Malophagist (惡食家)
Deep within the Latulle cave, the Street of Silence lay shrouded in utter stillness. Amid the thick veil of profound darkness, a massive galleon floated upon the hidden underground lake.
The ship, anchored motionless on the subterranean lake for untold ages, was illuminated by torches around its perimeter, yet the vast, black expanse of the unfathomable depths still brimmed with desolation and profound quietude.
In a spacious chamber bathed in the soft glow of a small lantern, a heavy atmosphere hung in the air, with a large round table positioned at its center.
Seated around the table were three figures, savoring their meal.
In deference to the chamber's owner's desire to focus solely on the flavors of the food, thick curtains blocked out any light despite its location deep in the cave, leaving only the faint flicker of the lantern to illuminate the room.
The round table, crafted from wood, appeared weathered by the passage of countless years, and upon it lay an array of dishes infused with peculiar aromas.
First, there was the corpulent man known to the other two as Groi, leaning against one side of the table. He possessed an enormous bulk, his skin glistening with sweat, and his broad face featured small eyes that darted busily over the tabletop.
Before him sat a large platter holding the dish called "Thousand Legs" a colossal centipede preparation.
Far larger than ordinary specimens, the centipede had been segmented into chunks of two or three sections each, its innumerable legs evoking the illusion of still twitching.
Groi speared a segment with his fork, lifted it, and popped it into his mouth, beginning to chew. His cheeks bulged, and the crunching sound of the centipede's body being crushed echoed.
"Mmm... This texture is always so... peculiar."
Groi spoke with his mouth open. Oil smeared his lips, and he casually wiped it away with the back of his hand.
"Ahh~ This Thousand Legs is the best no matter when I eat it. I bet you can't get centipedes of this caliber anywhere else."
Groi reached out, spearing more segments with his fork and pulling them toward him as he continued.
On the opposite side of the table sat another figure, Arina. Tall and slender with elongated limbs, she wore a deep gray garment, and beneath her thick eyelids protruded unnaturally large eyes.
She gazed at the dish before her with a faint smile. On her plate lay a transparent green slime jelly, fried cockatrice foot skins with a yellowish hue, and atop it all, a sauce made from minced venomous spider flesh mixed with its own poison, dripping down.
"Oooh~ Mmm. This is truly... magnificent."
Humming a tune-like exclamation, she scooped up the slime jelly with her spoon and spoke. The jelly appeared translucent and soft, as if emitting a subtle glow.
Bringing the spoon to her lips, she placed the jelly in her mouth and chewed slowly, savoring its subtle texture and flavor.
"As expected, when it comes to poisonous cuisine, Latulle reigns supreme. The ingredients themselves are on another level."
She then bit into the fried cockatrice foot skin, the crisp shattering sound resonating.
The final figure seated was an elderly man with ashen skin and deep wrinkles, named Muidoc.
Warts dotted his forehead, nose, and cheeks, lending him an unpleasant appearance, yet he exuded an air of solemn reverence. His attire consisted of black, worn fabric, dusted with pale grime in various spots.
With graceful, deliberate movements, Muidoc lifted a centipede segment on his fork, carefully sliced it with his knife, and placed it in his mouth.
"The flavor is exquisite. You've employed a skilled chef, Arina."
Muidoc spoke slowly.
"Is that so? A few of these are products of my own professional touch. Come to think of it, the next gathering is your turn, isn't it, Muidoc? Hmm~ I wonder what delights you'll grace us with~?"
"Well, for the next meeting, I have some undead sheep marrow that's been aging for quite some time. I'll let you taste it. It's one of my favorites."
Groi and Arina exchanged glances and smiles, and Arina propped her chin on her hand, murmuring softly.
"Undead sheep marrow, huh... An intriguing dish. It'll make the long journey to Ixtarn worthwhile. I'm looking forward to it, Muidoc."
"Kuhuhuhu. If you can endure the odor, I'll prepare some undead sheep entrails as well."
The chamber's ambiance was dim and serene. The three continued their quiet conversation while savoring their food, as increasingly bizarre dishes ascended to the table.
The crunching of centipede shells being chewed. The crisp snap of fried morsels and the scraping of forks and knives against plates punctuated the room's silence.
These three were all Malophagists.
「Malophagists are those who believe that consuming grotesque and abhorrent ingredients benefits both body and mind, often indulging in foods beyond ordinary imagination.
They pursue powers unattainable through common fare and flavors inaccessible via mundane meals, convinced that the more reviled the ingredient by others, the greater its value.
The origins of Malophagists trace back to ancient documents unearthed in labyrinths. According to lore passed among them, the gods of the world ensured that precious substances would not be easily consumed by mortals, bestowing hideous forms or challenging means of ingestion upon them. For instance, creatures bearing specific poisons or those with repulsive appearances are believed to harbor the most valuable and potent nutrients and vital essences concealed within.
In essence, the uglier to the eye, the more unbearable to the nose, and the harder to chew and swallow, the more radiant its worth.
They do not merely eat repulsive foods; they explore the transcendental experiences derived from them. Viewing the ingredients they consume as having passed through sacred ordeals, they are convinced that this process fortifies not only the body but the spirit as well. What Malophagists seek is not mere gastronomy, but a form of ritual akin to ascetic practice.」
As their meal ripened to a certain point, the chamber fell into an eerie hush, broken only by the sounds of each enjoying their peculiar dishes.
Thousand Legs, slime jelly, fried cockatrice foot skins, a stew of vegetables and meat fried in bat wings, a stir-fry composed solely of small lizard heads mixed with other ingredients—grotesque cuisines filled the table.
Groi's heavy breathing shattered the chamber's silence as he heaped several lizard heads onto a large spoon and shoved them into his mouth, beginning to chew.
Observing Groi, Arina smiled and opened her mouth.
"Do you remember, Groi? That time you stubbornly insisted on eating a Lagon egg."
"Ah, that incident? The Lagon egg... Ugh, just thinking about it gives me chills. The suffering I endured after swallowing that egg..."
Groi nodded slowly while chewing the lizard heads in his mouth.
"I remember the moment you cracked that precious egg, the room filled with the stench of blood. And your pallid face and expression back then, Groi."
Groi, recalling the scene at Arina's words, let out a wry smile.
"Ha... That smell was truly horrific. It feels like it's still lingering in my nostrils. But that flavor—I can never forget it."
"However, to taste it again, it'll require not just money but luck as well. These days, Lagon eggs command exorbitant prices, and the eggs themselves are hard to come by."
Arina spoke with a laugh-tinged tone, scooping up the slime jelly before her. The jelly seemed to writhe as if alive.
"That flavor..."
Groi swallowed audibly and responded.
"To experience that flavor again, I'd gladly wager my lifetime's fortune—not just money."
At that moment, Muidoc, who had been listening to their exchange, slowly set down his spoon and added with a placid smile.
"A Lagon egg, eh... Quite a perilous delicacy. No poison, but among those who consume them, some die for inexplicable reasons. You're quite fortunate, Groi."
"But if it's Groi, he'd eat another Lagon egg, wouldn't he?"
Arina nodded with a smile.
"The world brims with ingredients beyond imagination's grasp. A Lagon egg is but a minor fraction."
Groi shoveled another spoonful of the lizard head stir-fry into his mouth and said.
"Indeed, delicious things—especially rarities like these—are worth risking one's life for."
"So, how was the venomous spider sauce this time? When I taste this sauce, the poison coursing through my veins feels like my body is being reborn anew."
"Well then. Since you mentioned it, shall I sample it once more?"
Groi showed interest in Arina's words and picked up a fried cockatrice foot skin smeared with the thick venomous spider sauce.
"Taste it again, and the result will always be utter satisfaction. And I prepared it myself, you know. In Latulle, no one handles poison cuisine better than I."
The conversation flowed on, and the meal intensified.
As they shared their tales and relished the food, suddenly Groi's hand froze. His face contorted, and a small groan escaped his lips.
"What is this?"
With uneasy eyes, Groi extracted a round, candy-like object he had been chewing from his mouth and held it up between his fingers.
"It's the eye of a Glare Frog. I've detoxified it multiple times, so you can relax, Groi."
Arina smiled and scooped a spoonful of the dish containing Glare Frog eyes into her own mouth.
Despite Arina's reassurance, Groi immediately spat out what was in his mouth onto the floor. However, his face grew increasingly pallid, and clutching the collar of his shirt at his chest, he began to gasp for breath.
"Huff~ Huff... Are you sure it's detoxified?"
Groi gasped more heavily, staring at Arina as he asked.
"I just ate one myself. It was soaked in antidote several times, so don't worry."
Having finished speaking, Arina stuck out her tongue to show Groi the Glare Frog eye.
"Sometimes, ordinary antidotes don't take effect on certain ones."
Muidoc slowly set down the fork in his hand and regarded Groi as he spoke.
"Glare Frog eyes have a sweet flavor, making them excellent for cooking. Arina did well with the detoxification, but... occasionally, like the one Groi ate today, some retain their poison even after soaking in antidote."
"Uuugh..."
"But fear not. I have a potent antidote precisely for such occasions."
Muidoc extended his wrinkled hand, retrieving an opaque small vial from his bag and placing it on the table.
"This is a very special elixir. It can neutralize any poison. Of course, it comes with a price."
"A price? I'll pay it in your stead. Since I prepared the meal. What do you want, Muidoc?"
Arina furrowed her brow, gazing steadily at the vial on the table.
"A price? Yes... Among us, everything requires compensation."
Muidoc smiled leisurely and continued.
"If you two are true Malophagists, I believe you'll readily accept my proposal. In exchange for this elixir, the three of us will jointly procure a new ingredient, prepare it, and dine upon it together. What that ingredient will be, I'll reveal after we've saved Groi."
"If I survive, I'll accept that proposal, Muidoc."
Groi nodded, gasping for breath.
"No need to fear excessively; I'll save your life, Groi."
Muidoc uncorked the glass vial and dripped a few drops into Groi's mouth.
Shortly after, the pallor faded from Groi's face bit by bit, and his breathing steadied once more. He closed his eyes and smiled languidly.
"That was truly perilous this time..."
"So? What's the ingredient?"
Arina asked, looking at Muidoc.
"Huhu huhu. You'll be astonished upon hearing it. It's a realm no Malophagist has ever tread before."