Chapter 30

When I don't have an appetite, I want to eat okayu (rice porridge). What about everyone else?

Suddenly, the "Scarlet Lynx" has one member who is extremely frail. He is so weak that people often wonder why he's even an adventurer. However, he's not necessarily constitutionally weak, nor does he have an incurable disease. To put it simply, he's a perfect indoor person, and that's why he's so frail.

"…Are you bedridden again?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, it happens all the time. He'll be up and about in a few days."

"Hmm…"

Yuri, looking troubled, nodded slightly at the words from Ali. Since Yuri had arrived, this person hadn't been bedridden, but it seemed he had relapsed after a long break. The cause was simple: lack of sleep and overwork. He was a prime example of poor self-care. If you stay up all night, of course, you'll exhaust yourself and collapse.

After finishing the morning breakfast and cleanup, Yuri did the daily laundry and swept the entrance, then headed to the sick person's room. Most people were out today, and only the apprentice was on duty. Usually, someone would be around, but Ali had gone out on business in the morning. She said she would be back for lunch, though.

"Mr. Jake, are you feeling okay?"

After knocking on the door, there was no response. Yuri knocked again, and a weak voice replied that the door was open. Yuri slowly opened the door and peered inside. The room was filled with books, almost like a library. Yuri understood why Jake's room was at the end of the first floor. There were too many books. Yuri wondered if the floor would collapse, but entered the room anyway.

The books were well-organized, reflecting the owner's personality. The room was well-stocked in areas of interest. Jake, who was lying in bed with only his face visible, was a treasure hunter by profession but a scholar at heart. He loved researching and writing papers. Scholars are often more intelligent than the average person but tend to be frail. They are often indoor types who don't exercise enough and end up collapsing from reading all night. Jake was a typical example of this. Because this happened frequently, everyone assumed he would recover in a few days and didn't consider it a big deal.

"Ah… It's you, Yuri… I'm fine, I'll get better with some rest…"

"Of course, you'll collapse if you keep staying up all night. I asked you to get enough sleep."

"…Sorry. I was just so curious about the next part of the book…"

"I thought so… Do you have an appetite? I'll put some lemon water in the pitcher, okay?"

"Thank you… I don't have an appetite…"

While talking, Jake seemed to be overcome by sleep or exhaustion and stopped moving. Yuri, thinking "Oh no," filled the pitcher by the bed with lemon water. He added lemon slices and fennel, which he had bought as an ingredient, hoping it would be refreshing. He thought that flavored water might stimulate Jake's appetite more than plain water.

Yuri, being a natural, thought about things in his own way. However, his actions were based on common sense from modern Japan, which often surprised people here. He didn't realize how much he was surprising others, though. He was just being himself.

After leaving Jake's room, Yuri headed straight to the kitchen. Even though Jake said he had no appetite, Yuri thought it was better for him to eat something. No matter how much he was just exhausted and overworked, he still needed nutrients. So, Yuri decided to make something that Jake could eat even without an appetite.

However, Yuri was just a high school boy. Being a natural, he was better at home economics than the average boy, but he wasn't a professional chef or had any cooking experience. He could only make home-cooked meals and simple recipes he found online or on TV.

"…I think there was some leftover rice in the rice cooker, right?"

Breakfast was always bread, but rice and pasta were used for lunch and dinner. Last night, someone had requested a donburi, so rice was used. The menu was a tempura donburi because there were leftover vegetable scraps.

Checking the rice cooker, Yuri found about a bowl of rice left. Satisfied, he nodded and filled a small pot with water and added kelp. Kelp broth is great. He wanted to use bonito flakes and dried sardines, but he hadn't found them yet. He was seriously considering going to a port town to find them.

Thinking that adding too many ingredients might not be good for someone without an appetite, but also considering the nutritional value, Yuri chose enoki mushrooms. They would add flavor and were mild, making them easy to eat even without an appetite. Chopped finely, they would also be easier to digest.

He boiled the broth, removed the kelp before it boiled, and seasoned it with salt, sake, and soy sauce. He then added the enoki mushrooms and the leftover rice from the rice cooker, simmering it gently. It was a simple, straightforward okayu.

He thought a rice porridge with pickled plums would be good for someone who wasn't feeling well, but he couldn't find any plums. Considering the nutritional value, he decided to make a broth-based okayu instead.

"What?"

Hearing a muffled voice, Yuri turned around to see Mag staring at the small pot. Mag pointed at the pot and asked again, "What?"

Realizing he was being asked what he was making, Yuri smiled and explained, "Mr. Jake is bedridden, so I'm making okayu. There was some leftover rice in the rice cooker."

"Broth?"

"Yeah, cooking rice with broth makes it delicious."

"…Delicious?"

"Yeah, but this is for Mr. Jake, so no."

"……"

"No means no."

Faced with Mag's silent, intense gaze, Yuri smiled and refused. In situations like this, Yuri showed an unyielding strength. Mag, looking disappointed, made Yuri tilt his head. Okayu is indeed delicious, but it's more of a sick person's food. It didn't seem like something a growing boy would crave.

Mag's reaction was due to his fascination with broth and umami. His taste was sharp, and he was particularly enthusiastic about these flavors. When Mag cooked, the dishes were surprisingly delicious despite being low in salt, thanks to the broth and the natural flavors of the ingredients. He had a promising future in cooking.

After simmering the okayu until the rice was soft and had absorbed the flavors, Yuri cracked an egg into a bowl and stirred it lightly before pouring it into the pot. He turned off the heat and covered it to let it steam.

After a while, he opened the lid to find the egg had cooked to a perfect, fluffy consistency. The aroma of the broth and soy sauce filled the air, making it look very appetizing. Satisfied, Yuri placed the small pot on a tray with a trivet, prepared a bowl and a spoon, and set a small ladle in the pot.

Leading Mag, who followed like a remora fish, Yuri knocked on Jake's door. Hearing a small voice in response, they entered the room.

"…Yuri?"

Jake, looking puzzled at Yuri with the tray, didn't say anything as Yuri approached. Placing the tray next to the water pitcher, Yuri showed Jake the pot. The aroma of the broth and soy sauce filled the room, and Jake's stomach growled.

"…Um…"

"Eating nothing is bad for you. I thought this might be something you could eat. You don't have to force yourself to finish it; I'll eat the leftovers."

Smiling, Yuri ladled the okayu into a bowl. Jake, looking at the steaming dish, was speechless. In this world, congee existed, but a broth-based okayu like this was not well-known. Risotto existed but was often made with cheese, making it less suitable for the sick.

"This is a dish from my hometown called okayu. It's seasoned with broth and soy sauce, so it's quite light. The only ingredients are enoki mushrooms and egg."

Jake took the bowl offered by Yuri. He had no appetite after collapsing, but after drinking the lemon water Yuri had left, he felt a bit better. However, he still had no appetite. Yet, the smell of the dish in front of him made him suddenly feel hungry.

Gently scooping a spoonful, he blew on it to cool it down before putting it in his mouth. The rice was soft and had absorbed the broth, and the egg was perfectly cooked. The finely chopped enoki mushrooms added a pleasant texture, and the broth and soy sauce-based seasoning was gentle and warm. The flavor spread through his body, and Jake slowly but surely finished the meal.

"…If you can't manage, leave some."

Mag's quiet words made Jake nod slightly. He nodded and slowly finished the bowl, asking for seconds. Mag's aura became increasingly unhappy, but no one noticed. Mag had intended to eat the leftovers, but the okayu seemed to suit Jake's taste, and it was quickly consumed.

In the end, Jake finished the entire pot of okayu. His face, looking much better than before, was flushed with a healthy color. Food is indeed great.

"Thank you, Yuri. It was delicious."

"I'm glad. …Please don't overwork yourself in the future."

"Okay, I'll be careful."

The two smiled and chatted, a heartwarming scene. Behind them, Mag, who had been hoping to eat the leftovers, was dejectedly poking the empty pot with a spoon, but the two didn't notice. Poor Mag.

Incidentally, when the news spread that special meals were made for the sick, the hideout was in an uproar. "Do we get special meals if we get sick!?" was the general reaction.

I think people have different preferences between congee and okayu. It's not about which is better or worse.

Yuri continues to live at his own pace.

I look forward to your comments and feedback.