落とし穴４掘：夜食の定番
### Pitfall Dig 4: The Staple of Late-Night Snacks
I’m not the one at fault here!!
Warning: This is a food-related temptation.
It’s nice to have one nearby, isn't it?
**The Staple of Late-Night Snacks**
**Side: Kaya**
“……I’m a little peckish.”
It is currently 10:00 PM.
Dinner was at 7:00 PM, and it’s that awkward time when one might be thinking about heading to bed soon. But, I’m feeling just a bit hungry.
“……I’m not really in the mood for snacks.”
I have a small stock of snacks in my room. Potato chips, chocolate, hard candy... well, I do eat them while working, too. When I’m buried in paperwork, I get an insatiable craving for something sweet. I suppose that’s the problem—I eat them so much while working that I’ve probably grown tired of them.
Still, I’ve become quite spoiled, haven't I? To think I’d get tired of sweets.
“……However, I cannot defeat this craving.”
I wander out of my room and head toward the inn’s kitchen. Although this building serves as the representative’s residence, it has become our home. There are still some vacant rooms, but I’ve mostly memorized the layout.
The kitchen we are heading toward is usually where Aslin, Firia, Labyris, and Yuki do most of the cooking. We aren't incapable of cooking ourselves, but honestly, Aslin’s or Yuki’s meals are just better. It’s a case of "the right person for the right job."
That said, it’s not like I *can’t* make something. There’s usually miso soup and rice available. Maybe some rice balls and seaweed would suffice?
“Oh?”
“Hm?”
“Huh?”
At the corner leading to the kitchen, I run into Deryu and Riel. I assume they are also feeling a bit hungry, but...
“……”
“……”
“……”
For some reason, we fall silent. Yeah, it’s that kind of atmosphere where it’s hard to be the first one to speak up.
“Oh my, what are you three doing here?”
“Aren’t you doing the same as us?”
“Ah, it does smell delicious, doesn't it?”
Ratz, Eris, and Tori arrive from another direction.
“……Indeed. I, too, am feeling a bit peckish.”
“……Me too.”
“……Same here.”
“What is this, are you all checking up on each other?”
It couldn't be helped; that was just the atmosphere.
“That said, with this many people, shouldn't we just make a proper meal?”
“That’s true. If we all make our own, it’ll take forever.”
“What were you all planning to eat?”
“……After checking the fridge.”
“Same here.”
“Didn't you all just follow the delicious smell?”
Only Tori seems to be on a different page.
“……Delicious smell? I don’t really notice it.”
“I don’t either.”
“Neither do I.”
“Well, Tori, you’re a Wolf Beastman, isn't your sense of smell supposed to be sharp?”
“Well, maybe someone is cooking something in the kitchen. I’ll just ask them to share.”
As we chatted and entered the kitchen...
“Oh? Were you all invited too?”
“Greetings, everyone.”
Inside were Seraria-sama and Elju-sama. And their escorts, Oriel and Quar.
“Invited? What do you mean? We were just...”
As Ratz tried to answer Seraria-sama’s question...
“Ah, everyone, over here!!”
“Onii-sama is waiting for you too!!”
“……The preparations are done. Oh, everyone is already here.”
Three little ones emerged from a strange door in the kitchen.
“……Well, that’s fine. Yuki will be happy, too. Come this way.”
Labyris disappeared back into that strange door. We followed, and inside was a room furnished with a counter like a pub and several tables.
……Also, it smells a bit like beasts. But, it’s appetizing?
“Oh, you’ve arrived, Seraria... and everyone else is here too. Since you’re in the kitchen, I take it you’re feeling a bit peckish?”
Yuki easily guessed our state of mind.
“You hit the nail on the head. So, what is this aroma?”
“Well, you’ll see once you sit at the counter.”
“It’s delicious!!”
“Onii-sama worked hard again!!”
“……Yuki always gets unnecessarily elaborate with these things.”
Regardless, we all sat at the counter as told.
“Well, there are a lot of you, but I won’t make the same mistake as last time!! Ramen is just a matter of adding the soup and boiling the noodles!!”
Yuki said that and, with swift movements, began doing various things.
“Here you go. Tonkotsu ramen. Just green onions and chashu for toppings.”
“Eh, is this ramen?”
“Um, is it that ‘cup ramen’ thing?”
“Ah, the kind you make with hot water?”
“Why go through the trouble of making it from scratch?”
As everyone said, I didn't understand why Yuki would go out of his way to make handmade ramen when there is perfectly good cup ramen available.
“Hey, be quiet!! It’s different from a cup, it’s different!! Eat the taste of the fresh stuff!!”
What could be different? It’s all ramen, isn't it?
*Slurp.*
The sound echoed.
“!?”
“My goodness.”
“Wow.”
“……It’s delicious.”
“Huh, so there’s food like this too.”
“It’s fresh, isn't it, Chii-neesama?”
It’s delicious. But it’s a different kind of deliciousness than the cup version. Is it because it’s handmade? Regardless, my hands won't stop. I move my chopsticks. Oh, less than half of us are using forks. After seeing Yuki use them, everyone felt they looked convenient, practiced, and learned how to use them.
“Now, don’t drink all the soup. The real show starts now.”
“Eh?”
At Yuki’s words, everyone stopped drinking the soup. Why? The noodles are gone, so it should be over.
“Here you go. *Kaedama* (extra noodles), firm!”
He tossed the boiled noodles into everyone’s bowls, which contained only the remaining soup.
“This is... a refill of ramen!?”
Ratz’s eyes went wide in surprise. Ah, I see, so you can eat more like this.
“Fufufu... how about that? Amazing, right?”
“As expected of Onii-san. However, that’s naive!! The freshly boiled noodles contain water!! If you add them, the soup gets diluted and the flavor drops!! That won't result in true deliciousness!!”
I see, Ratz is right. It does feel a bit diluted.
“The one who is naive is Ratz!! There’s something called ‘ramen soy sauce’ right there. Try adding the amount you think is right.”
Just as Yuki said, there were bottles placed at equal intervals along the back of the counter. Is this it? The ramen soy sauce? I added some to my liking and took a bite.
“Oh, the flavor has deepened.”
“Ngh, but isn't this different from the flavor Onii-san originally served?”
“That’s where you’re naive. Look, the real deal with *kaedama* starts *after* you get the refill. How much the flavor dilutes, and how the person eating adjusts it—that is the true thrill of this ramen!!”
“What!? You leave the seasoning to the customer!?”
“Yeah, well, the base of the soup is set, so it won't deviate too far. There’s sesame and pepper in front of you, right? Part of the fun is doing your own toppings.”
Ratz and Yuki were deep in conversation, but that didn't matter. It was delicious.
“Refill.”
“Coming right up.”
“Me too.”
“Coming, coming.”
Like that, we kept getting refills...
“I’m so full...”
“I was only supposed to have a light snack...”
And so, everyone was slumped over at the counter.
“Come to think of it, where is Milly? Don’t you know, Onii-san? It’s unlike her to miss a food event like this...”
Now that she mentions it, Milly isn't here. I wonder what happened?
“Ah, be careful. *Kaedama* can be hard on the stomach. Milly probably ate too much and is currently on friendly terms with the toilet.”
Ah, so she already came and went.
*Gurgle...*
My stomach... it hurts.
***
*Author's Note:*
*For now, a bit about the origins of the "Kaedama" from Hakata, Kyushu.*
*It’s not particularly delicious there, but the taste of the soup changes depending on the time of day.*
*Also, regarding "Kaedama," in other prefectures they call the firmness "Harigane," but you don't hear that in Nagahama.*
*In Fukuoka, the standard for refills is: Raw > Barikata > Kata > Normal.*
*I suspect "Barikata" is what they call "Harigane" elsewhere.*
*Anyway, I’m going to go eat some ramen.*