Chapter 24: 24

Chapter 24 – A Happy Dog

[The Undying themselves are a large danger. The Undying cannot coexist with normal humans as they are so much more different. They do not fear guns, they do not avoid fires, and they are insensitive and indifferent against violence. Even when their fingers get cut off, they will just laugh it off and reattach them. They do not care if they get stabbed, yet in turn, do not understand why others fear the sword. All towns and cities with the Undying mixed in always ensued chaos, so the State banned them from residing in the state.]

The golem looked down at the squirming right hand and continued speaking.

[Furthermore, this being who has inherited the Undying Blood so strongly didn’t die in the perfectly isolated abyss. This is very unexpected. They are a very strong and dangerous species. I think it will be troublesome for you to take care of it.]

“So you’re saying it would be less stressful to kill it off right now, right?”

[Even from your perspective, would it not be troublesome for your number of trainees to increase?]

‘It’s right. I almost got folded by the regressor and had almost gotten torn apart by the vampire. Azzy doesn’t directly attack me but she is consistently taking years off my shoulders. Another one on top of all that? The pressure will definitely increase.’

Intrigued by the golem’s proposal, I cautiously asked.

“How do you actually get rid of it?”

[In this current situation, information is classified, so I cannot say. However, I can guarantee its expulsion from Tantalus. It will not be able to return.]

“And who’s doing that?”

[You will have to do it.]

‘Ah. So, I have to get those pieces of meat and “dispose of it” myself.’

What did I expect?

I replied with a relaxed mind.

“I won’t do it.”

[Will you not regret it?]

“Regret what? To dispose of a perfectly alive man… What kind of atrocious thought is that? It shouldn’t be done.”

‘It’s obvious. You know why people shouldn’t commit murder? So they don’t get revenge flying their way. Whether the opposing side is the law, the victim’s family, or a severed arm. What if I get avenged on? Are you gonna take responsibility for it? You said it was an Undying. That they don’t die. The severed arm is still moving. What if it revives while I try to dispose of it and it comes for revenge? No, it doesn’t even need to revive. The severed arm is more than enough to take revenge on me. I’m way more scared of an animated arm than a strong man.’

“Let’s just eat and revive it. Stop saying weird things like ‘disposal’.”

[This is unexpected. I didn’t know you were such a moral man.]

“Who do you think I am?”

I am the most moral man in the world. Well, because I’m the most scared of revenge in the world.

One who has fear has caution, to be cautious of others means keeping respect and morals.

This is how I lived through the back alley ways, and a rule that has kept me alive.

“Supplies are coming, right? We have more mouths to feed, so it’ll be troublesome if they aren’t.”

[There are supplies on standby. Because of the prison break, it was stopped at a stopover location. Once it’s been announced that Tantalus’s situation has returned to normal, all transportation should resume.]

“That’s great! Please resume it now! When are they coming?”

[In three hours’ time.]

“That’s so quick!”

[Any complaints?]

“Of course I don’t have any! But how is this possible?”

[The State’s administrative power is top of the world. Resuming the delivery of already-sent supplies is not a problem.]

I can’t read the golem’s mind, but the person controlling it kinda seemed to be boasting. I wanted to say ‘Why are you on such high horses when it wasn’t even you?’

But with the possibility of the supplies being cut, I stayed quiet.

“How much are the supplies?”

[With Tantalus’s supply plan, there are to be three days’ worth of supplies.]

“Are you crazy? Who’s even gonna take—”

[However, since this supply plan was made before the prison break incident and considering the sharp decline in population for the current members, the supplies should last ninety days.]

“I can take those! Wow! The State’s administrative power is really amazing!”

‘Then now there should be no need to ration food. With ninety days’ worth of food, I could make meju* and still have some left over.’

(TL/N: ‘Meju’ is a lump of fermented soybeans used in many Korean dishes.)

‘Ah, wait… This is the abyss. That’s not possible. Anyway, with those supplies, the number of dishes that can be made will be infinitely increased. Nice. I’ll be enjoying material wealth again after so long.’

I was so excited that I screamed.

“Oi, Azzy! That’s dirty! Don’t touch it!”

“Woof?”

Azzy was giving a strange look to the bone that stuck out of the right arm before quickly looking up. As I shook my clawed hand, the dog instantly came running and placed her chin on my hand. I scratched her chin and spoke.

“Forget about that disgusting meat. Let’s have something delicious. The supplies are arriving soon, so I’ll make you that promised delicious meal!”

“Woof!”

Azzy barked in joy. I kept scratching her chin as I fell into deep thought.

‘What should I cook next? Since we’re sick of stew, why don’t we fry it in a pan and eat it like cookies? Or should I mince up the meat, take the starch and boiled beans, grind it up then cook it? It might be inefficient in terms of nutrient value, but making bean stock out of some of the ground beans could be good.’

It was when I was thinking up all the luxurious foods I could make that I felt something touch my ankle. I looked over, wondering what it was, then flinched in fright.

It was the right arm.

The right arm had crawled up to me with just its fingers.

“There’s the plus one to the freeloaders.”

I got a can from the cupboard, opened it then flipped it onto the hand. Although it was a compressed bean that was as hard as a rock, it didn’t care and went straight to the main body. After crawling over with all its might, it put the bean into its open mouth like a bird feeding its young.

“That right hand is quite… talented.”

Is it an Undying because it has a hand that works relentlessly even with its body in suspended animation, or is it because it’s an Undying that it can do so?

Anyway, it was definitely the right choice to leave the two limbs intact. I can’t imagine being able to win against all four limbs coming at me for revenge. Although, the pretty-much-dead body eating a can of beans was sickening.

‘Even if it’s kind of grotesque, I’m going to have to leave the golem and h u m a n in the cafeteria for now.’

“Woof! Woof!”

“You really have no patience, do you? Alright. I’ll get going.”

I took out the compressed beans and meat from the can. The State’s special Compressed Canned Food’s performance was still consistent; it boasted its rock-like properties as it was completely dehydrated. The beef jerky that was compared to a brick in the past couldn’t even compare to this. It would take ages to eat this without water.

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I cut off the fatty area of the compressed meat and put it in the pan. After adding some heat, the oil started to melt and flow down.

The rest of the meat was hydrated along with the beans.

I wasn’t making stew this time, so I only put enough water to cover half of it.

As the completely dry beans and meat were being rehydrated, I took out some dough that I had made before with flour. When I checked the interior, it was as round and white as an ostrich egg like it was when it was first made.

“Hmm… As expected. It doesn’t take effect.”

‘It didn’t puff up, let alone change any color. It seems that it can’t return to dust either, since this is a land cursed by Mother Earth.’

“But it is the bottom of the abyss, right? If the place I stood on were ground, it should have some workers of the ground…”

‘Something doesn’t make sense, but I can’t tell what it is. Sigh. This is frustrating. It’s not like I can read Mother Earth’s mind or something.’

I temperamentally scratched my head. 

But from nothing comes nothing. Guess my head isn’t a rice pot.

“Ahhh, whatever. That kind of great work will be done by people with great strength.”

‘It’ll be better not to expect any soft bread around here. Let’s just hope that rice is part of the supply deal.’

I put the hard-flour dough in the oven and lit the fire. At the same time, I brought the rehydrated bean and meat and placed it in front of Azzy.

“Food!”

“Not yet. Be patient. It needs to be tastier.”

I cleaned Azzy’s hands with a towel. As the clean cloth touched her foot, she squirmed as if it was tickling her. Thankfully, she didn’t run away. I patted her head in commendation before commanding her.

“Hey, Azzy. Punch it.”

“No! The meat will be hurt!”

“Meat gets tastier the more you torture it.”

“Arf?”

“It was more delicious when we cooked it over the fire last time. Meat is something that gets tastier the more it hurts.”

‘That’s why they beat up dogs on dog days. Damn.’

I kept those last few words to myself and convinced Azzy.

“Woof! That’s true!”

The convinced Azzy quickly threw punches. It was so fast that I couldn’t see her fists. The meat caved in on impact.

The meat and beans—that were still stiff from not being quite hydrated—were minced nicely in the face of Azzy’s doggy punches.

A real human, I mean, dog meat grinder.

‘You said the meat would be hurt. There’s no sympathy in the face of flavor, is there?’

As Azzy minced the meat I slowly added some starch. Since the egg was replaced by beans, it lacked cohesion. When put on a pan, it would be mercilessly squashed.

However, in contrast to human society, the world of cooking was more focused on the inside than the outside. Even if the shape was bad, it just needed to taste good.

“Now, now. Enough oil. It’s now going in~”

The spherically molded bean meat—essentially hamburg meat that had beans added to it—was put on the pan. It started to sizzle straight away and started to cook. The smell of protein being cooked. The sound of the oils on the meat popping. It sounds like a monsoon knocking on the wet ground.

“W-Woof.”

It seemed as if Azzy was completely captivated by the smell as she even forgot to bark and instead stared at the pan. Even a believer who welcomed an angel into their home wouldn’t have the same eyes. I let out a grin and started to hum.

“Lululala~”

The fire and heat took all the color. The meat became dyed in brown as its natural color got taken by the juices that envied it.

In exchange for the color, flavor and texture was added. It was a welcome trade for humans. Even if the meat didn’t want it.

I reshaped the meat with a pair of tongs before putting it on a plate and drizzling a bit of the glistening oil on it.

‘Now, that’s one plate done. It’s usually people before dogs, but just for today, Azzy can have it first.’

“Woooooooof.”

I put the hamburg steak in front of Azzy. She couldn’t even think of eating this masterpiece and looked up at me. As she waited I had made my own plate and sat on the chair in front of the table.

I put a spoon next to my plate and asked the golem on the table.

“Captain Avey. Would you come down and have a bite?”

[Do not worry about me. An overseer does not get swayed by appetite.]

“Alright, then! Just enjoy the view!”

[…]

I left the golem on the table and lifted my spoon. Azzy was stiff in anticipation. She was ready to dash in at the signal like a runner on the starting line.

‘I can’t miss such an opportunity. It’s a chance for education.’

I pulled out the chime bell. Azzy’s eyes were drowned in anticipation. What I was going to do, and what was going to happen next. The body remembers it all.

Ring.

I shook the bell. At that moment, Azzy’s salivary glands burst open. The wide-open mouth was full of saliva. Her eyes shone so much that they could be absorbed by the meat.

‘And to wait for me in that state? She really is a good dog. Hmm. I shouldn’t doubt her taking any food in the future.’

I put the bell down and declared.

“Let’s eat!”

“Woof!”

Azzy planted her face into the plate.

At this moment, Azzy was the happiest dog in the world.

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Translator – aquamage

Proofreader – yukitokata

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