#1032 The Fate of Every Yakiniku

Grill the meat, grill the meat, grill the meat, grill the meat, grill the meat, grill the meat, grill the meat...

It’s me again.

Well, I’m not grilling, actually.

My job today is to thaw out the meat for the expecting mothers and lay it out for them to grill.

I’m putting in maximum effort to make sure the meat looks as appetizing as possible!

“My Lord! Lady Platy has ordered extra kalbi!”

“We’ve got three servings of intestine for the demon table! Oh, and they’re adding loin, skirt steak, and, uh, pig’s feet!”

Got it!

Hey, goblin team, keep those dishes coming through the wash!

We’re running low on plates for the meat!

And don’t forget, when you have a break, grab some yakiniku for yourselves!

Of course, the yakiniku is a huge hit, and the meat is vanishing at a ridiculous pace.

We might actually run out of the hundred-year supply of Minotaur beef before the day is over.

But if they’re enjoying it that much, that’s all I can ask for.

This whole pregnancy support event is shaping up to be a massive success.

I’m grinning ear to ear as I keep piling the meat onto plates.

“All right! Next order is for some loin, skirt steak, and… hm?”

Pig’s feet?

Ridiculous. There’s no way that’s coming from the beef we’ve been serving!

How in the otherworldly dimensions did that get on the menu?

“Coming right up! One order of pig’s feet!!!”

Whoa?!

Wait a second, when did we get another chef running around the kitchen?

Is that... a square boar?!

How did it get in here?!

“Lord Saint! There’s no time for daydreaming! We’ve got pork belly, pork loin, pork jowl—we can crank it all out, just say the word!”

“Wait a darn minute.”

You can’t just say that and expect me not to be confused!

What in the world is happening here?!

A wild boar has busted into our joint and started serving pork?!

This situation has gone beyond confusing.

I don’t even know where to begin to retort!

“We, the Square Boar, take pride in our meat! We won’t lose to mere beef! So, Lord Saint, grant us this chance to prove ourselves!”

What do you mean, “chance”?! You’re already serving pork!

These horned boars, originally the farm’s main protein source, have reincarnated so many times that they’ve leveled up their souls. They’ve reached elder beast status, with intelligence on par with humans.

They resurrect as soon as they’re slaughtered and casually offer up their own meat as if it’s the most normal thing in the world.

It’s freaky.

And to be clear—this guy is technically a boar, not a pig!

...Okay, I finally got all that out of my system.

“And sneaking into the kitchen while I wasn’t looking? Really?”

“I washed my limbs.”

“That’s not the issue here!!!”

I mean, it is kind of an issue…

Are you sure you’re clean? No fleas hiding in that fur?

Oh, right, you’re a spirit beast, so your fur doesn’t shed.

Well… I guess that’s fine...?!

“So, let me get this straight: there’s pork and beef being served at the tables right now?”

Actually…

Our Square Boar meat is raised on the farm and honed through countless reincarnations.

It’s probably the best pork in the world.

I’m confident it can go toe-to-toe with Minotaur beef in terms of taste.

The diners probably wouldn’t even notice the difference.

But that doesn’t mean you can just go adding things to the menu without asking the chef first!

“Lord Saint, it’s far too late for that now, isn’t it?”

“What?!”

The horned boar smirks.

What’s going on?!

“Why don’t you go see for yourself?”

You sneaky little pig, playing all mysterious and cryptic...

Fine, I’ll check it out. I’ll head over to where Platy and the others are sitting.

What in the world is happening over there?!

Guess I’ll find out!!!

“Hey! Stop grilling things that aren’t meat!”

“Pipe down! You need to eat your vegetables too!”

Platy and Veil are bickering again.

What were they arguing over, you ask? Well, it’s all happening over the grill we’d set up for our barbecue…

A cabbage has appeared.

“Ah! Master! You’ve gotta hear this! She’s trying to grill veggies without even asking!!!”

“You can’t just eat meat all the time! A balanced diet is key to healthy growth! You need a variety of nutrients!”

Grilled vegetables…! 

Our grill is now home to an uninvited lineup of cabbage, pumpkin, red and yellow peppers, eggplant, corn, shiitake mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms.

A colorful array, vibrant to the eye.

Well, we are on a farm.

Getting vegetables is as easy as plucking them from the ground.

“Junior and Norito are eating too, so I figured some veggies would be good for them. I just grabbed a few from the nearby field.”

Straight from the source.

Farm life at its finest!

“Vegetables are essential for a child’s growth! Lady Platy’s actions should be praised!” 

“That’s right, that’s right!”

Mrs. Astres, Puffer, and the moms, led by Platy, are rallying behind her. 

Mothers, always thinking of the children!

“Come on, Master, back me up! Tell her we don’t need vegetables!!!”

Oh, Veil...

You’re asking me, a farmer, to say that...?!

But I knew it all along.

Deep down, I knew something was missing from our barbecue. 

It was vegetables.

After all, I’ve been living on this farm, day in and day out, pouring my heart and soul into growing these vegetables.

And yet, despite all those years of dedication, why did I stubbornly refuse to add vegetables to my barbecue?

I mean, everyone has dreamed at least once, haven’t they? 

Of indulging in nothing but meat, without worrying about appearances or tradition.

That fantasy kept me from adding vegetables to our barbecue!!!

“Kalbi, kalbiiii.” 

“No, Norito! Veggies first!”

Platy’s really grown into her role as a mom.

Of course, this is her third kid, so it’s no surprise.

Yeah, I guess veggies do belong at a barbecue.

I’ve been enlightened.

But that doesn’t mean I’m ready to let pork steal the spotlight!!!

“You’re still missing the point, Lord Saint.”

And here comes the horned boar.

What’s with the bold attitude today?

“Do you really think the only outsider at this barbecue is the vegetables?” 

“Pork’s here too, isn’t it?” 

“That’s not it! Please look over there at what’s grilling now!”

Over there? 

That’s where the dads are hanging out...

What the—?!

They’re grilling shrimp?! Crabs?! Squid?! And even shellfish?! 

The freshest seafood is dancing on their grilllllllllll!

“Oh, Lord Saint! Care for a bite?”

That’s… Mermaid King Arowana!

“I didn’t want to always be on the receiving end, so I brought some seafood as a gift! Only the finest selections from the Mermaid Kingdom!”

“Ahem, ahem!”

Even Nagus is getting excited.

Veggies are fine! Pork is fine! 

But now seafood’s in the mix? This isn’t just a barbecue anymore…

Once the boundaries of a barbecue blur, what do you get? 

A cookout!

A chaotic, no-holds-barred grilling session, the hallmark of any good home gathering. 

That’s right—it’s no longer a barbecue. This is a full-on cookout!

Was the ultimate form of yakiniku always destined to be a cookout...?!

“Well, if this is where it’s going, I’m jumping innnnnnnnnn!!!”

Swap out the grill for a griddle! 

I’m making yakisoba!!!

Nothing rounds off a cookout like fried noodles! 

But not just any fried noodles—salted seafood yakisoba, with the aroma of the oceannnnn!!!

...And so, the barbecue spirals off in a direction I never intended and comes to a close.

But I suppose that’s what family is all about. 

Nothing ever goes exactly as planned when you’re not the only one in the picture.

At least the main goal was achieved—our wives got plenty of protein and energy. So, all in all, I’d call it a win.