Why level up in isekai, when you can hack your way through

Chapter 19 - Arriving at Emeraldorr

Whrrrrr!

The Pegasuses move swiftly while maintaining the balance.

Sitting Inside the Wagon hearing the usual rant.

"Kazuki-dono are they always like this?" Ludwig said to me who was sitting across, as he had heard Belle and Rogu's usual babble for almost 6 hours now since we departed from Olivine Village. I wasn't sure that all four of us would end up riding the same carriage but I guess it is what it is.

(Belle was excited, talking about how she couldn't wait to explore Emeraldorr's shops, while Rogu kept mocking her, reminding her we were here to stop a war, not go shopping.)

But I've grown accustomed to their banter, so with a light shrug, I replied, "Ludwig-san, it's usually much worse than this."

After hearing that, Ludwig just sighed and remained silent since it was impossible to stop them.

And so the sky began to dim and the night had arrived as we took a bit of a break before continuing forward.

But still compared to my undead horses, these pegasuses were not only fast but also had the magical ability to lift the wagon and glide through while maintaining balance mid-air, it's like Kaiser and my horses combined.

After that, we settled down and finally got to taste some decent food with actual spices for the first time but then I got a fantastic idea.

I had some preserved Infernopaca meat in my inventory so I asked one of the soldiers who was in charge of cooking to give me some of the leftover ingredients.

The soldier gladly obliged and then I began cooking.

Infernopaca's meat is something that is already rich in flavor and nutrition, so combined with other ingredients the result was astounding.

The smell coming had already enchanted the soldiers and Ludwig along with Belle and Rogu.

Thus Ludwig approached me with curiosity and asked, "Kazuki-dono what are you cooking?"

Without overthinking, I casually answered, "Ah, Ludwig-san, I'm just cooking some Infernopaca meat I previously had."

His reaction was immediate. Eyes wide, he shouted in amazement, "Infernopaca!? Kazuki-dono, that's a high-level monster! Its meat is served only at royal parties and elite gatherings. How in the world did you manage to get your hands on such a rare delicacy?"

(Well, crap. I didn't think that far ahead...)

The nearby soldiers overheard the word "Infernopaca" and started gathering around too, their interest piqued.

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, fumbling for an explanation. "Ha... ha... ha... I... uh... we found it in one of the demon camps we fought in... heh..."

Ludwig immediately filled in the gaps for me. "Oh, I see! So the demons had it, and you defeated them and took their spoils."

Relieved, I quickly nodded. "Exactly!"

Sigh...

And so we all took a small portion and shared the meal.

The reaction was instantaneous with just one bite. Their expressions shifted from curiosity to utter amazement, eyes wide as they savored the flavor.

"What a delight this is! I've never tasted anything so wonderful in my entire life," one of the soldiers murmured, practically dazing as the taste overwhelmed him.

Even Ludwig, usually composed, was at a loss for words. His silence and the way he slowly nodded with each bite told me everything I needed to know.

It kinda made me happy and honestly, I could cook more and do the seconds and thirds but let's not.