Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru

Chapter 148: A Respite From Adventuring X

【161st day】

For two hours, I had been waiting for Ea in front of the temple of the flame religion.

「Souya-san, calm down a little」

「H, how can I calm down?!」

With an unsteady voice, I replied to Lonewell.

My knees have been shaking since earlier because it's cold. It's not because I'm agitated.

「B, but you know, it's Ea's first time running errands by herself, and you never know what can happen………I knew I should've gone with her」

「How old is your sister again?」

「I'm too afraid to ask. What if she turns out to be older than me?」

「She's an elf, so that's totally possible. What's wrong with her being older though?」

I'll have to call her "Onee-chan" or even "Onee-san" then.

No way~. If anything, she'll end up overlapping with Lanseal, who holds the elder sister role.

「It's just that she's so childish. I'm worried. I hope she doesn't run into any trouble with the other elves」

「I'm sure she'll be fine. I think she's quite the reliable person」

「I, I see」

Am I just being overprotective?

I wonder why I've become so protective.

「Oh, she's back」

Following Lonewell's gaze, I found Ea, who was driving a horse-drawn wagon.

When she noticed me, she gave me a big wave. I waved back with both hands.

「Are you alright?!」

「Huh, what? It's just riding in a wagon full of barrels, you know?」

「That's true, but did the other elves bad-mouth or harass you when handing over the miso?」

「I'm still a princess, I'll have you know. I'm also respected because I’m the best archer in the forest」

「Oh, I see」

My fears had been completely unfounded. Now, I’ll need to show the priestess the value of miso.

I had Ea stay on the wagon while I brought some of the white and red miso to the kitchen.

I showed them to Rutsuko-san, who was waiting there.

「I believe these miso can probably meet your expectations, but………」

For some reason, Rutsuko-san was wearing a burlap sack on her head.

「………what's the matter?」

「N, nothing's the matter」

「Is this what they call "burying your head in the sand"?」

「I guess she's too ashamed to face her mother」

The Gunmerrys behind her had imitated her and were also wearing burlap sacks on their heads.

Seeing this one person and two beings, the priestess had a few words.

「She's probably ashamed of having cried while making such an embarrassing display of herself. She's so green………even though every human who's alive has run through the streets naked at some point」

Under what circumstances are we talking about here?

「Souya-san, I can't see my hands, so I'll leave it to you to put the finishing touches」

「………Okay」

I mixed the white and red miso together and put the resulting mixture into one of the porcelain bowls that the Zavua merchant company had donated. After pouring in some of the tonkotsu broth that Rutsuko-san had made, I stirred the broth until the miso had dissolved, then taste-tested it.

Yes, this is it, the taste of authentic tonkotsu miso broth. The broth is still white and clear even after the brownish mixture had been mixed in. It tastes rich and the miso flavor has become intertwined and integrated into the broth.

Profound. What a profound taste.

I made ramen broth in the alternate world, so what? [1]

The priestess boiled some noodles, drained them, then cut and put them in.

Leaving additional ingredients for later, I served it with a spork made especially for eating ramen with, which was also donated by the Zavua merchant company.

「Priestess-sama, Rutsuko-san, have a taste of this」

「Well then, pardon me」

The priestess went first.

「This spoon is quite interesting. I was wondering what it was for, but I see now that it's for eating ramen. And the bowl as well. Souya-san, you're quite the businessman, aren't you?」

「Well, thank you for your kind words」

Said Lonewell, who was behind me, with an embarrassed look.

Oh, he's still here, huh?

The priestess actually tried the ramen this time.

She ate the noodles without making a sound and then elegantly took a sip of the broth. She then put down the spoon with a curious look on her face.

The first-ever tonkotsu miso ramen in the alternate world. Now, what does she think of it?

「My turn, huh?」

Rutsuko-san also took a taste. After rolling up the burlap sack until her mouth was exposed, she slurped up the noodles loudly then drank the broth with gusto, just like a Japanese would.

「What do you think?」

Her impression is the one I'm most concerned about.

「Huh, Souya-san………………it passes. It tastes just like my mom's!」

She gave a thumbs-up.

She continued slurping up the ramen. When she had finished it……

「I wanna go home」

……she got homesick.

Somehow, it feels like I've made things worse in a lot of ways.

「Priestess-sama, we've successfully developed ramen. Just add a few more ingredients and it's complete」

「Hmm, I'm sorry. Do you mind if I call someone over?」

「Huh? Sure」

The priestess went out of the kitchen.

Leaving Lonewell and Rutsuko-san behind, I also left and went to join my sister on the wagon.

「How did it go?」

「The ramen has been completed!」

「Yay! I'm the one who delivered the miso, so I want to taste it too!」

「Yes, please do. We need to add some more ingredients, so we need some input」

「But that sounds like you're going to let others eat the ramen too」

「Is there something wrong with that?」

「The luxurious feeling from getting to monopolize it because of my connections is diminished………」

Right, I forgot that elves are like that.

「Ea, food culture is something that changes with diversity. The taste of ramen will improve as a result of being exposed to a variety of people. Someone might even come up with a better ramen than the one we made」

「I wonder……that’s a little hard to imagine though」

「Or rather, aren't you going to try cooking ramen yourself? I’d bet you could make ramen that exceeds the level of a hobbyist and is good enough to sell」

All the techniques and ingredients required are on hand. Yukikaze has recorded every step of Rutsuko-san's broth-making process, and the key ingredient, miso, is made in her family home.

She has everything she needs to start a ramen store.

「A ramen store, huh? That's something I might consider after I retire from being an adventurer. But for now, I have to do whatever I can for your sake, Onii-chan」

My sister put her hand on my knee. I put my hand on top of it. She leaned her shoulder against mine, so I put my free hand around her. Her cold, long ears pressed up against my cheek.

The mood between us was quite nice. We were attracting a bit of attention from the passers-by, so much so that I felt like I should announce out loud that we were brother and sister.

As I flirted with my sister……

「What the heck are you guys doing-nya?」

……Tyutyu appeared with a retort. Behind her stood the priestess.

「Souya-san, doing such things in front of the temple is a bit………」

『Sorry』

We, brother and sister, apologized and reflected on our actions. It was cold, so we ended up getting carried away.

Leaving Ea behind, I went back to the kitchen. Tyutyu, whom the priestess had brought here, also came along.

I have a feeling I know why Tyutyu is here.

「So, why was Nya called here-nya?」

However, it seems that the person in question has no idea.

「Tyutyu, give this broth a try」

「Hmm? Alright-nya」

I re-filled the bowl with the ramen broth and handed it to Tyutyu. Her eyes, which were half-closed from drowsiness because it was still early in the morning, shot open upon taking a sip of the broth.

「Th, this tastes just like my mother's soup!」

I knew it.

The ingredients required are already available back in Tyutyu's mother's day and they're also easily affordable to beastkin. After all, the main ingredient is the pig bones that will be thrown away. But what about the miso? Could it be that Toto was friends with Alma-san?

In a time when beastkin had fewer rights than they do now, it would have been easy for her recipe to be stolen from her if she had disclosed it. Even if she wanted to leave the recipe to her young daughter, if things went badly, Tyutyu could get killed for it. The reason why she didn't entrust it to Barfuru was because Toto-san knew that he would disappear one day.

In the end, it's impossible to protect one’s assets without power or rights. Because she had neither, she let the recipe disappear. And by coincidence, we were able to revive it.

Which leaves us with one problem.

「Wh, who made this-nya?! Is it you, Souya-nya?!」

「No-nya」

I pointed to Rutsuko-san.

「Eh? Well, yes, I made it, but Souya was the one who got the miso and――――」

「Okaa-saaaan!(Mummy!)」

「Eeeehhhh?!」

Tyutyu flung her arms around Rutsuko-san. Even through the burlap sack, I could tell how confused she was.

The priestess watched for a while before speaking up.

「Tyutyu, I'm sorry, but if you don't mind, we need to discuss something complicated with you」

「What is it-nya?」

Tyutyu answered the priestess with her arms still wrapped around Rutsuko-san.

She has no intention of letting go, it seems.

「This broth is identical to the soup your mother, Totomeranje, made. Am I correct to say that?」

「Yes, there's no doubt about it-nya. It's a very memorable taste-nya」

「In that case………………Souya-san, what should we do?」

「What should we do, indeed………」

It has become quite the difficult problem. In this case, we can't claim the rights to this recipe. Tyutyu's mother had made it first. If the innovators who come up with things first don't get the respect and rights that they're due, then the culture will never grow.

「Tyutyu, the problem we're facing is that we had planned to serve a dish called ramen that uses this broth in the soup kitchen. However, your mother, and by extension you, have the rights to it」

「Eh? Huh?」

Tyutyu doesn't seem to understand.

「In other words, the certificate of ownership for the recipe needs to be obtained, and――――」

「I don't really get it, so I'll leave it all to you, Souya-nya」

「Come now, think about it properly. It'll earn you a fair bit of money, you know? No, depending on how things go, it could earn you quite a fortune」

「Hmmm, but is that the kind of money that doesn't come from working-nya? Nya doesn't trust that kind of money-nya. For humans, working hard and then sleeping soundly at night is the best way of life-nya」

Those words hit home so hard it hurt.

「But, you know………」

Even so, it'll leave me with a bad taste in my mouth if I get the certificate of ownership.

「I've got an idea」

Lonewell, who was eating ramen in the corner, raised his hand.

From what I can see, you really like it, huh? How many bowls have you had already?

「Let's get a joint certificate of ownership for the recipe. We'll put the names of Souya-san, the young lady in the burlap sack, and Tyutyu-san on the certificate. The royalties will go to Souya-san and the young lady, who can then use that money to give Tyutyu-san her share one way or another through favors or something similar. What do you think?」

「Umm, then there's no need to put my name on it-nya. I don't want to accept money from Souya and Okaa-san either-nya. That kind of thing can ruin relationships-nya」

Tyutyu sure is an earnest person.

But what she said also made a lot of sense. Money can ruin human relationships.

………Money. Money, huh……………… Urrghhh, I don't have much choice.

「I've got a better idea」

My suggestion was opposed by Lonewell. The priestess, Rutsuko-san, and Tyutyu were in favor of it.

「Then it’s decided. As for the paperwork………」

「Leave it to me~」

The priestess left the kitchen with light steps.

Normally, getting a certificate of ownership for a recipe takes quite a bit of time, but she has special connections that allow her to get it approved with frightening speed.

「Eeehhh, Souya-san. Eeeeehhhhh」

I heard the moans of a greedy merchant.

「You'll be making plenty of money with these porcelain bowls as well as the sporks, right? On top of that, you have a monopoly on miso. If the ramen sells, you'll be raking in a fortune」

「I won't earn much profit from the porcelain bowls and sporks after subtracting the amount I've invested. They're new products, so there's a lot of initial outlay. As for the miso, since it's Souya-san's family member, I'm buying it just under the selling price, so I’m earning next to no profit. See, I'm not going to be making much money, now am I?」

「Then how about opening a ramen store?」

「………………I see. So there's such an option for the new store I'm thinking of opening. I'm going to have to check out some properties on my way back. If you'll excuse me, I have to go. The ramen will be served in the soup kitchen tomorrow, right? Well then, see you tomorrow」

Lonewell took his leave.

He's in too much of a hurry. We still haven't heard anyone else's impressions of the ramen. It certainly is delicious, but there's a chance it won't be to everyone's taste.

The priestess was already back.

「Souya-san, I forgot to mention the most important thing. This is why I hate getting old. This miso, including the ones outside, will be taken as donations. I'll be giving Heures Forest enough Akasho stones to last the winter in exchange. That will help the people of his forest mitigate the bitter winter cold, I hope」

「Thank you very much. I'm sure my sister will be pleased to hear that」

While we were at it, we had also fulfilled an important promise.

I went outside to find my sister again.

When I told her that it had gone well, she gave me a big smile.

Together with the miko(shrine maidens) of the flame religion, we carried the barrels of miso from the wagon to the food storage, loaded the Akasho stones that served as payment onto the wagon, and then Ea drove the wagon back to the forest.

The only ones left in the kitchen were Rutsuko-san, the Gunmerrys, and Tyutyu.

「Well then, shall we put the finishing touches on the ramen?」

「Yes, I suppose we should」

「We should-nya」

And so, we had reached the final stage of ramen making.

[1] This is a play on the title of the famous novel, “I’m A Spider, So What?” By the way, Souya occasionally goes “Nai waaaa”, just like Kumoko. I usually translate it as “No way~”, but can you spot the times?

I have to say, the Japanese version of “burying your head in the sand” is more succinct. Literally, it’s “hiding your head but not your ass”. To clarify, both sayings mean the same thing and are supposed to evoke that image of an ostrich sticking its head in the ground.

Yes, the ramen making, or rather, the cooking stuff is finally about to end. However, there are 3 more chapters till the end of this arc. Like I mentioned before, it took up most of the arc, but the ramen isn’t the point of the arc.

So, how many of you figured out in the last volume that Tyutyu’s mother’s white soup was probably some sort of Japanese soup/broth? I’m sure quite a lot of you did. But the discrimination faced by beastkin, which has only been hinted at in the beginning, is starting to become more prominent in the “story”, isn’t it? Souya had stated that he didn’t care at first, which changed to it being too big of a problem for him to think about, to now, where he is starting to look directly at it. It’s almost like he’s slowly starting to care about it because he has beastkin he cares about……it’s a bit sad to say this, but how very human of him, isn’t it?

Well, stay tuned! There’s still plenty more to come!