The caravan under the tree cleared a small area for us to camp in . We wasted no time in setting up some tents and building a fire . I had been keeping the food for the horses in the hollow bag, and so I took it out and fed them . I also created some water in a bucket and drank .

“They’ve had to run quite a lot today…”

“Surely they will be fine tomorrow?”

“Yes . The imperial capital is very close now . There should be no problem if we go at a moderate pace . ”

After he said this, I looked to the east and saw that there was a light, warm glow . Perhaps it was the lights of the city . A city that never slept…

“Now, let us eat . I was kinda hoping to dine on the Grendel, you know . ”

“Haha . But I have made quite a lot thanks to Mister Asagi . ”

We had decided to share the money with him . Of course, Daniela was fine with it .

‘We are not exactly in need of money now . And he did run off so desperately . We might as well reward him a little?’

And so with Daniela’s blessing, I had relayed the news to Mister . I knew he would object with his typical modesty, but I sort of just forced it onto him . We both took two-hundred pieces of gold and now had a place to sleep . It was an all-round good outcome, I thought .

“It will be our last night together, so I’ll cook this time . ”

I declared in front of the fire . Then Daniela stood up .

“Mister . Asagi is rather good with this cooking business . You should look forward to it . ”

“I see . Well, I certainly will!”

“I’m so hungry…”

Mister, Daniela and the driver started to talk enthusiastically about their favorites foods while I prepared the pots . You always had to start with a pot . I would put water in it and put it over a fire to make some soup!

“…”

No, not really . d.a.m.n it…I wanted to join the conversation . I could tell them of the midnight beef bowls I used to eat .

“Beef bowls…I’d sure like that now…”

I muttered with a sense of nostalgia . Daniela overheard it .

“Beef bowl? What is that? Asagi . ”

“It’s a dish consisting of boiled beef on a bowl of rice . It’s great . ”

“Food from your old home…”

Daniela whispered sadly . Indeed, I was sad too . We had meat here, but not rice . No soy sauce either . Of course, I didn’t know anything about fermenting, so I wouldn’t be able to make it either . Now that would be a nice cheat to have .

“Well, I’m going to make something much better than that . So sit over there and drool with antic.i.p.ation . ”

“What kind of vulgar woman do you take me for!”

Mister tried to calm the agitated Daniela . I just laughed and refocused my attention on the food .

Spicy meat skewers . Fresh fish grilled with salt . Vegetable soup . Bread . And fruit wine .

That might sound a little like fast food, but when displayed in front of us, it felt like a worthy last supper . There was so much that it didn’t fit on the low table I had made, and so we decided to spread a sheet on the floor of the wagon and place the food there where it could be enjoyed by the light of the lanterns .

“Let’s eat!”

The four of us put our hands together before reaching out to the food . I went for the fish . Daniela to the meat . Mister and the driver went after the soup . Personalities, eh…?

To me, the crispy, salted fish was irresistible . Its flesh would fall apart in your mouth and was very juicy .

“Mmm…! Hot! But good!”

Daniela was eating meat that was covered in spices I had bought from the market in Usk . I had tested various combinations before reaching this one . The more you ate, the hotter it became . Sweat would rush from your forehead . I was confident that it would sell very well at the street stalls .

“The vegetables and bacon work so well together in this soup . ”

“The chunks are so big yet they are cooked through!”

I was also quite proud of the soup that Mister and the driver were having . I had made a lot of soups since coming to this world . And this was like its final form . A soup for vegetables . My only regret was not having any consomme .

“The meat also goes well with the bread . ”

Daniela’s hands stopped when she heard those words . In the next instant, one of the buns vanished . Daniela had s.n.a.t.c.hed one faster than the eye could see . She put the meat inside and pulled out the skewer .

“Hmm… . ! Mmmm…mm…mmm…gg… it is not bad!”

The others looked intrigued, so I offered them some bread too . They copied Daniela and bit into the bread . Then their eyes widened and they looked at each other before taking another bite and then another . Perhaps it was too good for words…I was quite happy to see it .

I sipped on some fruit wine and watched them eat . It really was fun to eat with others like this… No, I wasn’t great in larger, noisier places, but this was a nice way to have dinner . It would be even better if there was another cook whose food I could compare mine too .

Well, we would arrive in the imperial capital tomorrow . Vellefrost, the imperial capital of the Empire of Flugelnia . What kind of place would it be? Now, I heard about sweets and parades, but nothing we had seen up until now suggested those things . Perhaps it was a culture that was still spreading . Either that or Daniela’s information was wrong .

In any case, we’d have the pleasure of discovering the truth soon enough . It was decided that Daniela and the driver would take turns on the watch tonight, and so I went off to bed . Well, we were in such a large camp . Surely no monsters would dare come close…

Asagi! Asagi, wake up!!”

“Huh!?”

My world spun .

I fell onto my nose before frantically peeling myself off of the floor . Apparently, someone had pulled my sheet from under me .

“What!?”

“Monsters! It is blood apes!!”

“Are you kidding me!!?”

I couldn’t help but shout . Those d.a.m.ned, b.l.o.o.d.y apes . Blood apes . My most hated monsters . Ambushes and Presence Block . And they came in such large numbers . I hate them .

I unsheathed Glampanzer and rushed out of the tent . The campsite was already a battlefield . I could hear the shrieking of the apes and the curses of the Adventurers as they fought .

“This looks bad . ”

“Hah! Do not just stand there, Asagi!”

Daniela shouted as she thrust her rapier between a blood ape’s eyes . Ugh . And we’re so close to the capital… This huge tree had all the appearance of a tranquil resting spot, but it had really just been a b.l.o.o.d.y nest .

“d.a.m.n you all!!”

“Aye, that is the spirit!”

I swung my sword with rage and a blood ape’s head flew into the air . Then I generated an ice sword with my free hand and slashed at the closest monster . I couldn’t use Icicle Inverse or Frostheim when there were so many people around . Even Legs of the G.o.d Wolf would be too dangerous . This was not good . Just the thought of having to slowly cut through them one at a time made me want to vomit . No one got away with disturbing my sleep . You d.a.m.ned apes!

Finally, the sun showed its face .

Finally . The sun . Showed . Its face .

“…I’m gonna throw up . ”

“Me too…”

Without sleep, without rest, we continued until the battle was over . Everyone was either staring at the ground or the sky . It was the sky for me .

“Mister Asagi… You’re safe…”

“Yeah . You too, Mister…”

“Yes . There was a commotion and I was told to evacuate…”

The Adventurers had led the merchants into a tent where they were shut in until morning . Those who could not fight had to stay still . I wouldn’t have minded joining them…

“Stil . . this is quite the sight…”

Mister said weakly . Adventurers sat, hugging their swords . Others lay spread-eagled on the ground . Some leaned against the tree . And even now, there were some who remained alert .

But all of them were covered in blood . And the ground was littered with so many blood ape corpses that it was difficult to walk .

“They counted about five hundred earlier . ”

“Five hundred…”

There were about fifty of us Adventurers, which meant that each had killed nearly ten… It didn’t really meet our salary . In fact, I was sure I had killed over twenty . I stopped counting after that…

“And about six Adventurers were caught off-guard and were killed . ”

“I see…”

Deaths… Well, it was such a chaotic battle . I could not be surprised by the outcome . Luckily the four of our company were all safe . Still…this had been a rough morning . Or night .

We would have to bury the dead first . This was what I a.s.sumed, but no one moved .

The morning sun was s.h.i.+ning down on the wet pools of blood . And yet no one rose to their feet .