My name is... well, since I can't exactly reveal my real identity, any alias will do.
Let's settle on Dan.
Yes, Dan. That sounds right.
I was currently deep undercover in the Demon Kingdom on a mission to investigate the realm's internal affairs. It was a high-stakes assignment where a single mistake could lead to death. I intended to keep my guard up and maintain perfect coordination with my teammates.
Or at least, I wanted to.
Right now, my comrades were right in front of me, locked in a heated argument over the flavor of curry.
There was the Beef Curry Faction, who swore by beef as the primary protein.
The Pork Curry Faction, who championed pork as the true soul of the dish.
The Chicken Curry Faction, who insisted on chicken.
The Seafood Curry Faction, who argued that marine life made for the best ingredients.
The Katsu Curry Faction, who lived for the crunch of deep-fried meat toppings.
The Naan Faction, who preferred eating their curry with the specially developed flatbread.
And finally, the Butter Chicken Curry is Definitely the Strongest Faction, who believed that specific pairing was the pinnacle of culinary achievement.
Each group refused to yield, declaring their own preferred taste to be the supreme one.
It was unsightly.
A truly pathetic conflict.
To think they would fight this much over mere food... Had they forgotten the simple virtue of being grateful for a meal? I wasn't suggesting they shouldn't care about the taste—obviously, delicious was better than unpalatable—but this shop took individual orders.
They could have just ordered whatever they liked.
Isn't that right, Captain?
"Mmm... Curry Udon. This is a brand-new experience. It's incredible."
...
Captain. I was trying to de-escalate the situation, so please don't go adding even more sub-factions.
What? My faction?
No, I didn't really have one...
Well, if I had to choose...
I was part of the Extra Toppings Faction.
I firmly believed that adding spinach and tomatoes made for the ultimate meal. Yes, those toppings worked perfectly regardless of the base curry. In other words, if every faction simply joined the Extra Toppings Faction, this petty struggle would finally end!
Right, Captain?
"Curry Fried Rice... this is also a new experience. It's delicious."
...
This was the investigation team’s greatest crisis yet.
We had heard rumors of the exotic cuisine in Shashato City for a long time, so everyone's expectations—mine included—had spiraled out of control. It was a moment for reflection.
Still, it was somewhat understandable.
The curry was genuinely delicious. And then there was the rice served with it. Rice was a crop produced back in our homeland as well. While other nations sometimes mocked it as "horse feed," for us, rice was our soul food.
We had been away from our country for a year, deprived of the very food that defined our culture. It was only natural for us to lose our heads.
Moreover, the rice served here was far superior to the grain back home. We had been in Shashato City for about ten days, and we had spent almost every single one of them eating curry. While the shop served plain rice as well, the grain was meant to be paired with something. Using it for curry was a logical choice.
By the way, the Naan Faction mostly consisted of people who were too stubborn to admit that the rice here tasted better than the grain from our own country.
I sighed. Honestly, how did they produce rice this good?
I hadn't seen a single rice field on our way to the city. Was the Demon Kingdom hiding the production sites? No, if they were a state secret, they wouldn't be serving it in common restaurants. The price of the curry wasn't particularly high, either. That suggested rice was a common commodity in the Demon Kingdom—or at least, common in this specific region.
In that case...
If I investigated the outskirts of Shashato City, would I find the secret to their rice cultivation? Come to think of it, there were rumors about a place called Village Five. Apparently, it was a real location about a day’s journey from the city. I’d heard that from several independent sources, so it had to be true.
What were the odds that Village Five was the hub for rice production? It seemed highly likely.
...I wanted to see it for myself.
However, I couldn't act on a whim. I was here to investigate the kingdom for the mission. I had to cast aside my personal desires.
...Wait.
Wasn't rice likely a major pillar of Shashato City’s economy? Therefore, wouldn't it be a legitimate target of investigation?
I was sure of it.
I proposed a plan to the others to investigate the source of the rice. My comrades didn't object.
Hmph. As expected of my team.
However, we couldn't all head to Village Five at once. Our primary mission was to scout the Royal Capital and Shashato City. It was best to send a small, elite group of selected individuals.
How many? Five people? Understood.
"Alright, I'm calling for volunteers! If we have too many, we'll draw lots!"
"I hate lotteries!" I screamed in the middle of Shashato City’s square.
Before I knew it, a formidable-looking demon man was standing beside me, nodding in fervent agreement. He seemed to understand my pain perfectly. I was glad to find a kindred spirit, even if I had no idea who he was.
Oh, were you the Baseball Manager?
I had heard of baseball. It was the sport played with bats and balls. Was there a match starting soon? In that case, could I watch... or rather, could I join in?
I was a human, but...
I see. It seemed humans were allowed to participate alongside the demon race. That meant it was a sport everyone could enjoy equally. I understood. I would give it my all, even if I didn't actually know the rules.
I had been feeling down because I lost the draw to go to Village Five, but playing baseball helped clear my head. Next time, I would aim for a home run.
Wait, no. I couldn't forget my actual job.
The investigation of the city was paramount. We were still in the early stages, though. I would avoid any reckless moves and focus on gathering rumors.
...
There was a story going around about strange golems appearing to the north of the city.
The rumors said that despite being golems, they moved at incredible speeds and tried to sell merchandise to people. That was certainly bizarre. The very word "golem" was practically a synonym for "slow-moving." And yet these ones were fast?
...I wanted to see that for myself.
Fortunately, they didn't seem to be a threat. Could I investigate them alone? No, word was that the further north you traveled from the city, the more dangerous the monsters and magic beasts became. Furthermore, the mountains at the end of that path were said to be the home of dragons. That was a famous legend even back in my homeland.
As long as I didn't provoke them, the dragons likely wouldn't interfere...
Perhaps I would just go as far as I safely could.
I told my comrades that I wanted to look into the golems. They simply cheered me on, telling me to do my best.
...Seriously? Are there no other volunteers?