Midterm exams had begun—the first real hurdle of our second year. A unique tension permeated the school; I could tell at a glance that the students passing through the hallways were wound tight.
When I entered the classroom, my classmates were already there, hunched over their desks as they quietly pored over textbooks and notebooks for one final check.
"I guess I should do some reviewing too."
I scanned the room, but Yuji and Hiiragi-san were nowhere to be seen. It seemed they hadn't arrived yet. I took my seat and decided to spend the remaining time before the first test reviewing. I opened my textbook for the first subject and began scanning the pages.
Then...
"Hey! I'm starting homeroom! Everyone, look up from your books and face front!"
At the sound of that booming voice, I looked up to see Hirasaka-sensei standing at the podium. I had lost track of time; when I looked around, I saw that Yuji and Hiiragi-san had arrived at some point.
Once he was sure he had everyone's attention, Hirasaka-sensei gave a small nod and began to speak.
"As you all know, midterm exams start today. I'm sure you've all prepared for this, so I want you to stay calm while you tackle the tests."
Stay calm, huh? Easier said than done, Hirasaka-sensei.
The teacher finished up homeroom with a few quick announcements.
"That’s all for today’s business. Good luck on your exams."
With that, Hirasaka-sensei left the classroom.
Well, for now, I’ll just try to keep my cool and do my best to avoid any stupid mistakes.
"Okay, pens down! That’s time!"
The chime rang out, followed by the proctor's command. The frantic scratching of pens stopped instantly, replaced by a chorus of heavy sighs echoing from every corner of the room.
"Make sure you didn't forget to write your name, then pass your answer sheets forward."
I double-checked my name as the sheets from the back were passed to me. I stacked mine on top and handed them to the person in front. The teacher counted the stack to ensure everyone was accounted for, then dismissed us and left the room.
"Finally, the first day is over. But there are still three more to go..."
The second the teacher was gone, all the tension left my body, and I slumped forward against my desk. The realization that the schedule still had three days left made me feel incredibly gloomy.
As I lay there powerlessly, Yuji called out to me in a cheerful voice.
"You look pretty wiped, Daiki. Did the test go that badly?"
"Yuji? No, I managed to fill in every blank, so it shouldn't be too bad... How about you?"
"Me? I’m feeling pretty good about it."
No wonder he was so chirpy.
I sat up and looked at Yuji, who was standing by my desk. For some reason, his smug expression was a little irritating.
"Well, it's great that you're confident, but don't forget it's only the first day. Don't go letting your guard down, Yuji."
"Yeah, I know. It’d be a disaster if I slacked off now and ended up with a failing grade."
"True enough."
I didn't think I’d fail, but I had a feeling I’d made a few small, careless mistakes today. I’d have to be more careful on the next ones. Even minor errors can be fatal if they pile up.
Yuji and I spent a few minutes comparing answers until Hirasaka-sensei returned to the room.
"Alright, get back to your seats. I'm starting the afternoon homeroom."
At his prompt, the students who had been milling around scrambled back to their desks. Yuji was among them.
"So, how was the first day of midterms? Some of you probably did well, while others might have struggled. Regardless of how you feel, stay focused and give your all for the remaining three days."
The students reacted in a dozen different ways to his words.
"Fortunately or unfortunately, tomorrow is Sunday, so there’s no school. What you do with your time is up to you, but make sure you don’t spend the day in a way you’ll regret."
It was a warning not to spend the whole day playing instead of studying. I could practically feel several students guiltily averting their eyes. They definitely would have spent the day goofing off if he hadn't said anything.
"Well, there's no point in me rambling on. I have no other announcements, so today's homeroom is adjourned....Class rep."
"Stand. Attention. Bow."
At the rep's signal, everyone stood and bowed to Hirasaka-sensei. The teacher quickly stepped down and left the room. The moment he was gone, the classroom erupted into noise as everyone started moving about—some packing to go home, others starting up conversations.
I gathered my things and moved over to Yuji’s desk, as he was also getting ready to leave.
"Yuji, what’s the plan for after this?"
"Hmm? After this?"
"Lunch. Even if we wanted to eat at school, the cafeteria is closed today."
"Oh, that’s right..."
Yuji put a hand to his forehead, falling into thought.
Since it was Saturday during the exams, the cafeteria wasn't operating. I could have just gone home to eat, but I thought a change of pace might be nice.
While we were debating where to go, a voice called out from behind us.
"If you two are looking for a place to eat lunch, why don't you come to my family's shop?"
"Hiiragi-san?"
It was Hiiragi-san, school bag in hand.
"My father said he finished a prototype for a new ramen dish, and he wants you two to try it."
"A new ramen?"
"Yes. It’s made using those materials we gathered in bulk before Golden Week."
Materials from before Golden Week... Wait, he made it with minotaur meat? Using minotaur meat as a standard ingredient sounds like a recipe for bankruptcy.
While Yuji and I exchanged confused looks, Hiiragi-san added a follow-up.
"I’ve already tasted it, so I can guarantee it's good."
"No, we're not worried about the flavor, but..."
If Eiji-san was asking for outside opinions, the taste was probably fine. I was more worried about a repeat of his previous reckless behavior. When it came to ramen, Eiji-san had a history of going overboard.
Seeing the uneasy expressions on our faces, Hiiragi-san lightly clapped her hands together.
"Ah, I see. Don't worry, it's not what you're thinking. My father isn't doing anything reckless this time."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. He said it would be fine after discussing it with everyone."
"I see."
Hiiragi-san didn't look like she was forcing herself to be optimistic, so it was probably okay.
"What do you think, Yuji? Want to take her up on it?"
"Well, we didn't have any other plans. Why not?"
"Then it's settled."
Hiiragi-san gave us a happy smile once we agreed.
"Oh, by the way, Hiiragi-san. Is it okay if I invite Mika and her friend to the tasting?"
"Mika-chan and the others? Yes, of course."
"You okay with that too, Yuji?"
"Yeah."
"Then let me message them. Wait a second."
I pulled out my phone and messaged Mika. She replied almost instantly, saying she and Saori-chan would wait for us at the school entrance. I relayed the message to the others, and we headed down to meet them.
When we reached the entrance, Mika and Saori-chan were already there, chatting.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Ah, Onii-chan!"
"Shall we go?"
"Yeah!"
With the five of us together, we joined the crowd of students heading out the school gates.
When we arrived at the shop, we greeted Eiji-san and Miyuki-san. Since we were all hungry, we got straight to the tasting. After a few minutes, Miyuki-san brought over the bowls on a tray.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone. This is our shop's new prototype."
"This is the prototype?"
"Yes."
We looked at the bowls and momentarily froze in surprise.
Because...
"There’s no soup..."
"Is this even ramen?"
"Wait, is that roast beef on top?"
We had been expecting a standard bowl of ramen, but what sat before us was abura soba. On top of thin noodles tossed in sauce were several toppings: pink, thinly sliced roast beef, a smoked soft-boiled egg, shredded white leeks, and radish sprouts.
"Go ahead, give it a try. I'll come back for your thoughts in a bit."
Miyuki-san left us to attend to other customers. Except for Hiiragi-san, the rest of us stared at the prototype for another moment before picking up our chopsticks.
Thanks for the food!
"Please, enjoy," Hiiragi-san said with a smile.
I decided to start with the roast beef. It was sliced thin, about two millimeters, and it was incredibly tender. As soon as I bit into it, I was hit with a light saltiness followed by an overwhelming richness. I recognized that taste instantly. It was minotaur meat.
"This roast beef is amazing."
"It was slow-cooked at a low temperature so the meat wouldn't get tough," Hiiragi-san explained.
"Yeah, but doesn't that take a lot of work?"
"Not really. You just vacuum-seal the seasoned meat and leave it in a rice cooker filled with hot water for a set amount of time."
"A rice cooker can do that?"
I was impressed by the unexpected simplicity of the prep. I moved on to the noodles, pulling a few strands from beneath the meat. They were coated in a soy-based sauce that gave them a light brown tint. I took a bite; the noodles were firm and perfectly cooked, and the balance between the salty soy and the tangy vinegar was excellent.
"This is good..."
"Yeah. It’s a prototype, but the quality is already incredible," Yuji added.
"It’s so yummy!" Mika chirped.
"Yeah. I thought it might be heavy, but the acidity makes it really easy to eat," Saori-chan agreed.
The evaluation was high across the board.
Then, Hiiragi-san made another suggestion.
"Now, try eating the meat, noodles, and condiments all together."
We followed her advice, wrapping the noodles and leeks in a slice of meat. The sharpness of the condiments cut through the oiliness of the noodles, while the acidity of the sauce further elevated the flavor of the meat. It was, quite simply, delicious.
Finally, I made another wrap and dipped it into the yolk of the soft-boiled egg. The creaminess took the edge off the vinegar, creating a mellow, gentle flavor that was a nice change from the previous bite.
After that, conversation died down as we all shoveled the noodles into our mouths, finishing the abura soba in record time.
"Thank you for the meal."
Thank you for the meal!
We set our empty bowls down and put our hands together. As far as the taste went, 'delicious' was the only word for it. As far as the taste went.
Miyuki-san came back over with her tray.
"So? What did you think?"
"The balance is great. It was very delicious," I said.
"Being able to change the flavor with the condiments and the egg means you never get bored of it," Yuji added.
"It was so good!" Mika said.
"I loved it too," Saori-chan chimed in.
"My, my, such high praise."
Miyuki-san beamed at our reviews.
However, I had one thing I needed to ask.
"Miyuki-san, can I ask a more practical question?"
"What is it, Daiki?"
"This roast beef is minotaur meat, right? I don't know the price point yet, but is this actually profitable?"
Unlike orc meat, minotaur meat was a high-end ingredient with a low supply because so few explorers could hunt them. It wasn't the kind of thing you could usually use so casually.
"Oh, it's fine. It looks like a lot, but because it's sliced so thin, the cost per bowl isn't as high as you'd think. We’re also planning to make extra meat a paid topping, so it’ll definitely be profitable."
"I see. That’s a relief."
It seemed my concern had been misplaced.
Once I was satisfied, Hiiragi-san asked for our final verdict.
"So, what do you guys think? Is this ready for the menu?"
"Yeah. I think it’s more than ready."
"I agree."
"I’d definitely come back to eat this again!"
"Me too!"
We were all in agreement: it was shop-quality. Even if we were just amateurs, we were certain.
That was clearly enough for Hiiragi-san and Miyuki-san.
"Thank you. We'll take your feedback into account."
Miyuki-san gathered the empty bowls and headed back to the kitchen. I assumed she was going to report the success to Eiji-san.
Well, in any case, the great food was a perfect change of pace. Now I just have to survive the rest of the exams.