Gauss and Aria exchanged glances, seemingly oblivious to the odd look in her eyes. He lowered his head, his gaze intensely fixed on the enormous frog carcass.

"Perfect timing since we haven't eaten in a while," Gauss nodded to himself. "Rare to encounter edible magical ingredients like this... would be a waste not to process it..."

Aria instinctively took a deep breath as she looked down at the massive amphibian. Even in death, thick saliva still dripped from its gaping maw, sizzling as it landed on the weeds below. Wisps of white smoke rose where the viscous fluid touched vegetation, instantly corroding the leaves into blackened crisps.

This... was really something edible? She knew some parts of magical creatures could be consumed, but she'd never personally prepared any. A monster whose mere drool could burn through grass - could human stomachs really handle eating this? She felt apprehensive.

Yet before she could voice her concerns, Gauss had already sprung into action. Without hesitation, he drew his dagger from his waist. Seeing this, Aria swallowed her objections, not wanting to dampen his enthusiasm. Even if she probably wouldn't partake, she couldn't deny her curiosity.

Gauss carefully maneuvered the blade, avoiding the corrosive mucus as he made a precise vertical incision along the Rust Frog's belly, from jaw to tail. Then, using this central cut, he gradually peeled away the mottled gray-green skin. The process went surprisingly smoothly.

With the skin completely removed, the frog's tender pink flesh was revealed. Gauss retrieved his thick compendium "Complete Guide to Emerald Forest Ingredients" from his storage bag, flipping quickly to the Rust Frog entry.

The yellowed page showed an anatomical diagram - the broad flat head, stubby forelimbs, and massively developed hindquarters with bulging muscles - matching the skinned specimen before them perfectly.

"Hmm... must avoid the mucus glands and surrounding contaminated muscle tissue entirely," Gauss traced the red warning markers on the diagram. "As for the prime cuts... naturally the thigh meat. This is where we cut."

Positioning his dagger at the joint connecting the frog's powerful hindleg to its torso, Gauss noted the plump, pink muscle fibers visible through the pristine meat. The succulent flesh looked almost appetizing.

"Here goes!"

The blade descended cleanly along the joint, severing the entire meaty hindleg with surgical precision. Gauss hefted it in his hand - a single leg weighed at least six pounds. Two legs would yield over ten pounds. According to the book, after removing bones, inedible connective tissue, and residual skin, they could expect about 50% yield. Conservatively estimating, each frog would provide five pounds of clean thigh meat.

With twenty-five frogs before them... that meant roughly a hundred pounds of meat. Gauss inhaled sharply.

He hadn't decided whether to process all the carcasses yet. Though the book claimed the thigh meat was edible, practical testing was needed.

Aria and Ulfen approached. Ulfen licked his chops, only to have Aria silently restrain him with a hand on his muzzle. Meanwhile, Gauss squatted beside the frog legs, following the book's illustrated instructions.

His movements were initially clumsy as he carefully used the dagger tip to separate pink muscle bundles from the thick leg bone, placing the long, fibrous strands into a waiting bag. One strand, then another... the bag gradually filled with sturdy meat fibers.

As the process continued, Gauss' technique visibly improved - deboning, separating fascia, avoiding tiny blood vessels... Soon he worked with practiced ease, displaying near-professional skill.

The two legs yielded a substantial five pounds of meat, forming a small mound in the bag.

"For novice cooks attempting this ingredient for the first time, stewing is recommended..." Gauss murmured, scanning the listed ingredients: "Ginger, garlic, fruit wine, salt, dried herbs, thyme, bay leaves, potatoes, carrots."

After reviewing the preparation details, he began processing the meat - repeatedly rinsing the frog flesh in clean water to remove blood and odors until it achieved a pure pink-white color, then thoroughly draining it.

Then, with uncanny naturalness, Gauss produced from his storage bag: ginger root, garlic cloves, a sealed jar of cheap fruit wine, coarse salt, cloth-wrapped bundles of dried thyme and bay leaves, plus several round potatoes and carrots.

Aria, who had been watching intently while leaning forward with hands on knees, glanced between Gauss' precisely matched ingredients and the book's list displayed on the grass...

"?"

She frowned unconsciously, sensing something amiss. Why would his storage bag coincidentally contain every single ingredient listed? Just as she opened her mouth to question this, Gauss called for her assistance.

"Aria, could you gather some firewood and help set up the cooking fire? Thanks."

Suppressing her doubts, she turned to collect dry branches and leaves.

By the time Aria built a simple stone stove and placed the cast iron pot, Gauss had finished prepping all ingredients.

"Sizzle!"

A chunk of white animal fat hit the hot pot, quickly melting with an appetizing sound. Ginger and garlic followed, releasing fragrant aromas. Potato and carrot chunks were stir-fried until lightly golden before the drained frog meat joined them. Fruit wine was added, then water and remaining spices before covering with a wooden lid.

"Should be ready after twenty minutes of stewing," Gauss declared with shining eyes. His previous life's cooking experience, while not masterful, provided decent fundamentals.

Sitting cross-legged by the fire, Aria watched steam rise from the pot before finally voicing her lingering suspicion: "Gauss... you'd actually planned to cook these Rust Frogs all along, hadn't you?" How else to explain such meticulous preparation?

Gauss' movements imperceptibly paused. After a silent moment, he offered an awkward smile. "Haha..."

Their locked eyes conveyed unspoken understanding.

"Never mind." Aria sighed, adding more fuel to the fire.

As Gauss waited for the stew to finish, noises came from nearby. The youths they'd rescued earlier were cautiously approaching. They'd wanted to thank their saviors earlier but hesitated after witnessing Gauss' seamless transition from frog-slaying to butchering to cooking. The whole process made the spellcaster seem... eccentric.

Now mustering courage, they finally approached. "T-two honored adventurers..." Their eyes lingered on the indigo badges at the pair's chests before their expressions shifted to recognition, admiration and respect. "W-we owe you our deepest thanks for saving us!"

"Think nothing of it," Gauss waved dismissively. Their original target had been Rust Frogs anyway - these youths had inadvertently lured the prey while showing enough decency to warn others of danger. Had fleeing been necessary, he and Aria could have easily outpaced them.

"Local villagers?" Gauss asked casually.

"N-no," the lead youth stammered, flushing at facing someone younger yet clearly more accomplished. "We're... a newly formed adventuring party... accidentally stumbled into the frog nest while traveling..."

"Ah, well, no harm done. Be more careful next time." Gauss understood - fresh recruits. Their shoddy equipment made that obvious.

"Care to join us for dinner?" Gauss gestured politely at the bubbling pot.

"N-no thank you, sir!" they chorused, shaking their heads vigorously. Their eyes darted to the bloody, faintly corrosive frog skins and saliva-pitted ground nearby, gulping audibly. "We wouldn't dream of intruding on your meal! Again, our eternal gratitude!"

After hurried bows, they practically fled.

"That dramatic?" Gauss watched their retreating backs in confusion before leaning over to waft the stew's aroma toward his nose. It smelled... delicious!

Licking his lips, Gauss noticed his body reacting unusually strongly to the scent - his appetite felt heightened, his Energy Storage Gland particularly active.