With the shop preparations mostly done, I decided to cook dinner for everyone. Since Rea would be working late tonight, Fia would join us for dinner here.

Including a portion for Rea to take home, I prepared food for four people. I wasn’t sure how much everyone would eat, so I made extra. Any leftovers could be eaten the next morning.

Here’s what I prepared for tonight’s dinner:

"Tonight’s dinner is karaage! Be careful—it’s hot!"

"Karaage? I’ve never heard of it before."

"Wow, it smells amazing!"

Dinner consisted of karaage, salad, bread, and soup. The salad was made with fresh vegetables dressed with oil and outdoor spices. I added the juice of a tangy fruit to enhance the flavor. The soup was an instant Chinese-style egg drop soup, which I thought would pair well with the karaage.

The star of the meal was, of course, the karaage. Since arriving in this world, I’d noticed that neither the inns nor the food stalls served fried dishes. Most meals were grilled or stewed.

Once I realized that fried food wasn’t available, I couldn’t stop craving it. So, I decided to make it myself. Thankfully, I had some experience making karaage back in my original world.

I cut the meat of a bird-like magical beast called a Raiger Bird into bite-sized pieces and marinated it in a mixture of garlic, fish sauce, and outdoor spices. After letting it soak for a while, I coated the meat with a mixture of wheat flour and potato starch, then fried it in oil. By double-frying it—once at a lower temperature and then again at a higher one—I achieved a juicy interior and a crispy exterior.

"Oh, the crispy coating gives way to juicy, flavorful meat inside! I’ve never tasted anything like this—it’s absolutely delicious!"

"Hot, hot! But it’s so good! I’ve never had meat this tasty before!"

"I made plenty, so take your time and enjoy."

Fia carefully blew on her piping hot karaage before taking bites, a sight that was oddly soothing.

For my first attempt at making karaage in this world, it turned out remarkably well. The marinade, even with fish sauce instead of soy sauce, provided plenty of flavor. The Raiger Bird’s meat, though inexpensive, might actually taste better than chicken from my original world.

I was also relieved that oil wasn’t too expensive here. The fish sauce was a bit pricey, but it was a necessity, so I’d continue buying it.

"The vegetables here have great flavor, too!"

"And the soup is so comforting! It’s different from the ones we’ve had before but just as delicious!"

"The salad dressing adds a nice touch to the veggies. And the soup, with its fluffy egg, is delightful, right? If you squeeze some juice from this tangy fruit onto the karaage, it’ll have a refreshing taste."

The two of them ate with great enthusiasm. While meals at the inn were delicious, sitting around a table and sharing a meal like this was special. I, too, enjoyed indulging in a rich, calorie-packed, junky flavor for the first time in a while.

"Excuse me~! Is Tetsuya-san here~?"

"Whoa!?"

As we enjoyed our meal, a loud voice called out from downstairs, followed by a knock on the door.

"That scared me. Who could it be at this hour? I haven’t told Roya and the others where the shop is yet, and the voice doesn’t sound familiar."

"Tetsuya, it’s probably about the storage magic user request you made at the Adventurer’s Guild."

"Oh, right, the request. Lilia, could you come with me, just in case?"

"Of course."

Though unlikely, there was always a chance someone might impersonate a guild messenger to commit robbery. It was better to stay cautious.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Are you Tetsuya-san? I’m Lange, an adventurer. Nice to meet you~."

Standing before me was a man with long, shimmering blonde hair tied back, fair skin, and strikingly handsome features. His long, pointed ears marked him as unmistakably elven—a figure straight out of a fantasy novel.

"…Nice to meet you. I’m Tetsuya."

It was my first time seeing an elf since arriving in this world. True to their reputation, elves were incredibly attractive. And wait, did this guy personally come instead of just sending someone from the guild?

"Long time no see, Lange. You’re still as carefree as ever."

"Hey, Lilia! When I heard from the guild master that you retired as an adventurer to work at a shop, I was shocked!"

…Huh? Wait, does Lilia know this guy?

"Lange and I know each other from my adventuring days. Despite his casual demeanor, he’s a reliable adventurer."

Now that she mentioned it, both Lilia and Lange were B-rank adventurers. It wasn’t surprising that they knew each other.

"Anyway, it’s a bit awkward standing in the doorway. Please, come upstairs first."