"It's coming."
"Yeah, I can hear it too, Yomogi."
"I'm… ready..."
Just like that, four long, dark, and slick monsters come slithering out of the shadows. They move in an eerie, undulating way like snakes but slimier.
And I try to guess, to which Chantal replies.
"Are those eels?"
"Yes, they're Numb Eels. Careful, Motegi-kun. If they bite, they can stun you right where you stand."
Stun?
Ah, so they're like electric eels, huh?
Then, Yomogi suddenly beams delightfully.
"Motegi-chan, their rare drop is the meat! I really want it for dinner later!"
And Kimberly confirms.
"It's been... a long time… since I last... ate… Numb Eel… meat…"
After that, they all turn toward me at once with puppy eyes and hopeful expressions silently. And I instantly know what they want exactly, which then I sigh with a smile.
"Alright, alright. I got it."
With that, I silently activate [Temporary Boost], setting everyone's stats, including mine, straight to infinity.
"Thank you, Motegi-chan!"
"You're the best, Motegi-kun!"
"As… expected… of Motegi-sama…"
And then, Yomogi and Chantal make their move first.
"Grrrhh!!"
Yomogi growls as she grabs one of the eels by its neck and squeezes until it cracks and bursts into glowing particles.
"Woohoo! Me next!"
Chantal follows up with her twin daggers, slicing clean through the second eel and its head tumbling across the floor.
I look at Kimberly beside me.
"Let's go, Kimberly."
"Yes… Motegi-sama..."
Just like that, we raise our hands at the same time.
"Wind… Burst…"
"Fire Storm!"
Our spells collide, catching the two remaining eels in the crossfire before they disintegrating into light.
Then, four slabs of meat drop from each monster as we rush to pick them up, and Chantal is already suggesting something to Yomogi.
"Oooh! Yomogi, let's grill these later!"
"That's a good idea, Chantal!"
Kimberly adds.
"Monster item… always tastes… better… than surface's…"
And just like that, the twenty-second floor becomes our happy hunting ground as we encounter more Numb Eels and collect every meat.
REMANTIA'S LABYRINTH, TWENTY-THIRD FLOOR
As we walk on the twenty-third floor, Kimberly's words about the monster's items tickle the back of my mind.
So far, I've eaten Blitz Sheep, Giant Dragonfly, Blood Rabbit meat, and the cabbage from Catapult Cabbage... and they're all insanely delicious, and I believe Numb Eel will probably be the same too. And honestly, it's way better than even the freshest cuts from Misdaras and the freshest crops from Heiligeichen, the places that are supposed to be the meat and bread capitals of Acrusse.
But, speaking of Misdaras…
"Hey, Chantal. Why doesn't Misdaras have pork? I've never seen it sold anywhere."
Then, she freezes because of my question, then laughs a little awkwardly.
"Ahaha… yeah, people there don't really do pigs anymore."
"Why?"
"Because about 300 years ago, pigs carried a disease that killed half the population. So, yeah... they kinda banned pigs forever."
"No way..."
And I turn to Yomogi for confirmation, and she nods.
"It's true, Motegi-chan. Back then, the disease spread so fast that the entire pig population was burned alive, and their ashes were buried deep underground so they couldn't infect anyone again. Since then, raising pigs has been forbidden. And those who try are punished."
Wow...
Heiligeichen had that massive coup around 300 years ago. And in the same timeline, Misdaras was dealing with a pig-borne disease that wiped out half its people.
Actually, could it have been swine flu?
Did swine flu exist in this world too?
Pig is… well, pork. And it's delicious. Cows give milk, sheep and goats give wool, but pigs are raised mostly for meat, and I think that's what makes them delicious. I used to eat pork all the time back in Japan, either in tonkatsu, chashu, or shogayaki… you name it.
But if we look at how pigs are raised, we can't deny they're disgusting because they need to live in mud and eat garbage sometimes. That's why people avoid eating them for religious or cultural reasons in some places on Earth, and funnily enough, pigs are used as insults in languages.
Chantal sighs dramatically.
"Yaahh... if I lived 300 years ago, I would've eaten those pigs before they got slaughtered."
Yomogi smiles curiously.
"I might be the same too. I wonder what pig meat tastes like…"
Kimberly adds, which shocks Yomogi and Chantal.
"I've… never... tasted… pig meat… in my life…"
"Wait, really?!"
"Haha! Looks like we're all in the same boat!"
And then, I suddenly become curious again over something.
"Hey, Kimberly. Why doesn't Heiligeichen have rice?"
But this time, my question is answered with a shocking statement.
"Rice… does exist… Motegi-sama..."
"Wait, really?!"
"Yes. But rice... is mostly... associated… with elder people. It is easy... to chew… so they usually... cook it... into porridge..."
What?
"W-What about soybeans?"
"They exist... as well. But again… they are considered… elder food. People boil them... with salt… or turn them... into milk. Things… easy... to swallow..."
I pause and then weakly ask again.
"Bananas...?"
"Yes… we have..."
"Also elder food?"
"Yes…"
No way.
Rice, soybeans, and bananas... the crops where I come from are reduced to food for the elderly in this world?
I can't accept it.
Rice doesn't have to be consumed like risotto or congee. Sure, it's soft and easy to chew, perfect for older people. But rice can be eaten in its fluffy form or turned into a drink like sake, and people of all ages eat that on Earth.
Same with soybeans. They're soft, especially if they're treated like edamame or turned into milk. But we still can make miso, soy sauce, and even soy flour from them. There's so much you can do with it.
Also, you can eat bananas anytime, as some people on Earth consider bananas a breakfast item. And in summer festival, they're turned into something delicious like chocobanana.
Why are people in Heiligeichen missing the point?
And why didn't I realize this when I traveled there?
I've been in Acrusse do so long, craving rice. But when I had the chance to fix it, I missed it.
I could've asked around, and I could've found rice back then, but instead, I just never did.
How stupid I am.
Just as I'm still mentally punching myself, something moves up ahead.
Four orange figures walk into view. Their bodies tall and thick like tree trunks, with leafy green tops on their heads like walking, human-sized carrots.
Chantal already has her daggers ready as she tells me what those are.
"They're Drill Carrots, Motegi-kun. Their attacks are kinda weird."
"Weird?"
And Kimberly explains.
"They drill… the ground... and then… carrots spike… from below."
So... it's like the Earth Spikes spell, but instead of earth, it's carrots, huh?
As I glance at Yomogi, her eyes are twinkling again, and it's easy to guess.
"Are their rare items delicious too, Yomogi?"
"It is, Motegi-chan! Their rare drop is their carrot, and I want it for dinner too!"
"Alright."
With that, I let [Temporary Boost] set our stats to infinity again. And then, Yomogi and Chantal look at each other.
"Let's go, Chantal!"
"Right behind you, Yomogi!"
Two of the Drill Carrots stab their thick, pointed legs into the stone, and the floor erupts as dozens of sharp carrots shoot out like deadly spikes.
But Yomogi plows straight through.
"Rrraaahhhhh!!"
Her body crashing into the spikes entirely as she runs into one of the carrots and kicks it like a soccer ball, smashing the monster against the wall.
As for Chantal, she just laughs as she moves forward with flipping high into the air to avoid the spikes.
"Whoops! Hahaha! Come on!"
Then, she lands perfectly in front of the second carrot as her twin daggers slice it vertically in half.
After that, the two remaining carrots lock onto me and Kimberly and we both cast the same spell at the same time.
"Wind... Fragment..."
"Wind Fragment!"
The carrots are torn apart with our combined attacks.
Then, four big, bright-orange carrots drop from each monsters as we rush to pick them up.
And just like that, we keep killing more Drill Carrots and gathering every carrot throughout the twenty-third floor.
REMANTIA'S LABYRINTH, TWENTY-FOURTH FLOOR
The twenty-fourth floor greets us with something new, which is four tall, human-sized trees called Fall Legumes.
They strike with shaking their trunks violently and launch their heavy fruits toward us like stones. But still, we don't stop moving.
"Rraaahhh!"
"Let's do this!"
"Wind... Blade..." "Wind... Burst..."
"Take this!"
Yomogi with her fists and flying feet, Chantal with her daggers, Kimberly with her Wind spell, and me with Yamitsuki manage to clean the floor. And since the girls told me if those monsters' rare items are tamarinds and the girls want them, I also keep [Temporary Boost] active on us so we can get those.
And finally...
REMANTIA'S LABYRINTH, TWENTY-FOURTH FLOOR - BOSS AREA
When we arrive at the boss area, I turn to the girls.
"Ready?"
"Yes!"
The moment we step inside, we're welcomed by a towering, broad-shouldered figure stitched together from pale, lifeless flesh with dull eyes.
Then, Yomogi immediately steps forward and her eyes sparkle.
"Ohhh, I really love playing with it..."
I step forward, but before I can do it, Chantal stops me in my tracks with a smile.
"Yomogi, are you..."
"It's fine, Motegi-kun. Leave this to the strongest wolf in Misdaras."
And Kimberly nods.
"It's... a Frankenstein. It loves... wrestling... so Yomogi is... the best match..."
After that, the Frankenstein lunges and Yomogi meets it head-on. Their growls rumble, and their muscles strain as they grapple.
"Grrrr..."
"Hhhh..."
The Frankenstein tries to overpower her, but Yomogi barely even moves like she's playing with it.
And then...
"Rrrraaaahh!"
"Guooohhh!!"
She twists, throws the Frankenstein over her shoulder and slams it into the floor as she drops her full body weight on it, pinning it down until it dissolves into particles.
Then, Chantal runs up to Yomogi.
"That's my girl!"
"Thank you, Chantal."
And I praise Yomogi too.
"That's impressive, Yomogi."
"Ehehe... actually, I used to play with them when I was younger."
"It's true, Motegi-kun! She bullied them all the time."
After that, I notice something where the Frankenstein is, which is a small pill that I pick up.
"What's this?"
"It's... an enhancement pill... for strength… and endurance, Motegi-sama..."
"Hmm... I don't think I need it. What about you?"
And all three shake their heads in perfect sync.
"Alright, I'll sell it at the guild tomorrow."
REMANTIA'S LABYRINTH, TWENTY-FIFTH FLOOR
As we reach the twenty-fifth floor, I cast my teleportation spell and turn to them.
"Shall we go home?"
"Yes!"
And just like that, we step into the portal together and end our labyrinth adventure for today.
BACK AT MOTEGI'S HOUSE
As soon as we step through the portal, Yomogi heads straight for the stairs, and Chantal follows.
"I'll get dinner started, okay?"
"I'll help, Yomogi!"
"Sure!"
And just like that, I'm left standing in there with Kimberly as I sigh a little.
"Haahh..."
"What's wrong… Motegi-sama…?"
"It's already nighttime. I was hoping to buy rice, soybeans, and bananas from the market in Heiligeichen, but it's probably closed by now."
Then, she says something that surprises me.
"I actually… have those… in my villa…"
"Seriously?"
"Yes…"
"Alright then, let's go."
With that, I cast a teleportation spell and open a portal to Kimberly's villa in Heiligeichen.
KIMBERLY'S VILLA, HEILIGEICHEN
We step through and arrive at her place in an instant, then she speaks to me.
"Follow… me…"
She leads me down to the basement, and arriving there, she opens a cabinet to reveal several neatly arranged bags of soybeans and rice and a large basket filled with bananas.
"These… must be… what you're looking for..."
"Yeah. That's them!"
The soybeans are golden, plump, and smooth. Next to it, the familiar ripe bananas with sun-yellow skin.
But what really blows my mind are the rice varieties she has. I spot short-grain rice, round and glossy, just like the rice from home. And right beside it, the fragrant, long-grain rice that resembles basmati.
"Sometimes… if they are… older people… stay here... I prepared these… just in case. And since Berland... took over... this place... I think... he did... the same thing..."
When she says that, I somehow feel bad for taking these things home.
"Pick… what you need… Motegi-sama…"
"Umm... no need to do it, I guess."
Instead, I raise my hand and activate [Copier], letting exact duplicates of everything appear and putting all of them inside my dimensional inventory.
"With this, this place's supply stays untouched for anyone who visits."
"Yes… that's… thoughtful…"
"Should we head home now?"
"Yes…"
BACK AT MOTEGI'S HOUSE
We step through and arrive at my kitchen. There, I can see Yomogi looks like she's making a sauce using the Fall Legume's tamarind, and Chantal chops Numb Eel fillets and sprinkles salt and pepper on each of them.
Then, Yomogi and Chantal ask me.
"Motegi-chan, can I use the chili?"
"Of course."
"Thank you!"
"Why are you so long, Motegi-kun?"
"Actually, I teleported to Heiligeichen to get rice, soybeans, and bananas from Kimberly's villa."
As I take out the rice bags and open up the one that's similar to Japanese rice, Kimberly becomes curious.
"Are… you making… porridge… Motegi-sama...?"
"No, but I'm going to teach you all how rice is actually meant to be eaten."
I wash the rice in cool water until it runs clear. Once ready, I measure water into a pot, place it on the stove with the lid on, and light the Fire magic stone for medium heat.
When it boils, I drop the heat and let it simmer. After a few minutes, I turn off the fire and leave it to steam.
While it rests, I check on the girls.
Yomogi's brushing a rich, glossy sauce over the grilling eel.
"What's in that sauce, Yomogi?"
"Tamarind, chili, and butter."
Chantal is at the stove, sautéing garlic, ginger, chopped Spike Carrots and Catapult Cabbage, and peas.
"Is that a soup, Chantal?"
"Yup! Gotta have something light and clean to balance the eel."
When I feel like the rice is ready, I grab a small piece of timber and resin and craft a rice paddle with [Carpentry]. Then, I lift the lid to let the steam pour out, and I'm clearly satisfied after watching the rice get perfectly cooked. After that, I fluff it up gently.
We set the table together, and Kimberly goes off to fetch Pinna from the workshop. A few minutes later, we're all seated, and I spoon rice into everyone's bowls.
And just like that, all the girls question me one by one.
"What is this, Motegi-chan?"
"What? It's rice."
"It… doesn't look… like the rice… I have seen… Motegi-sama..."
"That's because this is how it's supposed to be cooked."
"So, we should eat this with everything, Motegi-kun?"
"Exactly."
"Confirmed. It is rice. However, the grain density, sheen, and elasticity deviate from traditional porridge variants used in elder nutrition. I possess no reference for this form, Master."
"Just try it."
With that, they each take a careful bite, and then they moan in unison with wide eyes.
"Mmmm!!"
Yomogi's eyes sparkle.
"It's so fluffy! What is this texture?!"
Chantal beams.
"The eel tastes even better with this!"
Kimberly stares down at her bowl, stunned.
"I can't… believe… rice… can taste… like this…"
Pinna lifts another bite.
"Numb Eel provides a lightly electric savoriness, enhanced through grilling. The Spike Carrot's sweetness bridges the protein and starch. The rice binds the entire profile. Culinary integration is… exceptional."
"So, do you all like it?"
And they all nod to my question.
I finally take my own bite, enjoying every bite. The smoky eel melts in my mouth, sweet and bright from the tamarind, with a kick from the chili and a richness from the butter. The soup is light and clean, just vegetables and broth in harmony. And the rice is warm and fluffy, holding everything together.
"Yeah, it definitely feels like home."
I'm not lying when I say that.
Rice, protein, soup, and vegetables are common dinners in Japanese homes. Sure, the vegetables here are in soup form instead of pickles, and it's not miso soup either.
But still, I finally get to eat rice again, and the girls are enjoying how rice is supposed to be eaten too.