For I Am A Side Character - 111: Burning Boar Briol Dish

After our classes ended for the day, I was invited into Jessica’s clubroom. She said that she also wanted me to taste the recipe she and her clubmates worked on for hours, so here I was.

From here, I could see a large kitchen filled with only five people along with Jessica.

“Oh good, you’re here.” said Jessica as I saw her wearing an apron and a hairnet over her head.

“…This room is really…big.” I said as I put emphases on the big part.

“It is, but that’s only because some of the teachers come here to teach the students about making a simple roast by the fire as a simulation to cooking inside a dungeon. Look there, that’s a fire pit big enough to roast an entire 3 meter long wild boar.” said Jessica.

“Wow…that’s pretty primitive.” I said.

And while I was looking at the different kinds of things inside this kitchen room, all of a sudden, a 3^rd year walked up to me with nothing but a bloody knife on her hands.

“…Um…hello?” I asked.

“Hi, you must be Soril. Jessica told me a lot about you.” she said as she smiled at me. From her cheering gaze, it gave me the impression that she was a rather welcoming person.

“Hi, Yes I am… Jessica invited me in, so I’m sorry for interrupting whatever it was you were doing” I said apologetically.

“Oh, where are my manners. I’m the club president, my name is Rachel and I’m a third year student at this academy. Its finally good to meet Jessica’s boyfriend.” she said.

And to her welcoming nature, she reached out her hand to shake mine, but to her raising her hand, I noticed that it was covered with blood…

“Umm…”

“Oh, sorry. I was pulling out a monster’s organs just a minute ago. Sorry for that.” she said as she pulled away her hand.

“Oh, its no problem. It’s a kitchen, I doubt blood is a rare sight in here.” I said.

“I know right? Now since you came here to visit, Jess, how about you show your boyfriend around the kitchen and explain to him what we’re making right now. I’m still handling the meat over at the sink, so I’ll leave it all to you.” she said as she gave orders to Jessica.

“Sure thing pres.” said Jessica.

And to this exchange, the president went back to handling whatever she was doing in the first place.

“…So what are you guys trying make right now? Knowing that you spent an entire night here, I’m guessing it must have been a rather difficult dish to make.” I said.

“Oh it is. Its called the Malevolent Burning Boar Briol Stew.”

“…A type of stew?”

“Yes. Do you know a monster called a Burning Boar? It’s a B-ranked monster known for it elemental prowess in controlling fire. It lives mostly in dungeons that give off high heat like in the volcanoes and what-not. It’s a pretty rare kind of monster which in our country, it can only be found in one dungeon. When our school get hold of such an ingredient, President Rachel didn’t waste anymore time with delaying on what we were planning on making with this kind of meat.”

“There was only one way of making it to fully savor its flavor. A Briol Stew kind of cooking.”

“A Briol stew?” I asked as I was not coherent in the language of the kitchen.

“Yes. The word Briol comes from the Briol Tree found in most common dungeons. The Briol Tree produces a very highly flavorful kind of sap that enables the meat when cooking to produces its highest potential of flavor yet. Its like MSG, but ten times more powerful.”

“So you add in a Briol sap into the boar’s meat to let out its flavor?” I asked.

“Yes, something like that. But in the process of what were making today, instead of just using using the Briol sap like any other recipe we could put it in, the process of cooking the Burning Boar’s meat is more difficult than you know.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“Well, it not called a burning boar for nothing. Its body is capable of withstanding even the temperatures that are capable of melting down iron. So to go pass this issue, we had to use a different machine to completely cook the boar down.”

“A machine?” I asked.

“Yes, here it is.” and to our tour, Jessica showed me the sight of a rather large mechanical machine that was giving off heat like a bastard.

“Umm…what is this?” I asked.

“This is the machine that enables us to produce a flame that could go past the meat of a burning boar’s capacity. Its called the ‘Pyroforge Hearth.’” Said Jessica as she had a look of admiration for the machine.

“This powerful stove is renowned for its ability to produce flames hotter than a furnace capable of melting iron. Powered by enchanted volcanic crystals and fueled by elemental fire captured from the heart of a living volcano dungeon, the Pyroforge Hearth can reach temperatures so intense that it can incinerate even the toughest of materials in seconds. It’s a revered tool in the kitchens of master chefs who need to craft dishes infused with extraordinary power and precision.”

“It looks like it belongs at a blacksmith.” I said.

“Hmph! The blacksmiths could only wish that they can use this, but only five of these babies exist in the country, and luckily our school owns one.”

“Huh…”

“After the Pyroforge tenderizes the meat for 36 hours, we can finally pull it out and start cooking for real. Its at that stage that we add things like the vegetables and the seasoning.”

“How long until it finally finishes?” I asked.

“Hmm, from the looks of the timer, only 24 minutes and 16 seconds left.” she said.

“Looks like we still have a bit of time left. Is there anything I can do while we wait?” I asked.

“Hmm, you can help me with preparing for the vegetables. We still need to wash the potatoes and the carrots.” she said.

“Okay, I’ll be happy to help around.” I said.

And so I helped around the club. While I was helping, I started socializing with Jessica’s club members. They were nice…

As the minutes ticked by, I found myself slipping into the rhythm of the kitchen. The clatter of knives on chopping boards, the hiss of steam escaping from pots, and the faint hum of the Pyroforge Hearth created a symphony of sounds that felt almost soothing. Jessica handed me a sack of potatoes and pointed toward a large sink at the back of the room.

“Just give these a good scrub. We need them clean and ready to go once the meat’s done,” she instructed, her voice light but focused.

I nodded and got to work, plunging my hands into the cool water as I scrubbed the dirt from each potato. The repetitive task gave me a moment to think, my thoughts drifting to the peculiarities of this school and the strange but fascinating world it operated in. A machine that could reach temperatures higher than a blacksmith’s forge, monsters that could withstand such heat, and students casually preparing to cook them—it was all so surreal.

Jessica’s voice brought me back to the present. “You know, I wasn’t sure if you’d actually come today,” she admitted, her tone more vulnerable than I’d heard before.

“Why not?” I asked, glancing over at her.

She hesitated, wiping her hands on her apron. “I mean…this isn’t exactly a typical after-school activity. Not everyone is into dissecting monsters and cooking them up. It’s a bit…extreme, I guess.”

“Well, its not as dangerous as hunting in a dungeon, but I can see the appeal of why you enjoy working in the culinary arts.” I said as I stopped my hand from moving altogether.

“Unlike what we do in the dungeons, the risk here isn’t as lethal. But it’s the place that I found myself at peace the most. Didn’t I once said to you that if I wasn’t a hunter, I would have been a chef?” she asked.

“I do…and I know you would do great as a chef.” I said.

“Well, even if I did become a chef, there wouldn’t be any regrets to that decision…but what do you think?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked. The tone of her voice changed. It was more serious than what she would usually put out.

“Its only hypothetical, but if I quit being a hunter, if I quit the academy…would you still adore me? If I pursued my other dream, would you still support me?” she asked.

“…Hmm, it doesn’t matter to me what you do for your future Jess, what I only care about is if your happy. If you don’t like being a hunter, you can always step away and pursue your dream of the culinary world. And I’ll always be there to support you no matter what.” I said in full honesty.

And to my words, Jessica stopped her hands altogether as well…she could only look down on her station and grip her hand tight.

“…” her silence was well received…as I can tell that she had thought of this a lot.

Jessica’s silence lingered between us, heavy and contemplative. I could see the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her, a mixture of doubt and hope etched across her face. The bustling kitchen around us seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the two of us in that moment.

“Through the moments that we’ve spent together…from sparring each other without holding ourselves back, I’ve enjoyed all of it. And I can feel just how much I’ve grown since you came into my life…”

“I’ve enjoyed my time with you as well…”

“…but even now, I’m still nervous about the B-ranked dungeon.” she said as a hint of fear was in her voice.

“I’m afraid…afraid of the experience I felt when losing against a simulation of a B-rank monster…what if I fail inside that dungeon. What if I fail and get you involved in it…because of this, I’m having doubts of whether or not I’m fit to become a hunter.”

“…Fear is only natural. Its not something a person can erase from their minds and spirit. Even I’m afraid…afraid of the things that I have no control over.” I said.

“…Afraid of the things you have no control over?” Jessica echoed, her eyes searching mine for understanding.

I nodded. “Yeah. There’s a lot out there that’s bigger, stronger, and more dangerous than us. That fear, though…it’s what keeps us sharp. It’s what keeps us alive.”

“But how do you deal with it?” she asked, her voice tinged with desperation. “Every time I think about stepping into that dungeon, I feel like my chest is tightening, like I can’t breathe.”

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know if there’s a way to completely get over fear, but what I’ve learned is that you don’t have to. Fear is a part of us—it’s our instinct trying to protect us. The trick is to use it, to let it push you to prepare better, to think smarter, to fight harder.”

Jessica seemed to be weighing my words, her brow furrowed in thought. “So, you’re saying it’s okay to be afraid?”

“It’s more than okay,” I said, leaning in closer. “It’s necessary. The moment you stop being afraid is the moment you become reckless. Fear reminds us of what’s at stake. It makes sure we’re ready to face whatever comes our way.”

She sighed, a mixture of relief and frustration in her expression. “But what if the fear is too much? What if it paralyzes me, makes me hesitate when I need to act?”

“Then you rely on something stronger,” I said, my voice steady. “You rely on your training, on your instincts, on the trust you have in yourself and your team. You’ve worked hard to get where you are, Jessica. You’re stronger than you think. And when that fear tries to take over, you push back with everything you’ve got.”

Jessica was quiet for a moment, then she looked at me with a renewed determination. “You make it sound so simple, but it’s hard, you know? I just…I don’t want to let anyone down. Especially you.”

“You won’t,” I said firmly. “And even if something goes wrong, we’ll deal with it together. You’re not alone in this, Jess. We’re in it together, every step of the way. I’ve always promised this to you…and I never go back on my word.”

She smiled then, a small but genuine smile. “Thank you, Soril.”

“Its no problem.” I said.

As we returned to our tasks, there was a new understanding between us, a deepened bond forged in the shared acknowledgment of our fears and the commitment to face them head-on. Whatever lay ahead in that B-ranked dungeon, we would face it side by side, stronger for having confronted the doubts that tried to hold us back.

From then on, we continued on with the process of cooking the Burning Boar Briol Stew. And after a while, we were finally finished.

When the club members brought out the finished dish, I was amazed to see the size of this boar. It stood over 2 meters tall while with was lying flat on its stomach. And now that I looked at it, it was more of a roast than anything.

When we were each given a sample to taste it. I was incridibly amazed by the texture of this meat and its skin.

The skin was as crispy, with each crunch I bite into, my mouth was producing fireworks of crunchiness. For the meat, it was as tender and more flavorful than any other meat that I’ve tasted. Not even the things I’ve tasted in my past life go counter this dish.

The flavors were floating in my mouth each time the tender meat touched my tongue.

And because of how large this dish was, the club members decided to give it to the academy to be served for tomorrow’s canteen options.

All in the end, my visit to Jessica’s club was a success.

And seeing her expression right now, I can see that she was less worried about her future.

Was this the reason why she invited me into the club today? To talk about her doubts on the upcoming raid?

Well, even if she did change courses in her life, I wouldn’t really care for it. She can do whatever she pleases, and I’ll be there to support her no matter what.