Chương 69: Grilled Fish of the Valley of Terror

The closer they got to the valley, the darker the forest became. The sun had not yet fully set. The forest was so dense that sunlight could not properly enter. The trunks leaned against one another at angles, and damp moss hung long from the branches. The soil beneath their feet was black and heavy. With every step, moisture rose. The sound of water came from afar. At first, he thought it was a small stream. But the further they walked, the lower the sound became.

It was less the sound of water flowing between rocks, and more the sound of water turning its body somewhere deep. Riphiel grew quieter. Normally, this was a situation where she would have rattled off the names of trees, the names of grasses, even the names of moss you shouldn't step on. But now, she only gripped the saber-toothed tiger's neck. Seeing that, Kichan asked.

"Why are you quiet." Riphiel answered low.

"We have drawn close to the valley."

"Then isn't that good?"

"Ordinarily, it is not." Instead of answering, Kichan touched his stomach. It had not been long since eating the bear meat. Yet after walking the mountain path, handling the meat, digging up roots, and being bounced off the saber-toothed tiger a few times, his stomach had emptied again.

"Is there anything to eat." Riphiel looked around the darkness.

"Around here, picking up and eating anything at random leads to great trouble."

"Don't regret it later." Valkyrie was quiet at the end of his sleeve. Since drawing away from the World Tree, it had become a little subdued, but each time the sound of water grew louder, it stood its body up a small amount. Dust, conversely, kept looking at the rock crevices and wet bark. The moment anything shiny appeared, it was in position to leap out. Just then, Riphiel's ears moved.

"Over there, there is the sound of water."

"Then that way." Kichan immediately changed direction. Riphiel started to stop him, then gave up. To Kichan, the sound of water was already not a danger signal but a possibility of ingredients. The saber-toothed tiger also let out a low growl as if displeased, but ultimately followed. Passing between the trees, a narrow valley stream appeared. The water flowed dark blue. The rocks were wet, and white crystal-like things clung sparsely along the bank. Kichan's gaze went that way. It might be salt.

Fish as thick as a forearm were swimming in schools. The scales were iridescent. Each time they turned their bodies, blue, purple, silver, and gold flashed in turn. Kichan looked for a long while.

"A lot of them." Riphiel said quietly.

"Those fish are—" Before the words finished, Valkyrie shot out from the end of the sleeve. Pop. The moment Valkyrie dropped onto the water, it bounced joyfully. Far brighter than usual. The fish scattered in an instant, then gathered again. As Valkyrie slightly twisted the current, the direction of the fish school changed. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Dust was already on a rock by the water, holding one shining scale in its mouth. Kichan looked at Dust.

"When did you even pick that up." Dust flicked a leg. Riphiel tried to choose her words and barely managed.

"Before catching them, confirmation—" Kichan was already planting his wake-up rod by the water's edge.

"Are they edible?" Riphiel paused.

"They can be eaten."

"Then that's enough."

"But the creatures of this valley—""If they're edible, that's enough." Kichan watched the path where the fish moved with the current. When he reached out his hand, Valkyrie slightly twisted the current for him. Several were pushed toward the shallows. Kichan caught one with his hand. Big. The flesh was firm too. The scales were thicker than expected, and the strength trying to slip free of his hand was strong. The fish gave one large thrash in Kichan's hand. Water splashed and hit Riphiel's face.

Riphiel closed her eyes.

"I will no longer be surprised." The very next moment, the fish thrashed once more and struck Riphiel below the chin. Riphiel quietly corrected.

"I was slightly surprised." Kichan caught a few more fish. He did not catch many. Just enough to eat. That "enough to eat" was not Kichan's share alone. The fish were laid in a row by the water. The saber-toothed tiger sat with dignity, but its gaze was fixed on the fish. Riphiel kept checking the surroundings with a face mixed with worry and anticipation. Kichan cleaned the fish. The scales were tough. Trying to scrape them off with a normal blade would make his hand slip.

Tracing the grain with the Rohonc sense, he grasped the direction they peeled. Kichan pressed a small piece of metal with his fingertips to form a thin blade, then pushed along the grain of the scales. The scales came off cleanly. Kichan picked up one fallen scale. The iridescence remained on a piece slightly larger than a fingernail. If the edge were ground thin, it could be used like a blade.

"I didn't come here to make things like this." Even as he said that, Kichan pressed the small metal piece with his fingertips. The metal spread into a thin band. He hooked it onto the back of a scale and curled the remaining end round. Valkyrie quietly approached.

"You'd be uncomfortable barehanded too." Kichan held out the scale-shield toward Valkyrie. Valkyrie paused for a moment, then received it with small hands. Kichan drew the remaining metal piece like a needle. Flattening the tip a little made it a small spear.

"This is for stabbing." Watching that, Riphiel glanced sideways at the saber-toothed tiger.

"Is it possible for the saber-toothed tiger as well?" The tiger's ears pricked a little.

"That one's big. Needs a lot of materials."

"Does that mean it is possible?"

"Don't twist my words." Valkyrie stood above the steam, holding the scale-shield and small spear. Pop. This time, it sounded less like a water drop and more like an answer. Valkyrie sprinkled water. Clear water flowed over the cleaned flesh, and Kichan rubbed the garlic-tasting root thinly over it. He used salt sparingly, just a little. He crushed only a little of the black pepper-like grains too. The smell changed. The smell of fish. Garlic-tasting root. Salt. Pepper.

Over the fire, the iridescent scales charred black and the smell of the inner flesh rose. Kichan whittled a twig into a skewer, threaded the fish, and turned it slowly. Riphiel tried not to swallow. She failed. Kichan flipped the fish and said.

"You just swallowed."

"I swallowed air."

"That's saliva." The saber-toothed tiger had already taken its place. It sat with dignity, but the tip of its tail moved little by little. Dust was gathering scales, and Valkyrie played on the water, making small ripples. It was the moment Kichan was about to lift the first fish. A voice came from the darkness.

"That smells good." Riphiel's face immediately stiffened. The saber-toothed tiger pressed itself low. Valkyrie stopped above the water, and Dust, scales in mouth, hid behind Kichan's shoulder. Kichan turned his head, still holding the fish. A person emerged from between the tree shadows. It was hard to tell at once whether it was a man or a woman, old or young. Their clothes were black as if wet, and water droplets hung at the ends of their hair. They were barefoot, yet the soil under their feet was not wet.

Their eyes were strangely bright even in the darkness. That person looked at the grilled fish Kichan was holding. And said calmly.

"May I have some too?" Riphiel stopped breathing. Kichan looked at the fish and the strange person in turn.

"Get in line." The strange person paused briefly. Then stepped one pace to the side. As if actually getting in line. Riphiel froze, unable to say a word. Kichan flipped the fish.

"If you're going to eat, you have to keep the order." The strange person smiled. That laughter echoed together with the sound of the valley stream.