Chapter 119: Feast Beneath the Snow (1/2)
by fnovelpia
She carefully began to move her hands, first gently stroking the skin.
As the delicate flow of magic at her fingertips seeped inside, the pale flesh twitched slightly.
Satisfied with the reaction, she smiled.
It was fresh—proof that it had been alive just moments ago.
Slowly, she drew her knife and sliced into the skin.
The blade shimmered with golden magic.
‘A carving knife? No, in this moment, it was more of a chef’s knife.
Either way, it pierced through the tough magical barrier and sank into the flesh.
Following the natural grain, she carefully moved the blade.
The knife glided effortlessly through the muscle, following the lines of the flesh.
In no time, she began to break down the massive hunk of meat.
Using her magic, she tenderized the meat as she worked, refining each cut with precision.
As the process continued, a crisp, sweet scent with a hint of coldness rose from the meat.
It was a sign that she had handled it properly.
The aroma began to spread through the air.
The meat she was preparing belonged to an Ice-Flesh Bear—a formidable creature.
Of course, its strength was matched by its rarity.
But most importantly, it was delicious.
Its flesh was said to be as cold and tender as ice, making it a prized ingredient.
She had only ever read about it in books—this was her first time working with it in person.
By the time she had finished butchering the entire carcass, a mound of meat, as tall as she was, had formed before her.
Even after deboning it completely, there was this much.
Well, if it was the professor, she might finish it all in one sitting.
***
She levitated the chunks of meat and carried them outside the cave.
The moment she stepped out, a frigid wind wrapped around her.
She quickly used her magic to block it and began walking toward the large bonfire burning in the distance.
With each step, the snow beneath her feet crunched softly.
Upon reaching the fire, she carefully set the meat down and pulled out the numerous skewers she had prepared in advance.
With this, everything was ready.
Looking up, she saw Mira and Professor Irien seated around the fire on the chairs she had arranged.
Mira met her eyes and smiled.
“Oh my, you’re back. Irien has been waiting eagerly for you.”
“When did I ever say that?”
The professor grumbled with a displeased expression.
With a small bow, she picked up a skewer and began channeling her magic into it, stretching her muscles as she prepared to cook.
“Now, let’s begin today’s meal. Tonight, we’ll be making skewers with freshly butchered Ice-Flesh Bear meat.”
There wasn’t much that needed to be done.
The meat itself was more than enough.
All she needed was fire and magic to cook it.
The only thing that mattered was her own skill.
She threaded the chunks of meat onto the skewers and tossed them into the fire.
Strands of her magic latched onto the ends of the skewers, guiding them through the flames.
As the meat absorbed the heat, the magic infused within it surged forth, releasing an explosion of aroma and energy.
She quickly rotated the skewers, twisting the natural flow of power that tried to escape.
The scorching-hot skewers, glowing from the heat, helped contain the energy.
Her magic wrapped around the meat like hooks, locking the essence inside rather than letting it dissipate.
The flames themselves seemed to be absorbed into the skewers, accelerating the cooking process.
She carefully monitored the internal texture of each skewer, ensuring not a single mistake was made.
Soon, the meat began dripping with rich, flavorful juices.
She swiftly pulled the first skewer from the fire, examining it with satisfaction.
It was her first attempt, but it had turned out perfectly.
With a nod, she handed the skewer to the professor.
“Here is the first skewer. I’ve selected only the softest cuts from the rump. Be careful, it’s hot. Next, I’ll prepare the bear’s paw.”
The professor took the skewer, her eyes glinting as she examined it.
Then, she bit into a piece, chewing slowly with her eyes closed.
***
Moments later, she gave a small nod and spoke.
“You told me to look forward to it… and you were right. This is really unique.”
She immediately took another bite.
Seeing that, the cook smiled in satisfaction and quickly threw more skewers into the fire.
She couldn’t let the professor’s mouth go idle.
The scent of roasting meat mixed with the faint snowfall drifting down around them.
The bonfire’s glow was the only light in the surrounding darkness.
It was the seventh night since they had left the tower.
One by one, skewers piled up in front of the professor, who devoured them with clear enjoyment.
She made an effort to provide a variety of cuts to enhance the experience.
“Oh my, be careful. You’ve spilled a little.”
Mira chuckled as she moved closer to the professor, gently wiping her lips.
Normally, this would be the butler’s job.
But he had remained behind at the tower.
He was the only one who could properly manage the professor’s vacant quarters.
Of course, that had just been an excuse—she had deliberately left him behind.
The professor accepted Mira’s care without resistance.
As she watched them, she pulled a small skewer from the fire.
This one was for the turtle, who had been eagerly watching her the entire time.
She handed the skewer to the creature, and it immediately grabbed it with its mouth, happily gnawing on the meat.
Even though it had the body of a doll, it still indulged in such desires—likely because it could actually taste food.
She observed its lifelike movements.
Professor On had called it Prototype No. 1, an automaton infused with a special elixir for dolls.
She still had no idea how its structure worked.
As the professor relaxed under Mira’s touch, her gaze eventually drifted toward the turtle.
Sensing her stare, the creature paused its chewing and met her eyes.
The professor lightly tapped its shell.
“This thing… It feels familiar. The way it eats—it reminds me of something. It’s like… I’m drawn to it somehow.”
The turtle let out a soft cry and rubbed its head against the professor’s fingers.
It seemed to be drawn to her as well.
She tilted her head slightly in curiosity.
At her words, the cook felt a small jolt of anxiety.
For the past week, the professor had occasionally shown interest in the turtle.
She had taken the time to thoroughly inspect it, searching for anything unusual.
But there was nothing to find.
Any traces of change had been hidden deep within its magical core.
There was nothing to uncover—only an instinctive feeling that something was off.
‘Is this the sharp intuition of a dragon?’
A quiet admiration rose within her.
Of course, admiration aside, every time this happened, her heart pounded slightly.
But she had no regrets.
This was simply her way of getting to know the professor better.
Mira, noticing her reaction, leaned in closer to the professor, picking up a skewer and offering it to her.
“Fufu, is that so? Here, have another bite. Just say ‘ahh.’”
She gently wiggled the skewer, releasing a fresh wave of aroma.
Drawn in, the professor naturally accepted the offering, chewing slowly and nodding.
Mira smiled sweetly and smacked her lips slightly.
The professor shot her a glance.
“Why don’t you eat some too?”
“No need. Watching you enjoy it is more than enough for me.”
Mira giggled as she picked up another skewer and handed it over.
The professor accepted it without hesitation.
The cook glanced at Mira and gave a small bow of gratitude.
Mira simply smiled and licked her lips again.
Her gaze wasn’t on the food—it was on the professor.
Her desire was clear.
One day, she wanted to devour the professor.
Not that the professor seemed to care.
And the cook had always thought such a thing was impossible.
But perhaps she had been wrong.
To be ‘devoured’—perhaps it could take on another meaning.
As Mira clung to the professor, the turtle slowly slipped away and settled beside the cook, gnawing contentedly on its skewer.
The mountain of meat had disappeared in a matter of hours.
Though she had eaten a little herself, the vast majority had ended up in the professor’s stomach.
Her belly was ever so slightly rounder than before.
The meal had come to an end.
That meant it was time to prepare dessert.
***
After leaving the simple cleanup to the dolls, I approached the professor and Mira.
Then, in front of them, I took out a teapot.
As I let my magic flow over it, the teapot shimmered lightly, forming a magical circuit before drawing a magic circle.
From within the circle, warm tea slowly began to fill the teapot.
A gentle steam rose from the spout.
I poured the tea into cups and set them down in front of them.
A subtle fragrance began to spread through the air.
Next, I placed a small dish in front of the teacups. Inside, tiny snowflakes rested.
“You’ve filled your stomach with meat, so I’ve prepared something to cleanse the grease for dessert. Hold a snowflake in your mouth while drinking the tea.”
The professor picked up one of the snowflakes and examined it closely before putting it into her mouth.
She frowned slightly.
That was to be expected—there was hardly any taste to it.
It was simply a compressed lump of ice formed by magic.
The only thing it contained was the subtle chill of the ice itself.
The professor then took a sip of tea.
After a brief moment of stillness, she gave a small shudder.
Narrowing her eyes, she stared at the teacup.
I nodded as I observed her reaction.
The tea leaves I had prepared this time were made from snow blossoms.
As flowers with the nature of snow, they released a deep, piercing flavor when met with those snowflakes.
It was the perfect tea leaf for this place.
I slowly looked around.
We were at the peak of a massive snow-covered mountain.
This was where we would be staying for the day.
The reason we had chosen this as our campsite was simple.
I briefly opened a barrier and lightly scanned the flow of magic in the surroundings.
The flow of magic was incredibly stable, as if someone had carefully managed it.
There was no other place in the area where magic was as well-tamed as here.
It was the work of the owner of the meat we had just eaten—the Iceflesh Bear.
This was its territory.
But, having been caught by the hungry professor, the creature had met its end.
I spared a brief moment of respect for it.
After all, it had generously given us everything.
“Then, I’ll set up a place for you to rest.”
Saying so, I signaled to the turtle.
Feeling my intent, the creature gave a small tremor.
Then, it shifted its shell, dropping two small boxes.
0 Comments