I was surprised by how quickly Beere-san had pivoted, but his offer was a welcome one. While I was capable of basic cooking, some ingredients had their own quirks. Without the proper pre-treatment, you risk ruining the natural flavor of exotic meats. If a local was willing to handle the preparation, that was the better option. I figured I might as well have him teach me his methods while he was at it.
"In that case, please, go ahead!" I said.
"You got it! Just you wait—I’ll have it grilled up in no time!"
"Wait, right here?"
"Of course! It’s better when it’s fresh, right?"
We had a Storage Ring, so we could have easily transported it to the city while keeping it fresh, but Beere-san began his preparations with such practiced efficiency that I felt bad stopping him. In the end, I simply went with the flow as the cooking commenced right there by the roadside.
First came the butchering. Cutting through a Tilaza’s thick hide with a standard dismantling knife was an exercise in futility, so Beere-san didn't hesitate to bark orders at Lowell. Despite the struggle, Lowell eventually managed to carve up the meat. Since the beast wasn't moving anymore, it seemed a bit easier to handle than during the fight.
"Keep the hide," Beere-san instructed. "I hear it makes for decent armor material."
I followed his advice and tucked the Tilaza hide into the Storage Ring. With that level of toughness, it certainly seemed like it would make for sturdy protection. I wasn't sure if we specifically needed it ourselves, but we could always sell it if we didn't.
As for the actual cooking, Beere-san began slicing the meat into smaller portions. The flesh itself didn't seem particularly tough.
"And then, we add this," he said, producing a bundle of mysterious dried grass—a herb, perhaps. He crushed the leaves between his palms and sprinkled them over the meat.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Refreshing Grass leaves. This strips away the gaminess and adds a nice accent to the flavor. It’s a staple herb for meat dishes here in Rebvuer. Tilaza meat is plenty tasty on its own, but this really makes the umami pop."
Beere-san spoke of the meat’s virtues with a mischievous snicker. Just listening to him made my mouth water. I had to make sure I wasn't actually drooling.
“Muu... I want to eat already...”
“Nuoh!? You! Close your mouth! You’re dripping! Your drool is dripping!”
It seemed it was already too late for Shiroru, but then again, that was business as usual. I figured Garna would get used to it eventually.
"If you want to truly appreciate Tilaza, start with a simple skewer," Beere-san said. "Salt is good, but this seasoning also pairs beautifully."
He produced a small ceramic jar from somewhere. Inside was a dark liquid. Based on the color and the aroma, it was something I knew very well.
"It’s Soy Sauce!" Halfa exclaimed.
"Oh, you know your stuff. Ah, wait—now that I look at you, you're a Wingfolk. It makes sense you'd recognize it."
Just as Halfa had guessed, the liquid was indeed Soy Sauce. Since we had signed a commercial contract with Luranna-san back at the Merchant Guild in the Kingdom of Lievril, it wasn't surprising to see some of it in circulation. However, Beere-san’s words hinted at another possibility.
"Beere-san, do you happen to know where the Wingfolk village is?" I asked.
"Hmm? Can’t say I know the exact location. I’ve just done business with them before. I actually got this Soy Sauce from a Wingfolk trader."
Halfa and I traded looks. We had stumbled upon an unexpected lead. Our original goal had been to find Halfa’s hometown, though that had taken a backseat once we realized Ren-kun already knew the way. To think we’d find a clue this easily. We were currently heading toward Lafres to visit the Adventurer's Guild Headquarters, but if it was nearby, it might be worth making a detour to her village.
While I was lost in thought, the cooking continued. Beere-san skillfully built a fire, skewered the meat with sticks he’d pulled from seemingly thin air, and began roasting them over the open flame. The dripping fat sizzled against the heat, and the mouth-watering scent of grilled meat began to drift through the air.
This was undoubtedly going to be delicious. I wasn't the only one convinced of that. The Mohawk group was staring intently, and travelers passing by on the highway were slowing down. Before I knew it, a crowd had formed around us.
"There! Done! Perfectly grilled. It's good, right?"
As if completely oblivious to the audience, Beere-san offered a meat skewer. It certainly looked incredible, but... it took a bit of courage to start eating in the middle of such a large crowd.
However, others felt no such hesitation.
“Hot!? But so good! It’s so goooood!”
“Hmm, indeed. Here, let me have a taste.”
“Hey! Why are you taking mine!?”
Shiroru and Garna were already squabbling over the meat, using Telekinesis to snatch skewers back and forth.
"Mmm, incredible!" Beere-san added, eating with a wide grin. "Man, Tilaza meat really is the best. You rarely get a chance to feast like this. I’m a lucky man! This is truly delicious!"
He seemed to be shouting louder than necessary, almost as if he were trying to advertise to the onlookers. Was this... a setup?
"Dammit... let me buy one too! I’ll pay whatever!" the Mohawk leader barked, finally breaking. Others quickly followed suit, voices rising in a chorus of requests for the meat.
"Well, that’s what they’re saying," Beere-san said, looking at me. "What do you think?"
"Ahaha... I don't mind."
None of us were thick-skinned enough to hog it all for ourselves in this situation. The rest of the party seemed to agree, so we decided to share the bounty with the crowd. Naturally, Beere-san stepped up to handle the logistics.
"Alright, you heard the man! Permission granted!" he shouted. "Judging by the market rate... one meat skewer is five Large Copper Coins! Four go to the adventurers who took the beast down, and one goes to me for the cooking! If you want a taste, get in line!"
Setting a price of five Large Copper Coins for a single skewer was quite aggressive, but nearly everyone there scrambled to get in line. Beere-san had clearly been aiming for this from the start, and he’d even managed to secure a cut for himself. Grassfolk merchants really were something else when it came to business.