The simple fort was mostly finished, so I left the rest to Rondario-san and the others and started making dinner with the boys.
We were having curry as usual, so I had the boys peel the potatoes, carrots and onions, then toss them into two stockpots.
I added shimeji mushrooms and tomatoes, poured in water and let everything simmer.
「You’re pretty skilled」
One of the boys was expertly cleaning a bird that Reinser-san had hunted at some point.
「I do this all the time」
These boys were basically Rondario-san’s regular helpers. They said they often got hired whenever he traveled far.
Other high-ranking adventurers also hired porters who doubled as cooks, helping train the next generation of adventurers.
「This place runs things well. In other places, rookie adventurers get used up and tossed aside」
At least in the stories I know.
「This is the frontier. If adventurers disappear, monsters increase. We can’t afford to run out of them」
「Isn’t exterminating monsters the soldiers’ job?」
What are the soldiers even doing?
「The soldiers here exist to protect the city. They don’t defend the surrounding towns. That work is left to adventurers」
I see. Soldiers strictly protect the city, while adventurers deal with monsters. I guess that’s how it has to be on the frontier.
The land might be fertile, but they don’t have the means to sell produce to other regions. Without outside income, they need to manage with whatever taxes come from the margraviate. They probably can’t afford to keep too many soldiers.
「Ah, give me the chicken. I’ll grill it before adding it」
I put butter in the heated frying pan, grilled the chicken, and added it to the stockpots.
Once it started boiling, I lowered the heat, skimmed the scum and added the curry roux. No secret ingredients. Store-bought roux tasted great on its own.
「…Smells amazing…」
「The stew smelled good too, but I like this better」
「I wanna eat already」
The greatness of Japanese curry, making boys’ stomachs growl in another world. My thanks to the people who brought it into existence.
「There’s plenty, so eat as much as you want」
I had Ladarion bring the rice cooker from Sefuti Home. Of course, he carried it out in giant size, so there was no way we’d run out.
…Well, the rice has gotten about as big as beans…
「That should do it. Someone go call Rondario-san and the others. The rest of you help set up the lights」
The sun was about to slip behind the mountains. We needed to set up the lanterns.
We switched on five lanterns and hung them from branches stuck into the ground.
When Rondario-san and the others finished their work and returned, I had Ladarion bring some plates back to his normal size and scoop rice from the cooker.
「Ladarion. Go keep watch while we eat」
「Understood」
She shrank down once and headed out of the makeshift fort.
「Is it safe to send her out alone, even if she is a giant?」
「Ladarion is stronger than me and has a good nose. She will be fine」
If someone followed her, she would not be able to return to the Sefuti Home. Please understand.
「Anyway, let’s eat. Curry only tastes good when it is hot」
Cold curry is not curry. Oh, and the rice cooker stayed on thanks to a portable battery.
「Serve that white stuff on your plate and pour curry over it. Add cheese or fukujinzuke if you like」
They probably had no idea what I meant, so I showed them.
The rice was what it was, but the curry tasted the same as always. Just like with the stew, once they took a bite, Rondario-san and the others began eating with surprising speed.
All the rice on the plates disappeared and an entire pot of curry was gone. How much can these guys eat?
「We will save the other pot for tomorrow. Curry tastes even better after a night of rest」
I put the leftover rice into the empty pot, added water, fresh curry roux, six cans of mackerel, and broth powder. By tomorrow it would turn into delicious curry porridge. It was even better with melting cheese or an egg on top. If we had an oven it could be made into curry doria.
「Let’s take turns resting. We will stay awake first, so the five of you get some sleep. We will wake you if the goblins show up」
Since Rondario-san and the others would be the main fighters, it was better for them to rest first.
「Can you sense the goblins?」
「They are still far away, but I feel them scurrying around. They are probably preparing for a night attack」
Well, I have no idea what kind of preparations they are making though.
「Understood. Rei, stay with Takato. Migi, Raz, Bob, get some rest. We will wake you when the fighting starts, so sleep well」
After giving those instructions, they lay down on the hard ground and immediately fell asleep. I had no confidence I could sleep even with a mat.
Reinser-san and I sat by the campfire. I brewed some coffee to keep us awake.
「I like this coffee. The bitterness has a scent hidden behind it and it really calms me」
Reinser, a man who knows his coffee. He would probably be popular if he appeared in a commercial.
…This team really is full of handsome guys…
「Right. Can I buy arrows with this? I do not think the ones I have now will be enough」
「Arrows? I think you can. Try thinking of a bow and arrows or just arrows」
「…Oh, they appeared. There are a lot of types. How much are they?」
「I have never bought arrows, so try finding the cheap ones」
He wrote the numbers on the ground since I still could not read them well. The cheap ones were three hundred yen and the expensive ones were six thousand. Arrows cost this much?
「How much do arrows cost here?」
「The cheap ones are one small copper, but anything less than four copper is too unreliable to use」
「So, you cannot treat them as disposable?」
「If I did that, I would go broke」
Bows and arrows eat money. I know that struggle well.
「Still, it depends on how you think about it. With your skill, Reinser-san, you can take down goblins without using your bow, right?」
「That is true」
「Then a sword is enough. One goblin pays for eleven cheap arrows」
There is no rule that an archer must kill using arrows. If you can kill with a sword, use a sword. Reinser-san carries a short sword, so he can use it.
「You are right. A sword is enough for goblins」
He drew his short sword and began sharpening it with a whetstone.
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