Volume 2: Chapter 1 - Part 4Author: Geraint
Yawning while driving through the mountains, I spotted a shallow river ahead of the road. Deciding we needed a break—especially since I hadn't slept the entire night—I parked the bus near the river and turned off the engine to let it cool.
Stretching my arms and legs as I stepped outside, I took a deep breath. Realizing none of us had eaten a proper meal yet, I went off to hunt. Taking off my coat and shoes, I left them on the ground before leaping into the trees, moving from branch to branch as I searched for prey.
"Strange..."
There were plenty of edible fruits on the trees, but I hadn't come across a single herbivorous monster. On Earth, they'd be called animals, but here in my home world, they're known as monsters.
Jumping down to the ground, I noticed several claw marks on the trees—signs that a beast was nearby and this territory belonged to it.
I walked openly, not bothering to hide my presence, until I felt a surge of killing intent in the distance.
"RAAAWR!"
A deafening roar echoed as trees crashed to the ground, and a humongous bear—five times larger than an average human—emerged from the forest.
"Hahaha! Looks like we're having nabe today!"
Excited, I readied myself. It had been a long time since I hunted a monster for food—and this one was huge.
"RAWR!"
The bear charged at me, swiping with its massive claw. I stopped it with a single foot, stepped along its arm, and kicked it straight in the nose.
"RAAAH!"
It roared in pain, blood gushing from its snout.
"Let's end this quickly. No need to make you suffer."
I picked up a small stick lying nearby, stripped off the leaves, and swung it to test its balance.
"Reforge."
Infusing it with magic, I waited as the bear lunged again. In a flash, I slashed its neck with the enchanted stick.
Blood spurted from the clean cut, and the beast collapsed with a heavy thud.
The stick in my hand crumbled into ash and vanished into the wind. Glancing up at the rustling trees, I pulled a butcher knife from my dimensional storage and got to work, dismantling the massive bear.
Several Hours Later
After some exhausting work, I was preparing skewered bear meat at the riverside camp when the female teacher stepped out of the bus, rubbing her eye. She glanced around and spotted me.
"Umm… Akatsuki-san?"
"Good morning, Sensei."
"What are you making?"
"Skewers. And a few other dishes."
Watching me work, her eyes widened in amazement.
"I didn't know you could cook."
"I'm the only one who cooks at home, after all."
"So you're the one making meals for Yuuka-san and Shiina-san?"
"Yup."
As I dipped the skewers in a sauce I had prepared, the sizzle of the meat made her drool—and her stomach growled loudly.
When I squinted at her, she turned red and covered her face with her hands.
"S-Sorry! I can't help it! I haven't had a proper meal since we got here…"
"Pffffft~"
I couldn't help but chuckle.
I went over to the pot of rice simmering on the flames. Seeing that it was done, I scooped some into a bowl and handed it to her.
"It's really rice! Where did you get this?"
"I brought some with me when we arrived."
"Wow! You're so prepared!"
She was overreacting to something so simple, but I let it slide.
When the skewers were properly grilled, I placed a few on her plate with sauce.
"Try it."
"Meat!"
She took a bite and her eyes lit up with joy, tears forming as she chewed.
"So yummy!"
"Eat slowly. I've made enough for everyone—eat too fast and you'll get sick."
"I won't! It's so good, Akatsuki-kun!"
She'd changed how she addressed me.
"Don't forget to eat your vegetables, too."
"Yes!"
Our roles had reversed—she was acting like a child now.
"Ah! Saeko-sensei is unfair! She's eating before us!"
The students had started to wake and saw their teacher eating ahead of them.
"Come and eat! Akatsuki-kun's cooking is amazing!" she called.
"Really?"
"I'm starving."
"That smells incredible!"
I had to move faster to feed everyone. They devoured the food—some even cried from how good it was. Once the skewers were done, I brought out a large pot and set it over the flames. I poured in the broth, added vegetables, mushrooms, and thinly sliced bear meat, and let it simmer as everyone watched.
"Good morning, Onii-sama."
"Seir-kun…"
Yuuka and Shiina had woken up, along with the princess. Kaho-san and Riko were still groggy behind them.
"Go wash up at the river while I finish prepping your food."
"Okay!"
The five girls headed off, with Lilith and Lory yawning as they followed.
Once everyone returned and sat on the ground, I served their meals.
"Huh? What kind of meat is this?" Yuuka asked suspiciously.
"Best if you don't ask and just enjoy."
"If it's Onii-sama's cooking, it's delicious… but it's the ingredients I'm worried about."
"Relax. The meat's fresh and normal."
"Isn't this Titan Bear meat?" Lilith asked after tasting a skewer. "It's considered a delicacy—it usually takes an entire army to hunt just one. But for Seir-sama, it's probably easy."
"Titan Bear?" Yuuka narrowed her eyes at me.
"Well, it's not like we can be picky right now."
She took a bite of the skewer—and loved it.
"Delicious!"
Shiina nodded in agreement, and soon, even the princess was enjoying the meal.
(To be continued.)