An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world - Chapter 5

An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world

Chapter 5   Elven village of Kopori.

We could see a village by the lakeside. The surroundings were farmland, and the settlement was enclosed by fences. The people working in the fields seemed surprised as they saw us.

“Saran… who’s that?”

“A human.”

“A human… well, that’s rare.”

When I first met Saran, I thought they were like giants, but it turned out Saran was the only one who was big. Well, everyone was taller than me, but it was just like when you go abroad and think, ‘Wow, foreigners are tall,’ I guess. I haven’t traveled abroad, though.

Among them, Saran had a head that was noticeably larger…

“Hey Saran, is that a deer…? Wait, who’s that?”

“A human.”

“You can tell just by looking…”

“Yeah, I get that, but…”

The villagers started gathering around us.

It’s getting serious.

Honestly, it’s scary.

“My name is Shin. We both got a hit on that deer at the same time. Well, it can’t be helped, I guess we’ll have to share the reward.”

With a thud, Saran dismounted from the deer in the square, and Saran stretched with a “Hmm…”

…A breathtakingly beautiful figure. Full of curves.

Perhaps to avoid hindering when shooting a bow, only the right breast is held in place by a protector. Being a woman is tough…

Looking at it this way, there’s no doubt she is a woman.

Crack, crack. She cracks her neck.

Retracting my previous statement. She is truly a woman of great character.

“Hey, human.”

A child rudely calls out.

“His name is Shin,”

“Why is a human like you here?”

How should I respond?

What can I say to make them understand?

“I’m… lost.”

“You’re lost? Did you get to this place just by getting lost?”

“No, really! I have no idea where this place is.”

“This is an Elven village, Kopori. The human city is much farther away.”

“I’ve never seen a human before.”

“You’re tiny for a human.”

Well, I’m Japanese. But you’re small too since you’re just a kid.

“Yeah, yeah, sure thing. You’re my guest. Let’s go with that.”

“Is this deer the one that’s been causing damage to the fields recently?”

“Probably. There might still be a few more around.”

“Just capturing one makes a big difference.”

Even in a village like this, deer causing crop damage is the same as in Japan…

“Well, let’s hang it up and start butchering.”

“Oh, I’ll help.”

“Is that so? Then let’s do it together. We promised to share, right?”

“No, please divide it within the village. I’m happy with enough for dinner.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Upon hearing this, cheers erupt from the children.

“Meat! We’re having yakiniku tonight!”

Well, if this improves my impression even just a little…

The two of us hang the deer upside down with a rope, cut the carotid artery, and start the butchering process.

Actually, I’m doing it all by myself.

Everyone is watching me.

My movements, my tools… Are they unusual?

I make an incision in the skin so that feces won’t touch the meat. First, I cut around the anus to avoid piercing the bladder, then I slit the abdomen, being careful not to rupture the bladder, and push the organs down…

“Do you have something to collect it?”

They brought me a small barrel.

I cut through the ribs and pelvis with a serrated army knife (※1), spreading them apart, and thrust my hands in. Using a hunting knife, I cut through the diaphragm and let the organs and a large amount of blood splash into the barrel.

I make incisions on the limbs and peel off the skin with a knife.

“Shin, you’re good at this…”

“You’re quite meticulous.”

“Yeah, a real hunter. Doesn’t seem like some human poacher or spy.”

Do dangerous people like that come to this village?

Once the skin is fully peeled, I remove it by pulling it off.

“Anyone need the skin?”

“Oh, I want it!”

“Ah, me too, please!”

“Front legs.”

“Are you paying attention?”

“One more, please.”

“We’ll deal with the hind legs later…”

Because they’re hanging upside down with ropes tied to their legs.

“It’s steak for tonight!”

As I continue to distribute the portions with enthusiasm, I suddenly remember.

“Oh, was it a share with Saran-san?”

Saran-san bursts into laughter.

“It’s fine”

“Then, how about the back loin?”

“Let’s split those two between you and me.”

“Aw, come on! That’s the tastiest part!”

Saran-san smacks the child’s head.

“We hunted it together, Shin and I, so it’s only natural! Show a little restraint!”

Although the deer has mostly turned into just bones, the children are happily breaking the ribs and taking them away.

“These are delicious when grilled and eaten.”

Indeed, spare ribs are tasty.

“Alright, come on. I’ll guide you to my house.”

“Is that okay?”

“Well, you don’t have anywhere else to stay, do you?”

“That’s true, but…”

It’s a woman’s house. Is it really okay?

“Well, if it’s Saran, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Actually, if you can handle Saran somehow, you’re the impressive one.”

“I’m counting on you, big brother.”

A few flashy guys are getting beaten up by Saran.

I’m scared.

“Well, for now, let me feed you something.”

Saran-san’s house is a small one-room cabin on the outskirts of the village.

It’s a one-room cabin made of logs. Saran lives here, hunched over.

“Um, so, should I just grill it for now?”

“Thank you. I’ll leave it to you.”

“The meat we caught today is still tough and inedible (※2), so I’ll treat you to the one we caught three days ago.”

“Oh, if that’s the case, I’ll give you my share too. There’s no point in keeping it with me.”

“Hmm, then I’ll take care of it.”

Saying that, Saran opened some kind of lid on the floor and put it inside. It’s like a storage room. Suddenly, a magical effect appears. I can feel the cold spreading.

“Is that magic!?”

“Yes.”

“A cooling magic?”

“That’s right.”

“You can do that with magic!?”

“All elves can use magic. Humans seem to struggle with it.”

“I can’t do it at all.”

Saran says that and happily leans back, looking pleased.

What a simple person!

In the middle of the room, Saran lights a fire in the hearth.

“You can use fire magic too?”

“Basic, basic. Anyone can do it. Well, if you’re an elf.”

“I see…”

She seems incredibly proud of herself.

“If only we had salt.”

“Salt, huh…”

Can I buy it from the magic bag?

Just salt alone is plain. I wonder if I can buy something a bit better.

“How about yakiniku sauce?”

Hmm… no good.

“Yakiniku sauce?”

“Hmm.. how about salt and pepper.”

There it is!

A small bottle of seasoned salt and pepper!

Must be for barbecue. Maybe they sell it at an outdoor shop.

Barbecue sauce would have been fine too. Oh well.

By the way, the payment will be automatically deducted from the cash I stored in advance.

“…What are you doing? Did you have that bag all along?”

“Don’t worry. It’s seasoned salt.”

“What?!”

“Is salt a precious commodity or something?”

“It’s extremely precious.”

“Oh, good to know. Let’s sprinkle this on and cook.”

I cut open the package, uncover the lid, and sprinkle it on the meat sizzling in the frying pan.

“It’s in a rare container… And the salt is very fine.”

“Pepper is also included.”

“Pepper?”

“It’s a seasoning that comes from the southern regions.”

“Oh, I see…”

We served it on a plate.

“Now, let’s give thanks to the blessings of the mountains at the end of the day. Let’s eat.”

Is that the Elven way of saying grace?

“We give thanks to the blessings of the mountains at the end of the day. Let’s eat.”

There are no forks. We eat directly with the knife.

“It’s delicious!”

“It’s really tasty.”

“No, this seasoning is incredibly delicious! You’re amazing, Shin!”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Humans sure have good food…”

Saran-san is overjoyed.

“I’ll be right back. Keep eating.”

“Sure.”

“Can I borrow that?”

“Here you go.”

Afterwards, it seems Saran-san went around to each house, sprinkling salt on the cooked meat.

Everyone was so surprised by how delicious it was.

What a situation…

As a special treat, I took out twenty bottles of seasoned salt and pepper from the magic bag.

“Please distribute one bottle to each household.”

“Is that okay?”

“It’s a token of gratitude for today’s hospitality.”

“Thank you!”

She happily went out again.

That’s a relief.

“So, Shin… What are you going to do now?”

“Well… I actually have no plans at all…”

“Don’t you have any family?”

“I don’t.”

…In this world.

“Well, then I’m in a similar situation as you…”

Saran-san is lying down on a mattress made of woven grass, with a fur spread out underneath.

I have received a fur as well and I’m sitting on the floor.

I’m disassembling and cleaning my beloved rifle, the M870.

“If you go to a human city, you might be able to make a living, right?”

“That’s possible.”

“But human cities are far away…”

“Is it rare for humans to come to this village?”

“Occasionally, merchants come by. And sometimes there are bandits or kidnappers. That’s about it.”

Saran says with a yawn.

“What were you doing before, Shin?”

“I was a hunter, and I also did odd jobs in town.”

I’m a municipal employee and a hunter.

“In that case, it might be okay for you to stay in this village…”

“I wish I could, but this is an elven village, and I’m a human. Would there be any work for me?”

“Why not be a hunter? You’re skilled, and you have incredible magical tools.”

After finishing assembling my beloved M870 and covering it, I place it beside me.

“The thing is, I can’t sustain myself without earning money.”

“There’s no money in elven villages. Only humans engage in monetary transactions.”

“In that case, I can’t stay here forever…”

“I see…”

“What kind of work can I do here…”

Perhaps it’s pest control.

I think I’ll start doing that from tomorrow onwards.

“Shin…”

“Yes?”

“If you have nowhere else to go, you can stay here as long as you want.”

“…Thank you.”

…

Sniffle.

“Don’t cry.”

“Why do you trust me so much?”

“There are no bad guys among skilled hunters.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Bad guys are the ones who use their skills for evil. You won’t become like them if you become a hunter.”

“…Perhaps you’re right.”

“Let’s go hunting together tomorrow. There are still plenty of deer around.”

“Yes, definitely.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

I could hear the gentle sound of peaceful breathing.

I was prepared for loud snores or something, but it’s a relief that it’s quiet.

Author’s Note –

*1. When dismantling, it is necessary to cut and split the ribcage and pelvis to remove the internal organs, but it can be easily done with the saw attachment on a Swiss Army Knife.

A “Hunting Knife” is a small knife used for skinning and cutting meat, and it is not used for dismantling unlike larger combat knives, survival knives, or machetes, where the blade is longer than the grip. There’s nothing good that comes from forcing its use during dismantling, as it can cause damage to the internal organs, puncture the intestines or bladder, render the meat inedible, or result in personal injury. With enough practice and experience, brute force is unnecessary, and one naturally understands that a nimble and lightweight knife with good handling is better than a sturdy and heavy one.

While some people collect knives that they don’t actually use in search of the perfect one, in reality, it is more efficient and quicker to have two to three knives with different shapes for different parts rather than using a single knife for everything. In other countries, there are sets specifically designed for dismantling that include spreaders, skinners, boning knives, gut hooks, and saws (although I think it’s not necessary to go that far).

It should be noted that in Hokkaido, where deer and bears are large and aggressive, trapping is done with firearms, so knives that can also be used as spears (such as the fukuro-nagasa) are not used.

For hunters, knives are a matter of pride, as they are carefully chosen, custom-made, or self-made. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to criticize someone else’s knife during the dismantling process (if you don’t have anything good to say, then don’t say it).

*2. Freshly caught meat is usually tough and difficult to chew, whether boiled or grilled. Normally, it needs to be refrigerated for a few days to allow for aging before it becomes edible. Aged meat cannot be eaten with its surface, so it must be cleaned by scraping off the outer layer before being used for consumption.