Chapter 35: Townsperson A Sells Orc at the Cultural Festival

A lot had happened with Amy lately, so while my personal safety was still a bit of a question mark, the day of the Cultural Festival arrived regardless.

The sky was finally beginning to turn pale with the coming dawn. I was currently at the Great Orc Labyrinth, located near Altomunt. As for why I’d come all this way at such a freezing hour, it was to secure the Orc meat I planned to serve at the festival.

Spotting a relatively small Orc wandering alone, I crept up stealthily and took it down with a single headshot from my Nikov. I hurried to bleed the carcass immediately.

I shouldered the prize, hauled it back to my transport, and used some rope to lash it to the Vuitol. Then, I launched the Vuitol vertically, soaring into the sky with a whole Orc dangling beneath me.

I’m sure I look completely ridiculous to anyone watching from below, but I have no other way to airmail this thing. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Since it was autumn, the temperature was already quite chilly, and it only got colder at high altitudes. I didn't have to worry much about the meat rotting during transit; if anything, I was more concerned about it freezing solid.

I pushed the Vuitol to its top speed. After a flight of several hours, I touched down at the private Lurden Airport, shouldered the Orc once more, and rushed toward the academy.

Upon arrival, I hung the hunted Orc right in front of my stall. It was roughly 10:00 AM. I’d scheduled the butchering demonstration for 11:00 AM, so for now, the carcass served as a landmark to draw in the crowds.

Sure enough, the sight of a massive monster attracted immediate attention.

"Hey, what’s that?"

"It says 'Grilled Orc Skewers.'"

"Is that... a monster?"

"I hear it’s something commoners eat."

"Why is such a thing even allowed at this academy?"

Since the student body consisted entirely of nobles and the children of the ultra-wealthy, the sight of a whole Orc was apparently quite the culture shock.

"The Orc butchering show starts at 11:00! Come one, come all!"

As I called out to the crowd, I took some Orc loin I’d prepared in advance, skewered it, and started grilling it over charcoal.

For the record, Orc meat tastes almost exactly like pork. They might walk on two legs, but their appearance is so pig-like that it doesn't really feel like you're eating a person. For an adventurer, they're a dream catch—the meat is delicious, and you can sell both the flesh and the hide for a tidy profit.

Actually, as a side note, a senior adventurer from a farming village once told me that the process for butchering a pig is almost identical to an Orc.

Despite their utility, no one has established a reliable way to ranch Orcs. Consequently, the meat is only cheap in Altomunt and the surrounding areas near the Great Orc Labyrinth. You almost never see them around the Royal Capital, so if you want to eat Orc meat here, you have to pay ten times the price of pork.

At that point, anyone willing to pay a premium for meat that tastes exactly like a pig is either a gourmet or a weirdo.

Now, while Orc meat is a luxury item in the Royal Capital, this was a school festival. I decided to ignore my profit margins and sell each skewer for 100 Cent. There’s no point in trying to get rich at a student event, anyway.

Before long, the loin meat was cooked through, wafting a savory, mouth-watering aroma into the air. I gave it a light dusting of salt and pepper to finish it off and moved the skewers away from the direct flame.

"Freshly grilled! 100 Cent a skewer! Who wants one?"

The crowd lingered at a distance, but no one stepped forward. I could tell the meat was starting to cool, so I started a fresh batch and popped a piece of the cooled meat into my own mouth.

Man, that's good. Come to think of it, I’d been in such a rush that I hadn't eaten a thing since morning. The juices—indistinguishable from high-quality pork—spread across my tongue.

"He... he looks like he’s really enjoying it."

"But it’s a monster, isn't it? Is it even safe?"

I could hear the hushed whispers of the onlookers.

"Hard at work, I see, Allen. I'll take a skewer."

"Thank you very much."

I turned toward the voice and found Anastasia standing there, accompanied by one of her followers—a young lady with medium-length blue hair and blue eyes.

"Lady Anastasia, and... uh..."

"I am Margaret. Margaret von Altmund," the girl introduced herself. "I’ll have you know, I’m quite the critic when it comes to the flavor of Orc meat."

No kidding! She’s the daughter of the Count of Altomunt, the man who rules the land where the Great Orc Labyrinth is located!

"My apologies, Lady Margaret. In that case, I hope you’ll stay for the butchering show at 11:00. This Orc was alive as of this morning, so it’s incredibly fresh. I’m sure it will meet your standards."

"Oh? I was under the impression that Orcs didn't live in this region."

"Indeed. However, I obtained it through a... secret route. Call it an adventurer’s privilege."

I definitely can’t mention the air-lift right now. Having a unique skill set is an advantage, but I have to carefully consider the social impact before I go public with something like that. If I'm not careful, I'll lose control of the situation.

"Hmm? I see. Well, no matter. Oh, wait... is that loin? It looks like excellent meat. This is a grade you'd rarely find in the Royal Capital. Is this 'High' rank?"

"As expected of your keen eye, Lady Margaret. This is indeed 'High' rank Orc meat from Altomunt. I wasn't able to secure any 'Premium' rank, so I’m afraid 'High' is the best I can offer."

"But then, isn't 100 Cent far too cheap? If you tried to buy this in the city, you’d be paying upwards of 10,000 Cent."

"Well, it is the Cultural Festival. I simply wanted to give everyone a better understanding of what an adventurer does."

"I see. How admirable. In that case, I’ll certainly have a skewer as well."

"Thank you."

I skewered the meat and set it on the grill. The fat dripped onto the coals with a satisfying hiss, sending a fragrant cloud of smoke into the air.

Suddenly, Anastasia spoke up, her voice loud enough for the surrounding crowd to hear.

"Margaret, you certainly are knowledgeable about Orcs. I take it House Altomunt serves Orc meat regularly?"

Margaret took the cue and raised her own voice in response.

"Yes, of course. It is a local specialty of our house. Personally, I find Orc meat to be firmer and far more delicious than standard pork. Besides, 'High' rank loin is a rare delicacy in the Royal Capital. One would be a fool to pass up an opportunity to taste it."

That conversation was the spark the crowd needed. The people who had been watching from the sidelines suddenly surged forward, scrambling to get in line.

"Lady Anastasia, Lady Margaret... thank you both so much!" I whispered.

"Whatever for?" Anastasia asked.

"We were merely having a private chat," Margaret added with a wink.

Right, leave it at that. They were basically telling me not to worry about the favor. It was obvious they’d staged that conversation to give my "suspicious" meat their official seal of approval.

Thanks to them, the loin meat sold out in the blink of an eye. The butchering show drew a massive audience, and my entire stock was completely sold out long before the Cultural Festival even ended.