Canned Food [Part 3]
“…? I don’t know about it very well, but cans like these were invented by an Imperial Japanese inventor, Gennai Hiraga, from magic stones. Although the flaw is that it occasionally explodes, it is still useful for storing snacks.“
According to Fukushima, cans already existed in Imperial Japan, but for some reason, they had only been used for snack fruits, which was such a waste of potential.
“Fukushima-sama? I think there are many other things that ought to be stored in cans besides fruits, like mackerel or tuna …“
“Oh? So Emma-dono likes snacks with a more subdued taste?“
“No, that’s not what I mean, you see.“
“?“
“Well, because cans are valuable and not easy to manufacture, I think you should use them to store more varied ingredients. Not just fruits, but other things too, like maybe, you know, cat food.“
“?! Emma-dono… eats cats?“
“I don’t! What outrageous thing are you saying, Fukushima-sama?!“
The two weren’t on the same wavelength at all.
♠♠♠
During that time, the tailless whip scorpions were silently breaking Over‘s stems into pieces in succession. The capsules the cats rolled around had also gradually piled up.
Even while listening to Fukushima and Emma’s hard-to-follow conversation, the samurais couldn’t take their eyes off the miracle happening before them.
Over, which had made them suffer so much, was so easily defeated by the huge insects with a crazy form, and the bomb-like seeds were miraculously caught by the cats every time they flew…
This easily…
This effortlessly…
To think that Over was exterminated this easily…
Slowly but steadily, they were once again filled with hope.
Slowly but steadily, the faces of their family and friends popped in and faded out of their minds. Still finding it unbelievable that they might really be saved, they rubbed their eyes, blinked, and pinched their cheeks repeatedly.
They did it over and over again until they were sure that it wasn’t a dream.
However, this plant-type monster, Over, soon blew away any faint expectations they held.
The elite samurai troop, national treasure katanas, magician, and inventor. Lastly, the Stuart family from the Kingdom. Even when no one had any expectations for them, they had easily…!
Despair was reflected in the eyes of the samurais.
In the depths of the colony of Overs pulverized by the tailless whip scorpions…
…wasn’t a small number of monsters.
“*gasp*!!! F-Fukushima-samaaa!!!“
Ever since Over‘s propagation, they had put off the extermination of other monsters. Thankfully, few monsters had appeared, and the samurais were able to focus on dealing with Over.
Only now did they realize.
Those monsters did appear.
…inside the colony of Overs.
They settled there, bred, and increased in number.
Their hope was quickly shattered and turned into despair…
♠♠♠
“Father!“
George, who had identified the monsters, called his father while drawing the sword hanging on his waist.
“T-This is…“
Leonard cracked his knuckles in a belligerent manner.
“Father! Those are armored boars! Their skin is as hard as iron, and their main attack is headbutting. …They rarely show up in a group!“
William instantly recognized the monsters and informed his father of their characteristics.
As expected of a clan who has battled monsters on the frontier for generations. They are much gutsier and bolder than the Imperial Japanese samurais… Fukushima was greatly shocked and impressed by the family, but in the next moment…
“Father! Armored boars are most delicious when steamed together with the hard skin! The delicious gravy will flow out if you make a hole in the skin clumsily, so be careful!“
Emma told them how to cook armored boars deliciously.
(…Huh?)
“Dear! The nose of the armored boars is the material for shields, so don’t dent it!“
Melsa reminded them to not damage the valuable material that could be obtained from armored boars.
(Huhhh?)
“Meowww ♪”
The black cat, which had been rolling the capsules around, jumped at the monsters happily.
“It’s been a while since we last ate monster meat, hasn’t it?“
“It has, indeed. We can’t get fresh monster meat at the royal capital after all. Beef, pork, and chicken are delicious, but I’m starting to miss that wild taste.“
(…?)
For some reason, the Stuart family seemed pleased with the countless monsters that had appeared. Despite those very monsters being the ones which had thrown the samurais into despair.
