"Wha-!? This is delicious! Such exquisite spices are used generously, giving it a wonderful flavor and aroma! It's completely different from just sprinkling salt!"

"...This one is delicious too! It's sweet, a little spicy, and pairs perfectly with the meat!"

This time, I used the outdoor spice and the barbecue sauce I’d been experimenting with, as well as a fruit-based sauce for the seasoning. The barbecue sauce, in particular, had been improved to create both a sweet and a spicy version.

Honestly, experimenting and refining everyday dishes is quite fun. In a world where the level of food culture is so low, you can see immediate results, making the food and seasonings noticeably more delicious.

"It's absolutely true! This sauce is delightful too!"

"...This spice is amazing too! The flavor and aroma are so complex!"

It seems Berna and Ferry are enjoying the seasoning, which is a relief.

If I may say so myself, the barbecue sauce has reached a level where it could easily be sold. But since it takes a fair amount of effort and time, I’ll refrain from doing so. Now then, it’s finally my turn to try wyvern meat for the first time!

"Whoa!? This is incredible!"

I started simply, with just a sprinkle of salt on the wyvern meat. Of course, it’s delicious with outdoor spices or sauce, but the first bite has to showcase the flavor of the meat itself.

When it comes to wyvern or dragon meat, I’d imagined it would be slightly tough and have a strong, gamey flavor, but that wasn’t the case at all. The meat was incredibly tender, easy to bite into, and practically melted in my mouth.

The richness of the fat spread across my palate, accompanied by the gradual release of the wyvern meat’s umami. The taste was distinctly different from beef, pork, or the Dana Bear I had before, but it was undoubtedly superior. This truly lives up to its reputation as a luxury ingredient.

"Wow~ This is so delicious!"

"It’s amazing! I’ve never had such tasty meat before!"

"Yeah. As expected, wyvern meat is something else. It’s definitely better than the meat we usually eat."

Fia, Angel, and Dolph were all savoring the wyvern meat. Angel, the main guest of honor today, seemed especially pleased, which made me happy.

"Amazing, Tetsuya. This is even better than the wyvern meat I had in the royal capital!"

"Yeah! I agree! The flavor is completely different from the wyvern meat I’ve had before. This is incredible!"

Seasoning alone can drastically change the flavor of a dish. Outdoor spice, for instance, can transform a simple grilled dish into a culinary masterpiece.

"For now, please wait a little longer for the main wyvern meat dish to be ready. In the meantime, please enjoy some of the smoked dishes."

While I was preparing another dish, which would take a bit more time, I served the smoked foods I had prepared earlier in the morning.

"This smoked meat is also delicious! The taste is entirely different from store-bought smoked meat!"

"That’s because I used slightly higher-quality meat this time."

"...The seasoning is really good."

"I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it."

The smoked meat this time was made with premium cuts, smoked using chips purchased at the outdoor shop, and seasoned with the special outdoor spice. It’s true that the aroma and flavor might be superior to store-bought ones. I also prepared smoked cheese, eggs, and salted fish. Smoking is easy once you set the fire; it doesn’t require much effort.

"I was thinking of making some smoked wyvern meat as well. Would you like to take some home as a souvenir?"

"Are you sure!?"

"...!?"

The reaction was so enthusiastic it startled me...

"You’re going out with Lilia this afternoon, right? I’ll prepare it while you’re away."

"N-No… That would be too much trouble for you, Tetsuya..."

"...Don’t push yourself."

"I was already planning to make enough for all the staff, so don’t worry. Smoking takes time but requires very little effort."

This time, the smoked meat was made by salting the meat beforehand. Since preparing the fresh wyvern meat for smoking would take time, I planned to make char siu first and then smoke it. Char siu-based smoked meat doesn’t last as long as salted smoked meat, but with Ferry’s storage magic, that shouldn’t be an issue. Plus, I’d already intended to make some as a souvenir for Rea, who couldn’t join us today.

"...If it’s not too much trouble for you, Tetsuya, could I kindly ask you to do that? Of course, I’ll pay for it!"

Ferry nodded vigorously, with more enthusiasm than I’d ever seen before. Is it really that important to her…?

Well, I suppose adventurers value delicious meals during their journeys.

"There’s no need for payment. After all, the wyvern meat itself was generously provided by the two of you."

I made sure to be clear about that. If I bought this wyvern meat myself, it would be outrageously expensive. After receiving such a high-quality gift, I couldn’t possibly accept payment for preparing it.

"Thank you so much. I’ll graciously accept your kind offer."

"...Thank you!"

If anything, I’m the one who should be thanking them for giving me such amazing meat.

By the way, smoked char siu pairs exceptionally well with alcohol. Regular char siu is already great with drinks, but when smoked, the added smokiness makes it absolutely irresistible. It’s dangerous how much it makes you want to keep drinking.