Chapter 26
“Romi-nim! The beastmen from the village are coming!”
Ignoring Hamma’s frantic squealing, I leaned out the window. Sure enough, the beastmen were heading toward us, tools of all kinds in their hands.
“You’re here?”
When I welcomed them with a bright smile, the village chief lifted his fist and cleared his throat.
“Hamma told me you needed another house.”
“Yeah. Not one—two, actually.”
“P–Pardon? Two houses? Ah… you must need one for the Hero as well. Are you sure you don’t need our help?”
“I’ll handle that. Just connect the waterway for us. I can’t keep making Hamma walk back and forth on those tiny legs to fetch water—it’s starting to weigh on my conscience.”
“…To think you actually had a conscience.”
The chief muttered as though he’d just witnessed a miracle.
“Well, if you insist… understood.”
Before I could reply, he spun around and clapped his hands—SMACK!—loud enough to sting my pride.
Wow. That was irritating.
He didn’t even give me the chance to answer?
“Everyone! Starting today, we’ll be building a small settlement here. Proceed to your assigned areas and reconvene in three hours. The meeting point is in front of Romi-yang’s log cabin!”
With practiced ease, he handed out tasks and wandered off somewhere. The beastmen followed him to begin their work.
At that moment, Hamma came running from the riverside.
“Romi-niim! When are we starting the house building?”
“Today. Right now. Let’s go chop wood.”
“Yaaay! Hero-nim! You heard him! Let’s go!”
Kaizen, who’d been lying in the log cabin with his arm for a pillow, clicked his tongue and stood up.
“If you’re a rabbit, sleep in a rabbit burrow. Must you be so unbearably noisy?”
“H–Huh?! What did you just say?!”
Dragging the two who were as usual getting along wonderfully, I headed into the forest.
Ever since Hirata disappeared, the number of wild beasts—previously scarce—had slowly begun increasing again.
Not too many yet, but give it time. Soon we’d have meat day and night.
Imagining that happy future, I swung my stone axe with full force.
“Huuup—!”
THUD!
A tall coniferous tree collapsed with a heavy crash.
Kaizen, watching from afar, silently hoisted the fallen trunk onto his back and walked toward the village.
“Huwaaaat!”
Beside me, Hamma let out a dramatic battle cry as he swung his own axe.
I cut down three trees in the time it took him to fell one, but one tree was better than none—our speed doubled.
We cut, carried, split, and stacked wood for four days straight.
And then—
“Uwaaaaah! My house…!”
Hamma burst into tears at the sight of the two newly completed homes early that morning.
Twin rounded log houses with roofs shaped like rabbit ears—each piece carved with care.
And next to them, a rough but massive house—Kaizen’s.
With my own home in the middle, Hamma’s to the left and Kaizen’s to the right, I couldn’t help smiling proudly.
“You didn’t have to build a house for me. I feel like you’ve gone through unnecessary trouble.”
“So you hate it?”
Kaizen’s ears twitched as he avoided my gaze.
Then he whispered so quietly that it was nearly inaudible.
That boy is honestly see-through.
“…I do not hate it. Thank you.”
Hearing Kaizen say thank you actually touched me a little.
Staring at our new little settlement, I wiped away tears.
It’s all ready now.
All that’s left is to feed everyone properly.
I’m going to make them plump and healthy—no exceptions.
I tightened my resolve, thinking of burnout-stricken Kaizen and curse-locked village chief.
By noon, just as promised, the beastmen began gathering behind the chief.
“You’re here?”
The chief inspected the houses I’d finished that morning and let out a low whistle.
“To produce this kind of quality at this speed…”
“If all you do is build houses for a thousand years, this is what happens.”
“You haven’t actually lived for a thousand years, you know.”
He spoke with a straight face.
I shrugged and stirred the giant cauldron with a ladle.
“It’s just an expression.”
“Regardless, it’s impressive.”
At that moment, the door behind me creaked open.
Kaizen stepped out of his house. Seeing the gathered beastmen, he paused, then walked straight toward me.
“What’s today’s menu? There’s an unusual smell.”
“Sirloin curry rice. Since you’re here, go find Hamma and help set up.”
A few days ago, while chopping wood, I found turmeric in the forest. I harvested a bunch, dried it, crushed it—and it tasted exactly like the turmeric I knew.
Turmeric… I can’t resist that.
Beside me, the chief perked up his white ears.
“Um… what exactly is curry rice?”
“It’s food from a country across the sea. Go set the tables—we’re serving soon.”
Of course, that country didn’t exist here, but it sounded cool enough.
The chief’s eyes sparkled as he covered his mouth.
“Oooh! A dish from across the sea…! How exciting!”
He quickly rallied the beastmen watching the river.
“Prepare the tables! The menu today is curry rice!”
“Lunch! Finally lunch!”
The beastmen cheered as they set everything up with military precision.
The reason I cook for them?
I felt bad ordering them around without paying them—so feeding them lunch was my compromise.
Besides, I still have to lift the chief’s curse.
While they worked in the morning, I prepared exactly 89 servings.
Having worked in a restaurant before I came to this world, cooking for that many people was nothing.
“Thank you for the food, Romi-nim!”
“It smells wonderful. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Thank you for making lunch every day!”
I slipped past the grateful beastmen and gestured at Kaizen, who was standing alone in the distance.
“Kaizen! Come here!”
For the past three days, he’d always ended up last in line, so today I’d decided he would be first.
He ambled over, looking confused.
“Hold out your tray. You’re eating first today.”
“…I don’t mind waiting.”
I mind!”
“Hurry. There’s a line.”
“….”
With a resigned sigh, he held out his tray.
I was nearly done serving everyone when—
“Luuuuunch tiiiime!”
Hamma burst out of his round house, metal pieces in both hands, running full speed.
Two days ago, I explained the concept of faucets and hoses to him. His eyes had shone like he’d discovered a new religion.
Judging from what he was holding, he’d finished the prototype.
“Hey. How are you going to get your food if your hands are full?”
“Ack! Right!”
He dashed back inside, tossed the metal pieces somewhere, and reemerged with his tray.
“I finished the thing you called a faucet! I’ll show you later!”
Despite his dark circles and red eyes, his face shone with pride.
“You little genius. Here—you get two pieces of sirloin.”
“Two pieces! And one more!”
I gave him three sirloin slices and finally prepared my own meal.
Carrying my tray, I sat beside Kaizen.
His tray was untouched.
“Why aren’t you eating? You don’t like it?”
Worried it wasn’t to his taste, I watched as Kaizen silently lifted his spoon.
One bite. Then two. Then faster, and faster.
And suddenly I understood.
“…Kaizen. You were waiting for me, weren’t you?”
For the last three days, we were always served last together, so I never noticed.
But he had been waiting.
He actually has this kind of consideration…?
“Ahem. Ahem.”
Kaizen cleared his throat and covered his reddening face.
This adorable idiot.
Lately, he’s been doing nothing but cute things—honestly.
