Chapter 36: Hot Dogs

Chapter 36:
Hot Dogs

The massive tree Touichirou used to play on as a child stood tall, unchanged from its appearance eight years ago.

“Oooh! So today’s the Day of Satur!”

Touichirou had been visiting the tree daily over the last few days. On this specific occasion, however, he noticed a familiar black door sitting on top of the massive natural structure. He raised his voice in pleasure. The last time he and Aya had used the door together was some eight years ago…

He had long since forgotten what day the Day of Satur was, so he made it a point to visit every day. Today told him that his efforts weren’t for nothing; he was finally reunited with the door.

“Now then, shall we? Let’s go, Aya…”

He reached for Aya’s hand like he always did, only to remember that he was alone.

“…Yes, that’s right. I’m alone now,” he muttered sadly to himself before starting his climb up the tree.

When he was but a child, his arms were lanky and he was significantly shorter than Aya. This caused all sorts of trouble when it came to trying to climb the massive tree. However, as an adult, Touichirou had the trained body of a swordsman. A tree such as this was nothing to him. In no time at all, he made his way to the very top, where several thick branches sat, capable of holding the weight of multiple adults at once.

“Now this is a sight for sore eyes,” he said.

From atop the giant tree, Touichirou looked back at the green mountains that stretched into the horizon underneath the blue sky filled with white, fluffy clouds. It was all just as he remembered it, and he took a moment to burn the view into his eyes once more.

“…I suppose I should get going.”

Disappointed he couldn’t share this unchanging vista with Aya, Touichirou decided to move on and accomplish his actual goal. Attached to the large tree trunk was a mysterious black door with a cat illustration on it. The swordsman placed his hand on its golden handle and turned it slowly.

***

The familiar sound of bells filled the air.

“Aye, welcome… Wait, is that you, Touichirou?” said the master.

Touichirou nodded. “It’s been quite some time. Sorry to rush you, but could I get a hot dog and a cola, please?”

While he didn’t say it aloud, he was relieved to find a familiar face.

“Of course. Will you be dining alone today?”

“Yes, I’ve come alone. Hence, I only need one serving. If you could prepare three to go, I’d be grateful.”

The master repeated the order, and Touichirou nodded his head to confirm it all. Indeed, he had come alone on this day… Aya was not with him.

“Understood,” the master said. “Sit tight.”

Rather than pressing the subject, the master simply returned to the kitchen in silence.

“Hmph, this place hasn’t changed a bit.”

Touichirou found a seat and surveyed the restaurant. Reflected in his eyes were a handful of new faces alongside the usual batch of regulars who had been around for years. The demographic was as varied and chaotic as always: men, women, beings that weren’t remotely human… Everyone came here to enjoy the good food and company.

Now that I look back on it, this restaurant was the start of it all. I would’ve never realized how vast the world truly is if I hadn’t come here first.

Indeed, through Nekoya and the other world, Touichirou would go on to learn about just how mysterious and wonderful his own world was. As someone who grew up in a tiny town, this led to him becoming fascinated with the outside world, eventually causing him to leave his home on a journey of training and self-discovery. He wasn’t alone in that, either; Touichirou had left the village with Aya, a priestess of the Lord of Earth and the daughter of a senior priest.

A lot’s happened since then.

As part of his training journey, he and Aya crossed over to the Eastern Continent and went on to see a great deal of things. There were times when they nearly perished in battles with dangerous monsters. They got their hands on precious treasures and shared their joy with their companions. They shed tears over the loss of friends. Five long years had passed since Touichirou left home, but everything that happened in that period helped to shape him into the mighty warrior he’d become.

But that’s all over now…

Touichirou’s reveries were interrupted by a trio of voices.

“So, what’s the plan when we go? Are we gonna start with goblin hunting?”

“Definitely not. We don’t have any real combat experience, so any kind of hunting job is way too dangerous. We should try and see if we can tag along on some bodyguard gigs with merchants. It’ll be easier to get to bigger cities that way, so we can kill two birds with one stone.”

“I’d love to go to the royal capital in that case. Dad told me the most talented mage in all the Kingdom lives there.”

Elsewhere in the restaurant were a group of three boys. They must’ve been about the same age as Aya and Touichirou when they first decided to set off on their journey. The three boys were enjoying colas with their meals while they discussed the details of their trip. They appeared to be from the Eastern Continent.

Touichirou thought back on his own experiences. A few months ago, he’d returned to his hometown after realizing he was no longer capable of continuing his own journey.

Despite essentially running away from home and abandoning his status as the family heir, he was welcomed back with open arms. Touichirou’s father had cut ties with him, but he had long since passed away. The swordsman’s younger brother had since inherited the family, and he was just happy to find that his older brother was safe and sound. The days that followed were so peaceful that it almost felt like all those years of adventuring had been nothing but a lie.

On the one hand, it was tremendously boring, but on the other, he no longer had to fear the next day and the vicious battles to the death that might’ve come with it. He was still unused to that sensation, but in time it would grow on him. If nothing else, Touichirou recognized that this was what normality felt like. That this was what his world and life used to be, once upon a time.

“Sorry for the wait! Here’s your hot dog and cola!”

Touichirou was still lost in his own thoughts when a young demon waitress brought his food to him.

He was unfamiliar with the young lady who was wearing garments of the other world. The last time he visited the restaurant, the master was working alone in the kitchen. He must have hired her after Touichirou left town.

I see. Some things do change, then.

“Thank you, young lady,” he replied.

“I’ll bring over the rest of your food when you’re ready to go. Take your time and enjoy yourself!”

The young lady placed down his food and drink with grace and then left to help another customer.

“Well then. I suppose I should dig in.”

After watching the waitress leave, Touichirou set his eyes on the meal in front of him.

A hot dog. It was an otherworldly dish that he and Aya had loved since their youth.

The hot dog currently sitting atop the white plate in front of him was still steaming hot. The pork sausage was sandwiched within a baked bun, topped with a bitter red sauce and a spicy yellow one. It was a remarkably simple food, but it was also only available at the Restaurant to Another World.

The swordsman first grabbed the hot dog with his bare hands. This dish was much like rice balls, as it could be eaten without chopsticks or Eastern-Continent-styled utensils.

First…

Touichirou lifted the hot dog and took a single bite. In that very moment, his mouth was filled with its amazing flavors.

The first thing he felt was the taste of the toasted bun. The outer crust was crunchy, but the insides were fluffy, white, and sweet.

Looking back on it, we used to think this was the norm.

In the Mountain Nation, having rice with meals was customary. As such, its citizens knew little of bread and its many forms. On the flip side, the Eastern Continent rarely engaged in rice dishes, focusing primarily on bread instead. This led Touichirou and Aya to expect great things, but they were instead faced with disappointment when they realized the bread there was nothing like what they ate at the Restaurant to Another World.

The next wave of flavor that washed over the swordsman was that of the pork sausage that sat snugly within the bun. Its surface had been cooked well, making for a pleasant initial crunch when he bit into it. The faint spiciness of the yellow sauce and the sour red sauce proved to be the perfect seasoning for the pork sausage, as its meaty flavor filled his mouth. Each bite into the meat saw it burst with juices that covered his tongue. The incredibly savory meat paired impossibly well with the blanket-like bun.

That being said, the real experience was only just beginning.

Mmph, the oranie and cabbage are delightful.

As Touichirou continued eating, he made his way beneath the sausage to a place that was filled with thinly-sliced, fried oranie and fresh, crunchy cabbage. Both vegetables acted from the shadows to support the main element of the dish.

Mm, mm. This really is the absolute best.

It had been quite some time since Touichirou last got to enjoy a hot dog, but it was as satisfying as ever. He’d traveled all across the land, adventuring in many dangerous places. The swordsman ate all manner of foods during his time away, but there was nothing quite like the hot dog.

I would have loved for Aya to have one fresh out of the kitchen.

The taste of the hot dog reminded Touichirou of the person who wasn’t here: his beloved Aya. If she were next to him, surely this would have tasted even better.

And so he chugged down the last of the remaining ice-cold cola, letting the sweet liquid wash away the remaining hot dog aftertaste in his mouth.

“Master, that was delightful. I’m ready to pay.”

“Aye, you got it. Your takeout is also ready.”

“Fantastic. Thank you for everything.”

Touichirou handed the master the money for the food and took the strange bag from him. The faint scent of hot dogs made its way to his nostrils, making him feel like he was hungry all over again.

“I’ll be back.”

“We’ll be waiting!”

Touichirou exited the restaurant and collected himself.

“Now then, I should hurry.”

The swordsman carefully made his way down the tree and hurried toward town.

He had a reason to rush: He had to get home before the hot dogs he was carrying grew cold.

“Just you wait, Aya. I’m gonna make sure you get your fill of hot dogs!”

Touichirou had to make sure that his beloved wife Aya got to eat her fill. After all, she couldn’t leave the house because she was too busy taking care of their newborn child.