Ch.95Field Trip (2)

A mountain of lunchboxes.

After possessing Lumia’s body and going through all sorts of trials, I still had no idea how to handle this situation.

[I never imagined Kitsune would prepare this much food.]

‘Well, we never really had the luxury of packing lunches before.’

We’d been so busy that we never had time to prepare anything properly, so I never expected this outcome.

‘If I had known this would happen, I would have specified a reasonable amount…’

I could only blame my past self for not foreseeing this future.

“Um, did I do something wrong…?”

Perhaps it was because both Lilly and I froze at the sheer quantity of lunchboxes Kitsune had brought.

Sensing something odd in our reaction, Kitsune looked at us with an expression that suggested she might have made a mistake.

“Ahem, it’s just that your cooking skills are impressive. And you seem… incredibly fast with your hands too.”

“Y-yeah, that’s right. This amount must have taken a long time to prepare. Amazing.”

“Thank you for the compliment. It feels rewarding to have worked hard since dawn.”

Of course, we didn’t have the option to reject Kitsune’s thoughtfulness and say we couldn’t eat it all.

Especially when Kitsune’s smiling face flickered before our eyes after our compliments.

“Well then, I’ll put all the food in my spatial storage and we can get going.”

“I’m ready to leave whenever.”

“Same here~”

After putting all the lunchboxes in my spatial storage, I started moving in earnest.

While walking, I checked exactly how many lunchboxes were stored in my spatial storage.

Judging by their size, I could assume each box was one serving.

And the number of lunchboxes in the spatial storage was roughly 80.

In other words, the total amount of food in my spatial coat added up to 80 servings.

‘Sigh, just thinking about having to eat all this today makes me dizzy…

This is way too much…’

Looking at the mountain of lunchboxes in my spatial storage, I wondered if this amount could really be prepared since dawn.

The intimidating presence of that lunchbox mountain was no joke.

“Well, we’ll manage somehow…”

Surely eating some lunchboxes couldn’t be harder than fighting an evil god.

* * *

“I’m… so full…”

“Me too… can’t take anymore…”

“Grrrr…”

“What? You haven’t even eaten half yet…”

Despite Kitsune’s puzzled expression, Lilly and I had no choice but to put down our chopsticks.

There simply wasn’t any space left in our stomachs for more food.

“Sorry, I really can’t…”

“I just need to digest a little…”

“Grr… grr…”

A total of 23 lunchboxes.

That was the limit of what Lilly, Kirara, and I could eat together.

[Well, this is something…]

[Who would have thought eating lunchboxes would be harder than fighting an evil god.]

[No one could have imagined this.]

‘The problem is that I didn’t imagine it either. Ugh… how did it come to this…’

The atmosphere had certainly been good at first.

“Oh, this is delicious. Though I’m no gourmet, this is the best fried tofu dish I’ve ever had.”

“Mmm~ I’ve eaten many delicious foods in my life, but this is among the best!”

“Grr!”

“Thank you for the compliments, but I think the beautiful scenery makes it taste better.”

Kitsune’s cooking, filled with sincerity, was delicious, and the spot we chose for our picnic had its own charm.

‘Plus, Lilly and I were eating surprisingly well.’

I hadn’t tried binge eating since coming to this world, but the superhuman body was more impressive than I thought.

Perhaps because we used more energy than ordinary people, we could eat more.

To be specific, we could comfortably eat about 5 servings without difficulty.

Thanks to that, at first we could enjoy eating delicious food together with the gentle breeze.

The problem arose when our stomachs started to fill up.

Naturally, our eating pace should have slowed down, but seeing this, Kitsune began worrying and started putting food in our mouths.

‘Her eyes looked too pitiful to refuse…’

Both Lilly and I tried to force ourselves to eat at first, but as you can see, the result was total defeat.

But Kitsune seemed to think we couldn’t finish our meals because we were unwell, and looked at us with concern.

“Hmm… I’m worried that both of your stomachs might have shrunk because you haven’t been eating properly lately.”

“I was tied up, true, but I think I’ve been eating quite well…?”

“And I’m not the type to go around starving myself…”

“Grr, grr.”

Of course, having consumed more food than usual, we found her words quite absurd.

Even Kirara joined in trying to convince Kitsune, but no matter what we said, she wouldn’t be persuaded.

[Well, maybe I should have just told her before coming, without being considerate.]

‘That might have been wiser…’

While I was talking with Lumia, Kitsune opened another lunchbox and continued eating.

We had clearly eaten together, and looking at the pile of empty lunchboxes, we hadn’t eaten little, but she was still comfortably putting away more food.

“Munch munch…”

“Ah, I remember hearing that beastkin naturally eat a lot…?”

“Umm, well… I’m actually considered average in the village when it comes to eating…”

Responding to my muttering, Kitsune claimed she was an average eater, but I could tell she was being modest.

So I turned my gaze to Kirara, who knew Kitsune well, demanding the truth.

“Just tell me quietly.”

“Grr… grrrr.”

Finding my request troublesome, Kirara fell into contemplation for a moment and carefully glanced at Kitsune.

“I’ll keep it just between us.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Grr.”

Clearly, there could be no secrets when everyone was present.

But when I patted Kirara’s bloated stomach a couple of times, she quickly surrendered and told me the truth.

<1>

What Kirara revealed was a simple number, but its meaning was equally simple.

“Huh… so Kitsune actually—mmph!”

“I thought she ate a lot, but—mmph!”

“It seems both of you still have room for more food…!”

Of course, just as Lilly and I were about to voice our realization, we were silenced by more food being stuffed into our mouths.

“Please… eat more..!”

“Stop silencing us with food…!”

“Ahaha… I really have no more room left. I’ll go move around a bit to help digest.”

Knowing I’d be trapped and subjected to food torture if I stayed, I sacrificed Lilly and managed to escape.

“Frey!!!”

“Sorry~ I’ll be back soon…!”

I left behind Lilly desperately calling my name and went for a walk to help with digestion.

* * *

After leaving our picnic spot and walking for a while, I could feel multiple gazes on me.

These were the gazes of monsters whose numbers had increased significantly because Gagap had been too busy to deal with them recently.

“Phew~ Although the picnic was our main purpose, I should still do what needs to be done.”

While our purpose for coming here was a picnic, the justification for receiving walking supplies from Vulcan was monster subjugation.

So despite it being troublesome, I needed to do some cleaning up.

[Well, right now it’s more because you don’t want to go back and eat more.]

‘Please leave out those behind-the-scenes comments~’

Smiling at Lumia’s playful remark, I drew my nameless sword.

Though the blade had been damaged and chipped in the previous battle, someone had repaired it in the meantime, and it was now sharp and in perfect condition.

“They must have been busy, yet they still repaired it. I’m grateful. Now then…”

After checking the sword’s condition, I took a deep breath and uttered a True Word after a long time.

[[Gather all.]]

The content of my True Word was simple.

It was to make all monsters in the area come toward me—an artificial recreation of a monster wave.

Boom-boom-boom—

After my True Word echoed through this lava region, I could feel the vibrations of numerous monsters approaching.

And not just vibrations.

Dust clouds rose in the distance, various monster cries could be heard, and shadows appeared within the dust.

“Hmm, they’re gathering nicely. If I handle this many, other adventurers can take care of the rest.”

This was just the right number to loosen up my body after being tied up for several days.