SWNOVELXO Chapter 78
“Cheers!!!”
By the time night had fully fallen, the lights of the royal capital began to illuminate the streets. Inside the restaurant, which the Akatsuki Brigade had rented out, dozens of voices raised a synchronized toast, filling the room with energy.
With Saioji finally joining the group, the welcome party commenced. Aina took charge of the buffet-style feast, with a variety of dishes laid out for the members. People helped themselves to food, carrying plates filled with their choices, as they mingled, conversed, and enjoyed drinks.
Inside the restaurant, most of the members were either chatting with close friends or surrounding the evening’s guests of honor—Raine, Sena, and Piana—asking them questions. Some gathered around Saioji, whom they hadn’t seen much lately due to her busy schedule. The atmosphere was lively, with everyone enjoying the party.
Meanwhile, I, along with a few other members, was busy preparing the food. Although it was partly my job as Aina’s subordinate, some members had volunteered to help with the cooking for the occasion.
As a result, my duties were minimal—I could chat with others and nibble on food while keeping an eye on things.
The meal had officially started, though few were diving into the food right away. Most people were sipping their drinks and enjoying conversations. Light dishes, like salads, were popular, while the heavier meat dishes were still waiting to be devoured.
“This drink is amazing!”
“I’ve never tasted anything like it before… Which merchant did we get this from?”
There were a variety of drinks prepared, and some members seemed particularly taken with a bottle I had personally brought along. Fruit-based liquors were generally the most popular, though there were a few who favored stronger spirits like whiskey.
While the world of Asphiar also enjoyed alcohol, most of it resembled fruit wine. Distilled spirits like whiskey didn’t seem to exist here. I was surprised to see someone drinking whiskey straight without a chaser, given its strong heat as it went down, but they seemed to enjoy it.
“It’s like Dwarven fire whiskey! That stuff’s way stronger, though this one’s smoother.”
Encouraged by her comment, more members who enjoyed drinking began gathering around the table where I had placed the whiskey bottles. Soon, they were pouring drinks and merrily indulging.
—
“What a beautiful cut of meat.”
“I’m glad you think so. This part is rather fatty, so if anyone doesn’t prefer that, feel free to serve them the leaner cuts.”
By mid-party, as the atmosphere grew livelier and the drinks stronger, people were beginning to dig into the main dishes, including the meat courses. I was in the kitchen, pulling a beautifully marbled wagyu beef from the cold storage and showing it to one of the members helping with the cooking.
She let out a small gasp of admiration at the sight of the exquisite meat and began preparing it for serving.
Some of the cuts had come as full blocks, which we sliced into steaks or thin strips, depending on the dish—grilled steak or yakiniku-style, respectively. Alongside the meat, I’d brought salt, garlic, yakiniku sauce, and lemon for seasoning.
“What should we do with this ‘rice’ dish?”
“We’ll just serve it on plates, so no need to worry.”
Vegetables similar to lettuce or *sanchu* existed in this world as well, so wrapping grilled meat in them like Korean *samgyeopsal* could be an interesting option.
Personally, I liked eating meat with steaming white rice, so I prepared rice, though I figured the only one who’d appreciate that would probably be Saioji.
—
“Hey! More meat’s here!”
When I brought out a large platter of wagyu beef from the kitchen, I noticed the plates of monster meat dishes that had been served earlier were already empty.
“Wow, I could’ve sworn we had plenty…”
The ones who had devoured the mountain of meat were the front-line warriors—tall, muscular women who fought fearsome monsters with their powerful physiques. Their toned bodies exuded a healthy appeal, but more than that, they radiated a fierce, wolf-like hunger that demanded more meat.
Their eyes were not on me, but on the platter of meat I was carrying in both hands.