Chapter 104

Chapter 104
Chapter 104: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Even when stuffing minced pork into natural casings, hard limits exist.

“……”

Lion stared at the shriveled sausages, which suffered from a severe lack of filling.

Indeed, they looked so meager that calling them sausages felt overly generous.

‘They’re not even as large as ChunhaXsa’s creations.’

Lion abandoned any hope of cramming additional meat inside.

The intestines felt entirely too slippery, and persisting down this path would result merely in grilled offal.

‘Certainly, certain variations of sausage are consumed uncashed.’

However!

Does not the true joy of sausage derive from biting into the skin, causing the casing to rupture and release savory juices alongside tender meat?

That outer layer remains an essential component!

Such was Lion’s unwavering philosophy regarding sausages.

“Hmm.”

Lion began rummaging through his storage bag.

Had ample time been available, a trip to the local butcher or nearby village to procure proper equipment would have occurred, but circumstances permitted no such luxury.

‘The contents must be stuffed into the casings, wound into links, boiled thoroughly, and finally crisped upon a stone griddle.’

A mountain of tasks remained.

“Would you care to test this item?”

Lion extracted a curious object from his pouch.

『 Suspected Alchemy Funnel (Unidentifiable) 』

* This artifact constitutes one piece of a premier alchemy kit.
* Transfers target contents entirely without loss. The lower aperture expands or contracts to match any dimension.

“…Perhaps this will prove more useful than anticipated?”

Attaching the casing to the narrow snout of the flask while pressing the filling through should drastically improve both quality and speed.

Yet a single obstacle remained.

‘No pusher rod is available to drive the minced meat downward.’

Well, strictly speaking, an alternative existed.

Lion glanced toward his staff, resting neatly nearby.

『 Asteri Family ■■ Wood Staff? 』

* Adjustable dimensions

“……”

Truthfully… it represented the ultimate tool for the job.

Although aged, it remained impeccably clean, and any lingering hesitation could be resolved simply by washing it in hot spring water before drying…

“Negative!”

Lion forcefully suppressed the temptation.

Even facing a shortage of implements, utilizing a treasured heirloom passed down by his grandfather crossed the line.

Particularly a staff, which served as a mage’s ultimate symbol of pride, repurposed for stuffing minced pork.

No, the concept transcended mere impropriety!

“Ugh, pull yourself together!”

Lion shook his head vigorously and zipped his pouch shut.

“Fabricating one independently remains the superior choice.”

Fortunately, the most critical component, the funnel, was secured.

Only a proper ramrod to assist with packing the minced meat was missing.

Lion surveyed the scraps of timber resting within his inventory.

『 Mire Wood Lumber (Small) 』

These remnants were salvaged from his recent journey through Mire.

The wood possessed exceptional durability alongside innate water resistance.

“Carving it myself will suffice.”

Shaping a functional rod should present no genuine difficulty.

Lion promptly retrieved a carving knife from his tool kit and relocated to a separate area.

Allowing wood shavings to contaminate the food provisions would create an unnecessary nuisance.

“Working with timber has been some time, so guaranteeing flawless results is difficult, but…”

Meeting basic functional standards would suffice.

The base required sufficient width to press the pork smoothly into the funnel, while the grip needed to remain sturdy…

Lion commenced by trimming the exterior contours of the timber using his carving knife.

Once the rough bark was stripped away, the inner grain revealed a smooth texture.

‘The soiled knot area shall simply be excised.’

Lion delicately pared away the knot before cleanly severing the connection point for the broader base section with a hand saw.

“Now for the wider pressing plate.”

Retrieving a slightly thicker block of wood, Lion utilized his knife and saw to fashion a circular disc roughly matching the diameter of the funnel opening.

After smoothing the jagged edges with sandpaper, the shape lacked geometric perfection, yet offered ample utility for downward pressure.

‘The remaining step involves joining these dual components.’

A fitting method came to mind.

Lion carved a central groove into the wider disc, precisely gauged to receive the end of the handle rod.

A simple twist might hold them together temporarily, but preventing the handle and base from separating during strenuous use was vital.

Thus, alongside the friction fit, Lion intended to apply an adhesive substance.

Specifically, the experimental clay compounded a few days prior!

『 Asteri-made Luminous Ore Clay (★★) 』

The item description touted its gap-filling properties, and observing the hot spring stones and luminous ore currently bound together confirmed its tenacity.

The material had completely solidified.

While dissimilar substances would not bond with absolute permanence, the compound would successfully seal any gaps and lock the handle and base into a unified whole.

Lion pinched a minute quantity of the luminous ore clay, smeared it into the carved groove, and drove the wooden rod firmly inward to anchor it.

He then propped the newly assembled presser upright and allowed it to rest.

『 Mire Wood Muddler 』

* Considering the improvised construction, durability exceeds expectations.
* Although the adhesive was not engineered for carpentry, the components are secured adequately!

『 Experience points increase by 30% due to the utilization of unique materials. 』

『 Woodworking Proficiency has attained Apprentice Lv. 4. 』

“Phew!”

Fortunately, the effort bore fruit.

‘Initial worries arose due to my meager proficiency rank.’

The favorable outcome appeared attributable to the high-grade materials interacting harmoniously.

Lion rinsed the muddler in thermal spring water, shook away residual sawdust, dried it with a towel, and returned his attention to the minced meat mixture.

Next, he sleeved the casing over the funnel snout, tied off the tail end with thread, and dropped a portion of the seasoned pork inside.

Finally, he drove the minced meat downward using the newly fashioned muddler…

“……!”

Success!

The meat cascaded smoothly into the casing!

Witnessing this breakthrough after his previous struggles brought an overwhelming sense of relief.

“Splendid. Execution of the task can now proceed properly.”

Lion resumed his labor wearing a contented smile.

The remaining steps proved surprisingly straightforward.

Using his fingers, he smoothed out trapped air pockets and irregular bulges, shaping the savory filling to uniform lengths and twisting the casing to form distinct links.

After filling a single strand, the rows already resembled a proper string of sausages.

In truth, they appeared remarkably plump!

The mere sight provoked an immediate desire to roast them on the spot, yet preparation remained incomplete.

‘Applying direct heat immediately will prevent the interior from cooking thoroughly…’

Two distinct methods remained viable at this juncture.

Extended smoking to deeply infuse the flavor, or pre-boiling to ensure immediate edibility.

The former offered superior shelf life and richer flavor profiles, but demanded considerable time.

Conversely, boiling required approximately thirty minutes.

‘Boiling is the preferred route.’

Consequently, Lion elected to submerge the links in water.

Thermal spring water would serve this purpose admirably.

‘The roasted eggs absorbed that delightful aroma wonderfully.’

A comparable enhancement should benefit the sausages.

Lion filled his alchemy pot with the hot spring water and gently introduced the sausages.

Because the liquid already retained warmth, gradual heating from this baseline temperature would prevent the casings from rupturing.

Splitting the skins after all preceding labor would prove deeply disappointing.

“Temperature regulation is also vital…”

Maintaining a threshold just shy of a rolling boil represented the optimal approach.

Aggressive boiling would cause the interior meat to expand too rapidly while the skin retained its dimensions, ultimately leading to structural failure.

‘The principle mirrors the creation of sundae.’

Both dishes operated under identical thermodynamic rules.

Fortunately, the alchemy pot possessed precise thermal control features, simplifying the process immensely.

Lion monitored the sausages as they acquired an appetizing hue, then retrieved a broad, flat stone from the vicinity, supported it with a masonry pillar, and set it over a hearth.

“An ideal griddle.”

While a conventional pan or grill rack could have sufficed, nothing rivaled the visual charm of a natural stone slab.

Lion ignited the base using a magical flint received as a promotional bonus during his travels in Mire.

Whoosh!

A gentle, steady flame soon flickered beneath the stone surface.

Lion leisurely observed the griddle absorb heat while admiring the surrounding scenery.

Once the stone reached optimal temperature.

Sizzle!

He greased the cooking surface using reserves of pork fat set aside earlier.

This coating prevented the meat from sticking while amplifying the savory notes.

Even the initial sizzle of rendering fat released an aromatic cloud guaranteed to stimulate anyone’s appetite.

Having completed the greasing phase, Lion turned his attention back to the pot.

The sausages ought to be thoroughly cooked by this point…

“Ah.”

They appeared plump and impeccably prepared.

Lion lifted the links out with iron tongs and transferred them to a wide wooden bowl.

Clear oils bubbled outward from the pork filling within the translucent skins, signaling an abundance of retained juices.

Gulp.

The visual presentation was irresistible.

A strong temptation arose to sample a piece before the arrival of the werewolf…

‘Negative.’

Sharing the meal together would create a better atmosphere, and these homemade snacks—no, homemade sausages—were crafted specifically to entice the werewolf in the first place, were they not?

Therefore, timing the final grilling phase accurately remained paramount.

At that precise moment.

『 The distinct aura of Companion Spirit ‘Nature’ resonates strongly. 』

The timing of her return could not have been more precise.

Lion snipped the connecting thread of the sausages and impaled several portions onto a wooden skewer.

Discarding his earlier hesitation, he even scored cross-hatch patterns lightly across the skins…

Sizzle!

He laid the skewers directly onto the hot stone.

Accompanied by a sharp, aggressive sizzle, the rich, aromatic scent of seasoned pork billowed heavily through the Mimir Forest.

“Splendid. Excellent.”

The rationale behind grilling the scored sausages first was singular:

‘Nothing surpasses the power of aroma.’

The sheer intensity of the fragrance proved overwhelmingly effective!

—

The deliberate effort bore fruit as Barg walked effortlessly into Lion’s magical snare.

“You have arrived? Please, take a seat here.”

“Th-thank you.”

Convinced the entire scenario constituted a surreal dream, Barg obediently complied and sat down.

Perhaps due to the dreamlike atmosphere, his usual shyness and timid demeanor melted away significantly!

“Um…”

As Barg opened his mouth to speak, Nature, who had guided him hither, fluttered downward and dropped an item into Lion’s outstretched palm.

“Hm?”

Lion rotated the sausage skewer with one hand while inspecting the newly acquired object.

『 Lesser Moon’s Essence 』

* A luminous orb secreted by werewolf lineages attuned to lunar energies. Commonly utilized for self-enhancement and bodily restoration.
* This specific bead possesses a remarkably diminutive scale.
* Nevertheless, its resonance with lunar phenomena remains potent.

『 Application: Gathering, Alchemy 』

『☞ Select to inspect recipe data. 』

True to its description, the artifact resembled a miniaturized full moon.

Depending on the viewing angle, shifting light refraction caused the phase to fluctuate between a waxing crescent, a slender sliver, or a total shadow-moon, radiating an ethereal beauty.

‘Witnessing this item firsthand exceeds prior expectations.’

While raising a druid avatar previously, this ‘Moon’s Essence’ had occasionally served as specialized nourishment for spiritual entities.

Back then, the object merely resembled a smooth, white rice cake, yet viewing it within this context imparted a profound sense of rarity.

Furthermore.

‘Potent for lunar-aligned applications?’

Such an attribute had never appeared in past records.

Prior knowledge had strictly associated the item with bodily strengthening.

‘In that scenario…’

Lion recalled a botanical specimen previously acquired from Rikschel.

Evening Primrose.

Utilizing this essence might finally coax the evening primrose flowers into full bloom.

—

Following these exact parameters, how do you wish to proceed with any future narrative segments?