A beautiful log cabin, glistening in the sunlight by the lakeside. The forest, usually filled with the morning songs of birds, was now pierced by a roaring sound.
Sputter, sputter...
VROOM-VROOM-VROOM-VROOM.
"Nnngh…"
I was pulling with all my might on the starter cord of a generator. I'd filled it with oil and pulled countless times, but it just wouldn't catch. After a few more minutes of wrestling with it…
VROOOOM-VROOOOM-VROOOOM-VROOOOM.
"Yes!"
The generator finally roared to life.
"Now, at last…"
I went inside the house, opened the refrigerator, and stuck my hand in. A wave of cold air washed over my skin.
"Alright!"
I took all the beer cans I'd bought from Conve∞ and stuffed them into the fridge. One shelf was completely filled.
"What a lifesaver…"
The reason I bought a refrigerator was, simply put, for beer. If there's one thing in life I can't do without, it's alcohol. Sitting in a chair on a cool evening, watching the lake with an ice-cold beer in hand—that is a moment of pure, irreplaceable bliss.
"I wish it just came out of Conve∞ cold…"
Unfortunately, beer from Conve∞ always arrived warm. Some of my old coworkers preferred warm beer, but I just couldn't get that crisp, refreshing feeling from it.
"Beer has to be cold!"
Clank!
Now, all I had to do was wait for the beer in the fridge to get ice-cold. But there were still things to prepare for tonight's feast. I went outside and bought a barbecue grill and charcoal from Conve∞. I dumped the charcoal into the grill and also bought a torch and a butane canister.
Hisssssss…
WHOOSH!
I attached the torch to the canister and pulled the trigger. A powerful flame erupted. I held it to the charcoal, and smoke began to rise as it slowly turned red. I closed the lid, turned off the torch, and walked to the back of the house.
"Alright, let's get started…"
Piled up behind my house were the carcasses of wild boars. I had wondered if there were more besides the one I encountered before finding this spot, so I'd scouted the area with my crossbow. As expected, there wasn't just one. I had caught a total of five boars in half a day's hunting. I planned to butcher them and store the meat in the fridge.
"I don't know if I can eat all this in a short time, but…"
If I couldn't, I could just give it away. No matter how gamey the meat was, I could marinate it with alcohol and pepper to get rid of the smell, or use it in strongly flavored dishes like fried rice or stew to make it palatable. And if all else failed, I could just sell it on Conve∞.
I took out a butchering knife and started by slitting the belly of the first one. Everything I had done so far had been a first for me, but I had managed. Butchering, however, was on a whole other level. From carefully opening the belly without puncturing the organs to skinning it and separating the cuts of meat, it took an immense amount of time and effort.
"Haaaah…"
The boars were quite large, so it took about two hours to butcher just one.
"Do I have to do this four more times…?"
I tried putting one in Conve∞ to see if it would come out pre-butchered, but the text that appeared simply read:
[Wild Boar (Carcass)]
The word "carcass" was a bit unsettling, but since there seemed to be no decay timer in Conve∞, I stored the rest in my inventory. I took the meat from the first boar, separated it into cuts, placed them in a large stainless steel bowl, and brought it over to the grill. Now, it was time to cook.
I checked the time. The sun was just beginning to set. I opened the grill lid, and smoke billowed upwards like a rising dragon. The charcoal, which had only been partially red, was now glowing brightly. I placed the cuts of meat on the grill.
Szzzzzzzzzzzzle.
The sound of meat searing filled the air. The savory aroma spread around me as the meat transformed, looking so good it made my mouth water.
"I need a plate for the meat…"
I quickly bought a standing table and a plate from Conve∞, set them up nearby, and placed the cooked meat on the plate. While steak is best eaten with a fork and knife, this was a wild boar, not farmed pork. There was a risk of parasites, so it had to be cooked well-done. And for well-done meat, scissors are better than a knife.
I cut the meat with scissors and picked up a piece with my chopsticks. It was a bit dry, but the lean, savory flavor of the red meat filled my mouth. The deepening sunset reflected on the lake, the scent of charcoal, the juices bursting with every bite, and the sound of meat sizzling on the grill—everything came together in a perfect harmony that filled my senses.
"It's not gamey at all."
I had expected a strong gamey taste from the boar, but I couldn't detect any. I figured it wasn't that the gaminess was gone, but that this perfect harmony was overwhelming my senses, preventing me from noticing it.
"Ah, beer! I need beer!"
I ran inside and grabbed a beer from the fridge.
Pssssh!
I chugged the ice-cold beer. The sharp carbonation and the rich flavor of the malt washed away the taste of the meat.
"Ahhh! Barbecue and beer, the perfect match!"
I kept repeating the cycle: two pieces of meat, then a swig of beer. Can after can, I started to feel a pleasant buzz.
Rustle, rustle.
A sudden sound made me turn and stare in its direction. The bushes were shaking. Something must have been drawn by the smell. I grabbed my crossbow from Conve∞ and aimed at the moving bushes. I held my breath, waiting for it to emerge. Then, something stepped out.
Sniff, sniff.
"A dog…?"
It was a small puppy. It was terribly skinny, as if it had been starving for a long time. It was limping, dragging one of its front legs, and just stared at me. Seeing no other animals around, I guessed it had either been abandoned after getting injured, or its parents had been killed by something like a boar.
Grrrrr…
It tried to act wary, like a proper dog, but soon collapsed from exhaustion, unable to stand any longer.
I put a few pieces of cooked meat on a plate, walked over, and set it down. The puppy sniffed the meat and then began to devour it hungrily. It was eating so fast I worried it would choke, so I brought it some water and placed it next to the plate. It lapped up the water just as eagerly.
Soon, with its belly full, it trotted over to me, wagging its tail, and rubbed its head against me. Having been fed when it was on the verge of death, all its wariness had vanished.
'Should I keep it…?'
I had a log cabin, but living alone was still a bit lonely. Having a pet as a family member would surely ease that feeling.
"Want to live with me?"
I picked it up and asked. As if it understood, it let out a single bark. "Woof!" It panted, tongue out, looking happy.
"From today, your name is Haru."
I gently put it down and examined its leg. It immediately reacted as if to say, "Don't touch my leg," and nipped my finger weakly. Had it been caught in a trap? I could see bone through the caked blood on its leg.
'I should at least disinfect it and apply some ointment…'
In a world still developing, would there even be a veterinarian? They probably treated work animals like horses and cows, but likely not a canine like this. I bought disinfectant, ointment, and bandages from Conve∞, cleaned the wound, and applied the ointment. It yelped in pain, but after I wrapped the bandage, it just looked at its wound and licked it.
"There, all better."
It started wagging its tail again. I picked it up, grabbed the last beer from the table, and sat down in my chair by the lake. As soon as I sat, the last sliver of light vanished, and darkness spread across the sky. Countless stars lit up the night. I stroked the dog nestled in my lap as I gazed at them. It closed its eyes, looking sleepy.
"This is the life of a true hermit."
I wished days like this could last forever. A slow life in the forest like this was so much better than earning money through endless all-nighters.
Woof, woof!
Haru barked incessantly at the people around us. A few children, drawn by Haru, came over and started petting him. Haru didn't seem to mind, panting happily.
"What's his name?"
"Haru."
"Haru?"
Woof!
Haru barked when the child called his name. As I watched the children play with a smile, someone else walked up to my stall.
"Oh?"
A girl with a brown beret, short brown shorts, and a leather vest. Her hair was tied in two braids, and she carried a large backpack. She was looking at the items on my stall with interest.
"Is this a paring knife?"
"Yes, it is."
The central market had a lot of fruit, so my new featured item was the paring knife. I picked one up and started peeling an apple I had on display.
"This is a very high-quality paring knife. If you eat a lot of fruit, you should try peeling it with this. The taste is completely different."
"I know that, but…"
Was something wrong? The girl stroked her chin, staring at the knife.
"Who made this?"
"This? Well…"
I had no idea. It just appeared when I bought it from Conve∞. How would I know who made it?
"Oh, silly me! That's a trade secret! I should be paying for that info!"
The girl tapped her own head lightly and then looked at me.
"Um, mister?"
"Yes?"
"There was a place here called 'Megan's Beauty Shop.' Do you know where it is?"
I figured she was a traveler, and it seemed she was looking for Megan to buy some shampoo.
'I wonder if she has any shampoo left…'
By now, it was probably all sold out. The only shampoo left would be the stash Megan kept for herself.
"See that inn over there? It's right next to it."
"Thank you~!"
The girl walked off, humming a tune. It would have been nice if she'd bought a paring knife as a thank you for the information, but I couldn't be pushy with a kid.
"Hey, you guys. Haru might bite if you do that."
Woof, woof!
"Haru bites?"
"Of course. He's a dog, so he bites!"
The children laughed at my words and stepped back. Haru wagged his tail and followed them.