Chapter 10: The Lizard’s Turn

The Sage wasn’t the only visitor to Falco and Shou’s cabin.

One of their guests was Gina, a cook who always prepared large pots of soup for them.

She was an excellent chef, and Falco often praised Shou’s cooking in comparison.

"Shou’s soup is just as good, you know!"

But delicious food was delicious food—there was no need for competition.

More importantly, Gina was the first woman Shou had met in this world, and she had been eagerly awaiting the chance to talk to her about cooking.

"Shou!"

Gina watched with amusement, one eyebrow raised, as Leon went through his usual routine of picking Shou up.

According to Falco, Gina was estimated to be around 100 years old—right in her prime.

"No one really knows her exact age, but that sounds about right."

Falco had said.

Gina had come to see the child Falco had taken in, intrigued by the fact that she was cooking for herself.

Shou stared at her in awe.

She had thick golden-blond hair, light green eyes, and curves.

She was, without a doubt, a mature woman.

"Oh my, what a cute little one. Come here to your big sister."

Called by such a warm voice, Shou couldn’t resist and found herself walking toward Gina.

She wasn’t lifted this time, but she was firmly hugged.

Unfortunately, her face ended up pressed against Gina’s stomach.

She smelled nice.

"Shou might be small, but he’s still a man, huh? No one can resist Gina."

Leon teased.

Huh?

What was he talking about?

"That’s not it!"

"Come on now, no need to be embarrassed. Hey, Gina, you can hug me too, you know?"

"If you were half as adorable as this child, maybe."

"I told you that’s not it! Falco!"

Falco, who was laughing himself silly, was no help at all.

Ugh!

"Alright, Shou, let’s leave the idiots behind and head to the kitchen. I hear you wanted to ask me something about cooking?"

"Yes, Gina-san, I wanted to learn more about ingredients and seasonings."

"Just call me Gina. Let’s go take a look together."

"Okay!"

Shou was completely absorbed.

They discussed spices, how to handle fresh meat, and which vegetables lasted through winter.

All while Falco occasionally wandered in, looking bored, only to be waved away so she could continue her lesson.

Gina already knew that Shou was a girl and advised her:

"There are always people who’ll make a fuss about Falco raising a girl. Maybe keep it a secret until you come to town? Once you’re there, it’ll come out anyway. Just make sure you’ve built a strong enough bond with Falco by then. Though… you seem to be doing just fine."

She glanced at Falco, who was still hovering around them.

"Alright, let’s go outside. I’ll show you which wild plants are edible and how to cook lizards."

"Lizards? You mean the ones that just sit around?"

"Falco hasn’t taught you about them yet? If you stand still outside, before you know it, they’ll swarm around you, sucking away your body heat. They’re a real nuisance. Along with herbs and slimes, lizard hunting is a common way for kids to earn pocket money. There isn’t much meat on them, but they taste surprisingly good."

Shou had seen them before.

Not as often as slimes, but sometimes they basked in the sun, completely motionless.

They were about the size of two adult hand spans.

At first, she had been startled to see normal-looking lizards, but since Falco had said nothing about them, she had ignored them.

Now she was learning they were actually monsters.

"Falco, why didn’t you have Shou hunt lizards?"

"Shou didn’t want to hold a sword, and unlike slimes… well, killing them feels different."

"Oh, come on. Even the most delicate girls need to be able to hunt and cook lizards if they ever want to get married. Since Shou can already handle slimes, there’s no problem, right?"

"I’ll try it."

Shou wasn’t exactly enthusiastic, but food was food.

Besides, she appreciated Falco’s consideration.

Turning to him, she gave him a bright smile—a silent thank you.

Falco froze.

Shou had always been cheerful in her own way, but she didn’t talk much, and her expressions rarely changed.

Now, she had beamed at him out of nowhere.

It was too much.

He had to hug her to commemorate the moment.

But as he stumbled toward her, Gina swatted him away.

"Not the time for that."

Why not?!

Lizard hunting was simple.

They usually stayed motionless, so all one had to do was stab straight down with a sword.

They weren’t common around town, making them an easy target for kids when they could be found.

But if you got careless, they could suddenly scurry up your legs, draining your warmth.

Around the cabin, they were plentiful—Falco probably should have taught Shou about them earlier.

In fact, shouldn’t I be the one teaching her everything?

That thought lingered, but—

By the time he looked over, Shou was already learning how to hunt lizards from Gina.

"That’s right, Shou, you’re good at this. Oh, you found another one? Wait a moment—ah, you already got it. Okay, six in total. There sure are a lot here. Alright, let’s clean them."

Lizards only had a few edible parts—the thighs and tail.

Two were enough for a meal.

With practiced ease, Gina skinned them, extracted the magic stones, and set the meat aside.

The stones were worth the same as slimes.

Shou headed toward the kitchen with her harvest, full of excitement.

The meat had a light, chicken-like flavor.

Since she was so tired of eating dried meat, this was a welcome discovery.

She steamed some with alcohol, shredded it for salad, tested it as a rich sandwich filling, and even ground it into paste for skewers.

As she enthusiastically discussed her ideas with Gina, the woman smiled.

"Shou, you’re using this new ingredient like you’ve cooked with it for years… If you ever come to town, why not train at my restaurant?"

That sounded fun.

Falco, however, looked less than pleased.

"I won’t do everything all at once, Falco. I want to take my time, over years, and try lots of different things—just like now. While you’re out working, I’ll do my best, too. And then, I’ll come home to the same house as you. I’ll always be with you."

"Y-yeah. Shou wouldn’t just abandon me, right?"

"Of course not! If anything, I’m the one being a burden."

"You’re not a burden! Ever since I found you, my life’s only gotten better."

Really?

Shou grinned.

Falco also grinned.

"Geez, you two are close."

"Even as adults, childhood wounds don’t fade easily. Healing magic doesn’t work on the heart."

"You mean Lyra?"

"Yeah, that one stung."

"She was a born hunter. She didn’t do anything wrong—she just wasn’t suited to being a mother. No one can say whether someone should have children."

"Maybe Shou can help heal him."

"Either way, I’ll make sure to take good care of Shou. I can’t wait for her to come to town."

"Me neither."

As Gina and Leon watched the two interact, they couldn’t help but look forward to spring—when Shou and Falco would finally come down from the mountains.