Dusk Pot-au-Feu - Part Two

I have never decided things for myself.

Even when Gungrave established the mercenary band, I just followed along thinking it was fine as long as I could somehow eat.

When Rir-chan’s inventions were made, I also just thought, well, whatever.

During battles, the vice-captain gives most of the orders, so there hasn’t been anything I decided and gave orders on.

I’ve always watched from behind, living life by going with the flow.

That is my way of living.

I am Teg. I serve as the captain of the bow unit.

If you ask why I chose the bow, it’s simply because I dislike close-quarters combat.

Besides, Gungrave told me, “You, consider the unit formation and use a bow.”

That’s why I’ve been using a bow without much thought.

Fortunately, I had a talent for the bow, so I haven’t been a burden on the battlefield.

However, there is only one thing I regret.

During a retreat battle in the past where we lost a battle, Gungrave suffered a severe wound at that time.

Why did Gungrave, who holds the captain rank and serves as the band leader, serve as the rear guard?

At that time, Kuuga’s unit was acting separately and wasn’t present on the spot.

As long as there was no infantry unit, the cavalry unit had no choice but to serve as the rear guard. Serving as the rear guard was impossible for Rir’s unit, and using Arius’s unit as the rear guard was too high in cost and risk.

At that time, I just ran away while being swept along by the flow.

Even now, I dream about it.

At that time, if my unit had also participated in the operation as the rear guard, wouldn’t we have been able to avoid only the absolute worst outcome?

He somehow managed to survive, and the band avoided total destruction and disbandment.

At that time, I swore.

“Everyone is family. Next time, I will protect them.”

However, I haven’t been able to overcome the disposition of going with the flow that stuck with me over many years.

All I can do is follow up to keep the atmosphere of the band from turning bad.

Amidst that, Gungrave let a single man join the band.

A cook named Shuri.

This guy’s cooking is insanely delicious anyway.

Up until now, it was close to a state where everyone was fending for themselves.

Meals were in a state where they were so salty you couldn’t tell what was what.

However, I can tell that everyone’s faces have brightened up ever since Shuri came.

Mealtime is fun, and stuffing your stomach full of delicious food is happiness.

When we win a battle and eat Shuri’s food, it makes me think I’m glad to be alive.

Above all, it becomes energy for the next fight.

Even so, I was a little frustrated.

The one protecting everyone I thought of as family from the shadows is Shuri.

He gives everyone energy through delicious food.

While feeling frustrated, I also think it can’t be helped with this cooking.

That’s just how delicious it is.

That Shuri caught a cold.

Because in recent battles, fighting in cold regions during cold seasons, we ended up pushing all the burdens of the cook onto Shuri.

Shuri is weak. His physique is gangly, he can’t even swing a sword properly, and he has no stamina.

However, since he eats the same meals as everyone, it’d be fine right?—both I and Gungrave had taken things lightly.

No one had predicted that Shuri was actually this weak.

And Shuri himself was too good at hiding it.

Making meals for everyone day after day with an unconcerned face.

Handling dishwashing alone with water in the freezing cold without complaining about it being tough or anything.

Then he suddenly collapsed with a thud.

Everyone nursed him in a huge panic.

And then Shuri said, “I’m sorry.”

Even though we were in the wrong for pushing all the troublesome work onto him, he didn’t blame us even a bit.

“I’m sorry. I should have hired an assistant for you sooner.”

Inside the tent, Shuri and Gungrave were talking with just the two of them.

As expected, everyone couldn’t storm in, so the visit was Gungrave and the watch was me.

“No… if I had managed my health properly… it wouldn’t have turned out like this, so…”

“It’s also my responsibility for neglecting our stockpile of medicine…. We relied on your cooking too much…”

“Having you rely on me… is something that makes me happy, so…”

No, Shuri, that’s not right.

If we had paid more attention to you, it wouldn’t have turned out like this.

“More importantly… everyone…? Are they taking… proper meals…?”

“Yeah. But the taste is the absolute worst. Everyone is praying for your recovery.”

“You exaggerate…”

It’s no exaggeration.

Ever since Shuri collapsed, everyone has been completely at a loss.

Because there was no one who could cook properly, they had relied on Shuri.

When that Shuri collapsed, everyone went right back to eating terrible meals.

It wasn’t just my unit; complaints were coming from subordinates in other units as well.

“It’s no exaggeration. There’s no doctor nearby either. Nor medicine. If something were to happen to you, it’d be terrifying.”

Honestly, our band’s stockpile of medicine is not good.

We had no knowledge of medicine, and ever since eating Shuri’s food, no one got sick.

If Shuri dies because of this, it’ll be our fault.

“I won’t… die that easily, you know…”

“I believe you. Truth is, everyone is trying to storm in here wanting to nurse you. Because you’ve got everyone behind you.”

“Ahaha… thank you… please tell them that…”

Gungrave had a pained expression when he came out of the tent.

It was almost as if he were saying it was all his own fault.

“Captain. How is Shuri doing?”

“He has a fever, but his consciousness is clear and his thinking is good. For now, there’s no need to worry.”

I felt a little relieved.

“However, if we had medicine, it wouldn’t have even come to this…!”

Yet Gungrave distorted his face regretfully and pathetically.

“It’s my fault. I hadn’t been properly considering his situation. Not about medicine, not about a cook assistant, nor about his hometown. Even though I’ve received so many things from him, I haven’t been able to return a single thing…!”

Up until before, Gungrave only thought about winning battles.

Though there was no one who could stand to his right in terms of strategy and political maneuvering, he was indifferent to the preparations before entering battle.

Food, supplies, equipment, wages….

Gungrave used to grumble that a mercenary band consumes money just by existing.

Now, he was leading a mercenary band of over two hundred people.

However, this time he was placing the burden on Shuri.

All of us, including myself.

“Gungrave…”

“Don’t say it, Teg. Right now, no matter what is said, it’ll just be licking each other’s wounds…”

Gungrave walked away at a fast pace just like that.

I was a bit concerned, so when I reached out to the tent to check on Shuri’s state,

“Dad… Mom…”

I heard Shuri’s pained voice.

Shuri has a family.

Far away in a distant place, there is Shuri’s hometown and family.

He has been surviving desperately to meet those people.

That weak Shuri has.

In the beginning, I thought it was enviable that he had a family.

Because I didn’t have one.

However, in Shuri’s case, it’s not that he doesn’t have one. He can’t meet them.

Far away, not knowing if he can return, he came all the way to today without putting his lonely thoughts into words.

Compared to that, what about me?

Did I try to know Shuri’s pain?

Do I know what kind of people his family are?

Shuri’s favorite food, alcohol, preference in women, hobbies.

We don’t know anything.

The bad side effect of living life while being swept along as things flow became a huge regret now.

What do you mean, protecting family?

I didn’t even try to listen to Shuri’s worries, did I?

“Oh, Teg-san?”

“Ah, yeah, Shuri. You doing okay?”

“Yes, much better.”

Before I knew it, Shuri had come outside, and it had turned into night.

“It’s cold, so won’t you come inside?”

“Ah, no, I’m good. You should get back to sleep soon too, Shuri.”

“I’m feeling fine, so I don’t mind. Besides, I want to talk to someone for a bit.”

…This is a good opportunity.

“Is that so…? Then I’ll take you up on that offer. There’s something I wanted to talk about too.”

Sitting inside, I faced Shuri head-on.

“Shuri. Don’t you want to go back to your hometown?”

“Huh?”

It was direct, but I wanted to ask.

“I do want to go back. Of course.”

“Right…”

“But I might not be able to return.”

Huh?

“It’s hard to explain so I’ll skip it, but it’s far. So far that it can’t be reached easily.
It’s not on this continent.”

“Not… on this continent?”

“Well…”

Not on this continent?

The Sabrayu Continent is a massive continent, a distance so vast that it takes a year from one end to the other.

And up until now, there has been no human who has gone outside the sea.

The outside of the sea is called the “Outer Ocean,” and it’s believed there are no other continents, nor has anyone ever returned.

Furthermore, “Sea Beasts” inhabit places at a certain distance out at sea, sometimes capsizing ships.

That’s why there is no one who has ever gone outside.

Shuri came from there, you say?

“I’ll make a little late-night snack.”

While I was lost in thought, Shuri spoke.

“Ah, then I’ll be off…”

“No, could you eat together with me?”

Hmm?

“This dish. It’s a dish my family used to make for me when I caught a cold. So, I thought it might be better to have someone by my side.”

I felt like it was the first time I got to hear about Shuri’s family.

A dish with such memories, with me?

While I was thinking about that, Shuri set a pot on the burner and began cooking.

For some reason, he had brought ingredients along.

In a brownish transparent soup, he was simmering sausage, potatoes, carrots, and Chinese cabbage.

Ah, as expected, Shuri’s cooking smells great just from the aroma.

While I was enjoying the aroma, Shuri poured soup into a dish and handed it to me.

“Here, let’s eat.”

“Is this… sausage?”

“Yes, it goes very well with this dish.”

Sausage is a somewhat luxurious meat.

Even commoners can afford it, but it’s expensive.

I’ve eaten it a few times too, but I have memories of the meat juice being irresistibly delicious and making the alcohol go down easily.

I try eating a single spoonful.

It’s delicious.

The soup has a complex flavor, and I can tell both my tongue and throat are rejoicing.

I can tell he used various ingredients to bring out the flavor, but I don’t know how many there are.

The sausage is also simmered so flavor soaks into it, and the meat juice and soup blend together into an even greater delicacy.

Both the Chinese cabbage and carrots are soft, crumbling gently in the mouth before dropping into the stomach.

However, what’s surprising is the potato.

I thought potatoes were normally eaten steamed.

When I was hungry, I used to eat potatoes just to trick my stomach.

Yet the potato in this soup has flavor, is soft, and gently melts in the mouth.

This is the first time I’ve ever felt that a potato was delicious.

“It’s delicious. I used to think of potatoes as nothing more than filler ingredients.”

“They’re not filler at all. Potatoes are full of nourishment and good for the body. Potatoes that have soaked up flavor are exceptional.”

“I… see.”

“My mom used to make this for me.”

Shuri’s… mom?

“It’s kind of nostalgic, or rather… sad…. Ever since joining this band, everyone has been kind. But it’s hard not being able to see my family.”

“We are!”

Before I realized it, I was shouting.

It’s not that they’re dead. But he can’t see them.

There’s too much hope for him to just accept it like us, yet he couldn’t even voice it.

How pathetic; what do I mean, protecting family?

I haven’t even been able to act as family for Shuri!

“Every single one of us is an orphan. Gungrave, Rir, Kuuga, Arius, and me—all of us. However, we think of each other as family. And among us is you, Shuri. So, if you’re lonely, you just have to rely on us. Because we’re a family bound together by fate.”

This time for sure, I swear.

I will protect my family, my comrades.

“Yes… thank you so much…”

“We’ll protect you without fail, Shuri. So Shuri, you just have to be the place where we belong. Such delicious food. If we had parents, I think they would have made something like this for us. The ones who should say thank you are us.”

“Yes… yes…”

“It’s delicious. This soup.”

Shuri was shedding tears, but I pretended not to see.

Because I felt like I was finally able to understand Shuri.

That’s why right now, it’s a secret between just the two of us.

When the next day came, Shuri had completely recovered his energy.

He was told by everyone that it was great, and he was being celebrated.

I won’t feel frustrated or jealous anymore.

Nor will I be swept along.

I will do what I can do.

“Alright, we’re gonna practice!”

“Yeahhh!”

Rousing my subordinates, I’m relentlessly repeating target practice and physical combat.

“The captain is kinda motivated lately, huh?”

The vice-captain said to me with a dubious look.

“Even I can do it when the time comes.”

“I see, then as vice-captain, I’ll back you up.”

My subordinates accompanied my training desperately.

Before I knew it, I came up with close-quarters combat using a bow and worked on it with my subordinates.

I had been swept along by the flow. However, a dream or goal was born in me too.

This time, it wasn’t because I was swept along. It’s my own dream.

I want to travel this continent from end to end and compile it into a single book.

And then I’ll go outside the sea and find Shuri’s hometown for him.

I’ll convey to Shuri’s parents that Shuri is doing just fine.

For that purpose, let’s work hard right now.

Teg Valens possesses an aspect of a hero and an aspect of an adventurer.

He established one of the two major martial arts of the Unified Empire, the Tengu Style Archery Combat Art, which covers close, medium, and long-range combat using a bow. The origin of its name comes from when his close friend muttered, “It’s somehow like a tengu,” and used those characters.

He was faithful and diligent in his duties, but he handed over the position of Royal Guard Captain to his successors early on, went on a journey, traveled to every corner of the continent, saw everything, and ate everything.

Afterward, he authored a single book.

Record of Foreign Sights.

It is an adventure book containing everything about the Sabrayu Continent.

Fascinated by this adventure book, many adventurers set foot in unexplored regions and demonic realms, giving birth to various discoveries.

Teg Valens became a pioneer of the profession known as an adventurer, establishing the very word “adventurer.”

Many adventurers in later generations revered him, and he gradually became a great figure to the point where it was said there was no one among adventurers who did not know his name.

However, during his final adventure, he went missing for twenty years.

During that time, he had surprisingly crossed the Outer Ocean and traveled across another continent.

With the discovered sea routes and navigation techniques, he established trade routes with the new continent.

And then, he authored another book. It would invite many adventurers to new journeys.

Record of Otherworldly Sights.

It was a book recording the nations, foods, cultures, and histories of the newly discovered continent.

In later years, it came to be used among scholars when studying foreign cultures.

After returning from the other continent, he was blessed with a wife, children, and grandchildren in the Imperial Capital, living out his remaining years peacefully until the end of his life.

It is said that he talked at great length with his close friend, the cook.

Every time back then, a certain soup was served without fail.

Every time he ate it, he reportedly said:

“A single bowl of soup bound me together with the world.”