At the foot of Village Five, a pair of men walked through the shadows.
"Senior, is there really a shop in a deserted place like this?"
"There is. We’re almost there."
"You’ve been saying 'almost' for a good while now."
"I mean it this time. Look, can’t you smell it? He used to set up in a place with more foot traffic, but so many residents were lured in by the scent that the Security Team had to get involved. It caused quite a stir."
"I can see why. Smelling something like this in the middle of the night would be agonizing. Oh… there it is. That’s the food stall, right?"
"That’s the one. But you haven't forgotten what I told you, have you?"
"Of course not. I won't tell a soul about this place."
"And the other thing? How do you address the shop manager?"
"I call him Taisho."
"Good. Let’s go. Oh, and I’ll be the one ordering for you, so just stay quiet."
"Understood, but… why can't I order for myself?"
"It’s tricky if you’re not used to it. Watch me first and learn the ropes."
"I will study diligently."
"Taisho, are you open? Heheh, it’s a cold one tonight, so we thought we’d warm up with some ramen. Give me two bowls of soy sauce ramen, both with extra chashu. Ah, chopsticks are fine. As for drinks… the Village Five Sake Kai is tempting, but beer really is the best partner for ramen. Two beers, please."
Nearby, a couple shared a quiet conversation.
"How is it? Delicious, right? This is my secret spot."
"It really is amazing. But with a flavor like this, why doesn't he open during the day? This would hold its own even on Ramen Street."
"Maybe he just doesn't want to get caught up in the faction wars."
"Faction wars?"
"The politics of Ramen Street. To put it simply, there are three major factions: Soy Sauce, Tonkotsu, and Miso. Beneath them—or rather, beside them—are smaller allied groups like the Soy Sauce Tonkotsu, Soy Sauce Miso, and Miso Tonkotsu factions. They’re constantly fighting over whose flavor is supreme. Oh, and Salt is a minor faction, but they’re in a league of their own, so they're considered a separate category."
"Heh. I had no idea. Who’s currently on top?"
"Until recently, the Soy Sauce Tonkotsu… no, wait, the Tonkotsu Soy Sauce faction was the strongest. Be careful, because Soy Sauce Tonkotsu and Tonkotsu Soy Sauce are completely different groups."
"Until recently?"
"Yeah. Tonkotsu Soy Sauce took the world by storm with their Vegetable-loaded Ramen. I took you there once, remember?"
"The vegetable-loaded place… you mean that shop where I ordered a regular size and they brought out a mountain of food?"
"That’s the one. It’s addictive and delicious, but there were too many people who couldn't finish it. Leftovers became such a problem that the Vegetable-loaded Ramen is now limited in quantity and requires a license."
"A license? You mean the shop needs a license to serve it?"
"No, the customer needs a license to order it. It’s proof that they can actually finish the whole thing."
"Huh. That smile… don’t tell me."
"I have one. And I’m at Advanced Third Dan."
"Advanced Third Dan?"
"The licenses have ranks. From the bottom, it goes Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and then Advanced First, Second, and Third Dan. There are certain bowls you aren't even allowed to order until your rank goes up, so I worked hard for it."
"You… you really put the effort in, didn't you?"
"I did. But apparently, the Ramen Queen is an Advanced Seventh Dan, so I still have a long way to go."
"Just… keep it in moderation, okay? Ramen itself isn't that expensive, but we keep ordering side dishes too."
"True. I suppose I need to earn more."
"W-Well, about work, but also… you know, about us…"
"I think a home where I can eat as much ramen as I want, whenever I want, would be ideal."
"Doesn't that just mean eating ramen every single day?"
"As much as I want, whenever I want."
Two older women sat together, whispering over their bowls.
"Madam, have you heard the latest?"
"You mean the news about the Teleportation Gate road?"
"There’s that, but what I really wanted to discuss was the Underground Shopping Street. I heard it wouldn't officially open until spring, but apparently, several shops are already doing business."
"Ah, so it seems. However, I was told those were just advance sales for the nobility."
"The advance sales were only for the first day. From the second day onward, they secretly began selling to the general public."
"Secretly?"
"Yes. I was curious and went there myself, but I couldn't find a single open storefront."
"Then isn't it just a rumor rather than a secret?"
"No, business is definitely being conducted. As proof, the owner of the hardware store was seen heading toward the Underground Shopping Street in the dead of night, and the bakery’s young master was spotted standing alone at the entrance in the evening."
"Hardware store? You mean Mr. Gobbly’s shop?"
"Yes. Isn't it strange for that shut-in of a man to go out of his way to leave the house? And the bakery’s young master is always surrounded by his groupies, so seeing him alone is…"
"It must be something involving alcohol. But wait, nothing has been communicated to the South Side Merchant's Association."
"D-Don't look at me like that! Besides, that area is under the direct jurisdiction of the Acting Village Head, so perhaps she feels no need to consult the Association."
"That may be, but by tradition, there should have been some notice. For there to be nothing this time… it’s strange."
"Is it really that strange?"
"The Acting Village Head can be forceful, but she fundamentally values harmony. To do something like this… perhaps even the Acting Village Head is unaware."
"Shall we investigate?"
"We must… Taisho, what is it? Eh? There’s a Dwarven hidden bar in the Underground Shopping Street? You say it’s just a private gathering of alcohol enthusiasts rather than a business, so we shouldn't make a fuss? And this karaage is on the house? Don't mind if I do."
A pair of customers who looked like researchers spoke next.
"The Ramen Security Team?"
"Exactly. Ramen is so popular in Village Five that everyone is trying to get into the business. But some of the dishes being served under the name of 'ramen' are, quite frankly, nothing of the sort."
"That sounds terrible. So the Ramen Security Team was formed to crack down on them?"
"Yeah. But a problem has come up."
"A problem?"
"They can penalize shops serving dishes that are obviously something else, but when people push the boundaries, it gets messy. If a chef insists, 'This is my ramen,' the team can't really do anything."
"I see. That makes sense."
"Moreover, not even the Ramen Security Team can agree on a clear answer to the question: 'What is ramen?'"
"Ramen… well, just having noodles in hot soup isn't enough to define it. If that were the criteria, half the dishes in the world would qualify."
"Since there are so many varieties of noodles, soups, and toppings, you can't point to one thing and say 'this' is ramen. Naturally, that leads to constant disputes during inspections."
"That sounds like a nightmare. Ah, what if they just say it’s okay as long as the Shop Manager of Noodle Shop Buritoa—the one who started it all—approves it?"
"We can't go around bothering Noodle Shop Buritoa. Their lines are long enough as it is."
"True. You have to line up at dawn just to get a seat there. …Then is it just a hopeless situation?"
"That’s what I thought, but it wouldn't be good for the reputation of Village Five’s representative dish to suffer, right? So, a petition was made to the Acting Village Head."
"And then?"
"The Acting Village Head consulted the Village Head, and the answer that came back was this very bowl."
"…A ramen where the noodles and soup are served separately?"
"It’s called Tsukemen. It’s different from the ramen we’ve known, but it is undeniably ramen. Apparently, there’s also a cold version, though they aren't serving it during the winter."
"Chilled ramen, huh? The definition of ramen just keeps getting more complicated. Mmm, this is good. The balance between the noodles chilled in cold water and the piping hot soup is excellent. But won't the soup eventually get cold?"
"You should finish it before that happens. Or at least, that’s what I’d like to say, but you can actually ask the staff to reheat the soup for you."
"That’s a nice touch. However, this soup is a bit too concentrated to drink."
"After you finish the noodles, they’ll add a thinner broth to the bowl for you."
"Soup-wari… I see. He’s thought of everything. Still, what was the Acting Village Head’s goal in introducing Tsukemen and chilled ramen?"
"It’s irreverent to speculate, but I think it was a message that ramen doesn't need a strict definition."
"If you bind it too tightly, you might stifle the birth of new types of ramen."
"Exactly. Shop Manager… I mean, Taisho! Can I get a refill on the Tsukemen noodles? One portion, please."
"Ah, for me too. …Wait, this Tsukemen hasn't been officially announced yet, right? And yet, this shop is already serving it…"
A pair of adventurers sat nearby, nursing their drinks.
"I heard those adventurers from the Royal Capital found a whole bunch of active Teleportation Gates."
"Yeah. I’m jealous, honestly. As an adventurer, I’ve always wanted to be part of a discovery like that."
"I feel the same. But there are some strange rumors surrounding it."
"Strange rumors?"
"You’ve heard that the discovered gates are being handed over to the Demon King to connect the Capital, Shashato City, and Village Five, right?"
"Of course. But what’s strange about that?"
"Not that part. There’s a rumor that negotiations for the land to install the gates actually began back in autumn."
"…Is that for certain?"
"No, it’s just a rumor. But isn't it weird that such a story even exists?"
"I suppose. It makes it sound like they already knew the Teleportation Gates would be found."
"Exactly. If they knew they’d be found, and then they specifically called in adventurers from the Capital to 'discover' them… what does that tell you?"
"………………Sorry, I’ve got nothing."
"Me neither. Why would anyone go through all that trouble?"
"Maybe a rumor is just a rumor. Or maybe they started land negotiations for something else and just changed the plan once the gates were found."
"A change of plans, huh… hmm. Something still feels off to me… hm? Taisho, what are these pickles? On the house? Much obliged."
"Pickles after ramen really clear the palate. I think I’ll have one more beer."
"Me too!"
Finally, a trio of beastmen boys dug into their bowls.
"Village… I mean, Taisho. We finally found that golem you were talking about."
"It had become quite a rumor among the adventurers. Finding it wasn't the hard part; it was catching the thing."
"Yeah. Does a golem meant for selling products really need combat capabilities? I get that it needs some security, but that was on a whole different level."
"Its mobility was insane. And why on earth does it need to jump that high? …Anyway, thanks for the ramen. Is this chashu a bonus? Thank you!"
"By the way, is it okay for Mother Ramu… I mean, Big Sister Ramurias to be working here as a waitress? I thought for sure she’d be the one trying to stop you. These seasoned eggs are great."
"She’s here for information gathering and to experiment with new ramen flavors. Eh? This stall is only scheduled to run until today? We were lucky to make it… wait. Taisho, the customers over there look absolutely devastated. Did you not… announce that today was the last day? Man, ramen is all about the noodles."
"Then I’ll take your chashu—ow! Yes, sorry. I shouldn't try to take food from other people's plates. I know. So please don't glare at me like that, Mother Ramurias… I mean, Big Sister Ramurias. Look, I think someone over there is trying to order."
"Anyway, let’s help the Village Head… I mean, Taisho, as soon as we finish eating. Some people have already run off to call their friends after hearing today is the last day."
"Aren't we supposed to be helping him pack up?"
"The people staying are ordering more just to stall for time, so packing up might be impossible for a while. It looks like there’s still plenty of noodles and soup left, anyway."
"I guess we’d better brace ourselves."
"Yeah. But since we’ve got a little time, I think it’s okay to get seconds."
"I agree."
"Me too. Taisho, seconds!"