Grilled Wyvern Skewers

After chasing the Land Dragon for a while, we arrived at a surprisingly gentle clearing nestled in the mountains.

It had stopped there, so I brought the cart to a halt.

It had grown quite dark. Any farther and we wouldn't have been able to see the road ahead, so I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Welcome to my village."

Alhechhi dismounted from the Land Dragon and gestured across the clearing with his right hand.

A village in the mountains.

It had a few more houses than the settlement we'd stopped at the day before.

A windmill turned in the mountain breeze.

"Come on, bring the supplies to my house."

Alhechhi unloaded the Wyvern meat from the Land Dragon and fed it a large chunk.

After eating, the Land Dragon lumbered off into the deeper mountains.

Alhechhi picked up the rest of the meat and other materials and started walking.

Together with Azu and the others, we grabbed what was left and followed.

As we approached the village, people noticed Alhechhi despite the late hour and came out to greet him.

He was being celebrated. He must be something of a hero here.

He gave a brief introduction on our behalf.

We seemed to be welcome, at least.

His house was conspicuously larger than the others.

We carried the butchered Wyvern into his storehouse.

"A merchant comes by periodically, so I sell the dragons I hunt to him."

"He comes all the way out here?"

"Yeah. Well, I maintain the route well enough."

Apparently there was a relatively safe path in and out.

"Now then, will this do for your share? I've got some processed claws and wings, so I'll get those to you later."

What he indicated was one of the large sectioned blocks of meat.

Not a bad amount for the help we'd given.

I wanted to purchase additional meat and materials as well, but doing so would risk driving off the merchant who came regularly, which would cause problems for the village.

When he explained that the merchant brought salt, clothing, and other necessities in exchange for the Wyvern meat, I couldn't argue.

A monopoly on Wyvern procurement. Quite the business arrangement.

I asked about the exchange rate. It was slightly below market, but factoring in the effort of processing and selling, it fell within a fair range.

For now, I accepted the block of meat and stowed it in the cart.

Between the meat, the wings, and the claws, the trip had been worthwhile.

"It's dark. Stay the night."

"I appreciate it."

We shook hands, and I accepted Alhechhi's offer.

He lent us a large room, where we changed out of our clothes.

Even with Elza's purification, the fact remained that we'd been doused in blood.

I had Alexia heat some water with magic. Soaking a towel in the hot water, I wiped away the sweat and the lingering sensation.

That finally seemed to dispel the unpleasant feeling.

Azu and the others did the same. While enjoying the view, I pulled out a change of clothes for everyone.

The house was surprisingly warm inside. After swapping the cold-weather gear for our regular clothes, there was a knock at the door.

I opened it.

"I'm making dinner. Give me a hand."

"Sure."

Cooking was one thing I had some confidence in. Might as well let Azu and the others relax for a bit.

I cut the mana-drained Wyvern meat, prepared a sauce, and let it soak.

Then I skewered the pieces and grilled them over fire.

Whenever the sauce dried, I'd dip them again and return them to the flame.

It was my first time cooking Wyvern meat, but it was well-marbled and looked delicious.

"That's a way of cooking it I haven't seen before."

"Yeah. It works well for fatty cuts."

"I see."

Alhechhi was steaming the same sweet potatoes we'd had at the settlement, along with bird eggs.

He'd added several vegetables to the mix as well.

The food was ready.

Placing the grilled Wyvern on top of the steamed dish, it made for a very appetizing spread.

"You've got skill. Were you a cook?"

"No, a merchant."

"Is that so…"

Drawn by the smell, Azu peeked in.

"Azu, go get the other two. Let's eat."

"I'll fetch them right away!"

She vanished in an instant.

True to her word, she brought Elza and Alexia back immediately.

We added some bread from the cart and sat down to eat.

The steamed dish was seasoned with salt alone, but the vegetables had such a rich flavor that it was more than enough.

Adding a touch of the Wyvern skewer sauce really opened up the appetite.

The Wyvern meat itself was springy and delicious.

I'd grilled it in a way that rendered off the fat, so it wasn't greasy at all. Very satisfying.

"Huh, wait…"

After eating some Wyvern meat, Azu looked at her hand with a puzzled expression.

"Um, sorry if I'm imagining things, but… I feel like I got a little stronger just from eating this?"

"Now that you mention it… I felt something similar to when you defeat a monster."

"Yummy!"

Alexia seemed to have felt the same as Azu.

I hadn't noticed anything on my end, though.

Elza was too busy savoring the food to tell.

"First time eating Dragon meat?"

"Of course. It's expensive to buy."

It didn't even circulate through regular butcher shops.

It had never occurred to me to seek it out deliberately.

Having tried it, it was certainly tasty, but whether it justified the price was debatable.

Alhechhi prefaced his next words carefully.

"This isn't widely known, but…"

"Dragon meat can make people with talent slightly stronger the first time they eat it. It doesn't happen every time you eat it, mind you."

If it had that effect reliably, dragons would have been hunted to extinction, he said with a laugh.

His idea of a joke, apparently.

Wyverns weren't true dragons, but the effect seemed to apply to them as well.

Unfortunately, I hadn't felt any effect, so I apparently lacked that particular talent.

No issue there. I was a merchant, after all.

Azu and Alexia were eating away with great interest, never pausing.

"Hm? Were you talking about something?"

Elza, it seemed, hadn't been listening at all.

After the meal, I left the cleanup to Azu and the others.

I was given tea brewed from dried herbs local to the village.

"Drink this and you'll stay warm through the night. It'll help you sleep. Do you have blankets?"

"Yeah. We're fine."

"Good. Take it easy."

With that, Alhechhi retreated deeper into the house.

He was a man of few words, but seeing how he'd welcomed us, even if by circumstance, it was clear he was a good person.

After finishing the tea with Azu and the others, we returned to the large room.

Just as he'd said, a warmth seemed to spread from my core.

The Wyvern butchering had left me exhausted in body and mind. I pulled a blanket over myself and fell asleep almost immediately.