Transmigrated Into A Tragic Romance Fantasy – Chapter 62

November in the Northern Territory (1)

** 

【It has already been 90 days since the end of the Betrothal Competition. Today, while I was on an inspection tour of the city, I heard about Elden by chance. The story goes that he saved a woman and a child from merciless abuse by her husband.】

【When the guards questioned him, Elden reportedly said, “The most disgusting person in the world is someone who abuses women and children.” In hindsight, Elden used to tell me the same thing at the academy.】

【When I asked him why he didn’t bully me, he replied that he had no interest in the weak. I never imagined Elden, who once ignored the downfall of the weak, would stain his hands with blood for their sake.】

【And the women couldn’t stop talking about how dashing Elden looked when he revealed his identity by removing his hood in response to the child’s question.】

【I wonder what Elden, who vowed to change and no longer live as a bystander, looks like now, even after the end of the Betrothal Competition. Unlike me, who is becoming increasingly miserable and weak, what does Elden look like as he grows ever more brilliant and strong?】

【I tried to imagine it out of curiosity, but I couldn’t picture it. It was like trying to draw with a black pen on black paper.】

【I heard he was looking for a monster chef during the festival period. Could it be a futile and meaningless delusion to think my cooking might have awakened a new taste in Elden? A delusion that is now of no use.】

【Anyway, hearing about Elden after so long prompted me to write this diary entry.】

【I hope I get the chance to see Elden saving those in danger, helping the weak.】

【Someday.】

【Somewhere.】

【I’m just curious.】

【I’m curious about Elden helping those struggling against adversity…】

【I’m curious about Elden helping those driven to the ends of the earth…】

【I’m just, just curious.】

__An excerpt from Remian Winterfell’s diary, from one of its pages.__

** 

“…Why did you help them?”

Sniffle.

Snort!

Rendler, who had blown his nose so hard his handkerchief fluttered, asked from close behind.

He was on the verge of collapsing in tears if I threw out one more touching phrase, so I had to answer gruffly.

“It was just in the way, so I cleared it. Besides, I wanted to try out what I learned.”

But the old man, already diving headfirst into a wave of emotion, covered his mouth and misinterpreted my words as he pleased.

“Humility and the practice of learning…!! I am so moved…!”

“……”

Well, sure.

I should be glad if the old man, who had to live his whole life serving this terrible character, can find happiness in his later years.

Because of Elden, who was notorious across the land, he probably never had a peaceful day.

Then, Rachel, who was walking alongside Rendler, chimed in.

“Your charge was impeccable. The balance of power and speed was perfect. When the balance is off, stamina is quickly drained.”

“It’s all thanks to my teacher’s excellent guidance.”

“I only provided simple explanations.”

It seemed the intense training during the Betrothal Competition had clearly paid off.

The light was surely the result of Elden’s innate senses and talent, combined with my stubborn persistence and indomitable will.

Reading and training.

The satisfaction of filling each day to the brim with nourishment for both mind and body.

The problem was.

There was no satisfaction in wandering around all day looking for a monster chef.

“You all did well. Come on in.”

So, we returned to Ariel’s lodging, empty-handed as usual.

Only two days remained.

As the time dwindled, hope decreased exponentially, but even if we couldn’t find one, there would be no problem with our departure.

If we couldn’t find one here, we’d just find one elsewhere.

With that positive thought, we comforted our weary bodies and faced the evening.

Everyone was empty-bellied due to Ariel’s declaration that she would showcase a special dish tonight.

“Ta-da-!”

Ariel proudly presented a monster dish with a triumphant smile.

“I missed something last time! I forgot one thing. This time, it will definitely be delicious. You can look forward to it.”

Ariel, who now clung to a cookbook instead of a novel, made such a bold claim.

“Today’s main dish is roasted rump of the White Twin-Tail Fox, which is in season now-!”

In January, there are cockles.

In March, there are shepherd’s purse greens.

In July, there are hairtail fish.

In November, there are prawns.

Just as there are seasonal foods each season, there are monsters whose flesh becomes plump, nutritious, and tender in specific seasons. The monster Ariel introduced is classified as in season from May to July, the time when warmth returns to the Northern Territory.

Out of season, the flesh becomes too tough and dry to eat, but during the festival period, it was a common dish.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Hehe. I tried a bit, and it’s delicious.”

As Ariel said, it did look quite appetizing.

The problem was, it looked that way with the first dish too.

But since she said she followed the cookbook to the letter this time, I took a bite with some hope.

Crunch.

I realized that what Ariel meant by “in season” was related to metallurgy, not the time of year.

“How is it? How is it? Isn’t it better than last time?”

Hmm.

I’ve never encountered meat this tough before.

With a bit more refinement, it might make a decent club.

Well, it’s fine.

Everyone goes through trial and error to grow.

Still, the effort to prepare a meal for us is something, right? With that thought, I gave a thumbs up, and Ariel’s face lit up with joy instead of worry.

“Success!”

Courage is the soil from which all progress grows.

And so, we had to make do with a meal that was more like frozen jerky disguised as roasted rump.

**

“Hmm. It’s over.”

The 7-day Monster Cooking Festival finally came to a grand close.

It was a chaotic, bustling festival, but it yielded no results.

We couldn’t invite a monster cooking expert.

We tried negotiating with an increased hiring fee for those we considered possibilities, but all were rejected for various reasons.

Now, with the city quieting down and the chefs leaving one by one, our hope of finding one here had vanished.

The search for a monster chef in Winterfell’s Northern Territory had come to an end.

“It can’t be helped. We might find one in the Langren Duchy, so let’s not be discouraged.”

In response to my encouragement, the old man Rendler, with his bundle tied up, patted my shoulder with a sympathetic look.

“Do not be too discouraged, my lord. We will try even harder when we reach the Langren Duchy.”

Then, Ariel clenched her fists and spoke with determination in her eyes.

“Yeah! Cheer up! I’ll keep trying too!”

Lastly, Rachel smiled softly as if she understood something.

“Everything will be fine. Don’t worry.”

Why are they all cheering me up and comforting me when we all struggled together?

I’m fine, really?

If I were to get discouraged by this, I wouldn’t have started in the first place.

“……”

Sigh.

Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this hard to find one.

We asked probably around two hundred chefs, but how could they all refuse?

No.

Is the Northern Territory really this desolate?

Has the Northern Territory become this barren?

Have people forgotten the romance of the wild and the dream of adventure?

At the very least, is there not a single chef with the grand dream of making the best dish with the freshest ingredients?

While I wanted to cry out in frustration at having spent a whole week struggling with recruitment instead of enjoying the festival, I shrugged my shoulders to maintain my dignity as the grand leader of the gourmet travel party.

“Don’t worry. We can’t even hunt anything beyond beginner monsters yet anyway.”

Though many beginner monsters are used as ingredients, since they’re hunted near cities or villages, they remain relatively fresh.

Especially in the perpetually cold and frigid Northern Territory, beginner monster ingredients are as good as farm-fresh.

They are so common that there’s no need to hunt them for cooking.

Just as my ultimate goal is to make [Slime Pudding], a delicacy on the tables of the highest nobility, my initial goal is to cook with at least intermediate-level monsters.

Intermediate monsters live in remote forests or isolated areas far from human settlements, making their freshness a topic of discussion. Hence, a journey for fresh ingredients truly shines when one can hunt intermediate-level monsters.

Intermediate is still a distant goal with our current hunting skills, so there’s no need to be disappointed or disheartened.

Though it would be nice to have a chef to make delicious monster dishes even with beginner ingredients, it’s not necessary to delay our departure for that.

Before becoming an intermediate hunter, I believe we will find a monster chef, so I should focus on honing my skills.

“Then let’s head out.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The same afternoon the festival ended, we gathered our belongings and arrived at the western gate of the city’s walls.

I looked northward.

I saw the towering high fortress.

I saw the flag of the Grand Duke’s house fluttering at the top of the main castle.

I didn’t know why my gaze moved in that direction.

Maybe because, like a fledgling recognizing its mother, the first thing I saw after possessing this body was the bedroom in the annex.

For some reason, it felt like leaving home.

I felt a pang in my heart thinking about the last smile left by Remian, but there was no turning back or returning now.

This was the end result for two people who fought desperately to avoid their respective injustices.

“Please verify your identity.”

“Elden Raphelion.”

“Where is your destination?”

“The Langren Duchy.”

“What is the purpose of your departure?”

To the guard’s final question, I replied without hesitation.

“Travel.”

“Pass through. I wish you a peaceful journey.”

“Thank you.”

And so, we stepped out through the western gate, setting our first steps toward the Langren Duchy.

We took our first steps into new experiences, a new world.

And time flowed quickly for us.

Before we knew it, the harsh winter had arrived, and it was now November.

The snow that had melted down now lay thick, forming a blanket over the land, and the freezing wind turned the ground into an icy terrain, befitting the reputation of this harsh region.

Wrapped in thick winter clothes, we walked together, just as we had when we left the northern castle back in May.

“Brrr, it’s so cold! Ariel Elrond, frozen here and now!”

“…Stop whining.”

“Rachel! You’ve experienced this cold before, right? This is my first time!”

“Cold is always cold, even if you’ve experienced it. I’m cold too, but I’m managing to keep going.”

“Ahem, everyone. This old man is also walking bravely. Look at our great leader’s majestic stride, isn’t it inspiring?”

…Mom.

It’s freezing cold here.

Despite the biting cold, our journey continued, step by step, towards our next destination.