kscans

Chapter 11 - We Evolved with Forest Milk

Having given up on forcing our way through the fortress, Mamoru and the rest of our monster party chose to take a detour through the forest.

"What is that...?"

Deep in the forest, there was a mysterious, white, shining being. With fluffy blonde hair, bountiful breasts, and a sensuous swaying that didn't seem like a monster at all. Its name was Cow-girl.

"That's way too lewd..."

But it was a monster. If we let our guard down, we'd be instantly suffocated by a double breast press. We fought as one. Amy created an opening with her spear, Koni-chan provided rear support, Defray acted as a meat shield, and I was the decoy. Through teamwork, we somehow managed to defeat it.

And what we obtained was Forest Milk. The white liquid from the Cow-girl, hailed as the milk of life. It was faintly sweet and faintly warm. It had high recovery effects and was also said to enhance magical power.

"Alright! Time to cook!" Defray brandished his frying pan with a smile.

"First, butter."

Defray assembled a simple churner using a stone mortar he found in the forest. He poured the freshly milked Forest Milk from the Cow-girl into a wooden bucket and stirred it rhythmically with a log stick.

"Monster milk has a high fat content, so if you churn it like this, it'll start to separate."

The viscosity increased, a layer of cream appeared from the milk, and eventually, it turned into a yellow lump of butter. He carefully removed the floating butter, filtered it with moss, and washed it with cold river water to increase its purity.

"There we go... this is Forest Butter. The aroma is different, isn't it?"

A fragrant and sweet smell drifted through the forest.

"Next are the ingredients. I'll use plenty of the forest's bounty."

Defray took out a large iron pot and prepared ingredients like mushrooms he had gathered in the forest (probably edible), the root of a grass that resembled an onion, and a konjac-like substance made from hardened slime. When he dropped the butter in, it melted with a sizzle.

"This sound, this smell! The beginning is crucial for a stew!"

As the butter melted, he added the onion-like wild grass and sautéed it slowly until its sweetness was brought out. When it turned transparent, he added the slime konjac, chopped mushrooms, and scraps of beast meat.

"If you burn it, it's over. You have to put your love into it. Cooking is love."

After slowly sautéing to bring out the umami, he poured in plenty of Forest Milk. The rich ingredients swam in the cloudy white soup.

"Now for the deciding flavor. Dried herbs and... this."

Defray carefully took out a piece of rock salt from his pocket. It was a precious seasoning from the salt lakes of the demon lord's territory. It adds depth to the flavor.

"Simmer... simmer..."

A gentle sweetness and rich aroma wafted from the simmering pot. It was as if our bodies were being healed before we even ate.

"It's ready. Forest Milk Stew. There's seconds."

From the wooden bowls handed to us rose steam and a sense of happiness.

"Th-this is so good...!"

"It's the Forest Milk... it's the best...!"

The moment it entered my mouth, my whole body melted. The richness of the thick Forest Butter, the aroma of the herbs, the fragrant scent of the milk. It was a taste that made us forget the fatigue of adventurers and the suffering of being monsters.

"...I'm fine. I'm not interested in overly sweet milk."

Next to her comrades who were rejoicing around the Forest Milk Stew, Amy stood up nonchalantly. Her red eyes stared sharply into the depths of the forest.

"After all, this suits me better..."

Rustle... She poked the back of a fallen log with the hilt of her sword, and several large, black, shiny beetles scurried out.

"There you are. The plump ones."

Amy quickly picked up a bug and took a pinch of salt from her leather pouch. She sprinkled it on the bug and popped it into her mouth without any hesitation.

"...Crunch, squish... hmm. Good protein."

With the sound of the crunchy shell being crushed, the bug's juices spread on her tongue.

"I knew it, this is more calming for me."

Her face was expressionless. But her eyes seemed somewhat satisfied.

Defray couldn't help but call out to her.

"H-hey, miss... you really don't want any stew? I made it with love, you know?"

"Thank you. But bugs are enough for me. ...You all, be careful not to get an upset stomach."

With those parting words, Amy returned to the shade of a tree and began searching for bugs again.

Koni-chan whispered in my ear.

"Amy-san... sometimes she really acts like a lizard, doesn't she..."

"Yeah, but that's what's good about her," I couldn't help but mutter.

"This Forest Milk Stew warms you to the core...! It's the best...!"

Everyone nodded silently and smiled.

It was at that moment.

A brilliant light burst forth from our bodies.

"W-what is this...!?"

Me, Mamoru: Hobgoblin -> Evolved to Goblin Captain.
Defray: Orc -> Evolved to Orc Soldier.
Amy: Lizardman -> Evolved to Lizard Shaman.
Koni-chan: Troll -> Evolved to Boss Troll.

Our magical power increased, and our bodies ascended to a higher state of being. The battles, the effort, and the power of the Forest Milk had finally borne fruit.

When we realized it, we were standing at the edge of the forest.

Spreading out before us was...

"A plain...?"

A vast grassland stretched as far as the eye could see. But there was an unsettling atmosphere about it.

"Next... will be a new land where our influence doesn't reach at all."

"Or maybe it's the territory of even more terrifying monsters," Amy said with a shrug.

"But... we have to do it!"

"That's right, next it's our turn to rule!" Defray declared, holding up his frying pan.

We took one step onto the grassland. For a new adventure, and for further evolution.

End of Chapter Two