Transmigrated Into A Tragic Romance Fantasy – Chapter 63

November in the Northern Territory (2)

November in the Northern Territory signals the start of the brutal cold where the ground hides beneath the snow and the water freezes into ice. It is the month that prepares animals and monsters for their long hibernation, urging everyone to stockpile food for the harsh season ahead. Failure to prepare means facing eternal slumber instead of temporary hibernation, and a slow preparation leads to a harsh survival instead of a comfortable life.

With the onset of the full-fledged cold wave, thick snowflakes begin to fall, and the land gradually loses its color, while the rivers start to freeze from the edges. It is the month when fresh snow and thin ice coexist. Therefore, all living creatures, driven by their survival instincts, embark on their final hunts, leading to fierce battles for survival on snowy mountains and fields.

Just as predators become frantic to catch their prey, humans, the apex predators, also arm themselves with various weapons, scouring the land for their quarry, for their sustenance, and their household.

Amidst these hunters, an odd rumor began to circulate. Those who witnessed it firsthand would passionately swear by it, while those who didn’t would dismiss it as nonsense.

The rumor was:

“A noble’s young master is personally hunting monsters, can you believe it?”

“And that’s not all, he’s eating the monsters he hunts!”

It was a rumor about a certain hunter roaming the western regions of the Northern Territory, accompanied by an elderly porter bearing the white flag of a count’s household and two women. This noble young master was said to personally hunt and eat the monsters he killed.

This rumor, spreading like a ghost story, was a hot topic among hunters, sparking intense debates about its authenticity.

“Come on, man. You might as well say that the white-leafed Ents are eating people.”

“Puhaha-! This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in my fifty years!”

“You gullible fool. Do you believe that? Clearly, some coward is posing as a noble to avoid being attacked.”

Most dismissed the rumor as nonsense. After all, the idea of a noble young master, who grew up with the finest things, eating monster carcass dishes was absurd. Even more ridiculous was the notion that this young master hunted his own food, putting his life on the line.

The image of a noble young master risking his life to hunt monsters was as absurd as a passing baby stopping its first steps to scoff at the idea.

Perhaps that’s why the rumor, floating lightly like a balloon, spread far and wide. Starting from near the Winterfell Grand Castle, it reached the entire western region of the Northern Territory in just six months, and even reached remote mountain villages.

“Hey, did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“You know, the story about the Blood Ghost Young Master who roams the wilds, eating monster carcasses raw.”

The hunter who supposedly ‘cooked’ the monster carcasses had now become a savage who ate them raw. The noble young master who hunted monsters was now known as the ‘Blood Ghost Young Master.’

Such is human nature. The primal instinct that craves greater stimulation. This instinct embellished the rumors to suit its taste, roasting them to the point that they reached such an extent.

A man sipping his drink scoffed.

“Do you believe in that nonsense too?”

“Oh, come on. It’s not nonsense! You know Gelbus from next door?”

“The fool who insists on using a flintlock instead of a bow when hunting in the snowy mountains?”

“Yes! That stubborn Gelbus. He claims he saw someone with bloodshot eyes gnawing on a red Longger’s leg last night!”

“What? No way. He must have been seeing things.”

The man, talking excitedly as if he had made a grand discovery, was met with a reluctant listener across the table, who sipped his drink with a grimace.

The small mountain village of Slode, located in an area inhabited only by herbivorous monsters, had survived generations without major threats, thanks to the village guard patrolling the palisade. In such a small village of about a hundred people, even the smallest rumor could cause a stir. As the rumor about the Blood Ghost Young Master spread in the tavern, the door suddenly swung open with a creak.

A gust of wind from outside rushed into the tavern, chilling the previously warm and lively atmosphere.

All eyes turned toward the door.

Four figures, with their hoods pulled low, entered, covered in snow as if they had been trudging through it for a long time.

In a village of only a hundred residents, it was easy to recognize an outsider by their small actions, reactions, physique, and gait, despite their hoods. The arrival of these four strangers during a time when rumors about the Blood Ghost Young Master were rampant brought an eerie silence to the tavern.

“…….”

The man at the front began walking towards the counter, followed by the other three. With each step, snow fell from their shoulders to the floor, creating an unsettling feeling akin to the discomfort of incessant rain.

Under the scrutiny of the villagers, the four hooded figures walked on.

Gulp.

Even a seasoned old man swallowed nervously at the oppressive aura emanating from them.

Finally, when the group gathered around the tavern’s fireplace, the villagers let out a collective sigh of relief, realizing they had been needlessly tense. The sight of the four huddled together, warming themselves by the small fireplace, seemed almost pitiful.

“Haah…. Finally, I can feel my limbs again.”

“…This is… warmth… at last.”

“Hoooh… Fire, the greatest discovery in human history…”

Shivering and chattering.

**

Having rented rooms at the village tavern, we gathered in the dining area as soon as we unpacked our belongings. The cold was biting, but our stomachs were the real concern, having gone unfed since the previous day.

“Anything warm, please.”

“Same here.”

“Me too.”

“I’ll have the same.”

A lot had happened over the past six months. Our gourmet expedition, which had departed from the Grand Castle, reached the Langren Duchy within a month. We tried to recruit a monster chef there, but unfortunately, the chef we found left us at a stopover village about two weeks ago, having met a destined partner.

The silver lining was that Ariel, who had volunteered as the chef’s assistant for a few months, had significantly improved her cooking skills. While still far from a professional chef, her progress was remarkable compared to the time she nearly created a club out of meat.

Ariel, who had originally planned to accompany us only to the Langren Duchy, was now sitting across from me, downing a bowl of soup. She had found a new dream.

She wanted to publish her first novel, with Elden Raphelion as the protagonist. She wanted to weave a story around Elden’s journey and growth from a spoiled young master to a great monster hunter. This was the reason she had stayed with us.

Rachel and the old man Rendler, of course, remained by my side. After six months of relentless monster hunting and training, I had become capable of hunting low to mid-level monsters, earning the embarrassing nickname ‘Blood Ghost Young Master’ for reasons unknown to me.

“Are you really the famous Blood Ghost Young Master?”

“…I don’t know about that.”

“Could you please sign this for me…!”

The nickname ‘Blood Ghost Young Master,’ which sounded like it belonged to a bloodthirsty fiend, made recruiting a monster chef even more difficult and brought unwanted fame.

Many feared me, and children often burst into tears at the sight of me, but among hunters, a noble who hunted monsters was a rising star.

Though the rumors about me eating monsters raw were absurd, to say the least.

While continuing our meal, amidst whispers and stares from those around us, I pulled out a map from my pocket and spread it on the table as our bellies filled.

It was a gourmet map that Ariel had found in the Grand Castle library, attached to a book about famous monster cuisine.

“Hmm, it looks like we’ve covered most of the western region.”

The map was dotted with circles marking places we had visited. We had thoroughly explored the western region over the past six months.

“Indeed, it seems so, my lord.”

“Wow, we’ve already covered the entire western region? That’s fast.”

It was indeed fast. I hadn’t expected to cover this vast area in just six months. I thought it would take at least a year.

The speed was likely due to the generally lower level of monsters in the western region, predominantly herbivorous monsters, and my rapid growth in skills.

Of course, the cooperation and dedication of the team were crucial factors.

We had also officially joined the Monster Hunting Association to cover our travel expenses. While we could eat the monsters we hunted, selling the byproducts required association membership. It would be a waste to discard the leftover materials.

“Now it’s time to head east.”

The real monster hunting gourmet journey would likely begin in the eastern region, where intermediate to upper-mid-level monsters roamed.

If the western region was about exploring famous food spots, the eastern region would be more focused on hunting.

“Shall we start here?”

I pointed to a spot on the map.

It was the Marquisate of Eris, known for its famous dishes of [Dark Nepenthes Stem Salad] and [Dark Nepenthes Seed Stir-fry], located at the eastern region’s entry point.

Before embarking on the full-scale monster hunting gourmet journey, it would be wise to head to a large territory to recruit a new monster chef. The Marquisate of Eris was the ideal place, not only because of its culinary reputation but also because it was on the fastest route through Winterfell Grand Duchy, my second home.

“Oh, so we’ll be passing through the Winterfell Grand Duchy?”

Well, that wouldn’t be too bad. It made sense to go through there for a quicker journey, and besides, this small mountain village, Slode, was located on the northeastern edge, close to the center of the Northern Territory, Winterfell Grand Duchy.

With the last spoonful of stew, I nodded my head.

Winterfell Grand Duchy.

I wondered what had happened there in the six months since we left.