Heh!
As I suspected, it’s always wise to maintain a friendly relationship with others.
You never know what connections might turn out to be valuable.
And of course, making a wish on a shooting star is a universal truth in any world.
“I hope my culinary journey sails smoothly.”
Barely a day after making that wish, I found myself holding the very book I had been desperately searching for—a national guide to monster cuisine.
What’s more, it was on an indefinite loan!
In other words, I could proclaim, “This book is now mine!” without any issues.
In the Middle Ages, there was no better source of knowledge than a good book, especially with no video media around.
By pure chance, I had received a significant favor from the bun-haired lady I had met.
So I asked her.
“Don’t you want something in return? It feels like I’m just taking from you.”
Even if my family’s title has declined, we aren’t poor groundlings.
If she wanted something, I would definitely do my best to get it for her.
With that resolution in my heart, I inquired, only to receive an unexpected answer.
Ariel smiled brightly and said,
“Me? I’m just happy to give you things! There’s no need to feel burdened. Just being able to recommend a book makes me happy.”
With her innocent smile, she replied like a saint.
Was she a reincarnation of Mother Teresa?
Or perhaps, the embodiment of the Giving Tree?
I felt utterly overwhelmed by Ariel’s generous spirit.
One day, I vowed that I would repay her kindness, perhaps with a meal made using the recipes from the National Guide for Monster Cuisine, as I continued my meal.
I didn’t know who the author of this wonderful book was, but it was a treasure trove of perfect knowledge.
It featured maps of major culinary hotspots, recommendations by region, priority rankings based on preferences, and even suggested travel routes.
Not to mention reviews and ratings for must-try restaurants!
And to top it all off, it even included “hidden gems”…!
It was like a bible for culinary travelers, and as Ariel said, with this one book, I was completely prepared.
“Oho…, I hear the Village of Horis in the Duchy of Lundgren is famous for its red dragon dishes?”
A dish made from a dragon, akin to a fantasy masterpiece…
And contrary to my expectations of it being tough, I heard the tenderloin was particularly exquisite?
Not to mention the skewered tail meat, said to be both chewy and juicy?
And the bone soup made from meticulously cleaned entrails and finely crushed bones that simmered for two days? A delicacy?
This was too good to resist.
Even while dining in the Great Hall, I couldn’t help but salivate at the thought of such monster cuisine.
The village was conveniently located just 10 kilometers west of Winterfell.
If I managed to escape, I had to make that my first destination, I thought to myself, when Ariel chimed in.
“Are you planning to go to the Duchy of Lundgren? I heard they have a big library there.”
Oh.
“Shall we go together then?”
Of course, I was joking with that question.
As a fallen nobleman’s heir, I had the freedom to travel as I pleased.
I had already instructed my butler, Rendler, to pay out severance to the household staff and leave only the essential personnel behind.
But even if Ariel was the third daughter, her freedom wouldn’t be as extensive as mine, so it was just a casual question.
Her comment about the “big” library made it seem like there was a possibility she could join me.
However,
“R-Really?”
Ariel’s expression lit up at my question.
I couldn’t help but feel pleased about it.
Ariel Elrond had been my first friend since reincarnating in this world, and I owed her a great deal of gratitude.
That being said,
My culinary journey would not be simple; it would involve sourcing incredibly fresh ingredients directly from their origins.
That’s why I was receiving special training from Rachel.
One might argue that I wouldn’t need the National Guide for Monster Cuisine for my endeavor, but no matter how strong I became, I couldn’t spend every waking day hunting monsters.
The core of my culinary journey was undeniably [ Healing ].
I had no intention of exhausting myself to the point of compromising that goal, which meant a restaurant review guide was essential for me.
Regardless,
This journey certainly wasn’t one suitable for a young lady raised in luxury.
“I don’t mind the company, but wouldn’t it be dangerous since I’m going to be hunting monsters too?”
Ariel, who had never wielded a sword or even thrown a punch except in support, asked me that.
What a truly naive response it was.
“It’s okay! I won’t be the one hunting! And I have a knight to protect me!”
“…”
Well…
That may be true, but it was still hard to agree.
I figured that bringing a naive young lady along on such a dangerous culinary expedition could lead to unnecessary trouble for House Elrond.
“That’s valid, but shouldn’t you get your parents’ permission first? They might worry.”
Again, Ariel responded with something unexpected.
“Don’t worry about that!”
“… Huh?”
“My mom and dad told me to live as I wish! So I’m doing just that!”
…
……
Somehow, I had thought it would be difficult for a Count’s daughter to travel alone to the harsh northern territories just for a reading journey.
But this bun-haired well-read lady…
Oh, my bookworm lady…
You’ve been reading novels nonstop even at the Academy…
“Monster hunting like I’ve only seen in books, I’m so excited!”
You’ve been free from the family’s expectations, haven’t you?
Hoo!
Thud!
After finishing lunch, Rachel was training Elden in the outdoor training grounds, with Ariel joining her for dinner.
Today’s training was [Sword Training], and using the practice dagger she brought, she was teaching him basic grips and stances.
“If you hold it like that, your wrist will break. It’s better to grip it a bit more upright.”
“If you crouch down too much and spread your legs too wide, your swings will lack power.”
All the advice came from Rachel’s real-life fighting experience.
She hadn’t received professional training, so her hard-won knowledge came from trial, error, and quite a few bruises, making her teaching a bit rough around the edges.
However, despite wielding a dagger for the first time, Elden swung it like he’d done it for years.
‘He’s definitely got a natural talent!’
With every passing training session, her confidence in this fact deepened.
She couldn’t help but feel regret about not being able to provide him with proper training; Elden’s aptitude was so remarkable.
Even with her clumsy instruction, if she taught him one thing, he seemed to learn ten more. And once he mastered a concept, he was already applying it in various ways.
Although she had no benchmark for comparison since she had never taught anyone before, it wouldn’t be long before Elden transformed into a formidable monster hunter.
‘If only he learns magic quickly, he could hunt intermediate monsters like dragons!’
Rachel thought of teaching him mana manipulation after tomorrow’s unveiling ceremony.
The woman who used to find teaching bothersome was now eagerly picturing the next day’s training in her mind.
Despite her lack of experience, Rachel was starting to develop a structured plan for her lessons.
The strange surge of pride in watching someone else grow, and being able to impart her knowledge, was something she could hardly comprehend yet.
Anyway…
“Good job today.”
With those words, the third training session came to an end.
Night had set in, casting a blanket of dark over everything.
Engrossed in training, Rachel lost all sense of time and looked around in amazement.
‘…Wow, it’s already this late.’
Rachel received the training dagger back from Elden.
“Phew, sword training is way more fun than I thought.”
“You did great today.”
“Yeah. Now, let’s head to the annex.”
Normally, it’s best to wash off your sweat before it cools for a refreshing feeling.
Elden stepped forward to lead the way, but Rachel remained silent.
“…?”
As he looked back, puzzled, Rachel quietly whispered as if it were some grand secret.
“Go ahead. I need to check something.”
“Check? What are you checking?”
“If I can confirm it, I’ll let you know.”
“…?”
Why was she suddenly whispering?
He found it odd, but knowing Rachel wasn’t someone to act without reason, Elden nodded.
“Alright then, I’ll go on ahead.”
Also,
“I’ll just return this dagger and follow you shortly.”
Unlike her earlier whispers, this last statement was rather loud.
Elden didn’t know why she seemed different, but the seriousness in Rachel’s eyes made him continue on while she turned to head toward the armory.
‘……’
Clank, clank.
On her way to the armory, Rachel abruptly changed directions.
…Just as I thought.
Since yesterday, Rachel had noted something off.
At first, she brushed it off as a misunderstanding, but today, she was convinced.
Her keen senses, sharpened through battles where death was a constant, had played a significant role in her survival.
Instinct.
That had saved her time and again from spears and arrows flying from every direction, from enemies lurking behind her, from betrayals and ambushes.
Those sharp instincts had allowed Rachel to survive and earn her title as the [Purple Knight].
And those senses…
Had been whispering unsettling things for several days now.
What she felt wasn’t bloodlust.
Nor was it hostile in nature.
It was simply directed at her Lord and did not show any apparent danger.
Thus, after getting some distance under the pretext of returning the dagger, she now had the perfect opportunity.
It’s almost invisible.
Even as she got closer, it felt like whatever was nagging at her senses was nearly undetectable.
Without her instincts, she would have missed the subtle presence entirely.
Holding her breath, Rachel tried to suppress her aura.
As she approached closer, she scattered the sand she had taken from the training grounds into the air.
Tap.
Even in the empty air, as the sand hit something, it bounced off in every direction, and Rachel pointed her wooden sword at it.
It was a small, nearly transparent thing floating in the air.
“Move and you die.”
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