SWNOVELXO Chapter 79
“What is that meat!?”
As I walked to the center of the venue, I placed the plate of Wagyu beef on the table prepared on the restaurant’s terrace. The women, who had followed the scent of the meat, peered over my shoulder at the beautifully arranged Wagyu, their faces expressing astonishment.
“This is Wagyu, a special kind of beef. In my homeland, it’s considered a top-tier delicacy.”
“Wagyu… I’ve never heard of it, but just knowing it’s animal meat makes it sound delicious!”
Excited, they urged me to hurry up and start grilling the meat. While I prepared the grill, more members, curious about what was happening, started gathering on the terrace. Although I wasn’t the one cooking the meat—the kitchen staff were in charge of that—my role was just to provide the meat, seasonings, and salads.
“Oh, you brought Wagyu…”
“Ah, Saioji.”
Among those who had gathered was Saioji. She recognized the meat I brought immediately.
“Do you know about it, Saioji?”
Since Saioji is Japanese, it was only natural that she knew about Wagyu. In fact, given her background, she probably knew more about it than I did.
“Yes, this is a special kind of beef, only granted to a particular breed of cow. And judging by a quick look, this is one of the highest grades. If you sold this in the capital, a plate would probably go for around 100,000 gold.”
“100,000 gold?!”
“Well, if you were to sell it in the capital, that price seems reasonable.”
Monster meat costs about 1,000 gold for the same quantity, and livestock meat aimed at nobles or the wealthy is priced around 10,000 gold. So, her estimate made sense. Honestly, if we were talking about profit margins, sweets would yield much more. Even in Japan, high-grade Wagyu is expensive and difficult to purchase in large quantities. I wasn’t planning to sell it actively.
Besides, it’s a hassle to preserve properly.
If I were to offer Wagyu in the future, it would likely be as a gift for special occasions, like year-end presents, or served at exclusive events like today.
“Are you sure it’s okay for us to eat something this high-quality?”
“I prepared it just for today, and there’s plenty, so don’t hold back—enjoy it.”
They seemed a bit daunted after hearing the price, but since I went through the trouble of preparing it for today, I wanted them to try it.
“And this?”
“This is just for me, but would you like some?”
I had hurriedly brought some hot, freshly cooked rice from home. When I opened the lid of the wooden container, steam rose from the perfectly white rice. The sight seemed to take them by surprise.
“Oh, this is nice.”
“Do you know what this is too, Saioji?”
For Japanese people, both Wagyu and rice are familiar foods. While the meat was something they might have heard of, rice didn’t seem to exist in the Kingdom of Kainriese. When I served it to Eurua and Aria, they both gave it high praise, but they didn’t seem to know what it was.
(I wonder if I should bring some for Sakakibara? He could probably cook it over a hearth if needed…)
I had brought this rice directly from my home in the capital using a rice cooker, but if all you needed was to cook it, a hearth would work too. Seeing Saioji’s reaction to the hot rice, it was clear that rice is something that resonates deeply with Japanese people.
(It’s like how Japanese people returning from overseas are moved when they eat rice again. If I meet any other isekai travelers, I might try selling it to them.)
Currently, I’m aware of two isekai travelers in the capital: Saioji and Sakakibara. According to Saioji, who has met others, there have been sightings of other travelers and reincarnators in small towns near the capital.
If I ever have the chance to meet them, I’d love to serve them food from home.
“What the heck is this?!”
The voice of someone in complete shock echoed around the terrace where the food was being served. They had just eaten a perfectly cooked bite of sirloin, a cut known for its tender, juicy flavor.
“Isn’t that undercooked?”
“No, this is perfect, Rafin.”
Seeing the medium-rare sirloin, one of the members expressed concern that it might be undercooked. But Saioji quickly reassured them, and although some were hesitant, they slowly began eating.
Ravia, who had shown interest in Wagyu from the start, couldn’t wait for Saioji’s confirmation and had already taken a bite, overwhelmed by the flavor.
“If you don’t like it, we also have leaner cuts, so feel free to try those.”
Most of the members who ate the Wagyu seemed astonished but generally responded favorably.
“I prefer this one.”
The warrior-class members mostly favored the rich, fatty marbled cuts like the sirloin, while the mages seemed to prefer the leaner meats. Even though the lean meat was still softer and tastier than the typical meat in this world, and had little odor, it was well-received by those who usually weren’t fans of meat.
“This pairs so well with a cold ale!”
The warrior-class members, enjoying the fattier cuts, washed down the lingering fat in their mouths with ice-cold ale—a common beer-like drink in this world.
“Ravia, try this drink too.”
“Oh? Thanks!”
I handed Ravia and the other warriors wooden mugs filled with canned beer I had kept in the ice room. Ideally, I wanted to serve freshly poured beer from a proper server, but that wasn’t feasible, so I had stored the beer with the Wagyu until the last moment.
Although I don’t drink beer myself, seeing how much they enjoyed the ale, I figured they’d appreciate this.
“Whoa!?!”
The beer had been chilled to the limit, and as Kainé took a big gulp, she squeezed her eyes shut, savoring the cold taste. Her reaction might have seemed a bit comical, but it was enough to pique the interest of her fellow drinkers.
“Could I have one too?”
Ravia, with her short dark brown hair and tall, muscular physique reminiscent of a bodybuilder, looked more at ease enjoying her meal and drink. While it wasn’t meant in a bad way, her masculine style of eating and drinking wasn’t surprising; it fit the image of an adventurer. From the perspective of someone serving the meal, it was a delightful sight.
In stark contrast to Ravia, a refined and elegant-looking female member approached me, requesting some beer.
“Uh, um…”
“Luana. This is the second time we’ve met, right?”
I vaguely recognized her face but couldn’t recall her name. Fortunately, she introduced herself.
“Sorry, I couldn’t remember your name.”
“It’s fine. I’m rarely at the team house anyway.”
Like Ravia, Luana was also a warrior in the Akatsuki Brigade. However, she was more independent—belonging to one of the teams that often went on expeditions. Even though the brigade had been in the capital for two months, she had spent most of that time outside the city.
“When I came back to the capital, it was a pleasant surprise to find such a delicious meal waiting.”
Though Ruana had a sturdy build befitting a warrior, her demeanor was more reminiscent of a noblewoman, lightly covering her mouth as she chuckled. Her hands, though, bore several scars, evidence of her experience as a seasoned adventurer.
She returned to her seat, wooden mug in hand, and soon after, a drinking contest began.
…In the end, the last one standing was Mei, the brigade’s eldest member, who had once helped me brew potions, with her stout, robust figure.