Chapter 40: A Long-Missed Flavor

“Oh, I can see Berlia up ahead.”

We’d departed the royal capital yesterday, stayed at the same inn in the town we’d passed through on the way there, and after another comfortable carriage journey today, the town of Berlia was visible through the window before sunset.

On the way there, we’d encountered trouble with a carriage being attacked by a monster horde, but the return trip was completely uneventful. Probably because the Sleipnir pulling the carriage was a strong monster itself, and because it moved so fast that no one could catch up.

“We didn’t run into anything on the way back either…”

Yuuka sounded a bit disappointed, despite having made it back safely.

By the way, Aoi had gotten off the carriage partway through today’s journey to stop by her research lab and pick up tools necessary for creating magical tools. Since she could use flight magic when alone, if she hurried, she could apparently make it back to the mansion by today.

I couldn’t help thinking that since it had been so long since she’d been home, she didn’t need to rush and could just come back tomorrow.

“The royal capital was fun, but this town really puts me at ease. It really feels like coming home.”

“Hehe, I’m glad you feel that way, Kakeru.”

In terms of length of stay, the first town I’d reincarnated into was the longest, but when I was there, I was desperately focused on survival and moved from place to place, so I never really felt like I was living there.

I suppose Yuuka’s mansion in this town is my true home now.

“Sorry for the wait. Since we had nothing but fancy dishes in the royal capital, I tried making simple Japanese-style food today.”

“Whoa, I can smell the rice and miso soup!”

“This is exactly what we needed!”

After returning to Yuuka’s mansion for the first time in a while, I took a bath and soothed my travel fatigue. In this world, baths exist thanks to magical tools, albeit expensive ones—probably because she was a transmigrator from Japan, she’d made sure to choose a mansion with a proper bath.

Aoi had also just returned to Yuuka’s mansion, and dinner was ready just in time. We all took our seats.

Tonight’s dinner was rice, miso soup, meat and potato stew, spinach ohitashi, and dashimaki tamago. Just as Aoi said, this was exactly what we needed!

“Ahh~ delicious! This really is a comforting flavor!”

The sweet-savory aroma of soy sauce and mirin stimulated my appetite. The slowly simmered potatoes crumbled softly in my mouth, blending together with the natural sweetness of carrots, the melt-in-your-mouth onions, and the beef thoroughly soaked in dashi.

Taking a bite of the white, fluffy rice alongside it, the slightly sweet-and-salty stew broth and the subtly sweet rice played a blissful harmony.

The dashi-infused rolled omelet, the spinach ohitashi, and the familiar taste of miso soup permeated every fiber of my being.

“The food in the royal capital was incredibly delicious, but having that every day gets a bit tiring…”

“Yes. Every dish used the finest ingredients and was crafted with the utmost care, but having it day after day, you do get tired of it.”

“Yeah, this really hits the spot. I guess Japanese people really need rice.”

As Aoi and Yuuka said, the meals at the town inn, the royal capital inn, and the royal castle were luxurious and incredibly delicious—dishes I’d never eaten even in my previous life. But having food like that every day grew tiring.

I’d spent my first month in this other world in poverty, but habit is a scary thing. And after days of such elaborate cuisine, tonight’s meat and potato stew truly warmed my stomach. I imagine this is what it feels like to eat Japanese food after continuously eating foreign cuisine for a while.

I could somewhat understand the feelings of the Blessed Ones who’d fought over Japanese rice in the past, as Rain had told me. Perhaps spreading Japanese rice in this world really was important for the future.

“I’m glad you’re both enjoying it. I used to make meat and potato stew often with my mother and Haruka. Vegetables exist in this world too, but it was thanks to Kakeru that we could get proper dashi and mirin.”

“I see. We’re lucky to be able to eat such delicious food because of that.”

“I too was able to enjoy the taste of meat and potato stew after a long time. My thanks to Yuuka.”

She’d mentioned before that she’d started cooking after becoming an adventurer, but it seemed she’d also helped her mother with cooking at home before that.

And Japanese seasonings like dashi, soy sauce, and mirin couldn’t be beaten. I should be grateful that thanks to Japanese seasonings and Yuuka’s cooking skills, we could enjoy such comforting Japanese flavors.

Now then, though we’d safely returned to Berlia, there was still much to do starting tomorrow. For now, tomorrow and the day after are the weekend, so I need to earn money at the flea market.

Since we’re at it, I should buy some small souvenirs for everyone in Japan tomorrow.