Welcome. May I have two people to talk to?

　The female clerk's loud greeting goes over the lighthearted BGM in the store.

　It's a voice that is truly casual, but one that sticks in your mind.
　Having worked part-time in the food industry in two different worlds, the slight difference in intonation is very moving. Surrounded by a gentle sense of nostalgia, I respond for the first time in a long time.

'Yes. We'll both be seated over there, please.
I will show you two the way.

　When I requested a place that was less visible, the clerical flow of paperwork characteristic of chain restaurants began.
　I'm glad to see that the routine of the "original world" is strongly felt in that canned sentence, not the daily life of the "other world" but the daily life of the "original world".

　I gazed at the back of the clerk who was guiding me to my seat, my cheeks relaxed. I thought to myself that I was a suspicious guy, but there was a girl next to me who was acting even more suspicious than that.

''What the hell is this ......?''

　Kounell's eyes widened as soon as he entered the store.
　First, he stopped at the warmth of the store due to the air conditioning.
　The eccentricity of the blaring background music made my ears perk up and I walked out, looking around at the strangeness of the interior.

　To me, the store may be unassuming, but to her, each one is new and vivid.
　I was overwhelmed by the overwhelming 'freshness' of the place.

　Kounel was worried that she was about to fall down, but she managed to get to a table for four. The waiter leaves a standardized message, "When you've decided on your order, please press that call button," and then quietly leaves.

　We took our seats, facing each other, with clean, light beige seats upholstered.
　I take the two menus at the table and hand one of them to Kounell.

'Yes, the menu. You can choose whatever you want.

　I'll try to tell him a little bit better than that, that it's my treat here.
　However, rather than being able to eat for free, Kounell was more appalled by the contents of the menu handed to her.
　The variety of items and the colourful photos were a big deal that she needed to take a breath.

'What ......?　Can we eat this now?
'Most of these things are taken to look like more, but they come almost exactly the same. They don't cost that much, so don't worry.
'They don't cost that much ...... and yet they all look delicious. No, it's not that they look good, it's that there's so much variety ......
Unlike that one, which is chronically poisonous, this one is easier to farm. This has allowed us to raise the level of our food, so that we can eat this level of food easily.
'I see ....... Naru ......, so much?

　Kounel shuddered at that too straightforward explanation and nodded.
　He clearly wasn't fully convinced because I had omitted to explain about the progress of the times and the Japanese climate.

　There was no sign of him choosing a dish at all.
　So, I have no choice but to teach them the final secrets of the otherworldly adventure story.

''Kounel, it's advice from the senior member of the otherworldly movement. At any rate, if you put "the 'otherworldly'" at the beginning of everything, it makes sense somehow. ...... Really, I recommend it because it makes things a lot easier.

　I'm not kidding, if you can't get your mind around this, it will be difficult to live in 'another world'.

'Ha, yes ....... I, the 'other world' ......!　This is the 'otherworldly' restaurant!

　Quuner accepts my recommendation with open arms.
　I said to myself, "It's a 'different world' so that's what it is!　That's just the way it is! I gradually tucked away the 'confusion' swirling around in my head by continuing to tell myself, "I'm not going to be able to do that.

'Yes. This is the way it should be in this 'other world' restaurant. This is normal. Honestly, if you doubt one thing at a time, you'll be lost to the day.
Wow, the restaurant in "Otherworldly" is awesome!　Seriously, it's amazing!　So, you can expect this, this, this, and this--

　After reading my intentions, Kounel seems to have decided to stop thinking about it for a moment and enjoy the meal.

　This final depth leaves a lot of problems.
　But this is how you should enjoy it at first when you wander off. Most of all, I wanted to see her smile.

　Kounel pointed to the things that caught her eye, one after the other, "This, this".
　She's all excited like a child, and she's moderately noisy.
　But if you look around, you can see a few customers with their families visiting the store.
　Some of them were energetic kids, screaming as much as Kounell, so we didn't stand out.

　It was an accident that we chose the family restaurant, but maybe it was the best solution as the first restaurant in the 'other world'.

''-- Also, this and this and this!　Chairman, are you sure you don't mind if I ask you to do everything!
It's all good. I'm just saying it's a treat for today. I won't be collecting or anything later.
'Aha!　Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

　Quunel utters a junior-ish thank you and says, "Quite a feat, Chairman. I'm not going to forget the sesame seedpaper," he said.

　I'm naturally happy to hear him say that.
　I can't wait to feed Kounel the food of another world's culture, so I reach for the intercom. That's when she adds one more thing.

'...... Just, Mr. Chairman. The reward isn't just for the allowance, but for the chairman as well, right?

　Her voice was as calm as her mother's, a change from the childlike tension she had been experiencing.
　I was a little confused by this sudden change, but I asked back.

'Me too?'
It's been a long time since you've been here, hasn't it?　This meal is for you.
'Yeah, oh ....... Yeah, yeah. That's right.

　Despite being so excited, Kounell seemed to be making sure that my cheeks were loose. It's probably one of her rich life experiences that she's gathering information without guarding against any situation, and it's one of the best ways to get a handle on the world.

　Kounel completely sees that I am also buoyant on the inside and suggests that we enjoy a meal together.

'The chairman of none other than the chairman himself (・・・・・), please reward him properly. If you don't, you won't be able to relax and enjoy your allowance!
Okay. Well, I'll take it from here. Then we'll see how it goes: ......

　I choose the fries that can be easily picked out on their own with my eyes, and I decide to order a drink bar for two.

　To be clear, one of the 'original world' items I want right now is a carbonated drink.
　I can't help but feel an irresistible urge to drink some cider.
　I decided that this would be my first reward and pressed the call button.

'Nuh-uh-uh!

　Hearing the sound of machinery echoing in the store, Kounel jumped his shoulders with a jolt.
　It seemed that he couldn't anticipate this sound because he had no prior knowledge and no magical forebodings at all.

　That cat-like gesture was smiling to watch.
　But soon, Kounel became calm and began to carefully look around.
　Soon, the waiter came over to take our orders, and when I finished telling him the items one after the other, he said, "So that's how it is... Wow," he nodded deeply and repeatedly.

　Really, Kounel makes my head spin.
　That's why I can quickly understand the threat of this 'original world'.
　However, from my point of view, that 'magic stone line' is many times more surprising than this intercom.

　This is not about which one is better, it's just a matter of merits and demerits.
　There are things that only the magical world can do, and there are things that only the scientific world can do.
　While reaffirming the obvious, while going to get a drink at the drink bar with Kounell, the food you asked for is brought to you.

''--Thank you for waiting!

　The lineup is a nondescript family restaurant menu.
　Hamburgers, steaks, curries, gratin, salads, ramen noodles, pasta, fries, parfaits and more. From among them, Kounel picked out a parfait first.

''This!　I'll start with this one!

　I feel a bit girlish about that choice.
　And while I watch her first attempt at otherworldly cooking, I casually pluck a French fry and put it in my mouth - and am instantly shocked by the surprise.

'----'

　Softly.
　A nostalgic taste spread through the air.
　The hot fries are salty and oily.
　They are salty and oily, but they have a unique taste and production method that can only be found in the "original world". For me, who has been living in the "other world" for a long time, this was an exciting experience.
　When you crush the crispy outer batter with your teeth, the chewy sweet potatoes fall apart. The moment it hits my tongue, I get the overly simple signal to my brain that it's delicious, and every time I chew and roll it, I feel a deep taste. It was bliss all the way down my throat and down my stomach.

　I immediately reached for the juice I had prepared.
　The cider clumped and tangled with the salty and oily taste that had spread in my mouth, making the carbonation pop as it went down my throat. It's also very pungent, including the dark sweetness unique to this one's 'original world'. As you drink it dry, a deep sigh is forced out.

　It's delicious.
　Just plain and simple, it's delicious.

　-- It's been a while (・・・・), and it was a bit of a surprise to me that the fries and juice are so 'fresh' in this way.

　It was a new sign for "Serdra Strategy".
　If I can recreate his local cuisine through my 'past vision' rather than simply feeding him a new otherworldly cuisine, his life will become even more colorful.

"This is, this is the 'otherworldly' parfait ....... Oh, it's so sweet ......, so sweet and delicious ......!　Really very, very sweet: ......!　...... a little too sweet?

　Like me, Kounel also had the fresh cream of the parfait in his mouth and was savoring it to the fullest.
　I missed the 'moment in my mouth' that I was looking forward to the most, but it was still a pleasant enough sight to watch.

　Just as a matter of concern, Kounel frowned a little bit in the middle and tilted his head.

''Too sweet?　...... Is the quality of the sugar different compared to the other side?　No, they seem similar in kind to begin with, but they're different.

　He said it was sweet and delicious, but he didn't seem to like it that much.
　Basically, the intensity of the flavor must be different in the two worlds.

'Mmmm, muggy ....... Okay, next!　Go ahead, Mr. Chairman!

　Quuner ate about half of his food and then sloshed his parfait over to me.
　I suppose they want to eat a variety of dishes, but I'm a little taken aback by their relentless passing.
　Most importantly--

I hate to say it, but ......, do you know what an 'indirect kiss' is?
'Yeah, I know, but ....... Are you old enough to care about those things?　If you say you don't like the insanitary nature of your guess, I'll stop sharing it, but I'll stop sharing it: ......

　It seemed to require a minimum level of courtesy, but she didn't seem to mind.
　Rather, the culture and customs of other worlds probably have a low hurdle to sharing meals.
　So the only one who has a problem right now is me.

No, I don't mind. I don't care about it, at all.
Seriously, you care about that?　It's scary how much the chairman's mentality about that kind of thing can get you here: ......!　Isn't the Chairman's way of life and values too unbalanced compared to his power and experience?
'No, no, you've always been bad at this sort of thing. ...... Of course, I'm okay with it.

　Seriously scared of Kounell, she was a little strong and took a spoonful of the rest of the parfait into her mouth.
　She tantalized her tongue with the cream, which she rated as too sweet.

'Oh, it's sweet. Yes, it was this sweet: ......'

　The cream melted in his mouth along with a soft milk taste.
　It spread out to envelop the entire organ of taste, slowly penetrating it.
　The sweetness that reaches the core of my tongue robs my whole body of strength. I almost dropped my spoon even now. I swallowed the cream and took a breath, and the sweet smell passed through my nose.
　A dazzling sense of happiness.
　For me, it was just the right amount of sweetness.

　But it really is amazing.
　Even though it's been a thousand years since this body has ingested the food of the 'original world', it's still only a few years in terms of experience.
　To be honest, I hadn't expected this level of excitement.

　After savoring the nostalgia and sweetness to taste, I try to move my spoon for two bites.
　This time it's not just the cream, it's the fruit and the flakes.
　But before I can do that, Kounel shouts out his thoughts on the second item.

'Mmmm!　This one is more palatable!　Bingo!　...... Amazing!　That's awesome!

　Kounell was chewing on a piece of chocolate cake and raving about it.

'Heh, that's a bit surprising. We didn't have any chocolate on the other side. I honestly thought it might make me feel bad.'
This fluffy, sweet, yet nutty flavor ......?　The flavors, it's very safe. Maybe it's because there are so many nutty dishes here.
'Could it be that there were nuts from the same tree as the cocoa, if you searched the other world?

　If I can afford it, it might be fun to find it and spread the chocolate culture over there.
　As I was pondering this, Kounel ate the cake in two bites and took a breath that was many times bigger than mine.

''Phew!　Oishii!

　She, too, seems to be happy with the smell that fills her nostrils.
　It can be seen from his loose face.

　Then, having eaten the dessert first, Kounel reaches for the soup, the third dish.
　I watch the situation, thinking that his personality is showing in that order.

''Hm?　On the contrary, ......, this authentic miso soup. This is a bit harsh.

　Dexterously holding the bowl, Kounel sips the miso soup (I spread it out a thousand years ago, so Kounel can use chopsticks, too). But it was only a bite away.

'What? You can't have miso soup?　It tastes so warm and soothing.
It's thick. It's pungent. It's kind of unsettling, .......
That's ridiculous.

　Leaving the parfait behind, I get my hands on the miso soup.

　And what spreads in my mouth is the best taste I'm used to as a Japanese.
　I thought it would be a bad idea to eat it with the handicap of being after the parfait, but the soup had an absolute stability to it that overturned that common sense.

'Oh ......, it's so calming. Thanks to the id, miso soup was widespread, but I still prefer Japanese miso. It's a little different, but it's soothing to the body. ......

　Even though Kounell's rating score was bad, the miso soup was the highest score for me.
　It was a relief to find out that the miso soup wasn't bad, just a different taste.

　Meanwhile, Kounel was working on the fourth item of steak.
　He chewed and shredded the meat with his sharp teeth and spoke while eating without behaving.

''Mmmmmm?　The quality of the meat isn't much different, but the seasoning is nice!　No. Is it a cooking method issue?　Let's see, this meat is ...... and, come to think of it, there's no edible monster meat here at all, is there?

　Kounel spreads out the menu and enjoys the meat while reading it.
　From the distraction of his concentration, he doesn't seem to score too high on the steak.

''None. But you can eat a lot of things like chicken, pork and fish instead. Here.

　I point to the picture on the menu, wondering if it's the wrong kind of meat.

'Oh, here. They all have different kinds of meat. I guess that's because the distribution is excellent. Then--

　He thought they were all the same kind of meat.
　After correcting his mistake, Kounell asks for an additional order of pork, which is a lesser variety in the 'other world' over there.
　And when I tried to press the call button to call the waiter again--

'Mr. Chairman!　Let me push that!

　I know the feeling.
　I've heard the kids of the family guest over there make the exact same argument.

　When it's your first time, that request is inevitable.
　When I show him how to do it, Quuner happily mouthed the words, "Pop it," while pushing hard.

'Heh heh,'

　Then, with a grin on his face, he shook his body from side to side and waited for the shopkeeper to arrive from afar, and as soon as he arrived, he said, "I'll have this! He ordered with a big smile on his face.
　The waitress looked at him with a smile, agreed, and walked away.

'Good!　While we're waiting for the new meat, let's make sure we have all the meat types we have now!

　The underrated food would be passed around to me as I got my hands on the hamburgers and teriyaki on the table (Kounell made sure to cut it up properly before eating it. But even then, sharing the meal was ...... a little embarrassing. (That's just the nature of it).

　I'm already eating the parfait later.
　Part of it is that I'm a bit of a sweet tooth, but I simply prefer dessert to be last.
　I hadn't planned to eat in earnest, but caught by the sight of Kounel's voracious appetite, I now make up my mind to eat the day's food.

''Here it comes!

　Kounel would be happy to press the call button, order her own food and receive it herself.
　She receives her food with great joy, and proportionately, the waiter who watches her reach the highest level of harmony.

　Combined with the power of Tida's mask, Kounel's appearance now was a perfect child itself.
　Including her gestures, no one would be able to tell that she was an old lady over a hundred years old.

　In fact, now I almost lose sight of the fact that Kounel is a cunning politician.
　It was so cute to watch her gobble up her diverse meals with such relish.

　I'm convinced - and made to believe - that there is no one more happy and at ease to eat with than her (・・・・・・・).

　Without a doubt, this is the most powerful weapon of the bloodsucking species known as Kounel Chronicle Shulus Legia Ingrid.
　I've been attacked once by a Ragne guy with a similar weapon, so I know what she's trying to do.

　I understand, but .......
　For now, I'm going to dare to expose myself to that weapon and enjoy this time.

　--You will find that each and every dish in this "original world" is filled with memories.

　The old days of being a hermit. I used to love to eat retort curry and ramen.
　Seeing the actual food in front of me reminds me of how much I was addicted to junk food back then.

　I think Yotaki was a thin eater and always ate only salads.
　No, that was an act. If he wanted to eat, he could have eaten as much as he wanted.
　I'm sure he just didn't have the time or need for it.

　In comparison, my parents were big eaters and ate nothing but expensive steaks.
　When I lived in that fancy apartment, there was an array of sumptuous meals every day.

　But now his parents would be in jail, so the food would be pretty simple.
　I'm a little worried that they might be too proud to eat it.
　Oh, I really miss it.
　I can't wait to see my parents--.


"-- it's better (・・・・・・・) not to meet (・・・・)


　On the way, face-to-face, Kounell stabbed a word like a blade.