Chapter 90
Haruto had barely stepped outside the inn when three men with obviously malicious intentions grabbed their weapons and followed him.
None of them ever returned.
After dealing with the trouble, Haruto found a nearby water source and discovered a small, well-hidden room close by.
He built a simple stove and began preparing dinner.
The food he had eaten at the inn had done almost nothing to fill his stomach.
Haruto first took out several pieces of Living Armor, followed by some necklace-shaped Treasure Insects.
After thinking for a moment, he added a few prepared Mandrakes as well.
He efficiently dismantled the Living Armor and removed the mollusk-like creatures hidden inside the metal shells.
After discarding their organs, he repeatedly rinsed the flesh in clean water.
He mixed part of it with a special marinade and set it aside to absorb the seasoning.
Haruto then cleaned the metal armor plates and used them as makeshift baking trays, placing them over a simple grill. He spread the marinated mollusks across the surface and roasted them slowly.
Next, he removed the tiny legs from the necklace-shaped Treasure Insects, coiled them around skewers, and sprinkled them with a spicy, savory barbecue seasoning before placing them over the fire as well.
After adjusting the heat, Haruto turned his attention to the remaining Living Armor flesh.
He cut it into chunks and added it to a hot pan with peeled, sliced Mandrake.
After stir-frying everything in oil for a short while, he added a little spice to deepen the flavor.
The fragrant Stir-Fried Living Armor was soon complete.
By then, the Grilled Living Armor and Grilled Treasure Insects had finished cooking as well.
Haruto picked up a piece of grilled Living Armor and took a bite.
The flesh was tender yet springy, releasing savory juices between his teeth. It still carried a faint metallic taste, but the overall flavor was quite good.
The grilled necklace-shaped Treasure Insects were even better.
Their surfaces were lightly charred, while the insides remained delicate and juicy.
Each bite released a burst of rich liquid, blending the natural savoriness of the insects with the fragrance of the seasoning.
The Stir-Fried Living Armor was excellent as well.
The meat was firm and satisfying, while the Mandrake had cooked down until soft and creamy, adding a gentle sweetness.
The dish was rich without becoming greasy and tasted remarkably good.
After eating his fill, Haruto patted his stomach in satisfaction and returned to the hidden room he had discovered earlier.
He planned to rest for the night before continuing.
Before sleeping, however, he searched the surrounding area to eliminate any possible threats.
While inspecting a nearby room, Haruto suddenly stopped.
His gaze settled on an old chest.
Chests like this were common throughout the dungeon, but his En detected something unusual inside.
A massive armored creature was curled up within it.
"Hiding inside a chest... It must be a Mimic." Haruto muttered under his breath.
Despite the name, the monster looked more like an enormous hermit crab to him.
Its body and appearance closely resembled one, and even its habits were similar.
The only difference was that an ordinary hermit crab occupied a shell, while a Mimic lived inside a treasure chest.
Once he confirmed what it was, Haruto took out an ordinary longsword he had obtained from the Living Armor.
It was perfectly suitable for dealing with this creature.
He pressed one hand against the chest lid and slowly lifted it just enough to create a narrow gap.
Two enormous pincers, each more than half a meter long, immediately shot out and snapped toward him.
Haruto had been expecting that.
Before the claws could reach him, he twisted his wrist and thrust the longsword precisely through the opening, driving the blade straight into the Mimic’s vital point in its head.
A faint shriek came from inside the chest.
The powerful pincers froze in midair before slowly dropping, all strength leaving them.
Haruto withdrew the sword, opened the chest fully, and dragged the creature out.
The Mimic measured roughly a meter and a half from end to end. Dark blue-green armor covered its entire body, while its enormous pincers were especially striking.
Each claw alone was around half a meter long and looked intimidating enough to crush a person.
Haruto casually stored the Mimic inside Gourmet Restaurant and continued checking the remaining rooms.
Once he had confirmed that the area was safe, he returned to the hidden chamber, took out a magic book, and began reading.
As he turned the pages, drowsiness gradually crept over him.
Before long, Haruto fell asleep with his back against the stone wall.
He had only just drifted off when faint noises disturbed him.
After checking, he discovered that a group of orcs was passing through the area.
Haruto returned to the room, wrapped the blanket more tightly around himself, and quickly fell asleep again.
Since the chamber was well hidden and the orcs were in a hurry, they never noticed him.
Sometime later, a sudden chill crept over Haruto in his sleep.
He instinctively curled up and pulled the blanket tighter, his brows faintly furrowing.
Haruto remained completely unaware that several ugly, translucent Ghosts were floating around him.
Their hollow eyes stared fixedly at his sleeping form as they repeatedly reached out, attempting to touch him.
Each time their fingers came close, however, the tips disintegrated as though scorched by fire.
The Ghosts tried again and again, only to be burned every time.
Their bodies gradually became fainter with each failed attempt.
Eventually, they released several silent, resentful wails and drifted away in search of another target.
...
The next morning, Haruto woke and immediately sneezed.
The tip of his nose was slightly red.
He rubbed it, genuinely puzzled.
With his current physical condition, he was not yet completely immune to heat and cold, but ordinary changes in temperature should no longer affect him much.
Somehow, he had still caught a slight chill during the night.
’How strange.’
Thankfully, the symptoms were mild and caused no real discomfort, so Haruto quickly stopped worrying about it.
Then he touched his empty stomach, and the last trace of sleepiness vanished.
It was time for breakfast.
As for the main ingredient, he decided to use the Mimic he had captured the previous night.
Haruto retrieved it from Gourmet Restaurant and cleanly chopped off its enormous pincers.
The claws were protected by thick, extremely hard shells.
After a moment of thought, Haruto decided to steam them.
That method would preserve their natural freshness while keeping the meat as tender as possible.
He filled a pot with water, placed a steamer basket above it, and set the two pincers inside.
All that remained was to wait for them to cook.
Haruto then began cleaning the rest of the Mimic.
He split open the hard shell, removed its organs and other unwanted parts, and extracted the flesh.
He cracked open several of its legs and removed the meat from those as well.
Mimic flesh was tender and fresh, making it ideal for porridge.
Haruto took out some short-grain rice, washed it thoroughly, and placed it in a pot with fresh spring water.
He brought it to a boil over high heat before lowering the flame and letting it simmer slowly.
Once the grains had softened into a thick, creamy porridge and the fragrance of rice filled the room, Haruto added the diced Mimic meat.
He also dropped in several slices of ginger to remove any unwanted odor, then added a small amount of aromatic vinegar and soy sauce.
After stirring everything together, he let the porridge simmer a little longer so the rich flavor of the Mimic could fully blend with the mellow rice.
The Mimic Meat Porridge was complete.
At the same time, the steamed pincers had finished cooking.
Their dark blue-green shells had turned a vivid scarlet, making them look incredibly appetizing.
Haruto cracked open one of the claws.
Firm, plump flesh was revealed inside, gleaming white and almost translucent.
Steam rose from the clearly defined fibers, carrying an intense savory fragrance straight to his nose.
He prepared a dipping sauce from light soy sauce, minced garlic, and sesame oil, then dipped the claw meat and placed it into his mouth.
The Mimic meat was firm and pleasantly chewy, with a springy texture remarkably similar to lobster.
However, it carried an extra hint of natural sweetness that lobster lacked.
It was fresh without being greasy, leaving a lingering fragrance in his mouth.
Haruto followed it with a spoonful of Mimic Meat Porridge.
The rice was soft, smooth, and creamy, while the Mimic meat remained tender and full of flavor.
The sharp warmth of the ginger neutralized any trace of fishiness, leaving the porridge light, fragrant, and deeply savory.
Warmth slid down his throat and spread through his stomach, driving away the morning chill and leaving his entire body comfortably relaxed.
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