Magical Explorer

RAMEN

Although the sun is shining brightly, the weather isn’t hot.

When I stretched my hand toward the blue sky, the sleepiness and tiredness in me disappeared and I felt my body became lighter. It is a good but strange feeling.

I left the house with Ludi, she is walking beside me looking elated. The occasional winds sway her beautiful blond hair. The scent of the hair treatment she usually uses envelop that air around us.

She brushes away the hair that got in her eye and takes a small breath.

“The wind is nice.”

“……Yeah.”

I think it’s a great day out.

Ludi has been in a good mood since we left the house but her mood is still getting better after she starts walking under this clear sky.

We found a cat lazily stretching its limbs while basking in the sun. It looked so lazy, such an action wouldn’t look good on a human but it would look so cute on a cat, it’s kinda unfair.

Seeing Ludi who stare at the cat with a cheerful smile and twitching her ears in tune with its tail, there’s nothing to describe it but unfair.

Unfortunately, the ~yaaNyaa sound she tried to imitate and will never reach the cat. My heart on the other hand, not to mention reaching it, it almost knocks me out by a critical hit. Honestly, I want to respond to that sound myself but since right now I can only reply with the *Buhi Buhi* sound like a pig so I guess keep watching her do that from the side might be best.

I check the time when we arrived in the downtown area.

“Want to take a detour?”

I asked.

“We would have to line up because of the lunchtime rush if we go now after all.”

Hearing so, Ludi nodded. However, there’s still a problem. I said that I want to avoid the queue but I don’t have any other destination to go in particular.

Thinking about this now, it might be better if I took a good look at the plan that Nanami made for me.

[Since I am worry about Goshujin-sama, I haven’t been able to sleep for seven hours. That’s why I came up with the plan for today. You could say that it is nothing less than the bestest plan there is.]

She said that before I meet up with Ludi and left the house and handed me a piece of paper.

I thought that there’s no need to worry but since she said that it is nothing less than the best plan there is…..

[HAVEN’T YOU SLEEPING WELL LAST NIGHT!]

I insert a retort there but inside I had some expectations for it. However, the content of the plan was seducing Ludi and take her directly to the hotel so I immediately tore it up and give it back to her. Moreover, the part where Nanami accompany us to the hotel for some reason was retort-worthy in itself.

But in the off chance that a miracle like snow in summer happened and she seriously writes the rest of the plan, I may have wasted a good material.

“Ludi, do you have anywhere you want to go?”

“Let me see….”

Saying so, she takes a look around. The place that her eyes stopped at was unexpectedly a supermarket.

“Let’s go over there.”

“Sure, let’s go.”

Supermarket huh. Why is it the supermarket I wonder?

Ludi is an Ojou-sama. It might just be my opinion but it seems like a supermarket is a place far away from her daily life. I think she couldn’t normally visit such an ordinary place like this.

Since she never set her foot in a convenience store or the like before, that must be the same for the supermarket. Does she want to visit those commoner-like places?

I thought about asking her to be sure but…………she immediately went straight to the cup ramen corner with a serious expression. There’s no doubt left in my mind now.

I look at Ludi who has cup ramen in both hands while examining it.

Today her long blond hair is braided into a half-up hairstyle different to her usual hairstyle that let her long hair flowed behind her back with a single braid on the side. Thanks to that, I am able to enjoy her white and beautiful nape.

She often uses that hairstyle when she wears her plain clothes I think it looks very good on her. Well, no matter how she dressed her beauty would make it look good on her anyway.

Maybe she noticed that I have been staring at her, Ludi turns to look at me while tilting her head.

“I think that hairstyle looks good on you.”

“Really. Thanks.”

She gave a curt reply and takes her eyes back to the shelf again but I saw it. Her serious expression has turned to a smile.

We bought a few cup ramen despite the fact that we are going to a ramen store after this. I put them in a bag and left the supermarket.

Seeing the leaflets saying that the Daikon is on sale on our way out, we start discussing what pickled vegetables is the best dressing for ramen.

“Daikon is good an all but cucumber is delicious too.”

“Radish and turnip are great too you know.

When we were talking, I saw a doll similar to Marianne in a store. We keep going to our destination, the ramen store.

It seems like I was right to avoid the lunchtime. There is only a small line formed in front of the usually crowded store so we shouldn’t have to wait long.

Ten minutes later, we entered the store.

“Let’s try the most popular menu first!”

The most popular menu here seems to be the thick and oily miso ramen.

Ludi orders it with sparkling eyes. I look at her who keep staring at the menu while humming even after she had already placed her order. It seems like she is fully looking forward to the next time we come here.

Thinking about ordering something different, I was thinking about ordering light miso ramen. Then, my eyes turn toward the menu Ludi is looking at.

Ludi has no likes or dislikes. Whether it is full of oil or lots of garlic, she would just ask for a refill anyway. There should be nothing she can’t eat this time as well.

Also, when we visit a ramen place together, Ludi is always more talkative than usual. This time is no exception.

“And you see, by using a special magic you can make instant ramen without losing any of the taste at all, you know.”

“Since when have you become such a ramen expert………….”

And the topics are not only limited to the ramen-related one either.

“You see, Rina-san just kicked Orange-kun the other day.”

Her daily life, the movie she saw, the book she read, she has fun talking about everything. Seeing her like that make me smile.

It was a few minutes after that when the ramen was served.

As she expectantly waiting for it, she looked at it with sparkling eyes. Like she was attending some memorial ceremony, she straightens her posture and faces her ramen.

The oily reddish-brown soup, the yellow and gray noodle. The dish is garnished with vegetables, egg full of flavors, and a big slice of Chashu (TLN: Slice of pork.)

Then what about mine? The soup was less as oily, the noodles were more yellowish. It seems mine has more Chashu than Ludi’s though.

Ludi said her [Itadakimasu] and scoop up a spoonful of soup. She takes in its scent before putting it in her mouth.

“Such a violent taste……”

That’s what she said.

Like her, I also scoop up the soup and put the soup along with the Negi (TLN: green leek) floating in it to my mouth.

Since we ordered different things, it’s natural that our impressions are different. The word that I think should be describing this would be elegant. The addition of Negi also enhanced the taste of the soup.

After I enjoy eating some of the noodles, I try the Chashu this time. It was very soft and melted in my mouth, spreading the taste throughout.

“The fact that Chashu didn’t take away the taste of the ramen deserves a lot of points.”

“To be able to bring out the delicious taste of the meat that complement the dish itself, it could be said that it is nothing less than the best match.”

Saying so, Ludi stares my Chashu. On the other hand, I also stare at Ludi’s Chashu.

Looking closely, isn’t her Chashu’s thickness different than mine? Maybe Chashu’s taste is varying on its thickness? If so, what’s a great dedication from the chef.

I look at Ludi’s face again.

She is making a serious expression while her eyes are still sparkling. Does she want to try mine?

“Take it.”

She stretches out her hand adorned with the green ring and take my Chashu. She then drinks the soup with no hesitation and brought a Chashu to her mouth.

“The taste of the meat is spreading in my mouth……!”

Seeing her like that brings a smile to my face. She is really a girl who can eat ramen so happily.

Why does a woman who can eat her meal so deliciously look so cute? Just by looking at her, not only my stomach is full, my heart as well.

“Nn, why are you staring at me? Do you want to eat this?”

“Then, just a little.”

Saying so, I try her soup and eat my ramen.

After I ate all the noodles, I was wondering what to do with the soup.

“That’s right”, Ludi said.

“Kousuke might already but………….this morning, Yukine-san gave me an invitation.”

Aah,

I nod.

“I………..think I will join the public moral committee.”