Chapter 27

7/16 This is the third post of the day.

Sniff, sniff...

My feet moved on their own to a certain shop.

Sniff, sniff, sniff...

I recognize this spicy scent.

Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff...

It feels similar to something I used to eat once a week.

Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff...

Y-Yeah, as I thought...

"It's curry!!!"

Without thinking, I burst open the door of the shop and barked when I saw what the other customers were eating.

The staff and other customers all looked at me with puzzled faces, but I didn’t care.

I had already told Mrs. Billycorn that I would be having dinner there, but that didn’t matter either.

I never thought this world would have it.

Did the hero Takuya spread it?

Or, although I know this isn’t Earth, do the people in this town, which feels Middle Eastern, lean more towards Asia?

I don’t know... I don’t really know, but!

If it’s right in front of me, I have to eat it!!

I intended to just scout, but somehow I ended up sitting down. I can’t scold my uncontrollable butt.

Mmm, mmm... Is there no menu?

"Excuse me! Is there something like a menu...?"

"We only have one menu. ...Would you like to order? Our 'kaarii'"

(Swallow... )

"I'll have one of that 'kaarii,' please!"

What the heck.

It sounds like a foreigner speaking Japanese curry in broken Japanese, but it’s definitely a word close to curry.

Is [Foreign Language Understanding] working properly?

There’s no big meaning in not translating it as 'curry,' right?

Looking around the shop, there’s only one customer.

It’s a relatively small shop with 6 counter seats and 2 table seats.

There, a man with a dark complexion and a beard is cooking in a pot. He looks like an Indian in this situation.

It’s still not evening, so it’s no wonder it’s empty.

I don’t want to think it’s because the food is terrible.

My heart beats faster with anxiety and anticipation.

Gur... I want to stare at the older man eating next to me, but I’ll hold back.

Even though I shouted in the shop earlier, I’ll wait with anticipation for my food to arrive.

Before I knew it, my 'kaarii' was brought to me over the counter in less than a minute!

So fast!!! It’s as fast as a certain beef bowl shop!!! This place is really good!!

I pulled it towards me, sniffed it, and looked at it...

No doubt about it. This is curry!!

Because, first of all, there’s a naan bigger than my face!

The curry is a strong soup-like authentic curry with a yellowish-brown color, and it contains what looks like potatoes and probably chicken. It might even be horn rabbit meat, but both are chunky ingredients.

And what’s this?

There’s a separate dish with something that looks like shredded cheese.

Should I pour it on? Or should I eat it during the meal?

As I was confused, the shop owner said,

"Our 'kaarii' is spicy... Can you handle it, boy? If you can’t, you can add this. It will make the taste milder."

"I see..."

If that’s the case, I’ll try the original taste first.

I cautiously scooped it up with a spoon and put it in my mouth.

"...Huh!? This is... It’s so spicy it stabs my tongue and throat! It’s painful!!"

For someone who doesn’t usually like spicy food, it’s almost torture. In Japan, I would go crazy and order a sweet curry right away.

But...

"Huh... But when I eat it... Huh... I can’t stop... Huh... I can’t stop eating..."

The shop owner smiles, and I suspect he opened the shop just to see this scene.

Sweat and tears mix on my cheeks.

The unfamiliar spiciness combined with the excitement of finding it in this world creates a strange broth.

Since taking out the magic stone, I’ve avoided meat, but this 'kaarii' is so intensely stimulating and appealing that I forget about it.

When I’ve eaten about half, I remember the naan and soak it in the soup, making it much gentler on my throat.

The naan itself is quite sweet and very delicious.

When I add the cheese-like substance, it quickly dissolves in the soup, creating a creamy texture like adding cornstarch, adding more flavor and enjoyment.

(What a triple attack... I’m definitely a regular... At 32, I might have discovered a love for spiciness...)

The shop owner knows that customers here will want water.

I refill my water from the water jug on the counter, feeling a pleasant satisfaction as I look up at the ceiling.

(The food in this world is better than I imagined. I wonder what other meals I’ll encounter... I still want rice, though.)

Thinking about future meals, I pay the bill.

"The taste is very addictive and delicious. I’ll probably come back soon!"

"That’s good. But boy, don’t overdo it. It’s expensive here."

"Huh?"

"9000 beeks."

"......"

I’m not short of money. I take out a gold coin worth 10000 beeks from my leather bag, get my change, and leave the shop.

"Phew... The wind outside feels good..."

I get lost in thought outside the shop, but then I turn back to the entrance of the shop that gave me such a thrill.

(The menu with only one item is written next to the door... The price is 9000 beeks...)

I regret entering without thinking, drawn by the smell, but I don’t regret tasting this 'kaarii.'

In a world like this, spices must be expensive. It must be.

They must have put a lot of spices in it.

(Monthly... No, it’s a special place for special occasions. I’ll do that...)

After that, I walked through alleys and main streets, visiting various shops I had never been to before, such as liquor stores, vegetable and meat specialty stores, pharmacies, and fishing tackle shops.

At the pharmacy, I asked if it was "maybe?" and, as expected, it was Mei’s house. They mix and sell herbs they collect or buy here.

The mother, who was working the counter, had lavender hair like Mei, and her face was slightly hidden, but she looked like a beautiful woman in her late 20s or early 30s.

Thinking that Mei’s future is secure, I felt a sense of déjà vu and asked, and the lady said she and her husband often go to the forest to collect herbs.

I couldn’t help but feel a bit complex when I asked, "Do you wear a pot on your head and go into the forest?" and she replied with a full smile, "Yes, it’s dangerous!"

A beautiful woman of this age, if she were in Japan, wouldn’t look out of place working as a receptionist at a company... except for her hair color.

Yet, she goes to the forest wearing a pot...

What a harsh world! I want to save her!

Such feelings welled up, but I remembered she has a husband and gave up easily.

I’m not the kind of man who can do something so bold.

I look 13, and I’d be in trouble if I became Mei’s father at this age.

When I told her I’m a hunter and know Mei, the lady rummaged through the shelves and gave me a small bottle.

"Thank you so much for helping my daughter."

The bottle she gave me contained a medicine that promotes recovery, and taking one of the pills inside would make muscle pain and fatigue easier to recover from.

There were about 10 pills in the bottle.

It’s like a health supplement in Japan, but knowing that Mei helps with the household, I couldn’t just accept it.

After a back-and-forth of "I’ll pay for it!" "This is a thank you!" "No, I can’t!" "Please accept it as a token of gratitude!" I ended up buying a medicine for stomachaches.

5000 beeks, and it’s not much help, but if it works well, I’ll buy the health supplement in the future, and since I’m holding back my carrying capacity due to fatigue, it would be a very useful medicine, so it would be good to maintain a good relationship.

"Thank you for the medicine! I’ll come back if it works well!"

As I was leaving the shop, the lady had a strange smile on her face, which I found odd...

Maybe it’s a medicine from this civilization, and illness is all in the mind.

Maybe it’s a placebo with weak effects?

Well, if that’s the case, it’s a gift, so I can’t complain, and I ended my town exploration for the day.

If you’re interested in the continuation, please give a straightforward evaluation from the stars below the ad. It directly affects the author’s motivation.

I’ll be posting consecutively for the next few days, so bookmarking will make it smoother.

By the way, the romantic comedy starts from Chapter 4, which begins in Episode 58.

The upload preparation for that is already done.