"Alright... we should be safe enough now that we've made it this far."
"Yeah! All thanks to your magic, Rest!"
"I couldn't have done it without your insane strength, Yuri... No, seriously."
They had put plenty of distance between themselves and the wyvern nest. Rest and Yuri shared a look of mutual admiration, both feeling the deep satisfaction of a mission accomplished.
The sun had already dipped below the horizon. Since wyverns were diurnal hunters, they wouldn't be pursued through the dark. They would have to spend the night on the mountain, but as long as they began their descent at sunrise, they wouldn't have any problems.
"Still... we only managed to get one. Don't you think it would've been better to grab two or three more?"
"No... by any measure, this is more than enough."
Rest looked at Yuri with sheer exasperation. A wyvern was roughly the size of an elephant and likely weighed at least five tons. He was amazed that Yuri could drag such a thing without any magical assistance, but he was equally stunned that a creature of that mass could take flight at all.
(Come to think of it... I remember reading that while Pteranodons had wingspans of nearly ten meters, they only weighed about as much as a human child. They managed to fly despite their size by minimizing their weight to the absolute limit.)
Recalling a research project he had done for summer vacation during middle school in his previous life, Rest turned his gaze back to the wyvern carcass. Since it was capable of flying freely with such a massive, heavy body, the lift from its wings alone couldn't possibly be sufficient. It had to be using mana to assist itself.
(Perhaps monsters use magic unconsciously. If I were a scholar, I’d probably stay and conduct a proper study.)
However, Rest had zero interest in the biological mechanics of a wyvern. While a thorough study and a published paper might constitute a legendary discovery, the meat was far more important to him right now.
"This much will be plenty for the party. Let's not get greedy; we need to get this back as soon as possible."
Even if only thirty percent of its total weight was edible meat, that still left them with over a ton. It was more than enough for a main course.
"I guess you're right. We're serving other dishes too, after all. We can't have everyone filling up on nothing but wyvern."
Yuri crossed her arms and nodded sagely.
"In fact... it might even be too much meat. Maybe we should trim a little off?"
"If you want a taste, just say so... Well, I suppose a little bit won't hurt."
Conveniently, a savory aroma was already wafting from the spot where the solar ray of Amaterasu had pierced the beast. Rest pulled out a knife and shaved off a few slices of the seared meat. He lightly seasoned them with salt from his pack and offered a piece to Yuri.
"Here. Dig in."
"Don't mind if I do... Wow, this is incredible!"
Yuri popped the meat into her mouth and immediately cried out in delight.
"It's crispy on the outside and so tender and springy on the inside! It's soft but has a great chew to it, and the more you bite down, the more the flavor just floods your mouth... It’s like eating real grilled meat!"
"Well, it is grilled meat."
"Here, Rest, you try some too! Say 'aah'!"
"...Aah."
Rest opened his mouth, and Yuri popped a slice inside. As he chewed and swallowed, he realized she was right—it was genuinely delicious. Despite being seasoned only with salt, it had a remarkably robust, wild flavor. The fibers of the meat seemed to snap and pop against his teeth, the taste evolving with every chew.
"This really is good... Hey, Rest. Can I have some more?"
"Don't... we'll be here all night."
Rest held back the girl, who was practically drooling at this point. If he let her be, she looked ready to devour the entire five-ton wyvern single-handedly.
"Then why don't we just hunt a few more? It's fine, it's not like the mountain is going to run out of them."
"They probably will run out if we stay... Let's save that for another time."
It was a tempting proposal, but Rest prioritized their safety and turned her down. He used his magic to freeze the wyvern solid to prevent any spoilage. After stuffing a piece of dried jerky into the disappointed Yuri's mouth to keep her quiet, they finally settled down in their camp for the night.