#1025 Dark Red Jewel

Beef, acquired.

After a bit of an adventure where things looked bleak, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve secured the finest beef imaginable.

And not just any beef—this stuff is frozen to perfection, meaning it’ll last for ages.

Everything I need is now in my hands.

It’s time to fire up the grill and throw the ultimate yakiniku party!

“...Or not. Something’s still missing.”

There’s one crucial thing I overlooked for this epic barbecue.

When it comes to grilling, the meat has to be cooked.

And to cook, you need fire.

I haven’t sorted out the fire yet.

Since I’ve gone all out on getting this rare meat, I should really be particular about the fire, too.

And that’s when it hits me—charcoal.

You know those high-end yakiniku joints? They always use charcoal fire, right?

In fact, that’s what often sets the fancy places apart from the ordinary ones.

From what I’ve heard, cooking with charcoal releases way more infrared heat, ensuring the meat cooks evenly all the way through.

Plus, it adds that unique smoky aroma, giving the meat a richer flavor.

Now, sure, whether to grill with charcoal or gas is a matter of personal preference, but there’s one reason I’m going with charcoal!

“It just feels more legit!!!”

And that’s the end of it.

I’m the kind of guy who’s all about doing things the proper way, even if it’s just for show.

So, charcoal it is!

But… how do you even make charcoal?

Yeah, I’m kinda fuzzy on the details.

Charcoal comes from wood.

And if you just burn wood, you get ash.

So, I think you need to limit the oxygen to get that incomplete combustion that turns it into charcoal?

Well, whatever, let’s give it a shot.

After a triumphant return from the Minotaur tribe, who couldn’t thank me enough, I got straight to work on making charcoal at the farm.

“Hey, so… I’m thinking of making some charcoal. What do you guys think?”

“What are you talking about, Lord Saint?”

I figured I’d consult the elves, who seem to know about this sort of thing, but they just looked at me like I was stupid.

“We make charcoal all the time, don’t we? We’ve got enough stockpiled to last forever.”

“Oh.”

Right...!

I totally forgot that our farm’s been producing charcoal for ages!!!

Since the early days of the farm, in fact.

Back then, charcoal production was a matter of survival, keeping us warm through those brutal winters. The elves worked tirelessly to keep the fires going because, back then, cold meant death.

Ah, those were the days.

Everything seems so nostalgic now.

Wait, did I seriously forget about all that until just now?

It’s funny how some things from the farm’s history can slip your mind completely.

...I’ve come a long way, haven’t I?

That’s the mood I’m in.

But there’s no time to dwell on that.

“Since we started mining coal from the dungeon, we haven’t needed charcoal for heating.”

Aileron, the leader of the elves, is clearly not thrilled.

According to her, once the farm’s heating system was sorted out, charcoal consumption plummeted.

Yet, it had been their top production priority.

The elves were left with a mountain of unsold charcoal…

“We’ve been burning through our stockpile every winter, using it in braziers to slowly whittle it down, but…”

“Oh, wow, I’m so sorry…”

I had no idea all this was going on behind the scenes.

“And to think, it’s been years since that harsh winter… Could it be a decade?”

“What do you think?”

“We thought we’d finally use it all up after so much time. But then, the unthinkable happened!”

“Huh? What happened?”

“You remember when we made contact with those other elves, right?”

Ah, you mean L4C and the Elf Monarch.

These were the elves living deep in the forest outside the farm, and after some initial misunderstandings, we eventually formed a bond.

“Well, they started sending us charcoal… regularly…!!!”

“Oh no.”

“Charcoal is basically a consumable, right? You can never have too much—or so they thought. So, they kept sending it, without holding back…!!!”

Apparently, making charcoal is almost a hobby for the elves, and for those who live in harmony with the forest, it’s their last and only defense against the deadly cold of winter.

And because L4C and the Elf Monarch seem to hold Aileron in high regard, they’ve been trying to win her favor by sending even more charcoal.

As a result, the stockpile that was finally dwindling has now ballooned again to the point where it’s overflowing from our storage.

Terrifying.

“...Both of them are High Elves, way above me, so I can’t exactly tell them to stop...! And now we’re buried in the stuff...!”

It seems Aileron’s situation is just as dire as Veil’s was with her mountain of gonkotsu broth?!

And here I was, clueless, off chasing after the finest beef in the world.

I’m the worst farm owner ever, letting my residents suffer like this!

“Don’t worry, Aileron! I’ve got a foolproof plan to burn through all that charcoal! If you accept my proposal, that charcoal will be ash before you know it!”

“Rrrrrreally?”

Uh-oh, seems like Aileron’s faith in me is hanging by a thread.

But this is the perfect moment! My brilliant idea to have yakiniku over charcoal is the exact solution to Aileron’s dilemma—it’s a match made in heaven!

“Cooking? Can’t you just use firewood like normal people?”

You don’t get it.

Aileron, you really don’t get it.

Where I come from, charcoal is on a whole different level. Sure, it might not seem that different from gas, but it’s a whole other beast when you compare it to firewood.

Time to pitch this to Aileron.

“First off… charcoal doesn’t release moisture!!!”

Yeah, people say that about gas, too… but here’s the thing.

Firewood still has moisture in it.

Trees are basically giant sponges, after all.

That’s why you can’t just chop down a tree and toss it into the fire. You have to let it dry out for ages.

Even then, some moisture sticks around, turning into steam when it burns and soaking your food in the process.

Boiling or stewing is fine, but when you’re grilling and need to keep things dry? That’s when it becomes a problem.

But charcoal is different. The wood’s been dried out and then burned to a crisp, leaving no moisture behind!

You can say goodbye to the steam issue!

“Next up, the beauty of charcoal… no smoke!”

Okay, okay, maybe not no smoke...

But it’s way less than firewood.

Burn anything, and you’ll get smoke. And smoke brings smell, sometimes even soot.

Sure, you can make some tasty smoked food that way, but if you want to keep the flavor clean and pure, charcoal’s your best friend!

There’s a reason people use charcoal for yakiniku.

It’s because grilling is kind of the most delicate cooking method when it comes to fire.

“Hmm… interesting.”

As expected, Aileron, who’s practically a pro at grilling pottery every day, is hooked.

Time to seal the deal with a live demonstration!

I was saving this for my wife, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I’ll dip into my own stash to help these charcoal-burdened elves.

I take a chunk of frozen Minotaur beef, slice it up, and get grilling over the charcoal.

Making a wire grill was a piece of cake.

Another win for charcoal—it works perfectly with a wire grill!

You’re cooking with infrared heat, so there’s no need to worry about burning it on an open flame.

The fat just drips right off!

“All right, it’s done! Give it a try!!!”

“Oh, uh… okay…?!”

Aileron takes a bite of the roast.

Who would’ve thought she’d be the first to taste yakiniku on the farm?

“This is… GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!”

Nailed it.

“The meat! It’s melting in my mouth! How is this even possible?! Is this what meat is supposed to feel like?! Am I really eating meat right nowwwwwww?!”

Yakiniku success, confirmed.

Now, the final goal—serve this deliciousness to the ladies.

The grand otherworldly yakiniku plan is coming to its climax.

“…But how’s this different from grilling on an iron plate?”

“Aileron, why’d you have to ask that?!”

Don’t doubt it! Just believe!

Believe in the power of charcoal!

Charcoal will solve everything!