Chapter 5 That which has not yet been conveyed
Crackling and popping.
The sound of firewood burning in the stove.
Sparks burst forth and quickly extinguish.
Udon is one of the most characteristic noodles in Inazuma.Its texture is somewhere between sliced noodles and rice noodles,with a soft texture.When combined with carefully crafted soup ingredients,it becomes a delicious noodle dish.
In the winter,udon is typically served hot with soup,while in the summer,it is often served cold.Cold udon can be dipped in a thick sauce,known as noodle dipping sauce,to enhance its flavor.
The most traditional way to prepare udon is with beef and broth.The noodles are soft and smooth,and the sauce is rich and flavorful.
So,when visiting Inazuma,be sure to try a bowl of beef udon from the Ritou.
Kiyonoya gently kneads the dough,pressing down slowly with his index finger on the belly of the dough.
Behind him,Miss Fox sits quietly on a cushion with two fox ears,holding a cup of fragrant tea,waiting patiently with a hint of anticipation.
Then there's tofu.
Fried tofu,pan-fried tofu,spicy tofu,Inazuma has many tofu restaurants,but the most famous and skilled is the tofu made by the Hashi kuni in the Hashi kuni Palace.
During this time,there is also a story.
In his early years,the Hashikuni was a wanderer and destitute,so he opened a fried tofu shop at the foot of the Grand Narukami Shrine.Those who have tasted it cannot stop praising it,and it is deeply loved by the people.After praying at the shrine,visitors must eat a bowl of hot fried tofu before leaving,to complete their journey.
The clean aroma and refreshing taste of tofu have blended with the smoky scent of the shrine,becoming a part of Inazuma's nostalgic atmosphere that cannot be separated.
Whenever people from Inazuma take a bite of fried tofu,they are instantly transported back to their hometown by the familiar aroma.
Although the Hashi kuni no longer operates the shop,their tofu-making prowess lives on.For any high-ranking Inazuman official fortunate enough to sample the tofu from the Hashi kuni Palace,it is a generational honor.
Washing pots and pans,cutting vegetables,adding seasoning.
The firewood burns quietly,and Kiyonoya watches the flames swaying in the cold sky,his heart also swaying gently.
His500years of life have long been intertwined with this land...
How could he bear to part with it?
The flames burn quietly.
Stabbing pain.
Kiyonoya stared in surprise at the fingertip that had just come into view.
A shallow scratch appeared on the fingertip,blood oozing out and dripping onto the cutting board,staining the clean tofu with a reddish-pink color.
Ah.
He chuckled softly.
Really getting old,can't afford to lose.
After using knife for hundreds of years,it was cut by a knife today.
"Be careful,old geezer."
Miss Fox's voice appeared behind him.
Kiyonoya turned his head and Yae Miko leaned slightly on his shoulder,her pale purple earrings sparkling in the light of the fire,a few strands of her soft,smooth hair brushing against Kiyonoya's neck.
It was a bit itchy.
"Tsk."Kiyonoya,the Hashi kuni of the country,felt his dignity challenged and clicked his tongue,stubbornly insisting,"Fox shouldn't meddle in cooking!Just wait on the side."
"Blood's dripping."Miss Fox said.
"No,it's not!"
"Do you remember the first time I saw you?"Miss Fox said,"It was snowing just like today,and you passed out from hunger in front of the shrine.So I brought you some small dried fish."
"A week later,you made a bowl of tofu noodles and put them in front of the shrine.You added fried tofu to udon noodles--actually,it was your creation...Later,this dish became known as'Fox Udon'."
She looked at the fire and talked about the past.
"Old geezer,you forgot,your memory is really poor."
The firelight reflected on her elegant white profile,and she said teasingly,"What Great Shogun,Great Hero,hahaha~Can't remember when you were young and couldn't even afford to eat,old geezer."
She really was impolite.
Silly fox.
"Don't meddle too much!"
Kiyonoya snorted heavily.
"Just go over there and wait,don't delay me from cooking."
"You're bleeding."
Kiyonoya was a little angry.He knew he was old,he knew he was no longer useful,he knew he couldn't even cut vegetables,but he didn't want to be like this,he also...
A slight cool sensation came from the palm of his hand.
"Hey."
Miss Fox's hand was very cool,and she took Kiyonoya's right hand--the wound on it had not yet healed.
Then,even cooler and softer touch came from her fingertips,moist and refreshing,very gentle and ticklish.
Miss Fox's tongue gently licked Kiyonoya's wound,she lowered her eyes,methodical and serious,more like a kitten licking a companion's wound than a fox.
She really was like a kitten,an elegant pink kitten:whether it was her pink long hair,her dark purple eyes,or her standing posture now,slightly lifting her slim toes,leaning forward slightly,holding Kiyonoya's right hand.
--All like a kitten licking small dried fish.
Her tongue moved along the fingers,coming to the fingertips permeated with blood,gentle and slow.
Warm and moist breath scattered into a shallow layer of mist.
It fell on Kiyonoya's skin,very moist.
The world was quiet after the snow,with ivy growing wildly outside the window.This moment felt endless.
Through the wooden window,one could see that the snow was completely gone and the sun was rising.The red dawn that had dyed half of the sky had faded,and heavy clouds were piled up on the snow-capped mountains in the distance.
"Fox saliva can stop bleeding,"she said,her voice was drawn out and scratching Kiyonoya's ear,making it itchy.
"Don't be stubborn,"Miss Fox said,her voice as soft as falling snow."You need to live longer,for many more years,otherwise the Guuji-sama will have saved you in vain."
...
Kiyonoya withdrew his right hand and stared at the documents."It will be ready soon,just wait a moment."
Kiyonoya made the meal with great care.
The warm soup had a light yellow hue,with a few tender white cabbage leaves sinking to the bottom of the bowl.The softer,yellowed fried tofu was placed on top of the noodles,with a few fresh green onions on top.
Simple and clean.
In the cold air of early winter,the two bowls of noodles gave off a thin,warm steam,which soothed the soul.
Miss Fox ate the noodles with her elongated eyes curved and her ears relaxed,one hand holding the noodles and the other hand propping up her cheek.It was clear that she was very happy with her meal.
When a diner enjoyed their food,it was a compliment to the chef.
Kiyonoya quietly watched this scene,and perhaps many years later,when he was no longer himself,he would still remember this bowl of"Fox Noodles"on a clear morning after a heavy snow.
——————
After finishing the noodles,perhaps because she had come to her senses,and felt a little embarrassed about what she had done earlier,Miss Fox coldly snorted a few times and made fun of Kiyonoya.She reluctantly admitted that the noodles were passable,as she never liked to admit defeat,and then left in a slightly panicked manner.
Pushing open the door,she hurriedly left.
The shrine maiden,"Gendou Ringo,"was waiting quietly in the guest room.
When she saw the Guuji-sama come out,she patted her priestess robes and stood up."Guuji-sama,did you deliver it?"
The shrine maiden was referring to a fluffy white scarf that was warm to the touch and comfortable to wear around the neck.
In fact,Gendou Ringo was quite surprised.The usually lazy and arrogant Guuji-sama had humbly asked them,the shrine maidens,for advice and failed many times before finally knitting this scarf before the winter arrived.
However.
It was already a month into winter,and she still hadn't delivered it!
Upon hearing the shrine maiden's words,Miss Fox perked up her ears and clicked her tongue lightly,waving her hand in annoyance."The Guuji-sama is just afraid that the old geezer will freeze to death!"
Gendou Ringo's gaze became even more suspicious.
"Next time,next time...there will be plenty of opportunities in the future,"she said,not looking back as she left the mansion,concluding,"Anyway,there will be plenty of chances!"