At the riverbank on the west side of the village, Kuro dug a shallow hole in the dirt. He then blasted a burst of fire magic into the pit. Once the flames died down, I checked the results.
The interior of the hole had vitrified. It looked like a simple spell, but it must have reached an incredibly high temperature. Kuro then used water magic to pour water into the hole.
A steam explosion erupted. That was bound to happen if he poured a large amount of water into a glass-hot pit without letting it cool first.
Well, it would be fine once it cooled down. Alternatively, he could lower the temperature of the fire magic to a level where the earth merely turned into ceramic... but even that required high heat. As I thought, letting it cool was the most important step.
I was currently reviewing the failures Kuro had experienced during Kuro's Solo Diet Trip. Apparently, the miso he had brought along couldn't be used for actual cooking; he’d ended up just licking it raw. There probably wouldn't be a next time, but just in case, I wanted to devise a cooking method that even a wolf like Kuro could manage.
Since digging into the ground required hardening the soil, I wondered if searching for a natural depression in a rock would be easier.
"Look, a rock like that one."
I found a depression in a large boulder nearby. It was a hole roughly the size of a large pot. However, the opening was on the side of the rock, so it needed to be rolled over to be usable. Kuro promptly rolled it into position by ramming it with his body.
"Thanks, Kuro."
Next, we filled the cavity with water using magic. Kuro looked at me, asking if he should use fire magic for disinfection. He was a clever one. But first, I had to make sure the hole didn't leak. It seemed to hold water just fine.
Next came the disinfection via fire magic. I’d considered the stone-boiling method—tossing heated rocks into the water—and assumed Kuro would go for that, too. However, there was a snag: how would he transport the hot stones? I could use wooden chopsticks or a scoop, but Kuro couldn't exactly carry a glowing-hot rock in his mouth.
Therefore, we decided to heat the water directly with magic until it boiled to sanitize the "pot." If he could do that, there was no need for hot stones anyway. I left the boiling to Kuro and scanned the surroundings.
Though we seemed alone at first, the moment Zabuton's children realized I was free, they began emerging from the forest one after another. There were thirty in total.
"Good work on the patrol. There, there. Is everyone okay? No injuries?"
Among them was the newcomer I had brought back the other day. I was glad to see he was getting along with the others. It didn't look like he was being bullied. If I fussed over him too much, it might actually cause friction with the pack, but...
The four females in question approached and reported that everything was fine. So they’d become friends? That wasn't a bad thing. It wasn't a bad thing, but... I leaned in and whispered to the newcomer that he should report to me secretly if he ever found himself in trouble.
"Now, now, don't cry. I'm the one who brought you here, so I'm partly responsible."
I gave him some comforting pats.
It seemed the boiling was finished. Kuro nudged his head toward me as well, so I gave him a few affectionate pats as well.
Now then, I’d brought along a decent supply of ingredients and seasonings, so I could have made a meal normally. However, the concept today was establishing a cooking method the wolves could use themselves, so I wasn't going to do the work. Kuro and the others would make it. I would only provide instructions. I’d still handle the cutting, of course. When they were on their own, they’d have to tear the food into pieces with their teeth, but that shouldn't be an issue for them.
We discarded the water used for disinfection. I wondered how the wolves would manage that on their own, but Kuro simply rammed the rock again to tip it over. I see. He’d just knock it over and then flip it back up. It was wild, but if it worked, then all was well.
"Alright, pour in fresh water with magic... but keep an eye on the amount since we're adding ingredients. Good, that's enough. Now, heat it up. Slowly is fine."
Once the water started boiling, it was time to add the miso. Or so I wanted to say, but miso alone provides a rather simple flavor. To solve this, I’d prepared a special batch of miso mixed with soup stock and solidified with agar-agar. It was a custom blend that had taken me some effort to balance. Furthermore, thinking that traditional miso paste would be difficult for the wolves to handle, I had processed it into short, solid sticks.
I’d thought of everything.
"Drop one of these in. We'll adjust based on the amount of water... let's go with two for this pot."
Once these sticks melted in the boiling water, they would create a proper hot pot broth. A wonderful aroma soon began to waft through the air. All that remained was to add the ingredients and let them simmer. It wasn't that difficult, right?
I’d actually prepared quite a few of these Special Stick Miso bars, but Gratz had taken a liking to them and asked for a share. I’d have to tell him to wait until the next production run. They were surprisingly labor-intensive to make. Eventually, I wanted to outsource production to the merchants of Village Five, but considering the need for quality control, I could probably only entrust it to the larger firms. I had to think about the smaller shops, too, though, or they might go under. I’d asked Flora to research portable rations with that in mind, but...
Wait, why was I explaining all this to the wolves?
"Sorry about that. You don't mind? I see. Good boys."
The hot pot was finished, consisting mostly of meat. Personally, I would have liked them to add some edible greens, but there was the issue of whether the wolves could forage for them. They were smart enough that they could probably memorize the right plants if I showed them. The problem was how they would harvest only the edible parts. If they were careless, they might accidentally eat a poisonous stem or root. I couldn't let them take such a risk, so I’d given up on the foraging idea. Instead, I’d just have to pack more vegetable nutrients into the special miso sticks.
Perhaps it would be even more convenient to pre-mix the meat into the sticks so they only had to melt them? I’d have to consult with Flora and Ann about that.
"Hm? It's done, so go ahead and eat. What? The first bowl is for me?"
I understood. I took the first serving and had a taste. It was delicious. Once the pack confirmed I had eaten, they took turns eating from the pot. It was heartwarming to see them wait their turn and leave enough for those behind them. Of course, I’d only made enough for a few of them today, given the purpose of the experiment.
"I'll make a huge amount for everyone next time."
After the meal, I played with them by the river for a bit before returning to the mansion.
In the courtyard, I found Zabuton's children skillfully manipulating silk threads to cook their own hot pot. It seemed they had been watching us. It was hard to praise them too loudly with the wolves nearby, but...
Wait, the balance of meat and vegetables looked excellent, and the presentation was flawless. It looked every bit as good as the food the Oni maids prepared.
"Oh, I get the first bowl here, too? Thank you."
It was delicious.
That evening for dinner, Ann and the others prepared an exceptionally extravagant hot pot.
"...Can I say just one thing? It's the middle of summer."
No, never mind. It looked too good to complain.
"Let's eat."