I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl
Chapter 111 – A Zombie’s Bacon Experiment

Chapter 111: Chapter 111 – A Zombie’s Bacon Experiment

After a satisfying breakfast, I leaned back in the chair, gazing at the half-open window. The morning sunlight lit up the wooden floor, casting a warm glow on the bags of ingredients I’d just bought. On the table, the neatly wrapped giant boar belly looked mouthwatering. Beside it sat coarse salt, black pepper, and the ridiculously expensive sugar like a trio of miniature treasures.

"All right," I murmured, patting my cheeks. "Let’s begin this bacon experiment."

I stood up and began arranging the ingredients on the table. No modern stove or refrigerator like back in my old world, but at least the small kitchen corner in this inn room had a prep table, a stone cutting board, a sharp knife, and a simple hearth in the corner. Well, this is a fantasy world no point hoping for high-tech stuff.

Step one: inspect the meat.

I unwrapped it carefully. The giant boar belly was dark red with thick layers of white fat. It smelled fresh and strong not fishy, just rich with the aroma of wild meat. Its texture was firm and elastic, a sign of quality.

"Hmm, good."

I placed the large cut on the stone board and grabbed the knife, slicing it into thin strips. Not easy the boar’s muscles were dense, and I had to press the blade down with considerable force to cut through the fibers. But after a few minutes, I had about twelve fatty slices ready for curing.

Step two: mixing the curing rub.

In my old world, bacon was typically soaked in a mix of salt, sugar, and spices before being smoked or dried. I didn’t have all those spices here, but I did have the basics: salt, pepper, and sugar. That should do.

I grabbed a small wooden bowl and mixed about two handfuls of coarse salt, a small spoonful of freshly ground black pepper, and a big spoonful of white sugar. The ratio leaned heavily on salt to draw moisture out of the meat, sugar to balance the flavor, and pepper for aroma.

"If it’s too salty, I can fix it later," I said to myself as I stirred the mix.

Then I rubbed the mixture onto each slice of meat, making sure every part was evenly coated. As my hands touched the meat, it felt cool and damp an odd sensation given the room’s warm air. But honestly, I enjoyed it. This process... made me feel alive.

"Normally this should be stored in a cold place for a few days," I muttered. "But... yeah, no fridge."

I looked toward the window. The breeze was still blowing gently, and the air was cool enough, at least for now. Maybe if I placed it near the window and covered it with a clean cloth, that would work.

I wrapped the seasoned meat in linen and laid it on a small wooden rack near the window, cracking it open a bit more to let the air circulate. With that, the meat could start drying slowly.

"And now... we wait," I said, clapping my salt-and-fat-covered hands together.

Time passed faster than I expected. Noon came, and while the meat was soaking up the cure, I cleaned the room and scribbled a few notes in a small journal just to track this experiment.

"Oh right, Alicia... what do you think?" I asked, hoping her voice would chime in.

After a few seconds, her airy voice replied:

"I think... you’re taking this way too seriously for a piece of salted meat."

I chuckled.

"This isn’t just meat. It’s bacon. The symbol of a delicious breakfast."

"But you’re undead. You don’t need to eat."

"True, but I can taste. And I want to enjoy it."

Alicia giggled softly. "All right, all right. I won’t argue."

Meanwhile, Stacia said nothing, seemingly uninterested.

By late afternoon, I checked the meat again. Its color had darkened from bright red to a deeper hue, and the edges were slightly dry. The aroma of salt and pepper was beginning to seep in. Still far from proper bacon, but it was a good start.

"This should take a few days..." I murmured. "But if I fry one now, I could at least taste it early?"

The temptation was real. And well... patience was never my strong suit.

"One bite won’t ruin the batch."

I took one thin slice that had dried nicely and brought it to the small hearth. I lit a flame with a basic fire spell and placed the strip onto a heated iron pan.

Ssszzztt...

The sound of meat hitting hot iron made me smile. The fat began to render, glistening on the pan’s surface, and the smell filled the room savory, slightly sweet, and incredibly enticing.

Once one side browned nicely, I flipped it over. Then, when it was fully cooked, I lifted it, blew on it a little, and took a bite.

Crunch.

"Ohhoho..." I nearly teared up. "It worked."

It was salty, savory, a little sweet with a peppery kick at the end. The texture was crispy outside but still tender inside. Not quite as good as bacon from my old world, but considering the ingredients and crude methods... it was amazing.

"Huh. That’s actually tasty." Stacia’s voice appeared, startling me.

"You tasted it through the connection?"

"Accidentally. But... I agree. This counts as real food."

I laughed.

"Thank you."

That afternoon, I spent my time frying a few more pieces and adjusting the salt-sugar ratio in my notes. I kept the rest of the slices curing for longer, hoping to develop a richer flavor over the next few days.

And when night fell, I sat once again by the window, watching the sunset sky while enjoying a piece of bacon I made with my own undead hands.

Not bad... for a bacon-making zombie.

The sky gradually darkened. The last traces of orange light reflected gently on the windowpane, bathing the room in a fading warmth. In my hand, only a small piece of bacon remained, which I chewed slowly, letting its salty-sweet flavor melt on my tongue.

"I didn’t expect... making something could be this fun," I whispered.

This wasn’t just cooking. This was... creating. Transforming something raw into something new better, tastier. In a broken world, where life had been wiped out and only darkness and death remained, something like this felt... intimate. Real. As if it restored a tiny piece of the humanity I had once lost.

"You’re enjoying this?" Alicia asked softly.

I nodded. "Yeah. It’s simple, but it makes me happy. It’s something I can’t get from slaying monsters or leveling up."

"Maybe... this is part of your evolution too."

I tilted my head. "What do you mean?"

"Before, you were just surviving. Now, you’re starting to live."

I fell silent. The words were simple... but heavy. She was right. Back then, everything I did was just to survive from zombie attacks, from the dungeon, from hunters. But now? I had time to pause. To make bacon. To sit down and enjoy the evening.

"Funny, isn’t it," I said at last. "I had to die first to feel alive."

Alicia giggled. "Ironic, but that’s how it is."

I exhaled slowly, then glanced at the leftover ingredients on the table and the remaining bacon still hanging nearby. There was still plenty of meat and seasoning. I could make more later and maybe try smoking it if I could find aromatic wood around here.

But for now, this was enough. I stood up, cleaned the table slowly, and stored the unused ingredients in a cloth pouch. The curing meat remained near the window, guarded by the cool night breeze.

Just as I was about to sit back down, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. I turned my head. The steps were light but steady. Someone... approaching?

Knock knock.

I raised an eyebrow. It was rare for anyone to knock on my door. I walked over and opened it slowly.

Standing before me was a child perhaps ten years old. Grayish-white hair, pale skin, and eyes that glowed crimson like gemstones. A vampire, perhaps.

He stared at me with curiosity.

"Big Sis... is that the smell of roasted meat?" he asked innocently.

I blinked, then gave a small smile.

"Yes. I’ve been experimenting with... something. Why?"

The child beamed brightly. "It smells so good. I was just curious. Thank you, Big Sis!"

And without waiting for a reply, he turned and jogged down the stairs.

I stood in the doorway, lost in thought.

Turns out... even something as small as the scent of bacon could draw attention in this world. Who knows... maybe someday, I could open a little shop. A place that serves delicious food for undead, demons, humans, anyone who’s hungry.

I smiled.

But that’s a story for another time. For now, my homemade bacon is a good start.

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