Chapter 143: A Respite From Adventuring V
Ran making, afternoon session.
There was too much for us to finish, so I took 30 servings of the homade noodles with when I left for the temple of the fla religion.
On the way, I stopped by the Zavua rchant company and sold them half of the noodles. The chairman of the rchant company was also planning to go to the temple of the fla religion, so we shared a carriage together.
「Lonewell, does the rchant company also donate to the fla religion?」
「It does. Naturally」
That's unexpected.
I can understand it if it's a long-standing company with a lot of money, but I didn't expect a young and growing company to also donate to them.
「And this is it?」
I tapped the box containing the donation in his hands.
「Yes, inside are the plates and utensils designed by you and Makina」
「Could it be that you know that I'm making ran?」
「That's part of it, but these were prepared 20 days ago」
He's got a sharp ear for information.
I can't look down on the effectiveness of word of mouth.
「In other words, they're product samples?」
「That's right. People from all walks of life and all over Lemuria gather at the fla religion's soup kitchen. They co regardless of age, race, or wealth. From adventurers to craftsn, from eccentrics to nobles. It's the perfect place to advertise new products」
「Did you perhaps advertise the mayonnaise, pasta, and ketchup there as well?」
「Those are expensive products, so it's difficult to use them in the soup kitchen. Although it's a good way of advertising, the products may not necessarily get used just because they're donated」
「So it's precisely because the fla religion strangely doesn't sll of money that it's trustworthy and a good way to advertise, huh?」
The chairman lifted the lid of the box.
There was a tallic jangling sound.
「That's where your ran cos in, Souya-san. These are needed, right? The logo of the Zavua rchant company is engraved on them, so please don't hesitate to use them!」
「Yeah, well, I'll use them because they are indeed needed. You didn't make too many again, did you?」
「What can I say? Ever since the matter of the mayonnaise, the resellers have been keeping a close eye on our store. The price of pasta also seems to be going up day by day. By the ti we’re able to restock the wheat from the left continent, it will have doubled from the original price. The problem of custors buying our products at other stores―――――――」
「What's your true motive?」
It felt like he was going to go on for a long ti, so I cut to the chase.
「I've been thinking about opening a second store soon. A store on the main street is all well and good, but it's ultimately my mother's store, and considering my own aspirations, it's a good ti for it. Of course, if you lend a hand――――」
「I won't though」
「What? Why?」
「No no no, I'm an adventurer, rember? Adventuring is my job. Who knows how much I'll be tied down helping you open a new store for the rchant company」
「There you go again with the jokes」
「Hey, I'll have you know that my party is the fastest to beco interdiate adventurers and I'm also decently well-known. Well, that does include a bit of infamy though」
「Then let's do it this way」
I’m not going to do it though.
「Please lend just your na until the store and its products have gained a certain level of reputation. Souya-san, all you’ll have to do is show up at the store once in a while and praise the employees with a bossy attitude. It's easy work, right?」
「Absolutely impossible」
I'm not good at acting bossy.
「What a complete denial of my ideal retirent!」
「You need to work harder, Lonewell」
「Urgh, it's rare, but you've made a very valid point」
This prick.
Next thing I knew, we had arrived at the temple of the fla religion. It wasn't that far away to begin with.
After calling for the priestess and giving her the donation, Lonewell went back. He reminded , "Please do your best to advertise."
Leaving that aside……
「Souya-san, I had so for lunch, but I’ve made quite a bit of noodles」
「Umm, I have so noodles that I made at ho as well」
In the kitchen, both of us brought out the noodles at the sa ti.
『………………』
It appeared that the priestess had also made a lot. There was enough for about 80 servings combined.
「Souya-san, how many days can these noodles last?」
「They can last for about 10 days in an environnt that's not too hot, not too cold, and not too humid. I think they taste best when they’ve been rested for two or three days」
「Well, that's sothing to look forward to. And I'm really glad you’re the person requested to make this for , Souya-san」
「No, there's still the matter of the broth」
I've got a general idea of the recipe in my head.
However, just following what’s written down is not always enough to make a dish delicious. It takes a lot of trial and error to get it right.
「For now, can you give three days?」
「Yes, that's fine」
People don't make progress unless they have a deadline. But there's no harm in hurrying, so I quickly got to work on making the broth.
The priestess went off to do so other work, leaving alone in the kitchen.
The first thing I did was to prep so pork and vegetables.
I washed the vegetables with water and cut them into small pieces. The pork was cut into chunks.
In terms of ingredients, there should be small quantities of each, but a lot of variety. But even though I know the thod, it’s uncertain as to which ingredients would be best.
I boiled carrots, cabbage, onions, ginger, leeks, and pork belly in a pot.
I then painstakingly scooped out the scum for the next two hours.
It's a simple task, but I don't mind it. Watching the ingredients simr gives a sense of wonder.
「How's it coming along?」
The priestess ca to check up on things.
Or rather, I've caught her peeking into the kitchen quite a bit. The perfect timing of her appearance is probably the fruit of her years of experience.
I'm talking about showing up just in ti to taste-test it.
But the taste was not as good as I expected. The flavors were too thin.
「Hmmm. I'm not feeling very confident, so I would appreciate so advice」
「Then, let have a quick taste」
The priestess scooped so of the broth onto a small plate, then took a sip.
「It's not bad, but it feels like………it’s lacking in a lot of ways?」
「It's definitely lacking. It's so lacking that I don't know what’s missing」
「Let's keep taste-testing as we add to it」
I accepted the priestess’ suggestion.
Naturally, the first thing we tried was salt.
I can't taste the saltiness clearly. Would the flavor be better if I had used synthetic seasoning, I wonder?
「Let's try making it spicy」
The priestess’ secret spicy sauce was added.
After mixing it well, I gave it a taste.
Spicy! All I can taste is the sauce.
「It only diluted the flavor, I see」
「It's spicy though」
「Are you not fond of spicy food, Souya-san?」
「Yes, I don't like it that much. Is everyone in the fla religion a fan of spicy food?」
Ea loves spicy food, but Rana, who has received the fla religion's blessing, does not.
「These days, many of the younger ones aren't very fond of it. I'm okay with it because it's my hobby. I’ve been growing a variety of spices, you see? Many of them need a warm environnt to grow, so I use the Akasho stones」
Is there also a greenhouse here, I wonder?
「Is growing spices a tradition of the fla religion or sothing?」
I was a little curious, so I asked.
「It's not so much a tradition as a ans of subsistence. This country is prosperous and we're able to enjoy good food. But the branches of the fla religion in the poorer countries only get bad food as donations. They have to use spices to cover up the bad taste. If our predecessors had not grown all sorts of spices, many of the followers would have starved to death. Though the drawback is that the food ends up being a little spicy」
According to Otou-san, who was from another country, the preservation of food in the past was terrible. Even if the salted at was full of worms, people still ate it regardless.
Compared to that ti, every al in Lemuria now is as good as a feast.
「Let's try adding a bit more sauce and so ground at. And so nuts as well………………」
It got closer yet again to dandan noodles.[1]
The spicy sauce may be good as a dipping sauce, but adding it to the broth was not the best idea.
I guess I'll have to re-make it from scratch.
「Souya-san, do you mind if I add so more ingredients into the pot?」
「Oh, feel free」
The priestess added tomatoes and so egg yolk. The broth was simred so more. It was beginning to feel more Western than Chinese.
I went into the food storage and started to choose ingredients all over again. I wasn't so naive as to think it would go well on the first try.
Hmmm.
If I asked Makina to do it, she could probably make a normal ran broth. But it'd only be normal. Her cooking doesn't pack a punch. It's devoid of any distinctiveness. It has no selling point!
I an, the first ran in the alternate world shouldn't be plain. It should have a taste that will make the adventurers gasp in astonishnt.
I could use a flavor enhancer, but as can be expected, I don't have anywhere near enough. Should I start from the extraction and production of that? But monosodium glutamate(MSG) can make so people sick if ingested in large quantities. I don't want more bad rumors to spread because of this.
No, I doubt I have the ti for that anyway.
「Hmmm」
What should I do? I can't co up with any good ideas. I can't even do trial and error.
Thinking back on it again, I'm a complete amateur when it cos to ran. To be honest, I'm little better than a novice at cooking, and I've just been lucky that things have worked out so far.
Will inspiration strike if I give it enough ti?
I don't think it will. Much less in just three days.
Perhaps the ti has co for to hang up my apron. Maybe I should just turn down all these kinds of requests from now on and concentrate on the adventuring business.
I suppose I've given in to despair a little.
「Sorry, Souya-san, could you co here for a minute?」
I was called back by the priestess.
When I returned to the kitchen, I found soone I hadn't expected to see.
A muscular man with a mohawk.
It was Rasta Oru Razva, the barkeeper of the bar run by the Kingdom of Lemuria, the Raging Bull and Silver Fox bar.
「Souya! What’s the aning of this, you bastard?!」
「Huh?」
Before I could even say hello, he ca at with a furious expression.
The barkeeper was holding an unfurled scroll. I took a look at it and saw that it was a copy of a certificate of ownership for a cooking recipe.
In Lemuria, if one wants to serve a particular dish, royalties must be paid to the person who invented it. Actually, it's not so much the inventor, but the person who holds the rights to the recipe.
This is very strictly enforced. If it's violated, the country will fine the offender heavily. If it's found to be done on purpose, the offender can even be thrown into prison.
Frankly speaking, this is one of the reasons why the food in Lemuria tastes so bad.
If you clamp down on culture before it can develop, it will never flourish. That said, I also receive royalties from the Zavua rchant company for the use of my recipes for the mayonnaise, pasta, and ketchup.
According to the Zavua rchant company, the royalties I receive are only『a tenth of the usual rates』, but so long as I'm getting paid, I'm in no position to criticize it.
Also, since this is a system that was borrowed from Elysium, I have a feeling that food on the center continent doesn’t taste good either.
「Recipe for Ran Noodles」
That was what was on the certificate that the barkeeper was holding. And the na of the rights holder written on it was my own.
「You've done it now」
I could see the fighting spirit emanating from the barkeeper.
「Err, Master, hang on a minute. I don't rember ever submitting the recipe though」
「I did it for you」
The priestess said unabashedly.
During the lunch hour? You sure work fast. Or rather, say sothing if you were going to do stuff like that.
「For these kinds of things, the sooner the better, you know?」
「That's true, but when did you do it?」
「Just a few monts during lunch」
「Co on, Nee-chan, using the fla religion's detergent in recipes is my bar's treasured secret, you know?」
The barkeeper said with a deferential posture, which was oddly child-like.
Nee-chan? Eh, is this Priestess-sama part of the royal family of Lemuria?
「Oh, Souya-san, I'm not royalty, alright? It's just an old habit as these boys used to call "Nee-chan, Nee-chan" all the ti. Even though we're all so old already, oh-ho-ho」
That ans that they've known each other for a long ti, I guess.
「Back to the topic, Souya, how dare you!」
「Uhh, but did you have such a dish at your bar, Master?」
「Our bar has a secret nu for advanced adventurers and those who have reached that level in the past. Wait, you've seen Evetta eat it before. So you copied it, right?」
It doesn't ring a bell at all.
「By the way, what's the na of the dish?」
「Honey-filled high-class fluffy bread」
「Oh, hmm?」
I have no recollection of it.
After all, food that's placed in front of Evetta-san disappears in the blink of an eye.
「The recipe for the fluffy bread is sothing that I risked my life to obtain during an adventure in my youth. Since then, I've carefully, carefully guarded it over the years to give it as a reward to the more successful adventurers. In other words, the fluffy bread is a dal of honor for my juniors! Because it's such a treasured secret, I've protected the recipe and never publicized it, but I never expected that you would defile the fluffy bread!」
Don't keep repeating cutesy words like『fluffy bread』when you're a gruff old man.[2]
「But you know what, Ras-boy? I think it's safe to say that your bread and these noodles are very different, is it not?」
「Nee-chan, the problem is not in the form of the food but in the thod used to make it. If word gets out that the fla religion's detergent can be used to make food, soone is bound to get close to the secret of the fluffy bread. Souya, I’m sorry, but I'm going to have to bury these noodles!」
「Ehh」
That's not very mature of you.
Considering the barkeeper's connections, chances are that he can easily bury a recipe or two though.
「What should we do, Priestess-sama?」
I turned to the priestess for help.
Truth be told, as I'm concerned about my ability to make the broth, I'm hoping that this will sohow make this request go away. Besides, the people at ho are satisfied with the noodles as they are now.
「Ras-boy, let's do it this way. If you call yourself a chef, earn the rights through your cooking」
「Nee-chan, what do you an?」
「Tomorrow, if Souya-san makes better fluffy bread than you, Ras-boy, admit defeat and publicize the recipe. If Souya-san loses, ran will disappear for good from Lemuria」
「Nee-chan, I have just one question. Does this an that you'll be helping Souya?」
「Of course not. I'll watch over the two of you as a neutral party」
「Hmpt, that's how it is, Souya」
The barkeeper smiled fearlessly.
「Even if you possess strange foreigner knowledge, it'll be , with my experience, who wins in the end! Unfortunately, you'll have to give up on those ran noodles! Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, right here! Let our fluffy bread do the talking!」
The barkeeper turned on his heel and walked out of the kitchen.
With really loud footsteps.
「With that, I’ll go put the noodle recipe on hold for now, alright?」
The priestess also left.
I was left standing there all by myself.
Silence fell over the kitchen.
「………………What about the ran?!」
No one was listening.
[1] Dandan noodles(担担面) is a noodle dish originating from Chinese Sichuan cuisine. It typically consists of a spicy sauce, usually containing preserved vegetables, mustard stems, chili oil, Sichuan pepper, as well as minced pork, and scallions served over noodles. The dish can either be served dry or as a noodle soup. (Pic courtesy of wikipedia and by Steven G. Johnson)
[2] In Japanese, fluffy bread is “Fuwa-Fuwa(sound effect for fluffy)-pan(bread). Yes, it’s a cutesy na though fairly standard when it cos to describing bread.
I should ntion that I could have gone with “fluffy buns” instead. I didn’t because it’s not accurate, but just for a sec, go back and try substituting “fluffy buns” for “fluffy bread”. XD Yes, my sense of humor is a bit silly at tis haha.
Copyright also exists in the alternate world, huh… That’s certainly not what I expected in a fantasy world…
And…everyone forgot about the main point lol. Welco to the cooking contest arc lmao. Just kidding, it’s not the entire arc, but well, stay tuned for more antics!
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