An Uninvited Guest (Part 1)
Generally speaking, there were many bridges in the Old Capital.
Since the town depended on the ca.n.a.ls for transportation, people used bridges to travel everywhere. They varied from splendid stone bridges to cheap bridges built from fallen trees.
s.h.i.+n.o.bu enjoyed crossing these various bridges and strolling around the Old Capital.
When she returned from her daily stroll, there was a man she didn’t recognize standing in front of the sliding door of the Izakaya n.o.bu. She didn’t mean to brag, but s.h.i.+n.o.bu wasn’t so rude as to forget any customers, even if they came only once. The man standing in front of the store was surely someone who had come for the first time.
「Excuse me, I’m afraid the store only opens in the evening.」
When he heard a voice from behind his back, the man turned around and snorted.
He was shorter than s.h.i.+n.o.bu and had a moustache that didn’t suit his slim face, yet he tried his best to look dignified.
「I understand that. After all, I don’t have any intentions of entering this poor-looking store that surely serves stinky ale, since it’s located in the outskirts of town.」
Due to his abusive words towards the store, s.h.i.+n.o.bu’s veins popped out, but she suppressed it with her splendid self-control.
「Then, how may I help you? Unfortunately the owner of the store is away right now.」
「The owner is not here…well, that’s fine. Miss, this store will be reserved tonight. Make the proper preparations.」
「Eh, customer-sama, even if you tell me that, to reserve it so suddenly….」
It wasn’t impossible to make a reservation, but for it to be today was too sudden. After all, this place was opened by the owner, n.o.buyuki, to provide delicious dishes and drinks to various people. Thus, making a reservation somehow felt like going against the store’s original intention.
「Money, isn’t it? What a shrewd miss. How much do you want?」
「No, it’s not an issue with money.」
「You charge other things in place of money? For a lowly store such as this, how impertinent.」
「That is not the case. Our store wants all of the customers in town to enjoy the food. We can’t accept such a sudden reservation.」
After hearing s.h.i.+n.o.bu’s reply, his cheek distorted and he spat on the ground.
「Such big words coming from this girl’s mouth. I am the messenger of a certain n.o.ble. Since my Lord wanted to eat at this store for some reason, I personally came all the way here. Although you speak well, it is a waste on a merchant like you, who probably has a small brain.」
「I am very sorry, this town girl is impudent and knows little. Please humbly accept my apology for my rudeness.」
The man flinched a little when he saw s.h.i.+n.o.bu put on an excellent smile, even after receiving such an insult. However, he believed that s.h.i.+n.o.bu had given in. He cleared his throat with a small cough and confirmed it once more.
「It’s fine if you understand. Tonight’s reservation is decided then.」
However, s.h.i.+n.o.bu didn’t back down here.
「We decline.」
「What?!」
The man’s eyebrows raised in anger.
「I said, we decline.」
「Did you not understand what I told you just now?」
「We decline after having understood it. Even if the other party is a n.o.ble, we do not serve food or drinks to someone who looks down on our store. There must be other stores that are more suitable for such a person. Please leave.」
「Don’t take your words back, b.i.t.c.h! I’ll convey this insult to my Lord. Don’t come crying to me when something happens later.」
The man hurriedly walked past the dishwasher, Eva, who had just arrived, after leaving a parting threat.
As Eva stared at the man’s back curiously, s.h.i.+n.o.bu said 「Eva-chan, salt! Bring me salt!」, while raising her voice unintentionally.
(TL: j.a.panese people believe throwing salt in front of one’s house/store wards evil spirits/bad luck away)
Since it was getting close to Izakaya n.o.bu’s opening time, around when the sun was setting, some people saw the distinct appearance of the man who left that parting remark.
In front of the store, where a queue normally didn’t appear, people began to gather out of thin air. With one look at the man, the people could tell that he wasn’t good company.
The onlookers gathered, impeding the customers from entering, which in turn attracted people who came out of curiosity.
「I’m sorry, Owner! I unintentionally replied to an insult with another insult…」
「It’s okay, s.h.i.+n.o.bu-chan. Even I do not want such a customer eating my food. You spoke well.」
That being said, Taisho n.o.buyuki’s gaze landed on the ingredients he stocked up for today. If the man didn’t leave, there would be lots of wasted ingredients.
This was especially true after yesterday’s spring equinox festival, since he had made too many boiled eggs (yude tamago), and he wanted to use all of them today.
(TL: The closest I could find where boiled eggs were used in a festival is Benten Yudetamago, where they are offered to Benten, G.o.d of Snakes and Serpents, in its shrine on 31st Dec.)
Eva seemed to like eating them together with mayonnaise, so in a way she contributed to reducing the amount. The figure of her holding the egg in both hands, so that she wouldn’t drop it, while nibbling on it like a hamster was charming.
While s.h.i.+n.o.bu and n.o.buyuki were busy wracking their brains over how to use the boiled eggs, they suddenly heard tapping on the gla.s.s sliding door. It wasn’t what normal customers would do. Instead, it was a pompous way of knocking.
Sure enough, the doors opened and the small man was there.
Behind him was a gloomy-looking, slim, middle-aged man, most likely the “certain n.o.ble”.
「I came as promised, miss.」
「…Thank you for your patronage.」
s.h.i.+n.o.bu was forced to put a smile on her face, but it was nothing more than a bluff.
To think that he would go this far. Utter defeat.
The n.o.ble took a seat at a table in the back, sitting arrogantly, with his legs outstretched. He clearly looked like a crafty man, and he used his fingers to twiddle his moustache.
「Now then, the reason why I came out to this store is…」
The man’s voice was unusually high-pitched and stickily intertwined with itself; it was bad for the ears.
「I was invited to a certain n.o.ble’s wedding reception and attended it the other day. As it was a wedding for a person of a n.o.ble lineage, the food was truly splendid, but there were stories about food more delicious than what I ate there.」
This seemed to be a favourite topic among the n.o.bles. Anyway, there were probably no dishes that used high grade ingredients in this store. However, how was the story linked to him coming to this store?
「Up until now, as the head of the prestigious Baron Branton family, I have eaten various dishes. Let’s look at it this way, I was born in the capital. I take pride in having eaten all of the delicious delicacies of the Three Kingdoms. Yet…」
「Yet?」
「Yet, I had not eaten the dish that the young bride mentioned. Of course, it wasn’t just me. None of the n.o.bles in the place had eaten it.」
「What does that have to do with this store?」
The baron suddenly rose up from his chair in a theatrical manner.
「Yudofu!」
He pointed to the wall where boiled tofu was written in Kanji, as well as in the words of the Old Capital.
「The dish that the beautiful bride mentioned was “Yudofu”. It is said to be be delicious, yet it is not smelly, spicy, sour, bitter or hard, and it is not bread, potatoes, porridge or stew. With only that clue, my excellent subordinate finally found the store that offered this dish.」
(TL: In case you have not guessed till now, the young bride was Hildegarde.)
「I see.」
「That is why you, waitress! Quickly serve me boiled tofu.」
Even though s.h.i.+n.o.bu was fed up with his pretentious way of speaking, a customer was still a customer. Just like she would for any other customer, she politely bowed.
「I’m truly sorry. The boiled tofu is only available during winter.」