Chapter 84

Aristide-sama and Chaos-san sent us a lot of lively centipede crabs. Ambry-san and Zef-san, who have become accustomed to eating monster meat, were the ones who delivered them.

"These are the centipede crabs that the lords have inspected. They should be quite tasty," Zef-san explained. Indeed, each centipede crab had a thick body, and their claws and legs were plump, indicating they were well-nourished. Under the light of the magic lamp, their carapaces were dark green and rough. Their eyes, numerous like those of spiders, glowed pale blue.

"Still, they are quite large or rather long. I doubt they will fit in the pot we prepared."

The crabs were so long that they would likely stick out of the pot from head to claw. To retain the flavor, crabs are usually boiled whole. Since centipede crabs have the same carapace, cutting them in half would be a bad idea. As I was pondering how to cook them, Ambry-san suggested, "Why not steam them?"

"Steam them?"

"Yes. Dig a hole in the ground, line it with Kajuro leaves, place the prey on top, and then put in red-hot stones. The heat from the stones will create steam from the Kajuro leaves, cooking everything thoroughly. The meat cooked this way is concentrated in flavor, soft, and delicious."

"That sounds great, Chief Ambry. If we need Kajuro leaves, I can go get them later."

Indeed, steaming the centipede crabs sounds like a good idea. We wouldn't need a pot, and the flavor would be concentrated, which is perfect.

"Then, I'll leave it to you, Zef-san. I'll prepare the stones."

"Oh, that's fine too. The lords can burn as many stones as we need."

"Well, Aristide-sama. That's reassuring!"

However, I wondered if I was relying too much on Aristide-sama. His high firepower, like 'Decapitation,' is truly amazing. He can burn waste with that white flame, which is also impressive.

(Can I use the white flame if I practice? )

While I can't master sword techniques, I might be able to handle magic. If I can freely control fire magic, I won't have to rely solely on Aristide-sama.

(I'll ask him next time.)

With that thought, I started the preliminary preparation of the centipede crabs, fitting it into my assigned tasks. Lillian-san and the assistant kitchen head, Reina-san, helped me. After seeing off Zef-san and the others, I called them over.

"They look lively and well-packed with meat!" Reina-san exclaimed when she saw the centipede crabs.

Each crab had its sharp, venomous tail removed, but their jaws and claws were still intact. I first tied their claws with rope to prevent them from pinching and then grabbed the crabs by the back of their heads. Centipede crabs can curl inward but not outward. Additionally, they have jaws but no venomous tails, so they can be safely held once their claws are secured. The crab wriggled in resistance, its jaws clicking in warning. It was heavy and seemed to be packed with meat, making me smile. They were larger than the centipede crabs I ate as a child and looked very satisfying.

"Princess, these are still alive. Are we going to extract their magic power like this?"

"Ah! Lillian, are these eggs?"

"Really! I've never seen centipede crab eggs before."

"The eggs are glowing faintly. They are monsters even as eggs. They seem a bit different from the crabs I know, but I wonder what they taste like."

The centipede crab Lillian-san lifted was carrying eggs. It was apparently just before laying them. According to Reina-san, the eggs were "a bit different from crab eggs." The many teardrop-shaped eggs in the crab's belly were clustered and covered by a thin membrane. Each one was translucent and faintly glowing in the middle. Crab eggs are a delicacy, but are centipede crab eggs also delicious?

(The shells are not hard, but these are still impressive eggs. What should I do?)

Feeling the expectant gazes of Lillian-san and Reina-san, I was at a loss. I really wanted to eat them, but eggs were not an option. It wasn't a matter of preference but a fundamental issue that couldn't be resolved.

"Um, Lillian-san, Reina-san, it might not be possible with the eggs."

"Princess, are you not fond of eggs?"

Lillian-san sounded surprised.

"No, I really want to eat them. However, I don't have the technique to extract the magic power from the eggs without breaking the shells, and I'm sorry for that."

That's the truth. I haven't mastered the technique for 'eggs' yet. I can't extract the magic power from eggs without breaking their shells. Eggs are the only ingredient I consistently fail to prepare.

"Is there a problem? They seem softer than fish eggs."

Reina-san pulled a cluster of eggs from the wriggling centipede crab's belly. The eggs looked soft and indeed were soft. She pinched one with her fingers and squished it to demonstrate.

"Even with soft shells, the eggshells are the strongest armor to protect life. They don't seem to accept external magic."

I took out a magic circle drawn on oiled paper and instructed Reina-san to place the egg on it. Holding the cloudy crystal, I concentrated and chanted the spell with more determination than usual.

"Rue Litt Arnielle O Dona Barmilue Stilis..."

The magic circle began to glow in response to my magic, but the shell seemed to be interfering, and I didn't feel the usual sensation.

"Ieed Delnia O Dona Barmilue Stilis..."

I focused on the egg as much as possible. However, the magic power inside the egg did not seep out, and I couldn't extract it. The eggshell, designed to protect life, was too strong for my magic.

"Seems it's not possible again."

Faced with the unchanged egg, I knelt down in frustration.

"It's very disappointing... but I have to admit defeat."

Stopping the incantation, I had to admit my defeat once again in front of the centipede crab eggs. My magic still needed refinement.

"Because of my inexperience, I can't eat what's right in front of me..."

"Don't worry, Princess. Even if it's not possible now, I believe you will succeed eventually!"

"I agree with Reina! These crabs lay eggs every year, so we can look forward to next year! Besides, this expedition is to enjoy the taste of your childhood memories."

That's right. Even if it's not possible now, there's always next time. There's no need to give up. Encouraged by Reina-san and Lillian-san, I decided to focus and start the preparation of the centipede crabs.

Crabs are usually boiled alive, which causes their legs to fall off, so it's common to stun them with fresh water before cooking. If the magic power is extracted immediately after stunning, there's no problem. I borrowed fresh water and, with Reina-san, submerged the heads of the centipede crabs in it.

"I will never take life for granted. I will cherish and respect this precious life until the end."

Since I am killing them to eat, I must take responsibility and enjoy them. After stunning the ten centipede crabs (each about two furlongs long), I held the cloudy crystal and chanted the spell.

After completing the preparation, I put the centipede crabs in a basket and returned to find the knights also returning. Amid the bustling knights, the rear support team was busy.

"Ugh... it's sticky with salt."

"Even with rust prevention, it's not perfect."

"We have plenty of fresh water here."

The knights who took turns for breaks first tended to their equipment. The tent where the blacksmiths waited had several large wooden barrels filled with fresh water. Leaving saltwater on the skin can cause irritation, and leaving it on armor and swords can cause rust, so it's essential to clean it off.

The medical team was relatively calm. The tent for severe injuries had no flag. However, there were still some minor injuries, and treatments were being performed in various places.

"Hey, let me through! Medic, I need an antidote!"

A knight lying on a wooden board was carried in, and a medical team member rushed over.

"That's quite swollen. Centipede crab venom?"

"Yeah, he accidentally sat on one and got stung."

"...Don't... say that..."

It seems the unfortunate knight was stung by the centipede crab's venomous tail. Treatment began immediately, and a small vial of a very effective-looking antidote was inserted into his mouth.

In the tent where our cooking team was, it was bustling with knights. We were serving soups and other easy-to-eat dishes, and everyone was very hungry and eager to eat.

Reina-san and Lillian-san were running around helping everyone. I was supposed to stay behind the scenes, but the situation was becoming overwhelming. Experienced knights and those with stamina were lining up to get food and drinks, but new knights and those not used to large-scale expeditions were exhausted from the long hunt. Some young knights were sitting down, unable to move. We needed to distribute food to these knights, but we were short on hands.

"I'll help distribute! Where should I take it?"

"Sure, thanks... Wait, Princess?!"

Unable to stand still, I decided to help. I loaded pots of drinks and soups, as well as bread with Bergenion's salted meat, onto a cart and headed to the exhausted knights.

"Here, new knight. You need to eat. Have something, anything."

"Sorry, senior... I don't think I can eat."

A young knight, looking pale, refused the bread offered by a senior knight and leaned against a tree with a long sigh. At the very least, they needed to drink something to avoid dehydration. I stopped the cart in front of them.

"If you can't eat solid food, have a drink. This is a special fruit water with vine nectar and Cabo fruit pulp."

The young knight slowly lifted his head and froze. I handed him an empty wooden cup and filled it with the refreshing fruit water.

"Take your time."

"Y-Yes."

"Senior, you too."

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

The senior knight drank it all at once, and the young knight, who was hunched over, slowly sipped from the wooden cup. Then, as if suddenly remembering his thirst, he gulped it down.

"Can I have another cup?"

I refilled the young knight's cup halfway and tried to hand him a bowl of warm soup as well—

"Lord has fallen?! Yanish! Urgent recovery!"

The frantic voice of Chaos-san from someone's resonance stone made the rear support team's base momentarily quiet. Aristide-sama had just left to assist with a request for a centipede crab over fifty furlongs long.

Aristide-sama, who was battling the centipede crab, had fallen.

(Fallen? From the dragon? Where?)

I couldn't help but stop. I didn't drop the bowl of soup, but my hands trembled, spilling some of the contents. A young knight noticed and supported my hand.

"Princess."

"S-Sorry! I'll clean it up right away."

"No, it's fine. It didn't get on me."

The senior knight took the bowl from me, and the young knight, concerned, asked me.

"Princess, did you hear that just now?"

He was referring to Chaos-san's voice. I couldn't lie and nodded silently. The young knight, with an awkward smile, made me feel uncomfortable.

However, the senior knight, after drinking the soup heartily, wiped his mouth and looked at me directly.

"Don't worry, Princess. Our lord may be reckless, but he's not a heartless man to abandon important matters."