The Satisfying Ramen

…It was five minutes later that I finally managed to finish the “Jiro-style” ramen.

Once I realized that taking my time would only put me at a disadvantage, I switched to a short, decisive battle and slurped down the noodles all at once.

Perhaps that strategy had paid off, because I somehow managed to finish everything just before I reached the point where I could not eat another bite.

When I looked beside me, Ouri and Brad seemed to have finished theirs as well… Ouri still appeared to have a little room left in his stomach, but Brad looked miserable, as though he had barely made it. Well, I could hardly blame him.

Surprisingly, Maria had finished hers too… Granted, she had not ordered the “double-extra vegetables, garlic, and back fat,” but her ramen still should have been a fairly substantial serving.

Perhaps she, too, was one of those true “ramen eaters” who simply could not bring themselves to leave ramen unfinished.

Still, now that I had polished off that enormous, salty bowl of ramen, my throat was unbearably dry… Just then, Ren poured water into glasses and set them down in front of us.

We practically competed to see who could drain theirs first. The ice-cold water soaked into my parched throat… Ahh, what heavenly nectar!

Seeing the satisfied expressions on our faces, Ren spoke.

“So… what’d you think of this ramen?”

Clutching our stomachs, which felt ready to burst, we each gave our impressions.

“The first bite or two shocked me with how salty it was, but as I kept eating, the pork fat, the sweetness of the vegetables, and the fragrant wheat all came together until the balance felt just right. It was such a strangely addictive flavor. Halfway through, I couldn’t stop eating, and even I was surprised!”

“Now this is seasoning a dwarf can appreciate. The punch of the garlic and the sheer thickness of those noodles were incredible… but more than anything, that portion size blew me away! It ain’t often a dwarf gets completely stuffed from a single dish!”

“I was worried I wouldn’t be able to finish it all… but goodness, somehow I managed. My stomach is suffering, but right now I’m filled with the sort of accomplishment you feel after finishing a battle. And that jiggly, fatty, melt-in-your-mouth chashu was astonishing! I absolutely want to try making it myself!”

“I liked the vegetables on top. They were sweet and crunchy. Once they soaked in the soup, the seasoning became just right and they were easy to eat. But if I’d ordered that ‘double-extra vegetables, garlic, and back fat’ thing like the other three of you, there’s no way I could’ve finished it…”

Ren nodded over and over.

“That feeling of conquest—like, ‘I actually ate that gigantic ramen!’—is part of the appeal of Jiro-style ramen too! I see, I see… ‘You couldn’t stop eating,’ huh… Well, I’ll save the trick behind that for next time. So, everyone—what about that nostalgia for my old man’s ramen? How’re you feeling now?”

N-Now that he mentioned it…? The “Jiro-style” ramen had been nothing like Taisho’s ramen, and yet somehow I felt the same way I used to after eating Taisho’s ramen.

Of course, I still desperately wanted to eat Taisho’s ramen!

That flavor was the very origin of ramen for me, after all.

I still wanted it… and yet, inside me there was undeniably a deep sense of fulfillment, as if something I had long been craving had finally been packed into me until I could say, “That’s enough!”

Brad looked straight at Ren and spoke.

“You’re right. They’re completely different types of ramen, and yet afterward I feel this strange nostalgia. There’s something in this ramen that connects back to Taisho-san’s ramen… Ren-san, please tell us! What’s the secret?”