My name was Thermos. Thermos Touchphone.
I once had reservations about eating raw fish, but after actually trying it, I had started to think it was quite good.
...Where exactly could I get my hands on this seasoning called soy sauce? I truly wanted to take some home with me.
A problem had arisen. The five scouts who had headed to Village Five to investigate had not returned. Given the number of people using the Teleportation Gates, I had initially remained calm, assuming there was a slight delay, but two days had already passed since their scheduled return date.
I had heard that the distance from Shashato City to Village Five was short enough to travel in a single day even without a Teleportation Gate. Even if there were technical issues with the device, it was strange that they had not returned. Had something happened in Village Five? Should I send more personnel?
I was torn. However, I was not the Captain of this caravan. Our leader was a hired traveling merchant named Joro, as our group was a messy collection of members from various political factions. I decided to leave the decision to Captain Joro.
As for the Captain... wait. Where had he gone? I expected him to be at the large dining hall called Maruura, eating curry, but he was nowhere to be found. I asked a few comrades nearby.
"The Captain? He took a few men and went to Village Five," one told me.
When?
"Yesterday."
...I had not heard a single word about this.
"He probably just decided to go with whoever was standing around him at the time," the man added.
Why would he take such arbitrary action?
"Well, if he went alone, it would be arbitrary. But since he took several people, it counts as an official move, doesn't it?"
That logic was technically sound, I suppose... but still.
"By the way, I’m heading to Village Five tomorrow, too."
For what?
"To watch baseball. You know, that game Dan and Mick are playing. They're having a match in Village Five tomorrow and told me to come cheer them on."
...Could I go with you? No, it was not that I wanted to watch baseball. My goals were to find our missing scouts and regroup with the Captain.
Village Five was a sight to behold. It appeared to be a town built densely onto a small Mountain Rank, but for a moment, it looked like a massive fortress. Was it intentionally designed that way? Village Five was far more prosperous than I had imagined. It brimmed with vitality. The sheer volume of people was staggering—it might have even surpassed Shashato City.
I tried acting alone to avoid drawing attention, but that was a mistake. Finding the scouts or the Captain in this sea of people was a Herculean task. Honestly, why did they call this a "village"? It was a city, plain and simple.
While I was grumbling to myself, I happened upon the Captain and his group almost immediately. They were at an event facility at the Village Five Foothills, participating in a game where you had to find hidden opponents. They seemed to be having the time of their lives. Even when the men with the Captain spotted me in the stands, they did not even pause their game.
This was not play? This was training? Even if it was...
"You get prizes for a good score?"
Good heavens, were they still members of the Glory of the Second Knight Division? To be blinded by rewards... "Meal tickets for a famous restaurant in Village Five"?
"Good luck," I shouted down to them.
They understood, did they not? Whatever belonged to a comrade belonged to the whole group.
Eventually, I regrouped with the Captain, though I was disappointed in my pathetic comrades who had failed to win a single prize despite my encouragement.
"Captain, if you're going to leave the city, please inform everyone," I said. "Even if you only intend to be gone for a moment."
"But I left a message," he replied.
That was news to me. How had he left it? Apparently, he had asked Dan and Mick to pass it on. I see. I had been wrong to blame the Captain. My apologies.
Since the two culprits were in the stadium next door, I decided I would go and punch them. Yes, during that baseball game.
The Captain’s group had also been searching for the missing scouts, but they had found nothing. Unfortunate. I headed to the stadium with the Captain to confront the two men who had failed to deliver the message, but a man called the Manager stopped me. He told me to wait until after the match.
I had no choice. I left the Captain’s group and decided to hunt for the scouts on my own. I eventually found them in an area known as Ramen Street. For some reason, they were all working as shop staff across several different stalls.
"Alright, everyone assemble! Over here!"
I apologized to the shop managers and borrowed the men for a moment. At first, I feared they were being forced to work as punishment for skipping out on a bill.
"No? You applied for apprenticeships? All of you?"
Every single one of them. I see.
...I'm sorry, I tried to wrap my head around it, but I just could not understand. Apprenticeships? For what possible reason?
"Never mind that, just shut up and try the master's ramen," they told me.
Well, if they insisted, I would eat. But wait—I could tell at a glance that with those portions, I'd only be able to manage two bowls at most. Even if they brought out more...
"They have mini-sized ramen?"
Apparently, it was a concept for people who wanted to try various flavors. How thoughtful. Fine. I would do my best to finish them all. If they were going to argue over which shop I ate at first, they should just draw lots!
Even with the mini portions, five bowls left me feeling like I was about to burst. However, I now understood why they wanted to be apprentices. The ramen was genuinely delicious. I almost wanted to apprentice myself.
But I could not allow it. I could not say it too loudly, but we had a mission! Had they forgotten? Especially the one from the "Follow Ancestral Teachings and Fight the Demon Kingdom Faction"! This was no time for an apprenticeship!
"Don't change your beliefs so easily! Have some backbone! You used to be far more stubborn than this!"
And as for the other one...
"If you're from the 'Demon Kingdom Alliance Solves Everything Faction,' then work on finding a way to improve our diplomatic relations! You think you can do that by mastering ramen? Ramen is good, but it's not a miracle cure for international politics! It's just Cooking!"
Ah, sorry. Calling it "just Cooking" was uncalled for. I apologize. Ramen was delicious. It was more than just a meal. I had gotten a bit carried away.
I cleared my throat and tried again. Since quitting immediately would cause trouble for the shops, I would overlook it for a short while. However, I ordered them to return to Shashato City in ten days.
"No reluctant answers! It's a promise! Understand?"
With that, I dismissed them.
"Wait, what? 'Which ramen was the best?'"
If I answered that, a fight would break out for sure. I had learned my lesson with the curry. I remained silent.
That night, I was at a tavern in Village Five. When I went to punch Dan and Mick again, the man called the Manager stopped me once more and invited me to a victory banquet. He likely intended for me to forgive them in exchange for the meal. He was quite the considerate man. Besides, punching them would only satisfy my own ego. Since the two of them seemed genuinely sorry, I let it slide.
I was not lured in by the food, of course. This was part of my information gathering. However, since I had not actually watched the match, I tried to remain humble. The banquet was meant to celebrate the baseball victory, after all. I planned to stay in the corner and eat whatever was left over.
But as it turned out, plenty of people who had not watched the match were also attending. Captain Joro and the others were there, too. My sense of restraint quickly evaporated.
The meat was succulent. The sake was exquisite. Before I knew it, I had migrated from the corner to the center of the room.
"Oh, thank you for the refill."
I looked at the person pouring my drink. "A Village Head from a distant land? It must be tough for someone so young. Hahaha."
No, I did not know much about baseball. The two men over there were the ones playing. I was just their comrade, part of a caravan. We were planning to stay in Shashato City for a while.
"By the way," I asked, "who was that woman being hauled away in bonds just as you arrived?"
I see. She had left dangerous materials where children could reach them? That was unacceptable. She definitely needed a stern warning. Hahaha.
My name was Thermos. Thermos Touchphone.
I was a man seeking a way to negotiate with the Demon Kingdom—and a man who had discovered the divine salvation of morning ramen as a perfect cure for a hangover.