To begin with, this is a story about rice. The era when people debated between Sasanishiki and Koshihikari was long gone, and now, countless varieties had appeared in the world.
This was partly thanks to advancements in science and agricultural technology, but even more so because of the emergence of Awakeners.
Specifically, some production-type Awakeners pursued dreams of a slow-life in agriculture, pouring their skills into that field, resulting in a flood of what came to be known as Awakener-branded rice and wheat.
Especially among Japanese people, their obsession and dedication to rice was nothing short of extraordinary, producing so many new varieties that you couldn’t count them even with all your fingers and toes.
For example, Gekkou, a rice focusing on sweetness and a chewy texture.
Tenbin, which pursued the ultimate balance.
Joen, designed to suppress the rice’s own flavor to better complement other tastes.
Countless varieties like these were created, and even now, new brands were being developed by Awakeners who devoted their lives to agriculture.
Thanks to that, in modern times, rice specialty shops—rice stores—had made a comeback, and qualifications like Rice Sommeliers were being seriously celebrated. Choosing rice had now become as complex and specialized as choosing wine.
...Well, maybe that was a slight exaggeration, but it was true that more people needed professional advice to find satisfying rice.
Naturally, the path to that wasn’t smooth either.
Among the flood of new Rice Sommelier certifications, many shady ones appeared too, and nobody could quite agree on which ones were trustworthy.
Amid that messy situation, a "savior" appeared!
"Ohh…"
A girl watching TV let out a voice of admiration.
She wore a shrine maiden outfit, had real fox ears flicking atop her head, and a fluffy tail swaying behind her.
Her name was Inari. Fox Deity Inari, written "Kogami Inari."
Well, whether to define her as a girl by her appearance or her true age was a tricky topic, but never mind that.
Anyway, Inari was absolutely engrossed in the TV program "A Retrospective on Rice Cultivation History", so much so that she hadn't even taken a bite of the rice ball she was holding.
"Umu, to think rice cultivation in the modern era hath come to such a pass. I had been buying mine rice thoughtlessly, but 'twould seem that shall no longer suffice…"
She didn’t know if there was a good rice shop nearby, but from now on, she would have to buy rice properly from a rice shop.
Preferably rice that would be perfect for furikake or rice ball.
As she thought about that, she finally remembered her rice ball and took a big bite.
Today’s rice ball had finely chopped nozawana pickles mixed in, giving it a pleasantly salty flavor and a crunchy texture that kept every bite interesting.
She had bought the nozawana at the nearby convenience store, Aniki Mart.
They didn’t sell everything, but they usually had whatever small thing you found yourself wanting, so it was extremely convenient.
They even sold a few types of tea leaves, though the selection was small... Truly impressive.
Of course, if you wanted something really fancy, you’d have to go to a specialty shop, but that was another matter.
Munching on her rice ball and sipping her tea, Inari quietly enjoyed her moment. Although little known to the wider world, she was recently gaining recognition as a top-tier Awakener despite being a newcomer.
After leaving the abandoned village, she was now living in a detached rental house arranged by the Awakener Association. Honestly, with her earnings, she could easily afford a much fancier and larger place.
The reason for that was simple: she brought back unheard-of treasures from dungeons and sold them at auction.
Thanks to the tax breaks given to Awakeners, and because she preferred a humble, furikake-and-rice kind of life, her savings just kept piling up.
As for her true identity—Inari herself didn’t really know.
Even the name Inari was something the mysterious "System" had assigned her. She had simply found herself born into the world in her current form.
Probably, she was some sort of naturally occurring deity or something similar.
Whatever she was, she did possess considerable power.
Thrown into this modern society, where Dungeons spawned monsters and Awakeners popped up all over the place... For Inari, it was all rather like, "Hohh... Truly a troublesome age, this is."
Still, she felt she had adapted quite well to it.
Of course, if Yasuno from the Awakener Association Japan Branch—assigned to support Inari—heard her say that, she would surely laugh through her nose. Setting that aside.
Finishing her tea, Inari set down her cup and stood up tall.
"Very well! I hath decided... From this moment forth… I shall go to the rice shop and purchase the finest rice they have!"
There was no pressing crisis, no looming catastrophe.
Just another day that was moderately dangerous but mostly peaceful.
A day that hadn't changed, whether dungeons existed or not—the kind of ordinary, timeless daily life that had always persisted since ancient times.
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Trivia!!!
Sasanishiki (ササニシキ):
Sasanishiki is a traditional Japanese rice variety that was extremely popular from the 1960s to the 1980s. It’s known for having a light, soft texture and subtle sweetness, making it very good for dishes where a clean, non-sticky rice is preferred—like sushi. However, it's quite delicate to grow, vulnerable to weather changes, and has become much rarer nowadays. It’s still appreciated by people who prefer a lighter, more "old-fashioned" rice flavor.
Koshihikari (コシヒカリ):
Koshihikari is probably the most famous and beloved rice variety in Japan today. It’s known for its rich sweetness, shiny appearance when cooked, and sticky, chewy texture. Koshihikari is considered ideal for Japanese meals (like simple rice bowls, sushi, and onigiri) and remains the gold standard of premium Japanese rice even now. It's easier to grow than Sasanishiki and has many regional variations (like Uonuma Koshihikari, which is especially famous).
Nozawana (野沢菜):
Nozawana is a type of Japanese leafy green vegetable, and it's most famous as a traditional pickle called nozawana-zuke (野沢菜漬け). Nozawana is a variety of turnip greens (a kind of Brassica, related to mustard greens or Chinese vegetables). It has long, flat leaves and a crisp but tender texture. It's named after Nozawa Onsen, a town in Nagano Prefecture, where it’s been grown since the Edo period.