Please to Kitsune-sama!

Chapter 239 : Kitsune-sama Goes to Kusatsu Onsen (2)

“Maitake tempura…?”

Not shrimp. Not squid. Not pumpkin. Maitake tempura. In other words—mushroom. Inari couldn’t even imagine what such a thing would taste like. Then again, she had never eaten tempura at all.

“Apparently it’s a Kusatsu specialty.”

“Then let us have that. This… set of maitake tempura and chilled soba will do nicely.”

“I’ll have the same.”

Waiting, they listened to the rhythmic chop-chop of the soba artisan slicing noodles as part of a live demonstration. Soon enough, their order arrived, and Inari couldn’t help but let out an “Ohh!”

Beside the chilled soba lay a large plate of maitake tempura. But what shocked Inari most was the sheer size—two giant pieces so large they almost hung over the rim of the plate.

“Th-this is… a single serving?”

“Yes, that’s right!”

“Oho, how astonishing…”

The cheerful reply from the waiter nearly left Inari speechless. If there had been a picture on the menu, perhaps she could have imagined it, but she hadn’t expected “this.” Still—whatever the surprise, it certainly looked delicious.

“Well then… itadakimasu.”

“Itadakimasu.”

Pressing their hands together in thanks, they began. Inari lifted a piece of tempura with her chopsticks and bit in.

Crunch!

The freshly fried batter crackled crisply, while the inside offered the soft, thick flesh of the mushroom.

It was much easier to eat than she had expected. That was Inari’s honest impression. Yes, it was unmistakably mushroom. Deep-frying might change the texture and flavor of some foods, but this was simply the taste of maitake—yet perfectly enhanced by the crunch of the coating. Truly marvelous.

“My word… I have already eaten both pieces. And yet, to feel perfectly satisfied at just this amount is most splendid.”

One piece alone might not have been enough. But two gave just the right sense of fullness. Of course, the proper amount would vary depending on the size of the mushroom, but for these, Inari judged two to be ideal.

“Tasty.”

“Mm, a most wonderful new experience… now, the soba.”

Freshly made soba was always a delight. Dipping lightly into the broth with condiments, she slurped it up. The firm, springy texture was superb.

Truthfully, Inari couldn’t discern the subtle distinctions between different soba noodles—but she could tell these were excellent. And so, the words escaped her honestly:

“…Delicious.”

“Mm. The soba’s good too.”

Shion had moved on to the soba as well, eating with an expression of deep enjoyment. For truly good food, no words beyond delicious were needed.

Then came soba tea, served warm. Its unique flavor seemed to perfectly match the moment, as if insisting “this is what you need right now.”

Before they knew it, the soba was gone. Settling the bill, they stepped outside, carrying with them a curious sense of satisfaction.

“…I just want to go back to the inn and nap now.”

“I cannot say I do not understand… but we cannot do so just yet.”

At the very least, they wanted to scout out the dungeon’s location and pay their respects to Fortress.

“Come now, let us press on. Or dost thou prefer to rest at the inn first?”

“No, I’ll go.”

“Good girl. Then let us proceed.”

Resuming their walk, they passed more inns, eateries, and shops—one selling nozawana pickles that looked particularly tempting. Eventually, they reached Western Riverbed Park.

Neatly paved stone paths, hot spring water bubbling forth here and there—a sight rarely seen elsewhere. A few people soaked their feet in the hot waters used as footbaths, though being midday, there weren’t many.

This place too had suffered greatly during the monster disasters. Yet now, thanks to great effort, much of its former beauty had been restored—if not perfectly, then impressively close.

“Oh, could that be it?”

“Probably that.”

What came into view was a two-story detached house. That such a home could exist here was surely only because its owner was Japan’s third-ranked top-ranker.

Its exposed-concrete exterior—whether true design or simply that style—was surrounded by a solid wall and gate, complete with an intercom and security camera.

“A fine house indeed.”

“Did you make an appointment?”

“Appointment?”

“…Did you let them know you were visiting?”

“Oho, aye! I asked Yasuno to arrange it.”

They had sent word that they would be visiting today, and received approval—though without a specific time. That should suffice.

And so, Inari pressed the intercom button. Before long, a voice came through: “I’ll be right there.” Likely Fortress himself.

“I have yet to even give my self-introduction, though… will that be all right?”

“Ears and shrine maiden garb.”

“Oho, I see…”

Fox-ear headbands may have once been trendy, but ears and shrine maiden robes and tails? Few would go that far. Inari’s appearance was essentially a bold proclamation of I am Kogami Inari. She herself, however, barely realized it—thinking of it only as a trivial matter.

At any rate, the door opened, and the one who appeared was, unexpectedly, a slender young man.