Jidou Hanbaiki ni Umarekawatta ore wa Meikyuu o Samayou

Author: Hiru k.u.ma

—

Shui's way of speaking has been changed.

It's a complete success, huh? Underneath the clear skies, many people are forming a line in order to receive the proof of partic.i.p.ation for the eating contest. The partic.i.p.ants are men and women of all ages, and the races are also all over the place; from this we can see the effects of the advertis.e.m.e.nt done up until now.

In the end the tournament's dish was decided to be karaage (meat battered and fried in small portions), but the number of partic.i.p.ants slightly surpa.s.sed expectations so the Hunters were mobilized in order to obtain the ingredients.

At the kitchen set up behind the a.s.sembly grounds, the meat of a mountain of animals, to the extent that you worried that all the animals in the area around the community were hunted out, were being fried one after another.

Come to think of it, the person in charge of the preparations was muttering something before. What was it; I think it was…

"A-, we don't have enough meat. What should we do? All the animals in the area have been hunted. Meat, meat, mea … O-, we do have that. I think previously, it was brought back from the subjugation."

'That' is, don't tell me it's frogmen demons or alligatormen demons … a, no, it's common sense to eat monster meat in this world, na. It's no good to push the ethics of a j.a.panese person on them, right.

It seems like more than enough meat of various things, and they're asking whether you'd like cola or water as we'd discussed, but as expected there are a lot of people who want cola.

The problematic ones, the vacuum-girl Shui and the Big Eaters Brigade, all preferred cola so we've cleared the first stage, so to speak.

"Hakkon, you're going to be in charge of providing the drinks at the eating contest all day today, right?" (Ramis)

"Welcome."

That's right, today my job is to be in a corner of the stage, replenis.h.i.+ng the cola when it starts running out. The partic.i.p.ants surpa.s.s 50 people, so the consumption of cola, as well as kara'age, will be rather large.

The flavor of the karaage is also heavy, as per Ramis' proposal, so there's no doubt that they'll get thirstier than usual.

"Okay then, I also have to do the partic.i.p.ation procedures so I'll set you on the stage ahead of time, okay?"

"Welcome."

Although I'm on the edge of the stage, she set me up in a spot that stands out.

There aren't just a few people who have interest in me, the local vending machine, but are too afraid to reach their hand out, so I should also have the goal to appeal that I'm convenient and safe in the event this time. Is what the Bear President said.

Because the stage is one level higher I can survey the spectators' seats and the surroundings, but even at this point in time there's a long line in front of the person in charge of handing out partic.i.p.ation proofs.

Towards the very back is Ramis, and ahead of her the Big Eaters' Brigade is a.s.sembled. Shui isn't the only one from the Fools of Whimsy Brigade; the Red-White twins are also partic.i.p.ating.

There are probably other acquaintances among the partic.i.p.ants. The two gatekeepers look like they'd come out for it. And then the currency-exchange official Goggai might also come. Those with the muscular, reverse-triangle body shape really do look like they'd be big eaters. Looks like you can't list just one person as the victor-candidate.

My four early-morning regulars are among the crowd taking their places in the spectators' seats. When I look around roughly, I notice that here and there are customers that regularly use the vending machine.

For some reason everyone's gazes are concentrated on me, but it seems to be divided into two groups; people who are staring at me because I'm a rare object or people who are staring suspiciously because they're wondering why I'm here.

As this unbearable situation is going on, the meeting venue is being set up, and it seems that the chairs and tables setup has been completed. On top of the enormous stage, long tables are lined up end to end and over twenty chairs placed.

With the setup done, the moderator and facilitator, the inn's poster girl Munami, came over to my corner up on stage. So her outfit is her usual maid-esque ap.r.o.n-skirt. More like, I can't think of a time when I've seen her in casual clothes, na.

"Thanks for waiting, everyone! And now the first ever Seiryu Lake Level's eating contest will begin!"

Cheers and applause rose up from the spectator seats. The spectators' seats are also pretty much full. The majority are spectators who have bought things from the food carts set up around the meeting venue.

Watching an eating contest while hungry is a torturous thing, after all. Looks like we can expect great things from the stalls' earnings.

"The partic.i.p.ants have exceeded our expectations, so they have been separated into the First Block and the Second Block; the top five of each block will proceed to the finals where the final battle will be held. We have prepared fabulous rewards for the victor, so contestants, do your best."

"Uooooo-!"

On the outskirts of the venue, a deep voice resonated. The contestants' excitement is also drawing to a frenzy.

"Now then, will all the contestants for the First Block please enter!"

Within the droves of men coming out, the four members of the Big Eaters Brigade also appeared. So Shui and Ramis are in the Second Block. I can't see them among the contestants. Or like, having only men is painful.

At a rough glance, the man that's over 2 meters tall, with an overabundant girth, looks strong, but I know the Big Eaters Brigade's appet.i.te so it's questionable whether he can win against that.

"The time limit is until all the sand in this hourgla.s.s has fallen."

A giant hourgla.s.s is placed directly opposite me; so that's taking the place of a stopwatch.

Piles of karaage served on large plates are placed in front of the contestants. That amount alone probably surpa.s.ses 2 kilos.

"Naturally, in the instance where you eat it all before time's up, you get to move on. And with that, are you ready? Let the eating contest… begin!"

The contests all simultaneously threw the steaming karaage into their mouths.

"Hot-, hoot"

"hafu hafu hafu"

They were just fried, so the meat juices are probably spilling out within their mouths. The large men clutch their mouths in agony. There were quite a few men who used the cola poured in mugs in order to combat the heat.

The house-favorite Big Eaters Brigade are … facing upwards blowing hot air from their mouths. Animals are bad with heat, after all. Sorry for think it, but their appearance like this is adorably soothing.

They forcibly cool it by chugging cola, but that method fills your stomach suddenly with carbonation, so I wonder if they'll be fine. A-, would it be better for the planning committee if the Big Eaters Brigade dropped out here? I have mixed feelings about this.

The Big Eaters Brigade are good customers, and we have some sort of fate connecting us, so personally I want them to do their best.

The first plan the shopkeepers thought up, the Hot and Steamy Operation, was a success, and a large amount of cola is being drunk. In addition, the shopkeepers are buying ice-cold, chilled cola from me.

When I looked at the hourgla.s.s, half of the sand had fallen down; there should be people who finished eating it all popping up pretty soon.

"I ate it all-"

"I'm also done."

"Me too-"

"I am also finished here."

All of the Big Eaters Brigade raised their hands sharply at roughly the same time. Even though it's as expected, all four of them pa.s.sed, huh? The shopkeepers applauded, but if you look closely you can see their faces twitching.

It's the truth that some troublesome fellows have risen up.

"I have also finished eating."

O-, Goggai-san also finished. With this, the five people who've pa.s.sed have been decided. It was faster than I expected.

"The pa.s.sers have been decided before the time has run out. Contestants, it is fine to take the leftover food with you. We will also provide you with containers to do so."

For being planned around big eaters, it's a kind design. They're providing containers to stuff the leftover food in, even though they're contestants who haven't pa.s.sed and are still eating.

"Now then, it's the entrance of the contestants of the Second Block of the eating contest!"

Different from the First Block, the ones who appeared from the wings of the stage were largely women. There's the favorite, Shui, as well, but Ramis is also there. She appears waving her hand in a lively manner.

Ramis' const.i.tution would put her among the big eaters, but if you compare her to Shui, it's unthinkable that she'd win. Aside from them, there are a number of other female hunters partic.i.p.ating. Since I'm set in the spot in front of the Hunters a.s.sociation, I've more or less memorized the faces of the hunters that enter and exit.

They might have increased the proportion of women in the Second Block in order to have a better chance of increasing the visual appeal of the finals.1

"Now then, the Second Block of the eating contest begins!"

With that declaration the contestants proceeded to devour karaage. The repeat of people who were done in with the heat of the karaage and chugged cola was exactly like the previous one.

Shui originally drank cola willingly, so she calmly drank cola while stuffing her face deliciously with karaage. It's to her credit that she eats so deliciously, I guess. With a hand on her cheek and a look of bliss on her face, she's chewing splendidly.

The amount of meat reduces as you watch. It looks like Shui takes big bites and doesn't chew many times. She's the fastest by far, compared to the other contestants.

"It was delicious-!"

Before even half the sand had fallen in the hourgla.s.s, our Shui finished eating and downed the rest of her cola in a flash. She was even faster than each of the members of the Big Eaters Brigade.

"I have also finished."

Immediately afterwards a hand went up, but the second place was a lady wearing a suit-like outfit and black-rimmed gla.s.ses — no way, it's the money-exchanger Akoui. Shui and Akoui, they seem to be the people many women envy, being slim but able to eat a lot.

Quite a bit afterwards, the next contestant who moves on appeared.

"I, I finished-. It was tasty."

Ramis rubbed her belly, somehow managing to finish eating. The other two people were also decided, but they're people I haven't seen before. They're probably citizens who recently came to this level and haven't gone near the Hunters a.s.sociation.

"With this, the contestants who will be appearing in the finals are decided! The finals will begin two hours later, so everyone, please wait for a short while. Once the stage has been cleaned up, the theatrical group's play will begin. Please purchase food and drinks from the food stall and watch it."

So there's also a play; it's a standard event. I haven't heard of this theater troupe being in the community, so that means they must have hired them for this eating contest, huh?

"Hakkon, I'm moving you down from the stage. You'd be in the way of the play, ne."(Ramis)

"Welcome."

If there's a vending doing his best to sell placed there, it will have an uncomfortable effect on the play. I'll obediently let myself be carried down.

"Do you want to watch the play, Hakkon?"

U-n, I wonder what I should do. I'm interested in the play, but I've been bad with watching plays since forever ago. Somehow, it's different from TV, where I become worried over whether the actors will make a mistake. I know it's an unneeded sentiment, but I'll get all nervous and the contents of the play don't enter my head.

I think the reason is that, back when I was a kid I went to see a Hero Show aimed at kids, and an accident happened and the person inside the costume was exposed, and everything became chaotic in front of the audience's eyes.

A-, but, I really am curious. In this world where there's little entertainment, it seems that the theater troupe's abilities would be high, so it'll be fine, na.

"Welcome."

"Looks like you're interested, ne. Then let's watch it together, ok?"

"O-, you two are going to watch it? Then me too."(Hyurumi)

So Hyurumi also came. When I heard her voice and looked towards over my shoulder, Hyurumi was wearing her usual black clothes, both hands full of food from the food stalls. She looks like she's doing nothing but enjoying the festivities.

"Ramis, want something to eat?"

"No way, no way. My stomach's completely full, so nothing else will enter."

Looks like I shouldn't hold any expectations of her for the finals in two hours. Just with the amount of karaage you ate, of course it's like that. Rather, I should be praising you for doing your best.

The spectators' seat was about seventy percent filled, but there's a corner in the back row that's open, so that's where we set ourselves. Since I'm with them, if we don't go to the edge then the people behind me won't be able to see a thing, so it's necessary to be careful regarding the location.

Now, shall I allow myself to be entertained by this other world's play?

literally, to pursue beauty(like a flower, usually indirectly regarding maidens); I translated it for the slight sarcastic dig, which is why it's a bit off. Having to choose between literal-ness versus tone can be a bit of a headache, especially with a subtly sarcastic character like Hakkon.