The Swordmaster's Visit

The Manly Man Noodles craze took off even faster than I expected.

Initially, carriage drivers and mercenaries were the main ones taking on the challenge.

Then young knights came, and soon the second sons of noble families who had slipped out began joining them.

A few days later, soldiers on leave from the nearby barracks lined up as well.

Every one of them walked in looking as though his stomach were made of steel, only to undergo the process of becoming humble before humanity somewhere around halfway through a bowl.

Watching them, I realized just how cheap and expensive human pride could be at the same time.

Cheap.

Because it flared up over nothing more than a bowl of spicy noodles.

Expensive.

Because thanks to it, they were willing to pay dearly to fail...