First Cooking in the Isekai
Night falls.
Normally, I'd be lying in bed by now, but today is different.
Today marks the long-awaited start of my first cooking session in this world.
"Let's see… alright, this should do."
I'm gathering nicely sized stones from around the cabin and arranging them in a circle.
These stones form the base for the irori nabe, and the empty space in the center is where I'll put wood, grass, and other kindling to start a fire.
"Kyu-kyu!"
"Oh, Grey! You already brought it? Thanks!"
"Kyu-kyu~!"
Chirping cutely is Grey, the spider.
Grey is the ten-centimeter spider I named just earlier, and it's dragged a bundle of white threads to me.
I cut open the bundle and peek inside.
It's packed with neatly cubed firewood, slender branches perfect for kindling, and heaps of dry leaves. I can't hide my amazement at how quickly Grey worked.
"To think you gathered all this while I was stacking stones…"
Fire is essential for cooking.
Originally, I planned to head into the forest with a knife to collect firewood.
But when I mentioned this to Grey, it thumped its chest as if saying, "Leave it to me!" and dashed into the forest.
Just a few minutes later, Grey returned with over twice the amount of firewood and branches I'd planned to gather, all neatly wrapped in its threads.
"And this firewood is so clean. Did you actually prepare it yourself?"
"Kyu!"
Grey raises a knife-sharp front leg that glints brightly, nodding enthusiastically.
Every single move Grey makes is adorable, but it's also an incredibly hardworking and capable spider.
Not only does it cube wood into firewood like this, but when I said I wanted meat, it brought back a boar—gutted and bled, no less. It even checks the vegetables' growth progress. I'm already indebted to Grey, to the point I can't sleep with my feet pointed toward [a Japanese expression for deep gratitude, implying respect].
But Grey itself—er, itself-spider?—doesn't boast or impose. It works diligently for me as if it's only natural.
I gave Grey a gold when it was starving, but even accounting for that, Grey's efforts more than repay the favor.
That's why it's my turn to return the favor through action.
"Alright, let's put the firewood and branches Grey brought in the center of the stones… Ignite!"
Pointing my hand at the piled wood and branches, I cast fire magic.
A flame about the size of a lighter's flares at my fingertip. When I bring it near the branches around the firewood, the dry kindling catches easily, and flames roar to life.
My first bonfire in this place, which turns pitch-black at night. In my previous life, I saw fire so often it bored me, but here, it feels refined and deeply warm.
"Grey, stay away from the fire, okay? It's dangerous."
"Kyu!"
Nodding energetically, Grey watches as I place the irori nabe on the stacked stones.
The stones wobbled at first, but Grey quickly fetched more, allowing me to build a stable base for the pot.
Then, I drop some fat from the boar's belly into the heated irori nabe.
A sizzle rings out, and the savory aroma of meat tickles my nose.
Ideally, I'd use beef tallow or vegetable oil to reduce gaminess, but I don't have that luxury, so I make do with what's available.
"…Alright. The fat's melted nicely. Now, I'll add the sliced boar meat…"
Since tough meat is hard to eat, I cut the boar's belly meat into large but thin slices and lay them in the heated pot.
The thin slices cook quickly, the pink meat turning a delicious golden-brown, exuding a rich, meaty aroma.
I was about to flip them when I realized something critical.
"…Oh no! I don't have a wooden spatula!"
There's no wooden spatula for stirring the meat.
The cabin only has the irori nabe, and the only tool I have to poke at the sizzling pot is the knife in my hand.
But the knife's dirty, and it might scratch the precious pot.
I don't need to flip the meat yet, but without a spatula, I risk ruining the meat Grey worked so hard to get.
Then, I grab one of the firewood pieces Grey brought and start carving it with the knife.
"There's still time…!"
I'm a complete amateur at handling a knife, and I've never made a wooden spatula before.
This is a one-shot deal.
But strangely, my knife work is steady, without hesitation.
Where did my worries go? In no time, I carved a wooden spatula like the ones you'd find at a 100-yen shop.
"…Come to think of it, I did ask the god to make me dexterous."
I'm impressed by how perfect it turned out.
This must be thanks to the skill the god gave me.
I can't thank the god enough. Maybe I should carve a wooden statue of them someday and offer prayers.
"Alright, now I can stir the meat. Grey, sorry, but could you grab some salt fruits? I want to chop them for seasoning."
"Kyu-kyu!"
At my request, Grey darts to the farm and quickly returns with the salt fruits.
Since I mentioned chopping them, they're already cut into perfect sizes by the time they reach my hands. Grey is truly a lifesaver.
"Thanks, Grey. Now, I'll sprinkle the chopped salt fruits…"
Scattering the chopped salt fruits, a mouthwatering aroma suddenly wafts up.
When I tried the salt fruit before, I noticed it's not just salty.
Eating a whole one makes you chug water from the intense saltiness, but beneath that lies a distinct umami.
Umami is essential for cooking.
Simply put, umami is like dashi. Even with miso or other seasonings, miso soup won't taste good without dashi. (T/N: ダシ, means Japanese broth base)
It's the same for other dishes. My mom taught me, "Add dashi, and most dishes will taste good," so I used dashi powder or umami-rich mentsuyu for most cooking. (T/N: めんつゆ, means noodle soup base)
That's why most of my dishes ended up tasting similar, though.
That's how I know—the salt fruit has umami like dashi.
Combining plant-based and animal-based umami, I can make a dish packed with the umami Japanese people love.
"…Alright! That should do it."
I finish cooking the boar meat and move the irori nabe off the fire, setting it on the ground.
I'd love to plate it, but I don't have dishes, so I'll eat straight from the pot.
With no chopsticks, spoons, or forks, I scoop the meat with the wooden spatula and dig in—a true survival meal.
"Smells great. Want some, Grey?"
"Kyu. Kyu-kyu, kyu."
Grey shakes its head, having piled small chunks of raw boar meat on a leaf in front of itself, like a mountain.
While I was cooking, Grey was apparently doing its own "cooking."
No matter how intelligent Grey is, it's still a spider.
It seems raw meat, eaten wildly, suits its nature better than human-style cuisine.
"Alright… Itadakimasu."
"Kyu? Kyu-kyu~!"
When I clasp my hands, Grey stares at me like, "What's this guy doing?" but soon mimics me, clasping its legs.
It's gratitude for the food. Eating an animal's meat lets me live. It's the utmost thanks for the cycle of life.
I scoop the cooked boar meat with the spatula and bring it to my mouth.
"Ah, huff, hot, hot!"
It's piping hot from being freshly cooked, but not enough to burn.
I chew the boar meat. I expected it to be tough and gamey, but there's no beastly odor. It's softer than beef, with faintly sweet fat.
The chopped salt fruits add just the right saltiness, and the umami of the boar meat blends with the salt fruit's umami. It's just grilled meat with salt, yet the flavor is so delicious it moves me.
"Th-This is amazing…!"
When did I stop tasting food?
Savoring food is the joy of cooking. But in my previous life, depressed and paralyzed, I had no room to enjoy it.
I was barely surviving. The effort to live became a hassle, then agony, and then…
"Kyu, kyu-kyu…?"
"…Huh? Oh, Grey, what's up?"
"Kyu."
Grey points a leg at my face.
Wondering what's wrong, I touch my cheek and find it slightly wet.
It seems eating something delicious for the first time in ages overwhelmed me, and tears spilled out.
Wiping the tears with my arm, I look at Grey and force a smile.
"Ha, haha. Grey, it's not what you think. These aren't sad tears."
"Kyu, kyu…?"
Really? Grey looks at me worriedly.
I gently pet its fluffy head, nodding softly to reassure it.
"This meat—this meat you got for me—is so delicious it made me cry. These are tears of joy, not sadness."
"Kyu, kyu~!"
Happy to be petted and praised, Grey hops excitedly and clings to my hand.
Wondering if Grey ate, I glance at the boar carcass.
The carcass, which should've had enough meat for days, is now just bones, not a scrap of meat left.
Did it eat it all? No, since it's just me and Grey here, by elimination, Grey must've eaten it.
But… there was over a hundred kilos of meat. It ate it all instantly, yet Grey's weight hasn't changed as it clings to my hand.
No, to begin with, that much meat fitting into Grey's body is unthinkable…
"Haa… as expected of another world, huh." (T/N: I will translate Sasuga isekai さすが異世 into it meaning from now on)
Gazing at the star-filled sky above,
I sit with Grey around the bonfire, chatting quietly until the moon rises overhead.