Title: Burning Welcome! - What a Sweet Reason
Characters: Cater, Trey, Kalim, Jamil, Malleus, Grim, MC/Yuu
Event Story Navigation
| Episode 1 | 1-1 ・ 1-2 ・ 1-3 ・ 1-4 ・ 1-5 |
| Episode 2 | 2-1 ・ 2-2 ・ 2-3 ・ 2-4 ・ 2-5 ・ 2-6 ・ 2-7 ・ 2-8 ・ 2-9 ・ 2-10 ・ 2-11 ・ 2-12 |
| Episode 3 | 3-1 ・ 3-2 ・ 3-3 ・ 3-4 ・ 3-5 ・ 3-6 ・ 3-7 ・ 3-8 ・ 3-9 ・ 3-10 ・ 3-11 |
| Episode 4 | 4-1 ・ 4-2 ・ 4-3 ・ 4-4 ・ 4-5 ・ 4-6 ・ 4-7 ・ 4-8 |
| Episode 5 | 5-1 ・ 5-2 |
What a Sweet Reason
Scalding Sands - Kalim’s House
Trey
You and Kalim have been friends since the both of you were little, right Jamil? That means you have all sorts of memories just from your time here, right?
Jamil
Hmm…
Us attendants usually settle our meals by packing them from our homes or eating the staff meals prepared for the day here, for example.
However, there was one occasion when I couldn’t bring my packed food…
Trey
Why’s that so?
Jamil
It was because my younger sister stole my lunchbox back at home after I’d made it.
Cater
What a sweet reason~
Grim
That must be ‘cuz Jamil’s food is so delish! I can get why she’d also wanna eat it.
Jamil
There weren't any meals prepared for the day, so I went to the estate’s kitchen to make lunch on my own.
I made servings for the rest of my colleagues at the same time and we all ate together…
But somehow, rumours of how yummy my cooking was apparently spread throughout the estate thanks to those who’d eaten it.
Kalim’s parents also caught wind of those rumours and told me that they wanted to try some too…
So that was how I ended up being in charge of preparing lunch for the Asim family one fine day.
Cater
Really~! What did you make?
Jamil
I’d initially intended to prepare a full-course meal using sheep meat1. However, they requested to eat something I made regularly instead…
So I made wet burgers2.
Cater
…What’s…that?
Trey
A hamburger that’s damp? I’ve never heard of such a food.
Jamil
It’s a hamburger that has been coated in tomato sauce.
That is why the texture of the buns is soft like a sponge when you chew into it.
Malleus
It doesn’t sound very appetising based solely on your description.
Grim
Y’all are just babies who pick at their food! Unlike you bunch, I can eat anything!!
Jamil
I’m sure that you would all enjoy it once you’ve had a bite. It’s actually a popular fast food here in the Scalding Sands.
Trey
Really? That’s surprising… How did Kalim’s parents react to it then?
Jamil
They enjoyed it.
Although it’s a common food for other residents here, the couple wouldn’t ever have tasted one in their lives.
As expected, they seemed to treat it as a fresh culinary experience. My homemade sauce also seemed to have suited their palates.
Kalim
It was also my first time eating it then. It was soooo good!
Cater
So the luncheon must’ve been a great success.
Jamil
Well…
I’ve been put in charge of preparing lunch a handful of times each year thanks to that luncheon.
Still, since there are many brilliant chefs working in the estate, I receive their assistance while cooking each time.
Kalim
Amazin’, isn’t it~? Everyone loves Jamil’s cooking! Goes without saying that I do too!
I wanted even more people to try his food too, so I’d invite all sorts of people to drop by!
Jamil
Those guests weren’t the kind who would be satisfied at all with ordinary home cooked meals whipped up by an amateur like myself…
I’d end up having to rack my brains so hard over those luncheons as the days approached…
Cater
Can’t tell if it shows that Jamil’s really good or really bad at managing such situations…
Jamil
Now then, since we’ve finished changing and our belongings are secured, let’s make our way to the city for some sightseeing.
Kalim
Aw, yeah! Sightseeing with everyone!
Jamil
Kalim, don’t you have your rounds to make?
Kalim
Ehhhh?! But I wanna go with you guys toooooo!
Jamil
No can do. You’ll have to come back after you’ve fulfilled your duties. I’ll guide the rest.
Kalim
Aw, dang. I’ll find you guys as soon as it’s over, then!
Everyone! Seeya later, ‘mkay!
*Kalim leaves*
Jamil
I’ll be showing everyone around Silk City from here. Is there anything you’re particularly keen on seeing?
Trey
I’m interested in the traditional cuisines unique to this place.
In particular, I want to eat as many desserts here as possible so that I can memorise their recipes and try making them myself.
Grim
I wanna eat loads of good food too! I’m gonna gobble up all the street food there is!
Malleus
I would like to view anything that allows me a sense of this country’s features and its culture.
It may be an ambiguous request…
But I wish to report to Lilia while having a look at something that is evidence of my visit to the Scalding Sands.
Cater
Hmmm… I wanna look at rare stuff that’s unique to the Scalding Sands too, I guess. Y’know, like photogenic buildings or local specialties ♪
Jamil
In that case… We shall head to the Camel Bazaar first.
Grim
Aw yeah! Let’s go get some good food!
Notes
- So it’s just written generically as “sheep” (羊のコース料理) and on my initial write up, I just wrote it as “a full course meal using lamb”. Sounds okay right? Lamb meat and all. But then. i remember that mutton exists. and i go down the self dug rabbithole of finding out whether they make a difference. today i learn that there’s a ton of classifications of sheep meat including what exactly lamb is (meat from, well, a lamb) and mutton (meat from, uh. a fully grown sheep). i sound like im shitposting, but imagine trying to google the difference between lamb and mutton and learning that, and i hate that 1. i cant stick to a simple and concise word like mutton or lamb without it implying a lot more than they should, 2. they arent interchangeable, and 3. there’s even more classifications that i’ve never heard about. Like just look at this. am i overthinking what’s supposed to be a simple phrase saying “hurrdurr full course meal using meat from a sheep”? yes. and i unfortunately subscribe to this pain. will anyone ever read this and go “you know, no one actually cares whether you say lamb or mutton”? maybe. but the unfortunate truth is that. now that my eyes have been opened to this oddly specific information, i cannot in my current state delete that piece of info while translating and it curses my very being with a cringe. a cringe at my brain, which will now remind me everytime i see something vague like “sheep meat food” that lamb and mutton are different. and i must now always find out how old the sheep was when it was slaughtered. and without that piece of information, i cannot use these two words anymore when something vague as fuck like “full course meal using (sheep meat”) comes up. all because. i now know what they specifically refer to. and if the text doesnt give that specific distinction, i can no longer use them.
it’s almost 3am when i typed this but tldr: word vague, mutton and lamb specific. must keep word vague also in english. im in pain (Return to text)
- This is also known as islak burger (well it translates to ‘wet burger’ literally too, based on the searches i did). Plenty of recipes and images can be found with a quick Google. It’s a popular street food in Istanbul. (Return to text)