Chapter 513

Back in Vardmoi After a Long Time
We returned to the McFarlane Dukedom aboard a high-speed magic ship provided by the Isles of the Eight Gods.
Though the Kiblinki Saltas who had accompanied us on the way out stayed behind on the islands, we had Parfes with us in their place, so the ship didn’t feel particularly spacious.
Well, part of that was also because the Parfes were so excited to see the sea up close for the first time.
Even though we warned them it was dangerous, they kept trying to get as close to the edge of the ship as possible—having such boundless curiosity can be troublesome too.
After arriving at Catastie, we parted with the Parfes for the time being to have them checked for any strange illnesses, just in case.
They’re monsters, so it should be fine, but it’s better to be safe.

We were organizing our plans for arrival at Catastie when, just as we were about to dock, a Kiblinki Saltas flew over from the sky.

I wonder what they want?

(Welcome back, Contractor.)

“I’m back. Did something happen?”

(… Well, it would be better to discuss that with the Marquis. By the way, where are the Parfes who followed you, interested in our kind?)

“Ah, you came to see the Parfes. They’re in the ship’s storage area. Unlike the Kiblinki Saltas, if they fell into the sea, they wouldn’t be able to climb back up on their own.”

(True enough. I’d like to greet them. Could you take me there?)

“Sure.”

I led the flying Kiblinki Saltas down to the cargo hold, where the Parfes were resting however they pleased.
Honestly, it made me wonder if they were even monsters.

(Hmm. They really don’t look like monsters.)

“Well, they’re practically like herbivores.”

(I see.)

“Grugugu! (Ah, it’s a Kiblinki Saltas!)”

“Gugugu! (Never seen this one before!)”

“Guguu? (Maybe one of the comrades who stayed behind?)”

(You’re very composed. I am Kiblinki Saltas, a fellow kin of those you met. You may have heard, but after we reach port, you’ll be spending some time in the port town. Your lodgings have been prepared, so take it easy.)

“Gugugu! (Yay!)”

“Gu? (Will there be hay beds?)”

“Gu! (I wanna nap outside!)”

(You can have both. We’ve arranged to borrow a section of a ranch.)

“Gugugu! (Yay!)”

Very efficient.
I was honestly relieved since I’d been wondering what to do if there were no proper accommodations for the Parfes.

With their lodging settled, we arrived safely at Catastie, where the Parfes were handed over to the waiting Kiblinki Saltas and taken to the ranch.
As for me, Priscilla, and Alizée, we needed to immediately report to the Marquis Vardmoi, so we headed back without delay.
Being busy just comes with the job.

Once we reached Vardmoi and got ready, we promptly met with the Marquis.

“I see. Negotiations with the Isles of the Eight Gods generally went well.”

“Yes. None of the prior agreements were overturned. As for trade, since neither side fully understands what the other has, we decided on low-volume exchanges focused on goods that are lacking or wanted.”

“That’s good. And about the surplus food you produce?”

“Indeed. Since the food I produce is mostly grain, it would be more beneficial to use it domestically to stimulate local activity. That leaves us with…”

“Dried Angry Chicken meat?”

“Exactly.”

For the Kiblinki Saltas, Angry Chickens are very easy prey.
For adventurers, they’re somewhat quick, hit hard, and the meat spoils quickly if not bled immediately, making them difficult to hunt.
But for the Kiblinki Saltas, that didn’t matter—they could restrain them with spider silk, rendering speed and strength irrelevant, and even bring them back alive.
They yield a lot of meat, don’t go extinct as long as they aren’t overhunted, and serve as an excellent protein source for schools.
The feathers and premium cuts that schools don’t use are sold for operating funds, and though market prices have dipped, it’s still considered a luxury good.

That said, with stockpiles increasing, we’d been wondering what to do and eventually developed dried and smoked Angry Chicken meat.
Smoked meat doesn’t keep long, so it might be difficult for export, but dried meat remains good for three months at room temperature if kept dry, making it a good trade item.
However, if production increases, domestic demand might rise again, which was a concern.
Angry Chicken dried and smoked meats are popular, after all.
Even though we’ve made the preparation method public, it seems difficult for others to hunt enough Angry Chickens for mass production.

Sigh, we could sell the raw materials too, but that would just increase profits—I should really think about how to use them properly.

What do you think about this chapter?