KoushaRyouri ~C42

 Chapter 42: 3-second rule

 

 

"Human child..."

 

Clavis-san, Sophinie-san, Karim-san, and Lilith.

 

As I hugged my new family, voice descended from the sky again.

 

White Dragon is staring at me.

 

"I told you long ago, human child. You should grow up among humans....."

 

"Yes."

 

I turn to White Dragon.

 

I remember what White Dragon said when I first met him, and he broke my curse.

 

I also remember exactly what I said.

 

"You said 'I'm scared'. Do you still have that fear?"

 

I shake my head and deny it.

 

"No."

 

And I look back once again.

 

"Now there are people who welcome me as a family. So I'm not scared anymore. "

 

I felt like White Dragon laughed a little when I said that.

 

"It looks like you've met good people."

 

"Yes, it's the best family."

 

"Hmm. Then ----"

 

"Please wait, White Dragon."

 

It was Karim who stopped him.

 

He steps in front of White Dragon.

 

"What is it, Hero?　I don't need words of gratitude."

 

"That is one thing, but I would like to ask you one question. What is your relationship with Luciel-kun? What on earth happened?"

 

The moment he asked the question, the previously calm expression on White Dragon's face suddenly turned grim.

 

The killing intent that has been gone until now swells up, and he shows his fangs at Karim-san.

 

"I'm sorry if I offended you. You were so angry at Luciel-kun, but...... Just now you looked at him like a father. I was wondering what the reason was."

 

"Hmph! If you want to know, ask Luciel! It's all his fault."

 

"Luciel-kun, did you cause trouble for White Dragon-san?"

 

"Tell us the truth. Depending on the case, I may have to apologize too."

 

Sophinie-san and Clavis-san step forward.

 

"No, it wasn't really a trouble."

 

Or rather, that sad incident.

 

It happened about 170 years ago, just after my curse was broken by White Dragon.

 

◆◇◆◇◆

 

"Hou... I want to try to eat dragon meat."

 

It was White Dragon who said that.

 

It was about 50 years after I ate Dragon Grand's meat.

 

My body was just beginning to age, much older than my father was when he abandoned me.

 

"Are you interested?"

 

"White Dragons eating dragon meat isn't that cannibalism...

 

"If you say it is delicious, I want to try it."

 

Apparently, he does not even think of it as cannibalism.

 

He is a White Dragon, but he is still a beast. Unlike humans, I guess the hurdle for cannibalism is low.

 

"So, do you want to try it?"

 

"Can I eat it?　But there is no dragon around......."

 

White Dragon looks around, but there is no dragon in sight. In the first place, White Dragon is a divine creature. He is also known as the celestial dragon.

 

He seems to be feared by other dragons, so no dragon dares to approach him.

 

"Isn't there one right here?"

 

I look up at White Dragon then, stroking my beard.

 

"Are you going to eat yourself?"

 

"You don't like it?"

 

"No, it's interesting!　You should try it."

 

I thought he would refuse, but on the contrary, he asked for it.

 

I don't understand the ethics of dragons because they are so different from humans'.

 

It would be difficult to even understand them in the first place.

 

Soon after, we decided to cut White Dragon's tail.

"Gently and slowly."

 

White Dragon is already half crying as he extends his tail.

 

He clutched his hand tightly and put strength into his legs.

 

He looked like a person exerting himself in a toilet bowl.

 

There is no sign of the enthusiasm he showed in the beginning.

 

I chuckled a little, thinking that dragons can feel scared too.

 

'It's okay. I'll cut it off in an instant ---- or rather, I've already cut it off."

 

"Gyaaaaaaah!!　Blood!　The blood is aaaaaah!!"

 

"The one who was struggling with a lot of blood a moment ago is not panicking. Now, [Recovery]----."

 

"That's unnecessary."

 

A new tail came out from White Dragon's wounds.

 

"How's it looking?"

 

"The color has changed a bit. The scar is still there, but......"

 

It's a sign that the other scales have deteriorated over time.

It's okay. It will adapt itself in time. But more importantly..."

 

"Yes, yes. I get it."

 

I immediately started preparing and cooking White Dragon meat.

 

I let the meat rest for a little while. Before I knew it, it was already night.

 

Under the bright moonlight, I slowly grill the meat over low heat using a teppan made from an iron ant's shell.

 

When I grilled it, the color became more like meat. Because of White Dragon's blood color, it looked more like a big Muscat than meat. After being heated, the color changed.

 

It turned a light brown like beef and started to look more delicious.

 

The white fatty part is also plump and tempting.

 

Above all----.

 

Jiwawawawawawawa...

Great sounds that remind one of cicadas' chorus in summer.

 

The smell of roasting meat mixed with steam tickles my nose.

 

The mellow aroma that smells like melted butter makes it hard to keep my face from smiling.

 

It seems that White Dragon feels the same way.

 

I heard something fall nearby, but it turned out to be White Dragon's drool.

 

White Dragon's body is so gigantic that even a drop of his drool is huge.

 

I grill a block of steak evenly. Of course, the steak must be grilled properly on all sides.

 

"Is, is it cooked already?"

 

White Dragon is losing his patience and swallows his saliva.

 

Indeed, it is about time. But this is my first time eating White Dragon meat, so I want to grill it a bit longer.

 

But if I keep White Dragon waiting longer, he will go berserk.

 

In fact, his tail that I cut off earlier is wagging violently.

 

It slaps the ground as if it is stamping on the ground in frustration.

 

"I can't! I can't wait any longer~! I'll eat! I say I'll eat, I'll eat it!!"

 

"Calm! Calm down, White-san."

 

"Fugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"

 

Finally, White Dragon snaps. He reaches for the meat on the teppan.

 

"Ah! Don't! It's still hot!"

 

I tried to stop him, but it was too late.

 

White Dragon picked at it with his claws, but it still ----.

 

"Hoooooooooooootttt!!!"

 

White Dragon screamed.

 

See what you did there?

 

It turned out just as I had warned.

 

It was fine until White Dragon suffered from the heat.

 

The tragedy has just begun.

 

Plop.......

 

I heard a despairing sound.

 

I noticed that the steak had fallen to the ground.

 

But it isn't just on the ground.

 

It fell into a pool of blood that White Dragon had spilled and then decorated with mud.

 

"Ah...."

"Ah...."

 

My voice and White Dragon's voice were overlapping at the same time.

 

But there is no time to hesitate.

 

1 second, 2 seconds, the clock is ticking.

 

I pick up the steak covered in blood and mud and hold it up.

 

"Sa, safe. 3 seconds rule, if I wash it...."

 

I see myself smiling awkwardly in White Dragon's sharp eyes.

 

Soon after that, his rage erupts.

 

"Don't screw with meeeeeee! My, my, my steak is aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"

 

Then years passed without White Dragon ever tasting dragon steak produced from the tail he bravely sacrificed.