Okonomiyaki Chain Store – 16 – Let’s Make Takoyaki

Part 4: Osaka’s Auntie Spreads Takoyaki and Udon

Chapter 16: Let’s Make Takoyaki

 

Natalia was immediately hired as part of the main staff. She was no longer a part-timer but a full-fledged company staff.

Thus, with the extra free time, Haruna began to contemplate ways to expand said company.

She started by sending out mission commissions to guilds from other towns in order to recruit staff.

As she had half expected, setting up a store in another town’s dungeon was something she did not have the resources for at the moment, but she had little trouble getting the towns themselves to accept Okonomiyaki.

Northwest of the Old Saxon town was a town called Qatar; the first of Haruna’s out-of-town Okonomiyaki chain stores started there.

Towards the south is another town called Naas.

In both towns, Okonomiyaki gained traction as a ‘Brand New Bread’. As the cult of Okonomiyaki spread, so did Haruna’s own personal reputation.

Natalia travelled with Haruna in order to help with the basic necessities and technicalities needed to set up an Okonomiyaki shop. They were on their way back to the Old Saxon now.

Suddenly, three drakes appeared on the horizon and zeroed in on their positions.  As the drakes approached, it was clear that they were aiming for Haruna in a suicidal dive. Gon! Bang! Thud! A sword slashed and weird, unnatural sounds were heard as Haruna’s sword struck their stone-like hides, and in a few short seconds all three drakes were turned into magic stones.

“Tei! What’s with the surprise attack, ya! Why can’t you just fly leisurely and mind your own business, nen!”

With that battle, Haruna gained the necessary experience points to level up.

============

Haruna

Level 85

Occupation     : Swordsman

 

SP                    : 645

MP                  : 464

ATK                : 532

DEF                 : 493

AGI                 : 523

INT                  : 240

Humility         : 2

Boke                : 744

Tsukkomi        : 264

 

Magic  :           Fire Magic

Wind Magic (Rokko Oroshi)

Healing Magic (Hotel New Awaji)

Benishouga Tempura Magic

Umeda Dungeon Building Magic

Simple Dimension Control Magic

(Candy etc will be issued. Some types of Osaka produce will be issued)

 

Others :           Divine Protection from Bilike

Poison Nullification

Paralysis Nullification

Anti-Giant (Attacks against Giants will always be critical)

Mid Level Dragon Slayer (Dragon Breath Nullification)

===========

 

“The heck, the heck! My modesty went down from [3] to [2]! Maa, guess I should be happy I levelled up, but…”

“You, you’re really too powerful… my level is only 17…”

Natalia once more experienced the terrifying horror that was President Haruna.

“I mean, you’re about as powerful as a dragon. The most powerful human being for sure.”

The new thing on her status was that Dragon Breath Nullification thing, which sounded really ominous.

“When I transmigrated, I met a goddess that said something about being the strongest among humans. But I still think that goddess was just exaggerating. Ah, but, is strength only measured using magic powers here?”

 

Under the Simple Dimension Control Magic (Candy etc will be issued. Some types of Osaka produce will be issued), a change has also occurred.

“About this part, just how far does the definition of Osaka produce could be stretched, yarou? Maybe as long as they are things from Osaka, it will appear na…”

“What? What are you muttering about on your own?”

In lieu of answering, Haruna stuck her hand deep into her bag and rummaged around. Then, she pulled something out with a flourish.

In her hand was a live octopus. It waved its tentacles languidly at them.

“Yes! A tako came out! The Akashi[1] area of Hyogo City is famous for their tako, and I managed to get one, ya na!”

 

Akashi of Hyogo is a port city situated along the West Coast of Japan facing the Inland Sea. Awaji islands and Honshu islands are very close to this city, which partly accounts for its extremely successful fishing industry. With the islands creating a bottleneck, the flow of currents becomes faster and the fishes caught there are firmer and more delicious.

Octopus, sea bream, pike, conger eel are all famous sea creatures caught there. The Akashiyaki[2] (known by the locals as tamagoyaki), a B grade gourmet food was invented at one of the food conventions here. It is said that the takoyaki was inspired by this Akashiyaki.

 

“Kyaa! Wh-what is that?! Why did a monster just pop out from there?!”

“Monster is an exaggeration, ya na. It’s called tako.”

“You might know this guy as an octopus here!”

Only those who live by the sea have the habit of eating octopus. Because seafood spoils quickly, people living inland would rarely have the opportunity to eat seafood. Sometimes, live fish would be delivered, but only the rich could afford to eat those.

“Though it looked kind of scary and slimy, it’s actually quite delicious.”

“Eh, that, eat that…? Well, why am I not surprised that you’d eat this thing…”

“Since it’s still alive, the best way to eat it would be as sashimi. But, I’ll teach you a beginner’s way of eating this, wa.”

Haruna put back the octopus into her bag.

“That, isn’t it bad to keep that thing in your bag?!”

“Thanks to the power of magic, there’s no problem. I think this bag is probably connected to the Seto Inland Sea.”

“I don’t understand a word you said!”

 

Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~

 

The moment Haruna came back to Old Saxon, she made a beeline for the blacksmith who was in the process of making armour.

“Oh, isn’t it our town’s most famous celebrity? With your status, the type of armour I can make is, um…”

Actually, the craftsmen of the city were not modest and knew their art well. However, it was hard to imagine what kind of armour would match Haruna’s legendary powers. The only craftsman who could create an armour for Haruna had to be the number one best craftsman, or at least the number two guy.

“Oh, I’m not here for that. I want to order iron plates, they have to have half sphere indentations on it. Please make ten different prototypes for me.”

“Ah, I can make those with no problem.”

In a short time, steel plates with indentations were made.

“After such a long time, it looks like [Haru-chan] will finally be able to perform well again. But… I’m kind of worried, na.”

“So, you also have things you are worried about?”

“It comes twice a year, like clockwork, wa. Also, I wonder if the Tigers will win again this year. Recently my hopes have gone up, thanks to the CS, but, I wonder if it’s really alright — I wonder if I should really accept the octopus?”

Actually, Natalia really could not bring herself to eat that weird thing.

It was just like that time Haruna talked about eating cicadas to her. About how those bugs actually taste like shrimp. But in the end, she could only see them as bugs.

“Ma~ when the time comes, we can just use ham or bacon as fillings.”

In the end, Haruna’s concern only lasted about 15 seconds.

From then on, whether in the dungeon or town of Old Saxon, a special ‘[Haru-chan] New Product Tasting Party~!’ news was being spread around. Rumour has it that the Tasting Party will be held at the Level 13 floor of the Old Saxon dungeon.

Adventurers who had heard this news began to gather around the Level 13 floor. Recently, the number of monsters on that floor have been decreasing a lot.

“That’s a really odd looking steel plate.”

“I’ve never seen any shop that sells something like this.”

“Is it some kind of shield?”

The discussion went on as people continued to guess at the usage of that weird looking steel plate. None of them would have connected that plate to cooking.

“Today, we’ll have the first Takoyaki Party in this world~ Let’s call it TakoPa for short, ya!”

 

 

 

• Akashi, Hyogo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akashi_Hyogo

• Akashiyaki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akashiyaki