第１６３６堀：お弁当は何を選ぶのか？ (Part2)
Often, a meal is nothing more than bread, vegetables, and beans tossed together.
It’s no wonder foreigners are so taken aback when they see a Japanese bento.
After all, the very idea of crafting a bento with such meticulous care is beyond their imagination.
Of course, the good ones are truly delicious.
Naturally, the bad ones are just that—bad—but that’s a risk you run with any cuisine.
Lost in these thoughts as I stood before the shop, the door swung open, and Ria stepped out.
"I wondered who it could be, and here you are, Yuki. If you’ve come all this way, you should just come inside."
"I was just thinking what a fine-looking shop this has become."
As I shifted my gaze from Ria to the exterior of the building, she followed my eyes, looking up at the facade herself.
"Ah, this. Ratz and the others worked incredibly hard on it. What do you think? Doesn't it look like a Japanese bento shop?"
"It does. You used that as a reference, then? Did you get Seraria’s permission?"
"Yes, of course. Well, she did say she had no idea what a 'proper' exterior should look like, so we all picked it out together."
I see. They prepared designs and made a selection.
If Seraria was involved in the choice, there shouldn't be any complaints.
"But, putting that aside, the bentos are ready, so please, come in."
Oh, right.
We hadn't come here to inspect the architecture.
We were here to taste the merchandise.
I’d skipped a meal just to be ready for this, so that was the priority.
We stepped inside.
It was laid out much like a local butcher or a cake shop, with glass display cases housing various side dishes, priced by weight—the classic "so much per hundred grams" style.
Next to that sat a massive rice cooker, ready to dispense portions of white rice.
Customers could choose between small, medium, and large servings.
It felt authentically, unmistakably Japanese.
As I stood there, impressed, Seraria emerged from the back, wearing a distinctive apron.
"Welcome. We have been expecting you. Here is the menu."
It was her first time serving customers, yet she carried herself with such poise.
Or perhaps, given that Seraria never lets her emotions show on her face, it was the perfect role for her?
I took the menu she offered and scanned it.
Makunouchi, karaage, hamburger steaks, various pastas, sandwiches—the selection was surprisingly robust.
As I looked it over, Hovis asked Seraria a question.
"Um, so the bentos aren't pre-made? We order them, and then you prepare them?"
"Yes. We will prepare whatever you request. We would like you to evaluate us based on the time it takes to do so as well."
I see. Just as I was processing that, more people appeared from the back.
Who could it be?
"Master, and everyone from your staff, thank you for coming."
"My Lord, thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules, Prol and the others included."
Kirue and Kirika had appeared as well.
What was going on?
Sensing my confusion, Kirue began to explain.
"I am overseeing the cooking."
"And I am here for a preliminary survey to see how to dispatch my subordinates. Also, could you all please order different types of dishes? As Seraria mentioned, we need to test the time it takes to provide the requested items."
That made sense. Kirue was here as a chef, and Kirika was here to inspect the environment for her subordinates and gauge customer needs.
"I see. In that case, I’ll have the Makunouchi."
Yayui’s choice was safe, or perhaps refined.
Then again, with so many ingredients packed in, maybe it looked like a luxury to the people here?
As for me, I wanted to test their technical skill.
"Karaage."
My voice, Lyushi’s, and Hovis’s overlapped perfectly.
"Kirika-sama, should I accept these orders as they are?"
Seraria asked, her expression unchanging as she sought guidance on how to handle our overlapping requests.
"Um, well... if you don't mind, since the karaage is served as a single item, perhaps..."
And so, Hovis and I ended up changing our orders.
I suppose karaage really is that popular.
There are very few people who actually dislike fried chicken, aren't there?