Chapter 15: Monster Dismantling Event
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After lunch today, as usual, I trained my Transformation skill.
This time, I decided to try something new.
I gathered ingredients used in making ointments: medicinal herbs, barley for horses, and a few ordinary stones lying around.
Horse barley is a coarse grain that people don’t eat—it’s so bitter only large, voracious horses consume it. I tried a few grains myself, but they were so bitter and harsh that they left my tongue numb.
First, I focused on the medicinal herbs—Transform!
A light, yellowish-white powder appeared on the plate. It seemed like a success, but just to be sure, I tasted a tiny bit on my fingertip.
“Yep, salty. This is definitely salt.”
I weighed it on the scale and recorded the results.
I also tried transforming the horse barley and stones, and I was able to produce salt from each, though the outcomes varied significantly:
Medicinal herbs (1 kilogram) transformed to salt (100 grams): Mana cost, 100 points.
Horse barley (1 kilogram) transformed to salt (20 grams): Mana cost, 200 points.
Stones (10 kilograms) transformed to salt (5 grams): Mana cost, 300 points.
It seems that items of higher intrinsic value result in better transformations, both in terms of the mana required and the output.
With my current mana, transforming seventy kilograms of stone into thirty-five grams of salt is the limit. Transformation consumes a large amount of mana.
I snuck into the mansion’s kitchen and added the salt I’d made into the salt jar.
Today is colder than usual. It’s not quite cold enough for snow, but I’m worried about Father, who’s out camping. I hope he doesn’t catch a cold.
Even in the cold, my routine doesn’t change.
In the morning, it’s sword training.
Swinging a sword makes me sweat despite the chill. As I continued, I heard a commotion near the gate.
“Father!”
“Ah, Toma! I’ve just returned.”
Father smiled broadly, and behind him was a large cart piled high with monsters.
“Welcome back.”
“You were practicing your swordsmanship? Good job.”
Skipping sword training just because it’s cold doesn’t help with improvement. Father always praises me for doing what’s expected.
“I’ll go call Mother.”
“We had a great haul this time.”
“Yes, sir.”
I ran to the entrance to call Mother, but she stepped out before I could open the door.
“Mother, Father is back.”
“Is he alright?”
“Yes. He looked well.”
Together, we welcomed Father and expressed our appreciation to the soldiers who had accompanied him.
Soon, the villagers gathered and began unloading the monsters Father and the soldiers had hunted. The village children, full of curiosity, followed along, and I joined them.
“Oh, look at this fine Metal Bear!”
An elder from the village looked at the massive bear-like magical beast in astonishment.
This Metal Bear stood out among the haul with its enormous size.
They brought the catch to the riverbank beside the mansion and began dismantling it.
“I’ll handle this Metal Bear!”
A brawny middle-aged man struck a pose. Why he was posing was unclear.
“Oh, it’s Bowman the blacksmith. I’ll leave this big one to you.”
“Got it!”
The villagers, experienced as they were, quickly got to work dismantling the creatures.
Using my information access, I checked the Metal Bear’s level—it was an astounding 270. If I were to encounter one now, I wouldn’t stand a chance; this was indeed a true monster.
Generally, the internal organs are discarded on-site, and blood is drained. It’s to reduce weight for transport and prevent the organs from spoiling, especially since even in winter, they decay quickly. Draining the blood also lessens the meat’s gamey smell.
I helped with the dismantling, though my role was to carry the cut pieces of meat rather than using a knife. The other kids were also helping carry the meat.
“You’re new around here, aren’t you?”
The voice belonged to a large boy with short, dark brown hair and a rough-and-tumble look.
“I moved here recently. My name’s Toma. Nice to meet you.”
“Hey, I’m Ben. Bowman the blacksmith’s son.”
Indeed, Ben shared the same purple eyes as Bowman and had a similar mouth.
Ben was ten years old and spoke roughly, but he wasn’t one to resort to unnecessary violence.
He had the demeanor of a leader, organizing the kids to help carry the meat and assisting the adults without being asked.
“So, what happens to this meat next?”
“Most of it gets smoked. That way, it lasts longer.”
During spring and summer, monsters rarely come near the village. Of course, they’re not entirely absent, but large creatures like the Metal Bear stay deep in the forest or mountains and only come close to the village in winter.
That’s why they smoke and dry the meat to preserve it for times when hunting yields less.
“But tomorrow’s the Meat Festival. Every year, the lord shares the first catch of winter with us.”
“The Meat Festival!? That sounds exciting!”
“Yeah, I’m gonna eat my fill of meat!”
I’d never been to a festival before. I’d never been in an environment that allowed it.
Just the thought of participating in my first festival fills me with excitement.