Earth Dungeon 102.1

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Chapter 102.1. Winter's Arrival

Through the window glass, I watched the snowflakes fluttering down. A penthouse on the top floor of the Amatsugahara Corporation. As electricity began to flow, I relaxed in the warm living room adorned with crystal flowers of spring, optimistic that I would be able to spend this winter leisurely.

It was in the past tense. Sakimori had a bad feeling that he wouldn't be able to spend the winter leisurely, but he decided to ignore it. Because, before him, there was a feast he hadn't had in 10 years.

[Winter is about oden, isn't it, Sakimori-san? I love daikon with plenty of mustard. The spiciness that disappears in an instant in your mouth is delightful. Unlike chili peppers, which linger, why doesn't mustard or wasabi's spiciness last?]

[Maybe because they're highly volatile? No, sorry. I haven't looked into it. Anyway, I prefer sukiyaki, sukiyaki.]

A ghostly beautiful girl was making a fuss about oden, but now she was talking about sukiyaki. In the tatami-floored living room, at the table set up with a hotplate, they stared at the simmering beef in the iron pot.

"Hey, Karin. Kanto-style is grilled, right? Is it Kansai-style to boil it with a dipping sauce?"

I always cooked beef in a pot with plenty of dipping sauce, but apparently, it was an unconventional way of eating.

"I don't know-nya. By the way, if it's grilling, isn't it yakiniku-nyan?"

Cheerfully swaying her tail, Karin, sitting across from me, answered.

"Yeah, I guess so. I think so too. What about Shingen?"

Grilling and pouring dipping sauce seems to be the way to eat sukiyaki, but I've never done it. The pot would burn quickly.

"Originally, sukiyaki is said to be called that because farmers grilled it with a plow."

"If that's the case, doesn't that make the dipping sauce even more meaningless? You can't boil meat with a plow."

Sakimori and the others twisted their heads at the unresolved question of what sukiyaki means.

"If it tastes good, anything is fine, right? Aniki."

"Yeah! I didn't know there was something this delicious."

"Yeah, Jun-chan, this meat melts in your mouth."

"More rice, please."

Daiki and the others were also happily grabbing meat from another pot.

"Sakimori-shan, want law eggs?"

With clumsy hands, the usual little girl trying to mix eggs in a bowl on my lap is trying hard, so I gently pat her head. The little girl hands me a bowl of beaten eggs, and I quickly dip the meat in and put it in my mouth. The sweetness and umami of the meat spread in my mouth, and the sukiyaki after a long time is so delicious that I can't put it into words.

A decent meal, I thought happily, putting white rice in my mouth. The rice cooker became usable, and it became easy to cook rice. Electricity is truly wonderful.

Shingen quietly eats while drinking sake. Well, I'll have some sake too.

I pour sake into a small cup and gulp it down. It has a sharp fruity taste. It must be expensive, as it says "Junmai Daiginjo" on the label.

On the table are two hotplates and pots. There are many boxes of beef in a wooden box, and on the plate are arranged green onions, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and white konnyaku.

"Sorry, but don't put white konnyaku in the pot. It makes the beef tough and tastes like potatoes."

"You're being picky even though you haven't eaten for over 10 years."

"It's been a while, after all. I want to pursue the best taste."

"As the president says."

"I'm fine with just meat-nya."

"Meat, delicious~"

Protesting against Shingen's words, I take another bite of meat, and Katsuyori nods in agreement. That's right, that's right. I don't want to eat something that doesn't taste good. If you put white konnyaku in, the meat really becomes tough, and the dipping sauce also becomes unpleasant. Except for the usual little girl, Karin, eat your vegetables.

"Ooki-san, please."

"Eat a lot, okay~?"

"The white konnyaku is ready~"

"Eh?! I don't need just white konnyaku! Hey, don't put it on the plate without asking!"

Even though we were being careful with the white konnyaku, Jun and the others noticed and, looking at the white konnyaku casually put in the pot, exchanged glances. Then, everyone happily piled the cooked white konnyaku onto Ooki-kun's small plate, and Ooki-kun raised a delighted scream. They are such kind-hearted kids.

As we all slowly sip from our small cups, trying to make a dent in the seemingly endless amount of meat. 

I turn my gaze to Karin and squint my eyes.

"So, Karin. Why did you bring such a massive amount of meat as a souvenir?"

This massive amount of beef was not marbled but brought by Karin. The quantity is 10 kg. 

Since I couldn't eat it all alone, I called the executives and threw a sukiyaki party.

And of course, this cat must have an ulterior motive for bringing such a large amount of meat.

"It's a year-end gift-nya. Because I'm always indebted to Sakimori-nya."

Turning her face away and putting meat in her mouth, the cat girl mumbles. However, seeing that, I pour sake into my small cup and exhale.

"Save that kind of exchange for the stage. It's a hassle, isn't it? Hurry up and tell me."

Waving my hand, I convey that I don't want any troublesome exchanges. It's too obvious. I wonder what the purpose is. It's tough having so many leads. With a wry smile at my attitude, Karin wiggles her chopsticks.

"Well, you see-nyaa~. Actually, I want to get snowflakes-nya."

"Snowflakes? What's that?"

Judging by the name, is it a type of flower? I've never heard of it.

[I haven't heard of it either. What is it?]

I send my thoughts to Shizuku to see if she knows, she shakes her head with a puzzled expression. Shizuku doesn't know either, what on earth is it?

"Snowflakes are flowers that bloom in the Snow Slime Dungeon, which only appears in winter-nya. They are beautifully rainbow-colored, shining like jewels, next to the core of the dungeon boss-nya."

With a wink, Karin shakes her cat's hands up and down. She's trying to deceive me. But she's not good at it. This cat would never make it as a spy. And besides, it wouldn't bloom, right? It's a monster's heart.