On the way back from the mock battle at the training facility, Mika and Saori-chan’s steps were as heavy as I’d expected. They struggled to get their bicycles up to speed, and even the slightest incline caused them to slow to a crawl.
Even so, they were maintaining a pace that an ordinary person pedaling at full strength would have struggled to match for long.
"Is the ride home after training too much after all?" I asked.
"Y-yeah... But it’s not so much that it’s hard as it is that my body feels stiff. It's difficult to move," Mika replied.
"Muscle soreness already? That was fast."
"It’s more like the muscles where I took hits feel tight or just... off. It doesn't exactly hurt, but every time I pedal, it feels weird."
It seemed the mock battle had forced them to use muscles they weren't accustomed to, putting quite a strain on their bodies. At this rate, both of them were likely to be in for a world of hurt tomorrow. I had tried to hold back as much as possible, but it was impossible to keep them completely unscathed.
"That's probably because you were moving in ways you aren't used to. You'll get adjusted if we keep at it, so for now, you'll just have to bear with it."
"I suppose so... I just hope I don't end up covered in bruises."
"Want to use a recovery potion? You’ll feel better in an instant."
For mere training fatigue without actual injury, a recovery potion could provide an immediate fix. I had brought several along in case I overdid it during the session. My stock was plenty full, so I didn't mind using them if they really needed it.
"I'm not using one for something like this," Mika said. "Beginner recovery potions are expensive. I'll be fine once I take a bath and get some sleep. I'm just not sure about the bruises."
"She's right," Yuji added. "If you start relying on them for simple training fatigue, it'll defeat the purpose of the training."
It was a valid point. They needed to be able to function at a minimum level even when exhausted. Otherwise, even if they managed to repel an ambush, they wouldn't be able to navigate their way out of a dungeon while avoiding monsters. If their potions were destroyed during an attack, they couldn't count on a quick fix. It was better to assume the worst and prepare accordingly.
"True," Saori-chan agreed.
"Well, we'll take our time and stop for breaks. Hang in there."
"Okay."
Though they still looked worn out, both Mika and Saori-chan seemed to pedal with a bit more spirit after that.
We decided to stop at the same roadside station we had visited on the way out. Mika and Saori-chan looked like they were reaching their limit for maintaining speed, so we settled on a longer break that would double as a late lunch. Since I knew there was a restaurant inside, we figured we’d eat there before finishing the trek home.
"And we're here. You two okay?"
"Y-yeah."
"Barely..."
As we parked the bikes, I checked on them. While they weren't gasping for air, their expressions were pained. The muscle stiffness was clearly starting to settle in. They weren't so incapacitated that they couldn't move, though, so a good rest should see them through the final leg of the journey.
"You'll be fine. We're taking a long break here, so use the time to massage your legs or do whatever else you need for self-care."
"O-okay, will do."
"Y-yes. Thank you."
"If it gets too painful, I'll give you a recovery potion, so don't be shy about asking."
If it came to that, I’d probably just charge them later—or rather, have them replace the stock with their own. Using them in a dungeon was one thing, but using them to skip out on training fatigue was another. I didn't think they’d do it, but I didn't want them getting a taste for it and expecting a potion after every session. It was best to have some sort of deterrent.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass."
"Me too. It feels like a waste for just this..."
"Got it. Shall we head inside, then?"
As the three of us started walking, Mika and Saori-chan followed with heavy steps. Since it was past the usual lunch rush, the restaurant inside the facility was fairly empty.
"Good, it's still open."
I had been worried they might have closed after the peak hours, but being part of a public facility, they seemed to stay open all day. We checked the interior and found a meal-ticket system, with a large menu board featuring photos on the wall.
"The focus here is definitely udon and soba."
"They have some set meals too."
"No Western-style food, though," Hiiragi-san noted.
Half the menu was dedicated to noodles, while the rest consisted of rice bowls and side dishes. We weren't looking for anything fancy, so it suited us just fine. After a short deliberation, everyone made their choice.
Yuji and I went with udon and rice bowl sets, Hiiragi-san picked the kitsune udon and rice ball set, and Mika and Saori-chan went with zaru soba and rice balls.
"Looks like we can all sit over there. Is that okay with everyone?"
After buying our tickets, I spotted a large table in the back. Once we were seated, a staff member came over to collect our tickets.
"Welcome. I'll take your tickets, please."
"Here you go."
"Thank you. Water is self-service over there. Please wait just a moment."
The clerk pointed toward the water dispenser, gave a slight bow, and headed back to the kitchen.
"Self-service, huh? I'll go grab some. Water's fine for everyone?"
"Yeah, thanks."
"Thank you."
"Yes, please."
"Thank you very much."
I stood up and headed for the dispenser. There were small trays and cups on a nearby shelf, and I filled them for everyone. By the time I got back to the table and sat down, the staff member was already calling out with the first tray.
"Thank you for waiting. Who has the kitsune udon set...?"
"Oh, that's me."
Hardly any time had passed, yet the food was already arriving. Even for udon, this was incredibly fast.
"And for the zaru soba sets...?"
"Ah, yes."
"That's us."
The next dishes followed immediately. It was honestly impressive. I wondered if they pre-prepared some of it or if the ticket machine was linked directly to a display in the kitchen.
"And the rice bowl sets...?"
"Yes, over here."
"And here."
In the end, it had taken less than five minutes from entering the shop to having all our food served. That speed was a selling point in itself.
"Well, now that we're all set, let's eat. Itadakimasu."
"Itadakimasu!"
Though a bit surprised by the efficiency, we dug in. I started with the udon. It was a simple kake udon without many toppings, but the broth was excellent. It had a strong kelp and bonito dashi base, and the soy sauce wasn't overbearing, making it very easy to drink.
"This is actually really good."
"Yeah, they clearly care about their broth. The dashi is solid," Yuji agreed.
"The noodles are lovely too," Hiiragi-san added. "They're thin but have a great chew, and the springy texture helps them soak up the broth perfectly."
Following Hiiragi-san's lead, I tried the noodles and found she was right—the flavor of the soup clung to them beautifully.
"The soba is great, too."
"It has a much stronger buckwheat aroma than the stuff at the school cafeteria."
Mika and Saori-chan were happily slurping down their soba as they shared their thoughts. Come to think of it, the cafeteria soba looked and tasted like soba, but I'd never actually noticed an aroma from it. Well, it was cheap and the portions were huge, so I couldn't complain too much.
"Now, how about this..."
I set the udon aside and reached for the rice bowl. My set came with oyako-don, while Yuji had a beef bowl. I assumed they offered these because they were quick to prepare.
"Yeah, this is a hit. Must be the dashi again."
The eggs in the oyako-don were light and fluffy, and the chicken had a slightly charred, savory scent as if it had been grilled over charcoal. But the dashi was the real star, drawing out the flavors of the meat and egg in a way that made it impossible to stop eating.
"This oyako-don is amazing."
"The beef bowl is top-tier, too," Yuji said, a relaxed smile on his face as he praised his meal. "Especially these onions—they're perfectly tender."
If even the beef bowl was this good, this place was operating at a seriously high level.
"The rice balls are wonderful as well," Hiiragi-san said. "They're plain, but the salt is perfect. They complement the udon so well. I suspect they might have added the salt to the water when cooking the rice rather than just sprinkling it on afterward."
"The saltiness is just right."
"Mhm, it's delicious."
Everyone seemed more than satisfied with their "simple" meal. We fell into a comfortable silence, focusing entirely on the food.
After finishing our late lunch, we took a moment to relax and discuss our plans. Not that there was much to discuss—we were just going home.
"Phew. We really found a winner here. That was great."
"No kidding," Yuji said. "We always just sped past this place when it was just us. I had no idea it was this good. I might come back just for the udon."
"I agree," Hiiragi-san said. "We used to push straight through to the training facility, but maybe we should start stopping at more places like this just to see what we've been missing."
I felt the same. I had been out this way countless times for fence repairs and permissions, but I’d always hurried past. If I’d known sooner, I could have tried half the menu by now.
"Well, let's just look at it as something to look forward to next time. As for the rest of the day, I assume we're just heading straight back?"
"Yeah, that works for me," Yuji said. "We don't have anywhere else to be. Hiiragi-san?"
"I'm fine with that. Mika-chan and Saori-chan look exhausted, so I think going straight home is the best call."
Neither of them had any objections.
"Mika, Saori-chan? If there's anywhere you want to stop, we can, but otherwise...?"
"I'm good," Mika said. "I'm so tired I just want to fall into bed. Saori-chan?"
"Same here. To be honest, I just want to get home as quickly as possible."
"Fair enough."
They looked worn out. Between the mock battle and the long-distance cycling, I couldn't blame them for wanting to skip the detours.
"Straight home it is, then."
"Right."
"Understood."
"Agreed!"
We decided to keep the stops to a minimum—just a couple of convenience store breaks to make sure the girls didn't collapse. We certainly weren't going to be breaking any speed records on the way back.
"Alright, let's head out."
"Yeah, we shouldn't overstay our welcome."
We got up, gave a quick thanks to the staff, and left the shop. Definitely a place worth visiting again.
After leaving the roadside station, we took two more short breaks and successfully made it back to our town. We parted ways with Yuji and Hiiragi-san at the station, and then Mika and I walked Saori-chan home. I wasn't about to let an exhausted girl walk home by herself when her legs were clearly shaking.
"Alright, Saori-chan. Make sure you stretch out those muscles and get some good rest."
"See you at school tomorrow, Saori-chan!"
"Thank you for walking me home. See you tomorrow, Mika-chan!"
We watched her go inside, and then Mika and I finally turned toward our house.
"Ready to get home?"
"Yeah... but Onii-chan, seriously? That was way too much for the first day."
"What are you talking about? You're going to have to be able to handle that much in your sleep. That was just the basics."
"Ughhh..."
I listened to Mika's complaints with a wry smile as we walked. It was tough for them now, but I knew they’d get used to it before long.