His first sales day had been a success, but he couldn't afford to rest on his laurels. Today, he had returning customers to think about—people who had tasted his food and wanted more.
That meant more preparation, more foraging, and more work.
Ken rose before the sun, determined to check his pitfall traps while the air was still cool and the world quiet. He took the narrow path toward the deeper woods, stopping only briefly to check his fish traps and pull out nine more fat river fish, which he packed into his satchel.
He kept five for today's meals, setting aside four for preservation. He packed them in damp moss, sprinkled lightly with crushed salt from his dwindling reserves. I'll need to make more salt tomorrow, he noted mentally.
Before heading home, Ken visited two of the pitfall traps he had dug the day before. The first had caved in slightly and had signs of something large. Paw prints—clawed and deep—led to the edge. No catch, but a good sign that the area was active.
When he reached the second trap, he froze.
The leaves and branches above the pit were scattered, and from inside came low, pained grunts.
Ken crept forward and peered in. A wild boar, tusks cracked and thick with mud, thrashed weakly at the base of the pit. Its leg was twisted—clearly broken from the fall—but it was alive, and more importantly, it was big.
Ken exhaled. This… this is meat for days.
With a sharpened wooden spear he had prepared weeks ago, he moved quickly and ended the beast's suffering. It took nearly an hour to drag it out of the pit and haul it home.
[Basic Trapping EXP +10% → 67%]
At the cottage, his father whistled low. "Boar, huh? That's no easy catch."
Ken grinned. "Fell into one of the traps I set by the stream."
With his father's help, he cleaned, skinned, and butchered the animal on a broad flat slab behind the house. It was slow work, but Ken focused intently—trimming the fat, slicing clean cuts from the haunches, and carefully preserving the liver, heart, and tenderloins.
[Butchering EXP +20% → 50%]
[Meal Preservation EXP +5% → 46%]
By midmorning, Ken loaded up his gear and began preparing for his market stand. He laid out his Day 4 menu, heart pounding with anticipation.
Market Day 4 Menu (Boar Edition):
Grilled River Fish Wraps – Qty: 5
– Fish fillet, herb oil, and mint in soft flatbread
Spiced Boar & Onion Wraps – Qty: 5
– Slow-roasted boar slices, sautéed wild onions, and crushed crownroot
Sweetgrass & Boar Fat Cakes – Qty: 5
– A reworked version of the root cake, using boar fat for extra richness
As always, he wrapped each item in clean mint leaves or bark sheets, tying them with twine and loading them carefully into his food crate. He made his way to the village and set up on his usual corner—just in time for the mid-morning bustle.
It didn't take long.
The scent of roasting boar drifted across the square like a siren's call.
"Is that pork?" one man asked, eyes wide.
"Wild boar," Ken said, flipping a thick slice over his fire pit.
The line grew. By dinnertime, he had completely sold out. Two customers begged him to bring back the boar dish next time, and several others walked away disappointed that they had arrived too late.
[Sales Milestone: Wild Meat Debut]
+15 EXP | Ken EXP: 80/80 → Level Up to 5!
Unspent Attribute Points: 10
[Seasoning Sense EXP +4% → 71%]
[Fire Control EXP +4% → 92%]
[Food Packaging EXP +5% → 55%]
That evening, after cleaning up and packing the unsold wrappers for reuse, Ken returned home with two boar ribs tucked under his arm for family dinner. As they sat around the fire enjoying the tender meat, he turned to his father.
"Would you take me out tomorrow?" Ken asked, eyes focused. "Hunting, I mean. With a bow. I want to learn how to do it right."
His father raised an eyebrow, but a proud smile played at the corners of his lips. "You sure? Hunting's not like trapping. It's quiet, slow, and messy if you don't hit right."
"I'm sure," Ken said. "If I'm going to make this work, I need to do more than just cook. I need to provide."
His father nodded slowly. "All right then. We head out at first light."
KEN — STATUS (End of Chapter 14)
Level: 5
EXP: 0/100
Unspent Attribute Points: 10
SKILLS UNLOCKED:
Ingredient Prep (Lv. 2 – 0%)
Fire Control (Lv. 1 – 92%)
Seasoning Sense (Lv. 1 – 71%)
Ingredient Identification (Lv. 1 – 70%)
Basic Gardening (Lv. 1 – 38%)
Basic Trapping (Lv. 1 – 67%)
Butchering (Lv. 1 – 50%)
Meal Preservation (Lv. 1 – 46%)
Food Packaging (Lv. 1 – 55%)
Clay Crafting (Lv. 1 – 4%)
Ken stared into the fire, ribs in his hands, the lingering taste of wild game on his tongue. A full day of prep. A full sellout. A step closer to something lasting.
Tomorrow, he would pick up a bow.
And learn to hunt.
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