Gyoza

Author: Ryusui
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2121hw/13/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

I canceled the vanishing magic a little after leaving the venue, but… wow. The surroundings are amazing. I’d heard about it and thought I understood, but seeing it for real is more than I expected.
Skyscrapers left and right. I thought the trees in the forest I live in were pretty big and tall, but this is exactly what they mean by it being presumptuous even to compare.

“Amazing. Tall. Amazing.”

‘Rita-chan’s vocabulary lmao’
‘She’s just a country bumpkin coming to the city lol’
‘Well, first time you come you get overwhelmed. I get it, I get it’

I can’t believe this many people live in buildings this tall. That said, it also looks a little cramped.

“Is Japan that small a country? Did the population go up or something?”

‘What do you mean?’
‘Ahh… Rita-chan. Most of the buildings here are for work. Most people have their homes somewhere else.’

“Ah, I see.”

That makes sense. I had a weird misunderstanding. I should reflect.
And then, cars, was it. These are amazing too. Going back and forth at incredible speed. But they’re running in set places, so maybe it’s not that dangerous? Still, if you got hit it would look bad.

“With that much speed, the energy should be considerable too. If you rammed with that, it might even work on magic beasts.”

‘Rita-chan lmao’
‘Your ideas are too dangerous every time lol’
‘Cars are a means of transport, not a means of attack, okay?’

I know. I was just thinking about it.
There are a few other things I’m curious about, but I want to eat. And though it’s not as bad as that last place, I can feel glances here and there. Uncomfortable glances, somehow.
Not hostility or anything, but, I don’t know. Distrust, that kind of thing. I feel like I’m being watched warily.

But I understand it can’t be helped. Looking at other people, my clothes are pretty out of place. A pitch-black robe and a pointed hat, it’s pretty much just me.
So I should move soon.

“Guide me, please.”

‘Aye aye’

Following the viewer’s directions, I walked for a while. Off the big road onto a narrow one. What we arrived at was a slightly old building. The first floor is the restaurant we want, apparently.

‘I know this place. It’s good, sure, but isn’t this nights only?’
‘That so?’
‘Should be open from seventeen to twenty-three’

Eh. Wait, I wasn’t told that. Seventeen o’clock should still be quite a while from now.
I don’t have a clock. So I can’t check the time myself. I just have to ask.

“What time is it now?”

‘Fourteen’
‘Still way off’
‘Guide, are you incompetent?’
‘No response. Did they run?’

Muu. This is a problem. Anyone can make a mistake so I’m not planning to get angry, but I am way too bored. But it does seem like it’s definitely good. What should I do.
While I was stuck in front of the shop, the lights inside came on. Then the door opened from inside, and a man came out. About thirty, maybe?

“Hey. I was waiting.”
“Eh.”
“I’m the guide. And the owner here.”
“Eh.”

‘Wait lmao is that allowed lol’
‘You guided her to your own shop lol’
‘Damn, that play was available!’

That’s a little unexpected, but if he guided me, does that mean he’ll cook?

“It doesn’t seem like it’s time yet, but you’ll make it?”
“Of course. More like, I wouldn’t have guided you otherwise.”

And, the man continues.

“Eating with other people around, you’d stand out, right?”
“Ahh…”

I see, that’s true. I was about to end up in a situation I couldn’t escape the stares from.

‘This is competent’
‘Not bad, Guide bro’
‘What even is Guide bro lol’

Prompted by the man, the guide, I went into the shop.
I don’t have anything to compare to so I wouldn’t know, but I think it’s a small shop. A counter, and four tables. Apparently the guide runs it alone.

“Sit wherever you like.”
“Mm… Then, here.”
“Yeah. I’ll bring water for now, but is there anything you want besides gyoza?”
“Something delicious.”
“Yeah. Yeah. All right! Got it!”

The guide had a slightly troubled smile, but he nodded like it was no problem. He brought a glass of water right away and went off toward the counter.
By the way, the seat I took was a table by the window. Because it was close.

‘That order was too abstract lol’
‘Well her first choice of gyoza seems doable, so it should be fine’
‘By the way is this place actually good?’
‘It’s good. One of those hidden gems’
‘Being tucked away and still filling up at night is good proof’

People who know it rate it highly, apparently. Then maybe I can look forward to it.
I sit in the chair and wait at an easy pace. There’s nobody here but people I already know, so I’ll put the comment blackboard back out.
A sizzle of something frying, maybe? I can hear it. It smells really good. A smell that makes you hungry.
I swing my feet and sip the water a little at a time to kill time. The scent drifting over is really bothering me. Is it ready yet. Is it ready yet.

‘She’s so fidgety’
‘Fidgety Rita-chan’
‘Cute’

“I’ll get mad.”

‘Why!?’

I felt a little made fun of.
While I was waiting like that, the guide came back. He’s holding a big plate.

“Gyoza for now, ten. You want rice too?”
“I want it.”
“Haha. Go ahead, go ahead.”

A plate of gyoza and white rice on the table. The gyoza have brown sear marks. When I pick one up with chopsticks, the sear is crispy and a little firm. But the rest is soft. This is gyoza.

“Itadakimasu.”

I try it right away. When I bite around the middle, the texture is crispy like it looks. And that’s not all; the parts without sear have a mochi-like chew.
Even just the texture is fun, but the taste is good too. The meat juices sealed inside overflow. It’s not just the meat; you can taste the vegetables too. A nice balance.
Yeah. Delicious.

“Nnfuu…”

‘She eats like it’s so good…’
‘Crap, now I want gyoza’
‘Maybe I’ll order delivery…’

Excellent as a side dish too. The rice goes down. I feel like I could eat any number of bowls.