Volume 6, Chapter 5: The Lovely Daily Life of an Elementary School Girl, Part 1
Me and Onzada-kun had tired ourselves out, so we decided to get ramen together.
Ramen is high in calories, after all… and since I became [Me], my body won’t grow any direction than up, however, even Demons shouldn’t be reckless. Since I started to use magical power recently, I’ve been getting tired more easily.
Oh, Dad-chan gave me the default when I asked for ramen. It seems like there is a delicate line not to cross when ordering, normally that wouldn’t happen by just ordering ‘ramen’ casually like that.
Dad-chan’s ramen carries a rich, rustic flavor, and the broth shines golden all the way to the bottom. I also enjoy the noodles our company makes for here. Recently, the chicken used for the stock has come from the higher ranked items from Nikuno Ham, so I’ll order this soup for life. Well, the bowl is also child-sized still.
“What are you talking about, Yuzu. I like the soup, but the roasted pork ramen is unbeatable.”
“Hmm… It’s just a bit oily for me.”
Dad-chan’s pork cutlets are prepared a bit differently than usual. It seems he didn’t like the cutlets from Nikuno Ham, so he talked with people in product development and made a fattier option.
It’s actually close to simmered pork. When it’s heated with soup, the fat seems to drip off and add more richness, Onzada-kun liked to ask for a lot of noodles along with the special sauce and rice.
…Hmm? Did he say something?
“Onzada-kun, did you just say we should come again?”
“Because dinner is always so late, I always feel really hungry by this time.”
…Oh well. If I gain weight I’ll force him on a diet too.
Today we came to the shopping district by foot rather than driving.
To explain, Onzada-kun hates the feeling of the chairs in my car, saying “I can’t feel calm,” so he refused to ride and we came this way instead.
I’m also a fourth grader now, and my parents aren’t as worried since I haven’t been attacked or kidnapped lately.
Also, Koto-chan has seen to it that Onzada-kun protects me; she seems to like it and approved me to go out as long as I’m with him.
For some reason, Koto-chan would have a strangely warm smile on her face whenever I talked about Onzada-kun… She truly is mysterious, having such an interest in a male junior high student.
“……”
Recently, for some reason everything has been quiet around here. For example, whenever people see a male junior high schooler and a female elementary schooler wearing the Takamine school uniform walking side by side, it’s really conspicuous. I don’t know how we look from the outside, but since he and I don’t look alike we probably don’t look like brother and sister.
During our walk, two laughing male high schoolers saw us and approached while swaying slightly to and fro.
… Why are they shaking? Are they possessed?
Even if they pick a fight, Onzada-kun’s ready to protect me, which I thought would drive them away, but as they approached they became stranger and their eyes changed color.
Intimidating them didn’t work, they had a strange [Presence].
…Ah, they’re really single minded.
“What is with them…?”
Even though Onzada-kun was anxious, he naturally took a half-step in front of me.
“Sorry, Onzada-kun, let’s get out of here.”
“Y-yeah”
I took Onzada-kun’s arm and moved forward calmly. Everything will be alright.
We pa.s.sed to their side where their eyes were unfocused, but the next moment they raised their fists to attack from behind… I turned around and they froze as they looked at my crimson eyes.
At the sign that showed me as a [Demon], the annoying [Presence] that had possessed them dissipated.
At the same time, something like “experience points” came out of their soul and were scattered and reformed into something that looked like a child, which looked at us peacefully.
I don’t know whether or not to hit the child, but I don’t really care so I just want to move on.
Because this all happened before a real fight started, nothing is reacting around us.
… Really, what’s with all this?
＊
“Dad-chan, I’m here for ramen~”
“I’ve said this before, Yuzu-chan, you know that I’m not Misa’s father, right?”
“Ah, Yuzu-chan”
“Misa”
Misa was helping a little around the shop so she came over and gave me a hug.
Misa’s gotten quite strong recently from helping in the shop, but I think I’d still win if I used the powers form being a demon.
The shop seems to be trending recently, so even though it’s early I can see some customers. Since I’m one of the more often seen children wandering around, me and Misa got smiles from the storeowners.
Last year, Dad-chan was adopted by Ino-san, the ramen store owner, and officially handed over the store this spring, so Dad-chan became the shopkeeper here.
Also, since Ino-san was quite the grandpa, he’s retiring out to the country and doing “Matagi.”
… What is Matagi…?
“I see you brought Onzada-kun today, what will he be having?”
“Ah, the usual, please.”
“Got it, pork noodles and pork mesh, coming up.”
As expected from Dad-chan. I wonder what else I should eat… For someone like me who doesn’t taste food properly, Dad-chan’s ramen that he puts his soul into is really a treat.
“Order up, Seaweed ramen for Yuzu-chan.”
The ramen was put in front of me before I ordered.
“…Dad-chan, I haven’t ordered, right?”
“It’s fine, since Yuzu-chan came during the day, the shopping center has doing well enough that I couldn’t possibly take money from Misa’s friends.”
No, not that, When did he decide I wanted seaweed ramen? I guess you only get to decide what you’re eating when you pay. Well, I’ll eat it.
Looking to my side, Onzada-kun was slurping down his ramen with a rich bowl of rice. Do I have meat like that?
“This is why I said that whenever Yuzu comes, the service is really good.”
Onzada-kun noticed my look and said as such with a straight face.
Well, even though there are other customers, surely we didn’t get all the service, right? Thinking of that, I saw Misa just now taking orders from the other customers.
Impossible… is this why everyone scowls at us when we come in?
“…Huh?”
“What’s up, Yuzu?”
“Nothing, it looks like I have a message on my phone.”
While eating my ramen, the seaweed told me that a message was coming to my cell phone before it sunk into the broth and drowned. Hot ramen is really not an environment you can live in.
First, before checking my messages I finished up my noodles before they got stretched. It seems that a few e-mails came from this morning.
I had completely forgotten to check it fully… When I looked at the sender, it was all from Yuki-kun.
… Ah, I forgot that yesterday night was the information exchange.
I see, so that was the reason Yuki-kun was staring at me this morning.
Yuki-san is so serious, he might have been waiting all the way until morning.
For the time being, I typed [Ramen Time] and sent it with a picture of my ramen before I drank up the rest of my soup.
Humu, it seemed somewhat cold.
“…”
After I finished the soup, I felt a ‘Killing Intent’ like a frosty blizzard.
Since the other guests were still calm, I knew that the murderous feeling was only directed at me. It was to the extent that Onzada-kun only barely looked around out of curiosity.
Due to its strength and control, it seems like this enemy is quite powerful. Such a thing, it’s the level where I have to protect everyone.
*Gara~*
“Dad-chan, get this kid some ramen.”
“Don’t call me Dad-chan all the time… who is that kid?”
Misa ran over and took the hand of the boy who entered the shop.
“No, I’m here…”
“You were outside the shop? My Ni-chan’s ramen is delicious!”
“…”
The boy gripped something and mumbled something, I could see his killing intent rising, as he stared at me again.
“Yuki-kun, you really should eat this because it’s delicious, right?
＊
After that, Yuki-kun went home bringing two noodle dishes with him while glaring at me.
Apparently he wasn’t interested in the food from this world, but was touched by the taste of ramen he tried here.
“Is he your friend, Yuzu?”
“Yeah, he’s a cla.s.smate.”
Since Koto-chan was a first year university student now, she came to pick me up. Whether she came just to pick me up or to see Dad-chan, I’m not quite sure.
Koto has become quite beautiful since becoming a college student. Dad-chan also clearly felt like she’d grown up, so every time Koto-chan comes, he seems a little softer. Spring may have pa.s.sed, but ‘Spring’ is on its way.
Ah, I got a hateful email from Yuki-kun… He might seriously fight me if I miss tonight again…. I feel sort of tired now.
“Yuzu… do you know him well?”
“Yeah? What about Yuki-kun?”
It’s been quiet since Yuki-kun came, so Onzada-kun spoke to me while raising an eyebrow.
“I see… I feel like that wasn’t the first time I met them.”
“… Is that so?”
I wonder what Yuki-kun did.
“Anyways Yuzu, please be careful. I can’t protect you all the time.”
“Y-yeah…”
Onzada-kun? What happened…?
“Yuzu…? Your face is becoming red.”
Koto-chan, who was watching my and Onzada-kun’s conversation suddenly looked serious and put a hand on my forehead.
“…There might be a slight fever.”
“Yeah? I can’t tell.”
I feel a little heavy.
This body is still so weak… It seems like even Demons can catch a cold. Tonight has become troublesome for real.
Author’s Notes:
Next time is Yuki-kun’s training.