Lith did not need to hunt something big, as long as it was meat it was the perfect prey.
Most of the animals would run away as soon as he came too close, but not all of them. Birds and squirrels perched on tree branches felt safe, but Lith's spirit magic had reached a range of over twenty meters (21.9 yards), they were all within his reach.
He only needed to extend his open hand towards the quarry, then squeeze and turn it for a neck to be broken. In less than twenty minutes he had killed 2 odd feathered birds and two squirrels.
"I could catch more, but I want to pay that harpy as little as possible." -
While returning to the huntress' house, his greed was debating fiercely with his rage.
"Dammit! I wish I could just ask my father. Our farm has a henhouse, we eat chicken, so he must know how to butcher it. But if I do, then I will be forced to share MY quarry in equal parts. And if there is something that I hate more than being robbed by that harpy it's the idea of Orpal and Trion having the same amount of meat as me. Or worse, even more, being older. I hunted this game! This meat is mine, MINE! They will only be allowed to eat my scraps when and if I choose so!" -
When Lith got to the door he had calmed down, the rage hidden by his business face. He took deep breaths before knocking again.
When Selia saw him, she was on the verge of mocking him, calling him a quitter for giving up in less than an hour. But then Lith showed her his game, making her whole "Never underestimate how hard a hunter's job is" speech die in her throat.
Chapter 14: Learning a Trade, again (2)
How did you do it? Selia asked, still recovering from the surprise.
Magic. I am blessed by the light. Didn't you hear the news? Selia thought about his answer, wracking her brain until it made sense
Ohh! I get it now. You are the magic kid that everybody is talking about in Lutia. That explains a lot, including your shitty attitude.
Excuse me? You found a scrawny kid on your door, asking for help. Yet what you did was send him away with a rip-off deal, even laughing at his efforts and I am the one with a shitty attitude? Lith was so angry now that even the idea of sharing his kill did not seem so bad anymore.
Selia laughed out loud. "Kid, you really are funny in the head. First, when you come to the door of a stranger asking for help, the best you can hope for is to be sent away with a polite kick in the butt. If I did what every bum who knocked on my door asked, then I would be broke in a jiffy.
Second, you had the guts to slam the door into me and then come back like nothing happened. That's a shitty attitude."
Listening to her point of view, Lith could only agree. For four years he had been a recluse, his only interactions with the family members. He had gotten too used to get a yes as an answer, forgetting the basic rules of social interaction and even common sense.
His hunger didn't help either, making him single minded and prone to anger. Lith realized that Selia was right and what he did that morning was just a temper tantrum.
I'm really sorry. He said earnestly, looking her in the eyes. "I have no excuses for my behaviour. I would understand if you wanted to call off our deal."
Selia started laughing even harder.
Hold your horses, kid. I said that you are crazy and rude, but I like that. As you so kindly pointed out, I'm a bit of jerk myself. Dogs do not eat dog, our deal is still valid.
She handed him a small knife with a wooden handle.
Rule number one, bleed out the game as soon as possible. If the blood starts clotting, the meat is ruined. Make a deep incision in the neck and then hang them upside down to make the blood drain out. She pointed him to a clothesline.
When you don't need the fur, I always cut off the head directly, makes things faster.
Lith put down the knife and conjured water, making it coat his whole hand. Then he froze it, turning it into a razor-sharp blade, cutting off the birds' head, using the knife only for the squirrels.
Selia whistled with approval.
Nice trick. You don't shy away from blood, do you?
As I have told you before, I am hungry. Too hungry to care about big round eyes or a warm fur, I only see them as food.
Selia gave him a thumbs up. "That's the right attitude for a hunter!"
Then she took the animals and hung them, thinking the clothesline was too high for Lith to reach. Lith did not feel the need to correct her.
Since we are building a master-apprentice relationship and all that cr*p, mind telling why you come to me instead of your father or mother? I don't know your family, but this is something that any farmer knows how to do. It would be too expensive to have someone else butcher your livestock.
Indeed. Lith concurred pondering about how to answer. He looked her straight in the eyes before asking. "Just between us, master-apprentice secret and all that cr*p?"
Selia nodded, surprised to receive an actual answer instead of a cranky remark.
For as long I can remember, my brothers and I never had a good relationship. Things are pretty bad, especially with my older brother.
Lith decided that he needed to take that load off his chest. Talking to a stranger was the best way to relieve his stress and ruin Orpal's reputation. Honesty was indeed the best policy.
I do not know if it's because of my magic, but I always ate a lot. That would not be a big deal if I didn't have four siblings, one of which has a congenital condition. Her treatments cost quite a lot and those are barely enough while keeping her house ridden.
Thank the Gods I'm an only child, but what does that have to do with your older brother? Lith pretended to have not heard her.
This means that despite my parents' hard work, we don't have much food on the table. Lith pointed at his thin arm to make her feel guilty. "And my brother is a growing boy too, so he would like to have much more chow than he actually gets.
"From time to time, especially during winter, he has fits of rage where he accuses me of everything that goes wrong in his life. He often says things like:
Why the heck did you have so many children if you cannot properly feed them? Why does he have to get almost as much food as me? He does nothing while I work my a*s off in the fields all year round! This is not my brother, this is a Leech that is sucking my life away! I wish you died that cursed day!"" Lith did his best Orpal impression."
Are you making this up to make me feel guilty, kid? Because that's sick. Selia was knitting her eyebrows, doubting someone could say such things to his little brother.
Lith shook his head, sighing.
I wish.
Did your father give him a good beating? Maybe that could help him come to his senses.
Lith shook his head again. "No. This started when I was still very little and even when my father resorted to spanking, it only made things worse. To the point that I now sleep in the girls' room."
Selia bit her lips to avoid making a sex joke. "Too soon."
Too soon for what?
Nothing. Please continue.
That was until a year ago. Then I started practicing magic and soon I was skilled enough to do almost all the house chores by myself. Sometimes I help with the livestock too. I even managed to keep my sister's condition under control.
Lith took a deep breath before finding the strength to add: "Most of the time."
Then everything should be good now, right?
"Wrong. The house needs repairs. So do the barn and most of the working tools. If you also take into consideration all the random sh*t that happens and takes priority, I don't see our situation getting any better soon and neither does my brother.
Now he can't put the blame on me anymore so the last time he took it out on my ill sister, saying things that I refuse to repeat out loud."" Lith spat on the ground to get rid of the dirty taste the memory gave him."
To the point of saying that it would be better for her to⦠Lith pointed at the hanging game.
To put her down like an animal? Kid, we may be jerks, but your brother
is a lunatic.
Lith gritted his teeth, remembering Orpal's exact words.
It would be much better for her, for all of us! She can't run, she can't work. Tista will never be able to make friends, fall in love, or have children of her own. She is bound to be a burden for the family and what will happen when you guys are no more? Who will take care of her? Rena? Or maybe the little Leech wonder?
Lith could still vividly recall his mother crying from those cruel words. Rena and Tista running into her arms. Raaz beating Orpal so hard he could not walk for days.
Indeed. He replied to Selia with a growl. "And that's why I despise him and don't want him to touch a single bite of MY game."
I get it. I don't even know him and already hate that guy's guts too.
No, I don't hate him. Lith corrected her "Hate, just like love, is an irrational feeling while my contempt for him has sound foundations."
"Wow! Such a profound notion for someone so young. Worthy of a hunter!
Now enough chit chat, it's time to get to work."
Selia took down the squirrels, passing one to Lith.
We will start with the little critters. They are smaller and better for practice since, even if you mess up, is no big deal. There is not much meat in here.
She placed a squirrel on a cutting board and prepared another for Lith.
What I am going to teach you stands for most rodents, but just in case, if you ever find a rabbit that still has snow-white fur, bring it to me. It is valuable only until it starts turning brown for the spring. Even a tiny mistake can ruin the fur, lowering its value.
Selia handed him the short knife again.
If you want me to teach you properly, let's do things my way. Use the knife, do as I do and follow my instructions.
Lith nodded in approval.
On the squirrel's back, pinch its hide and cut it near the base of the neck so as to expose at least half of it. Now use your index finger and middle finger on both hands to create an opening after you have made the cut. Use your fingers to hook up under the skin and pull one hand towards the rear and the other hand towards its head...
During the process, Lith noticed that besides being disgusting, skinning a squirrel was like taking off a sticky wet glove.
After that, Selia showed him how to remove the head, legs, and tail.
"I know it's a bummer, but that bushy tail is not fur, it's all goddamn body hair. You can still use it to stuff things, it's very warm and soft. Now comes the tricky part.
When we proceed to gut anything, be careful while making incisions. If you cut open the bladder or the intestines, the meat is ruined by bile or feces. There is no saving it. This stands for all the animals, so pay attention, kid."
Gutting the squirrel was bloody and gruesome, but Lith could already smell the meat at the end of the tunnel, so he barely felt any discomfort.
When they finished, Selia put both squirrels on a skewer to roast them in her fireplace.
While we wait for our morning snack, I'll show you how to scald a bird for plucking. As the name implies, the water must not be too hot or cold, just enough for you to immerse a finger without getting a burn, but be unable to hold the finger in for more than a second without burning yourself. That's proper scalding temperature.
Selia took a big cauldron, positioning it over a campfire she always had ready on the back of her house.
It can be a messy job, so it's better to do it outside whenever possible.
The smell of the meat cooking inside was making Lith's mouth watery, he could not afford the risk of them burning.
Jorun! At his command, the cauldron became immediately filled with water.
Lith then stuck his hand in the water casting "Infiro!" making it emit steam.
Selia whistled again with approval.
"Fast and efficient. I'm starting to regret this master-apprentice stuff less and less.
I now understand why that old hag of Nerea called dibs on you. We should be ready to go, but firstâ¦"
Selia went inside briefly, returning with two little plates of roasted squirrel.
Before she could even pass him his plate, Lith had already snatched the food, wolfing it down like there was no tomorrow. He sucked and gnawed until only bones were left.
After licking every single one of his fingers, he returned to his previous calm and composed demeanour.
Good gods, such a gentleman. Selia's voice was oozing sarcasm. "Would you like another serving? Because that seriously creeped me out and I know a thing or two aboutâ¦"
Her mockery fell on deaf ears. Lith's eyes could only see the second squirrel closing in. As soon as Selia pretended to offer him her share, his hands were already moving.
After devouring the last squirrel, Lith noticed that Selia was frozen in place.
Her mouth was open but no words were coming out of it, the plate still near his face.
He gently put the bones back onto the plate.
There was no need to hold the plate for me, but thanks. That was very kind of you.
Chapter 15: Changes
After resolving the morning snack incident, Selia prepared the working table for the remaining game.
The birds you caught are called blinkers, because they get scared easily and are very quick to fly away. Usually you need luck and skill to take them down from a distance. Whatever magic you performed, it made a clean kill. Aside from the broken neck, both the feathers and the body are unscathed.
Lith accepted the compliment, giving her a small bow.
It's just a matter of finesse in using air magic, nothing special.
Selia's curiosity was far from being satisfied, but she decided not to pry further.
Scalding is easy and can be done quickly. You only need to throw the poultry in the cauldron for about 45 seconds. It's better to gently stir the water in the process, to clean the dirt and external parasites from the birds. It also helps to loosen most of the feathers. Never scald for too long or the meat could start to boil. Not to mention the risk of rupturing the organs, ruining the meat.
Lith took charge of the scalding process, waving his right hand to take control of the water in the cauldron, stirring it and adjusting the force of the current according to Selia's directions.
Dammit, kid! You are really starting to make me regret never having given a damn about magic or learning it.
You don't know how to use magic? Lith was astonished.
No, and before today I was proud of it. I consider chore magic a simple parlour trick. Why waste my time learning how to do things with it when I get faster and better results by using my hands? Selia shrugged. "Now get the blinkers out of the water, time to get serious."
Beside the scalding and the plucking that replaced the skinning process, gutting poultry was really similar to his previous experience with the squirrel, except he also had to remove to crop, the neck, and the oil gland.
Once they finished, Lith's eyes enjoyed the results, noticing that aside from the blinker's skin being a little more porous compared to a chicken's, it was just a roast away from what he would purchase back on Earth.
How do I cook it?
Still hungry even after two squirrels?
Yes, very. The previous meal was just an appetizer, he was far from satisfied. "Please, let's use the outdoor campfire. I need to get used to not using a fireplace."
Selia slammed her hand on her forehead. "Right, right. I almost forgot about your family issues."
After instructing him on how to choose the right spot for a campfire, she showed him how to improvise a kebab with wooden sticks. The final lesson was about how high to set the kebab to avoid burning the food and how to recognize when it was ready to be eaten.
After memorizing everything, Lith imbued his eyes with fire magic, activating the Fire Vision spell that granted him an improved version of thermal goggles.
He then started to weave together fire and wind magic, keeping the heat stable with no hot or cold spots, while usin
g air currents to cook every nook and cranny of the meat evenly.
Such fine control required for him to move both his hands and feet, to watch his meal from different angles and adjust the mana flow.
His movements were akin to a combination of martial arts katas.
Selia was about to mock him about how performing a victory dance for a single blinker was a little extreme, when the delicious smell reached her nose.
The blinker was getting roasted with a speed visible to the naked eye, the skin turning into a crispy crust, releasing the fat that was masterfully spread evenly.
The smell was so good that her stomach started grumbling, despite her having consumed her breakfast less than two hours ago.
Lith lifted the skewer with spirit magic and after lowering the temperature to avoid burning himself while eating, he started wolfing down the meat, ripping it apart with his bare hands.
First the drumsticks, then the breast, and lastly the wings.
It lacked salt and the meat wasn't as tender as a roasted chicken since they had not let the meat undergo any maturation. Nonetheless, it was the best meal Lith had ever had.
I can't believe it, I cannot feel the hunger anymore. Lith fell to his knees from the happiness, his eyes wet, on the verge of shedding tears.
But that moment passed quickly.
I need more! I can't allow the hunger to cripple me again. Lith looked at the sun, there were still a couple of hours before noon, he still had time for more hunting.
Master Selia, I need a favor. I need a place to hide my own game, the ones I am not willing to share.
Just call me Selia, hunters do not waste time with honorifics, we are practical people.
She waved her hand dismissing the need for a title.
"As for your request, I don't make favors, only deals. What about this: from tomorrow onwards you will come here every day and clean my house and maybe, from time to time, cook something for me with that silly dance of yours.
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