Chapter 60: A Peculiarly Japanese Condition
One day, Nara-kun started saying something like this:
“Maya-san! I… I want to eat rice!!”
“…”
There it is, the Japanese Food Craving Syndrome, peculiar to Japanese people.
Apparently, this isn’t a symptom that only Japanese people who have been transported to another world develop; it seems that most Japanese people who go overseas develop it.
That’s why people who leave Japan for long periods on business trips are often advised to bring instant miso soup and the like.
And this is another world.
There’s no such thing as Japanese food here…
“Well, it does exist, in a way.”
“There’s rice!?”
Apparently, a Japanese person who was summoned in the past also suffered from this Japanese Food Craving Syndrome, and they risked their life to find rice, so rice exists in this world.
However…
“The people of this world couldn’t accept it. It hasn’t really spread.”
“Why not!? Rice is delicious!!”
“That’s a Japanese opinion. I’ve heard that many foreigners don’t like miso soup.”
“Eh… is that so?”
That past Summoner thought that rice, miso, and soy sauce would definitely become popular, but… in the end, the people of this world didn’t accept it, and now it’s completely fallen into obscurity.
“Speaking of which, Nara-kun, did you even eat rice every day when you were in Japan?”
Wasn’t it said that Japanese people were seriously turning away from rice?
“W-Well, I certainly didn’t eat it every day, but, you know, when I can’t eat it anymore, I desperately want to!”
“Isn’t that just wanting what you can’t have?”
Well, I do sometimes want to eat rice.
But, to be honest, I’m totally fine with bread.
“Maya-san. Can’t you do something about it?”
As I was thinking about how to refuse Nara-kun’s request, Meileen and the others joined our conversation.
“Oh, are you talking about food from Kenta’s homeland?”
“That’s right! We’re talking about the soul food of us Japanese, rice, miso, and soy sauce!”
Is that so?
I don’t have that much attachment to rice, so I’m pretty indifferent, but surprisingly, Meileen showed interest.
“Oh, is that so? Hey, Kenta, I want to try it too. You can get it somewhere, right?”
“Well, yeah, I know where to get it.”
When I said that, Nara-kun’s eyes lit up.
“If you know where to get it, that means we can get there with Teleportation Magic, right!? Let’s go! Let’s go right now!!”
“I’d like to ask you too. Just once is fine. I want to try the taste of Kenta’s homeland.”
Ugh… when Meileen asks me…
“Fine, I understand. But, this is only this once, okay?”
I can’t refuse, can I?
I had no choice but to take Nara-kun and head to the farm that still grows rice.
“I’m sorry for being selfish, Kenta. But, I want to try the taste of your homeland, just once.”
“It’s okay. If it’s for Meileen.”
“…Don’t you think your attitude is too different from when it’s me?”
Nara-kun got involved in my exchange with Meileen.
Huh? What are you talking about?
“Of course it is. When did you start thinking you were on the same level as Meileen? I’ll stop going, you know?”
“I’m really sorry. I won’t say anything cheeky anymore, so please take me to that farm.”
“You’re being too humble just because you’re being held hostage by rice. How much do you want to eat rice?”
“Because I’m Japanese!”
Haa, whatever. Let’s just go, buy it, and come back.
And so, Nara-kun and I went to the farm that grows rice using Teleportation Magic.
That farm is located in a country called Tanda, which is not in Lindor, Admos, or Weimar.
It’s quite far from Lindor, so this country probably hasn’t been affected by the land desertification.
We teleported to the entrance of the farming village, and from there, we walked to the village.
“Hmm? Oh, if it isn’t Kenta-dono. It’s been a while.”
As we approached the village, a farmer who was working in the fields saw me and greeted me.
Even with the automatic translation that comes with being a Summoner, his accent was so strong that it sounded really strange.
“Yo, it’s been a while, Jonas. I came to buy rice, do you still have some?”
“Yeah, we still have some. Rice doesn’t sell very well, you see. But, unlike bread made from wheat, it’s easy to make, so we basically eat rice all the time.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Nara-kun joined in on my conversation with Jonas, the farmer from this village.
“Hmm? Who’s this kid?”
“Oh, he’s my junior.”
“I see. So? You came to buy rice?”
“Yeah. My household has grown a bit, so I’d like to buy a little more if possible, is that okay?”
“Yeah, no problem. I’ll go prepare it, so wait a bit.”
Jonas said that and stopped his farm work and headed towards his house.
As I was seeing Jonas off, Nara-kun spoke to me excitedly.
“Maya-san, Maya-san! It’s amazing! Rice… there are so many rice paddies with rice!!”
This farming village is like a hidden village in the country of Tanda, and they don’t pay taxes to the country.
The reason why the farmers here grow rice and wheat is because wheat is easier to sell for money in this world.
Rice is for their own consumption.
Come to think of it, they also make miso and soy sauce here.
I might as well buy that too.
As I was confirming the next steps, Jonas appeared with a large rice bale.
“Here. Will this much be enough for now?”
“One rice bale… that’s too much.”
“That’s not too much! Thank you, Jonas-san!”
As I was taken aback by the rice bale that Jonas brought, Nara-kun quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
Well, might as well take what we can get.
“Oh, right. I should have asked earlier, but sell me some miso and soy sauce too.”
“I thought you might say that, so I brought it with me.”
“As expected of Jonas. You’re efficient.”
And so, I bought one rice bale, several pots of miso, and two bottles of soy sauce, which were originally sake bottles.
“Well then, see you later.”
“Yeah, see ya.”
“Thank you very much!!”
Jonas went back to his farm work, so we decided to go home as well.
“I’m home.”
“Welcome back. How was it?”
“Yeah, they sold it to me properly.”
“That’s good. Thank you, Kenta.”
“If it’s for Meileen, this is nothing.”
As Meileen and I were talking, Nara-kun’s voice came from behind us.
“…Originally, I was the one who said I wanted to eat rice, though.”
“I went to buy it because Meileen said she wanted to eat it. I wouldn’t have gone if it was Nara-kun’s request.”
When I said that, Nara-kun’s shoulders slumped.
“Oh yeah, this person was Maya-san.”
“Don’t use my name like it’s a derogatory term. And, you’re not going to eat rice?”
“I’m sorry! I mean, to cut me out when I was the one who said I wanted to eat rice first, Maya-san, you’re seriously too cruel!”
Nara-kun was clinging to me so persistently, so in the end, I decided to let Nara-kun eat rice too.
“Ah, Mona. You can’t cook this properly without knowing how, so I’ll make it.”
“Is that so? Understood. Then, may I watch by your side?”
“I don’t mind.”
“Thank you very much.”
And so, I scooped the rice that I bought from Jonas with the measuring cup that Jonas gave as a service, and put it into a pot.
After washing the rice with water, I added an appropriate amount of water and put the pot on the fire.
I cooked it for about ten minutes while adjusting the heat with magic.
Mona made a gesture of sniffing the air.
“It smells like something strange.”
Mona seemed very interested in the smell of the cooking rice.
Then, a new intruder appeared.
“I smell something I’ve never smelled before? What is it? Is it okay?”
It seems that Yulia had barged in from the house next door.
Well, Yulia doesn’t know the smell of cooking rice either.
It’s no wonder she’s surprised.
It seems that Yulia has the same impression as Mona, so it doesn’t seem to be unpopular.
And, before the rice was cooked, I decided to make miso soup as well.
I filled a pot with water, boiled it, and since there was no dashi, I added dried mushrooms.
They can also be used as ingredients, so it’s just right.
Also, I want to serve a dish using soy sauce.
So, I had Mona make a stir-fry with the leftover cabbage and meat, and used soy sauce for the seasoning.
I made the miso soup, but Mona made the other dishes.
I’ve never cooked before.
I can cook rice because Jonas taught me how. And miso soup, too, for the most part.
While we were doing that, the rice was cooked, so I decided to serve it to everyone along with the dishes.
“This is the food from my and Nara-kun’s homeland. Please try it first.”
At my words, Nara-kun and the others started eating the rice, miso soup, and stir-fried meat and vegetables all at once.
Nara-kun stared at the food with tears in his eyes for a while, but then he looked startled and reached for the rice.
“…”
“You understand why I didn’t want to eat rice in this world, right?”
When I said that, Nara-kun nodded his head up and down.
“The rice in this world isn’t very good.”
“……I’m surprised. It looks like rice, but it feels like I’m eating something different.”
“What about the miso soup?”
“……Ah, this is normally delicious.”
“I see.”
Nara-kun and I had subtle expressions, but it was very popular with Meileen and the others.
Conversely, we gave the miso soup a passing grade, but Meileen and the others didn’t look like they were enjoying it very much.
I was impressed by how much of a difference there was due to the environment they grew up in, while Nara-kun had a serious look on his face.
“What’s wrong? Nara-kun.”
When I called out to him, he looked at me with a startled expression.
“Let’s do selective breeding! Let’s do selective breeding!”
“Denied.”
“Why!?”
Nara-kun has a face like the end of the world, but I’m not saying this out of spite.
“Do you even know how to do selective breeding? I don’t.”
“……”
You don’t know either!