Chapter 396: The Taste of Home
The man’s name is Samuel. He has gray hair and is otherwise unremarkable—except for the words he speaks.
“Wait, S Rank… They really exist. Incredible!”
After introducing myself, he believed me without a hint of doubt. Given how many people have looked at me with suspicion, it’s rare to encounter an adventurer with such a pleasant first impression. In fact, he even seems like a decent guy.
“Well, standing around isn’t ideal. Shall we sit?”
I pull out chairs and a table from the Dimensional Box and offer one to Samuel. He stares wide-eyed for a moment, frozen in place, but when he starts using magic to drain the blood from the monster he caught while still seated, he seems startled and ends up sitting on the ground instead. There are high-ranking monsters whose blood is valuable, but I doubt this one is among them; it didn’t show up in the appraisal results.
“You could at least sit in the chair.”
“Uh, oh… right.”
When I call out to him, he seems to regain some composure and awkwardly sits down.
“So this is what S Rank is like… Haha…”
“Take it easy. Have some tea.”
Using magic, I create ice in wooden cups and pour hot, strong tea from a pot, completing the iced tea. I also pull out a basket filled with snacks and place it on the table. It’s a generous offering to extract information.
“Ah, thank you very much.”
Though he still seems a bit tense, he reaches out awkwardly for the cup and takes a sip.
“Ah…”
He lets out a deep sigh, his gaze dropping to the cup in his hands. Just moments ago, he was nearly killed by a monster. He might need some time to calm down.
Rio, having brought over the monster she caught from deep within the forest using magic, begins to drain its blood in a similar manner. Once seated, she takes out her own cup and pours tea from the pot on the table.
“You look like you’re about to collapse.”
As I shrug at her comment, Samuel lifts his gaze to meet mine.
“Ah, um, sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“Maybe some snacks will help you feel better.”
To demonstrate, we both grab some of the treats from the table. The moist Financier melts in my mouth, bringing me joy. Such easily snackable sweets are rare in this world; baked goods are about the only option available. Though the Financier was sourced from Japan, I’ve removed all the packaging, so there’s no issue.
“…Well then, I’ll have one.”
He reaches out hesitantly and pops one into his mouth, pausing for just a moment. But soon after, he starts devouring the Financier with fervor.
“W-What is this…? It’s unbelievably delicious…”
Indeed, this is high-quality Financier. It’s perfect for moments like this, so I should stock up on more varieties.
“It’s a sweet treat from my homeland, so I’m glad you like it.”
It’s certainly available on Earth, and without a doubt in Japan, where we can open Dimensional Rifts. I think it originally came from overseas, but that’s a trivial detail.
Perhaps because we mentioned our homeland, Samuel reacts slightly. Since neither Hinomaru nor the lord’s investigation turned up anything, it seems other people who speak dialects didn’t share much in casual conversation. However, we are now Samuel’s saviors. Having offered him high-quality Financier, it’s about time he shared something with us.
“Does your hometown have any famous foods?”
“Huh? Famous foods?”
“Exactly. You see, we’re always on the lookout for delicious things, so I’d love to hear about it.”
“Ah, well…”
He furrows his brow, managing a wry smile while his gaze wanders.
“In my hometown, Konamon was quite famous.”
“Konamon?”
“Yeah. Things like Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, and even grilled squid.”
“Oh, really?”
I nod along, but they all sound somewhat familiar. I wonder if there are regions in Japan that are famous for Konamon. They probably sell Okonomiyaki flour there.
“I’d love to try them.”
“Octopus, right? They call it the Sea Devil around here.”
“Huh? Sea Devil?”
It seems Samuel isn’t aware of that term. Well, if it’s a region where they eat them, they wouldn’t use such a dangerous name.
“It’s a squirmy mollusk with about twenty tentacles covered in suckers.”
“That’s it! That’s the octopus!”
“It’s delicious, you know.”
“Do people not eat octopus around here?”
“Ah, apparently not.”
“What? So, no Takoyaki…?”
Samuel’s expression turns to one of despair, but of course, that’s not the case.
“If you tell me where I can find it, I’ll go catch some octopus for you.”
“Really?!”
I could say I already have some caught and could serve it right here, but that’s a secret.
“Yeah. We want to try it too.”
“Ugh, the Takoyaki plate I brought all this way is finally going to be used…”
Tears of joy well up in Samuel’s eyes. His love for Takoyaki is overwhelming, but it seems he’s finally willing to share something. I remain quiet to keep the atmosphere intact, and Samuel begins to recount where he came from, his desire for Takoyaki evident.