IBWMD 51

~Chapter 51~

“What do you mean? This young lady… no, I worked so hard detoxifying that meat.”

The shopkeeper tried to defend himself, but it was useless. The blacksmith holding the skewer sighed deeply.

“Please, just let me grill it as it is.”

“But I should at least season it—”

“Don’t do anything. How have you been selling it all this time…”

“…Up until recently, you took out the ones I pre-grilled for you.”

“Oh, Jeremy. You’re reliable. I can leave with peace of mind.”

Looking relieved, the blacksmith left, saying he would return after finishing his errands.

While the shopkeeper set up the stall, I approached Jeremy and whispered,

“Can you cook?”

“…Yes.”

“You?”

“I even cooked often for His Grace the Duke.”

“You really are close with His Grace, huh?”

“…”

“As close as you are with Karl?”

For some reason, Jeremy pouted at that and, glancing at my shadow, asked,

“Do you… have a lot of interest in Karl?”

“That’s an odd way to phrase it.”

“Do you?”

“Do I have to answer that?”

As I frowned at his dragging words, Jeremy sighed deeply, closed his eyes tightly, and asked,

“…Are you perhaps… jealous?”

“…Of who?”

“Of me, because I’m close with Karl, and with His Grace…”

Why is he asking that with such a disgusted face?

I deadpanned.

“No.”

“…Can’t you at least pretend…?”

“Why would I?”

Despite my reply, Jeremy continued stubbornly, as if I had admitted to jealousy.

“I’m not that close with them. Karl is just a colleague, and with His Grace… I only accompany him on monster subjugations sometimes.”

“….”

“So you don’t need to be conscious of me.”

“I told you I’m not jealous.”

Jeremy looked like his dignity had been wounded.

Why was he making a fuss on his own?

But now I was curious.

“Wait.”

“What is it?”

“Then why didn’t you go out with His Grace on this subjugation?”

Jeremy sighed deeply again.

“Because this time… there’s nothing I can do… never mind.”

“You’re more useless than I thought.”

“…”

About to retort, he glanced at my shadow and turned his head away.

‘What’s with him?’

His constant glances were making my ankle feel itchy. I rotated my ankle lightly as if stretching and asked,

“So, are you confident in your cooking?”

“Not confident, but… ah. His Grace would probably cook better… I mean, he hasn’t tried yet, but if he did, he’d be better than the palace chefs.”

“What does it matter if His Grace cooks well?”

“…It’s an appeal of being a perfect man?”

For whom exactly?

Even as I gave him a blank stare, Jeremy kept listing the Duke’s merits, seemingly unwillingly.

I eventually cut him off.

“Just grill the meat.”

“That’s what I’ll do.”

Looking resigned, Jeremy skillfully set up the grill and began placing the skewers.

Having already finished my part by purifying and moving the meat, I watched absentmindedly.

And I was impressed.

‘He’s really good.’

His seasoning and timing were flawless, soon filling the air with a delicious aroma.

“Can I taste it?”

“Of course. It’s so good you might die… I mean, just a saying.”

“Why do you keep making excuses?”

That too while glancing at my shadow.

He’d always been weird, but today he seemed extra odd.

However, the moment I bit into the skewer, all thoughts stopped.

“Haa…”

I paused to gaze at the sky, then looked at Jeremy with serene eyes.

“My dear son-in-law.”

“…Pardon?”

“I approve of you.”

“…Approve of what… never mind, don’t tell me.”

‘Beth needs to meet a man like him.’

As the skewer melted in my mouth, greed rose within me. Jeremy’s looks and body weren’t bad either.

‘Though he falls short compared to Karl.’

Karl was absurdly handsome for a mere extra, with a great body, strong muscles, a unique aura, and a surprisingly kind nature. That was just unfair.

‘Beth would consider Jeremy marriageable, right?’

Thinking of Beth cleaning the room right now, I grabbed another skewer.

“Done!”

The shopkeeper clapped his hands proudly, having finished setting up the stall. As I prepared to help Jeremy move the grilled meat, I noticed Clark standing grumpily in a corner.

“Want me to make you a seat?”

“…No.”

“Don’t need to respect your elders?”

“I’m here to work today!”

“Right, to protect me.”

Clark clearly didn’t like this situation but didn’t pick a fight with the shopkeeper either.

“All set! Let’s begin!”

Swoosh.

I heard an illusory sandstorm pass by, like a western movie’s empty town.

“Are you sure people live here?”

“They do!”

I scanned the deserted alleyways.

‘It really feels empty…’

If Karl were here, he could probably detect life signs easily, but I wasn’t there yet.

‘Wait… I’ve been thinking about Karl a lot lately.’

Realising that, something moving caught my eye.

They were slum dwellers.

“Over there.”

I tapped the shopkeeper’s shoulder. Seeing them, he called out brightly,

“Come taste some meat here!”

But as they got closer, I narrowed my eyes.

“They’re already carrying food.”

“What?”

They were indeed holding food. But the milk was yellowish, the bread covered in mould, and the chicken so shriveled it was unrecognisable.

Yet they held it preciously.

“Relief…”

“Finally, God’s blessing…”

I caught suspicious words.

‘Relief food? From the temple?’

The temple hadn’t distributed relief in Saint Portou for ages.

‘Is that what this rotten food is supposed to be?’

Seeing the state of it, the shopkeeper turned red with anger.

“Better to eat our meat than that trash!”

But the slum people, seeing us, screamed,

“Cursed meat!”

Then fled at a speed matching cockroaches under sudden light.

“…”

“…”

Jeremy and I silently looked at the shopkeeper.

“Cursed…? After all my hard work…”

His eyes welled up like a sorrowful cow, making even Jeremy’s face darken.

Meanwhile, I wondered,

‘Who told them that?’

No one had said it was monster meat yet.

“Sigh.”

If I was curious, I had to find out.

I stretched lightly. Jeremy flinched as he tried to comfort the shopkeeper.

“Elaine-nim?”

“Wait. I’ll go ask.”

Without waiting for a reply, I shot forward.

‘Huh. I’m running much smoother today.’

Almost like someone was pushing me forward.

‘Is this what speed magic feels like?’

Soon, I caught up with one slum dweller, who turned back in terror.

I put on my gentlest smile.

“I won’t hurt you.”

“Uwaaah!”

“Can I ask you something?”

“O-okay, just stop chasing me…!”

The slum dweller trembled as if facing a demon.

“Who told you our meat is cursed?”