#910 World Inflation

I’m Nastasha.

I’m an ordinary human housewife.

The kind you find in any mundane, everyday household. There’s nothing special about me, just your typical middle-aged woman.

My husband’s a farmer, and we’ve got three kids.

Two boys and a girl, who are currently attending a school established during the demons’ reign, learning to read and write.

For common people like us, to be able to learn letters and arithmetic is beyond anything we could have imagined.

It’s unthinkable during the times when humans ruled. Indeed, these are better days.

Lately, though?

The governance has shifted back to humans, and there’s talk of a new Human President or something becoming the new king, but it’s all a bit over our commoner heads.

As long as our daily lives aren’t disrupted, that’s all the blessing we need.

But more pressing than all that, what we common folks really ponder is what to have for today’s meal.

If we don’t fill our bellies today, what’s a year from now to us?

The kids are at an age where they eat a lot, and even with some savings, it vanishes quickly.

My husband, being a farmer, needs the strength to work, so eating well is a must.

And then, they have the nerve to complain about the taste, making every day a struggle in the kitchen.

Constantly having to come up with new ideas, changing recipes to keep everyone satisfied...

Well, amidst all this, dinner time is fast approaching again today.

Everyone’s grown tired of the mashed potatoes we’ve been hoarding at home... can you believe the extravagance of that complaint?

What’s the big deal, just because I served it for ten days straight?

Perhaps I should add a new twist to our menu.

Luckily, the harvests have been good recently, keeping our pockets full enough.

Today, there’s a merchant coming from the big city, so I might find some unusual seasoning to give those potatoes a new flavor.

I should go check it out.

Upon reaching the village square, the merchant has already arrived, loudly advertising his wares.

“Step right up, take a look! I got something truly rare today! Don’t miss out on buying something special!”

The usual sales pitch.

What’s so rare, then? Probably just some unsold souvenirs or trinkets from the city, right?

“Today’s a genuine rarity, such as this Dragon Ramen! It’s all the rage now, not just in the city but across the Human Kingdom—no, the whole world even!!!”

He’s really laying it on thick.

Keep that up, and you might end up accused of fraud, you know?

“But this is no lie! It’s the real deal! Even the big demon corporations are pushing it worldwide! And the new human king endorses it with subsidies to boost! It’s that incredible, and tasty too, because, well, it’s food!!!”

Wait, it’s food?

The name was completely foreign to my ears; just hearing it didn’t give me the slightest clue who or what it could be...

Yet here I am, wondering if it’s yet another ostentatious ornament or something of the sort.

“And you’ll be amazed. It’s delicious, indeed. Today, I’ll show you how it’s made myself! Look here, when you take it out of the bag... what’s this? A solid block?!”

Always with the dramatics...

But what the merchant reveals is truly unfamiliar, something you wouldn’t immediately recognize as food.

One might have offered it at an altar in ignorance.

“Don’t go biting into it as is! There’s a special way to cook it! First, you’ll need a pot of boiling water. Everyone’s got water and a pot at home, right?”

...Well, yes.

“Throw the noodles in that boiling water! Watch as they soften from absorbing the water! Oh, my goodness! How amazing is that?!”

Again with the theatrics.

“Then, you pour this packet of soup base over the cooked noodles in a bowl, mix it all up, and there you have it! The latest craze in the city, a hit with the trendy youth - Dragon Ramen!!!”

Just boil it in water?

That simple?

That would be a godsend for a busy housewife like me...!

“And if you find it too plain, throw in some chopped green onions for a bit of color! Because everything tastes better with a bit of greenery, right?!”

Well, I wouldn’t know.

“Behold, this rare Dragon Ramen not only offers a ten-pack deal today but throws in an extra item! A scythe that can mow down a bunch of weeds—or lives, shaped in its likeness, all at an affordable price! Folks, have the higher-ups been so generous lately that the economy’s booming? Don’t be stingy; keep the purchases coming!”

Adding easily to the set and including a freebie...

Well, it’s true the economy has been good. Thanks to the Demon King, who vanquished the old Human Kingdom and did not collect any taxes in his first year here.

He called it a relief for the farmers exhausted by the old Human Kingdom’s tyranny. At first, his kindness brought us to tears.

We wished the demons had taken over much sooner.

But let’s not dwell on the past. Let’s focus on the Dragon Ramen now.

Despite its dubious reputation, the convenience of just boiling it to eat is incredibly tempting.

Housewives are always short on time.

We prefer recipes that are as simple as possible, and if they only require boiling, that’s more than welcome.

All right. I’ve made up my mind.

Merchant, give me five of this Dragon Ramen as single items.

A set?

Who buys a bunch of mysterious products all at once?

Let’s try it out first. If it’s good, I’ll buy more. I don’t need the freebie.

You’re suggesting a natto set as an additional purchase?

No, thank you.

***

Thus, I ended up buying enough Dragon Ramen for the family.

It’s about time to start dinner before my husband and kids come home.

Any delay and they’ll start fussing, so I need to get everything ready quickly.

But tonight’s dinner is a breeze with this Dragon Ramen.

Just boil water and throw in these hard noodles, right?

Should cooking really be this simple?

The convenience alone makes it worth the purchase. Even if it tastes bad, my family will just have to endure it!

...But of course, it would be better if it’s actually tasty.

Now I’m getting anxious about buying it without tasting it first.

The simplicity of its preparation was so shocking that I overlooked everything else.

Time to give it a taste now.

Pour this liquid soup over it, and...

That’s it, right?

Here goes, one sip of the soup.

Slurp...

...!

What’s this... What on earth is this?!

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh deaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!

What in the world is this?!

No sooner did I sip the soup that a surge of power filled every nook and cranny of my beingggggggggg!

I feel like I’ve never been more alive in my entire life!

Housewife power-up to the max!

Just by gulping down this Dragon Ramen soup, I’m overflowing with such vigor... How does that even workkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk?!

Anyway, just whipping up something this simple won’t do justice to my homemaker skills as they stand now!

Another dish... No, I’ve got to jazz up this ultimate Dragon Ramen with some veggies to showcase my unique domestic flairrrrrrrrrrrr!

Not only does it give me strength, but it’s also delicious.

This Dragon Ramen is truly extraordinary, and it tastes good too!

It’s a waste to have this just once!

I must rush to the merchant to buy all the stock, including the natto!

If I dawdle, the merchant might move on to the next village!

Wait for me, all the remaining Dragon Ramen is mine!

I’ve been overflowing with energy since I startedddddddddddddddddddd!

At this rate, it might be time to consider expanding the familyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!