Episode 291: Vegetables, Abura, Kara, Minced Garlic

"There's a place I recommend. I'll treat you."

With those words, we followed behind the "Gambler" guy, walking in a line through the night streets of "Abyenia."

The amusement park, its lights extinguished, had a somewhat desolate atmosphere.

I matched my pace to that of Aizuki Miharu, relying on the moonlight, taking my time.

"Hey, you."

"?"

"That game was actually kind of fun, huh?"

"...I suppose so?"

"Yeah."

After spending about six hours playing 'Porkman's Quest' together, I was genuinely impressed by how quickly she picked things up. This girl—maybe she's a bit of a prodigy... Her grasp of games seemed far beyond that of an average person. She might even have what it takes to become a professional gamer, if the world were different.

"Alright, I'll buy you a handheld game console next time."

"Seriously?"

"Dead serious."

"Awesome. That'll really help."

Huh.

A phantom voice whispered in my mind—her affection level rising dramatically♪.

I tried to indulge myself just a little, gently petting her head, but she dodged it like a speed-type boxer.

"What are you doing?"

"Just thought I'd give your crown a nice, fluffy rub."

"Next time, I'll kill you."

"Yes... (´・ω・`)"

Stray cats really don't get tame, do they?

The four of them had passed through the Western Area and were now nearing the Fantasy District and the Cartoon District.

As they moved forward through the space lined with buildings of absurdly distorted proportions, a faint, pleasant aroma reached their noses.

This scent was none other than the legendary—

"Uh, street vendor ramen... you know, the kind a drunk office worker eats to finish off a night out..."

"Pretty great, huh?"

"You're right. I've only ever seen that kind of ramen in dramas or anime."

There weren't any food stalls like that around here before the End...

And searching for them in distant places was too dangerous.

The only downside is that I'm not actually all that hungry right now.

It's a rare opportunity, though...

"Hey, 'Nameless'... no, 'Warrior'..."

"Huh?"

"Before we eat, how about we play something quick?"

At that moment, I caught sight of the "Gambler" girl's backflip kick motion—and I firmly blocked it. Her calf, which I briefly touched, was surprisingly toned beyond what one would guess from her appearance, soft yet supple. Quite impressive.

"――Gah!"

A sudden tension shot through our close-knit group of four.

The most noticeably reactive was Aizuki Miharu.

For a moment, she reached toward her skirt, seemingly surprised at having forgotten the belt that held her throwing knife.

I gave his shoulder a light pat,

"It's fine," said the gambler, "you're not taking this seriously at all."

And comforts them.

If we keep going like this, we won't be the only ones enjoying the meal, will we?

"...Fight for the sake of food?"

That's right. The biggest hassle about having this body is that sometimes you gotta do this just to get a good meal into your mouth.

That's... certainly true.

Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. Just make you suffer until you're on the brink of death.

While saying something ominous, the "Gambler" tenses up.

I cast the Skill Assessment spell on her once again.

Job: Gambler

Level: 79

Skill: [Coin Toss (Divine Class)] [Luck V] [Natural Healing (Strong)] [Skin Reinforcement] [Bone Reinforcement] [Hunger Resistance (Strong)] [Skill Assessment] [Karma Assessment] [Achievement Condition Reference] [Fire Magic I–V] [Water Magic I–V] [Lightning Magic I–V] [Healing Magic I–VII] [Manipulation of Fate] [Negotiation Art (Death God Class)] [Dream Dice Roll] [Turnaround Ace] [Roulette Shot] [Coin Toss] [Deception (Advanced)] [Money Heavier Than Life] [Lucky Punch]

Hmm.

There are a lot of abilities here whose effects aren't quite clear.

I instinctively strike a combat-ready stance, fending off imaginary attacks with a "shu, shu" motion,

"Alright, no using magic that'd be too troublesome."

"I understand. But aside from that, anything goes—eyes, money, everything (Baritooth)."

"Money...?"

Where exactly in this vicinity is the... thing supposed to be?

Just as I was about to ask, Tamachan jumped up from behind me.

"Wha—?"

For a brief moment, I was distracted by her fluttering dress—then, a powerful kick slammed into my back.

"Guh—!"

I tumbled across the ground like a gag cartoon character.

"Whoa. Got hit!"

"Cut it out. You weren't afraid of needles before."

Ah... well... yeah. You know what I mean.

…

No good." Gambler" guy, he's making that suspicious face again.

To avoid deepening my suspicions any further, I quickly stood up,

Then, let's—how about I return it to you?

Alright

Once the plan was settled,

Hey, you... are you really okay?

Miharu scrunched up her face in disgust.

It's understandable. Surrounded by superhumans, it's only natural to feel a bit uneasy.

"Please wait a few minutes. I'll have dinner ready shortly."

▼

And then.

It took longer than expected—maybe ten or so minutes later.

"Extra veggies, extra broth, extra garlic. Double chashu." (the "Gambler" lady)

"……Same as before." (Tamachan)

"Extra veggies and extra sauce, slightly less garlic. Oh, and add an egg and cheese as a topping." (me)

"Regular ramen. Standard style." (Miharu-chan)

It was fairly common to see "players" battling each other in front of the shop, and the store owner, currently on assignment from "Grandeliana," showed no hesitation at all, briskly cooking up his unusually thick, rubbery noodles.

Though we four had all been healed of our injuries by the healing magic, we were all in tattered condition.

The reason why Misegi-chan was in such a state was—of course, due to her own good intentions, having attempted to lend support in her own way.

What was surprising was how well she held her own against Tamachan.

Even though Tamachan herself hadn’t been half serious, it was still impressive that an ordinary person could stand up to a "player" like that.

The ramen served was a dish piled high with bean sprouts and cabbage—so unappealing in appearance that it seemed completely uninterested in looking presentable, even for a teenage girl.

He plunged his chopsticks in forcefully and slurped noisily, feeling a sensation of magic spreading throughout his body. Hmm. Delicious. The cheese and egg had soaked into the well-cooked vegetables, softening the flavor. Maybe a bit more garlic would have been better. The sharp, spicy heat dancing on his tongue was pleasantly intense.

"How was it?"

"Mmm."

"You were just testing me, weren't you, with that last bite?"

"Yeah... I guess."

"Have I changed somehow?"

"You've gotten stronger. More so than before."

"Is that so?"

Well, of course.

After all, I've undergone training with my past-life self and accumulated considerable combat experience.

"Anything else?"

"……No. I mean, never mind."

Honestly, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop making that mysterious expression and then vaguely dismissing it like that.

Only dull-witted protagonists get fooled by that, right?

...Well, she seems determined to wait until after this collaboration project is finished, no matter what she's going to say.

In that case, there's nothing I can do.

I'll stick it out to the end, then.

"Alright! We've eaten plenty of pork, so let's push hard in the second half!"

Oh yeah!