Chapter 41: Curry Rice, Once More

Chapter 41:
Curry Rice, Once More

Around her, the surface of the moon rumbled, and “Black” was torn away from the deep sea of her thoughts.

Again?

The moon, that vast wilderness floating in the sky, was filled with all manner of magical energies. Apart from Black, who had made it her home, it was barren of life. And that suited her. She quite liked solitude and silence. But on occasion, the solitude was interrupted: large stones would fall from the sky without warning.

Unlike on the surface world, there was no sound on the moon. When the giant stones crashed into the surface, they released their tremendous energies in total silence.

One of these giant stones had once landed directly on Black herself. And while it had no magical power to speak of, the impact alone was such that it had actually crushed her scales, leaving a light wound.

And so Black had learned to cast protective magic around her body. Yet even with those spells in place, she still found herself torn away from her deep thoughts whenever a stone made impact with the surface.

Hm?

Black was already beginning to drift back into her thoughts when she noticed it.

Sitting there on the white surface of the moon, illuminated by the sun above, was a single black shadow that had never been there before. She imagined it was caused by the distortion of magical energies created by the stone’s collision.

And then, something filled with magical power began to manifest where the shadow once stood.

Is this the magic of those so-called elves…?

Just by approaching the strange object, Black was able to sense its nature. She might have technically been the weakest of the Ancient Six, but she was still one of them.

Long ago, when Black and her comrades were fighting it on the surface of the planet, there had been an extremely weak race of beings, capable only of running away. Yet over time they learned to use the magical arts, and 1,368 years ago, they had appeared on the moon. This made them the only living creatures other than Black to have set foot on this land. These were the elves, a tremendously weak species.

Black saw that this mass was similar to the magic they had cast upon themselves all those years ago.

While elves had significantly less magical power than Black, they were still adept. This was likely their doing. Black looked beyond the door and realized that it was a transport device, designed to take people to another world.

This is connected to a place belonging to the elves.

On the other side of the door, she could sense the shapes of multiple elves (their ears were much shorter than she remembered).

I’ll go take a look. I had best equip myself.

Black was perfectly content to let her consciousness slip into the sea of thought, the way she had passed the last 34,600 years. But she liked the idea of going to see some other living creatures for a change.

And so she focused the magical energies emerging from her body and transformed herself into a female elf.

***

An elf had once come to Black’s territory, seen her, and immediately died on the spot.

These creatures simply weren’t strong enough to withstand the “death particles” that Black unconsciously released from her body.

She assumed the elves on the other side of the door would be no different. But taking on this form would prevent that from happening.

On my way, then.

Black, now in her elven form, stepped up to the door and turned the handle. She could hear the magical bells, ringing out onto the silent moon. With that pleasant sound echoing in her ears, Black stepped through the door.

***

That day, Alphonse, general of the Duchy army, heard something very interesting from Nekoya’s master.

“A new curry rice, you say?” The large man repeated back the newest menu item with interest.

“Yup,” replied the master, nodding his head and proceeding to explain further. “Well, the fact is, people have been telling me for a long time that they can’t eat pork, so they’d like a curry option without it, you know? So I figured if I was gonna go and make a new curry, I might as well try and make it kinda like the stuff across the pond. I only just finally finished something I’m happy with, so I was thinking of throwing it up on the menu. Trying it out.”

When he was operating as proprietor of Western Cuisine Nekoya and not the Restaurant to Another World, it wasn’t rare for the master to have foreign diners drop in. So he’d worked on this special curry for folks who came from far out west to work at local companies. Like the curry abroad, this stuff was much spicier than the local fare and quite the hit with the foreigners. Even the handful of Japanese folks who tried it out seemed to like it. So he was adding it to the regular menu.

“Hmph, and so you wanted me to try it?”

Alphonse got the gist of what the master was saying. While he didn’t know much about the other world, he could tell from the middle-aged man’s wording that this curry rice was something quite different from the usual stuff.

An unknown curry. Alphonse was definitely intrigued.

“Of course I’ll have a plate,” Alphonse said. “Let’s go.” It wasn’t up for debate.

“Thanks a bunch!”

He watched as the master disappeared into the kitchen and took a sip of his lemon water, which cleared his throat. Alphonse gently closed his eyes, picturing the spicy, strongly scented hot curry.

“What exactly is he going to bring out…?” The large man whispered to himself, salivating all the while. Whatever it was the master was preparing, Alphonse was sure it would be delicious.

***

And so it finally arrived.

“Sorry for the wait,” the master said, returning with a steaming plate. “Here’s your order of chicken curry.”

The master placed the new curry and rice in front of Alphonse and set a pitcher filled with lemon water off to the side.

“Take your time and enjoy.” The master smiled. “Oh, and before I forget. It’s quite a bit spicier than the usual stuff, so be careful.”

The master returned to work, leaving Alphonse alone with the unknown curry.

“Mm, here we go,” the man said aloud as he took a silver spoon in hand.

Huh, this is quite different than the usual.

The contents of the deep plate resembled a curry-colored soup of some kind. Floating in the broth were large pieces of skinless chicken meat and little else.

Beside this was white rice, a requirement for all curry dishes, but it was otherwise nothing like the dish he was used to. The plate wasn’t flat, and the curry and rice were kept separate.

It certainly has a strong aroma.

The scent wafting up from the bowl made it clear that all manner of spices had been used in the curry. It was much stronger than what Alphonse normally ate, and the spicy fumes struck his stomach like a hammer.

I suppose I’ll start with the soup.

Since the rice and curry had been meaningfully separated, Alphonse decided to partake in the latter by itself. He dunked his spoon into the deep plate and lifted it to his mouth.

“Nngh?!”

The moment the chicken curry touched his tongue, Alphonse’s eyes widened in shock: he was being assaulted by a burning sensation unlike any he had ever experienced.

I-It’s so spicy! Crap!

He immediately reached for his water and emptied the glass. The gentle lemon-flavored water washed away the flames in his mouth, giving him a moment to collect himself.

“Whew… Curry really does go best with rice,” Alphonse said aloud. This experience was proving that simple truth.

He grabbed a spoonful of rice and topped it with some curry before taking another bite.

…Oooh, I knew it.

Alphonse was tremendously pleased with the flavor spreading throughout his mouth. The extreme heat of the curry was kept in check by the rice. But that wasn’t all. By eating it with the rice, Alphonse was able to take his time and experience all the deliciousness that the curry soup had to offer.

I see. It’s not that there aren’t any vegetables in the curry, it’s that they’ve completely melted into it.

This new curry was packed with the flavor of chicken and vegetables.

Alphonse deducted that the master had cut the vegetables into small pieces and cooked them down over a long period of time. The melted vegetables then spread their savory quality through the soup, eventually becoming one with the broth.

Unlike the typical curry mouthfeel, this new concoction had so many layers of deliciousness.

And this chicken is so tender.

The only curry ingredient that kept its shape was the chicken. Chopped into sizes perfect for a single bite, the meat was so tender that it almost immediately fell apart in Alphonse’s mouth.

It was skinless meat that had absorbed the flavors of the soup stock over a long period of time, free of any extraneous fat but filled with the deliciousness of curry. It was tasty enough that it absolutely deserved the star treatment it was given in this dish. Chicken curry could not exist without chicken, after all.

Once Alphonse recognized all of this, he saw no reason to hesitate further. It wasn’t long before he’d devoured everything.

The master came out to check on Alphonse and get his review.

“So? How was it? I know it’s a bit hot, so I’m not sure if folks from your side’ll like it or not…”

The master knew it was a big hit with the folks from his world, but he was tremendously curious about what the others would think.

“Mm. Let’s see.” Alphonse looked pensive. “It’s much hotter than the other curry dishes I’ve eaten. It’s almost an entirely different type of food. But it’s extremely delicious in its own way! Master, could I have another?”

He made his request, giving the master two thumbs up.

I would like one as well, thought Black.

“Aye, coming right…”

As he left to get another serving, the master suddenly let out a surprised cry.

“…What the?!”

What’s wrong?

“She” tilted her head and posed her question to the master, her voice echoing directly into his head. A young girl with pointy ears, moonlight eyes, and pale white skin, almost translucent. Her long, pitch-black hair stretched all the way down to the floor.

Was she an elf? The master had been dealing with the denizens of the other world for over ten years now, and he knew an elf when he saw one. There was only one key difference that didn’t make much sense to him. A rather large difference, actually.

“Um, young lady?” The master sputtered. “Erm… Where are your clothes?”

The girl was completely naked.

Clothes?

Black surveyed her surroundings, somewhat confused by the unfamiliar word. But her observations made the situation clear.

Oh, I see.

A quick glance at the other customers revealed that they were all wearing some form of plant thread or animal fur. Black and her kind paid little mind to customs like this, but it was likely some unique facet of elf culture.

I understand. One moment.

If this was an elf nest of some sort, she should abide by their customs. Black quickly set about fashioning “clothes” for herself.

She turned her attention to a horned female elf, who was watching her with stunned eyes. Black was certain she had probably been affected by her condition.

Judging by her current height, Black determined she could simply copy this young female’s garb. It didn’t take long for her to use her magic to change the small particles of dust in the air into “clothes.”

And just like that, Black was clad in an appropriately black waitress uniform.

Is this all right?

Black turned to the master and inquired, once again, directly to his mind.

“Huh?!?! Erm, uh, yeah… That’s some incredible magic you got there.”

It was fairly typical magic for Black, but the master was nonetheless stunned. She’d just changed into a dress out of nowhere, after all.

He knew that magic existed in the other world, but this was his first time seeing it with his own eyes: the kind of magic he’d read about in old picture books and fairy tales.

“Mm, that’s an elf for you.” Alphonse nodded. “They have all sorts of talented magic users.”

At first, he had been a bit startled. As one who lived by way of the sword, he knew little of the ways of magic. However, even he could tell that the magic they’d just witnessed was likely impossible for the average human mage to perform. Elves were on average much more skilled in the magical arts than humans. It wasn’t terribly surprising to see one who could wield it like this.

“Master, get this young lady an order of chicken curry. I’ll cover the cost,” Alphonse spoke up. He should treat the girl after getting to see something so interesting.

This was no sweat off his back. After all, Alphonse had finished paying for curry at this restaurant some ten years ago. He could afford to buy the little lady a meal.

“Aye, you got it,” said the master. “I’ll be right out with your order then. Hang on just a moment.”

He seemed to agree with Alphonse’s reasoning and left for the kitchen to ready an order of curry for the bizarre girl.

Indeed, there was only a single person in Nekoya who truly understood just how abnormal Black’s magic was. Altorius, the great sage who had mastered magic at a level higher than the average elf, had nearly spit out his beer in stunned shock when he saw the display. Who could blame him?

N-no way. She can’t be…?!

Altorius was struggling to come to terms with what he had just seen and that he wasn’t dreaming. The great sage’s genius mind screamed at him: the girl in front of him was almost certainly not an actual elf. In such a short period of time, she was able to use physical manifestation magic without any sort of catalyst.

And there was only a single regular at Nekoya who could do something like that.

Don’t tell me she’s like her?!

Altorius decided to calmly keep tabs on the situation, setting his theory aside for the meantime. But he and his comrades had defeated the dark lord, and he knew there was no way they could handle the creature in front of him.

“Sorry for the wait. Here’s your chicken curry!”

The master returned with curry in hand, passing off Black and Alphonse’s orders to them before disappearing into the back again. Watching him leave, the young girl recalled how Alphonse had indulged in his curry and copied his actions. She took her spoon in hand and tasted the soup.

Delicious.

Black was shell-shocked by the taste of the “chicken curry”—something she’d never eaten in her entire life. Both her tongue and curiosity hadn’t the slightest clue what was hitting them. This so-called chicken curry soup was filled with meat and vegetables that had been cooked in a large volume of water.

Long ago when Black had lived on the surface of this planet, she recalled there being a group of creatures who could not directly absorb the magical energies in the air. In spite of that, they had some measure of knowledge. Black remembered them making a similar dish.

I see. I understand why Red is so fond of this place.

The meat and vegetables had grown tender from being cooked over flames, a taste that would have been unimaginable if they were eaten raw.

This flavor was comforting in a way. It helped Black to recall her old comrade, someone who was also quite fond of the unnecessary action known as “eating.” She and her fellow beings could directly absorb magical energies in the air, so they had no need to consume food.

Red, the comrade in question, wielded the power of fire and was perhaps the most antagonistic of the Ancient Six. After their battle with it, each of her comrades had decided on a new nesting ground. Black hadn’t met her since their territories were decided upon. She hoped she was doing well.

Eventually, she finished off her curry.

Another, please.

Black thrust her empty bowl forward, making her request to the horned elf girl who appeared to be in charge of carrying the food.

“Aaaaah?!” Despite her surprise, the elf girl nodded her head. “Oh, um, yes. Of course.”

A little while later, she came out with a new dish.

“Sorry for the wait! Here’s your chicken curry,” said the girl, placing down Black’s second order before her.

***

Black repeated this process approximately one hundred times, until well after the other customers had headed home and it was about time to close.

***

Half a day had passed since Black first appeared in the restaurant.

“Oh, what’s this? What a rare treat.”

As Black continued her curry feast, someone approached her.

Red?

Black’s hands stopped moving, hearing her comrade’s familiar voice. Standing before her was her old friend in the form of a human woman.

“Mm. Indeed, it is I. It would appear that you’re doing well, Black.”

The Red Queen couldn’t help but chuckle at how little her old friend had changed. She was just as she had been tens of thousands of years ago.

Of the Ancient Six, Black was the wisest of all. Yet she also only took interest in that which she cared for. And she was the wielder of darkness itself.

Long ago, the Ancient Six had eliminated the destroyer of worlds and giver of life, the “Million Colors of Chaos.” After it had been dealt with, Black proclaimed that the edge of the sky would be her territory and vanished to go there. The Red Queen hadn’t seen her since, but it appeared as though she’d been getting along just fine over the years.

“I suppose that means a door has appeared in your land… Well, that’s fine.”

The Red Queen gave a wry smile. Then she grew serious again.

“I have a question for you,” she asked her old friend, knowing full well that Black could become an enemy based on her answer.

What is it?

The Red Queen knew Black’s true nature all too well.

The wise creature showed no interest in things that did not draw her fascination. Yet she closely attached herself to anything that did in fact interest her. Depending on her answer, the Red Queen would be forced to show her just who was the most powerful among them.

***

And so the Red Queen posed her question.

“What is the most delicious meal at this restaurant?”

Chicken curry.

The answer came immediately. To Black, there was simply no other choice.

“…I see. My mistake.”

The Red Queen simultaneously found herself ever so slightly relieved and yet satisfied. She continued to speak.

“Let me give you some advice. At this restaurant, in order to eat any of the dishes, curry included, you need a type of currency that the long-ears thought up.”

Huh?

Black’s eyes widened in surprise. She had no idea what this “currency” stuff was.

“I doubt you’d ever do anything, but let me state it for the record nonetheless. This place is a part of my territory. If you try to pull something here, prepare yourself for the worst,” Red continued, satisfied with the expression on Black’s face.

She knew Black all too well. Unlike the Red Queen, she was not fond of meaningless battle.

And just as Red predicted, Black responded with a question.

What should I do?

She didn’t want to have to fight Red. But she found the food here fascinating, and she wanted to try even more of it.

“It’s rather simple, really,” Red said. “All you have to do is work. The humans here work in exchange for money. Hey, Master!”

Red called over the restaurant’s master, formally introducing Black to him.

“This young lady here is an old friend of mine, you see. She lives in the sticks and has never seen or heard of money. The problem is that she’s grown quite fond of your cooking. If it’s all right with you, could you perhaps hire her to work for you? I can guarantee you that she’ll take the job seriously. Plus, instead of coin, you can simply pay her with any leftover chicken curry.”

The Red Queen was killing two birds with one stone. Nekoya had been busier than usual lately, and they could use another pair of hands. At the same time, she would also be able to have Black keep an eye on things here while she was busy during the day.

Red was incredibly pleased with this plan of hers.

“Um, is that okay with you, little lady?” The master, somewhat puzzled by this development, turned to Black. The girl nodded her head firmly.

Yes, of course.

It could be nice every once in a while, Black thought to herself. Being in such a loud, crowded place. Spending time with people.

***

And so on that day, the Restaurant to Another World added a new item to its menu and a brand-new waitress to its Saturday staff.

She was a mysterious girl who appeared when the restaurant opened in the morning, carried food throughout the day until closing time, and then ate chicken curry in exchange for her work.

Only one person knew her true identity.