Chapter 228 Fish Kebab Buffet
Ren noticed the childish jealousy in the eyes of the two and resolved to hand over the fish she had received. However, Aleshia stopped her, "It's alright, you can eat that fish. I gave it specifically to you. I have plenty more." As she spoke, she pulled out more fish from her bag. After Aleshia retrieved two more sticks of fish for the agitated duo and handed them over, Ren finally began to eat, albeit tentatively.
In the quiet atmosphere of their small picnic, which they held without a blanket, the four enjoyed their food in different ways. As they ate, they made enthusiastic comments through mouthfuls such as, "I've never seen this delicious food before in my entire life!" and "This is so delicious!" Their excitement encouraged Aleshia to give them more fish kebabs.
When Aleshia laid out more kebabs, the three seemed surprised and choked on their food. They hadn't expected to have another one. After finishing their first kebabs, they all hesitantly picked up another. Soon, they began scarfing them down as if there was no tomorrow. When they choked or coughed from eating too quickly, Aleshia conjured water for them to help them swallow. They expressed their gratitude and returned to eating, but they soon found themselves needing more water again. The same thing happened four more times as the kids struggled to pace themselves. Aleshia was particularly passionate about the meal and ended up providing the group with around eleven fish kebabs by the end.
After they finished eating, everyone either felt too full to move or was clutching their aching stomachs. As the feeding frenzy concluded, the group lay sprawled on the ground, faces up and hands on their bellies. A sense of contentment spread among them as they reveled in the satisfaction of having enjoyed a good meal, almost forgetting the quests that still lay ahead.
While their bodies processed the enormous amount of food they had consumed, Ren felt relieved that her distraction had worked so well. She massaged her stomach before leaving the group, mentioning that she needed to use a latrine. When she returned, the group barely noticed her absence, but Luica alerted Aleshia when Ren came back. Looking over, she had a few crystals, some ears, and a new animal in her arms that Aleshia suspected might be a horned rabbit.
For some reason, the horned rabbits that Ren had brought back seemed to have precise and measured cuts. Aleshia was confused until she recalled some knowledge from her teaching days. She remembered that hunters and some adventurers typically bleed an animal right after hunting it to prevent the meat from spoiling. Additionally, bleeding the meat was said to make it taste less bloody and gamey.