I returned to the real world from Ren-kun’s house. Technically, only my consciousness had made the trip, so my physical body hadn't moved an inch from where I’d exited the dungeon.
Well, now that my business was finished, I supposed it was time to head back inside. To any passerby, my actions probably looked suspicious—emerging from the dungeon only to turn right back around—but it wasn't as if I had any business in this barren wasteland.
Tort, wait! Lord Lamuyadas has sent word! It’s a Pandora Gift!
Just as I was about to turn back, Shiroru patted my leg with her paws. It seemed Ren-kun had reached out. He hadn't said anything in particular when we’d parted ways, though.
Still, I didn't think Shiroru would lie about something like that, so I decided to check. I pulled a Pandora Gift from my Storage Ring. Since I hadn’t brewed any potions yet today, it was safe to open it immediately. Upon popping the lid, I found four rings and one collar inside, along with the usual letter. This time, it was strictly a description of the items; it looked like he’d finally stopped with the cryptic short stories.
The box contained the Ring of Malice Conversion and the Collar of Malice Conversion. Much like the Malice Conversion Reactor I had installed in the Garond underground labyrinth, these items converted malice into mana. While their conversion efficiency was lower than the reactor’s, they provided the wearer with secondary benefits during the process: enhanced physical abilities and improved mana recovery. They only worked inside dungeons, but they were still incredibly handy.
Since they didn't convert the malice into Destiny Element, they wouldn't directly boost Ren-kun’s ability to influence the dungeon world. However, by reducing the ambient malice, his relative influence should increase. I assumed that was his goal.
Whatever his motive, there was no doubt these were useful items. It looked like he’d prepared enough for the whole team, so I would gladly accept them.
Once I returned to the Magic House, the first thing I tackled was cooking.
Delicious food was a powerful bargaining chip when dealing with Dwarf blacksmiths. Whether or not I actually shared it with them was a bridge I’d cross later, but I figured I should have a trump card ready.
What are you making? Shiroru asked.
"Hmm... I think I'll go with oden!"
Oh! The stuff you were talking about at Lord Lamuyadas’s place!
Discussing it with Ren-kun had given me a real craving. As for ingredients I could prepare right away, I had octopus legs, magic beast meat skewers, daikon-like vegetables, potato-like tubers, and kelp rolls. It was a bit of a sparse selection, honestly.
I really wanted eggs, but chicken eggs were a luxury item rarely found in the city markets. There were bird-type monster eggs available as substitutes, but those were usually massive—hardly suitable for a stew. I’d have to pass on them for now.
That left me with fish paste products. Even so, the only one I had a vague idea how to make was chikuwa.
"First, I'll try making the chikuwa."
Ooh?
I started with some Killer Fish fillets, specifically choosing the whitest meat. I ran them through the mincer until they were a mushy paste, then added salt and ground them down even further. Once the mixture reached a thick, sticky consistency, I wrapped it around a wooden dowel. After a quick session over the grill, the chikuwa was complete!
How do you eat it?
"Usually, you slide the stick out first, but this is just a taste test. Let's just dig in."
Right!
Shiroru and I each took a bite. For something I’d thrown together on the fly, it tasted exactly like chikuwa.
Hmm, not bad!
Shiroru gave it a modest review, though that didn't stop her from frantically gnawing at the paste stuck to the wood. She looked like a dog working over a bone.
After that, I decided to make some tsumire. I took the hamburger patty base and mixed in some herbs with a refreshing, shiso-like aroma. If I scooped out small portions with a spoon and dropped them into the pot, they’d make excellent additions to the stew.
Finally, it was time to actually start the oden. The ingredients were still a bit lacking, but this was just a prototype run. The broth used a base of kelp dashi and soy sauce. I wished I could have used bonito flakes as well, but I hadn't managed to figure those out yet. If I recalled correctly, they involved a long process of smoking and drying. Since I didn't know the specifics, it would take a lot of trial and error. If only there was a convenient spell for it... but nothing came to mind.
When it comes to oden, I’m a firm believer in the "long simmer." Some say that if you stew it for too long, the flavors become too concentrated or the ingredients lose their individual punch. But in my book, if the extract from the ingredients dissolves into the broth and then soaks back into everything else, it’s guaranteed to be delicious! I’m open to debate on the matter, but since I’m the chef, I’m doing it my way.
How much longer?
"We're going to simmer it for a long time. And then we're going to let it sit."
Wait, what? It’s almost lunchtime!
"Please eat something else for now."
Nuuu. Can’t I have just one little taste...?
"No."
Gaaaah! What’s with you, Tort?! You’re way stricter than usual!
I ignored Shiroru’s mental protests. This oden was my masterpiece in the making!
I spent the rest of the day fending off Shiroru’s attempts to sneak a taste, protecting the pot until nightfall. By dinner time, Shiroru—who had been forced to "wait" for hours—was wagging her tail so hard it was a blur. The meal was a hit with everyone else, too. I knew it—oden with the flavor fully soaked in was truly the only way.
Still, it was far from my ideal flavor profile. The ingredients were different, so I suppose that was inevitable... but compared to the taste I was used to, something felt slightly off. I’d definitely need to do more research!