落とし穴外伝：冬の食べ物
**Dungeon Pit Side Story: Winter Fare**
**Winter Fare**
**Side: Show**
*Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...*
Before my eyes, a portable hearth—known as a cassette stove—flickers with a flame. Atop it sits an earthenware pot, the broth within beginning to boil. If only our nation could produce such convenient tools. We are rushing the development, but it seems we are still a long way from reaching the level of the device before me.
Standardization of parts is clearly necessary. If every component is unique, it creates insurmountable issues for both productivity and maintenance. But that is a concern for another day. For now...
"Hmm. Is the base of this also miso soup?"
"Indeed. It would seem so. A truly magnificent aroma. Though, for my part, I believe miso ramen is the pinnacle of miso’s potential."
"Is that so? I personally prefer a standard miso soup... But what are we to do with this? It appears to be devoid of ingredients."
Indeed, the pot before us contained nothing but plain miso soup. It was certainly piping hot, bubbling away, but were we expected to drink it as is? As I pondered this, Yuki-sama approached, placing a platter laden with vegetables and meat before us.
"A hot pot is something you cook right there at the table, much like *yakiniku*," he explained, dropping the meat and vegetables into the broth before covering it with a lid. "Give it ten minutes to boil, and then you serve it into your bowls to eat."
"Ho-ho. So this is what they call 'freshly prepared'."
"There is no way to test for poison here. If one were careless, the entire party could be wiped out..."
"Come now, Show. After all we have eaten in Weed thus far, such talk is unnecessary. My apologies, Yuki-dono."
"Not at all. It is only natural to be concerned. Would you prefer to abstain, Show-dono?"
"No, that is not it. As a loyal subject, I merely felt it was my duty to be the first to taste it, to ensure that neither Her Majesty nor Yuki-sama would fall victim to any foul play."
Such delicious-looking fare—it was only right that I taste it first for the sake of the sovereign. Yes, that is the duty of a subordinate.
"This man... to make such a transparent grab for the lion's share at this late hour."
"Haha. Well, even if it were poisoned or if you collapsed from overeating, Rurua is here, so there is no need to worry."
"Indeed, that is true. With Rurua present, there is no cause for concern. My apologies for the lapse in judgment."
That is correct. Any poison would be neutralized in an instant by Rurua.
"You have become quite shameless in the face of food."
"It is when one is well-fed that one truly understands the value of etiquette."
"Indeed. 'When clothing and food are sufficient, one learns etiquette,' as they say in my country as well. For those who are freezing without clothes or struggling to survive until tomorrow without food, etiquette is meaningless."
"True enough. One must live before anything else has meaning. Only when one is satisfied does reason take hold. That was the case for us as well. Wait—do you think you can distract me? I intend to eat my fill! Yuki-dono, is it ready yet?"
*Tsk.* I could not steer the conversation away. Worse, we were both gripping our chopsticks, ready to strike. The moment that lid was lifted, it would be a battle of wills.
"Both of you, please, calm down. This is your first time with a hot pot, is it not? I will prepare it for you, so please wait."
"Hmm. If Yuki-dono insists, I suppose I have no choice."
"Indeed."
When Yuki-sama speaks, one must yield. After all, this is a new style of dining; there may be rules of which I am unaware.
"Right, I think that should be about ready."
Yuki-sama lifted the lid and peered inside. The mountain of vegetables that had overflowed moments ago had wilted into the broth, revealing the ingredients in a perfect, tender state.
"Now, my apologies to you, Show-san, but I shall serve Eupia-dono first."
"Indeed. As expected of Yuki-dono. You understand the hierarchy of things."
"I would not dream of complaining about such a thing. I apologize for forcing you to indulge Her Majesty's whims."
"This sharp-tongued man..."
"I wonder, is it not the very fact that Her Majesty flaunts her status even regarding the order of food that is the root cause of this?"
While we glared at one another, Yuki-sama ladled the contents into a bowl and placed it before Her Majesty with a soft *clack*. It was filled with a perfect balance of vegetables, meat, and savory broth.
"It is good to be close, but it would be a waste if it went cold. Please, enjoy."
"Indeed. Let us set this conversation aside for now."
"Agreed. The cuisine takes absolute priority."
I took the bowl placed before me and first savored the aroma. The rich scent of miso tickled my nostrils. I gripped my chopsticks and plucked a piece of Chinese cabbage from the broth, bringing it to my lips.
"*Hafu, hafu...*"
It was hot, but simultaneously, it was delicious. The cabbage retained a crisp texture while absorbing the savory depth of the miso broth, spreading a comforting umami across my palate. Next, the meat. Thanks to our time in Weed, I have come to know the exquisite flavor of pork and beef raised for consumption. This, I believe, was pork. It was equally magnificent. The thin mushrooms provided a delightful, chewy texture.
And there was one thing I had never eaten even in Weed: a meatball. I could not discern what kind of meat it was made from, but the firm, springy texture was pleasant, and the flavor was superb. Finally, I drank the remaining broth. It was a deep, complex flavor, as if the very essence of the vegetables and meat had been distilled into the liquid.
"..." "..."
Words failed us. Her Majesty was similarly lost in the aftertaste. This had a different charm compared to *yakiniku* or curry.
"Oh? You drank the soup, too?"
"Hm? Was that a mistake?"
"Well, usually we add noodles or rice at the end to finish the meal, so if you drink it all now, we’ll run out of broth. I’d appreciate it if you could hold back a little next time."
"I see. So that is how it is done."
"Ho-ho. Ramen made with this would surely be delicious."
"No, I think rice would be hard to pass up as well."
"Hmm, indeed..."
"It’s fine. Everyone else is eating from the same pot this time, so you can just ask for some from another batch."
"I see. Rurua, what is the plan for the finale on your end?"
I turned to Rurua, who was poking at the pot with Eris and the others.
"Let’s see. What shall we have today?"
"I was thinking rice?"
"I agree with Eris. We had ramen yesterday."
"Then it’s settled: rice it is."
Since Rurua’s group was going with rice, our choice was made.
"Then, noodles will be no problem for us."
"Yes, noodles, if you please."
"Understood. Though, you haven't finished eating yet, so pace yourselves. Please, eat to your heart's content. If there are other ingredients you’d like to try, you can order more."
"Very well. I shall not hold back."
"Yes, let us leave nothing behind."
"No, no, please leave a little bit—it’s meant to be the base for the ramen or *zosui* porridge, after all."
Yuki-sama’s warning reached my ears, but in the face of the hot pot’s brilliance, such restraint was impossible. I, who usually have a small appetite, found myself consuming an unbelievable amount of food. And after eating such delicious fare to my heart's content...
"...Please, don't overdo it."
Yuki-sama said this as he added the noodles for the finale into our bowls. It looked so delicious...
"A case of 'twice as delicious in one sitting,' as they say."
"Indeed. I never imagined I would enjoy food so literally."
After finishing the noodles, we enjoyed the hot pot even further by sharing the *zosui* porridge from Rurua and Aslin-dono's group.
On the way home:
"Oh, somehow, the cold feels quite pleasant."
"Yes. Sharing a warm meal with close friends... it is a wonderful thing. That hot pot warmed both body and soul."
"Indeed. The bath, as well."
"Yes. The super *sento*—a magnificent invention."
"Someday, I would like to build such a facility in Zrable."
"Yes. I hope that one day, our nation will have the luxury to allow everyone to enjoy such facilities."
"Indeed. But for now... I must run to relieve myself."
"...Excuse me."
"Hey, wait a moment!"
The evening ended with such a foolish punchline, but it remained a pleasant chapter of winter for us. When everyone gathers to eat in the winter, it is usually hot pot or *oden*, but this time, we chose the pot. *Oden* does have a bit of an image as a snack for alcohol, after all. Have you all had your fill of hot pot or *oden* yet?