Bonus Episode — Otherworld BBQ

"Zect! Hey, look at this! I got my hands on a massive pile of the highest-grade meat you’ve ever seen!"

Garam’s booming voice crashed into my living room—a space that was supposed to be a sanctuary of silence. On the monitor in front of me, the game strategy I’d been refining was instantly overwritten by this physical noise.

"...Garam. I’d really appreciate it if you stopped treating the intercom like a drum set. It’s a delicate piece of technology, not a punching bag. Also, what is that giant slab of meat?"

"What do you mean, 'what is it'? Use your eyes! It’s the best, fattiest cut of an Earth Boar, freshly caught in the depths of the Felsen Mountains. Bartos took it down while he was out with the knights for a training exercise."

Behind the master blacksmith stood Bartos, looking quite proud of his kill, along with Elishua, who added, "It really is a beautiful specimen of marbleized meat."

(It seems my afternoon sleep mode has been force-quit. Typical.)

"With meat this good, you’ve gotta know some 'legendary cooking method' we’ve never heard of, right? I already gave the craftsmen and the knights the day off. We’re having a party right here!"

"...A party? Look, I actually had a very busy schedule of doing nothing. Besides, if you want a venue, the Lord’s manor is much bigger."

"What are you talking about? You’re not gonna take a single step out of this house anyway, right? So the garden here is the only logical choice. If the guest of honor won't move, we bring the party and the equipment to him. Isn't that what you call 'efficiency'?"

Garam grinned. It seemed he had decided to use my shut-in nature against me to force a mandatory system update on my day.

"Mrow. (Well, look at that. Your physical firewall is completely useless against this old man. You have my condolences.)"

"...I'm guessing this ends with me being assigned the role of Head Chef, doesn't it?"

I opened Lumina Shopping and ordered a large, black kettle-style grill.

"Garam, start by arranging the charcoal at the bottom of this grill. We’re not going to put the meat directly over the fire. We’re going to use indirect heat—letting the convection cook it low and slow over a long period."

"So... instead of searing it, we let the heat permeate the core? I see. That’s logically sound."

As I gave the instructions, Elishua stepped forward, clutching her staff with intense determination. "Master Zect! Please leave the magical temperature control to me!"

I assigned her the role of thermal monitor, tasked with keeping the internal temperature of the grill at exactly one hundred and twenty degrees Celsius.

The massive slab of meat was placed inside, and the lid was shut. After a while, a rich, mellow aroma—completely different from any standard "grilled meat"—began to waft around the wooden deck.

A few hours later, Gustav arrived at the garden facing the deck, bringing his family along after hearing the news.

"Mr. Zect! Garam suddenly called a mandatory assembly. I hope you don’t mind us crashing the party. Leon, come on, say hello to Mr. Zect."

"I’m all better now because of your medicine, Master Zect! Thank you! I’m going to eat a whole lot today!"

Leon, who had been bedridden just a few months ago, greeted me with a bright smile. Behind him, his mother, Lene, bowed deeply and repeatedly. "We can never thank you enough for what you did."

(Well, seeing him this energetic makes the holiday overhead somewhat acceptable.)

"Alright, let's get started. Today, we didn't just 'grill' things over an open flame; we prepared a proper barbecue where the meat was 'raised' slowly at low temperatures."

"Meow! Mrrrp! (That smells incredible! Hey, you aren't planning on eating all of that yourself, are you?)"

"I know, Tama. I’ve already prepared a salt-free packet for you."

In the garden, Garam and Bartos were sharing drinks, while Leon begged Elishua to show him some magic. Gustav stood beside Lene, watching the scene as if savoring every drop of this peaceful time.

"...Mr. Zect, truly, thank you. The only reason my family can laugh together like this is because you reached out to us that day."

"...I didn't do anything special. I just provided the optimal solution. Besides, today’s event is just the result of Garam forcing a manual patch on my schedule."

I opened the lid of the grill. The meat glowed with a deep, caramelized amber hue. When I slid the knife in, juices erupted from the center.

"Alright, it's showtime. Let's see the true potential of Felsen’s local ingredients."

The moment Garam put a slice in his mouth, he let out a roar. "What is this?! You don't even need teeth for this!"

Bartos chewed his portion in silence, tears welling in his eyes. "So this... is the taste of supreme valor..."

Lene and Leon’s faces lit up with pure happiness.

I watched the boisterous celebration from a chair slightly removed from the center of the noise.

(The time I’d allocated for my game is gone, but I suppose an occasional holiday crash like this isn't so bad.)

"Mrow. (There you go again, trying to rationalize it to yourself. Just admit you’re having fun.)"

Tama purred on my lap. Without a word, I placed a choice scrap of the perfectly cooked meat onto her plate.

The forests of Felsen were stained by the setting sun, echoing with the sounds of laughter. It felt as though my "sanctuary" in this world was slowly, but surely, beginning to connect to the outside nodes.

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