Chicken And Palenque (6)

“Whether it’s possible or not lies right here in the Limon Forest.”

“Here?”

As Mr. Knoll responded, I pointed upwards. There, a weary Palenque was perched atop a bamboo plant.

“The news that Palenque appeared here was quite helpful. There really are Palenques here. When I said I got Palenque through someone else, that was a lie. I’m sorry.”

“Hmm, even if there are Palenques in this forest, they’re too fast to track with the naked eye. And you plan to distribute them to the market?”

“It’s possible. Well, not as common as uka meat or uba meat, but at least they can be sold in this area.”

“How on earth?”

I moved the immense mana circulating through my body. They knew I was a mage, but likely thought it was nothing significant.

Using the high-class magic Tempest Blaze, I made high-temperature flames dance around me. Adjusting the mana, the enormous flames shot out explosively according to my will.

The flames’ destination was the bamboo forest canopy. The surrounding Palenques turned to ashes and fell. The flames that arose were massive, and controlling them like limbs consumed considerable mana. Any mercenary would recognize that.

“This is!”

“El!”

The couple screamed in shock simultaneously.

“I’ve cast a sealing spell over the entire Limon Forest so monsters can’t escape. When they lay eggs and hatch, the Palenque ecosystem will continue to cycle. Moreover, Palenque are wild monsters. They grow on their own without needing care. Once they mature, we catch and sell them. Something like that. If we expand the habitat slightly within manageable limits, the population will increase, and we’ll reach a distributionable number.”

Mr. Knoll couldn’t close his mouth. He was more stunned by the magic than my words.

“Were you a high-class mage? As far as I know… such magic is…”

“Dear!”

Mrs. Rayne, startled, grabbed Mr. Knoll’s arm. Her gaze seemed to ask how could he speak so recklessly.

“Mrs. Rayne, it’s okay. If you worry like that, it makes me uncomfortable.”

“But… high-class mages are no different from nobles…”

“Mrs. Rayne.”

“Yes…?”

“Mr. Knoll retired from being a mercenary for you, right?”

“Yes, yes! That’s right.”

“I’m also retired from being a mage to live an ordinary life. A simple life, selling food in a restaurant. That’s why I’m happier now than when I was summoned as a mage. I’m happier now than when I was boasting. Do you know what it was like to fight as a mage? I endured only with perseverance. Even when my comrades died, I fought on, convincing myself that it was the way of the battlefield. But all that remained was emptiness. It was worse when I was of a lower class. Even when I rose, it was the same. Everyone just wanted to use me. Such people always speak of the safety of the people, but in the end, they only want to use the mage’s power to bolster their authority. I was tired of that life. To get rid of those people, I would have to destroy the world. There’s no end to it. But since I can’t do that, I chose an ordinary life. Mr. Knoll, who was a mercenary, would understand my feelings, wouldn’t you?”

These are my true feelings. If I wanted, I could have destroyed empires or kingdoms. But that would only bring more trouble. I wouldn’t be able to find the small happiness I have now.

“You had such a past?”

Fortunately, Mr. Knoll returned to his usual demeanor. No, rather, he crossed his arms and nodded, as if he understood everything.

“So, please just treat me as the owner of the restaurant beyond the hill. Especially you, Mrs. Rayne! Why do you suddenly stiffen up like that? Mrs. Rayne, you and Mr. Knoll also came to Greek City seeking small happiness, didn’t you? If we, who are in the same situation, act like this, it makes me very sad.”

Mr. Knoll and Mrs. Rayne looked at each other. Mrs. Rayne spoke first.

“Are you happy now?”

“Yes. You’ve seen the one at the restaurant, right? Well, I’m happy.”

“Oh!”

Mrs. Rayne nodded. It seemed she felt a sense of similarity in our situations. Because of that, she apologized with a face full of remorse.

“I’m sorry! In that case, I’ll forget what I just saw.”

“Yeah, yeah, understand that, El. Rayne has had some bad experiences with nobles, so she froze momentarily.”

“Dear!”

Mrs. Rayne glared at Mr. Knoll. He scratched the back of his head and quickly corrected himself.

“Oh, forget what I just said.”

It’s a past I don’t want to clarify. I have a past too. Stories that bring no good if you dig them up. So I nodded.

“Well, it’s best to forget the past. Besides, I didn’t show you magic for a sudden surprise show. I plan to catch Palenque in the Limon Forest with magic and distribute it through Mr. Knoll’s shop. That’s why I brought you here. Will you sell Palenque for me? I plan to split the profit fifty-fifty.”

“What?!”

“What?!”

The couple shouted simultaneously. Their voices were so loud it hurt my eardrums. They really are in sync at times like this.

“That won’t do. Why should we take half of the profit from something you catch with your magic? We’ll sell it if you want, but taking a fifty percent commission is ridiculous!”

Mr. Knoll spoke firmly. So I answered firmly as well.

“My restaurant doesn’t sell raw ingredients. So I don’t plan to sell Palenque meat in the restaurant. Besides, it wouldn’t sell. But Mr. Knoll’s shop is different. It’s a butcher shop. You sell meat. So you have distribution channels. I think it’s fair to take half the profit for using those channels. You have to store and manage the meat as well. Right now, the restaurant is getting too weird because I thought wrong. Here, Palenque, there, Palenque. So, at least in Greek City, I want to make Palenque obtainable if someone wants it, and for that, I need your help, Mr. Knoll. I think it’s a fair amount.”

“But…!”

“Anyway, we can’t distribute a large quantity, so the number will be limited, and it won’t be an enormous profit. Instead, use that money to get better meat. That way, I can make better dishes too. Isn’t that right? Am I wrong? It’s a way for everyone to improve. Oh, if there’s a lot of profit, you could give me meat at cost. Haha.”

Mr. Knoll and Mrs. Rayne looked at each other again. Mrs. Rayne nodded while pulling on Mr. Knoll’s arm.

“If other meats sell well because of Palenque, buy Mrs. Rayne some more clothes. How can you treat such a beautiful person so poorly?”

“What! That’s none of your concern! But if that’s really what you think, we’ll sell Palenque for you. We’ll do it.”

“Isn’t it too much to thank me for something that benefits me too?”

“I didn’t thank you, did I? What are you talking about, you fool?”

“Your face is saying thank you right now. Why are your eyes watering?”

“Rayne! Let’s go back. We’ll get busy!”

“Oh my, dear. There’s really something in your eyes.”

“Maybe it’s raining?”

“Oh, dear! El, let’s talk more about this later. He’s just…”

Mrs. Rayne shook her head and followed her husband.

It seems the deal is done. Of course, I didn’t reveal one truth: how to catch Palenque.

Honestly, I can’t catch Palenque with my magic. It’s impossible. Fire magic turns them to ashes, and ice magic freezes them solid. If frozen with ice magic, thawing them is several times harder than usual. Moreover, the skin tissue, each cell, will freeze, so even if you thaw it, it’s worthless as food. It’s different from normal freezing.

In the end, for flavor preservation, Lady Dragon has to do the work.

But I can’t reveal the dragon’s identity. So, I’ll just say it’s my magic. Whatever it is, now the riffraff looking for Palenque will disappear. And I’ll make money from the Palenque on the market. This is literally pocket money.

I hummed a tune as I returned to the shop and sat on the dragon’s bed, where she was still sleeping. Today, her black hair reminded me of home. Hair so similar to that of Koreans brought a special sense of familiarity.

“Gororong, gorororong, puhaa-”

Rurin always made the same sound as she breathed.

When I gently brushed her sleeping hair, she suddenly opened her eyes wide. Then she sat up groggily.

“Is it you? Where have you been all day?”

Even while sleeping, she seemed to know I had been out. She’d learned over the months that if I left without waking her, I was going to the market. She often ignored it and slept, but today I returned later than usual, and it seemed to bother her.

If it bothered you, you should have gotten up and come after me. Oh, geez.

“I did some side work and took care of some bothersome things.”

“Side work?”

“Yeah, it’s unnecessary money, so if it accumulates, I’ll give it to you as a gift when you rebuild your lair. I’ll turn it into treasure.”

“Huh? Treasure? Really?”

Her sleepy eyes began to sparkle. She couldn’t resist her dragon nature, which loved treasure. As I brushed her tangled hair, I nodded. She pressed her back closer to my chest and started tapping her feet as she asked.

“But if I rebuild my lair, will you come too?”

“No, I’m going to live here.”

“What? Then I don’t need it.”

“Won’t you have to return there someday?”

When I touched on her sore spot, Rurin’s expression suddenly darkened. She turned her body, her eyebrows drooping, and looked directly at me.

“I hate that. Are you planning to betray me?”

“Of course not. But it’ll be troublesome if you don’t obey the clan’s orders, right?”

“If you betray me, I’ll willingly remove my heart and self-destruct with you. Didn’t you say if you ate another dragon heart, your body would explode?”

The dragon’s eyes. Those black eyes shook violently.

“What betrayal nonsense? I’m the one who fought the clan for you.”

I grabbed her fingers and messed up her brushed black hair. This dragon always kills the mood.

“Ah! It hurts! I was just saying. It’s fine if you don’t betray me! So give me food! Food! And wash my hair again! You’re the one who messed it up.”

“Alright, alright.”

Rurin’s dragon fire will have to keep working hard for Palenque distribution. Hoo hoo.