The noodle soup flowed through her mouth, its savory flavor blossoming on her taste buds before transforming into a jolt of bliss that struck every fiber of her being.
Her mouth was filled with a pure umami flavor from the sea, yet it was different from the typical taste of seafood.
It lacked a certain assertiveness, possessing instead a gentle quality.
A chef's palate is naturally more sensitive than an ordinary person's. Yukikawa Yukie could discern the general ingredients of the uncomplicated soup.
Kombu, wakame, and crystal algae.
The refreshing umami came from a precise ratio of these three types of marine algae.
The main flavor of the broth originated from a common Far Eastern condiment: miso paste.
The warm, savory soup slid smoothly down her throat, chasing away the lingering chill of late spring and early summer.
In a daze, Yukikawa Yukie saw the golden sands of a southern beach and the warm sea lapping just over her ankles.
Yukikawa Yukie seemed to recall something suddenly, staring blankly at the Soul Repose Noodles on the table.
A moment ago, she had been desperate for release and hadn't even waited for the noodles to cool. But what was with this comfortable temperature? These Soul Repose Noodles were supposed to be piping hot ramen.
"This soup..." Yukikawa Yukie started to speak, but immediately shut her mouth.
Directly questioning a chef about the secrets of their dish was obviously rude.
"How's this all-vegetarian beef soup?" Mo Bai asked, relieved that Yukikawa Yukie hadn't seemed to notice her earlier behavior.
"All-vegetarian beef soup?"
"Aside from the beef, the soup base is simmered using an all-vegetarian recipe," Mo Bai explained, only to notice Yukikawa Yukie staring at him with a strange expression.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, a bit confused.
"Um, Senpai, even without the beef, the soup you simmered can't be considered all-vegetarian," the honest Yukikawa Yukie stated the harsh truth.
"Huh?" Mo Bai was baffled. "Aren't kombu, wakame, and crystal algae all vegetarian?"
"They are, but the miso paste isn't."
"Ah?" Mo Bai wore a look that screamed, I'm not well-read, don't you dare lie to me. "Isn't miso fermented from soybeans? How is it not vegetarian?"
"It's true that miso is fermented from soybeans, but you're not using the original kind of miso," Yukikawa Yukie said, finally finding some confidence in facing this master. "Nowadays, for the sake of appeal and reputation, most of the bottled miso paste you find in supermarkets has extra ingredients added to enhance its flavor."
"Like the one you used in your soup. It's a mixed product with added bonito dashi."
"The container should have labels like 'Pasteurized at Low Temperature' and 'Keep Refrigerated,' right?"
Mo Bai took the miso paste out of the fridge, and sure enough, two large labels were printed on the bottle.
Mo Bai slapped his forehead. He seemed to have figured out why those evil spirits looked like they'd rather die than eat it, forcing him to pour it down their throats.
The core of the Soul Repose Noodles he and Xiao Bai had created was the vegetarian purity and tranquility of the sea. It was meant to suppress malevolent spirits and cause them to dissipate.
"Wait! In that case, the beef I added on a whim..." Mo Bai stared eagerly at the soup pot, then at the beef topping in Yukikawa Yukie's noodle bowl.
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"How did you know?" After a brief silence, Mo Bai was curious about Yukikawa Yukie, who had seen through the mystery in one bite.
"I could taste it, ya know."
"You could taste it? Don't tell me you have some kind of 'God's Tongue' talent?" Mo Bai was shocked.
"As if."
"Then..."
"How could I possibly possess a talent as extraordinary as Miss Nakiri Erina's?"
"Pfft!" Mo Bai practically coughed up a mouthful of old blood. "Nakiri Erina? What world is this?!"
That snowy night, that girl in the white kimono, those Mystic Eyes of Death Perception as brilliant as the stars, and that administrator privilege that made even System Sprite Xiao Bai cower like a dog and instantly change its name... all of it pointed to her being a major boss from the Type-Moon universe, the Root itself—Shiki.
The zombie-faced old man eating noodles, the Aramitama Ashiya Dōman, was based on a character from Tokyo Ravens.
And now there's a Nakiri Erina?
For a moment, Mo Bai felt a sense of bewilderment, unsure of where he even was.
After casually answering the question, Yukikawa Yukie returned her attention to the noodles.
These Soul Repose Noodles were indeed worthy of being her dinner.
The petals of the white chrysanthemum, half-bloomed atop the soup, were beaded with droplets condensed from the steam, exuding an elegant charm under the reflection of the light and the ripples in the broth.
"Senpai, is this white chrysanthemum edible?" Yukikawa Yukie was tempted.
"It is."
"Then I won't hold back." She poked it with her chopsticks but felt a slight resistance and rebound.
"Eh? Is this aspic? Did you arrange loose petals in aspic to reshape them?"
The green aspic was naturally hard to spot in the brown broth. Yukikawa Yukie now understood how the plucked white chrysanthemum petals had been reformed, and also why the soup was the perfect temperature when she drank it.
"This aspic must be made from sea lettuce, and the sea grapes must be inside it too." Yukikawa Yukie picked up a white petal. Its base was coated in green aspic, within which were some granular bits of the same color.
"I wonder what it will taste like?" Full of anticipation, Yukikawa Yukie brought the aspic-coated petal to her lips.
Her pearly teeth closed down, and Yukikawa Yukie's eyes flew wide open!
Though the petals themselves were tasteless, their crisp texture, combined with the caviar-like popping of the sea grapes within the savory aspic, instantly created a marvelous mouthfeel.
The scenery of the southern coast became even more vivid before her eyes.
Her appetite was completely stimulated!
"Mmm ha" Yukikawa Yukie let out a breathy, heart-pounding moan as she devoured the ramen.
"It's coming! It's coming!"
After a shiver ran through her body, Yukikawa Yukie looked around and found herself on a sun-drenched, tropical beach.
"So peaceful," Yukikawa Yukie murmured, lying lazily on the sand with her eyes half-closed, letting the warm seawater wash over her body. "So warm."
The tide rose higher and higher, completely submerging Yukikawa Yukie, but she remained motionless on the sand, enjoying the pleasant relaxation.
After an unknown amount of time, Yukikawa Yukie vaguely sensed a dark shadow looming above.
"?" She opened her eyes and came face-to-face with a fuzzy, fleshy nose.
A dugong, commonly known as a sea cow.
A group of these adorably dopey, seal-like creatures were sniffing her, circling around her.
A sense of foreboding washed over Yukikawa Yukie, and her face paled. "N-no, stay away!"
The dugongs' large rostral discs pressed against her body, their coarse, bristly skin making her feel both itchy and tingly.
"Aah~~!! Don't come any closer!!!"
Yukikawa Yukie's face was flushed red as she lightly bit her lip. A thick mist clouded her clear eyes as she let out a soft moan.
"Hey, Host..." A cleaver with a built-in USB plug descended the stairs from the second-floor living room into the shop, then froze motionless in mid-air.
Mo Bai, who had been staring dumbfounded ever since Yukikawa Yukie started moaning, snapped back to his senses.
"No! Xiao Bai, let me explain!!"
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