Cooking with Wild Game: Volume 9

2

"You really didn't realize she was a girl, Asuta?" Lala Ruu questioned, looking completely and utterly astounded. "I really don't see how you could see her as anything but a woman! Right, Reina?"

"Yes, truly."

"What about you, Sheera Ruu? You knew, didn't you?"

"Yes. She certainly didn't look like a man to me."

"And Li Sudra... Ah, you weren't here yet."

"That's right. But just when I arrived, an angry southerner came out from behind the stall. If that's who we're talking about, well... I'm sorry, Asuta, but she didn't look like anything other than a young girl to me."

Li Sudra didn't especially need to apologize there. The only thing here worthy of embarrassment was my own ignorance.

All of our work was done for the day, and we had just returned the stalls to The Kimyuus's Tail. That happened to leave us with a bit of time to kill, and so we were having that conversation while hanging out in the alley between two inns.

Actually, it honestly felt more like an attack than a conversation at this point. But I had needed to head for The Sledgehammer not long after the girl I had mistaken for a boy had left, so it was little surprise that I was getting it now.

I would've been good if we just skipped this step, but unfortunately Lala Ruu's sharp tongue showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

"I seriously can't believe you! It really is no wonder she slugged you! And I feel like a real fool for worrying about you, too!"

"Hey, you can at least worry a little. I mean, wasn't I already punished for my crime back there?"

A few hours had passed since then, but my left cheek was still throbbing away. I probably had some cuts in my mouth too, so I made a mental note to skip using any spicy chitt seeds in tonight's dinner.

"At the very least, she was older than I am. Man, just imagining being treated like that is enough to get me mad. That was a real insult, saying something like that to a woman."

"I'm telling you, I was just caught up in the preconception that there weren't ever any foreign women in the post town. I mean, have you even seen girls from Jagar or Sym before, Lala Ruu?"

"That's got nothing to do with it. A boy would never have a face that pretty."

"You think so? I mean, I'd say Shin Ruu's got a pretty nice face, for example. Don't you think so too, Lala Ruu?"

With that, the young girl's face went red and she hit me with a liver blow to hide how embarrassed she was feeling.

I really was getting beaten an awful lot today. And it was extra sad too, as I definitely brought it all on myself.

"Hmph! I thought for sure you knew she was a girl, and you were just trying to use the chance to ogle her! I mean, you got your face up all close to her, after all. And I'm sure it made you feel good to hear her go on and on about how good your cooking was, right?"

"Come on, that's ridiculous. I thought she was a man back then, so of course I wasn't ogling her."

"Ah, so you would've if you knew she was a girl? Hmm, should I let Ai Fa know about-"

As she was saying that, I worried that my clan head herself would show up with the worst possible timing. And so, I hurriedly tried to cover Lala Ruu's mouth only for a husky voice to call out from behind me, "What were you saying about me?"

I turned around as a cold sweat ran down my back, and sure enough found Ai Fa standing commandingly there, holding Gilulu's reins.

"Sorry for the wait. I didn't catch any giba today, and ended up having to head a bit further out to set up traps."

"A-Ah, that's fine! Sorry for making you come all this way after you worked so hard on the hunt."

"It's nothing... So, what was all this about ogling?"

"E-Er, I was just ogling some nice ingredients earlier, thinking I might want to buy them!"

"Sounds interesting," Ai Fa replied, a very clear look of doubt in her eyes.

Before Lala Ruu could go and say anything unnecessary, I hurriedly bowed my head and said, "Well then, good work today, everyone. Since Ai Fa's here now, we're going to go buy a wagon. And Reina Ruu, you really saved us today. Thanks so much for that."

"Ah, no, the Ruu and the Fa clans have an agreement for us to lend you help, so it's only natural. And besides... I think that I gained a lot from today, too."

I had also asked Reina Ruu to assist me with the work at the inns rather than Lala Ruu or Li Sudra. Even though they had more experience manning the stalls, Reina Ruu was more skilled when it came to cooking techniques. That impression of mine turned out to be absolutely correct, as she worked even harder than Vina Ruu even though it was her first day on the job.

"I'll be helping out until Vina's injury is healed, so I look forward to working with you from tomorrow on, too," Reina Ruu added, breaking out in a truly brilliant smile.

With her strong desire to learn new techniques, she really seemed to have leveled up quite a bit over the course of the day. I simply couldn't keep myself from trembling with excitement at the thought that I'd have to keep on improving too if I didn't want her to overtake me.

"Hmm...? Do you have some sort of business with me?" Ai Fa suddenly asked in a questioning tone. And when someone suddenly stepped forward from beside her, I was even more shocked.

"Shumiral? What in the world are you doing here?"

"Asuta... I have a request, to ask, of you all."

That caused me to feel a bit uneasy for some reason, and so I hurried over his way.

The reason for that concern had been Shumiral's voice. Normally it was calm and composed, but now he was panting and close to out of breath. And when I got close enough, I even spied a bit of sweat clinging to his brow.

"I am, sorry... I am tired, from running. I am glad, to have found you."

"What is it? Do you have some sort of urgent business with us?"

"Yes... Would it, be possible, for me to go, to the forest's edge?" I was completely taken aback. Meanwhile, Shumiral's dark eyes glanced over both me and the women. "I am worried, about Vina Ruu... Could I meet, with her?"

"So you're saying you want to come see her because of her injury? You'd come all the way to the forest's edge?"

"Yes."

Completely at a loss for words, I turned around and looked at the women standing behind me.

Lala Ruu was whispering into her elder sister's ear, looking a bit tense.

As for Reina Ruu, she was clearly deep in thought as she walked up beside me.

"Man of the east, I am the second daughter of the main Ruu house, Reina Ruu. Vina Ruu is my elder sister, related to me by blood."

"Of course. I am the leader, of the merchant group, the Silver Vase, Shumiral Zi Sadumtino."

"Shumiral, is it? Understood. Well then... Why exactly is it that you're worried about Vina Ruu? What is she to you?"

"We have, no special bond. I am, simply concerned."

"So you're not claiming to be her friend, then?"

"Yes. She sells food, at the stall, and I buy it. That is all. We are, not friends."

"I see..." Reina Ruu said, her gaze drifting downwards. "As long as they don't have any wicked thoughts in mind, no one is forbidden from entering the settlement at the forest's edge. You're free to come to the Ruu house if you please. However, our clan head is the one who will determine whether or not we'll welcome you inside as a guest."

"Yes, I understand."

"Well then, I'll pass your request along to our clan head and Vina Ruu. Do you mind waiting until tomorrow to hear their response? Then if the clan head gives his permission, we can escort you to the Ruu settlement."

"Yes, thank you. I am, in your debt," Shumiral said, joining his fingers together as he expressed his gratitude toward Reina Ruu.

As for the second Ruu daughter, she just gently, calmly smiled back.

"I can't say I understand why a foreigner like you is so concerned about my sister, but as a member of her family, I definitely wish to offer you my thanks for those feelings. Well then, I'll see you again tomorrow... Asuta, it looks like we'll be heading back ahead of you."

"Right. Take care, everyone."

Reina Ruu had a more childish feel about her than Sheera Ruu or Ama Min Rutim, but she seriously impressed me with how politely and properly she acted there.

But at any rate, the three women exited to the main road, leaving just me, Ai Fa, and Shumiral standing there.

"Shumiral, you must've really worked up some serious resolve to say you want to come visit Vina Ruu."

"Yes. I was, worried about, doing so. But I would hate, to end up, not seeing her, again."

Honestly, I was surprised to find out that he had been brooding over the matter this much. I obviously noticed that he had feelings toward her, but just as he had said, they were nothing more than a customer and saleswoman, and had hardly even gotten to talk to one another. And on top of that, Shumiral wasn't a westerner and would...