Chapter 883: Smoked Black-Scaled Pine Meat
In the Longyi Province, Baron Moroz’s territory.
Early morning, Lolan Hill was awakened by the sound of blacksmithing.
Rubbing her eyes, she stretched her body, sat up from the bed, drank some water, and then stood up.
Compared to her usual armored appearance, this young girl looked much softer in the morning. Her golden hair scattered around her white collar, with a few strands falling onto her fair neck, causing Lolan Hill a slight itch.
She sat in front of the dressing mirror, shook her head to let her hair fall behind, then tied it up with a light red ribbon. Since she didn’t have to go out on missions these past two days, she didn’t wear her armor.
After returning to her dress-like attire, Lolan Hill displayed her gentle demeanor. Sometimes when she walked through the courtyard of the trade caravan, she would be mistaken for an outsider.
“Miss Mesia is a princess? It’s hard to believe,” commented a young man.
“Could it be that she is a runaway young lady?” someone said, referencing a common trope in poetry.
“Or perhaps she is a mysterious young lady from a foreign land, a legendary hero with a great mission,” another person spoke truthfully without realizing it.
“Cough, cough, everyone, let’s not speculate too much. If these rumors spread, Miss Mesia will be upset,” someone advised.
“Haha, but even if Miss Mesia is angry, she is still so cute,” laughed the mercenary uncle.
Lolan Hill initially felt a bit flustered by these comments, but now she had grown accustomed to them and didn’t mind them much.
After tidying her hair and dressing, Lolan Hill stepped down the stairs in leather shoes. She finally saw the scene in the courtyard.
A large crowd gathered around, with a combat demonstration taking place in the center.
Due to the lockdown, they couldn’t go out freely, so they found new ways to entertain themselves.
“How amazing! Miss Lotte is truly a rare genius,” someone remarked in the open space where Lotte was fighting with several mercenaries.
Watching Lotte’s pink hair flying and her black sword spinning as she delivered powerful slashes, the crowd couldn’t help but applaud her exquisite sword skills.
Though the sword hadn’t been drawn, the impact against the iron armor still produced a clear ringing sound, accompanied by a few sparks and iron filings. Her slender legs seemed to possess surprising strength, kicking close-range mercenaries away and making them slide across the ground.
Several minutes later, the sparring ended. Lotte was slightly out of breath and had a little sweat on her forehead. She became bashful amidst the cheers of the crowd.
Seeing Lolan Hill standing under the eaves, she immediately parted the crowd and ran over.
“Good morning, Mesia Sister~” This girl now relied on Lolan Hill so much that sometimes Lolan Hill regretted giving her too much advice at first.
“Good morning, Lotte,” the young girl nodded and then asked about what happened.
“I wanted to train more to avoid being a burden, so I requested to get on stage. At first, they underestimated me,” Lotte, though skilled in swordsmanship, lacked practical experience and needed more practice.
Compared to her previous withdrawn behavior, Lotte had become much more outgoing these past few days.
Afterward, this girl and Lolan Hill went to one corner of the courtyard to start their day’s learning, with Lolan Hill guiding her in swordsmanship and extraordinary knowledge.
“Mesia is amazing.”
By noon, Lotte exclaimed in surprise after the lesson. Looking at her densely noted notebook and the clarity of her thoughts, she felt a surge of joy.
This was the first time since leaving her family that she had received instruction in knowledge and skills from others. Things she once thought were hopeless to improve now seemed to have opened a door again.
Where did Mesia come from? Lotte was filled with curiosity and speculation.
Others said she was a princess, but Lotte didn’t believe it. Even if she were a princess of the Verdant Empire, Lotte had seen most of them, and they were mostly beautiful but out-of-touch dolls, with only a few she considered superior to herself.
Among them, Lotte held the highest regard for the twin princesses, Evelyn and Tesselin, who were like flawless amber and jade. Unfortunately, after the new emperor took the throne, these two princesses were suppressed and rarely appeared in public.
Even compared to Miss Mesia, these princesses had a certain gap, not just in appearance but also in life wisdom. Thus, Lotte now depended on Mesia like a real older sister.
At noon, the aroma of food wafted through the courtyard of the trade caravan. Many people smelled it and curiously wondered what delicious dishes were prepared today. A pink-haired figure followed the crowd into the smoke-filled small house.
“This is it, hehe,” an experienced chef sitting in the kitchen introduced to the incoming group.
Firewood burned in a stone circle on the ground, with occasional sparks exploding from the orange flames. The smell of pine wood mingled with the smoke and flames.
The meat of an animal hung on a thick wooden branch, roasting over the fire, constantly brushed with oil and sprinkled with seasonings, gradually turning dark brown and black. A fragrant smoke rose.
“This is the black deer from the mountain area. As the weather gets colder, it comes to the outskirts of the forest to find food, so it can be caught during this season,” a local resident explained.
“The Longyi Province isn’t too far south, still on the northern side of the Iron Spine Mountains, so there’s significant snowfall in winter. When that happens, food in the forest becomes scarce, and these animals come out.”
“Mountainside hunters often gain substantial harvests in autumn. The game at that time is plump and heavy, but by winter, they become thinner. Although winter storms make animals slow, humans with two legs find it even harder unless you’re an Extraordinary Being.”
“Are you talking about the cooking method? That would be smoking and roasting. It takes longer but preserves the meat better.”
“South of the city, there’s a vast area of black-scaled pine trees. Their bark resembles dragon scales, and some say these trees were soaked in dragon blood in ancient times, but apart from the hard bark, there’s nothing special.”
“However, the bark burns with a special fragrance, and the black smoke permeates the meat, making it incredibly delicious and unforgettable.”
“As winter approaches, wealthy people and nobles from Iron Hill City send people here to buy smoked meat. That’s the capital of Longyi Province, where they pay a high price.”
“Beyond that, fewer people know about it. After all, this is just a small place, and the high nobility doesn’t promote black-scaled pine smoked meat, so outsiders rarely know about this seasonal delicacy.”
“In other seasons? Other seasons are difficult to catch animals. Everyone has to farm and work, so they don’t have the time or energy to venture deep into the mountains. Also, Demonic Beasts pose a threat. Going too deep can be dangerous.”
The local uncle patiently answered Lotte’s questions, then cut a larger piece of meat and placed it on a plate, handing it to the little girl.
“I have a cute daughter too, but unfortunately, she’s no longer with us,” the chef wore rough leather clothes, and his apron was covered with wood shavings and dust from the fire.
“Many died in the war, including my daughter.”
“Although it’s heartbreaking, I have to keep living with my old partner. If you have time, you can visit a restaurant east of the city. There’s an iron-rusted cup hanging at the entrance, and you can hear it creaking in the wind from afar.”
“My old partner cooks soup in the kitchen. She makes such good soup; that’s how I fell in love with her when I was young, ha ha.”
The chef said, watching Lotte’s awkward eating, he cut the meat slices simply, then placed them back in her plate with his rough hand.
“You can add some vegetables to make it even better.”
“Thank you, Uncle,” Lotte bowed in gratitude while holding the plate.
Although she had eaten many good things before, this simple plate of meat brought her genuine warmth and happiness.
Merry Christmas~
(End of Chapter)
