"Welcome to the store! Please enjoy your visit!"
And this is the signal that Motegi's store is back to business, and another busy day will occur.
At the toiletries section, Pinna assists a woman who approaches with slightly frazzled hair.
"I need something to make my hair shine. Like, really shine. I've got a date tonight, and I want to look dazzling..."
"Understood."
With that, Pinna turns to the shelves and selects a bottle, holding it out to the woman.
"This shampoo contains coconut milk extracted from Oserin palms. It strengthens the hair shaft, restores softness, and promotes a radiant surface gloss. It also provides long-lasting hydration and prevents frizz under humid conditions."
"Oh wow... this sounds amazing! Just what I needed. Thank you so much!"
"Gratitude accepted."
At the kitchenware section, Yomogi is already surrounded by a familiar cluster of eager housewives.
"This one here is our new silicone spatula set! Flexible, heat-resistant, and it won't scratch any of your pans, and it's easy to clean too!"
"You always bring in the best stuff!
"My husband hates when the wooden ones stain."
"I'm grabbing one now before it's gone!"
And the housewives begin snatching up excitedly.
At the woodworks section, Salacia's fingers trail languidly across the surface of a small plywood cabinet, leaving behind a delicate, damp sheen from her skin as she locks eyes with a nobleman who's just made his selection.
"Mmm... such a refined taste, gentleman~. This piece will look divine bathed in afternoon sunlight, don't you think~?"
The nobleman opens his mouth to respond, but only silence comes out. He simply nods, eyes locked on her, completely enraptured by her presence again.
At the ceramics section, Kimberly has a conversation with a noblewoman.
"Is this... the ewer... you wish to use?"
The noblewoman across smiles.
"Yes, it's perfect. The shape, the finish... it's just right for my dinner party."
Kimberly nods as she turns the ewer under the light.
"Indeed... the proportions... are balanced. It will serve... most beautifully."
At the rowdy masonry section, Chantal stands with arms crossed, surrounded by her usual crowd of broad-shouldered masons. Her eyes scan them, brow arched like she sees something missing from them.
"Where's the other guy?"
One of the masons answers awkwardly.
"He's sick today. Didn't show."
"I see. Hope he gets better soon..."
Then, she plants her hands on her hips, flashing her usual grin.
"So, you guys want the usual?"
"Hell yeah!"
With that, she hoists packs of mortar onto her shoulders, then lowers each one to the ground carefully.
"There you go, fellas."
The masons cheer, clearly pleased.
"Thanks, Chantal! You're the best as always!"
At the weapons section, Manas holds a finely crafted axe with both hands, presenting it to a well-built adventurer.
"Thou should wield this. Its balance is righteous, and its edge made to kiss only the foe."
The man grips the axe and gives it a cautious swing, and his eyes widen.
"Whoa! It's lighter than I expected."
"But of course. This emporium provideth naught but the finest of wares. Thou hast chosen wisely, brave soul."
At the gemstones section, Lilith gently slips a polished amethyst into a flustered nobleman's palm, then whispers as her breath grazes his ear.
"I believe your wife will love this one~. She might fall for you even more~..."
The nobleman swallows hard, flushed and barely composed.
At the precious metals section, the same female commoner who came when this section made its debut has returned to Brunhild.
"Can I get that one-ounce silver bar, miss?"
"Understood."
Brunhild retrieves the bar from the case and sets it down carefully, revealing the engraved Puck at the center.
The woman gasps, a hand to her mouth.
"Finally... I've been saving up for this. And look! The little creature on it... it's so cute!"
Brunhild offers a soft smile.
"Your resolve to secure the future is commendable. I am touched by your determination."
"Thank you, miss!"
At the counter, Motegi handles payments and change as usual. And tiny Puck sits proudly on his shoulder, chirping delightfully at every customer as Motegi calls out.
"Kyuu!"
"Thank you for your purchase, miss. Next one, please!"
And with that, the store rolls on just as busy and alive as always.
LUNCH TIME
**********
When the last of the customers filter out, the girls lock the doors, and we all head upstairs. But instead of going to the kitchen, I bring the girls to the terrace garden first to witness something. I untie the cloth on top of a jar, revealing a black liquid inside that's fully fermented after six months.
"Now this... is our soy sauce!"
Yomogi clasps her hands together and bounces in delight.
"Yay! Finally, my work has paid off, Motegi-chan!"
"Absolutely."
I still can't forget when we first started this whole thing. It was just after we'd moved into this house, and back then, it was only Yomogi, Chantal, Kimberly, and Pinna living here with me. I remembered the process of carefully growing koji and boiling soybeans, and Yomogi was the one who poured the brine into this jar. So… yeah, I think she's got every right to feel proud of this.
Chantal leans over the jar curiously.
"Can I taste it, Motegi-kun?"
"Sure."
First, I scoop some of the glossy sauce with a ladle and pour it carefully into a ceramic bottle. Then, I hover the empty ladle in front of Chantal and tilt it slightly, letting a few small droplets fall into her open palm as I warn her.
"It might be a little salty, Chantal."
Chantal raises her hand and gives it a quick lick, her lips curling slightly as she winces.
"Yeah, it's definitely salty. But not as much as I imagined, actually."
On my shoulder, Puck is staring intently at the bottle.
"No, not for you."
"Kyuu!"
It doesn't mean that I don't allow it to taste soy sauce. I just want this to be used in a proper dish, not raw from a ladle. Especially when it made even Chantal wince.
Kimberly smiles as she lingers on the bottle with understanding.
"Indeed... soybeans… can become... something wonderful. Not just… an elder's food. This may be… as good... as the miso, Motegi-sama..."
"Told you, right?"
Pinna gives her verdict as usual.
"This soy sauce adds valuable culinary data to our current repertoire. Despite sharing a base ingredient with fermented bean paste, the final product differs in viscosity, sodium profile, hue, and volatile aroma compounds. I will document this in my internal matrix, Master."
"Glad to hear that."
Honestly, it's kind of wild to think about how much I've introduced since coming here. Back in our old home, I only made mayonnaise and soda. But since we moved here, and I started growing crops and got rice and soybeans from Heiligeichen… everything has exploded. Strawberries, chocolate, miso, sweet potatoes, and sake. Dishes, snacks, and condiments from tomatoes, chili, potatoes, and corn. Hoshigaki, although that one is from Kooky Kaki's persimmon, but still.
And now, soy sauce joins the family, and it might be the key that unlocks everything. The missing piece for all the Japanese meals I've been holding back on. Karaage, teriyaki, oyakodon, fried rice, and many more. Not to mention tare, the sauce that turns grilled meat into something unforgettable.
Also, there's the one craving that's stayed buried in my mind all this time, which is ramen. And with this soy sauce, that noodle bowl goodness will come true because it will feature ajitsuke tamago, that soy-marinated, soft-boiled egg topping.
Salacia leans in next.
"Hmm… doesn't look like garum, darling~..."
"It really doesn't. That one's made from fish, but this is from soybeans."
Manas's eyes are thoughtful.
"Is't an alcohol, mine king?"
"No, you're not supposed to drink it like sake."
"Fie…"
Lilith sidles up to me.
"Will you make something delicious with this, honey~?"
"Absolutely. In fact, this is going straight into lunch."
"Mmm… delightful~..."
Brunhild nods once.
"I cannot wait to see what you will make today, my Lord."
And I can't help but tease her, which makes her flustered.
"You don't hold back saying what's on your mind now, do you?"
"I-It is not like that, my Lord..."
"Hahaha... just kidding, okay?"
With that, I ask everyone again.
"So, shall we head back inside?"
"Yes!"
"Kyuu!"
And then, we all head back inside. The girls take their seats at the table as I head into the kitchen. I open the fridge and take out everything I'll need.
First up, I wash some Heiligeichen's short‑grain rice through cool water until the cloudiness fades away. Once it's clean, I transfer it into the rice cooker, add water, close the lid, and press the switch.
Next, I pour that soy sauce, sake, and sugar into a bowl, mixing until the sugar dissolves completely, and set it aside.
Yes, I know mirin is important for this one. But there are two things that challenged me to make one. First, mirin needs shochu first, and shochu means distillation, which is something different than sake. And second, mirin itself needs another round of fermentation with that shochu. So that's why I feel it's a little bothersome, and so far, I've cooked many things without mirin, and they're still pretty good.
And speaking of bothersome fermentation, this world also doesn't have vanilla. But even though I have [Seedless], I don't grow any in the terrace garden. Unlike chocolate or soy sauce, which might take time but are simple, vanilla is a mess. One week in the sun, then warmth, then curing… too many steps. So yeah, I also don't have any of it, and so far, my desserts go pretty well without it.
The point is, mirin and vanilla are annoying, and I'm not interested in that.
I season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then lay them skin‑side down in a large frying pan, and they immediately sizzle. I let them cook slowly, flipping once to brown both sides evenly.
When the skin turns golden and crisp but the meat isn't fully cooked yet, I lift the thighs out and place them onto a tray.
Into the same pan go grated ginger and minced garlic, letting the aroma bloom. Then, I pour in the sauce mixture. Once it bubbles and thickens, the chicken goes back in. I baste each piece carefully, spooning the sauce over and over as it reduces, clinging tighter every time until it coats the meat in a deep brown sheen. Once it reaches the right thickness, I slide the chicken back onto the tray again.
While it rests, I steam the chingensai just one to two minutes. After that, the rice is done cooking, and I fluff it up gently. And with a sharp knife, I move back to the chicken, slice them all into neat, bite‑sized pieces, and then start plating.
Nine plates first. Each one gets an equal portion of rice, sliced chicken on top, a drizzle of the thickened sauce, two pieces of chingensai on the side, and a final sprinkle of sesame seeds. Then, one smaller bowl with a tiny serving of rice, smaller chicken pieces with the remaining sauce, two little leaves of chingensai, and sesame seeds. Finally, I call out to the girls.
"Everyone, can you help bring these out?"
"Yes!"
Each girl takes a plate, and I carry my own, along with the little bowl for Puck. Once we set everything on the table, Yomogi leans in delightfully at the dish.
"Uwah! What is this, Motegi‑chan?!"
"It's called chicken teriyaki."
Chantal's response comes next.
"Ooh! Chicken and rice! I love it, Motegi-kun!"
Kimberly studies the plate with wonder.
"So this is… what soy sauce... can... make, Motegi-sama…"
"There's more coming in the future, you know?"
Pinna also does the same thing.
"Rice, protein, and vegetables. Balanced nutritional composition. Visual appeal is high. I predict this meal will be satisfactory, Master."
"Glad to hear that, Pinna."
Salacia already hums.
"I can't wait to eat this, darling~..."
And Manas's question comes next.
"Is't spicy, mine king?"
"No, it's not spicy."
"Very well..."
Lilith shudders, biting her lip as she stares at the glaze and holds a moan.
"Hnngg~… look at how glossy this is, honey~…"
Brunhild looks at me with hopeful eyes, and so does Puck.
"I await your command to eat, my Lord."
"Kyuu!"
"Well, let's dig in now, shall we?"
At once, we grab our utensils... and the reaction is instant:
Yomogi's eyes light up, and Chantal is already halfway through her plate.
"Mmm! So this is what soy sauce tastes like. I can't describe it, but it's so flavorful, Motegi-chan…"
"This is your best chicken and rice so far, Motegi-kun!"
Kimberly murmurs, clearly pleased as Pinna finishes her first bite and begins her usual analysis.
"This simple dish… holds... such... an incredible sauce, Motegi-sama…"
"Chicken remains tender. Sauce enhances flavor without overpowering. Nutritional efficiency confirmed. Result is satisfactory, as predicted. And this soy sauce, it provides valuable culinary data, Master."
Salacia and Manas savor their bites joyfully.
"Mmm~... even the chicken tastes juicier somehow, darling~!"
"Why can I not cease? Halt me now, mine king, or I shall consume thine portion as well!"
"What are you even saying?"
Lilith melts back in her chair with a soft moan as Brunhild smiles.
"Mmmhh~... why does your food always make me melt, honey~?"
"This feels very comforting, my Lord."
Then, I look around the table.
"So? Do you girls like it?"
They all nod wordlessly in unison, cheeks full and expressions glowing. And then I turn to Puck, who is gleefully munching on its little bowl.
"You like it too, Puck?"
"Kyuu!"
"Good to hear that."
Finally, I take a bite of my own, enjoying the sweet, savory, and familiar taste in my mouth.
"Yup, this really tastes like the one back home."
With the soy sauce having successfully made its long‑awaited debut in this world, we keep eating our lunch together and reopen the store soon after.