'I'm hungry! Is this thing called a hamburger that Tori makes still available?''

Tori told me to wait in the living room for a while. Yuna, my sister, blurted out something.

She had been excitedly looking at the view from Tori's attic a while ago, but she seemed to have had enough of it already.

Now she is probably more interested in the food Tori is cooking than in the beautiful scenery.

He is sitting on a chair, restlessly flailing his arms and legs.

'Hey, Yuna. Don't flap your arms and legs around in my house.

Perhaps noticing Yuna's restlessness, her father warns her.

''Even so, there's no one here right now, okay?

Even if there's no one here. You've got to be a little more mature.

Yuna's cheeks puffed out in frustration as her father said this, but she became quiet.

I sit quietly too, but I've been waiting impatiently for the hamburger to come.

When I went to the vegetable wholesaler in town, I asked him about it and he told me that it was a breaded dish similar to a sandwich.

But it's not like other sandwiches at all.

I said, 'I'm sorry, sweetheart. Usually hamburgers are made faster, but because of what I ordered, it must be taking longer.

Dwarf who had been drinking red wine next to Yuna and her father until a few minutes ago, ...... Mr. Dodgal says apologetically, I think.

The dwarf uncle also ordered a hamburger, didn't he? Did you order something that great?''

'Yes, I ordered a very satisfying hamburger. It's a new hamburger that they don't sell in the food stalls, so it must be taking them a while to get it. I'm looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us.

I was worried that Yuna's mannerisms might offend him, but I was relieved to hear that Mr. Dodgal did not seem to be the type of person to worry about such trivial matters.

Mr. Dodogal looked happy as he sipped his wine. His face was innocent, as if he was really looking forward to the meeting.

'You trust Tori, don't you?

Not only can he cook delicious food, but he also has interesting ideas. It's a shame to leave him with the humans.

'Ah, it's true that Tori is a bit of a dawdler, but sometimes he comes up with the strangest ideas. He comes up with food stalls and hammocks and stuff. ......'

'Yes. Especially the construction of the meat chopper that I recently ordered...''

When Yuna and I agreed, Mr. Dodogal spoke of Tori's greatness as if it were his own.

Unfortunately, we are farmers and do not know the creator at all, but I could see that Mr. Dodogar liked and respected Tori's cooking skills and imagination.

Many Dwarves have difficult personalities. It is amazing that Tori has gained such trust.

After listening to Mr. Dodogal's production discussion for a while, I heard footsteps coming from the stairs.

'Ah, could it be!

'Sorry to keep you waiting, I brought you some hamburgers...'

Yuna looked happily at the entrance and I looked back to see Tori carrying what looked like a hamburger.

One tray holds enough for three people, but the other is so huge that it takes up the whole tray by itself.

Yes, this is Yuna's hamburger and this is the special big burger we made for Mr. Dodogal.

'This is amazing! It's as big as a frying pan!

'Is this what you call a hamburger? I don't know why it's so big over there!

That's because it was made especially for this occasion. The ones we originally served to Yuna and the others are the ones we're making for sale.

Tori responds to Yuna's words with a wry smile.

They are twice or even three times bigger than our hamburgers.

Perhaps it was because they were standing side by side with regular-sized burgers, but Mr. Dodgal's burger looked noticeably larger.

They look delicious too, but I don't think our stomachs can handle it.

This is the hamburger that Tori sells at her stall: ......'.

Meat, cheese, tomato, and lettuce are sandwiched between the round bread.

The well-cooked meat smells savory, and there is a sweet and spicy smell from the special sauce. On top of the meat, there is melted cheese on the meat, which is very appetizing.

The meat is also covered with sliced tomatoes and bouquet lettuce, making it a very colorful dish. Even those who find the taste of meat too heavy may enjoy this dish.

It looks like a sandwich, but it's definitely not.

You are right, it looks like a sandwich, but it is a little different from what we imagine a sandwich to be. It's such a strange food.

Yes, yes, yes. So, please spread the word and call it a hamburger to those who don't know about it yet. That way you can differentiate it from sandwiches and make ours famous.

He's so cheesy.

It would be more special than being lumped together as a sandwich.

I can't help but chuckle at Tori's cunning idea.

Can we eat more than that?

Yuna says she can't wait.

'Yes, eat it while it's still warm.

'But, Tori. How do you eat this?

'Just wrap it in paper so your hands don't get dirty.

'Okay!

Wait a minute. I think I'll have to open my mouth pretty wide for this size.

While I was hesitating, Yuna and my father lifted it up with their hands and took a bite.

Mmmm! Delicious!''

'Oh, the meat is softer than I thought it would be!

The two of them are enjoying their burgers very much.

'Oh, wow! This is amazing! It's so much more satisfying than the hamburgers I usually eat!

Furthermore, Mr. Dodogal was holding a hamburger larger than his face and biting into it.

'I increased the volume as much as possible to meet Mr. Dodogal's request,' said Mr. Dodogal. I mean, isn't it hard to eat a hamburger that big as it is? I have knives and forks available, but ......'

'Speak idiotic. You're supposed to hold the hamburger in your hand and bite into it. If you use a knife and fork like that and eat it with elegance, you'll ruin all the satisfaction of eating it.

Well, that's the basic idea, isn't it?

No, after all, this is a dish to be eaten as it is. .......

'What's the matter, Elina? Did you find any ingredients you don't like in there?

'No, it's not like that!

Tori looks worried because I'm the only one who hasn't touched it.

I don't know what to do. It's hard to say I'm embarrassed to open my mouth so wide now.



Maybe they would give me a knife and fork if I asked them to, but I don't think it's right to eat a hamburger like that.

I open my mouth modestly and eat the hamburger as it is.

At that moment, the flavor of the bread, the juicy meat, the crisp lettuce, and the many other ingredients all come together and spread in my mouth.

Oh, it's delicious! I've never seen anything like this!''

'Good. I'm glad you liked it.

Dad was right, the meat in between was very tender. At first, I thought it would be like a steak, but after just a few bites, the juices just flowed out of the meat and melted away.

The cheese and the sweet and spicy sauce are also very well matched.

What becomes clear as the meal progresses is the high level of harmony of the hamburger dish.

The combination of the bread and the ingredients is exquisite.

The acidity of the tomatoes and the moisture of the lettuce neutralize the strong flavors. The bread between the meat also contributed to the dish by absorbing the extra sauce and juices.

I guess they must have gone through a lot of trouble to select the right ingredients to bring out the best flavor.

Hey, Tori! I was wondering if you used two kinds of lettuce?

'Whoa, you are indeed a vegetable farmer and you are quick to notice.

'Is that so? You don't have to be a farmer to know this much--''

'What? I didn't notice that at all, I was eating it!

I tried to express my modesty, but Yuna didn't seem to notice at all.

But that may be inevitable when you see how good it tastes.

'One of them is bouquet lettuce, isn't it?

'Yeah, that's right.'

'But I don't know what the other one is: ......'

'Yeah, me too. I've grown a lot of leafy greens with this crispy texture, moisture, and sweetness......, but I don't recognize this look or taste.'

I don't think I'm the only one who doesn't recognize it.

If even my father, who has seen and grown more vegetables than I have, can't recognize it, then maybe it's something that is not widely available in the market or something precious.

I take the hamburger apart and look at it, but I still don't recognize this leafy vegetable.

What kind of leafy greens are you using?

Unfortunately, it is a secret. I'm sure Mr. Carls and the others will figure it out someday, though.

That's right. It's the behind-the-scenes force behind the hamburger. No wonder Tori keeps it a secret.

But what kind of leafy greens are they? I'm curious.

'Even if it's ......, I've never seen anyone examine lettuce that closely after taking it apart.'

'Oh, I'm sorry! I couldn't help but notice ......'

No matter how much you are concerned about the leafy greens used, it is bad manners to take apart what is sandwiched in between. It is quite bad manners.

Dad and sis sometimes go berserk when it comes to vegetables, don't they?

Ha-ha-ha, that's how much he likes it. My friend who runs a grocery store in town is like that too.

Tori smiles cheerfully at Yuna's exasperated words.

Thank goodness. He doesn't seem to be taken aback. I eat my hamburger quietly, feeling relieved about that.

Then Yuna says something as if she had just remembered.

Hey, Tori. What's the extra?

Come to think of it, Tori said he would give us a little something extra.

I was actually wondering about it myself.

Oh, you remember?

''That's not surprising!

'It's almost ready, just wait a minute.

Tori said and left the living room.