Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 60: A Symptom Unique to Japanese People
One day, Nara-kun said something unexpected.
“Maya-san! I… I want to eat rice!”
“…”
Ah, here we go. The classic “craving for Japanese food” syndrome unique to Japanese people.
Apparently, this isn’t limited to Japanese people transported to another world. It’s a condition commonly experienced by Japanese people who go abroad.
That’s why people traveling overseas for extended periods are often advised to bring instant miso soup or similar items.
And now, here we are in another world.
Japanese food in a place like this is…
“Well, technically, there is some.”
“There’s rice!?”
Turns out, past Japanese summoned people have also suffered from this Japanese food craving syndrome. Some devoted their lives to finding rice, which is why it exists in this world.
However…
“It’s not really popular here. The locals don’t seem to like it.”
“What!? Rice is delicious!”
“That’s a Japanese perspective. I’ve heard that a lot of foreigners don’t like miso soup, either.”
“Wait… seriously?”
Apparently, those past summoned people thought rice, miso, and soy sauce would take off here. But they were never embraced by the locals, and now they’ve faded into obscurity.
“By the way, Nara-kun, did you even eat rice that often back in Japan?”
Wasn’t there talk about the declining consumption of rice in Japan?
“W-well, I didn’t eat it every day, but now that I can’t have it, I really, really want it!”
“You’re just craving what you can’t have.”
Sure, there are times when I feel like eating rice too. But honestly, I’m fine with bread.
“Maya-san, isn’t there something you can do?”
While I was thinking about how to refuse his request, Meyleen and the others joined the conversation.
“Oh, are you talking about food from Kenta’s homeland?”
“Yes! Rice, miso, and soy sauce—soul food for us Japanese!”
Really? I don’t have that much attachment to rice.
Surprisingly, though, Meyleen seemed interested.
“Oh, I see. Kenta, I’d like to try it too. Can we get some somewhere?”
“Well, I do know where we can find some.”
Hearing this, Nara-kun’s eyes lit up.
“You know a place!? Then we can teleport there, right? Let’s go, right now!”
“Please, Kenta, just this once. I’d like to try the taste of your homeland.”
Ugh… when Meyleen asks like that…
“Fine. But just this once, okay?”
I couldn’t refuse.
Reluctantly, I decided to take Nara-kun to a farmer who still grows rice.
After a teleportation spell to the outskirts of a village in the country of Tanda, we walked to the farm.
“Hey, isn’t that Kenta? Long time no see!”
A farmer greeted me as we approached the fields, speaking with such a strong accent that even my auto-translation perk struggled to keep up.
“Yo, long time no see, Jonas. I came to buy some rice. Got any left?”
“Sure, we’ve still got some. Rice doesn’t sell much around here. Unlike bread made from wheat, it’s more convenient for us, so we mostly eat it ourselves.”
As Jonas and I talked, Nara-kun chimed in with enthusiasm.
“Whoa, look at all this rice! This is amazing!”
The farm is like a hidden village in Tanda, independent of any kingdom. The villagers grow wheat for trade and rice for their own use.
Jonas returned with a massive sack of rice.
“Will this be enough?”
“A whole sack? That’s way too much!”
“Not at all! Thank you so much, Jonas-san!”
I ended up buying the sack of rice, along with some miso and soy sauce.
Back home, Meyleen welcomed us.
“You’re back! How did it go?”
“We got everything we needed. Here you go.”
“Thank you, Kenta. I’m excited to try it.”
From behind, Nara-kun muttered.
“I was the one who wanted rice in the first place…”
“I only went because Meirin wanted it. If it were just for you, I wouldn’t have bothered.”
Nara-kun sighed deeply.
“Oh yeah, you are Maya-san.”
“Don’t use my name like it’s an insult! And if you’re going to complain, you don’t get any rice.”
“I’m sorry! I’ll never complain again! Please let me eat some rice!”
In the end, I gave in and let Nara-kun have some rice too.
“Ah, Mona. You need to know how to cook it properly, so I’ll make it.”
“Is that so? Understood. Then, may I watch you as you cook?”
“No problem.”
“Thank you.”
So, I scooped up the rice I bought from Jonas using a measuring cup that he generously gave me and put it into the pot.
After washing the rice with water, I added an appropriate amount of water and put the pot on the fire.
With magic, I adjusted the heat while cooking it for about ten minutes.
Mona seemed intrigued by the smell.
“It smells a bit strange.”
Mona appeared very interested in the scent of the rice cooking.
Just then, a new intruder appeared.
“I smell something I’ve never smelled before. What is it? Is it okay?”
Yulia had apparently barged in from the neighboring house.
Well, it makes sense that Yulia wouldn’t be familiar with the smell of rice cooking.
It’s no wonder she was surprised.
It seemed that Yulia had the same reaction as Mona, so it didn’t seem like it was disliked.
Before the rice finished cooking, I decided to make miso soup as well.
I filled a pot with water, brought it to a boil, and, since we didn’t have any dashi, I added some dried mushrooms.
It would work as both an ingredient and seasoning.
Also, I wanted to make a dish using soy sauce.
So, I made a stir-fry with leftover cabbage and meat, seasoning it with soy sauce.
While I made the miso soup, Mona prepared the stir-fry.
I’ve never cooked before.
I learned how to cook rice from Jonas, so I can manage that. I can make miso soup too.
As the rice finished cooking, I decided to serve it with the dishes to everyone.
“This is the food from my and Nara-kun’s homeland. Please, try it.”
At my words, Nara-kun and the others immediately began eating the rice, miso soup, and stir-fry.
Nara-kun stared at the food for a while, eyes teary, before suddenly picking up the rice with his hand.
“…“
“Now you understand why I didn’t want to eat rice in this world, right?”
When I said that, Nara-kun nodded vigorously.
“The rice in this world… it’s just not that good.”
“Wow, I’m surprised. It looks like rice, but it feels like I’m eating something completely different.”
“How’s the miso soup?”
“Ah, this is actually pretty good.”
“I see.”
While Nara-kun and I made somewhat sour faces, Meyleen and the others were giving it high marks.
On the other hand, while Nara-kun and I gave the miso soup a passing grade, Meyleen and the others didn’t look very impressed.
I was reflecting on how different people’s tastes can be based on the environments they grew up in, but Nara-kun had a serious expression on his face.
“What’s up, Nara-kun?”
When I called out to him, he suddenly snapped out of his thoughts and looked at me.
“We need to do some breeding! Let’s do some breeding!”
“Denied.”
“Why not!?”
Nara-kun looked like the world had ended, but I wasn’t saying this to be mean.
“Do you even know how to breed new strains? I sure don’t.”
“…”
“You don’t know either?!”