Chapter 114 – Wood Smoke and the Scent of Memories
Fourth day of rest.
Morning came without surprises. I woke up a little later than usual and only stretched briefly in my room. No big plans today and that felt nice. I spent the morning reading a book from the small shelf in the inn’s lounge. It was a travel journal of an elf adventurer exploring the northern mountains. The writing was light, poetic, and occasionally exaggerated... but entertaining.
In the afternoon, I sat on the inn’s balcony, sipping herbal tea while staring at the sky. That was it. No battles, no magic, no other undead groaning in the distance. Just me, a cup of tea, and the chirping of birds perched on the roof.
Fifth day.
This morning, I returned to the market, this time just to buy a few small supplies: hemp rope, clean cloth, and two glass jars. I also stopped by the herbal shop to find some spices for my bacon smoking later. I asked the vendor, an old witch with messy purple hair, if there were any herbs or spices that had a sweet, gentle flavor when smoked. She recommended a dried leaf called "sukrov" she said its aroma would seep into the fat and give a soft smoky-sweet flavor. I bought a small pouch. Apparently, smoking meat was common here, but no one seemed to know how to make bacon they only smoked meat to make jerky.
In the evening, I sat in the small kitchen of my inn room, observing my bacon hanging quietly in the curing area. Its color had deepened significantly a dark red with slightly glistening edges from the salt and natural oils. My gentle touch could feel the firm but pliable texture. Its aroma... truly tempting.
One or two more days, I thought. Then it would be time to smoke it.
Sixth day.
Today, I spent time cleaning and preparing the tools for smoking. In the inn’s backyard, I found a shady corner that was perfect for building a makeshift smoker. With the innkeeper’s permission, I arranged some stones to form a low fire pit, then made a rack out of wire and old wood to hang the bacon.
I wasn’t a professional smoker, but I remembered the basics from my previous life:
Low indirect heat.Low fire.Aromatic wood smoke, not open flames.