Chapter 43

Chapter 43 – Fried food joins the popular menu

After Fell's fight with the Orthrus, I got on his back and we ran off again .

When the sun went down we decided to make camp nearby .

"Hey, is this still Orthros territory?" I asked .

"Yeah, we still got a ways to go before we're out of it . " Fer said .

There are still Orthros around? Is it OK to just make camp here? I looked around worriedly .

"Don't be afraid, the Orthros won't come around here . They saw who was the strongest in the previous fight . " Fer explained .

Well, I must admit . . .

The Orthros that he defeated was probably the strongest of them all, and Fer had killed him with a single slicing blow .

As Fer says they will probably not come, but I can't be calm while we're still in the Orthros' territory . I'll get Fer to make a really secure Barrier .

"Now that's understood, how about food?" Fer said .

"It's not OK, we're still in Orthrus territory . Make a really secure Barrier . "

"Aruji-, Sui is also hungry . " Sui said .

"Is Sui's tummy empty? Let's make dinner then . "

"Hey, why do you treat me different from Sui?" Fer growled .

Of course I treat her different, she's a lot cuter than you are .

Since Fer was getting grouchy I got ready to make dinner . I checked what was left in the Item Box but a lot of the meat had been used up .

"Fer, how far have we got through the forest?"

"Ummm, we're about half-way . "

That means if it's taken about three weeks to get here then it'll take us about the same time to get to the other side of the forest? About three weeks . . . we've barely got enough supplies . However there's the Net Super so it should be OK, and we can use less meat by putting it on rice bowls .

So maybe I should use some meat I haven't tried before? I've still got that Black Serpent meat . It's a snake though . Since the old guy at the Adventurer's Guild said it was a luxury item I think it's supposed to be delicious but . . .

I've heard it said that snake meat tastes like chicken but I've never tried it myself . However the orc meat was delicious when I tried that for the first time so maybe the Black Serpent will be the same . Right, I'll cook some Black Serpent . It looks like chicken, a bit anyway .

Everybody likes fried food .

First I'll buy stuff that I've nearly run out of from the Net Super . Soy sauce and sake, and since it's a pain to grate ginger and garlic I'll buy some grated paste in tubes, and wheat flour and potato starch and vegetable oil as well . I've got a frying pan and a cooker but I'll need to buy a pot for deep-frying .

Right, let's get started cooking .

Cut the Black Serpent's meat up into bite-sized pieces and stab them with a fork so that the sauce seeps in . Put soy sauce, sake, grated garlic and ginger in a plastic bag and give it a really good shake . Add the Black Serpent's meat and squeeze it over and over to infuse it with the sauce . Poking the meat with a fork helps but I give it a good ten minutes anyway . Meanwhile I put kitchen paper on a dish .

I get the oil warmed up properly . Right, it's about time .

I covered the Black Serpent's meat with a mixture of flour and starch,

shook off the excess powder and fried it . Yep, it looks like it's nice and crispy, just like fried chicken . Whether it tastes like it . . .

I try not to think of it as snake, I think to myself, "it's chicken" and try a bite .

*Crunch, chew chew chew . . . * . . . . . . . . . . It tastes delicious, nothing weird .

"Don't hold out . Feed me some of it too . "

Fer had been standing motionless, eyes fixed on the food but his patience was exhausted . I scooped out more freshly-fried chick- uh, Black Serpent meat for him .

"Wa-, wait a minute . " I said .

"Nnnn, this is delicious . Not enough, give me more . "

Hang on, I just started frying .

"Sui wants to eat it too . "

Yes yes, just wait a moment . "Give me some time to fry more . "

I fried and fried continuously . As I finished each batch Fer and Sui gobbled them down . I fried until I was ready to drop, it seemed endless .

Fer and Sui ate nearly everything, would they leave any for me?

"Hey, leave a little for me will you?"

Eventually after frying and frying, Fel and Sui seemed satisfied .

"Umu, it was delicious . I want to eat this dish again . " said Fer .

"Yeah, it was delicious . Sui likes this too . I want to eat it again . "

It looked like fried food will be a popular item on the menu from here on .

However, there were only three pieces of fried chick- uh, Black Serpent meat left . I put them between two slices of bread but it was not as nice to eat it that way . Damn it .