Mentioned Characters: Tsukasa, Megumu

Megumu Iizunamaru is one of the Great Tengu who live near the summit of the Youkai Mountain. As their name implies, the Great Tengu hold a high position in tengu society. This society is governed by a strict hierarchy, so ordinary tengu must follow any orders given to them by Great Tengu. So why would Megumu, someone in such an exalted position, be up so early in the morning making onigiri?

Onigiri, or rice balls, are a traditional Japanese food beloved for their portability. In the past, people carried them around in bamboo leaves. All kinds of fillings can be used in onigiri. A typical filling is umeboshi (preserved plums) because they taste good with rice, and they provide a hit of sourness that helps revitalize a tired body. Different ingredients can also be used to cover the rice instead of the traditional dried seaweed. Nowadays, in the outside world, there are even restaurants that sell onigiri wrapped up in fried bacon or covered in fish roe. They can also come in triangular, spherical, or cylindrical shapes. It seems Megumu wraps her onigiri up in dried seaweed, even though there's no sea in Gensokyo. Someone must've imported it from the outside world.

Adverts for Great Tengu Barley Rice are sometimes published in the tengu newspapers. Supposedly, this happens whenever the Human Village has a poor harvest. Any barley rice onigiri made by a Great Tengu is called Great Tengu Barley Rice. Steam rose up from Megumu's freshly made Great Tengu Barley Rice, filling the kitchen with the sweet aroma of rice and the robust fragrance of barley. It would surely be a joy to munch down on those soft, fluffy grains. Great Tengu Barley Rice is nourishing and revitalizing and promises to satisfy both your body and soul.

Golden Onigiri Quiz The smell of onigiri led Tsukasa to the kitchen. When she popped her head inside, Megumu greeted her with a warm smile. Taken aback, Tsukasa asked Megumu why she was cooking herself instead of letting her subordinates do it. Megumu replied matter-of-factly, "They don't quite taste the same unless I make them myself." Tsukasa nodded appreciatively, realizing that the great taste of Great Tengu Barley Rice isn't simply determined by the quality of the ingredients used.

"Just one, OK?" said Megumu as she handed an onigiri to Tsukasa. As soon as she received it, Tsukasa took a huge bite, filling her mouth with a symphony of flavor that couldn't help but make her smile from ear to ear. "How can anything possibly taste this good?" Tsukasa tilted her head in befuddlement. Megumu confidently replied that, "Whether something tastes good or not can only be determined by the person who eats it. That's why, when I make onigiri, I remind myself that I can never presume that what I make will just naturally taste good. I have to put in the effort." Sensing the conviction behind those words made Tsukasa admire and respect her Lady Iizunamaru all the more.