My Refrigerator Turned Into A Dungeon

Chapter 231:

Dungeon Stampede 2.0 Cooking

Thanks to a whim to help an okama old man, we were treated to a meal. Entering the izakaya where he is the owner, we settled down at the counter.

“Hi! Here’s a wet towel and a draft beer to start. I’ll bring the appetizer in a moment, so please wait.”

The place is an old izakaya with years of history. Besides the counter seats, there are only two small tables behind it.

“Wow~! I haven’t seen this in a while!”

Even Serai-san, who was starting to get a little grumpy along the way, immediately smiled when a frosty beer mug was placed in front of her.

“Fufu, then let’s toast. Thank you so much for saving me! Cheers to life!”

""“Cheers!”""

When said like that, it felt good, and we also picked up our mugs and toasted. The long-awaited draft beer quenched our thirst.

“Oh, what a good drinker you are. Has it been a while?”

“Well, yes. At home, I usually drink happoshu.”

“Oh dear, that’s quite lonely. But that’s all because of politics! Well, today is my treat, so drink as much as you like! Here’s a burdock root salad.”

Humans are strange creatures. Being entertained like this feels much better than just receiving cash.

“What…? Two thousand yen!? That’s ridiculous, come on!”

Ah, the slightly drunk Serai-san started complaining to the yakuza-like guy called Take-chan about something that happened earlier. She’s really sociable and fearless. Even Take-chan, who had a bandage on his right hand and was making a grim face, started to get angry upon hearing the story.

“Right? Isn’t it terrible!?”

“Yeah, what a jerk. If someone saves your life, you should at least show some sincerity!”

While listening to their conversation with a wry smile, the okama owner brought me a new dish.

“Here you go, fresh and hot.”

“Wow, it looks great! Dashimaki tamago!!”

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It has a lovely color, is fluffy, and looks absolutely delicious.

“Yum, delicious!”

The umami of the dashi spreads gently in my mouth, making me smile with happiness.

“Ah! You’re eating first, Mr. Ezuki, that’s not fair!”

“Haha. Here, Serai-san, try it too.”

“Nom… Mmm! Delicious!”

“Fufu, thank you. I used to train at a traditional restaurant long ago. I also ran an okama bar, but now I’m the owner of this izakaya.”

“Isn’t it good? He’s always been good at cooking.”

“Oh, Take-chan, are you saying I’m only good at cooking and nothing else?”

“No, I’m complimenting you. Don’t twist it. Here, give me a drink too.”

“Geez, just a little because of your injury.”

Take-chan, the yakuza-like guy, and the okama izakaya owner. They might look odd, but they both seem like good people.

“(Hmm… What should I do? I can’t serve more food even though they came all the way here.)”

“(Yeah… We ran into that thing as soon as we stepped out.)”

“(We have some dried food, but I want to serve them something warm. Is there anything we can do?)”

“(Hmm… But if we go out now, we might encounter those things again.)”

After a while, the owner started consulting with Take-chan in a low voice.

Hmm, it seems they went out to get some food earlier. That makes sense; otherwise, they wouldn’t be out walking in this day and age.

[[（Nods…）]]

Well, this conversation was entirely audible to our superhuman dungeon-enhanced hearing, so Serai-san and I decided to offer some dungeon ingredients through eye contact.

“Hey, owner. By the way, we’ve made some processed foods from dungeon monsters. Would you like to try them?”

“What!? From dungeon monsters!?”

“Yes. But it’s shellfish, so it’s not that strange.”

I took out a huge shell strip from my backpack, and as expected, they were surprised.

“What!? Is that a shellfish? Is it an ammonite?”

“No, it’s more like a shell strip. We dried it overnight in the dungeon.”

“…It looks like a fire hose.”

“Visually, yes. But it tastes like shellfish, similar to processed scallops. Want to try a bit?”

The dried tentacle was too tough to tear by hand, so I shaved off pieces with a knife and gave them to Take-chan and the owner. They looked dubious about the unfamiliar food. So, Serai-san took a bite of the dried piece first.

“If you’re worried, I’ll eat first! Nom! Mmm, it’s the best! Owner, more beer, please!”

“Haha, let’s not overdo it, Serai-san. But it’s actually pretty good, even if we say so ourselves.”

I also put a shaved piece into my mouth.

Hmm, delicious. It’s a bit tough at first, but the umami that oozes out with each bite is irresistible. The umami component in shellfish is sodium succinate, I think. If this umami concentrates, the dungeon’s breakdown absorption power is no joke.

…..

“…Mmm!?”

“…Whoa!?”

(Ah, they noticed. The owner and Take-chan’s eyes are wide with surprise.)

They nervously put the dried pieces in their mouths, but their eyes widened with astonishment as the umami filled their mouths.

“What… What is this! It’s amazing!!”

“Yeah…! My cheeks hurt from all the saliva!”

(Haha! How about that! This is the power of the dungeon breakdown absorption!)

The two gulped down their draft beers in one go, sighed deeply, and looked dazed.

“This is irresistible for drinkers…”

“Absolutely, truly…!”

“Oh, by the way, we also have crab cheese…”

“You have more!? Just who are you two!?”

“Well… We’ve been diving into dungeons even before all this happened.”

“I see. No wonder you’re so young but so composed. So, was that magic or a skill back there?”

“Yes. Do you want to try the crab cheese too?”

""“Yes, please!”""

…

“Delicious! The owner’s crab gratin is the best!!”

“Oh, Machi, you! It’s because the ingredients are top-notch!”

The owner was also amazed by the crab cheese but quickly recovered and cooked it even more deliciously.

We used macaroni and seaweed, both of which could be preserved and were left in the shop.

First, boil the macaroni, then mix it with dashi-infused water and crab cheese, making a superb crab cheese gratin. Sprinkle chopped seaweed on top, and you have a wonderfully modern crab gratin with a Japanese twist.

The taste was, of course, delicious! Although both Serai-san and I cook occasionally, we’re amateurs. The skill and experience of the owner, who could immediately create a dish that matched the ingredients, were impressive.

“This is delicious… Owner, could you pack some as a souvenir?”

“Sure, I’d be happy to. You gave us the ingredients, so don’t hesitate.”

Taking advantage of the offer, we asked for a lot. I wanted Ruu and Nina-san to try it too. Serai-san and I entered the kitchen, helping while learning how to make it.

“Phew… Is this enough?”

“Sorry for asking so much.”

“Oh, it’s fine. When I heard you wanted to feed it to the girls at the high school you’re heading to, I couldn’t resist!”

“Sorry for the trouble!”

While I was thinking of Ruu and Nina-san, Serai-san was also thinking of Shark and the high school girls who admired her. Thus, we managed to get a lot of special crab gratin. It would make a great souvenir.

“Well, you guys should be fine, but be careful on the way.”

“Really, don’t overdo it. And thank you for the ingredients!”

“Yes, we’ll come back for drinks once things calm down!”

“Thank you. See you!”

We left the izakaya, waved off by the owner with eyeshadow and Take-chan. Off we go to Shark’s High School. Let’s deliver the hot, special crab gratin while it’s warm!