Chapter 6: If I Don’t Have Any Talent, I’ll Work My Hardest

To put it bluntly, Velt Jeeha has no outstanding talents. My teacher and those living in this world seem to be able to use elementary level magic, while I have yet to be able to use magic at all. I don’t particularly mind being unable to use magic. However, if you were to head out into the world, you need to be strong in order to protect yourself. The level of peace in this country is unique, if you were to leave, you’d encounter thieves and kidnappers. If you passed through human territory, you’d face several different types of demonic beasts that attack people. And most of all, in this world, the various races mutually continue to divide themselves in conflict. Although I thought that to myself, even when I took the lessons at the magic school seriously, the result was terrible.

「Well, I'm not too sure. It's not like I knew too much about manga or fantasy before. Something about magic power being the natural life energy of the world, too many different kinds of magic, and somehow the language for invocation is hard so it's a pain.」 (Velt)

「Hahaha, you've got that right. You have memories from the time you were Asakura Ryuuma, it might be hard because of that. I don't have any ideas in the first place unlike you though.」 (Melma)

Going to my teacher's shop to have ramen and chat has now become my daily routine. I arrive around lunchtime and stay till halfway through evening so that there would be fewer customers, allowing us to talk without hesitation. Well, since I recently haven’t been eating at home, my mother’s been pouting.

「Sensei, is there easy to use and convenient magic that, like, goes *boom*?」 (Velt)

「If there was something like that I would’ve known a long time ago. Besides, would a cook go about asking questions like that? For something to that extent, ask your wife to teach you. She’s rumored to be a genius isn’t she?」 (Melma)

「To lower my head to that brat would be unpleasant. If I requested something from her, she’d be super happy and full of herself, she’d also demand something in exchange.」 (Velt)

「Gahahahaha. But, for that Asakura Ryuuma to be flirting with the princess of another world, what a development.」 (Melma)

「Cut it out will you? At any rate, after a few years she’s going to turn her back on me.」(Velt)

Still, Forna being called a genius is the truth. Her everyday life consisted of essential and artisanal magic techniques. Furthermore it seems she learned a great deal of offensive magic. In a manner of speaking, she had the ability to fight without the need of an escort.

「By the way, how does sensei use magic?」(Velt)

「Hm? Well～ For example I use levitation to move tableware and flames for the sake of cooking, but it’s not that big of a deal. It’d be the same degree of difficulty as having tools or extra hands.」 (Melma)

「That’s how it seems～ I’ll do my best from now on, but I don’t think learning that would be useful on an adventure. As expected, how do I put it, something like combat skills to survive? I wonder…」(Velt)

「Rather, why not learn how to use the sword or spear?」 (Melma)

「Well, I don’t really like flashy things. It’d be kinda unfitting for a delinquent.」(Velt)

It’s not like I’ll refuse to use a weapon in a fight. However, I don’t like people using sharp things.

「Besides, I don’t want to be carrying a sword or spear with me all day. I want a more fun way to show my power.」(Velt)

Well, if there was a way to do that then everyone would be doing it.

Then,

「Hey, Asakura. Comparing the ramen I made and the ramen from back home, what do you think?」 (Melma)

「Huh? It’s pretty good, but what’s up with that all of a sudden?」(Velt)

「Don’t worry about it, that was a pretty genuine comparison! In your previous life which restaurant had the best tasting ramen?」 (Melma)

「Uuh? Well, since the raw ingredients are different～ In my previous life as Asakura Ryuuma, the best tasting ramen restaurant was definitely the place at Ikebukuro I think? But what about it?」(Velt)

I didn’t understand but I answered and sensei glared at me as he held his kitchen knife.

「Progressing through my life as Melma, I didn’t have any talent in magic nor combat, but from the age of sixteen I built my way up from the bottom. Starting as a dishwasher, years passed until I was entrusted with cooking, and when I regained my memories as Kobayakawa I practiced the art of cooking ramen for ten years. Even though I still have a ways to go I never gave up my pursuit of flavor.」 (Melma)

「Oh.」(Velt)

「Remember well. No matter which world it is, you can learn and refine yourself every day.」 (Melma)

That hit a sore spot. For the delinquent who has never accomplished anything, they were the most severe of words.

「Putting effort doesn’t suit a delinquent.」(Velt)

「Dying and being given a new life, change yourself!」 (Melma)

「You’ve said enough haven’t you? Even idiots can’t be fixed.」(Velt)

「Don’t say it like you’re some kind of cheeky brat.」 (Melma)

At that moment, the door was powerfully opened.

「Excuse me!」 (Forna)

We turned our heads and at that spot stood a brat with golden hair rolls who had an obviously angry expression.

「That’s the princess. Welcome. Or rather, with that expression……do you need Velt for something?」 (Melma)

「Yo. It’s been a few days since I last saw you, what’s going on all of a sudden?」(Velt)

Ever since I was able to meet sensei again, I’ve been constantly hanging around here so I haven’t seen her in a few days. She doesn’t attend the school of sorcery that I go to. It was because she had nothing else to learn. However, she always ambushes me at the entrance after school and invades my house, so she had pretty much seen me every day, but the last few days were different. From that, Forna noisily entered the restaurant, and violently sat on the chair next to me, and resolutely opened her eyes and yelled at sensei.

「Tonkotu Ramen, heavy on the flavor please!」 (Forna)

In that moment, we were suddenly thrown off. By the way, in this restaurant, since I started using the words the words 『kaedama』 (second serving) and 『kotteri』 ("heavy" in the context of food) some of the regular customers started using it.

「Got it, Tonkotsu with some heavy flavor!」 (Melma)

The soup was thick and oily. The moment the ramen, which was unbefitting of a young aristocratic girl, reached her, she removed the fork that was given to her. Reaching into the hollow cylinder, she took a pair of chopsticks and started slurping up the ramen.

「Hey, princess!」 (Melma)

「Oooh.」(Velt)

With her face bright red, Forna desperately ate the ramen while making a slurping noise.

「What’s wrong? This is the correct noise to make while eating this, is it not?」 (Forna)

「Yeah, that’s right but…」(Velt)

「Do you have a complaint?」 (Forna)

「Well, no, but…」(Velt)

「Manager! Do you have garlic for me to use?」 (Forna)

「Whaaat?! Princess, do you understand what kind of thing that is?」 (Melma)

「Yes, it is an effective ingredient to nourish one’s body, is it not?」 (Forna)

Garlic is one of the spices of this world. It’s used to prevent sickness and to provide nourishment; an excellently healthy ingredient. However, its biggest fault is the strong odor, the people who eat garlic will have bad breath and body odor, it was really difficult for people who weren’t used to it. But if we’re talking about why someone would put it into ramen, it’d be because garlic is a substitute for ninniku, something from our original world. More than that, it was something that sensei discovered in his ten years of practice.

(Note: Ninniku also means garlic in Japanese, but in this world they seem to use the English pronunciation for it,)

I couldn’t believe my ears when Forna ordered it. But, Forna mixed the crushed garlic into her soup and once again began to vigorously eat the ramen. Gazing at this spectacle, I had realized something.

「Forna, you…」(Velt)

「What is it?」 (Forna)

「The chopsticks, you can use them?」(Velt)

Until this day none of the regular customers were able to use chopsticks. I was the only one able to use them. But, even though Forna was somewhat awkward with them, she was eating without a fork.

「……I practiced.」 (Forna)

「Eh?」(Velt)

「I, there’s nothing that if Velt understands, I can’t! I trained intensely in the castle!」 (Forna)

Forna, who had a sullen expression for a while, finally revealed a triumphant look. It seems like she was waiting for this moment. However, I was surprised. It was the correct way to use chopsticks, something that even the kids in Japan didn’t remember. That is, it had only been a few days since she had met the manager. As expected, this brat might be a genius. And then, as if seeing through me, from an angle Forna couldn’t catch, sensei poked my head.

「What are you doing?」(Velt)

I didn’t understand the meaning of his actions, sensei was shocked, and he spoke in a low voice.

「The princess gave it her all practicing didn’t she? Take a good look at her fingers.」 (Melma)

Right now, I noticed. Although her fingers were joined together, on her tiny smooth fingers were calluses.

「It’s true. It’s only because her pride is so strong that she’d do that.」(Velt)

「You idiot. No matter how you think about it, she wants you to notice it doesn’t she?」 (Melma)

「Whaa? Why would she want me to notice her using chopsticks?」(Velt)

「Listen up, will you? Since the other day you’ve constantly been here, you’re usually with the princess right? That’s why she’s been practicing. Since she’s able to eat with chopsticks now, you might praise her, you might even invite her to be with you.」 (Melma)

Now that I think about it, she didn’t have to go as far as putting in garlic. It’s just that since I use it, she’s also been using it I think. For some reason, now that I realize it, it’s a little embarrassing.

「……Seriously?」(Velt)

「Children are children, pure and innocent right? Figure it out already.」 (Melma)

However, coinciding with that I witnessed something dazzling. I intended to turn over a new leaf, but I hadn’t tried anything interesting with my own effort. However, Forna continued putting in effort for her own reasons, and the results bore fruit. A ten year old precocious brat. However compared to the one that had the mental age of a seventeen year old, she was much more amazing.

「Forna. You’re great. The reason being, you’re pretty cute arentcha.」(Velt)

「Oh? Eh?」 (Forna)

(Note: He sure does have a terrible way with words.)

I spontaneously rubbed her head. With just that much, it was as if her head had become a chimney blowing out smoke. What an interesting person. Somehow, it wonderfully suits her. More than that I believe I’ve lost this one.

「Hey, sensei. If you’ve got some free time won’t you come with me to the weapons shop?」　(Velt)

「Weapons shop? You’ve seen it along the streets haven’t you?」 (Melma)

「It’s not that. Just, I want to try looking for a sword again. However if you’re under thirteen you can’t enter, so come with me.」(Velt)

「Rather, what do you think of a former teacher going to a weapons shop with his former student?」 (Melma)

「Don’t worry about it. It’s against the law in Japan, but nobody will judge us here. That’s just one of the unique things about this world」(Velt)

With inspiration from Forna, I’ll thank her with just this for today.

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