The venison was cleaned, and Kikyo, who seemed weak, easily carried the whole deer and strung it on a bamboo pole. She skillfully flipped the deer over, then took out a small pouch from her waist and evenly sprinkled the powder inside.
"This taste..."
As the spices were sprinkled down, Lida, a "gluttonous woman" who had practically eaten her way through the East Blue and the first half of the Grand Line, sniffed, closed her eyes, and said soothingly, "Such a gentle flavor, even though the aroma is so rich."
"Yes, this is a spice blend I made myself."
Kikyo smiled and said, "It won't mask the natural sweetness of the venison; on the contrary, it will blend with the aroma of the venison."
"Oh? You've never left this area before..."
Kuro twitched his nose and nodded approvingly, "To be able to blend such exquisite spices without any systematic training is truly impressive."
"What? You want me to go pee with you? And we need to find a place to cover ourselves?"
Kikyo was taken aback, and said with difficulty, "If it's for using the toilet, the nearby woods are fine, no lid is needed."
"..."
You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?!
Why did you answer Lida so well before?
"I'd be an idiot if I talked to you again!" Kuro glared at her fiercely.
“Mr. Kuro…”
Outside, Kro and several sailors returned carrying a few deer. "That's all we got so far."
Kuro turned his head and glanced at it, then nodded and said, "It's ready."
"Wow, so many deer!" A group of children excitedly circled around the navy.
"Hey, Navy uncle, are these all for us?" Susanoo asked Kuro excitedly, pointing at the deer.
"Don't misunderstand, we're just hungry and need a lot of food. It has nothing to do with you. If there's anything left, you can have it," Kuro said calmly.
"Eh...is that so?" Suzhan looked disappointed. "Uncle, are you really that stingy?"
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Ueto glared at Susanoo, then bowed to Kuro and said, "Thank you very much, Navy officer."
"It smells so good..." Kro sniffed, looking at the golden-brown roasted venison, its aroma filling the air, causing the navy members nearby to swallow hard.
It looks delicious.
Seeing this, Suzumiya proudly smiled and said, "Kikyo-neechan's cooking is delicious!"
He opened his arms wide and affirmed in an admiring tone, "It's the best-tasting food in the world!"
"alright."
Just then, Kikyo, keeping an eye on the heat, said, "It's ready to eat."
Upon hearing this, a group of children rushed over. One child reached out to touch the venison, then quickly pulled his hand back, exclaiming, "It's so hot!"
"I'll do it!"
Lida's hand exuded domineering power as she grabbed a deer leg and tore it off. As she tore it, the golden-brown roasted deer leg dripped with oil, which splattered onto the fire, making the flames even more intense.
She took the deer leg, thought for a moment, then tore it in half again and handed it to Kuro, saying, "Hey, Kuro, let's each have half."
"You guys eat first."
Kuro glanced at the drooling children and said, "I don't have much of an appetite right now."
"Eat first, Uncle Navy. Without you, we wouldn't be able to eat this deer."
Susanoo said to Kuro, "Kikyo-neechan's cooking is so delicious, so delicious that...so delicious that it makes me cry!"
"How delicious can a piece of grilled meat be? I don't believe it." Kuro rolled his eyes.
He didn't refuse, took the deer leg Lida handed him, took a bite, and chewed it.
With just one bite, Kuro's eyes glazed over, and he chewed mechanically. His nose twitched, and his eyes instantly reddened.
"So gentle!"
The sailors who had just received their food were eating when one of them cried out in tears, "She's so kind, she reminds me of my mother!"
"Waaaaah, I miss home!"
"Me too. My home is in the South China Sea, and I miss my mother's scolding..."
The sailors who got to eat the meat burst into tears.
The children, on the other hand, ate quietly after receiving their share of meat, but each of them wore a serene smile, as if carrying some kind of hope.
Kuro swallowed the food in his mouth and stared blankly at the deer leg in his hand.
That bite reminded me of scenes from my past life at home.
Having traveled through more than twenty years, his memories of his past life can only be described as 'vague'. Many times, Kuro has even forgotten the fact that he is a time traveler.
Only the occasional appearance of a few key figures and events made him realize his true identity.
But this meal...
The gentle thought brought back memories of her mother's nagging and her father's admonitions when she returned home years ago. The tenderness and warmth she felt as an adult were all captured in this venison.
It has a very gentle flavor.
"This woman..."
Kuro stared at Kikyo, who was smiling because everyone had eaten.
"They didn't drug you, did they?" Kuro raised an eyebrow, looking suspicious.
He almost cried from eating it.
"Nii...san..."
Lida stared blankly at the venison in her hand, completely lost in thought.
Kuro turned his head, saw Lida's expression, and asked in confusion, "Lida?"
"Ah, it's nothing..."
Lida shook her head subconsciously, took a big bite of the venison, and exclaimed excitedly, "Kuro, this venison is so delicious! Kikyo-neechan's cooking is really amazing!"
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