Chapter 155: 140

The flame religion.

It’s one of the most widespread religions on the three continents.

It worships a god without flesh, flames, and teaches that the world was born of flames and would disappear back into flames, thus people should live ascetically.

It was started by a famous magician.

His name is Rob, the great flame magician.

He was the father of flame magic, a rare kind of genius who developed the basics and reached the pinnacle of flame magic, heavily influencing the two major schools of magic, Jumikura and Hohens.

Flame magic is the most widely used form of magic in the world, ranging from providing lighting for daily life, fire for cooking, to flames that can wipe out large armies.

Rob is the most well-known flame magician in the world, and there has yet to be a magician who can surpass him.

Hence, the name "great flame magician".

However, his later years were beset with misfortune. His family died of plague, and his disciple, Mitera, the flame hero, sparked a great war that engulfed the southern part of the central continent in flames.

To the refugees gazing upon the unquenchable flames, Rob imparted the teachings of the flame religion.

『Eventually, the world of humans will be turned to ashes and return to nothingness. Therefore, people have no need for wealth. All of us must live ascetically upon the ashes』

To those who had lost everything, these were words of comfort.

Or maybe the misdeeds of his disciple had driven him to throw away his pride.

True to his teachings, the great flame magician gave away his riches to feed and take care of the refugees. It's said that after working himself to the bone, Rob's final moments were as lonely and desolate as a dying flame.

However, the secret arts of flame magic and the much-appreciated teachings he left behind have certainly endured to this day.

Such is the flame religion.

They’re generous to those with light purses, providing food and shelter during the harsh winter months. Their existence is a blessing for the penniless adventurers.

The country provides some of the funds for their activities, but the bulk of the money is donated to them by the wealthy.

As people age and "down there" doesn't stand up anymore, a certain desire becomes stronger as they look to the future.

I guess one could call it the desire for fame.

They want to be valued and appreciated by all kinds of people.

If it also comes with a genuine concern for the poor, then it's even more welcome. In other words, the wealthy buy virtue from the many poor people by donating their riches.

Such a system is the secret to this religion's popularity.

The above is just the ramblings of a follower of the god of misdeeds.

I don't believe that this is the true nature of it.

But it just so happens that I also have the desire to do something for the flame religion.

The elven sisters, Rana and Ea. Last winter, it was the flame religion that took them in. Moreover, they were given special treatment and given a separate room to themselves.

I had been wanting to return this favor as soon as I had the leeway to do so. After all, being an adventurer, one never knows what the future holds.

I arrived at the temple of the flame religion, which I had visited once before and was turned away.

The temple itself was small and modest.

I hadn't noticed it last time, but the lodgings on either side of the temple were owned by the flame religion.

「Excuse me」

I called out to a priest who was shoveling snow.

She had swarthy skin and blonde hair. Her ears were pointy, similar to Lanseal's, and she had a fluffy tail. She looked to be in her late teens and was wearing a white hooded tunic, the official attire of the flame religion.

For a beastkin, she was showing an unusually modest amount of skin.

「Yes? Are you looking to join?」

「No, I'm here because of this」

With one hand, I fumbled with the scroll before managing to open it.

「Oh, the request regarding the soup kitchen. You……… Have we met before somewhere?」

「Well, just once」

It had come back to me.

This girl was the one who chased me away when she saw Geto-san's necklace.

「Well, I do meet a lot of adventurers, so that’s not surprising, I suppose」

This time, she didn't turn me away, but led me into the temple.

It was an open space with many columns lined up and no walls or doors to close off any of the space. It resembled the colonnaded architecture of the Greeks.

In the center of the space, a huge bonfire was blazing bright. It was surrounded by chairs, many of which were filled by adventurers who were warming themselves or by elderly people who were chatting about the past.

The atmosphere was solemn, but the worshiping area itself was rather small. However, as we walked deeper into the temple, we arrived at a cooking area that was four times larger than the worshiping area.

The fire was good, the water was good, the variety and number of cooking utensils were good, it was tidy, the worktable was large, and it was spacious enough for many people to work in.

It was like a luxury hotel's kitchen.

I found myself growing unusually excited.

「Oh, you're the foreigner King Lemuria spoke of?」

In the kitchen, there was an elderly priestess.

She was thin, had a gentle smile, and wore a ceremonial robe that looked a bit grander.

Not to be rude, but she had retained her beauty despite her age. She must have been quite popular when she was young.

「Well, I thought for a moment that you were a noble or something」

「Oh, pardon me」

I removed my top hat and bowed my head slightly with my eyes closed.

I was dressed in Neomia's traditional adventuring garb and wearing my usual spectacle-type device (the second one).

There are records of nobles exploring the dungeon while dressed like this in the past. It’s easy for those who are knowledgeable about history to mistake me for one. According to my fake proof of identity, I'm technically the son of a noble, but I've been keeping that under wraps lately because people know I'm a foreigner.

「I'm Souya, the foreigner. This outfit was given to me by an acquaintance in the north. I'm not of any distinguished lineage, but merely an ordinary man」

「Is that really the case? I've heard that your party is clearing the dungeon at unparalleled speed」

「I'd be less worried if what you've heard are "only" the good rumors」

Let’s see, the priestess began.

「You mean the rumors about you blowing up a merchant company, turning three adventures into a meatball, violating two elven princesses, getting into a fistfight with a prince and almost having your way with his sister, picking a fight with a hero from the center continent, risking your life for the reputation of your friend, and threatening a washed-up merchant and getting him exiled from the country? Or do you mean the more recent ones that say you fought Lord White-Scale like a rat, and that you helped the hero Barfuru when he eliminated the vampires in the north? All these are just rumors, so please don't worry about them」

She said all that with a big smile on her face.

I couldn't help but smile as well.

The beastkin woman who was listening next to me went, "?" then went back to shoveling snow.

「So, err, what about the matter of the soup kitchen?」

「Dear me, I'm so sorry. People become more long-winded when they get older, don't they?」

I should not make an enemy out of this person.

And I should establish just enough of a relationship that I won't get exploited.

It seems that the wealth people donate to them is not limited to material goods. It's also information.

「That's right, the soup kitchen. Dear me, what am I doing? It's such an important thing too」

「I believe I'm supposed to develop a new dish」

「Yeah, Lembo――Oh, I'm sorry. King Lemuria is the one who sent that request」

Lembo………was she about to call him Lem-boy?

「This winter is the coldest we've had in recent years. For that reason, the demand for Akasho stones is high. People seeking them have been coming all the way from Heures Forest, Beastkin Forest, and both schools of magic」

Akasho stones are Shogaku stones that have been given the blessing of the flames and are able to produce heat. One about the size of a fist can keep a person warm for three days. We also use them in the kotatsu at home.

「Thanks to the high demand for Akasho stones, the Lemuria branch of the flame religion has received offerings beyond anything seen in recent years. Well, we’ve really received a bit too much. There's so much that we’re unable to use them all up in the soup kitchen like we usually do.

These are precious offerings, and it'll be wrong to sell them for money, so that's out of the question.

And just when we were thinking of ways to make the food more lavish, King Lemuria said, "In that case, I know just the thing," and sent you that request」

「I see」

So, he chose a dish that's unusual, ramen.

「Hmm, mmm」

「Is something the matter?」

「For now, may I see the offerings?」

「Yes, of course」

When the priestess led me to the back of the kitchen……

「SOOOuuuuuuYaaaaa!」

……I heard a yell from afar.

I turned around and saw Lanseal charging at me in a panic.

「What happened to your arm?! It was fine this morning! Who did this to youuuu?!」

「Calm down. It's just accumulated fatigue setting in. I'm simply letting it rest」

She grabbed me by both shoulders and pulled me close.

She's been kinda intense lately. In a lot of ways.

「Why! Why didn't you tell me first?!」

「I didn't realize I was in such bad shape myself until the dwarf who came to repair my weapons told me」

「Urgh, how could a random dwarf notice it and I, who's always by your side, not notice it? What a blunder」

She became extremely depressed.

I think it's probably normal to not notice it because Rana also didn't.

「Dear me, how passionate. Is Lanseal going to be the one to give King Lemuria his first grandchild, I wonder?」

「Eh? W, well, umm, that wouldn’t be so bad」

The priest was smiling, and Lanseal was looking like she wasn't altogether displeased.

Please let's not do this now.

「By the way, Lanseal, what are you doing here?」

When in a bind, just change the subject.

「We ran out of detergent, so I came to get some from the flame religion」

「Detergent?」

So the flame religion even sells such things?

Well, to be precise, they don't sell things, but exchange them for offerings.

「This detergent powder is great for washing everything from dishes and clothes to baths and toilets. It can't be used on wood though, as it will cause some discoloration」

「That's amazing」

The detergent of the alternate world is so versatile.

Is this also a result of a miracle of the gods?

If I were to call it "miracle powder", people might think it's a drug though.

「What's about you, Souya? If you're resting your arm, you should go home right away. I'll take care of everything. Everything you could possibly need」

If I let you take care of me the way you want, I'll become a no-good person.

「I've got a request from the Adventurers' Guild. It doesn’t involve anything violent at all, so it'll be fine」

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「Hmm, I see. From the Adventurers’ Guild, huh……… It can't be helped then. I'm going home. If your arm hurts, please let me know, alright?」

「Alright, alright」

Turning on her heel, Lanseal left.

Being straightforward and abiding by her own rules are two of her virtues.

But she turned around once more.

「………Let me know, alright?!」

「Alright, I said」

She waved at me from afar before heading home.

I gave her a small wave back.

She had said that she would never get involved in the adventuring business, but………she must want to be part of the party deep down. After all, she used to be an adventurer and she's also the daughter of the king of adventurers.

I wish I knew what to do.

「Is Lemuria's heir going to have foreigner blood, I wonder?」

「No no, there's no way」

I retorted the priestess.

Supposing, and it's just a supposition, that Lanseal and I were to have a child, it wouldn't change the fact that it would be the child of a beastkin. In today's alternate world, that child will never become royalty.

Not unless all the ruling powers are overthrown and a complete revolution is brought about.

That's far too big in scale. It's a war that has nothing to do with me.

I came to explore the dungeon, and starting a war isn't going to help that one bit. It's too big a departure from my goal that it's impossible to imagine.

「Dear me, Lanseal forgot the detergent. Some things never change, do they?」

「I'll bring it home for her. How much is it?」

「I'm sorry. We don't accept money」

Right, goods only.

「Let’s see……」

I went through my pockets and found a piece of candy.

「Is something like this okay? It's a candy made from honey」

It was a honey candy wrapped in thick paper.

It's for when Rana runs out of magic power and collapses. It has many other effects as well.

「Wow, what an expensive treat」

The priestess took it and immediately popped it into her mouth.

Ummmm. Is that okay?

「It's quite good. And now, here’s something in exchange for your offering」

The priestess took out a large sack from under the worktable.

I picked up the detergent. With just one hand, it was a bit heavy.

「Now, let me show you to the food storage」

I followed the priestess to a storeroom in the back.

「Th, this is……」

The food storage was pretty big.

It was stocked to the brim with meat, vegetables, fruit, dried foods, wheat, alcohol, and seasonings.

Almost all of the ingredients I had seen in the alternate world could be found in it.

It was like a treasure trove of food.

「What we can't fit in here, we store in the basement」

「This isn't all of it?」

「In terms of the different types of ingredients we have, everything can be found here. In terms of quantity, this is probably about a quarter of what we have」

The priestess opened the door to the basement. It was chock full of food.

I see, there's certainly a lot.

But……

「If you're just giving out free food, is it really that big of a problem?」

Adventurers are big eaters.

Especially when it comes to alcohol and meat, I'm sure they can consume an unlimited amount.

「To be perfectly honest, we can only serve food that doesn't "contradict" the flame religion's teachings of living ascetically. You see, this is just a branch and we priests and priestesses are supposed to set an example for others. That said, we don't demand asceticism from those who are working outside, like your wife」

She's being very candid with me.

Does she trust me because I was referred to her by the king?

「In other words, you're saying that you want a lavish dish that uses a lot of ingredients but doesn't look expensive?」

「Yes, it's troublesome, isn't it? But you know, that's just how religions are. Even if we're less strict than most……」

「That’s true」

The main thing they advocate is asceticism, but they don't force it upon others.

They accept people with open arms, and I believe there's no penalty for leaving.

Oh, but fishman-related water blessings are a no-no, I suppose. Aside from that, they seem pretty tolerant.

Come to think of it, Geto-san's necklace had completely nullified the dragon's breath. If I had accidentally tripped and fallen into the flames of the temple with it on, there’s a real possibility that it would have extinguished the sacred flames.

Well, I suppose I can't hold it against them then.

「But……」

If I want to make ramen, there's one problem.

「Priestess-sama, there's an elf from Heures Forest looking for you」

The beastkin from earlier had come back to call for the priestess.

「Oh, what’s this about, I wonder? Souya-san, do you mind if I leave this to you?」

「Sure. I'll do whatever I can」

「See you then～」

The priestess exited the food storage with light steps.

She's an old person with a young soul.

「Yukikaze, scan the ingredients here and compile a list」

『Roger』

Left alone, I checked out the ingredients with Yukikaze.

There's plenty of meat and vegetables. I think I have everything I need to make the soup for ramen. Of course, as a novice at making ramen, I don't expect to make a good soup right from the start. It'll take some trial and error.

The problem is the noodles for ramen.

If I recall correctly, they’re made from wheat flour and……

「Yukikaze, have we ever come across "brine" in the alternate world?」

The unique firmness and flavor of Chinese noodles are the result of mixing wheat flour with brine.

Without that, I'd just be putting udon in the ramen soup.

『Are you talking about sodium carbonate, team member Souya? There are no records of it in Yukikaze's memory. We’ll have to ask Makina』

The ringing of those old black phones came out from Yukikaze.

Even the clacking of the rotary dial was played.

『Yes, Makina speaking, how can Makina help you?』

「Makina, I'm supposed to make ramen, but I need brine. Do you have any idea where it can be found?」

『Yes, Makina does』

「What?! Are you saying you've found it, not among the stuff we've brought here, but in the alternate world?」

『Yes, that's right』

Ehhh.

To think that it’d be found instantly……

「I'll need a large amount of it. Is that possible?」

『Yes, it's possible』

「Okay, then how and where can I get it?」

『………………Do you want Makina to tell you? Fufufu～, do you want to know? There are things about food that even Souya-san doesn't know, huh? Do you, want Makina, to tell you?』

「………………」

(°ㅂ°?)

『It can't be helped! Makina's predecessors were marketed as cooking robots after all! Makina has plenty of those memories left! There's no way that a mere amateur like Souya-san can be a match for Makina to begin with! Well then, it can't be helped, so the sixth generation A.I. Makina will tell―――――』

「Cut the communication」

『Roger』

I hung up on her.

Instantly, communications started coming in from Makina, but I blocked them all.

「Now, Yukikaze, let's look for it. If there's brine in the alternate world, then it must be here」

『Understood, indeed』

I set the detergent down on the floor and started searching.

Even if we can't find brine itself, there must be a substitute.

「Yukikaze, can you perform component analysis or something similar?」

『Umm, team member Souya, Makina is sending over 600 apology emails per second and they're clogging up memory space. It's getting troublesome, so can Yukikaze just tell you the answer? Also, can Yukikaze delete them all?』

「You can delete the emails」

I wanted to look through the ingredients some more, but it can't be helped. I should hear it, I suppose.

「………………So, what's the answer?」

Yukikaze unhooked herself from my belt and landed on the ground.

She then opened the sack of detergent I had left on the floor.

『It turns out that the detergent of this world has been found to have almost the same components as sodium bicarbonate』

「Sodium bicarbonate……you mean baking soda?」

So they have baking soda in the alternate world as well, huh?

Wait, is baking soda really such a versatile detergent?

『With it, you can make ramen noodles』

「Eh?」

Quick note, I called the flame religion’s attire a tunic but it’s actually a Kantoi(貫頭衣), a simple type of clothing consisting of a large piece of cloth with a hole in the middle for the head. Which fits their ascetic image, of course. I used “tunic” because putting that all in would be too wordy and it was the closest term I could think of. (pic courtesy of rakuten.co.jp)

It’s been a while since Makina pissed Souya off with her attitude haha. Well, stay tuned to see how Souya makes ramen noodles using detergent?!

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