CHAPTER 263: LAZINESS, LAUGHS, AND FLOATING SPOONS ( 263 )

Hazuki took a few silver coins from the newly handed pouch and slid them into his pocket then tucked the rest of the pouch carefully into the side of his leather bag.

He gave a lazy wave to the two receptionist girls. "See ya."

The polite one smiled and bowed slightly.

The loud one grinned and shouted, "Come back if ye get broke again, Rich Boy!"

Hazuki pulled the door open and stepped out into the warm morning air.

"I thought you were still sleeping."

"Whoa!!" Hazuki jumped as Ridan casually floated up from behind him. "Damn it, Ridan! You’re gonna give me a heart attack one day!"

Ridan stared at him.

Not speaking.

Just... stared.

Hazuki stared back.

"...What?"

Ridan slowly descended and perched himself onto Hazuki’s shoulder like a bored pigeon.

"Where’d you go before?" Hazuki asked, brushing off his coat.

"Nothing. Just floatin’ around, checkin’ dwarven babes. You were sleeping like the dead and I got bored."

"Oh... Right...sorry."

Hazuki paused, then frowned. "Wait, why am I sayin’ sorry to you? Damn it."

Ridan smirked but said nothing—just reclined on Hazuki’s shoulder like he owned the spot.

Hazuki grumbled, adjusted the sword on his back, and started walking down the street.

"...I’m never gonna have privacy again, am I?"

"You? Privacy?" Ridan raised an eyebrow, floating just a little higher. "You literally showered naked in front of those kids before."

"Oi! That wasn’t my fault! It was a forest stream, and they just happened to be there! They’re the ones guilty!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Ridan said casually, arms folded behind his head. "Now then, Mister B-Rank Adventurer, where are you planning to go next?"

Hazuki scratched his chin, still walking slowly down the stone-paved street. "Hmm... don’t know... maybe find somewhere to eat breakfast?"

"Meat again?" Ridan asked, slightly teasing.

"No. Not this time." Hazuki looked up, eyes half-glazed with nostalgic hunger. "I really want to eat ramen."

Ridan blinked. "Ramen? You’re in a dwarven town in a medieval isekai world. I don’t think you’re gonna find ramen here."

"I know, I know." Hazuki sighed. "But... I’d settle for noodle meat soup if anyone sells that. Something with broth. Something warm. Something that doesn’t involve skewers and a pint of fire liquor."

"Good luck finding that," Ridan floated beside him with a half-smirk. "But if you’re looking for soup, I’d say dwarves probably do have it. Heavy drinkers like them? Soup’s good for lining the stomach."

Hazuki looked up, hopeful. "Monster meat soup?"

"Most likely," Ridan said. "They boil everything. Bones, meat,good base for a hangover cure."

Hazuki’s eyes lit up slightly.

Soup.

Warm, full-bodied soup made from monster meat—the best part? Cheap. In this world, meat was practically everywhere. You kill a beast, you get food. No permits. No licenses. No strict health codes or overpriced cuts from a grocery store.

Unlike back home—where raising livestock took months, and hunting needed a government-issued tag just to shoot a deer.

"...Man," Hazuki muttered, "this world has its downsides, but meat supply? Top tier."

"If only they had noodles," he added with a sigh, scratching his chin.

Ridan hovered above, stretching lazily. "I’m sure one of them sells it. Might not be what you’re used to, but noodles are just dough and water. Someone, somewhere’s gotta be boiling strings in soup."

Hazuki grinned slightly. "Then let’s go find the holy pot."

Ridan floated ahead like a food-seeking missile. "Follow me, oh ramen-seeker."

"Ah, mister customer!" the dwarf chef called out as Hazuki stepped closer. His beard was tied at the end, and his apron looked soaked in broth and pride. "Pick ye seat! Ten copper a bowl—add five more if ye want it wit’ extra meat!"

Hazuki didn’t even hesitate. He spotted a sturdy wooden table just beside the stall, then plopped down with a satisfied grunt.

"Owner!" he raised his hand, already drooling. "Two huge bowls! With extra meat! "

The dwarf’s eyes widened a bit, but he gave a hearty nod.

"Aye aye! Comin’ right up, lad!"

As he turned to ladle the broth, a thought escaped:

"Two, he says? This human got a belly like a troll, eh...?"

Ridan hovered near the steam rising from the cauldron, licking his lips in spirit-form. "Oooh, I can almost taste the umami..."

Hazuki rolled up his sleeves and leaned back in his chair, eyes locked on the bubbling pot.

"Today’s a good day."

"Don’t jinx it," Ridan muttered.

"What? I’m not jinxing anything," Hazuki replied, stretching his arms. "We’re eating noodle soup, not fighting monsters. Besides... it’s not like they’re strong anyway."

Ridan smirked and floated down, landing lightly on the edge of the table beside Hazuki’s bowl space.

"If you say so, B+ rank adventurer."

Hazuki leaned forward slightly, grinning. "Same goes to you... ancient spirit."

The two exchanged a brief, smug silence—both clearly satisfied with their comebacks.

Just then, the dwarf chef stomped over with two steaming bowls in each hand, his arms thick and steady despite the weight.

"Oi! Here’s yer double order, soup fer kings!" he barked cheerfully. "Extra meat, as ye asked! Noodles thick an’ chewy!"

He slammed the bowls down gently, steam rising in elegant spirals.

Hazuki’s eyes lit up. "Oh... oh yes."

Ridan sniffed the air dramatically. "Whoa! This look good."

Hazuki picked up his spoon, eyes glinting with joy.

"Let’s dig in."

The dwarf owner wiped his hands on his apron as he turned back toward the table.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something... odd.

One of the bowls—the second one—had its spoon floating ever so slightly.

It dipped into the broth.

Lifted.

And the food inside just... vanished into the air.

The dwarf blinked.

Paused.

Then snorted softly to himself.

"Bah... weird lad’s already paid thirty copper. If he wants to pretend the air’s eatin’ wit’ him, I ain’t judgin’."

He stepped over to Hazuki, who was halfway through slurping down his first bowl.

"Lad!" the dwarf called out. "Ye didn’t want a drink? Bit o’ somethin’ warm to go with that broth?"

Hazuki looked up, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Hmm? Got any coffee?"

The dwarf raised a brow. "Course we got coffee."

"Then give me one big glass. Hot. Strong. Black. Honey."

The dwarf paused.

"Honey’s expensive, y’know. Not some syrupy bug juice. Real hive stuff. That’ll cost ye ten copper coin."

Hazuki reached into his pocket without blinking. "Doesn’t matter. Give me."

The dwarf grinned wide. "Aye then! You’re my favorite customer this week." He turned toward the next stall and bellowed, "Oi, Rurik! Big coffee glass, super strong—black, hot, honey—for this lad!*"

From the next stall over, a muffled shout replied, "Right away!!"

Hazuki leaned back, satisfied.

Ridan continued stealing bites beside him, now poking the noodles and slurping without a sound.

The perfect breakfast.

( End Of Chapter )