The Other World Dining Hall

Chapter 72

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Chapter 72

Oyakodon1

Born and raised in the mountains, Hachirou who was a travelling performer continued his journey by performing various shows at the villages and towns scattered among the mountainous area.

With his handmade map on hand and the sun just starting to rise, he cautiously walked on a dim mountain path.

The mountain roads were dangerous even if one were used to travelling.

If one took one wrong step, falling down a valley and losing their life was not uncommon. Not to mention the woods that covered the mountains were inhabited by dangerous beasts, monsters and beastmen that would attack approaching travelers.

The criminals who committed sin and were unable to stay in a village would settle in the woods where the eyes of samurai couldn’t reach and became thieves that attacked innocent travelers. Those pitiful travelers would then turn into undeads due to their grudge.

The saying that “the mountain paths lead to h.e.l.l” expressed the ruggedness of such roads.

(Mom and Dad should be just fine…)

However, while walking on such steep road, Hachirou’s face was sunny though he was sweating.

When spring was over and summer was coming, Hachirou went to see “Dad” and “Mom”.

Today was exactly that day.

[Finally arrived…]

When the day was now completely bright, Hachirou had reached his destination.

In front of Hachirou’s eyes was a door… black with the picture of a cat.

He carefully wiped his sweat with his towel, made sure that that the sun had reached its peak and grasped the door’s handle.

‘Chirinchirin’, while the bell rang, Hachirou went through the door.

(They haven’t come yet…)

Quickly, he looked over the inside of the restaurant where “strange people” were hanging out and became a little uneasy when he did not see the intended people.

(By any chance… no, no way.)

He had promised with his dad and mom that they would meet up again next year at early summer afternoon.

In other words, he would use the “door” scattered throughout the country and would meet those two again in a year.

Their old wrinkled faces when they met last year crossed his mind and made him uneasy, but he shook his head to throw it away.

(It’s okay. They just happened to be late.)

It’s not easy to die.

He told himself he would eat and drink while he waited.

[Welcome to Western Restaurant Nekoya. Is this your first time?]

He wondered if it’s because he was standing on the entranceway while thinking various things.

Looking at the “newcomer” was a demon girl with black horns sprouting from her blonde hair wearing otherworld clothes that boldly showed her legs and was not here last year…

Hachirou a.s.sumed that she worked as this restaurant’s waitress.

[No. It’s just that it’s been a year since I last visited.]

He was puzzled by the girl’s appearance that was neat enough even for the capital city but he managed to reply.

‘Chirinchirin’, the bell rang as a sign that someone just came inside.

[Fuu. I don’t want to get older. It takes so long to climb that cliff.]

[I guess… oya, it’s Hachirou. We’ve kept you waiting.]

He leapt to his feet when he heard their voices.

[Mom! Dad!]

Hachirou hugged both of them.

[Oo. Stop it. It’s only a year, how embarra.s.sing.]

[Indeed, Hachirou still seems like a child even now.]

Though they said that, they stroked Hachirou lovingly.

A cute son that’s double their height.

When Hachirou w

as just a child that just started to become aware of his surroundings, he was abandoned at the mountains to reduce the amount of mouths to be fed. Then, a travelling married Halfling couple picked him up as their child.

They taught Hachirou who knew nothing but his birth village how to walk on the mountain paths, how to protect himself, the technique of street performance for a living, and they continued to travel together for 10 years.

And when 10 years had pa.s.sed and Hachirou had grown up into a splendid young man that could travel independently, “Mom” and “Dad” split up from Hachirou as was natural for Halflings and went back to the carefree journey of husband and wife.

[Hey, hey, it’s time to let go.]

[That’s right. We have not eaten anything in the morning and are now hungry.]

[Aa, is that so…]

To those words, Hachirou let go of the embarra.s.sed couple.

[Ou. The girl over there, you, you’re a waitress of this restaurant, right? Lead us to a table.]

[Since we’re hungry, please give us the menu right away.]

They guessed it in a moment. The two asked the waitress.

[Yes, this way please.]

While he smiled wryly at the two, the waitress cheerfully guided them to a table.

[Well then, I’ll bring the menu now.]

[A, wait a moment.]

They were guided to a table and stopped the waitress from immediately going to grab the menu.

[Yes, is something the matter?]

[Sorry for being immediate, I want to order now.]

When Hachirou said so, the other two nodded.

Yes, there were a variety of food here and all of them were delicious. His parents ate so much despite their old age but they had already decided their first order.

[We want three oyakodon. Serve immediately please.]

That was the travelling Halflings’ favourite and it was a taste of nostalgia for Hachirou.

Then, the three of them talked about the past year.

[What, you made it to the Sand Country!?]

[Ou, it’s so hot it made me dizzy.]

[I’ve been there several times already, it’s as sandy as always.]

The two people turned away from each other and faced Hachirou.

Halflings spend their life on their journeys.

Therefore, it’s not uncommon for them to visit all the countries of a continent.

The two people in front of him were such people.

[That’s a lie. It’s rare for a Halfling to travel beyond the sea.]

[It’s not. We travelled to that place with a ship back when we were young. The journey was so terribly tedious and I don’t want to repeat it again.]

That’s why the words of these two people were interesting since who knew what kind of things they would say.

[I see. The Mountain Country is as usual. A, but I heard that the road where the ogre couple had settled were secured by the capital’s subjugation force, so there’s no more ogres there.]

He said while being overwhelmed by their story.

They chatted about their last year’s experiences.

It lasted until the owner that they had not seen in a year brought their order.

[Looks delicious as ever.]

[Let’s eat before it cools down.]

The couple picked up their chopsticks and opened the lids of the bowls.

[Maa, such a nice smell.]

[Yeah, my belly always replies to this smell no matter how many times I eat this.]

Fuu~, while squinting at the two who started to gobble their food, Hachirou also opened the lid of his bowl.

The sweet and savoury scent tickled his nose.

Feeling his stomach tightening to that scent, he gulped his drool, picked up his chopsticks and looked at the food.

The one that was visible was the vivid yellow egg colour.

This dish was called oyakodon, a luxurious different world cuisine with chicken meat and eggs on pure white rice.

(Aa, how beautiful.)

He enjoyed the beauty with his eyes, the scent with his nose and the weight with his palms. He had no choice but to eat after that.

Hachirou gently scooped the food.

On his chopsticks, the large pieces of meat of chicken with its fatty skin was cooked with moderate fire and enveloped by the vivid eggs. The pure white rice laid as its foundation was stained brown by the sauce.

Brilliant green and white spring onions added colouring and it appealed to Hachirou as delicious.

Hachirou couldn’t resist it anymore and ate the oyakodon.

(Aa…)

At the moment it entered his mouth, the oyakodon began to unravel.

Spreading in his mouth was the food’s complex umami.

The fatty flavor of chicken skin, the umami of chicken meat, the refreshing texture of spring onions and the sweetness of the rice stained by the sauce.

They entertained and amused his tongue.

(I can’t help it… really.)

Even while his eyes watered involuntarily due to its taste, Hachirou continued to chew thoroughly.

When he was abandoned by his birth parents and picked up by his mom and dad, he became severely obsessed with the fact that he was left to die.

His mom and dad then pulled the hands of young Hachirou through the door.

And in this mysterious restaurant, the three of them ate the oyakodon made by the old owner.

To Hachirou who gobbled his food and forgot about his bad mood, the couple narrowed their eyes at him and said.

—This food is called oyakodon. Parents and child, eating together.

—That’s right. It’s like parents and their child eating their rice bowl together at the same table.

Their words soothed young Hachirou’s tattered heart and the gray world regained its colour.

From that day onwards, the two small Halflings became Hachirou’s parents.

(Aa, it’s unsatisfactory. I can’t put up with it anymore.)

When he fully tasted his first bite, his stomach growled loudly.

It wanted more.

Of course Hachirou listened to it.

He directly lifted the bowl to his mouth and devoured his food just like his parents.

Occasionally, he would reach out to the complimentary miso soup to moisten his throat, but he couldn’t stop his hands and continued to eat his food.

Then the three of them finished eating almost simultaneously.

[Fuu, I ate it.]

[First, let’s have a drink.]

They put down their chopsticks satisfactorily and his parents reached for the menu naturally.

[Well then, what to order next?]

Hachirou also looked at the menu and pondered on what to order next.

Even though they’re old, the tiny Halflings had huge stomach capacity.

At any rate, just one bowl of donburi was not enough.

[What to choose…]

[So many choices…]

Regardless of their stomach, their pockets still had a limit, so they’re worried about their orders.

Such a happy parents and child time slowly pa.s.sed.

Oyakodon(親子丼), literally “parent-and-child donburi”, is a donburi, or j.a.panese rice bowl dish, in which chicken, egg, sliced scallion (or sometimes regular onions), and other ingredients are all simmered together in a kind of soup which is made with soy sauce and stock, and then served on top of a large bowl of rice.

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