen knife with aura, I moved my arm repeatedly, slicing the meat as if I were chopping vegetables. Despite being meat, it was so thin that you could see through it.

Next, I patted it dry and lightly seasoned it with a small amount of salt and oil from the seeds of the Venomous Swamp Lotus.

While the salt seeped in, I prepared the next ingredients.

There wasn’t much to prepare.

Just trimming lettuce, red leaf lettuce, and romaine for the salad, then washing them thoroughly in cold water.

After washing, I soaked the vegetables in clean, cold water.

They didn’t need to soak for long.

Just 5 to 10 minutes was enough to revive their freshness.

While waiting for the vegetables to refresh, I took out the salted meat.

Normally, meat should be seasoned for at least 30 minutes, but since the monster meat was sliced so thinly, it could be cooked immediately.

I cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and placed them in a pan to grill.

Since the meat was thin, it took less than half the usual time to cook.

Once grilled, I divided the meat among four plates.

Even though I had sliced it thinly to make it easier to digest, the brisket was still a fatty cut, so it wouldn’t be suitable for a light breakfast dish on its own.

Thus, I added the salad vegetables, which had been soaking in cold water, shaking off the excess moisture and tearing them into bite-sized pieces before generously plating them.

Then, as expected, I added fresh tomatoes provided by Karina, cutting them into fork-friendly sizes.

Finally, I made a quick dressing by mixing vinegar, sugar, salt, and lime juice with cooking oil.

Transferring the dressing to a separate bowl, the dish was complete.

Today’s breakfast menu:

Fruit Tree Antlered Reindeer Brisket Salad.

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After generously drizzling the dressing over the salad, I speared a forkful of lettuce, brisket, and tomato all at once.

Crunch.

The crispness I felt at my fingertips.

Even before chewing, the lively resistance from the fork made me imagine the salad’s crunchiness.

But it would be a shame to be satisfied by texture alone.

The true value of cooking lies in eating it.

After moving the forkful into my mouth, the freshness of the vegetables and fruit burst forth, filling my mouth.

Despite the simple dressing, the fruity aroma from the Fruit Tree Antlered Reindeer meat elevated the dish, making it feel like a recipe from a world-renowned restaurant.

Here, it was better to keep the dressing simple rather than overcomplicating it.

The meat’s unique flavor paired well with the unremarkable dressing.

As I savored the freshness, I chewed before the salad warmed from my mouth’s temperature.

The crispness of the lettuce and the juiciness of the tomato.

While the lettuce was crisp and refreshing, the tomato, though lacking in texture, awakened my empty stomach with its tangy sweetness.

And then, the star of the show: the monster’s brisket.

Thin and fatty, it was tender and blended harmoniously with the salad ingredients.

Chewing it with the same force as the vegetables, the meat released its oils, providing a satisfaction and fullness that the vegetables alone couldn’t offer.

While the meat’s fat might have been overwhelming on its own, the dietary fibers from the lettuce and tomato aided digestion, allowing me to enjoy the meat’s richness without discomfort.

The perfect balance of vegetables and meat created a trap where anyone who took a bite couldn’t stop until the bowl was empty.

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And so, the four humans finished their simple breakfast.

“Hoo. Another delicious meal, as always!”

Mari, as usual, left a simple but energetic comment.

“Indeed… Eating vegetables alongside meat when it feels too heavy… I’ve learned something new today!”

Karina, while enjoying the meal, was also analyzing Kurt’s cooking, summarizing her thoughts.

“To make me, who doesn’t usually like vegetables, finish a salad without leftovers… Hmph! Not bad!”

Serena, in her own way, seemed to be trying to compliment Kurt’s cooking skills, though her words came out more ambiguous than praise.

Thus, the three of them finished the breakfast Kurt had prepared, each sharing their thoughts.

At first, they had been disappointed by the low ratio of meat in the dish, but once they started eating, they all enjoyed it thoroughly.

However, amidst this, Kurt continued to ponder the worry that had been on his mind since last night.

The worry stemmed from a single remark he had made to Mari the previous evening.

“…What are you talking about? Did you pick up some weird mushroom on a quest? Go wash your hands or something.”

That one remark.

Though he had said it without much thought, as time passed, it began to weigh on his mind, growing larger until it became unbearable.

Of course, it wasn’t because he felt he had been too harsh on Mari.

He didn’t think about that at all.

But there was another reason why that one remark bothered him…

After much deliberation, Kurt finally lifted his head with a determined expression.

Then, with a serious face, he announced to the group:

“Tonight’s dinner will be Mushroom Hotpot.”

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