Isekai Nonbiri Nouka Chapter 1079: The Unifying King’s More Memories of His Journey

I am the Unifying King.

I learned about a sport called baseball.

It’s quite interesting.

I can understand why the Demon King is putting so much effort into spreading baseball.

When I return to my country, I’ll spread baseball too.

And after enjoying baseball, there’s ramen.

Yes, ramen.

It’s great.

Oh, right. I ate real ramen in the royal capital of the Demon King’s Kingdom.

I see. If this is what real ramen tastes like, then the ramen I knew before really was fake.

What made it fake?

Simply put, the ingredients.

I suppose the ingredients used in real ramen were difficult or even impossible to obtain.

The ramen I knew used many substitute ingredients.

If you don’t know the real thing, you can still say it’s delicious enough, but…

Once you’ve tasted the real thing, the flavor of the substitute version seems dull.

But at the same time, it made me realize just how amazing the king who taught me about ramen really is.

Could I do it?

Could I try to recreate ramen even without having the ingredients I need?

……

It would be difficult.

For the sake of that king, I wish there were some way to bring back the real ingredients…

But food spoils.

Perhaps it would be better to think about growing the crops and raising the livestock myself.

-0-

Now then, as much as I’m interested in ramen and baseball, I mustn’t forget the purpose of my journey.

To meet Lady Tiselle’s father.

Fortunately, Count Chrome and Count Pugyaru, the Demon King’s subordinates, helped me prepare to meet Lady Tiselle’s father.

I couldn’t meet him immediately, but apparently there would be no problem meeting him in Village Five if I waited a little.

And we could travel from the royal capital to Village Five using several teleportation gates.

It wouldn’t even take half a day.

I’m very grateful for that.

While I was waiting, Count Chrome and Count Pugyaru also told me about Lady Tiselle’s father.

-0-

I see.

Apparently, Lady Tiselle’s father is quite wealthy.

Even if the claim that he could buy the Demon King’s Kingdom is an exaggeration, he must have enough wealth to make even the Demon King careful around him.

After all, he has an angel as his wife.

I suppose that makes sense.

And apparently, he also has considerable military strength.

It seems he has powerful forces not only consists of angels, but something else as well.

However, whenever I ask about the details of his forces, they give me a very kind look and tell me that it’s better not to know.

Are they forces so overwhelming that I would despair if I knew about them?

The only thing I managed to learn after pressing them was that the angels are treated as his vanguard.

Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?

If it’s really true, then they’re practically an army out of mythology.

Well, I suppose they’re exaggerating to keep me from acting recklessly.

If I take that intention into consideration, what they’re really saying is that I shouldn’t do anything strange to Lady Tiselle’s father.

I never intended to cause any trouble in the first place.

I was reluctant enough to come here just to greet him.

I won’t do anything unnecessary.

I’ll greet him, then leave immediately.

Yes, just a reminder to myself.

However, why does Lady Tiselle’s father apparently rule several large cities while calling himself a village chief?

Is the position of village chief highly respected in the Demon King’s Kingdom?

I can really feel the difference in culture.

-0-

While chatting with Count Chrome and Count Pugyaru, I learned something that surprised me.

Apparently, both Count Chrome and Count Pugyaru have sent their daughters to Lady Tiselle’s father, and Count Chrome’s daughter has already had a child.

If I put the relationships together, does that make Count Chrome Lady Tiselle’s father’s father-in-law?

So that’s the kind of relationship they have?

Count Pugyaru’s daughter has not had a child yet, but he also sent his daughter to be a bride of someone adopted by Lady Tiselle’s father, and she has had a child.

Then… let’s see. Count Pugyaru is Lady Tiselle’s father’s… what kind of relation?

Isn’t this a little complicated?

W-well, in large countries, family trees can get complicated, with fathers marrying sisters and brothers marrying mothers and daughters.

I suppose the Demon King’s Kingdom is similar.

The Demon King’s Kingdom has a culture that respects strength.

I had heard that the Demon King was succeeded by whoever possessed the greatest power, so I assumed the nobles inherited their positions in a similar way, but apparently that’s not the case.

This is quite educational.

Huh?

Ah, I’m single.

Yes, there’s been a bit of conflict going on.

Hahaha.

No, marriage is a little…

If I married a noble’s daughter from the Demon King’s Kingdom, the neighboring countries would make a fuss.

There might be trouble within my own country as well.

If that’s the case, I can’t see how the woman who became my wife could be happy.

Let’s not do that.

-0-

I traveled from the royal capital to Village Five.

Teleportation gates really are convenient.

And I was surprised to see a city as large as the royal capital.

Which part of this is supposed to be a village?

W-well, they call it a village, so I suppose it must be a village.

I swallowed my doubts.

I stayed at the splendid inn that had been prepared for me.

The people who accompanied me stayed there as well.

About half of them scattered after saying they would gather information in the royal capital and Shaashato City, though.

I wonder if we’ll be able to meet up again when it’s time to return?

I did tell them my schedule.

Well, I’m sure we’ll manage somehow.

-0-

I was scheduled to wait in Village Five for about two days.

I came to Village Five a little early because I wanted ramen.

I absolutely wanted to visit the main branch of Noodle Shop Britoa, which I had seen in the royal capital, and I had also been told about several recommended ramen shops.

Ramen comes in many different flavors.

Shoyu, salt, miso, tonkotsu, tonkotsu shoyu, tonkotsu miso…

Each shop puts its own twists on them and creates its own unique flavor.

If possible, I’d like to try every item on the menu at every ramen shop in Village Five, but I understand that would be difficult.

Still, I want to make sure I try the famous shops.

Hmm?

Am I worried about whether I have enough money for food?

There’s no need to worry about that.

Lady Tiselle gave me plenty of money for travel expenses.

I didn’t spend much along the way, after all.

I still have plenty left.

I’ve set aside enough for the ship fare home, so there’s no problem.

All right, let’s go!

Ah, should I hire a guide?

This city… no, village.

It might have rules unique to this village.

I mustn’t forget that I’m in a foreign country.

I want to avoid getting into trouble and being thrown out.

I’ll hire one.

-0-

Following the guide I hired, I enjoyed plenty of ramen in Village Five.

I hate the limits of my stomach.

I want to eat more.

-0-

I also enjoyed the competition being held at the stadium, where participants had to overcome obstacles and reach designated points within the time limit.

Getting over the final wall that curved outward with a jump was difficult, but I somehow managed it.

Ah, yes, I didn’t just watch. I participated and enjoyed the competition myself.

I even became friendly with some of the people who were taking part.

And they gave me information about ramen shops.

-0-

I also toured a factory.

It was amazing to see so many golems working there.

I would definitely like to introduce them to my own country.

But negotiating something like that would probably be difficult.

The factory manager was an angel, after all.

When I return home, perhaps I should ask Lady Tiselle to speak to them on my behalf.

-0-

The Demon King came to Village Five.

Apparently, there was going to be a baseball game.

I watched it as well.

The first team’s movements were incredible.

They were practically artistic.

And the Demon King’s precise decisions.

As expected of the Demon King.

Hmm?

The Demon King called me over and let me take a turn as a pinch hitter.

Was that really all right?

But I wouldn’t waste an opportunity I had been given.

I… managed to get a weak hit into the outfield after battling through several pitches, and it led to a run.

All right.

-0-

While sightseeing around Village Five, I came across a stall selling something called cake.

Hmm.

It’s delicious.

Not as good as ramen, though.

If you like sweet things, you might become addicted to it.

And having a drink stall right next to the stall selling cakes is quite clever from a business perspective.

I’ll have a drink as well.

-0-

An airship.

…Apparently, you can take sightseeing trips on it, but I’m a little afraid of flying vehicles.

I may be a king, but even I have my dignity to maintain.

I couldn’t let myself be seen looking pathetic, so I only watched it from a distance.

N-next time I get the chance, I-I think I’ll try riding one.

-0-

After enjoying Village Five in one way or another, I parted ways with the guide I had hired and returned to the inn.

It was already nighttime.

I had eaten dinner a little while ago.

All that remained was to sleep, but…

I caught a faint, pleasant smell coming from outside the window.

This is the smell of ramen.

The guide I hired had said that Village Five was safe even at night.

Trusting that, I rushed out of the inn and followed the smell.

It led to a side street away from the main road.

There was an open stall in a small plaza at the end of the street.

The stall was selling ramen.

The owner was human, but an oni maid was serving the customers, making it a rather strange stall.

Drawn in by the smell, I wandered over, but…

It was so delicious that I was stunned.

Ramen truly has incredible depth.

-0-

Unifying King Ideal

Unifying King 「Civil servant. Hit me. I forgot about my work and tried to devote the rest of my life to ramen and baseball.」

Civil Servant A 「No, Your Majesty. You should hit me instead. I doubted that you might not come back.」

Unifying King 「Civil servant…」

Civil Servant A 「Your Majesty…」

Unifying King 「From now on, I swear that I will practice excellent governance.」

Civil Servant A 「I will assist you.」

-0-

Unifying King IRL

Unifying King 「Civil servant. Hit me…Gueeh! Wait, I’m still talking! Guaah! Ouch, ouch! Don’t keep hitting me! You’re only following the king’s orders? Then obey my order to st- Gweeeh!!」