The rest of the meats had proven to be just as fantastic. One of the roast beef cuts had come from cattle who had been allowed to roam vast meadows at their leisure, and doing so produced the best quality meats. You could tell the impact that’d had—the meat had the perfect bite and wasn’t at all rubbery! It was nothing like the meats in this world. Here, if one took too large a bite by accident, you’d likely end up chewing it for an inordinate amount of time. However, the meat I had ordered didn’t taste too bloody or strangely milky either. Each bite just oozed more and more umami!
And then, there was the “sirloin” roast beef. It was so smooth that it felt like I was drinking each slice rather than chewing it! I enjoyed it with a blend of fine-ground spices that stepped in to refresh my tongue whenever it was on the cusp of getting too greasy from fat. The spices ensured that each bite was as fresh as could be. Tender, juicy, and mild... It felt like I could keep on eating slice after slice!
“Would it be possible for you to order the meat of an entire animal with that skill of yours, Fran?” Alk asked. He had finished his plate and was staring at me intently. Perhaps the taste of meat had provoked his beastly instincts.
“An entire animal? I suppose I could take a look.”
“It has been such a long time since I last sank my teeth into a large piece of meat. Ah, meat...”
His eyes had contracted into slits, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as I summoned my tablet.
“Well, let’s see...” I said.
According to Teiren’s memories, I needed to look for something called a “carcass.” My mind was full of question marks as I entered the term into the search box at the top-right corner of the screen.
“Goodness me! It seems it is possible to purchase an entire animal, just without its head, organs, or skin. Would you like one, Alk?”
There was only one search result, but it was better than nothing! Judging by the description, it wasn’t as premium as the beef we’d just eaten. However, it still looked delicious, and it seemed like a lot of time and effort had been put into its rearing.
“Without its organs, you say? Why remove them when they are so delectable?” Alk asked. “Well, I suppose it will have to do...”
“As you wish!”
Even though Alk knew that it wouldn’t be delivered completely unprocessed, the smile on his face was a clear indicator of his anticipation. If he really wanted the head, skin, and organs that badly, then I had to wonder—wouldn’t he just prefer to eat the creature alive at that point?
I imagined him in his dragon form, eating an entire live cow. I doubted that I would be able to handle actually witnessing something so grotesque.
“Hmm... This says we need to make sure we have space for a whole cow carcass before we order it,” I said. The description made it seem like it would be very heavy too, and I did not want to be crushed! Hoping that it would appear in a sensible place, I pressed the button to order.
The whole cow cost about two-thirds of the points I had left, but it was a sacrifice worth making. It was better for me to provide Alk with what he wanted, lest he decide to eat me instead!
A large piece of meat fell onto the marble floor with a thud. The impact made it vibrate. This was the first time I had ever seen meat looking like this, and it was hard to describe the sight. “Overwhelming” was the only word that came to mind. Fortunately, the mass didn’t seem very animallike as its head, tail, and the ends of its limbs had been removed. If not for that, I think I would have struggled.
While I covertly worked to regain my composure, Alk let out a small sigh. Then, he was back in his dragon form.
“It certainly looks small without its head,” he commented. There was a distinct note of disappointment in his tone as he studied the slab of meat.
“Small? To me, it still seems enormous!”
“No surprises there, m’lady, but I betcha Lord Alkerag could finish this thing up in one or two bites!” Salamander said.
I sighed. “Certainly he could, when he’s in his dragon form.”
Looking up at Alk, I was again reminded of just how large his current dragon body was. I could only conclude that Salamander was right. When his jaws were stretched open, he could probably swallow me whole. Even just one of his fangs was bigger than my palm! No wonder he thought the carcass was small.
And indeed, he ate the whole thing in two bites. The bones crunched between his teeth as he consumed it, and I let out a breath that I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
His red tongue swiped over his lips, and then, he swiveled his neck around and trained those two golden moonlike eyes on me.
“That was disappointing.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Now that I have had a taste of cuisine, I can no longer find satisfaction in plain meat!” Alk grumbled. His snout wrinkled, forming ridges.
“Is that so? Well, fear not,” I said. “As long as my heart keeps beating, I can order whatever you desire.”
“I suppose you can... I shall never want for food for as long as you are with me.”
I reached out for the dragon’s head and gently rubbed his snout as if to smooth those wrinkles out. My finger slid easily over his scales, and his golden eyes narrowed contentedly. It seemed that the delicacies I had ordered today had already been enough to charm his taste buds. At any rate, I wondered if it was safe to assume that my life was no longer in danger... I didn’t think that Alk would go back on our agreement, but when it came to staying alive, I wanted to be free of even the slightest hint of doubt.
He pressed his head more firmly against my hand, begging for more pets. I obliged for a moment until I suddenly sensed magic. Both Alk and Salamander must have sensed it too, because they swiftly turned their heads in the direction of the room’s entrance.
This magic doesn’t feel malevolent... In fact, it feels quite familiar.
A bird with a white belly and mottled taupe plumage hurtled into the room with a sharp cry.
“Pia!”
“I knew it! That’s grandfather’s magic!”
The familiar creature circled the ceiling once before flying straight at me. Alk and Salamander had braced themselves, ready to defend me, but it wove between them and flew toward my chest. Just before it made contact, it transformed into a letter.
“What in blazes was that, Fran?!” Alk cried.
“You all right, m’lady?! All in one piece?!”
“I’m so sorry to have caused you concern. This is a letter from my family... Well, from my grandfather,” I explained.
The wax seal on the envelope was in the shape of his crest. He had sent this magically and in the same manner that I had sent off my own letter to him last night.
After offering a reassuring smile to the two pairs of anxious eyes peering at me, I opened the envelope with trembling hands.