Aria hunched over the small stone table nestled between rose bushes. A makeshift pot boiling over a weak flame steamed as she carefully stirred the noodles. "This broth tastes like wet wood! Where's the miso? Where’s the goddamn umami?! I'd sell my entire fucking kingdom for one good pack of instant ramen!" She let out a soft groan of frustration as she watched the pathetic attempt bubble beneath her wooden spoon.
She fumbled with the packet of local herbs she scavenged from the kitchen earlier that morning. "What am I even using? Basil? Tarragon? What are these useless leaves even supposed to do?! They're not MSG!" She pinched some leaves between her fingers before tossing them into the pot halfheartedly. A sigh escaped her lips. Her mind wandered to sleek aisles back home. Well-stocked shelves lined with colorful ramen packages she could tear open without a second thought.
The soft crunch of footsteps startled her back to reality. She nearly dropped the spoon as she spun to face her personal bodyguard with wide eyes. "jij?!? This? Uh, uh... Nothing!" Her entire body stiffened. Shit shit shit! "Just... you know, playing with soup ideas or whatever!" She threw out a manic laugh that screamed 'I’m guilty as hell.' Her laugh stumbled. "Definitely not anything suspicious! Ha... ha..." She threw a side glance at the steaming pot, sweat tickling down her temple, hoping they couldn’t see through the sudden flush creeping into her cheeks.
Her pulse hammered until - ding ding ding! The idea hit like lightning. Confidence flooded back as she twirled on her heel with a triumphant grin. "Wait..." Her fingers drummed on the table; eyes bounced from jij's face back to the disaster ramen bubbling away. "We're leaving." She slammed her hand on the table like she was commanding soldiers into battle. "NOW." Her eyes blazed with purpose as she stabbed a finger at the pot. "That slop? A disgrace to food. The market has to have better shit!"
<!-- Author's Note: Aria wants to recreate miso and satisfy her craving for umami, though she keeps this a secret, pretending it's her own creative idea. She is looking ingredients (or most likely their substitutes) such as soybeans, fermenting agents, sea salt, seaweed/kelp/dried fish, and mushrooms like shiitake. Along the way, she may encounter merchants, including foreign traders, and discover hints of magic that could aid her hidden abilities. -->
