5 hours later, in the Dry Valley.
"'Flesh-sucking Red Bug'?" Menchi took out a recorder, placed it near Buhara's mouth, and pressed the record button.
Buhara sat on the ground, using a toothpick as thick as a stick to pick his teeth, while rubbing his full belly.
"It's alright. At first, the bursting sensation might feel weird, but once you get used to it, it's like biting into juicy fruit."
"On a scale from A to E, what grade would you give it?" Menchi asked. "It needs to be authentic, but also something humans can accept. We want it to be popular."
"Hmm... C-grade, I think," Buhara replied, licking his lips. "My Gluttony tells me it's very nutritious, but the taste is a bit too unique."
"Remember those sandworms we ate before? You didn't need to cook or season them; they were delicious right out of the ground. The 'Flesh-sucking Red Bug' doesn't taste quite as good."
Menchi also tasted the cooked bug meat and nodded, agreeing with Buhara's assessment.
"It's not as good as the sandworms, but maybe it's because of the way it's cooked or the seasoning. There's room for improvement. I'll try it again when I get the chance."
She then asked, "What about the 'Poison Mist Centipede'?"
"E-grade," Buhara responded quickly. "If you have nothing else to eat, sure, but I wouldn't recommend it. It's dry, sour, and hard to swallow."
This time, Menchi didn't bother tasting it: "I thought it would taste like shrimp or crab... Alright, what about the 'Wind Ripple Moth'?"
"The body is E-grade, but its eggs are C-grade. You can eat them after cooking." Buhara thought for a moment and added, "But compared to the 'Flesh-sucking Red Bug,' the eggs aren't quite as good."
"Got it." Menchi nodded. "Next, the Hammer Mushroom."
"This one's B-grade." Buhara still seemed unsatisfied. "It tastes like tofu. With the right seasoning, it could be a great dish. Plus, it really fills you up."
"B-grade..." Menchi tried the stewed 'Hammer Mushroom' herself and nodded in approval.
"This could be one of our staple foods. Let's add it to the recipe."
Meanwhile, Bisky sat on a blanket, pretending not to hear the strange conversation between Menchi and Buhara.
However, the pile of corpses behind them was like something out of a nightmare, truly unforgettable.
As for the inedible creatures, Buhara, thanks to his Gluttony, could vomit them out without any harm to his body.
In front of her was a pot Buhara had brought over. Firewood burned underneath, and something delicious was being stewed inside.
Hearing the water boiling, Germain approached and lifted the lid. Steam rose, revealing several eggs as large as ostrich eggs.
Not all creatures from the Dark Continent were unfamiliar. For example, the eggs in the pot came from the 'Grape Spider,' which Menchi and Buhara knew well.
The "Grape Spiders" here are much larger than usual, so their eggs are bigger as well.
Both the "Wind Wave Moth" and "Grape Spider" make their homes on a nearby cliff. The spider's eggs rest on webs high above, while the moth's eggs are hidden in caves below. The two species live in peace, never interfering with each other.
Recently, Germain discovered these eggs. He brought a few back and even managed to kill a large "Grape Spider," which impressed Menchi and Buhara.
After studying the spider, the two gourmet hunters concluded that it wasn't the same "Grape Spider" found on the Six Continents, but a close relative. For now, they simply called it the "Grape Spider."
At this moment, Germain reached out and grabbed a still-hot "boiled grape spider egg" and handed it to Bisky. Because he had wrapped his hands with a thin layer of Nen, he didn't feel the heat.
"Bisky, have one. You didn't eat much today," he offered.
"Thanks," Bisky replied, taking the egg with both hands. She cracked the shell, revealing the smooth egg white. Hungry, she started eating the "grape spider egg" in small bites.
Bisky had eaten "grape spider eggs" before, so she was comfortable with the taste of these closely related ones. She savored each bite and soon showed a satisfied expression.
"This... this is familiar. Delicious! The egg white and yolk taste just as good as the ones I've had before."
Are we really identifying species based on taste alone?
Seeing that Bisky was genuinely enjoying the egg, Germain cracked open one for himself, removed his bird-beak mask, and began eating.
The taste was unique, different from ordinary boiled eggs. He quickly came to the same conclusion as Bisky.
No wonder "Grape Spider Eggs" from the Six Continents are so valuable. The ones here are even larger and more satisfying.
As he calmly ate the egg, he noticed Bisky had stopped and was now staring at him with narrowed eyes, a dangerous look in them.
"What's going on?" Bisky asked.
"Hey, Germain, did you wait until I tried the 'Grape Spider Eggs' before deciding to eat them? I was just wondering why you suddenly became so polite..." Bisky teased.
Germain didn't respond and continued eating the "Grape Spider Eggs" quietly.
Bisky was about to follow him when Menchi interrupted.
"By the way, the 'Windwave Moth Egg' is rated C, just one level below the B-grade 'Grape Spider Egg.' Want to try it? They're all eggs, after all."
Bisky shook her head, waving her hands. "No, no, no. I'm full after eating two 'Grape Spider Eggs.' Germain, you seem to have a good appetite. Why not try it?"
She expected Germain to refuse, but to her surprise, he nodded after finishing the 'Grape Spider Egg.'
"Sure, let me try it," Germain said.
He stood up and walked over to Menchi and Buhara, leaving Bisky stunned.
Bisky then watched as Germain actually tasted the cooked 'Windwave Moth Eggs.'
"How is it?" Menchi asked, holding a recorder to Germain's mouth. "I want to hear what a regular person thinks, not just a gourmet."
"They're okay," Germain replied calmly. "As long as people don't know where they come from, we could probably sell it as food."
"I see," Menchi said thoughtfully. She then picked up a 'Grape Spider Eyeball' and handed it to him. "You've tried the eggs; now try the eyeball."
Germain hesitated, holding the eyeball with a slight frown, but eventually took a bite.
As soon as he bit into it, juice burst out.
"It tastes awful," Germain said, spitting it out. He quickly took the water Buhara handed him and rinsed his mouth.
Menchi nodded again. "Got it."
Bisky watched the three of them with a horrified expression, thinking, "Am I just not weird enough to fit in with you guys?"
********
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