The impact those words had on the party was immense.
That was only natural, considering the Silver Lion meat was the main attraction of the whole event.
Of course, there was also the matter of Vihera's situation and the dungeon conquest, but even so, the undisputed centerpiece of this party was still the Silver Lion meat.
With the attention of everyone focused on him, Rei spoke up.
"Those of you who've eaten it before probably already know, but Silver Lion meat is delicious. No, you could even say it's too delicious. Once you eat this meat, it's so good that other dishes will feel unsatisfying for a while. Still, only those who want to eat it should."
Even after hearing Rei's explanation, no one had any intention of passing up the Silver Lion meat. If anything, the warning only piqued their interest further.
(Well, it is S-Rank monster meat, so I guess that's natural.)
Rei's caution was, after all, just a formality. He figured no one would truly abandon what could very well be a once-in-a-lifetime experience over a simple warning.
Though for people like Elk and Min, it wasn't entirely impossible that they might have other chances to obtain S-Rank monster meat.
Under the expectant gazes of those around him, Rei moved to the grill where several barbecue skewers were still cooking over charcoal.
Every move he made drew a focused stare, but he paid them no mind. If anything, he was genuinely pleased to see how much everyone was looking forward to the Silver Lion meat as he pulled it out of his Misty Ring.
The first pieces he brought out were about ten chunks, each roughly one kilogram.
A total of approximately ten kilograms.
It was an amount that dwarfed what he had sampled before, but with this many people wanting to eat their fill, it definitely wouldn't be enough.
Despite having already eaten various foods—including Gamelion meat—before the Silver Lion was served, many people still had room for it.
That was largely because Rei had announced beforehand that he would be serving Silver Lion meat at this party.
Even so, normally anyone would have reached for the delicious-looking food right in front of them.
But there were those who had endured that temptation, holding out for the Silver Lion meat, as well as those who had simply decided that food of this caliber couldn't possibly fill their stomachs. The party was filled with all sorts of people displaying various attitudes.
"Can someone who can cook help me out? It's just cutting the Silver Lion meat into bite-sized pieces, so most of you can probably manage it."
Several people volunteered.
The gazes directed at the Silver Lion meat were so intense that Rei felt a flicker of unease, wondering if this might turn into some kind of commotion.
Given the circumstances, such a concern wasn't unwarranted.
Though the fact that Asimov was sending the most intense stare of all at the Silver Lion meat left Rei with nothing but a wry smile.
With the help of a few people, Rei cut the Silver Lion meat into pieces and placed a slice on the grill.
Sizzle. That sound echoed through the area, and simultaneously, the indescribable aroma of grilling meat drifted all around them.
He wasn't using any particular seasoning, but the fragrance wafting through the air alone was enough to stimulate their appetites.
He flipped the meat, and when it was about seventy percent cooked, he brought it to his mouth.
The moment he bit into the meat and chewed, an intense burst of umami flooded his entire mouth.
Despite having no seasoning, the flavor was so rich and concentrated that he couldn't help but think it was delicious enough on its own.
"...Delicious..."
When you eat something truly delicious, those are the only words that come out.
Rei had heard that somewhere before, but he now realized it was neither a lie nor an exaggeration—it was the truth.
Rei wanted to keep savoring that meat forever, but when he snapped out of his momentary bliss, he noticed the stares directed at him from everyone around.
If he kept them waiting any longer, it would definitely turn into a riot—or at least, that's what their gazes seemed to say.
Of course, Rei had no intention of monopolizing the Silver Lion meat, so he called out to the crowd staring at him.
"It's Silver Lion meat, eat up!"
"Uwooooooooooooooooooooh!"
The moment Rei gave the word, a roar went up.
A great number of people—regardless of age or gender—rushed toward the grill.
No, not just the grill; many also headed for the iron griddle.
Watching them begin grilling their meat, Rei casually cooked his own Silver Lion meat in the space he had wisely secured for himself.
"Hehe, they certainly seem overjoyed."
Observing the scene around them, Vihera grilled her Silver Lion meat next to Rei.
Beside her, Byune was staring at the grill with a serious gaze—so serious, in fact, that Rei felt he had never seen her look more focused in all the time he'd known her.
Given that Byune was usually expressionless, having such a serious look on her face made her stand out considerably.
Chomp... chew...
The moment she took a bite, a beaming smile spread across her face—one that she would surely never wear under normal circumstances.
"Wow, I don't think Byune has ever shown a smile like that before... at least not that I know of."
Vihera had been about to bring the Silver Lion meat to her mouth, but seeing Byune's expression surprised her so much that she involuntarily stopped moving.
Given how Byune usually was, catching her smiling like this was virtually impossible.
Captivated by Byune's incredibly rare smile, Vihera couldn't take her eyes off her.
"Vihera, I understand wanting to keep watching Byune, but your meat is disappearing."
"Eh? ...Ah!?"
At Rei's words, Vihera turned her gaze to the meat on her plate.
Where there had been a heaping pile just moments ago, that mountain had already shrunk to about seventy percent of its original size.
"Just plain salt is good, but this sauce is delicious too. Where did you get it?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. I got that sauce from a nearby stall."
A woman eating Silver Lion meat nearby answered Rei's question.
A stall? Rei recalled the various stalls he had eaten at in the past.
But the taste of the sauce he was eating now wasn't among his memories.
(So there was a stall I haven't been to yet. Well, it's not surprising.)
Starting a stall was considerably cheaper than opening an actual restaurant.
That also meant the barrier to entry was low, and a wide variety of people tried their hand at running stalls—young people without much money, those wanting to test the waters before opening a full-fledged shop, and people looking to earn a little extra pocket money.
In other words, it was only natural that a diverse array of stalls existed.
Of course, with that many stalls appearing, many would also go out of business quickly.
It was a mixed bag of quality, and naturally, among them were many stalls that Rei had never visited.
"Judging by the taste of this sauce, it's a skewer stall?"
"That's right. Their vegetables are quite delicious too, so I recommend them."
Saying that, the woman explained where the stall was located, and Rei decided he would definitely visit it in the near future.
(Well, it'll be after the lingering aftertaste of the Silver Lion meat fades, though.)
The dish made with Silver Lion meat that he had the cook at the Orc Stew Pavilion near the dungeon prepare as a test—despite being only about one kilogram—had left its aftertaste lingering even the next day.
The fact that it was cooked by a skilled cook surely played a role, but even under the current circumstances where they were cooking and eating it themselves, the aftertaste would likely linger for quite a while.
The fact that they now had an unlimited supply, compared to the mere one kilogram from before, was also significant.
Everyone was happily eating Silver Lion meat now, but by tomorrow... or perhaps even starting tonight, they would feel dissatisfied with their meals.
(The fact that it's not genuinely addictive is the only saving grace.)
Even as he ate the Silver Lion meat and fully savored its flavor, Rei thought about this earnestly.
A taste so powerful that once you ate it, you would feel dissatisfied with any other food until the aftertaste faded.
Of course, it wasn't as if they would be dissatisfied with every single dish.
If they had meat from another S-Rank monster, they would surely be just as satisfied.
The problem was how to go about procuring such meat.
"So good! What is this! Delicious! Delicious!"
The one crying out in astonishment was Elk, eating Silver Lion meat at a spot away from Rei's group.
Even for an A-Rank adventurer like Elk, getting to eat S-Rank monster meat was no common occurrence.
Overwhelmed by the meat in his mouth, he couldn't help but shout.
But the people around him didn't scold Elk; they simply kept frantically shoveling Silver Lion meat into their own mouths.
That was how delicious the Silver Lion meat was.
If anything, the fact that Elk could still form words while eating Silver Lion meat set him apart from the rest.
"It really is delicious. Though the downside is that after eating this meat, I won't be satisfied with other dishes for a while."
Marina, who had been eating near Rei with a complex expression—looking both happy and regretful—let out a small sigh.
"That's true. We had our share of food troubles on the way back from the dungeon too. I even thought eating goblin meat wouldn't be so bad."
"I refuse."
At the mention of goblin meat, Marina made a displeased face.
After eating meat this extraordinary, she absolutely refused to do something like eating goblin meat next.
"Goblin meat... I wish Mayo could have come."
Rei, who had been listening to their conversation, recalled Mayo.
He was practically a partner in the research to make goblin meat edible.
Rei had invited him to this party as well, but Mayo had declined, saying he was too busy with various things—his regular shop work, not the goblin meat research—and couldn't make it.
It's winter, and he's busy at this time of year? Rei found it puzzling, but when told it was shop work, he had no choice but to accept it.
Making goblin meat edible had originally been something closer to a hobby for Mayo.
(He's surprisingly sensible in that regard, isn't he.)
In Rei's mind, Mayo had always seemed like someone who lived purely for his interests.
"Hey, Rei. It looks like the meat is running low."
"...Already?"
When Rei looked around at Vihera's words, the Silver Lion meat that had been piled on plates and various other dishes was already nearly gone.
But that was only to be expected.
There were over fifty participants at this party.
With that many people, ten kilograms of meat would disappear in a flash.
Even though they had eaten a fair amount of Gamelion meat beforehand.
"Sorry. I'll go get some more out."
"Mn!"
The one who responded to Rei's words was not Vihera, but Byune.
Continuing to stuff meat into her mouth one piece after another, her eyes sparkled at the mention of bringing out more.
(The way she's eating, I could almost imagine a sound effect like 'munch munch' going along with it.)
Still, seeing Byune eating the Silver Lion meat so eagerly, Rei smiled happily and began preparing to bring more out.
The meat he brought out this time was not ten kilograms like before, but thirty.
Rei wondered if it was a bit much, but then again, with this many people, they would probably finish it all. He might even need to worry about it not being enough. He tilted his head in thought.
With that massive amount of Silver Lion meat brought out, the party reached its peak excitement for the day.
"Uwoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooogh!"
Perhaps overcome with excitement, someone was howling.
It was probably a wolf or dog Beastman. Their howl echoed throughout the area.
"...Hey, Rei. Shouldn't you stop him? If he keeps that up, it'll cause a lot of trouble for the neighbors."
"Ah, yeah. If he gets any rowdier, maybe we should stop him, but for now it's fine. It's a party, and people want to let loose a little. By the way, do you know who that is? I haven't seen him before."
"Eh? Didn't you gather the participants for this party, Rei?"
"No, I don't know him. If that's the case, he's probably someone's friend."
Since Rei had told everyone to bring friends along, it was inevitable that unfamiliar faces would increase.
"Well, with a Beastman that conspicuous, it shouldn't be hard to figure out who brought him."
"I can't deny that."
At the end of Rei and Vihera's gazes, a dog Beastman was happily running around on the snow.
Gilm had its fair share of distinctive individuals, but someone running around like that would definitely stand out.
...Anyway, the party continued thereafter with everyone happily eating Silver Lion meat, and it came to a close as a great success.