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It seemed like Kuro and Dr. Vier were still talking with each other, so Neun-san and I passed the time chatting.
After a while, I started to feel hungry.
[I’m kinda hungry.]
[Me too. I was moving around a lot today…… Embarrassing as it may be, I’m also hungry.]
Now that the matter with Dr. Vier had been settled, the tension disappeared and my stomach growled in hunger.
I’d really like to have something to eat, but I couldn’t just go to the Friendship City in the presence of Neun-san. Although I say that, I also didn’t feel like going home yet.
[Hmmm. I wonder if there’s something I could eat here?]
I figured that there should at least be some white rice and pickled daikon radish in my magic box. As I made the magic box appear in my palm, Alice appeared right at that moment.
[……Alice?]
[…………………]
Alice silently took out a piece of wood from nowhere, and after her hand seemed to glow for a moment, a rather magnificent stall had been suddenly erected.
On top of the stall, there was a sign that read “Alice-chan’s Tasty Food Stall”.
[Incidentally, the price of our products’ special value “includes the travel expenses”!]
[……]
……This f*cking b*stard. Just a few days passed and she had become quite good at doing business huh…… She even set up two chairs at the counter.
No matter how I look at it, it looks like she would try to rip us off. Unfortunately though, it’s working very well for us.
Neun-san and I looked at each other, before only letting out a sigh of resignation. We then sat down at the counter seats.
[Welcome~~ Here’s the menu.]
[……Unnn?]
[Errr…… Phantasmal King-sama? What in the world is this?]
[It is just as written there, you know?]
With a big smile on her face, Alice handed us the menu with just the words “Anything: Market Value”. Does that mean she’ll cook whatever we want, but the price depends on what item we order?
I knew that Alice is amazing…… but can she really make any kind of item?
Perhaps sensing my doubts, Alice fearlessly smiled and spoke.
[Oya? Are you doubting me? Well then, how about we make a deal? ……If I can’t make what you ask, or if it doesn’t taste good, “that meal is free”. However, if it’s good…… How about “one gold coin” per meal?]
[One gold coin…… Are you trying to overcharge me again?]
[It’s not that I’m doubting Phantasmal King-sama…… but I’m picky about Japanese food, you know?]
If she couldn’t make the dish that Neun-san and I ordered, it would be free, and if she could make it well, it would be one gold coin…… That’s 1 million yen. Alice seemed like she was quite confident though.
However, I don’t think the odds are against us. If it’s a dish that doesn’t exist in this world, even if it’s Alice we’re talking about, there’s no way that she will be able to make it.
[……Okay. I’ll take that bet.]
[As expected of Kaito-san, always easy to talk with~~ Well then, please place your order……]
[W- Well then, I’ll have “sushi”.]
When I told her that I’d take her bet, Alice smiled deeply and prompted me to order.
Following her words, Neun-san ordered sushi…… Isn’t that quite a good order? Rice meals aren’t common in this world after all.
I’ve seen sashimi being served in the Hydra Kingdom before, but I don’t remember ever seeing sushi. It also takes quite the skill to make a tasty sushi.
Just as I thought that Neun-san was getting a free meal……
[If it’s nigiri sushi you’re looking for, we have regular, top-tier and special. Which one would you like?]
[Mhmm……W- Well then, I’ll take the special one……]
[Yes, yes.]
However, contrary to my expectations, Alice simply asked which type of nigiri sushi she wanted. T- This woman…… She knows about sushi. S- Should I say that it’s to be expected from the Phantasmal King……
No, not yet. It’s still unclear how it tastes. I’ve heard that Neun-san is very picky about Japanese food, so she won’t just easily accept just anything……
Immediately after I thought this, a beautiful set of nigiri sushi was placed in front of Neun-san.
Looking at the nigiri sushi…… Neun-san silently took out a gold coin from her pocket and placed it on the counter.
[……It’s my loss.]
[Thank you for your patronage~~]
[Eh? N- Neun-san!? You still haven’t tasted it though, right!?]
[……I don’t need to eat this to know how it tastes. It will definitely be delicious……]
She was instantly defeated!? The Japanese Food-Fanatic Neun-san is calling this sushi absolutely delicious just by looking at it…… Alice, what a frightening person you are.
[Now then, what will you be having, Kaito-san~~?]
[Ughh…… Kuhh, I- I will have……]
Sushi doesn’t work huh…… What should I get then? Food that doesn’t exist in this world…… Think of it, me. I’ve been in this world for six months. I’ve also read the guidebook that Kuro gave me, and I know that “that” isn’t there.
[……”Ramen”……]
Yes, when I think of noodle dishes in this world, the only thing I thought of was the dishes made from pasta…… To be honest, I haven’t seen any noodle dishes other than that, and I’ve already confirmed that there are no ramen shops here.
(Note: Pasta here refers to those that were used in spaghetti, napolitan and carbonara.)
I remembered wanting to eat ramen and tried looking it up in Kuro’s guidebook, but I felt depressed because I couldn’t find it…… With this, I should have a good chance in winning the bet……
[What flavor do you want? Salt? Miso? Soy sauce? Tonkotsu? Paitan? I can also make tantanmen, you know?]
(Note: Tonkotsu ramen is ramen with broth from boiling pork bones. Paitan ramen is ramen with thick, cloudy soup. Tantanmen is the Japanese version of sichuan noodles, Tantan.)
[……Wha…… Kuhh…… I’ll have a tonkotsu-shoyu……]
(Note: I don’t know how to translate that into english, but it’s basically a combination of tonkotsu and soy-sauce flavor. I think. Never tasted it.)
[How firm do you want the noodles?]
[……Firm enough.]
[Yes, yes.]
……This won’t do. She also knows what ramen is…… N- No, I still don’t know how it tastes like yet! There’s still a chance that it might not taste good…… even though it might be a really small chance.
A little while later, a bowl of ramen that had a delicious aroma was placed in front of me.
[Here you go~~ I’ve also added pork chashu as a service.]
[T- Thanks…… Thank you for the meal.]
It’s a great consideration for a young man with a hearty appetite…… This is bad. I can’t see a future where I can win this bet. I mean, she even prepared a renge spoon and disposable chopsticks……
Picking up the renge spoon, I timidly took a sip of the soup…… and ate a mouthful of the noodles…… before I took out a gold coin and placed it on the counter.
[……It’s my loss.]
[Thank you for your patronage~~]
Vexing as it may be, but that ramen was super tasty, you know!? She looks so annoying with that smug smile on her face, but it tastes so good that I can’t even complain!!!
It’s been a long time since I’ve had ramen, but I knew that the thick broth would go well with the noodles and the thick slice of the pork chashu was also juicy. There was nothing for me to complain about.
This was a complete defeat…… An utter defeat that makes me glad even though I lost.
[……Ummm, Alice.]
[What is it?]
[……Perhaps, could you make a gyudon or a hamburger steak?]
(Note: gyudon/beef bowl)
[If you order now, for an additional “one copper coin” for the magic box, you can order it for take out, you know?]
[……How expensive. I’ll buy it.]
[Thank you for your patronage~~]
An additional 10,000 yen per dish…… It was very expensive, but I wanted to eat it nonetheless.
I’d certainly like to order several dishes, especially gyudon and hamburger steak, because I’d sometimes have an irresistible urge to eat them.
[Ahh, by the way, we also have Japanese sweets like dorayaki and such!]
[I’ll buy it!]
And Neun-san just took a bite out of her sales pitch!
Unnn, this is hopeless already…… The situation is completely swayed to Alice’s favor. However, I can’t win…… I will also still buy them.
Dear Mom, Dad———— How should I say this, I was reminded yet again how high Alice’s specs are…… I tremble in fear before her ability. It seems like Alice was just acting in her miscellaneous goods store, but in reality- She actually has quite the business acumen, doesn’t she?
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