THE HAWKEYE'S JOURNEY

Chapter 2 - Exploration

I didn't know how long I'd been walking. Don't ask me why. I was too mesmerized by practically anything that I completely forgot about the concept of time.

The houses here weren't simple shelters. Those houses were really houses.

I meant; intelligent monsters did build small communities. But here, they cleared the land, chopped down trees, and used wood to build house, just like humans.

The layout of this city was also amazing. The city was divided into several distinct zones. It was clear that they'd planned everything very carefully before building the city.

When I was looking at the row of shops at the roadside, I just realized that the usage of alphabets was widespread here, which meant... the monsters here actually knew how to read and write.

I understood that they were intelligent just as I said multiple times before. But being able to read and write? This was really next level!

Uhh... I didn't know what to say anymore.

Oh no, my stomach starts to growl.

You couldn't blame me. Who wouldn't be hungry after walking under sun, and for some hours?

Maybe I can find some foods here. As I continued walking, I started to smell something delicious.

I saw a lot of food stalls. However, when I tried to read the sign at the top of each stall, I couldn't read the majority of them.

No, no, no... I WAS able to spell them, but didn't know how to read it. It was all foreign words to me.

I decided to choose the food stall with a sign that spelled R-A-M-E-N.

As soon as I approached the stall, the stall keeper, who was a goblina, immediately greeted me with a smile, "Welcome. How many people are you?"

"Only one."

"One person, is it? Ramen (raa-muhn) has six types: miso (mee-sow), shoyu (show-yuu), and tonkotsu (taang-kaat-soo) flavours, each available in lighter and thicker broth. Do you have preference, ma'am?"

Oh, so R-A-M-E-N is pronounced raa-muhn. Wait, wait, wait.... Miso? Shoyu? Tonkotsu? What the hell is that? Are they advanced too far that they start creating so many new words?

"If you don't know," as if being able to read my confusion, she started explaining, "ramen is a noodle soup. Miso is a paste made from mainly fermented soybeans. Shoyu is also mainly made from fermented soybeans, but it's a sauce instead of a paste. And tonkotsu is pork bones. How is it, ma'am? Have you got an idea?"

Hmmm... let's see... a paste of fermented soybeans, a sauce of fermented soybeans, and pork bones. If I remember correctly, 'fermented' is different from your normal 'rotten' food, right? Sometimes it does taste fishy, but is usually delicious. I'm not sure if I can handle bones, either.

"Miso with thicker broth, please." I said.

She, together with another goblina, who seemed to be a co-worker, started to arrange the noodle, the broth, and everything needed into a bowl.

I sat at the table, looking at them, amazed. Their cooperation was so good as if their movements were set in rhythm. So fast and professional.

Not until so long later, the ramen was served.

"Here you go."

Woah... the smell was very strong. It really stimulated my appetite.

I snapped a pair of disposable chopsticks prepared beside the bowl. Heeh... so the people here are used to using chopsticks.