Chapter 698.2 : Extras 17 & 18

Extra 17 - Postcard Side Story (Rejected Version) ‘The Art of Red and White’

Translator: Jay_Forestieri

Editor: Tseirp

“Did you know, Abel? Humans live by meat, and die by meat.”

“Nope, never heard that.”

Ryo spoke passionately, while Abel brushed it off lightly.

The two were currently preparing to cross the mountains. Before that, they had been procuring meat as portable rations. Their bags were already stuffed full of jerky, and each of them was carrying extra meat that would not fit inside.

“ ‘Meat is art. The art of red and white’ ...Don’t you think those are wonderful words?”

“What do you mean by red and white?”

“Lean meat and marbling. Even lean meat alone already feels very meat-like! But when the balance between the two is perfect, it becomes art.”

“I see. I didn’t know that. Never heard of those words before either.”

“Please do remember them. If you say that to a gourmet, the way they look at you should change.”

“Hm. By the way, are those words from some famous person?”

“I just came up with them right now, you know?”

“Hey...”

Meat is delicious.

Delicious things are justice.

Therefore, meat is justice. Proof complete.

Extra 18 - Postcard Side Story (Rejected Version) ‘The Hopeless Knight’

Translator: Jay_Forestieri

Editor: Tseirp

“Abel, the job I was hired for was the one where I was supposed to track down a hopeless knight member, right?”

“The phrasing ‘hopeless knight member’ is a bit much, but... yes, that’s right.”

“But what we ended up doing was a job where we got attacked by dangerous infiltrators.”

“Yeah, well, and then we beat them back.”

In front of Ryo and Abel lay four adventurer-looking people who had attacked them, only to be counterattacked and knocked unconscious.

“I think this is a breach of contract.”

“A breach of contract?”

“We ended up doing work outside the scope of the contract, so there should be an additional fee apart from the advance payment. Accordingly, the alchemy tool we just confiscated... I am not saying to give it to me. I was just wondering if I could have a quick look at it.”

“Oh... can you tell anything just by looking at it?”

“Probably not.”

“Hey...”

Abel must have had some expectations.

When Ryo answered that he did not know, Abel frowned.

“Abel, the summit of alchemy lies far away. There is no way someone like me, who has only just begun learning, could possibly understand it so easily!”

“You are oddly humble and yet boastful, you know that?”

“Well, I suppose so.”

“I was not complimenting you.”

After saying that, Abel handed over a small box-shaped alchemy tool.

Ryo accepted it and looked at it with delight. He turned it over... looked at it as it was... lifted it up and peered at it from below.

Carefully, thoroughly, and with great relish.

“Thank you very much.”

“How is it? Figure anything out?”

“Yes. As expected, I did not understand a thing.”

“I see. As expected, huh.”

The summit of alchemy was indeed, e-x-p-e-c-t-e-d-l-y, far, far above him.

“It must be a communication device. Or maybe it just sends messages.”

“You do know a thing or two.”

“In cases like this, that is usually how it goes.”

“How it goes...”

Also known as meta-deduction.

“If you just say something that sounds plausible, you can get it right pretty often.”

“Yeah. From now on, I should probably stop believing anything Ryo says.”

“Abel, those who believe shall be saved, you know? You should trust me.”

“I wonder why guys who say, ‘Trust me’, are the least trustworthy ones...”

“Abel’s personality is so twisted...”

“Ain’t that rich, coming from Ryo, of all people!”

In the end, is it just me, or are Ryo and Abel really two of a kind...