How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World

Chapter 147: Beastmen (2)

Munch! Crack! Crack!

There’s a common expression that goes, “기가 막힌다는(giga maghindaneun)” in Korean. It’s used universally to describe a situation that is absurd or beyond comprehension, similar to being rendered speechless.

(tl: I have no idea how to translate it or spell it in the latin alphabet so you get a literal translation from google tl.)

My current situation was quite similar to that. It’s because of a beastman, a girl who was sitting in front of me, enjoying her steak so deliciously.

The steak that the beastman ordered is a T-bone steak, a cut of meat attached to a T-shaped bone structure. Normally, the bone was left behind, and the remaining portion was eaten using a knife and fork.

But look at this beastman behaving, not like a girl, but like a beast. She was creating her own unique way of eating. Without even cutting it with a knife, she picked it up with a fork and devoured it. This alone was strange enough, but what followed was mind-boggling.

After finely mincing the bone structure that was meant to be left, she used the fork as if it were a spoon and put it into her mouth. Then she chewed it thoroughly.

I wasn’t using metaphors, she was literally chewing the bone whole. If she were an ordinary human, not only would her teeth be gone, but her jaw would be completely destroyed. Yet she was happily eating it as if it were snacks.

‘...Could she be a hyena, not a lion?’

Hyenas, known for their role as scavengers, have incredibly strong jaws and can chew not only ostrich eggs bones but even bones.

Of course, Leona has stated that she’s a lioness, not a hyena, so she definitely isn’t one. However, doubts still arised. Lions eat meat, not bones.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

“Hmm. Hmm. Bones taste delicious too. The sauce seeped into the marrow, giving it a subtle flavor.”

“...Doesn’t your jaw hurt?”

“It’s a piece of cake. Easy peasy.”

At first glance, she genuinely looked like she was enjoying the meal. I couldn’t even use the expression “sucking the marrow” in front of Leona. After all, she was not consuming the marrow but chewing the bones whole.

I quietly watched Leona’s meal until it was finished. When I looked down, there was still a considerable amount of steak left, perhaps because I stared at her too intently.

Afraid it might be snatched away by Leona, I resumed my meal immediately. The sound of chewing, “crunch!,” echoed from the front, causing a bit of noise, but we still managed to proceed smoothly.

“Ah. It’s been so long since I had such a delicious meal... I’m really grateful.”

“...I’m glad you find it tasty. Your jaw doesn’t hurt, right?”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

Leona raised her hand to answer my question and shook her head lightly. At the same time, she wiped around her mouth with a napkin and chuckled softly.

Although her expression seemed happy to anyone looking at her, there was still a sense of uneasiness. I cautiously took a bite of neatly cut steak and asked her.

“Leona, you said you’re a lion beastman, right?”

“Yeah. So what?”

“Not a hyena?”

“Oh, come on... Seriously.”

Upon hearing my question, Leona took a deep breath instead of getting agitated. It seemed like she was trying to regain her composure.

After a moment, she crossed her arms with a slightly sullen expression and opened her mouth with a dismissive tone.

“There are questions that can be asked and questions that shouldn’t be asked. It’s fortunate that it’s me, but if you blurted out something like that in front of another lion beastman, you’d immediately get challenged to a duel. Hyenas don’t have a good image even among us. It’s not a wise move.”

“A duel?”

I’ve heard about it not in this world but in my past life. It was one of the important cultural aspects of the Vikings, who are considered symbols of masculinity and ‘barbarians.’

A duel wasn’t just a simple fight; it could determine the life or death of the opponent. If you refuse the challenge or shamelessly beg for your life, you lose all your honor and won’t even be treated as a person.

‘Even Yggdrasil and Norse mythology occasionally come up in various places here.’

The capital of Alvenheim, Yggdrasil, was also a world tree that appears in Norse mythology. Perhaps this world has a deep connection with Earth.

Of course, this is a question that only the gods would know the answer to, so it’s not something I was immediately concerned about. I am just an ordinary human living in this world.

Right now, the content of Xenon’s Biography was more important.

“Is what I know about it correct? A duel that can determine the life and death of the opponent.”

“It’s similar. And the winner can have everything the loser possesses. Not only their body but also their power, wealth, and finally, their life. It’s a duel where everything, including honor and life, is at stake, so it is considered very sacred. However, it must not be used recklessly but rather with a clear justification and the permission of the chieftain.”

“Can you explain it in more detail?”

Leona readily accepted my request. First and foremost, there were conditions required when applying for the sacred duel.

First, a witness is required.

To prevent someone from arbitrarily applying for the sacred duel and taking what belongs to the other party, there should be a truthful witness.

However, if there was no witness, it must be directly approved by the chieftain. The chieftain becomes a sort of judge, and in this case, a rather rigorous procedure must be followed.

Second, a clear justification and motivation are required.

“Yes?”

Leona began to mumble and hesitate, obscuring her words. She seemed too embarrassed to meet my gaze, constantly shifting her eyes as she spoke.

As I pondered in confusion, she tilted her head and, with a perplexed expression, quietly opened her mouth.

“That.”

“This?”

She pointed with her finger to none other than the steak placed on my plate. It was also a T-bone steak, with only the bones remaining.

Then, Leona, seemingly suppressing her embarrassment, tightly closed her eyes and stated her request.

“If you’re not going to eat the bones... Can I have them?”

“... ...”

“It would be a waste to leave them. Don’t you think so?”

It was normal to leave them. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, so I burst out laughing.

“In that case, I’d rather order another one. It’s fine to have that much, right?”

“Wh-who do you think I am, a pig?! Even if I have no shame, it’s not to that extent...!”

“Wipe the drool from the corners of your mouth before you speak.”

“Ah!”

She was lying. Watching Leona hurriedly wipe her mouth with a napkin, I chuckled.

growl-

“... ...”

Even her belly, which loudly demanded more, was a bonus. Since beastmen, being part beast, can eat much more than a human, it was natural that even a whole steak wouldn’t fill her up.

I stared intently at Leona’s face, which had turned as red as a tomato, and without saying a word, I moved my hand. It was a signal to call the waiter.

Ding

“I’ll order one more. Medium-rare again?”

“...Yeah.”

Leona answered while covering her face with both hands. Her ears were flushed with embarrassment.

When I called the waiter like that, Leona peeked through her hands covering her face and called me softly.

“...Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“If there’s anything else you want to ask later... feel free to ask anytime.”

“That would be great. I still have a heap of things I want to ask.”

“Instead...”

“Instead?”

Then she hesitated for a moment, her lips trembling, and spoke with a voice full of embarrassment.

“You have to buy me something delicious...”

“... ...”

“...Will you?”

Why did it feel so cute and trivial to reveal one’s desires while being shy?

I chuckled and responded as if giving permission.

“Do whatever you feel like.”

“Thank you.”

Leona sincerely expressed her gratitude.

And...

“Um... sir? I’m sorry, but could you please tell me where the bones are?”

“... ...”

I was at a loss for how to answer the staff’s question. Without saying a word, I looked at Leona...

Chomp...

She was chewing on the bones as we watched.