EP.24 The Happy Dog
『The Immortal Tribe is in itself a massive threat. Those who do not die are so different from ordinary people that they cannot mingle with them. They do not fear guns, do not avoid fire, and are insensitive to violence. Even if their fingers are severed by a blade, they laugh it off and reattach them. They do not care if they themselves are stabbed by a knife, but because of that, they cannot understand why others fear blades. Wherever they mingled, villages and cities were always followed by chaos, so the military authorities eventually prohibited the Immortal Tribe from residing within the military nation.』
The golem looked down at the writhing right arm and spoke.
『Furthermore, this being who has inherited the thickest blood of the Immortal Tribe does not die even in the Abyss, which is perfectly isolated from external forces. It exceeds expectations. They are an extremely resilient and dangerous race. I believe it would be too much for you to handle.』
"So you're saying if I kill him now, there won't be any more troublesome things?"
『From your position as well, wouldn't it be troublesome if one more trainee were added beyond this?』
That is indeed true. There was the time I almost got folded by the returner, and the time I almost got torn apart by the vampire. As for Aji, while he doesn't attack me, he's calmly gnawing away at the lifespan of my shoulder.
Adding one more to this? Definitely, the burden would increase.
Tempted by the golem's proposal, I asked casually.
"How do you 'eliminate' him?"
『At this point, the method is classified, so I cannot tell you. However, I can promise you that we can certainly expel him from this Tantalus. He will never be able to return to this place.』
"And who's going to do that?"
『You must do it, of course.』
Ah, so. I have to. Pick up that body and 'eliminate' him myself.
And here I was thinking something else.
I answered refreshingly.
"I won't do it."
『Will you not regret it?』
"Regret or whatever, eliminating a perfectly alive person—what kind of cruel notion is that? You shouldn't do that."
Of course. Do you know why people shouldn't commit murder? It's to avoid retaliation.
Whether that counterpart is the law, or the victim's family, or even a severed right arm. What are you going to do if you face retaliation? Will you take responsibility?
You said he's an Immortal Tribe. You said he doesn't die. He's still moving even after his limbs were severed. What if, while doing that "elimination," he somehow resurrects and comes to take revenge on me? No, there's no need for resurrection—even if just one of the severed limbs comes looking for revenge, I'm not confident I can win.
I find a self-moving right arm more terrifying than a strong person.
"Just feed him and revive him. Stop saying strange things like elimination and expulsion."
『Unexpected. I didn't realize you were such a moral person.』
"What do you think I am?"
I am more moral than anyone else in the world. That's right, because I fear retaliation more than anyone else in the world.
A person with fear is careful, and being careful of others is precisely keeping etiquette and morality.
This is the way I've lived in those back alleys, and the principle that kept me alive.
"The supplies are coming, right? Now that there's one more mouth to feed, it would be troublesome if the supplies don't come."
『There are supplies on standby. They stopped at the relay point due to the prison break incident, but if we notify that Tantalus has returned to normal, transport will resume.』
"Great! Please resume it immediately! When will they arrive?"
『They will arrive within 3 hours.』
"That's fast!"
『Do you have complaints?』
"Of course it means it's good with absolutely no complaints! But is that even possible?"
『The military nation's administrative power is the best in the world. Resending supplies that were in the process of being delivered is not even a problem.』
I can't read the golem's thoughts, but somehow the main body controlling the golem right now seemed to be showing off. I wonder why it's acting so proud when it's not like it's the one who's great, but if they cut off the supplies, only I would be in trouble, so let's stay quiet.
"How much supplies are there?"
『Based on Tantalus's supply plan, 3 days' worth of food was scheduled to be supplied.』
"Are you crazy? Who's that supposed to—"
『However, this supply plan was established before the prison break incident. With the personnel drastically reduced now, in terms of simple quantity, it would be about 90 days' worth.』
"That would be enough for my nose! Wow! The military nation's administrative power is truly amazing!"
If that's the case, there's no need to save food from now on. With 90 days' worth of food, even if I make meju out of canned beans, there would be leftovers.
Ah, this is the Abyss, so meju might not work. Anyway, as long as the quantity is sufficient, the number of dishes one can make expands infinitely.
Alright. I'll experience material abundance for the first time in a while. I shouted excitedly.
"Aji! Bad! Don't touch that!"
"Woof?"
Aji, who had been staring at the bone attached to the right arm with a strange look, suddenly lifted his head. When I curled my fingers round and waved, Aji immediately ran over to me and rested his chin on my hand. I scratched Aji's chin and said.
"Let's eat something delicious instead of that cheap meat. The supplies will arrive soon, I'll make the delicious meal I promised!"
"Woof!"
Aji barked happily. I tickled Aji's chin and head in succession, lost in thought.
What kind of dish should I make. I'm tired of stew, so should I blanch it once and then pan-fry it to eat like snacks? Or should I mince the meat and grind it together with starch and boiled beans, then grill it. It's inefficient nutritionally, but grinding the beans and straining them through a sieve to make soy milk might also be good.
I was imagining every luxury I could commit with food in my head. Something tapped my heel. I turned my head wondering what it was, and was utterly startled. It was the right arm.
The right arm had crawled using only its fingers and finally reached me.
"One more mouth to feed."
I took out a can from the cabinet, opened it, and placed it upside down whole into the right arm's palm. It was hard compressed beans boasting brick-like solidity, but the right arm paid no mind and headed toward the main body. The right arm, having walked diligently all the way to the main body, poured the beans into the gaping mouth like a mother bird bringing food.
"The right arm is really... capable."
Is it because they're the Immortal Tribe that they have an arm that works hard even when the main body is in a comatose state, or is it because they're the Immortal Tribe that they're like that?
Anyway, definitely, not tearing the limbs apart was a good choice. If that right arm teams up with the left arm and both legs to take revenge, I'm not confident I can win. It's quite displeasing that a body little different from a corpse devoured a whole can, though.
It's a bit grotesque, but for now I should leave the golem and the human in the dining hall.
"Woof! Woof!"
"You can't even wait that long and are already whining. Alright. I'll do it."
I take out the beans and meat from the compressed can. The performance of the military nation's special compressed can is still the same, boasting rock-like hardness without a drop of moisture. Even the jerky that used to be compared to bricks would not be able to compare. Eating this without water would take forever.
I cut out the fatty parts from the compressed meat and placed them on the pan. When I lit the fire, the fat began to melt and flow.
The rest of the meat is soaked in water along with the beans. Since I'm not making stew this time, I adjusted the amount of water to just about half-soaking.
While the bone-dry compressed beans and meat were absorbing water, I took out the dough I had made last time. I lifted it slightly to check inside, and the white, round dough like an ostrich egg was there just as it was when I made it.
"Hmm. As expected. No fermentation occurred."
Not only did it not rise, it didn't even change color as if it were taxidermied. Because this is land cursed by the Earth Mother, it cannot rot and return to the earth.
"Still, this is the bottom of the Abyss, right? If the place I'm stepping on is land, there should be some workers of the earth..."
Something is nagging at me, but I don't know what it is. Sigh, how frustrating. I can't even read the Earth Mother's thoughts.
I scratched my head irritably, but that doesn't mean knowledge I don't have would come out. A head is not a rice bin.
"Ugh. Whatever. People with great power will take care of such big matters."
It's better not to expect soft bread here. Rather, let's hope there's rice in the supplies.
I put the hard dough in the oven and turned up the heat. At the same time, I brought the slightly stiffly soaked beans and meat and placed them in front of Aji.
"Rice!"
"Not yet. Wait. You need to eat it even more deliciously."
I wiped Aji's hands clean with a towel. When the clean cloth touched his feet, he twisted his body as if it tickled, but somehow he didn't run away. After stroking his head once as praise, I commanded Aji.
"Aji. Punch it."
"No! The meat will hurt!"
"Meat is supposed to get tastier the more you torment it."
"Woof?"
"Last time when we roasted it over fire, it became much more delicious. The more meat hurts, the more flavor it produces."
That's why they beat dogs on boknal. Oho.
I swallowed the last words and persuaded Aji.
"Woof! That's right!"
The convinced Aji immediately swung his fist. It was so fast I couldn't even see the fist. With a thump sound, a dent appeared in the minced meat.
The meat and beans that still had a stiff feeling due to lack of moisture were instantly minced by Aji's dog punch. Truly a human—no, dog—grinder.
You said the meat would hurt. You show not a shred of mercy in front of taste.
While Aji was mincing, I kneaded it while gently adding starch. With beans instead of eggs, it lacks some elasticity. If I put it on the pan, it would mercilessly fall apart.
However, unlike human society, the world of cooking values the inside more than the outside. No matter how hideous the shape, as long as it tastes good, that's enough.
"Alright. There's plenty of oil. Then here it goes~."
The roundly shaped bean-meat—that is, a hamburg made by adding beans and meat—dropped onto the pan. Immediately after, along with the sizzling sound, the hamburg began to cook. The smell of protein burning. The sound of meat slightly frying in oil. A sound like soy-sauce rain beating on wet ground could be heard.
"W-woof."
Perhaps overwhelmed by the absolute aura, Aji even forgot to bark and started looking up at the pan. Even a religious person who has welcomed an angel wouldn't have such eyes. I chuckled and hummed a tune.
"Lululala."
Fire and heat strip away all color. They stubbornly insist that full color should only exist as light, and dye the audacious blood that coveted the red hue into a charred brown.
What is gained in exchange for losing color is savoriness and flavor. It's a welcome change for humans. Though the meat over the fire probably didn't want to become delicious.
I fixed the slightly misshapen form with a spatula and placed it on a plate. I also sprinkled a bit of the glistening meat fat on top. There, one plate. Normally, people come before dogs, but today, Aji first.
"Woo--oof."
I placed the hamburg in front of Aji. Aji couldn't even bring himself to eat this masterpiece and looked up at me. While Aji waited, I prepared my share and placed it on the table, then sat on the chair.
I put down my spoon and chopsticks and spoke to the golem placed on the table.
"Captain AB. Would you like to come down and have a bite?"
『Do not mind me. Observers are not swayed by desire.』
"Understood! Then please enjoy it with your eyes only!"
『….』
I left the golem on the table and picked up my spoon. Aji's body was tightly tense. Like a sprinter, he was ready to dash out the moment the signal was given.
At times like this, this can't be left out. It's an opportunity for learning.
I took out the chime bell. Aji's eyes fill with anticipation. What I will do. What will happen next. His body remembers.
Jing. I shake the bell. At that moment, Aji's salivary glands burst. Mouth wide open and saliva flowing down. His eyes are sparkling so much they seem about to fall into the meat.
Even in that state, he's waiting for me—he really is good. Hmm. I shouldn't doubt him with food in the future.
I put down the chime bell and declared.
"Let's eat!"
"Woof--!"
Aji buried his face right into the plate.
At this very moment, Aji was the happiest dog in the world.